‘I see.’
His face remained inscrutable and for a second she wanted to stand up, grab him by the lapels of his pristine suit and shake him. It might be the lamest joke he’d ever heard but surely he could attempt a flipping smile? As the silence grew, she realised he might still be waiting for an answer to his why.
‘I want this job because I want to be stretched. I’ve just gained my business degree which took me for-ever, as my little sister would say, though that’s probably another piece of information you don’t need to know.’ She paused to take a breath. ‘I thought if I was a personal assistant to the managing director of a large, respected international company it could be mutually beneficial. I’d learn about how big companies work in real life rather than on paper, and equally some of what I’ve learnt on paper I could use to help the company I worked for.’
He nodded, some of his dark locks falling over his forehead. With his dynamite good looks and bright blue eyes, it was probably just as well she’d mucked up this interview. She’d never be able to concentrate on work with such a wildly sexy boss.
Suddenly he rose to his feet, which Abby guessed meant the interview was over. His body seemed to go on forever so she stood up too, though even with her heels on he towered over her.
‘Thank you for taking the time to see me.’ She held out her hand.
His lips curved slightly as he shook it. ‘My pleasure. It was an … interesting experience.’
‘But one you’d like to quickly forget?’
This time he actually smiled, flashing a set of straight white teeth. Of course they were. ‘I doubt I’ll forget this in a hurry.’
Well, she’d certainly made an impression. Such a bugger it was the wrong one. A small sigh escaped her as she picked up the errant handbag she’d tripped over when she’d first arrived. Things could have gone worse, she guessed. Her arse could have landed on the floor, rather than the chair.
‘When can you start?’
Her legs buckled and she clutched at the chair for support. ‘Start?’
‘Yes. I’m offering you the job. When’s the earliest you can start?’
‘Are you sure?’ He stared at her silently and Abby kicked herself. ‘Forget I said that. Of course you’re sure. You’re the managing director. Well, I’m only temping at the moment … when I say only, I don’t mean it in a derogatory way, because I actually enjoy it …’ Oh my God, she was going to talk herself out of the job at this rate. ‘I can start on Monday,’ she stated firmly. And quickly shut her mouth.
He gave her another of his small but perfectly lovely smiles. ‘I’ll look forward to it. Nine o’clock sharp.’
Chapter Two
After Abigail left his office, Doug collapsed back on his chair. He wasn’t sure whether what he’d just done was incredibly clever, or monstrously stupid. She would drive him round the twist, that was a fact. He liked order and calm, yet he’d just recruited messy and chaotic.
Even the thought of that made him smile. Was he was having a turning thirty crisis? He found he didn’t care. There was enough misery in his life without adding to it by appointing some po-faced super efficient PA. Okay, maybe he could do with the efficient part, but Abigail couldn’t possibly be as disorganised in her work as she was in her train of thought. Belatedly he realised he should have asked for references but even that thought didn’t bother him as much as it should. The agency had recommended her and anyway he’d formed his own opinion. He didn’t need one from anybody else.
Straightening up, he eyed his computer screen with the usual reluctance. Finger poised to click open his dreaded inbox, the torture was postponed by the sound of his phone. His personal mobile, which meant it was worth answering.
‘Faulkner.’
‘Wilson.’
His face split into a grin. ‘Luke. Good to hear your voice. What can I do for you?’
‘I’ll get to that. First tell me why you’re sounding almost … hell, if I didn’t know you better, I might be tempted to say happy.’
‘Bugger off.’
‘That’s the greeting I expected, not all this what can I do for you stuff. So, spill.’
Doug wasn’t sure he knew the answer. ‘I’ve just made a mad recruitment for my new PA. Employed a girl who turned up late, though she tried to argue that one, tripped over her handbag when sitting down, refused to take off her jacket even though she looked roasting hot, no doubt because she hadn’t ironed her blouse, and answered each question during the thirty minute interview with more words than I manage in a day.’
‘What did she look like?’
‘Ha ha. Believe me when I tell you she’s not my type. I go for the thoroughbred mare and she’s more a … well, a Shetland pony, I guess. Cute but pretty useless.’
‘Which begs the question – why?’
Baffled with himself, he sat back in his chair and absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair. ‘I don’t know. I think because she made me smile. I have a job I hate, working for a father who likes to make my life as miserable as possible. I figured I was owed a bit of light relief.’
‘As long as she’s still making you smile at the end of next week when she’s double booked all your meetings and lost your minutes.’
‘Hey, you’re the one who keeps telling me I need to have more fun.’
‘And on that subject, are you up for a beer later? You can fill me in on the Shetland pony.’
‘Not tonight.’
‘Oh?’
‘I do have other friends, you know.’
‘Name me one.’ Doug heard laughter down the phone. ‘Oh, I know, it’s booty night, isn’t it? You’re seeing Geri.’
Doug winced. ‘Geraldine and, yes, I’m seeing her tonight.’ Did Luke have to make it sound so sordid?
‘Okay, mate, I guess I’ll see you at training. We’ll see if you’re still smiling after a few days with your new PA.’
‘Sometimes I wonder why you and I are friends.’
‘Because nobody else would put up with your grumpiness. Enjoy tonight.’
Slowly Doug put down the phone, no longer quite so certain of his rash recruitment.
Abby spent the rest of the day in a daze. She’d mucked up the interview and yet she’d got the job. It was only just sinking in when she made a detour to the supermarket on her way home.
‘Pizza,’ she said to herself, pulling three large boxes off the shelf and into her trolley. Ellie would be chuffed.
Hastily she hunted down the rest of the items on her list, the foolish grin from this morning still on her face. She was going to work for the managing director of a large international company. As of now she wasn’t a temp in a two bit courier company. She was personal assistant to Douglas Faulkner, son of Lord and Lady Faulkner. Heir to the Crumbs empire. And owner of a face she definitely wouldn’t mind staring at five days a week.
It was after six by the time she turned her beloved twenty-year-old Beetle into the drive, pleased to see her dad’s van already there. As she eased Rodney (the Beetle) in next to it, she smiled at the sight of the pots by the front door. Middle of March and her tulips were finally making an appearance. Maybe they, like her, could sense better, sunnier days ahead. God, she was getting soppy. Then again, good news could do that to a person.
Rodney made the usual splutters as she turned off the engine and she patted his dashboard in sympathy.
‘When are you going to get rid of that heap of junk and let me find you something decent?’ her dad asked as he opened the front door.
‘Rodney is decent. At least he would be if you’d look under his bonnet sometime and tune him up.’
‘I can fiddle around under the bonnet all you like, but the engine’s in the boot and that’s the bit that’s had it.’
‘In your opinion.’ She hauled the shopping bags out from the back seat and handed them to him.
‘In my professional opinion,’ he emphasised. ‘It’s a wonder the garage gets any business at all when my own daughter drives arou
nd in a deathtrap. Let me find you something newer and quieter and—’
‘Soulless and boring,’ Abby cut in. She’d heard all this before, but because she knew he only had her safety in mind, she kissed his cheek to take away the sting of her words. ‘No thanks, Dad. But I’d be grateful for that tune up.’
He grunted as they took the shopping into the kitchen. It was a hive of activity there, with Ellie, Holly and Sally all at the table doing their homework and George in his high chair, waiting expectantly for Mandy to feed him. He was a proper little man, Abby thought with a smile.
‘Ooh, pizza!’ Ellie exclaimed as she watched her unpack. ‘We always have pizza when something good happens. Did we win the lottery?’
‘I’m afraid not, but, yes, something good did happen. At least for me.’
Mandy glanced up from shovelling a spoonful of goo into George’s ever open mouth. ‘You got the job?’
It only took a nod and suddenly she was swamped by warm hugs and sloppy kisses. Her family were noisy and chaotic … and she loved every single one of them. The feel of fur against her leg and the sound of a sharp bark reminded her there was one more family member. Laughing, she squatted and fondled Pat’s soft black ears. He thumped his tail in reply.
‘So when do you start this snazzy new job?’ her father asked.
‘On Monday.’
‘Wow, that’s fast. And your title?’
‘I’ll be personal assistant to the managing director of Crumbs. They make most of the biscuits we have in our cupboard.’
‘Does that mean we’ll get free ones?’ Ellie piped up.
‘I’m not sure. I guess I’ll find out on Monday.’
‘And what does a personal assistant mean?’ Ellie again, as usual far more interested in what was going on around her than doing her homework. ‘Will you have to help him with personal stuff like cleaning his teeth and getting dressed?’
Abby laughed and kissed Ellie’s tousled hair. They’d both inherited the messy hair gene from their mum. ‘Not quite. I’ll organise his diary for him, arrange meetings, take notes from the meetings, sort out his travel.’
‘What’s he like then, your new boss?’ Mandy asked as she scooped up another spoonful for the waiting George. ‘Short, balding and ugly?’
‘Try tall, dark and handsome.’
Mandy paused, spoonful in mid-air. ‘You’re flaming kidding me.’
George thumped his little fist on the high chair tray and eyed her balefully, making everyone laugh.
‘Google Douglas Faulkner and see for yourself.’
‘I’ll do it.’ Sally had her computer open already on the kitchen table. ‘OMG, we’re talking major league hottie. You lucky cow.’
Immediately all her sisters crowded round the screen, cooing at the images, while her dad stood, shaking his head. ‘Like bees round a honey pot. I thought my girls were more discerning than that.’ When Abby simply smiled at him, her father dumped the bag he was halfway through unpacking onto the worktop. ‘Okay, okay. What’s all the blinking fuss about then?’ He leant over Sally’s shoulder and scrutinised the screen. ‘Seems a bit fancy to me. All looks and no substance,’ he declared dismissively.
Abby tucked her arms around her father’s waist. ‘I’m only going to work for him, Dad. I’m not planning on marrying him, so you can stand down.’
‘He doesn’t look like he smiles much,’ Mandy remarked. ‘Sad eyes, unlike this little man, eh?’ She cooed at her son and delivered him another monster spoonful.
Abby thought back to the morning. Mandy had a point. Though he’d not been unfriendly, her new boss certainly hadn’t come across as Mr Fun. ‘He employed me even though I made a right hash of the interview so he must have a sense of humour lurking somewhere.’
‘Or he’s desperate,’ her father added dryly.
At which point her large, messy, crazy family fell about laughing.
Doug sat on his ridiculously expensive Italian leather sofa – an attempt to bring some joy to his life – listening to music on his Bang & Olufsen, another part of the attempt, and waited for the doorbell to ring. His mind kept flitting back to Luke’s words earlier: booty night. The description made him feel uncomfortable. What he shared with Geraldine was perfectly normal, he reasoned for the umpteenth time. Man needed the release that only sex could provide, and he was lucky enough to have found a woman who not only understood his needs, but matched them.
Thankfully the doorbell interrupted any further soul searching and he leapt up to answer it.
‘Come on in.’ She looked sophisticated and sexy but just a little bit hard, he thought as he let her in. World weary. ‘Would you like a drink?’
For a split second she seemed surprised, and he felt ashamed that he hadn’t asked her before. Didn’t even know what she favoured, even though they mated like bunnies several times a week.
‘Thanks, a small whisky.’
While he fiddled around with the drinks she wandered round the sitting room. ‘It’s nice.’
‘What is?’
‘Your place. I’ve not had a proper look round before. You usually drag me straight up to bed.’ He must have cringed because she laughed.
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Why? I’m not complaining. It’s what I’m here for. You don’t need to date me first.’
‘Jesus.’ He ran a hand through his hair as he handed her the tumbler of whisky. ‘You should expect more from me than that. Why don’t you want dinners and candle light?’
She shrugged and sipped her drink. ‘I tried that once. It didn’t work out.’
She wasn’t as casual as she appeared, he noted. She might want a relationship based solely on sex but he wondered if, like him, it was starting to feel too empty.
But then she swigged back her drink and marched up to him, standing so close he got a waft of something wild and exotic. In her towering heels she stood nose to nose with him, mouth to mouth. Groin to groin. ‘Are you coming upstairs?’
The husky tone, the lick of her lips, the possessive touch of her hand on his fly. In that moment he didn’t care about how hollow he’d feel afterwards. All he wanted was to writhe around on his bed with this sexy woman and forget all about his shitty life for a while.
He followed her upstairs and slammed the bedroom door shut behind him. Instantly it was a blur of tongues and hands. They both knew what they wanted and it wasn’t the soft kisses or gentle caresses of lovers. It was wild, pounding, animal sex that pushed everything out of the mind for a while.
When the passion was spent they lay side by side, regaining their breath and their strength. Until it was time for another round.
Chapter Three
The Crumbs headquarters was something to behold. Not a modern concrete building in an industrial estate but a beautiful old one, nestled in a leafy part of Surrey. Sadly though the outside had once been an impressive Georgian house, the soul of it had been hacked away, replaced with all the high tech expected of a major global headquarters. In the place of fireplaces and oak panelled walls was modern functionality. At least they’d kept the sweeping staircase in the entrance hall, Abby thought as she raced up it.
She made it to Doug’s office with two minutes to spare.
Of course her boss was already there, jacket off, shirtsleeves rolled up.
Glancing through his open door she used up the spare two minutes gawping at him.
Suddenly he looked up, the clarity of his blue eyes visible even from across the expanse of his modernly furnished office.
‘Good morning, Abigail.’ He glanced at the clock on the wall. ‘On time today.’
‘My sister didn’t need to go to the toilet this morning.’
‘I’m glad to hear it.’ Rising to his full, impressive height he walked over to her, nodding to the alcove just outside his office. ‘That’s your home now. I hope you’ll find it to your liking.’
She’d noticed the room to the left of his office when she’d come for the interview. It was like a
n office within an office. Sitting there she’d be able to view everyone who came to see him, but he could shut his office door and have privacy. Wordlessly he indicated for her to take a look so she popped her head through the archway, grinning when she saw the space.
‘As a temp I’m used to sitting in an open plan office in the draftiest, gloomiest desk that everyone else has rejected. Having my very own space is awesome.’ Unable to resist she went to sit at the desk, running her hands over the surface. Too bland perhaps, designed for function rather than show, but hers. Looking through the alcove she could see an intriguing bold canvas on the wall just outside Doug’s office. It would give her something to stare at if she was ever bored.
‘Before you start you’ll need to—’
‘Talk to HR and the IT guys, I know.’ She rose from her chair and walked back out of her alcove. ‘I’m booked to see them at nine-thirty and ten.’ Surprise flickered across his handsome face, so she gave him a smug smile. ‘I sorted it out last Friday.’
‘Right, okay.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘Oh boy, you didn’t think I’d be efficient, did you?’
He blinked, long dark lashes descending briefly over his eyes, then walked slowly back to his desk and perched on the end of it, his actions controlled and deliberate. ‘The agency recommended you.’
‘Is that why you gave me the role?’ He didn’t immediately reply, so she ploughed on. ‘It’s just I’ve been dying to ask, because you didn’t see me at my best at the interview. I’m not saying my best is amazing but it’s a lot more convincing than the shambles you saw. Some of my answers were all over the place.’ Once again her words were met with silence, though this time she bit on her cheek to stop from filling the gap.
‘I interviewed six people,’ he said eventually. ‘All of them appeared highly capable.’ His shoulders twitched in an almost imperceptible shrug. ‘You were the only one I liked.’
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