Considering me with a perturbed expression, Aimee seems to be weighing her options before speaking. I can tell that she’s worried about upsetting me, and in spite of her previous comment, I expect her to give in to my offer with little fuss.

“I really don’t think I’m suited to be your personal aide, Mr. Sharpe,” she says finally, looking resolved in her position.

I raise a brow in amusement, but she doesn’t look pleased that I’m taking her lightly. I tilt my head at her, forming my expression into a quizzical one.

“Tell me, Aimee, why do you think that?” I ask, allowing a vaguely sultry note to slip into my tone. I’m testing the waters, so to speak, and her eyes widen almost imperceptibly. It’s not the obvious reaction I’m vying for, but it’s clear that she has some idea of my intent. Her cheeks flush, and she averts her eyes.

“From what I’ve been able to gather, I beat out thousands of applicants for this internship. I’m overqualified for the position you’re offering instead, and to be frank, it’s a bit insulting that you expect me to give in so easily,” she declares bluntly.

I fight a chuckle, settling on a faint smile as I look her up and down. It’s not often that someone is so upfront with me. I find myself charmed by her brusque attitude, but it’s obvious that she’s the opposite of charmed in that moment.

“You mean to tell me that you’d turn down a position directly under the man who put the Sharpe in SharpeFocus?” I say smoothly.

She bites her lip, exposing straight, white teeth. Good, she takes proper care of herself as well as having a fiery attitude. If it wasn’t obvious from the meticulous detail of her makeup, or the body that nearly has me salivating, it’s obvious now. I want someone who will be able to keep up with me in all departments, not just in brilliance.

“Mr. Sharpe…” She pauses, seeming to reconsider. “Carson. I’m honestly curious as to what you would find so fascinating about me, and why you’d want to steal me away from the marketing department,” she says slyly, stepping closer to my desk. There’s intent in her gaze, although I can’t be sure how she expects me to react. If she expects me to lose my cool, she’ll have to play a much harder game than that. I allow the vaguest of smirks to creep across my lips as I rest my chin in my palm.

“It’s a matter of placement, dear,” I murmur. Her expression turns incredulous, and it’s all I can do not to laugh out loud. I’m loving every minute of this game, and though she is hard to read, I’m sure that Aimee will come to enjoy my company as well.

“Placement?” she repeats, none too pleased with my self-assured dominance in the conversation.

I nod, slipping out of my chair and circling around my desk towards her. I expect her to retreat, but she stands her ground, and I find myself more and more taken with her with every moment that passes. I’m so close that I can nearly feel the heat radiating from her cheeks, combating the icy chill of her stare. I’d like nothing more than to capture her lips with my own, to gather her in my arms, to…

I take a deep breath. Back to the matter at hand.

“I like to see my employees in the best possible position for their personal growth,” I manage, my mouth drier than I’d like to admit.

“It seems that you’re more concerned with growth of your own,” she says with a cheeky little smile. The cold persona she’d been presenting seems to have warmed slightly, but I can tell the battle is not yet won. I’m nothing if not persistent. One doesn’t build a multibillion-dollar empire by being passive.

The lewd undertones of her suggestion catch up with me a little too late, and she looks satisfied with herself at having surprised me.

“My concern is the growth of my company, Aimee. What on earth would give you the idea that my intentions are any more insidious than that?” I purr. I pause for a beat, then lift a brow slyly. “However, I’m afraid that your implication is nothing short of unprofessional. I would almost think you harbor some sort of…attraction,” I say boldly.

Her mouth opens and closes like a fish caught out of water. I keep my expression calm, deceptively so. Her cheeks burn with what is likely a mix of righteous anger and embarrassment, and she looks as if she would either like to slap or kiss the smug expression off of my face.

Can you blame a man for being a little indulgent, especially with such a pretty young thing? The passion burning in her gaze is enough to send tingles down my spine, to places I dare not mention.

“Of all the self-absorbed—” she begins, cutting herself off abruptly. She meets my gaze, holding it for a long moment before—God help me—she offers a sultry little smirk. “Well, Carson, if you think I will be unable to maintain an air of professionalism in your presence, I wouldn’t hold it against you if you chose to send me back to marketing,” she quips.

I feel my own eyes widen, and for a split second I feel snared in my own trap. Well, if she wants to play in the kitchen, she’ll have to learn to take the heat.

“If you can’t keep yourself under control, I’ll see you stripped of any title within my company’s reach,” I say gruffly, and her eyes widen as she realizes she’s made a bit of a misstep. “You should consider yourself privileged to be offered a position at my side, Miss Rhodes. Working with the CEO could teach you things you could only dream of, otherwise,” I add with a stern expression. She has no means of knowing that I’m bluffing, both about firing her and regarding the potential learning experience.

Once she’s in my grip, I want to tease her a bit. I’m not one to jump straight from the appetizer to dessert. There’s an entire four-course meal at my disposal, and I plan to enjoy every bite, both literal and metaphorical.

“Fine,” she says tersely, her lips drawn into a taut line. “I’ll accept the role as your assistant. It would be an honor, Mr. Sharpe,” she hisses. She looks furious, and while I might have expected her to feel defeated, she doesn’t appear as such. The fire that burns within her will be much harder to extinguish than that. Good.

“Very well, Miss Rhodes. I’m glad we could come to such an amicable conclusion. You must understand, I hate stirring up bad feelings amongst my staff,” I smirk. She narrows her eyes, scrutinizing me to an almost uncomfortable point. “As I explained, this is a privileged position, and if you play your cards right, you’ll be well prepared for placement in higher-tiered jobs down the line,” I say, circling around to the other side of my desk. I sit in my plush office chair, clasping my hands on the surface of the desk in front of me.

“I expect nothing less,” she retorts, considering me carefully. “So, I’m assuming you have a crucial task of some sort to assign me,” she continues drolly.

I take a slow breath, weighing my options. I can immediately reveal the farcical nature of her employment terms, but there’s no fun in that. I’d rather let her stew for a bit and allow her to struggle with the concept of working with me for the sake of personal gain.

From my treatment of the young intern, it likely seems that I’m a cruel man. I assure you, it’s only because I’m wise to the game. I know every trick to play this woman like a fiddle, and in spite of the disdain in her gaze, I also see a dark desire in her eyes.

“For now, I’ll see that an office adjacent to mine is cleared out for you. Feel free to explore the lower floors, and—” I pause, reaching into my desk drawer. “Add your number into my phone. When I need you for something particularly important, it will be easier if I’m able to text you,” I tell her.

While my reasoning for the time being is innocent enough, I can see how her phone number could be an asset in my plans. She seems to realize this as well, drawing her lip between her teeth and taking the phone from my hands.

“In spite of my attitude, I really appreciate you offering me a position in your prestigious company. I do hope that I can learn a lot from my time at your side,” she says shakily, handing the phone back over to me and offering me a hesitant smile.

The unprofessionalism of the game I’m playing hits me like a ton of bricks, and I grip my phone tightly in my hand before ushering for her to leave. She is immediately overcome with relief, a sigh spilling past her lips as she turns her back to me and rushes towards the door.

I almost reconsider my plot to take her as my own. However, she pauses at the door and turns to face me with a final look of consternation. Her anxiety seems to shift to a rather unexpected excitement, and she smiles at me. A warm, genuine smile.

“Oh, and of course, don’t worry about any hard feelings, Carson. Perish the thought,” she says slyly. Then, of all things, she winks at me before slipping out the door. The little minx!

I can only wonder who is playing whom in this game we’re indulging in. I find myself growing more intrigued by the minute with this enigma of a young woman.

Does she want me? Is she only playing into my hands to keep her job? I suppose only time will tell. Until she gives express indication that she’s grown weary of my antics, I plan to continue my pursuit. Professionalism be damned.

I bring up the word processing document on my computer, smirking to myself as I compile a list of ever-so-important tasks for my pretty new aide to accomplish. She can enjoy her victory for now, but the ball is in my court, and I don’t plan on letting that opportunity go to waste. Game on, Aimee.