Dean looked up from the paperwork on his desk as a soft knock sounded on his door. He glanced at his watch and cursed under his breath. It was time for another meeting with a potential intern. This time, he was going to be harsh. He couldn’t afford losing any more time.
“Come in,” Dean said, sighing and looking back at his paperwork. He heard the shuffling of footsteps and soon, someone, a woman (young, he could tell by her smell), was sitting across from his desk.
He made no move to speed up his work. It was going to be a powerplay today. The wolf would lead the interaction, discerning whether or not the person across from him was a waste of time or had the potential of a keeper.
She didn’t make a sound, and simply waited patiently for him to finish. She had passed the first test.
“Nice to meet you,” Dean finally said, setting his pen down and reaching his hand out to shake hers. He made eye contact pointedly, nearly forgetting the purpose of his game as she held his gaze for a few moments before dropping her eyes back to her hands. She knew he was dominant here, and wouldn’t make any plays to prove otherwise. That, or she was familiar with how to treat an alpha, which was surprising for a human. Either way, she’d passed the second test.
What was most surprising, however, was the way the wolf was reacting. It had found something it liked. It wanted to claim her.
“Thank you,” she said. “My name is Janie Alexander. I’m here because I heard about the opportunity to pursue an internship with Howlers Incorporated.”
Dean grinned. She wasn’t one to mince words. He sat back in his seat and took a moment to study Janie, the wolf driving him to take the time to let everything about her sink in right away. She had a sweet face, with kind eyes and supple, plump lips. Her body wasn’t exactly supermodel ready, but she wore her business suit with poise and confidence, but her curves left the wolf in him panting. Everything about her, except her age maybe (she was quite young), screamed “professional”.
“It’s nice to meet you, Janie. In case you’re unaware, I’m Dean Resner, owner and CEO of Howler’s Inc. We create sports equipment and safety gear based on my experience with the Wyoming Riders.”
“I’m very familiar with your work, Mr. Resner,” Janie said, looking him in the eye. He realized with a start just how dazzling her eyes were. It was an odd shade for a human; a mixture of green, grey, blue, maybe even brown. He couldn’t tell. It was quite beautiful. He forced himself to tune back in as Janie continued speaking.
“I think it is very impressive that you were able to bridge the gap between human and shifter athletes. I feel that your work has been fundamental in helping to bring shifter issues to light in human communities and open an important dialogue.”
“A dialogue?” Dean asked, raising an eyebrow. It was rare that an intern showed any concern for the bigger picture that Howlers Inc. represented. They were mostly hoping to impress Dean with their business savvy.
“Yes…relationships between shifters and humans have been deplorable. I feel that by appealing to one area where both shifters and humans show unparalleled interest–sports–you are providing an important opportunity to bring the disparities shifters suffer at the hands of their human counterparts to light.”
Dean pursed his lips and looked down at the papers on his desk. Janie might not be the next centerfold wearing his jersey, but she was smart. The wolf, who had been pacing in boredom at the prospect of yet another stupid interview, had stopped just long enough to listen. And apparently, it liked what it heard.
“Can you start today?” Dean finally asked, turning his gaze back onto Janie. She looked startled for a moment, and Dean couldn’t help but smile. She just looked so cute.
“Of course,” Janie said.
“Great, I’ll have someone come in and show you around the office. You can wait in the lobby while I arrange it.”
“Thank you,” Janie said, standing up and reaching her hand out excitedly. “I’m so honored to-”
Dean stood, and strode to the door, opening it. He wouldn’t be able to focus for the rest of the day if she stayed much longer. Hopefully, she would get the hint and leave.
She did, and walked briskly to the doorway.
“Just don’t let me down,” Dean said, and closed the door behind her. When she was safely down the hall, Dean sighed heavily and sat back down at his desk. “What the hell are you thinking, you old rascal?”
He scolded himself quietly, trying to empty his mind of all thoughts of Janie. What good would there be in claiming a girl half his age? She was an intern for crying out loud. Besides, he had his plate full with the divorce.
Still, as he got back to work, his thoughts lingered heavily on Janie. Sure, the wolf was happy with her, but would she make it as his intern? They would just have to wait and see.