Chapter 4

~~ MICHAEL ~~

While I led Lily and Dale to my office, I’d hoped to get my libido and disappointment under control.  I was an idiot for not realizing in the lobby who she was.  I’d only this morning been thinking about having a new assistant and the assurance from Dale that she was perfect and the ideal choice.  After seeing the look on Dale’s face when he’d realized we’d already met,  it made me wonder whether or not Dale had an ulterior motive as to employing Lily.

I walked across my office to my desk, quickly retrieved the papers for Dale, then placed my briefcase near the coat rack and took a seat, hoping to hide the evidence of my arousal.  My brothers, especially Sebastian, would have a field day if they knew I’d reacted like I had to my new bloody assistant.  I never reacted to a woman, unless I wanted to – so this was damn annoying.

Once Dale left, I just watched her fidget.  She was nervous and I wasn’t surprised after the heat that pulsated between us in the elevator.  The light went out of her eyes when she found out who I was.  If I hadn’t been watching closely, I would have missed her reaction.  It wasn’t fake.  She really hadn’t known who I was.  The one damn woman on this planet who really didn’t know who I was and she was my assistant.  Just my fuckin' luck.

“Lily.” I loved the sound of her name.  She had her eyes locked on me, which was driving me crazy.  “I know Dale interviewed you for the position of his assistant, but the position open was actually as mine.  I’ve had a bit of trouble in the past with interviewing, so thought it best to leave it up to Dale.  I’m really sorry for not being up front, but I hope you’ll stay.”

I could see the wheels turning in her head.  “Why do you have problems interviewing?”

Hell, I certainly hadn’t expected a question back, most people just agreed with me.  “In the past when I’ve interviewed, the interviewee has known who I am.  They ended up being more interested in me and my brothers rather than the job. Not only is it embarrassing, but it’s annoying as well.  Whereas you hadn’t a clue who I was in the elevator.  It was….refreshing.”  Why the hell did I tell her that?

I shuffled some papers on my desk to hide my discomfort at having admitted about the interviews.  “As my assistant, I expect all deadlines met.  I do not expect you to run around on personal issues for me.  If I slip and ask, then you tell me no.”

She laughed.  “Okay.  I won’t have a problem saying no.”  She was sitting opposite me with the biggest grin on her face, and all I wanted to do was drag her over my desk and seal our lips together.

I cleared the obstruction, which I knew was desire, from my throat and stood up, hoping to hell she didn’t look below my belt.  “Please follow me, Lily, and I’ll show you to your desk.  The reference we received for you was excellent and they complimented you on your computer skills, which I can assure you will be an asset in this job.  My computer skills leave a bit to be desired, so it will be nice to rely on you for that.”

Lily placed her purse on her desk then turned to look at me.  Her cheeks were flushed and her breathing was uneven.  I wondered if she was finding the closeness difficult as well.

“Okay then.  Here is the password for the computer.  When you logon, please change it to something only you know, but please tell me.  Do not write it down.”  I really needed to leave.

“Will you be all right out here?  The coffee is over there and it should be fresh.  Sylvia from reception out front makes it daily.  I don’t expect you to fetch me coffee, but when I have a meeting, I may, depending on who it is, ask for coffee, in which case I would expect you to bring it in.  Otherwise, I can get it myself.  The tray here has work in it, which I should imagine will keep you busy for most of the day.”  I turned to pour a cup of coffee, so I could escape back to my office.

“Mr McKenzie?”

I hadn’t realized she’d walked over to me and when I turned back around she stood so close that I had to force myself not to take a step back.  “Yes?”

She looked rather flustered.  “Thank you for not giving me my marching orders before,” she said, waving her arms around.

“Why would I do that?  You haven’t done anything wrong.”  I couldn’t look away from her eyes when I noticed they were almost violet.

“I mean for…. ah…. well…. flirting,” she blurted out eventually.

Flirting.  My heart drummed wildly – she really had been flirting with me.  I hadn’t imagined it.

“Okay.”  I turned and walked back into my office,  closing the door behind me.  Once safely inside, I leaned back against it and breathed a sigh of relief.  I was so screwed.  Perhaps it was just as well that Sebastian was in San Diego.  I think I’d seriously have to hurt my brother if he went anywhere near her.

I climbed out of bed this morning not bothering about anyone, but myself, not interested in anyone.  I walked into my office building only to be hit by lightning.

My cell started to ring on the desk, effectively pulling me out of my reverie.  I reached across to grab my phone and glanced at the display.

“Lucien?” My oldest brother, and the most serious.  Up until his car accident, he was as bad a womanizer as Sebastian, but now he was practically a recluse.

“What’s Sebastian up to now?” he asked as way of greeting.

I sat down in my chair.  “I haven’t spoken to him in two days, and that isn’t from lack of trying.”  I leaned back in my chair and did a ninety degree turn to face the window and the skyline.

“Tell him I need help out here…. he’ll come.”

“Are you sure about that?”  Sebastian had never done what he was told, it used to drive our mother up the wall.

“Yes.  Send someone to find him and get him on a plane to me.”  Shit.

I hit end on the phone, because it was already beeping in my ear.  Lucien had always had a problem with manners, but after his accident they were nonexistent.

After a few minutes of debating with myself, I punched out a text message to Roger from the San Diego office, asking him to find Sebastian and ring me when he was with him.