Emma

I’m nervous as hell as I push through the doors of the Glasgow International building and walk towards security, my hands clutching the card I received when I came for the third and last interview for the internship that was on the table, thanks to my professor.

I would never have received this opportunity if not for her and I know it because despite my grades and the hard work I put in, female business grads usually get overlooked and passed up for any male high fliers that catch the eye of the big companies.

Professor Stark wouldn’t hear of it, though, and after long nights spent grading papers together and talking about my plans after college, I finally gave in and agreed to let her send a friend my details, never once thinking that in a few weeks I’d be called and asked to interview with one of the country’s biggest programming firms.

These guys run to military contracts, shipping, international trading, you name it, they provide software and security that some say the pentagon couldn’t match.

And here I am, on my first day of work, walking into a place where I know I can thrive, if I beat the competition and work until I am noticed.

Taking a deep breath to still my beating heart, I put a smile on my face and approach the security desk, handing over my card with only slightly trembling hands.

“First day?” the older guard asks me, smiling when I flush and swallow, nodding because my throat is closed up and my hands are shaking fit to set a storm in a tea cup.

“Yeah, uh, I’m a little nervous. This place is so big,” I whisper, trying to smile when he winks and hands me back my card.

“It takes some getting used to, sweetheart, that I can tell you but it’s nice too. You’ll be using the elevators to your right, twenty third floor. They know you’re coming so someone will be waiting for you. Good luck.”

I take my card back and nod before walking on shaking legs towards the bank of elevators to my right, only panting a little when I come to a stop beside a guy wearing an expensive black suit and a pinstriped tie the color of lilacs.

He doesn’t spare me a glance, just keeps checking his phone and I sigh gratefully when the door opens to let us in and press the button for my floor.

I am naturally shy and talking to people at all isn’t easy for me, something Prof used to laugh about because she said it’s weird that I would go for business with focus on statistics when I can hardly look a person in the eye.

I know she’s right, hell, I have asked myself more than once why I would bother to try for something this high flying when I can barely place my order at the Chinese take-out place.

The truth is that I can’t answer that and I likely won’t ever have the huge career that I envision. All I know is that I’ve wanted to work in this field since I was in high school and I planned it so that I could meet my goals, achieve every dream I had since my dad picked up on my passion for numbers and told me what I should do.

The doors open in mere seconds and I blow out a rough breath before stepping out, keeping my eyes firmly fixed ahead of me when I feel the guy in the elevator finally look up and look right at me.

I’m spared having to say anything because the doors close fast and then I am standing in a black marble foyer and a blonde is coming my way, her perfectly coiffed hair and black suit making me feel grungy in my black pencil skirt and prim white button up.

She’s smiling as she comes forward, hand outstretched and I can’t avoid taking her hand or looking up when she shakes my hand.

“I’m Mira, welcome to Glasgow. Annita, Professor Stark told me all about you, Emma. You’re a whizz with numbers and you fly through your analysis reports, according to her. I am so glad she finally sent me someone who is here to work and not one of those horny college idiots who think they’re walking into an executive spot right off the bat.”

I just nod, not knowing what to say and pull my hand back while swallowing the urge to turn and run for dear life.

You have to do this! Remember what Doctor Roberts said. You have to keep looking forward, look them in the eye, don’t look back.

I repeat those words over and over while Mira keeps talking and waves for me to follow her.

“You’ll be working on a team of three other interns for now, just until we see what you can do. Don’t let them intimidate you, though, you’re the best candidate we’ve got this year and your scores far surpass anything those snots have brought to the table. Just relax, be calm and don’t sweat the small stuff, okay?”

“I, that is, I’m not great with talking,” I choke out because Doctor Roberts said that being honest right off the bat would help.

Apparently, people think I’m weird when I just stand there silently and that makes a bad impression. I get that. I’d see myself as a weirdo too if I spoke to me and all that I got back was a blank stare and a blush.

Mira smiles at that, sighs and tilts her head to look down at me.

“I know, honey. Annita told me that you’d have trouble settling, especially with the amount of people in the office so I put you in the cubicle right outside my office, furthest away from the hub of conversation. If anyone gives you shit, you tell me and I’ll get them to back off,” she says, smiling kindly.

I feel like hell though. I shouldn’t need for anyone to make special considerations for me. I should just walk in, force myself to get over my shyness and be normal. God, I wish I was normal.

“I, thank you. I appreciate that but I know I’m going to have to get over being shy and get the job done. I appreciate the chance, especially after the interviews went so bad,” I say quietly, attempting a smile.

Mira laughs, pats my back and shakes her head as if not sure how to respond to that.

“Honey, you need to remember that your way with people isn’t all that you have. You scored above anyone else ever to take the company exam. Hell, you even gave an extra answer so technically you scored a hundred and five percent. Trust me, nothing, not even a bad interview would have lost you this internship. That came directly from the boss himself.”

I snort over that statement and look up at her, maintaining eye contact with a painful jolt that makes me sweat and thank God Aunt Sue got me shirt protectors.

“I just want to do the job and not get fired at the end of this. I have an aunt to pay back for all the college loans she gave me and a ton of debt that isn’t going to just disappear.”

Which, if I am honest, is giving me nightmares. Aunt Sue has been so good to me that just thinking about not paying her back has me floundering. I have rent to pay on the apartment I’m sharing with my one friend Buck, the only person alive who doesn’t care if I don’t talk to him much, and loans up to my eyeballs.

“Just do the job, Emma, and you’ll be fine, I promise. Now we usually have a morning meeting for the interns on the first day, a sort of meet and greet to welcome you all and get you settled before loading you guys with work but I thought, since you’re not exactly going to relax after that maybe you could have some coffee with me in the cafeteria and we can talk about what I’ll want you to do.”

“Sounds great.”

Mira smiles at that and I’m feeling a little less tense about making the effort when she leads me back to the elevators and chats idly while we make our way down to the first floor where a huge cafeteria is half filled with people ordering coffee and rushing out to start the day.

We get a table at the back, Mira letting me sit with my back to the wall and taking the seat opposite.

“Okay, so let’s see…duties. You’ll be working on the reports that are handed out at the start of the morning, mostly just checking numbers and making sure that the information is all there. As well as that, you’ll be handling my desk, answering the phones, maybe getting me the occasional coffee, if I’m lucky?” she wheedles, making me laugh and nod my head.

“That’s fine.”

“Lunch break starts at twelve thirty and you can go out to grab something or come down here to the cafeteria. Most people come down here so I just wanted to give you a heads up if you’re not entirely comfortable with mingling yet. You get two coffee breaks, officially, but to be honest I don’t give a crap if you have coffee a hundred times a day, just as long as you get the work done and I don’t have to come down on your ass. I like ya, kid, please don’t make me yell at you. Knock off at five, though if I have to pull a late night I’ll probably ask you to stick around,” she says, looking back at me hopefully. “We’ll compensate you, of course.”

“That’s fine. I don’t mind working late and you don’t have to pay me for it. That’s the job, right?” I ask, sipping at my coffee to keep my hands busy.

I hold her gaze the whole time and the longer I do the easier it becomes not to fall to pieces.

“Yeah, but like I said, I don’t exactly want to lose someone like you. To be honest, I’m not always easy to work with and I lose a lot of interns. They tend to think that because I’m nice they can skate by but I am a hard task master, Emma. I expect hard work, no matter what you have going on in your life and I don’t allow slacking. If you can handle that, I think we’ll work well together.”

I smile, my first smile of the day really, and nod, liking how upfront she is. My problem with people, besides being shy or maybe why I am shy, is that I have trouble understanding what they want, what they’re thinking.

That uncertainty makes it harder for me to come out of my shell and then it leads to people thinking I’m some sort of weirdo. Most days I don’t care, just go on about my business and don’t pay attention to any one person.

The only people I have in my life are Annita Sparks, Buck and my cousin Isabella, Jamaica to her friends. Having Mira would be great because I just know I’m not going to make many friends here and one would make a huge difference.

“I don’t mind hard work, Mira, in fact I prefer it to having to stand around in the break room making chit chat. I’m shy, not stupid, and most people seem to mistake the two and try to take advantage of me. I won’t let you do that, but I will gladly go the extra mile if that’s what you need.”

I say it with conviction and feel a small sense of satisfaction when she smiles and nods, seeming to like that answer.

“I think we’ll do well together then, Emma, really well. Before we head up, though, and have to meet those little assholes making up the team, I want to fill you in on some company history. Glasgow has been the leader in software and programming for the last eleven years since Colton James started the company. He’s the big chief, the man on the fortieth floor, along with his partner Harley. They hardly, if ever, come down to the lower ranks but if that should happen I will need you to keep your shit together and deal. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good. Now as far as company gossip and politics go, I want you to stick close and stay away from Nick Turner and his cohort Dennis Noels. Those two assholes run the PR division and they’re good at their jobs but they’re idiots. They’ll hit on a pretty little thing like you the first time they spot you and trust me, it’s on going. If they give you any shit or make you feel uncomfortable in any way, you tell me and we report it to HR. Colton and Harley don’t take kindly to harassment of any kind, especially if they find out a junior hasn’t reported it. You’d be out on your ass as quick as the culprit,” she warns, making me tense because I hate situations like that.

“I’ll keep a low profile.”

“Good. Because, as my lackey, you’ll be sitting in on any in-house meetings and I need to know that I can take you in there without worrying that they’ll see you.”

Her warnings have me rethinking working here but I shake it off and promise myself not to crumple under the pressure the first day on the job. I need this job. Besides, Buck and I may not be chatty Cathie’s together but my best bud has taught me a thing or two about self-defense and seeing as those moves come from a cage fighter dubbed Maniac, I think I can handle it.

I’m shy, not defenseless. Or stupid.

Finishing off our coffee, I follow Mira back to the elevators and only make a slight sound when the doors are shoved open and two men get on, forcing me to take a step back.

The first is a big dark haired guy with broad shoulders that stretch his grey suit to the limit and eyes the color of topaz. The second has hair the color of sun kissed wheat and eyes so clear a brown I can’t just call them brown. They’re…beautiful, I think, blinking my gaze away with a blush when he spots me looking and frowns.

“Mira.”

“Hey, Colton, this is Emma, my new intern,” she says, nudging me to respond when he holds out his hand.

I take it without looking directly at him, the habit I’ve employed for years of looking just passed a person’s shoulder kicking in when I feel his hand close around mine and grip it warmly.

I tremble at the contact, breathing in shallow pants when a spark sizzles up my arm and every nerve under my skin springs to startling life.

“Emma. This is my business partner Harley Brighton,” he says, the deep rasp of his voice making me tremble and pull my hand away with a muffled gasp.

I shake the other man’s hand with a feeling of relief when his touch doesn’t do anything but convey his heat to my skin and pull away with a frown lining my brows.

I know what this is, I’m not stupid and I wasn’t born under a rock. Hell, my own cousin Bella has told me enough about sex and what desire is that I recognize it instantly. The problem is that I recognize instantly that what I feel in this moment is desire, for my boss.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” I force myself to say after a beat, keeping a friendly smile on my face and my eyes anywhere but trained on the man in front of me.

The need to look up is fierce, almost undeniable, and for the first time in my life, I have to fight with my eyes to remain unfocused and off another. Usually, I have to make myself look up, meet them head on but today, now, I have the overwhelming need to look up and see those mysterious pools, look deep.

“Well, it’s good to see that someone is finally manning your office with you, Mira. Try not to scare the bejesus out of this one.” Brighton laughs, making my lips twitch when Mira grunts and throws him a look.

“She’ll do. She’s too smart to give a shit about Friday afternoon drinks and the company Christmas party, thank God. All I have to do now is make sure the Casanovas don’t get hold of her.” She snorts making me glance up at her with a frown.

“You let me know if they so much as sniff her way and I’ll have Rosen handle them.” Colton growls, making me tense and look up at him, my heart skittering when his eyes meet mine and hold, the anger there causing my chest to tighten and stop drawing in air.

“Yeah, I’ll do that. No way in hell am I losing a woman who scored a hundred and five on that impossible test you set for the interns.” She laughs, patting my shoulder.

Colton stills, his eyes still trained on me and I feel exposed when he doesn’t look away when talking to Mira.

“This is the one?” he barks, making me jump back and scuttle closer to Mira.

She laughs at the grimace that crosses his face when I bite my lip and look away, my natural reaction to violence of any kind making me hesitant to look up again.

“This is she. One Emma Jillian Harper.” She crows.

“Jesus. Do you know you’re legendary in the upper offices?” he barks at me, softening slightly when I go stiff and bite my lips, praying for the damn elevator to hurry up and get me to my floor.

I don’t want to answer, hell, I can’t look at the man without feeling that dip of desire in my belly and the tightening of my breasts. The feelings are so alien, so strong that just standing here with his scent surrounding me is hard to handle.

I need to get out, run, get away from him before I do something stupid like look up and let him see what’s happening inside me but I know, I can’t, I have to answer and maybe pretend to be somewhat normal.

“Sir?”

“No one has ever aced that test. Harley and I set that thing to make it impossible. Hell, even we haven’t scored a hundred on that thing and we set the fucking thing. How the hell did you do it?” he asks, his question voiced in tones of disbelief.

I lift my eyes and face him, willing myself not to flinch when our eyes lock, and shrug, not really understanding what he wants me to answer. The test was fine, not too hard and just challenging enough that I wasn’t bored out of my skull.

I usually finish stuff like that in half the time and spend the other half twiddling my thumbs, waiting for the clock to run out. Heck, I finished my economics final and spent the rest of the time with spare paper and pen, making to do lists.

It’s not that I’m super smart or a genius or anything, nothing that lucky. It’s just that I have always had trouble with people, my shyness again, and I spent most of my time up to now studying or with my head buried in books.

When that’s all you have, it tends to become a habit to keep learning, so as I see it, all that I am is thanks to my inability to mix well with others. I’m book smart. That’s all.

“Miss Harper?”

“Er, sorry. I mean, I don’t understand the question,” I admit after the silence, looking up to see that the elevator has stopped and the doors are open.

I go to move passed, needing to leave and focus on something other than Colton James and the musky scent that’s starting to get to me but he just steps in my path and looks down at me, waiting for my answer.

“Don’t understand? It’s a simple question, Miss Harper, how did you finish that test and score that high? Did someone show it to you beforehand?” he demands, making me tense and meet his eyes, this time my mind free of discomfort and operating only on anger.

“You think I cheated?” I gasp, stepping back when he comes closer. “I would never cheat.”

“Then how did you do it?”

“With a Goddamn pen! It’s not my fault you made it easy and it’s not my fault that I knew all the answers. By the way question ten is worded badly so I get why other people would get it wrong, it’s ambiguous.” I sneer, refraining from stamping my foot and pushing passed the idiot.

He just stares through narrowed eyes and it’s just when I register that I shouted at my boss on the first day and gasp in horror that he and the other guy start laughing, followed by Mira who turns to him with a smirk and grabs my hand to pull me out of the elevator.

“That put you neatly in your place. Toodaloo, boys.” Mira coos, dragging me out behind her while she laughs and I cringe, my shock and embarrassment overriding everything else until she pushes me into my chair in the little cubicle outside her office and smirks.

“That man hasn’t ever been that taken aback in his life, I’d bet my Volvo on it. Now, get to work, little Emma, something tells me you and I are going to get on like a house on fire.”