9

ALEXA SPENT HER SUNDAY just lazing around and catching up with her favorite television shows that she’d missed during the week. When she woke up on Monday morning, she felt refreshed and ready to face whatever the day brought. She showered and dressed and ate a light breakfast before making her way into work, looking forward to the day ahead and deliberately pushing the memories of Saturday night and her fantasy out of her head.

She’d just taken off her coat and pressed the power button on her computer, and was getting ready to sit down and start the day when the very voice she’d been trying not to think about startled her.

“Don’t sit down just yet, Alexa. I need you to come up to my office, please.”

Wondering what on earth she’d done wrong to be summoned to the big boss’s office, she followed Dawson on legs that weren’t quite steady, trying desperately to think back to Friday and if she’d made any mistakes. She hadn’t been there before, only ever having to deal with him over the telephone or when he came to the reception desk. As she walked into the luxurious room with its plush carpet, leather seating, and glass-topped desk, her eyes were immediately drawn to the panoramic view that the floor-to-ceiling windows offered.

“Take a seat.” As Dawson spoke, he walked around the desk and sat down in his own chair. He leaned forward to place his elbows on the desk and rested his chin on his interlocked fingers as he looked at her without saying anything else.

Alexa could feel her nerves escalating. She couldn’t think of anything she might have done wrong, but she felt guilty nonetheless. That’s probably because of the erotic way you were thinking about him last night, Lexi. She pushed the errant voice in her head away, trying not to blush but failing miserably.

“Have I done something wrong, Mr. James?”

He smiled at her for the first time, and as the smile reached his eyes, she felt herself relax a little.

“I live in hope, Alexa.” She frowned a little as she tried to figure out what he meant, and he just grinned at her devilishly. What I wouldn’t give to have you do something wrong with me, he thought to himself. And one of these days, it might just happen, especially if I have anything to do with it. “Ignore me. It was just a private joke.” He gave her another reassuring smile and then sat back in his chair. “No, you haven’t done anything wrong. It’s quite the opposite, actually.”

“I’m not sure that I understand.” To say Alexa was confused would be an understatement.

Dawson laughed quietly. “I’m sorry. I’m being a little cryptic, aren’t I?” She gave a nod, but didn’t voice a reply because he didn’t really expect one. “I’ve called you up here because I need to discuss something with you. My personal assistant, Sheila, is going to be taking some time off work, which has left me with a little bit of a problem. I don’t have the time or the patience to advertise for and train a new assistant, whereas getting a new receptionist is much less of a hassle.”

“At the risk of sounding like a complete idiot, I still don’t understand why you need to discuss it with me.” If anything, Alexa was even more confused now than she was at the start of their conversation.

“I don’t think you could ever sound like an idiot, not even if your life depended on it. But, I’m not making myself very clear, and for that I apologize.” He was probably not making himself clear because all he could seem to think about was bending her over his desk until she was incapable of standing on her own two feet.

Get your mind out of the gutter, Dawson. He had to remind himself that he was supposed to be discussing a new job opportunity for her, and not imagining all the things he wanted to do to her. For some reason, Alexa had got under his skin in a way that he wasn’t used to, and he had to almost physically push the instant attraction he felt towards her determinedly away. You’re not looking for a new plaything right now, remember? He’d almost forgotten that he’d decided to take a break from bedding every woman that caught his eye, and he fought the bubble of desire that curled in his belly.

“Mr. James?”

He was brought back to the here and now as Alexa spoke his name questioningly. “I’m so sorry. Where was I?” He didn’t even attempt to try and explain why he’d spaced out a little. It wasn’t in his nature to explain his actions to anybody, and he wasn’t about to start now. “Ah, yes, I was explaining about needing a new temporary personal assistant, wasn’t I? Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? I’ve heard nothing but good things about you and the way you work from numerous sources. I’ve also personally witnessed it firsthand. So I’ve decided that you’re going to stand in for Sheila, and I will advertise for another receptionist.”

To say that Alexa was dumbstruck was an understatement, and she wasn’t quite sure how to react. “I’m flattered that you’d consider me, but I’m not really sure that I’m qualified enough for that position, Mr. James.” There was also the little fact that she wasn’t sure if she could handle being in such close proximity to him day in and day out.

“Why don’t we let me be the judge of that? I know you’ve only been here for a week, but I really think that you’re up to the task. And in all honesty, Alexa, there really isn’t that much difference between what you’re already doing and what you’ll be doing for me. You will also be well compensated financially while you’re filling in for Sheila, so it’s a win-win situation, isn’t it?”

Alexa was nodding her head thoughtfully as she listened to him. She really didn’t have a valid argument against working for him, other than her own personal reasons. “I suppose it is, but I’m still going to be calling you Mr. James.”

They both laughed at her words and then Dawson’s expression grew more serious and businesslike. “Then that’s settled. Let me take you to Sheila’s office so that you can get settled in. She’s left plenty of notes for you to follow, and I’m sure that she’s included lists of where to find everything you may need. She also told me to tell you that if there’s anything you’re unsure of, then you can find her phone number in the top drawer of her desk and you can feel free to call her at any time.”

Dawson got to his feet with Alexa following suit. As he walked toward the door to what she assumed was Sheila’s adjoining office, she had to physically restrain herself from staring at his ass. As they entered the room, Alexa was struck by how different it was to the relatively small reception area where she’d been working for the last week. There were numerous bookshelves filled with box files and the usual stuff one would expect to find in an office, such as paper, pens, and ink for the printer. There were also three large filing cabinets and a mahogany desk in which the computer sat.

She’d been totally unaware of Dawson watching her with an intent expression on his face as she looked around. She had no idea how beautiful he actually found her, and if she could have read his thoughts, he was sure that she would have died from embarrassment. He was used to being surrounded by beautiful women who would fall over him with the eagerness to do whatever he wanted. However, their beauty was superficial, whereas Alexa’s was totally natural and more becoming and attractive to him. There was also the fact that she seemed totally oblivious that he was attracted to her. Moreover, she didn’t seem to be attracted to him in return, which made her even more appealing as far as he was concerned.

Alexa had been so engrossed in looking around her new surroundings that she jumped when Dawson spoke. “I’m going to leave you to it for now, but I’ll be calling periodically for you to take some notes or transcribe my dictations for letters that need to be sent out. There are a couple of things that you need to remember, and those are that you never let anyone come into my office without buzzing through to me first. The second and most important thing is that you always wear skirts to work. It would be absolutely criminal to cover those legs up with pants.”

She didn’t have time to respond, and in all truthfulness she wouldn’t have known how to anyway. She just stared after him as he disappeared through the door into his own office, wondering if she’d really heard what she thought he’d said or if her imagination had been playing tricks on her again. There is no way he could have said what you thought, Lexi. No way on earth.

Walking around to the other side of the desk, she sank down into the oversized office chair and pushed all thoughts of Dawson and what he may or may not have said out of her head. She looked around the office in disbelief, and wondered if it was some kind of record to be promoted after working for just one week. He’d told her that she’d be compensated financially, but actual figures hadn’t been discussed. Even so, Alexa was already thinking about the fact that she would be able to send money home to her parents every month so that some of their financial burdens could be eased.

She read through the notes that Sheila had left for her and then turned on the computer, typing in the password that she’d found in the notes and opening up the files that Sheila had told her she would need to concentrate on first. To her relief, everything seemed to be straightforward enough, and she quickly settled down to work. There were a few telephone calls that she had to put through to Dawson, but other than that, she had no contact with him for the rest of the morning, much to her relief.