Chapter 13


    “I don’t want to date Daniel Hunter.” I smile tightly, suddenly warm and a little ustrophobic but also


    deadly serious. Daniel is a creep.


    Why does he have this knack of tilting me off keel? I don’t like it.


    “He’s bad news with women.” He frowns at me, watching me closely and I have to look away for a


    second to stop the rise of heat running up inside of me and showing on my face.


    “Bit like you then?” I smirk and catch the full width of that jaw-dropping smile from the corner of my eye.


    It’s unexpected and makes me smile too.


    “I’m not bad news for women … I know how to treat them, whereas Daniel does not. He’s a typical


    yboy, he doesn’t care whose feelings he hurts.”


    Irony.


    He slips an arm around me, pulling me in against him, shielding me as we leave the elevator amid


    more shes and clicks. This time I anticipate it and am more rxed about the contact. I keep my


    eyes on the floor and try not to react to him, which is hard, considering he has me pressed very


    securely to that muscr frame and it’s not exactly unpleasant. He feels solid.


    Outside I look up, blinking harshly as the sun res cruelly at us and I lift my hand to shield my eyes.


    He slides his shades from his head onto my face in such a fluid movement that I’m taken by surprise


    and don’t react. He registers nothing on his face, just guides me to our car as it pulls up and he


    deposits me in the back before following me in. I suddenly get a little inkling of how the women he


    dates must feel; he’s attentive and in control, with great manners. He’s a gentleman. Pretty surprising


    for a guy who loves himself.


    Very smooth, Carrero, unexpectedly smooth.


    I hand them back in the dark confines of the car and he pushes them back on top of his head with a


    smile. A nothing but thanks kind of soft grin.


    “Back to the office?” I enquire, clutching my briefcase to offload my notepad. d to be back in here


    and back to normal territory.


    “Not yet. I’ve some things to do and I figure we could use the bonding time. Margo agreed we should


    get better acquainted.” He looks out the window as we move off, watching the photographers fall back


    with disinterest. Tinted windows concealing us fully.


    “Why? I’m only your PA.” I’m surprised and too quick verbally to curb my stupid question. I know I


    should never quiz the boss.


    “And that job entails a lot more than typing, Emma. I know you’re used to working for the execs on the


    lower floors, but I’ve certain tasks that my staff undertake. It’s why I took you on a rmendation and


    didn’t just dip into the temp pool.” He studies my face seriously.


    “Tasks? Beyond those of a PA?” I ask carefully. Being obtuse and cursing myself for it.


    “You’ll apany me on business trips, dinners and such. Sometimes I prefer my PA to an actual


    date. Less hassle. Your being unmarried and having no kids are part of the reason Margo singled you


    out from the list. She recognizes that you’re career oriented and like to go above and beyond for your


    position.”


    Above and beyond? What the hell does that mean?


    “List?” I query instead, trying to not mull over the fact he sometimes reces dates with his PA. Trying


    not to read anything into what he just said.


    “There were more than thirty employees rmended for your role.”


    “I’m not surprised. I guess this was a job worthy of fighting over.” I nche realizing just how lucky I


    was to get picked.


    Of course, there would have been a list; every woman this side of Manhattan would want to work for


    Jake Carrero. Work with him closely, very closely indeed.


    “You’ll soon get sick of the flights and hotels, Emma. I practically live out of a suitcase.” He sighs and


    once again finds that something with the toe of his boot at the door to start pushing. It’s oddly juvenile.


    “I will?” The thought is a little exciting; I long to travel, long to experience things beyond New York. I’ve


    been waiting on it.


    “Margo has a husband and family; she can’t be my chaperone anytime I need her. She’s missed out on


    so much of her kids’ lives.” He looks genuinely guilty about this. “Now her husband is retiring, and I


    think she feels it’s time to rekindle her marriage. So, she took the opportunity to find a more suitable


    assistant. Natalia has already decided that on her return, she won’t return to my office. She wants to


    offload some of her responsibilities and concentrate on family.” He throws me another disarming smile.


    “Not everyone can handle the intensity of this job, Emma … Or the hours, and once you’re ready to


    move up to Margo’s position, we’ll find someone else to work under you.” He stops with the fidgeting


    and rests his focus on me once more.


    “I hope I don’t disappoint. I aim to work my butt off,” I say, honestly, starting to rx in his presence and


    somehow seeing a new side to him after this little encounter. Time alone has made me a little less


    intimidated by him. He’s human after all.


    “Over thest couple of days, I’ve been observing you; trying to find out if we’repatible enough to


    have the same kind of working rtionship that I have with Margo.”


    “And?” I’m surprised by this.


    “You’re still my PA, aren’t you?” He smiles warmly, that devastating natural smile of his that has the


    ability to curl toes and leave you fanning yourself.


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    “Early days, Mr. Carrero.” I smile back, a little bit of my rxed humor seeping into my tone, feeding


    from his casual atmosphere for once.


    “Reading people is a gift of mine. I recognize ability. I think once you rx and thaw a little, we’ll get on


    fine. Your skills are on point, you follow instruction and you take initiative.”


    I’m stunned. I don’t know why his praise shocks me. I know how hard I work; I know how good I am. I


    guess I’m shocked that he even noticed and verbalized it. He seems too rxed to sharply watch


    people. I guess it’s another of his hidden skills; a silent observer who is very good at hiding it.


    “Margo aims to hand over to you eventually … I want to make the transition smooth, so she has no


    reason to backtrack. Margo deserves her retirement.” I pick up on the affection in his face. I don’t think


    I’ve ever seen that kind of connection between co-workers that wasn’t sex based. It’s sweet, I guess.


    “I’m sure I won’t disappoint her,” I shrug quietly, eyes on him and a soft smile crosses my lips. A


    genuine one.


    “You need to learn to rx around me.”


    “If you’re implying I adopt your casual posture and manner, then I don’t think the transition will go as


    smoothly as you want.” with an edge of seriousness in my tone, I want him to understand that I’ll never


    be asx as Margo in our work rtionship.


    He just grins at me, all white straight teeth, and chiseled handsomeness. Self-assured and smug.


    Annoyingly so.