Beyond 10 Nights (Forbidden Desires Series)

by Michelle Hughes

  The thought of actually having a job filled her with excitement, but Leah also felt a hint of unease. “Wouldn’t it be unethical for me to take a job since we know each other through a personal relationship?” She flushed at the way that sounded to her ears. “Not that we have a personal relationship, but you know what I mean, you are friends with Rhett and he and I are engaged.”

  He laughed good-naturedly at her embarrassment. “More often than not, that’s how you meet business associates. Networking is something that no-one should consider unethical.” She was definitely unique, he thought; most people of his acquaintance wouldn’t even consider why they were getting a position, or if the reason was ethical, only how fast they could start. He was starting to like his friend’s fiancé more and more.

  “Well if you’re sure it’s not against the rules, then I would love to discuss it with you.” She hoped Rhett wouldn’t be upset about her considering a job offer from his friend, after a moment though she forced herself to stop thinking like that. She was in charge of her future, and even if Alex was connected to her, albeit tenuously, his offer was an opportunity that would enable her to support herself.

  “If you decide that this is something you are interested in we can discuss details. Off the top of my head I am thinking that you could start off as an intern at a base salary, spending a bit of time in each department until we work out which one suits your talents the best.

  “I’ll tell you up front, you’ll get a lot of grunt work during your first year; that will be the same wherever you end up working, but if you work hard you could find yourself with a potentially rewarding career.” He wasn’t just blowing smoke, he had started the same way, and through hard work he had worked his way up until he had developed a very successful name for himself.

  “What type of clients do you take on?” Leah felt her excitement grow, but was sensible enough to know she needed to understand what the job might entail before she jumped into it.

  “Well obviously there will be a review of clients and current contracts now that I have taken over, but we deal with all types of companies and are a firm believer in diversity. Product advertising, more than people is our specialty.

  “Why don’t you get dressed and I’ll take you in, I can give you a tour.” He had spent many years gathering every scrap of information he could about the company while he planned his acquisition of it. He knew the employees that worked there were at the top of their fields, but had yet to develop a personal working relationship with any of them, something he intended rectifying.

  Leah had been eating between comments and took another sip of her coffee, to help the food down, before answering. “Okay, I’d love to see what you’re about.” She blushed quickly at her poor choice words and hurriedly rephrased herself. “What your company’s about, I mean.”

  Laughing warmly, Alex stood. “I understood what you meant. Half an hour, can you be ready by then?” He needed someone who could be available quickly, and he was curious to see what her response to that time scale would be.

  “Sure, I’ll meet you in the reception hall as soon as I’m done.” Alex left his plate and cup on the island as he left the kitchen but Leah, out of habit, picked hers up and made to grab his as well so she could take them over to the sink and wash them. She was intercepted by the servant, who had stood discreetly off to one side of the kitchen in case he was needed.

  After being assured that it was no bother for him to wash the dishes, since it was his job, Leah turned to leave the kitchen. She felt a little awkward and uncomfortable having someone clean up after her, but that was quickly pushed from her mind as another thought struck her, one that was far more important.

  “Damn!” she swore in annoyance, stopping before the kitchen door as she remembered why she was wearing the bathrobe.

  “Is there a problem, miss?”

  Leah hesitated for a moment, debating with herself, and then realized she had very little option but to tell the servant what was wrong. She didn’t have a solution herself, but he might. “Yes, I don’t have anything to wear.” She blushed as she said it, and resolutely avoided revealing why she didn’t have anything to wear.

  The response was a quick nod and an apologetic look, which she didn’t understand until he spoke. “Forgive me, miss, I was supposed to tell you the moment I saw you, several packages were delivered first thing this morning for you. I haven't had time to take them up to your room as of yet. I'll return in just one moment.”

  Leah looked on as the servant disappeared from the kitchen, reappearing almost immediately carrying three boxes and two bags. All the items bore the logo of the boutique Rhett had taken her to and she remembered him saying the previous day that he would arrange for Delilah to send some things over. The realization that she had clothes, even if she didn’t know what sort, was an immense relief to her and she blessed Rhett silently for remembering and Delilah for having sent the clothes.

  “I was given to understand that there is an assortment in here to suit any eventuality, miss. Master Rhett also asked me to tell you that if you wish to go shopping for more, Miss Delilah is ready to assist you in any way she can, his account stands ready for your use.”

  “Oh, um, thank you,” Leah said, feeling a little overwhelmed.

  “Should you desire to shop for something other than clothes, Master Rhett asks that you telephone him at the office and he will make arrangements for you to be given credit at any store you desire. He wishes you to make yourself at home here, and suggested that you might like to buy yourself a few things to make yourself more comfortable.”

  The idea that Rhett would just arrange for her to buy whatever she wished was stunning to her. Did people truly live this way, she wondered. Apparently in his world they did. Too amazed to speak right then, Leah could only follow the servant, whose name she resolved to learn once she recovered the power of speech, as he carried the packages up to the master bedroom.

  When she examined the contents of the packages, Leah found that there was indeed an assortment of clothes that would suit every possibility. Thankfully, Delilah had thought to include business in her list of possible needs, allowing Leah to dress respectably for her visit to Alex’s new company.

  Twenty minutes after breakfast, Leah, dressed in a long, navy pencil skirt and a dress top in a lighter shade of blue, waited for Alex in the reception hall. Though the outfit seemed more than respectable enough to her, she was a little worried. Not knowing what Alex was like as a person, let alone a boss, she had no idea what sort of outfit he considered suitable for his employees.

  Dressed in the suit he had been wearing the previous night when he arrived in the dungeon, Alex was impressed to see Leah already waiting for him, and attired in an outfit he found both professional and appealing.

  “I’ll have to stop by the hotel and grab a fresh suit,” he said as he led the way out of the house, “but if you don’t mind the wait, we can ride in together.”

  Leah couldn’t think of a reason not to accept his offer and nodded. Following him out to his sports car, she wondered briefly if it was professional to be driven to a potential job interview by the man who might just become her boss. She quickly dismissed the thought however and settled back to enjoy the ride into downtown Chicago.

  It came as no surprise to her when Alex pulled up in front of the most expensive and exclusive hotel the city had to offer. She couldn’t begin to imagine how much it cost to stay there for a night, let alone for the month or more that Alex had been planning. She was sure it was more than most people earned in several months though.

  “Would you care to come up?” Alex grinned at how that sounded and hoped she wasn’t offended.

  “I think I’ll wait here if that’s alright,” Leah responded. Driving in to the office with him was one thing, but she was sure that Rhett would not be pleased if she went up to his hotel room, even if Alex was his friend.

  When he disappeared from sight into the lobby Leah allowed her mind to dwell
on the possibilities of having a new job. Her first thought was to call Janie and tell her the good news, though she remembered almost immediately that that wasn’t possible because the two of them weren’t speaking.

  That thought dampened her enthusiasm somewhat, but it quickly returned as she considered the things she might get to do and learn if she got the job. The idea that she might actually be able to make use of the degree she had so recently gained, not to mention earn a reasonable wage, was tremendously exciting.

  Up in his suite Alex dressed hastily, selecting a dark charcoal grey suit, a pale blue shirt and a silver tie. His expensive Italian shoes, polished to perfection by the hotel staff, gleamed as he made his way back down to the lobby.

  He would deal with the hotel that evening, he thought to himself as he returned to the car. There was no point in him taking the time now, it would take too long to pack himself up and he wanted to get into the office so he could show Leah around.

  It wasn’t just that he wanted to show off his new acquisition, he thought as he settled himself behind the wheel again and drove them the few blocks to company he had bought. He found that he was enjoying Leah’s company, despite only having known her for a short while, and was beginning to get some idea of why his friend would have proposed marriage after just a few weeks, when he had never been inclined to do so before.

  It was clear that Leah came from an entirely different world than him, and the people he usually associated with, and that gave her a different perspective on things. Their conversation during the short drive touched on a variety of subjects and he found her both knowledgeable and naïve by turns, a combination he enjoyed.

  By the time they arrived and he had parked in his reserved CEO’s space Alex had decided that he wanted Leah to join his staff, she would be a good addition in his opinion, he just hoped she felt the same. Very unprofessionally, he thought, it had little to do with her skills and more to do with the fact that he enjoyed her company.

  Over the course of the next few hours she shared with him her history at college, and her impeccable grade point average. They made their way through the company, visiting each department in turn as he questioned her about what possibilities she might bring to the staff with her knowledge. Alex took delight in explaining the function of each department; some of them, like finances and human resources, were fairly self-explanatory, but others were unfamiliar to Leah.

  By the time they finished their tour and made their way to his office so they could discuss salary, and other such details, it was clear to Alex that Leah would fit in well, and not just because he enjoyed her personality. It was also clear to him that he had a very solid staff, even if the former CEO hadn’t got the best out of them, most likely because he didn’t know how to treat the people beneath him. The way he had been treated all those years before had shown him the former CEO lacked the skills to treat his employees well.

  “Now that you’ve seen the place, and what we do here, how would you like to come and work for me?” Alex asked once they were in his office, and they had been supplied with coffee by his secretary.

  “I’d like that a lot,” Leah told him. “It seems like a great place, and everyone is very friendly. I’m sure I could really grow here.”

  “I’m glad to hear that, I think the experience would be monumental, and you would undoubtedly be an asset to the company, whatever department you ended up working in." She was a very bright woman, he thought respectfully, and not just the pretty face that some women with her beauty could only claim. “Now, though, we need to discuss your salary, not to mention all the other details.”

  She hadn't been expecting such a generous starting wage as an intern, and it was several long moments before Leah found herself able to speak after hearing his offer. Part of her research while applying for internships had been in what level of salary to expect or consider, nothing she had found had suggested she would receive an offer anywhere close to Alex’s. A small doubt filled her mind that he might be offering her more than he normally would because of her relationship with Rhett.

  “That sounds amazing and I don't mean to question you, but,” she nibbled on her lip as she thought how to express her concern, "is that what you would offer anyone else?"

  Alex smiled at her concern and found her even more delightful for not being willing to abuse their small connection. “I believe in paying people what they’re worth, even interns; it encourages loyalty and hard work, and believe me when I tell you you’ll earn that money.

  "To answer your question though, yes, any person with your academic record I would start at that salary. You must never undervalue yourself." Again he was struck by how little self-confidence the woman before him had.

  “Your hours will vary, and will be subject to confirmation by the head of whatever department you are working for at the time. Some departments work more regular hours than others, and of course there will be times when deadlines require you to work different hours to usual.”

  Leah nodded, after her time at college, both studying and working; she was used to putting in whatever hours it took to get something finished. In the euphoria of the moment she forgot about her promise to Rhett that she would not take a job that might require her to work weekends or evenings. As the thought came to her, she realized that it was a confrontation with him she was willing to have if needed to get this job.

  “We do offer full medical and dental cover, paid holidays and bonuses.” Alex wasn’t sure if Leah actually knew what the usual benefits were, but that was something she could learn about at a later time. “Is there anything you would like to ask me about?”

  "I think everything seems in order Alex, and I think I'll really love working here." Was he crazy, she was dying to start working for his company, she thought with a grin.

  “I’m glad to hear you’re happy with the offer, do I take it you are prepared to accept?”

  Leah nodded again excitedly. “Yes, I’d love to come and work for you.”

  “I’m pleased to hear it. I’ll just get my secretary to run you down to HR so the details can be finalized and you can sign on the dotted line, so to speak, and then we’ll find you something to do to keep you occupied while I get on with some work. Unless of course you would rather go on home, I can arrange for someone to take you if you wish.”

  “No, it’s fine, I’m happy to stay here and keep occupied, it will be better than staying around the house trying to find something to do.” True to his word, Alex settled her with Human Resources and when that was dealt with she was taken around again to get acquainted with all the department heads by one of his many assistants. The day sped by entirely too fast in her opinion and she told Alex so as he drove her back to Rhett's mansion that evening.

  “Where the hell have you been?” Rhett demanded to know, striding down the steps to Leah as she climbed out of Alex’s sports car. He had been close to panic when Leah hadn’t answered her phone despite repeated calls, a state made worse when his servants had only been able to tell him she had left with Alex, and had no idea where they had gone.

  The moment the words left his mouth he knew they were not the right thing to say, but at the moment he wasn’t capable of thinking clearly. His mood was darker than it had ever been, brought on by a confused mix of fear that something might have happened to her, and worry about what she might be doing. It was a combination that had led to him leaving work early because he simply couldn’t concentrate.

  All the joy she had felt during the day, since Alex had first made his offer, evaporated in an instant, leaving Leah staring at Rhett in astonishment. “Excuse me!” The thought of calling him Sir was about as far from her mind as anything could be just then. She couldn’t believe he was angry with her, especially when she had no idea why he was angry.

  Her failure to use his title fueled his ire. “I asked you where you’ve been! And I expect you to show me more respect than that.” He was beyond rational thinking; the last four hours had been terrible for him
as he imagined innumerable things that could have happened with her, or to her; worst of all she wasn’t showing the slightest hint of remorse for having caused him such worry.

  “First of all, you didn’t ask me where I’ve been, you demanded to know, and secondly, I don’t have to tell you where I am every second of the day.” She had no idea what had set him off but she found his attitude infuriating.

  Closing the distance between them Rhett attempted, not very successfully, to control the rage he was feeling. “I have been phoning you for hours; you might not have to tell me where you are every minute, but you damn well will respect me enough to not cause me worry!"

  His caveman persona did not sit well with her at the best of times, and she certainly wasn’t happy to see it just then. “I must have left my phone here.” She glared at him as she gave an explanation she didn’t feel his attitude deserved.

  “We are going to talk, now!” Without thinking he grabbed her arm and began pulling her toward the steps.

  “Let go of me!” She pulled back, snatching her arm from his grasp, outraged at his high-handed attitude. “Until you calm down I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  “Like hell you aren’t.” He grabbed her arm again, becoming more enraged as she fought him.

  “Rhett, you need to back off.” Alex had never seen his friend act so out of control before and he quickly moved between him and Leah, breaking the grasp his friend had on his fiancé.

  “I think you’ve caused enough problems for the day, Alex, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay out of this.” His friend’s interference made Rhett see red. Leah had been with Alex all day and his mind couldn’t help but conjure up images of what they had been doing together; images that made his muscles twitch and his fingers clench.