I made my way out of the table area and to the sidewalk next to the café.
“Olivia, I would like to have a word with you.” I felt Hunter’s large, warm hand on my shoulder.
Everything in me sighed. My desire to run away, like a zombie was chasing me, turned into letting him direct me wherever he wanted. My resolve derailed, just like that. How annoying.
We stopped in an alcove beside the restaurant. His intense gaze bored down into me, making it hard to breathe. “Would you have lunch with me?”
I should say no. I really should. I tended to do embarrassing things in his presence, not to mention I completely let down my guard and allowed myself to act in ways I wouldn’t normally. But it was Hunter Carlisle. The hottest man alive. Saying no to more time with him seemed ludicrous.
My indecision must’ve shown on my face, because he said, “I’m not working right now and we’ll be in public. You’ll be perfectly safe.”
Yeah, right. There were many kinds of danger…
“Come with me,” he said smoothly. Before I could protest, he led me out of the alcove and to a black luxury car waiting, illegally, by the curb. A large man, who could’ve played for the NFL based on sheer size alone, got out of the driver’s seat and opened the rear door. Hunter handed me into the car. The door closed with the soft plunk of luxury.
And just like that, I’d allowed myself to be kidnapped. Good work resisting…
I pulled the seatbelt around me as the other rear door opened, admitting Hunter. Only after the car pulled away from the curb did he say, “I wanted to discuss your reservations about working for me.”
“How did you find me?”
He stared for a moment, a small crease forming between his eyebrows. He probably realized I was trying to derail that conversation. “I have ways of staying informed.”
His tone was serious and self-important, as though he had gone to some extreme measure to track me down. All he’d had to do was check my Facebook page. I’d checked in with Kimberly.
“Okay, then, how did you know that binder was Kimberly’s?” I asked.
“You appeared for the second interview dressed like someone with a higher income. While those clothes were pristine, they weren’t new. Same with that folder. You have one friend with money, that I’ve previously met, and were wearing her style. That was purely logic.”
A laugh escaped me. “Pure logic, huh? Mr. Private Eye.”
The crease in his brow grew larger.
I couldn’t help it—I had to poke a little fun. “So your elusive ways to stay informed include social media and label spotting, hmm? I hardly think that makes you a candidate for Mission: Impossible. The best you can hope for is Pink Panther with this level of intel.” I winked.
Fire glimmered in his eyes. “You’re challenging me.” He leaned toward me, reducing the space between our bodies. “You have no STDs, which was a chief concern of mine initially, are in excellent health, are using birth control, and run often. Your diet could be better, however.”
The smile drained from my face.
“Information—all information—is for sale, Olivia. I deal in information as much as I make deals. A sharpshooter has a gun, an arsonist has fire, and I have information. As I said, I research all my second-level applicants. I need to know if there is anything that could damage me in any way. I am a private person, and my admin has the most access. I have to be careful.”
I blinked at him, stunned mute.
“You are also nurturing, kind, and levelheaded. Kimberly has the utmost respect for you.”
“She talked to you about me?” I blurted. She hadn’t said a word about it.
“She had to get permission to recommend you. I admit, I nearly refused, hearing she told you about the position without speaking to my secretary first. But her description intrigued me, especially since people who move in her circles don’t generally spend time with those below their tax bracket.”
“And that’s how you knew about my first boyfriend…” I looked out the window as we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge.
I was leaving the city in the backseat of a car with a man who dealt in secrets. Worse, the driver was a giant, and fighting for my life would be futile. Normally, this would strike me as an appallingly bad idea. In my present state of shock, however, reeling over the extreme breach in privacy, I figured I’d just go with it. If he was ferrying me away to kill me, I’d give him a thumbs-up for preparedness. It would be easier in the long run.
“This comes as a shock to you,” he said softly.
I snorted at the gross understatement.
“I forget you aren’t accustomed to how I do business. All of the other interviewees keep tabs on me. They expect me to check up on them, and attempt to hide bits of information they’d rather me not discover. I’ve gotten very good at sussing out the problem areas. With you, however…” He paused for a moment as we turned off the freeway. “Everything was completely in the open. It was refreshing. So honest.”
“Well, not exactly out in the open, since I assumed the law prevents medical records from wandering out of doctors’ offices…”
We turned onto a two-lane road. Trees loomed to either side, the car nearing the national state park. We slowed to a crawl as we turned into a mostly empty parking lot. The driver slid the gear to park and hefted himself from the vehicle. My door opened a moment later.
After we exited the car, Hunter glanced at the bag draped over my shoulder. “You can leave your bag—you won’t need it.”
I clutched my bag for a moment, deciding. He just wanted to talk, sure, but the last time we’d met, he’d just wanted to interview me. It ended with his hands in a place they didn’t belong, and then me sprinting from the room.
I didn’t have high hopes this meeting would go any better.
“I’m fine.” I hitched the strap a bit higher on my shoulder.
Hunter’s gaze intensified, burning into me. Power emanated from him, the command in his bearing pressuring me. My bones vibrated, wanting to comply. But I knew, without knowing how, that all it would take would be that one yes. Just the one, however trivial, would crush any future resistance. I had to hold out until we finished this meeting and I could get on my way.
My grip tightened and my chin rose. My voice trembled as I repeated, “I’m fine.”
Chapter Five
Hunter glanced at the large man who was standing by my door. Without a word, the man shut the door and moved to the trunk. He removed a large, wheeled suitcase with pockets on the side and front. An extendable handle pulled up from the back. Another piece of luggage came out, this one smaller and with a strap. The man looped it over his shoulder before shutting the trunk.
“We’ll be there momentarily,” Hunter told his employee.
“Yes, sir, Mr. Carlisle.” The man started forward.
“You had questions.” Hunter motioned for me to walk, striking up a casual pace in the direction his man had trudged.
“Look, Mr. Carlisle—”
“Hunter, please, when I’m off work.”
Was this man ever off work?
“Fine. Hunter. I really appreciate the offer, and I realize it’s a highly coveted position, but I think you’re wasting your time with me.”
“I know exactly what I am doing with you, Olivia.”
Excitement bubbled up my insides. My knuckles were white where they gripped my bag. I didn’t dare respond—not after the fiasco from the car ride here. I didn’t want to know what else he knew.
A few quiet minutes later, we happened upon Hunter’s meaty helper placing the last of the food items in an elaborate picnic setup. A white cloth draped across the table. An array of cold cuts spread across what looked like a silver tray. Real silver, too—the kind that needed polishing. And in this case, often got it. Various types of breads adorned another silver tray. A porcelain bowl held a fruit salad, another had potato salad, and a last tray beckoned me closer with chocolate items. A bottle of white wine chill
ed in a silver canister, and two places were set with finery that might appear on a fancy dinner table.
“How did you fit all this in the suitcase?” I asked in wonder.
“The suitcase looks smaller when Mr. Ramous carries it.” His eyes sparkled, but the smile didn’t reach his lips.
“I’d wager someone is an excellent packer, too. You’re obviously a pro. Do you use this setup to snag love interests, or something?” I belatedly realized how that sounded. “Not that I’m…you know. I didn’t mean—”
Hunter’s firm touch found the small of my back, directing me forward. “I don’t have love interests, Olivia.”
He deposited me in front of one of the place settings as the large man, Mr. Ramous, poured me a glass of wine. The liquid glittered in the afternoon sun.
Hunter sat opposite me, focused and intent. “I’d like to hear your questions.”
“I don’t know that it really matters at this point…”
He continued to stare, waiting.
I sighed in resignation. “Okay, well, Kimberly hadn’t mentioned a starting salary. I realize that isn’t something an applicant usually asks in an interview, but this isn’t a traditional position, so…”
Without balking at the sometimes touchy subject, he answered, “Starting salary is a hundred and thirty thousand a year. You’d start fully vested, which means you have some stock options and the possibility of a bonus at the end of the year.”
My heart clattered against my ribcage. Oh what I could do with that much money, living as frugally as I lived. A lot, that was what I could do. I could do an awful lot.
“Benefits would be one of your questions, I am assuming?” Hunter asked. Humor lightened his tone. My glee at that much money probably showed on my face.
“Miss Jonston,” Mr. Ramous cut in politely. He stood beside me. “Would you like me to make you a sandwich?”
I blinked at the large man. My mind was still whirling on figures, and new handbags, and a new wardrobe. Oh, and paying school loans—I shouldn’t forget that…
“Yes, go ahead, Mr. Ramous,” Hunter answered. “Best stick with turkey.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Benefits, yes,” I said in a dream as I imagined telling Jane I was moving to a nicer place. That’d shock her. She thought I was a few weeks away from living on the streets.
Maybe even a designer handbag just so I can fit in with Kimberly’s friends once in a while. Those things can’t be too expensive, can they? If I just bought one, it wouldn’t be terrible…
“We have excellent benefits with very little copay,” Hunter said. “Lunch is catered every Friday for office associates, and breakfast every Wednesday. We were voted number three for Best Places to Work in the Bay Area this year, and number five last year. Positions within my company are highly sought after, and our turnover rate is low.”
He didn’t have to manipulate me; he was showering me in perks and greenbacks. The other job didn’t come close to any of this. I’d hardly be able to live on its salary, the benefits weren’t super, and the lunchroom was barely stocked with coffee…
Mr. Ramous put a sandwich on my plate. Without asking, he spooned a heap of potato salad next to it. I let him, desperately trying to remember those hard-hitting questions I’d prepared for the interview.
“Work hours?” I asked hesitantly.
“I work long hours, as you probably know. I require my admin to start at nine, sharp. Sometimes she’s able to leave at six, and often she can leave for a lunch break. It’s more usual, however, that she leave closer to eight. She might work one of the weekend days, but get at least one day off unless in dire circumstances.” Hunter stopped talking and glanced at Mr. Ramous. “That’ll be all, Mr. Ramous. I’ll text you when we’re through.”
“Yes, sir.”
Mr. Ramous started walking toward the car. When he was out of sight, Hunter’s deep brown eyes came back to me. “In a usual situation, I would generally require one day a week, approximately a half-hour to one hour, for sexual activity. I rarely demand more, and I ensure pleasure is both given and received. I don’t respond to sexual advances from my admins, and would consider it a breach of contract if she continued to give them after a light warning. If I don’t satisfy her sex drive, I ask that she fulfill it elsewhere. When I cannot deny my own urges, I seek her out.”
The buzz of a bee floated by. Leaves rattled, disturbed by the light breeze.
The man had given me a staring problem.
“But your fiancée…” I said, trying to ignore the heat in my body.
“Has also signed a contract. Our situation is a truce with my father and an alliance with her family. We lead entirely separate lives.”
I shook myself out of my stupor before leaning back. This was all just nuts. He was doing a great job of selling his proposed situation like it was completely normal—like everyone had contracts allowing their boss to get grabby—but I wasn’t buying it. He was bat-shit crazy. No two ways about it.
I glanced away to the side, pulling my attention away from him. It was time for the eject button. “While the money does sound great, and I wouldn’t care about the hours, I do care about other things. I’ll be taking another job, but thank you for going through all the trouble to answer my questions.”
“If you’re talking about the IT position in McCannon Industries, that position has been put on hold for the foreseeable future. There is no other job, Olivia. I’m what you’ve got.”
My world bled of color for a moment as what he said sank in. “What do you mean, it’s on hold?”
He took a sip of his wine before answering. “We both know that that position would neither challenge you, nor pay you fairly. It’s a waste of your talent. Please listen to my offer. If you then decide it isn’t for you, I can place you in a position elsewhere in my company. There’s no reason to waste your time with companies like McCannon.”
I pushed my plate away, bracing my hands against the table. “First of all, that’s none of your business. You don’t get to decide how I spend my time. And second, I’ve heard your offer, Hunter. I heard it, I felt it, and I rejected it.”
Those smoldering eyes hardened. “That was a standard offer. I’m prepared to offer you a trial period. One month, Olivia. One month with no personal contract whatsoever, except for the secrecy clause. I will ask the usual hours, but I will not touch you. This will be purely professional, like my relationship with Brenda. At the end of that month, you can decide if the benefits will be worth that personal contract. If not, then we’ll discuss where else in the company you’d rather be placed. You’ll receive pay as though my admin for that month, but if you choose to go elsewhere, we can talk about pay scales and benefits at that time for the various positions that interest you.
“I consider this an extremely generous offer, one that I’ve never made to anyone else. I want you, Olivia. And yes, part of me wants to touch you. I want to hear you whisper my name when you give in to your desires. But I can ignore that if it means you’ll give this job a try. Just a try. It isn’t so much to ask.”
He paused, heat and determination in his eyes. He leaned toward me possessively. “Will you work for me?”
My heart thumped, begging me to give in. Desire warred with logic. Lust overshadowed coherent thought.
The tug of his charisma couldn’t be ignored. It sucked me in. I was lost.
“Yes,” I heard myself whisper.
Chapter Six
On Monday I walked into that large, stately high rise for the third time. This time when I checked in, it was as an employee. Hunter Carlisle’s employee.
I didn’t know if this was a good idea, but it was done now. I didn’t have any other options—he’d made sure of that. And while in personal life, I might’ve been angry, in business, I wasn’t surprised. He’d outmaneuvered me, plain and simple. He probably did it all the time in his profession, and if I ever wanted to climb the ladder, or get back at him, I’d have to start paying attention.
I approached Brenda with a hesitant step and a tight hold on my trusty blue bag. She glanced up when I got close, looked back at her computer, clicked the mouse a few times, then stood. “Welcome, Miss Jonston—may I call you Olivia?”
“Yes, of course. Or Livy.”
She nodded and swung her hand toward the desk next to hers. “Have a seat. And congratulations. You’ve landed a highly sought after position. I expect great things from you.” She stepped around her desk and shooed me into mine.
I put my bag down as I sat into my new seat. Waiting until I was comfortable, she continued, “Mr. Carlisle mentioned you’d probably want two monitors?”
“Oh.” I looked at the moderate-sized screen in front of me. I’d never had a real job before, so in truth, I had no idea what I needed.
Brenda must’ve noticed my blank look, because her lips pursed. “We’ll get you two.” She pointed at the sleek, brand-new laptop sitting in the middle of the desk. “That is set up with your user ID and password. The computer bag is behind you—Mr. Carlisle said you might like to work remotely on occasion, or take your work home. I’d have to advise you to be careful with that. He’s demanding, and he’ll ask for everything you have. If you don’t learn the word ‘no,’ he’ll work you into the ground.”
She was a little too late with that advice. “Got it.” I gave her a thumbs-up.
She returned the sentiment with a tight smile. Possibly the thumbs-up was a little weird. “Get yourself settled, and then report to Mr. Carlisle.”
I wished, just once, the butterflies, tingles, or shivers wouldn’t overrun me when I heard Hunter’s name. Just one time.
I busied myself setting up my computer. That done, I checked over the pens, which I hoped I wouldn’t have to use very often, and took a quick glance at the company intranet. Hunter’s flawless face popped up immediately with the title “A Note from the CEO.” Unlike most CEO portraits, he wasn’t smiling. He didn’t need to. It seemed like he was staring out of the picture, directly at me. He was as photogenic as he was charismatic. I couldn’t tear my eyes away.
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