by Lucy Monroe
"Is that how you justify stealing a company’s most valuable asset?" He didn’t even blink when launching that insult.
Irritation started to replace her desire for diplomacy. "I do not steal anything. Employees are people, not things. They have the right to fair compensation for their work, competitive benefits and a comfortable work environment. If that means moving to a different company, then the ones to blame are the managers and owners of the companies responsible for a lack in any of those three areas."
"Convenient philosophy for someone in your line of work."
She’d had enough. "Okay. Let’s get this over with. Tell me not to contact your assistant again. I’ll tell you that he’s made it clear he isn’t interested in moving, so it’s not an issue." She stood up and indicated the door with a wave of her hand. "You can leave and I’ll get back to work."
Alex didn’t even shift in his chair. "Do you get a lot?"
"A lot of what?" she asked with exasperation.
"Employers warning you off of their employees?"
She went to run her fingers through her hair and remembered belatedly that she’d twisted it into a French knot that morning. She felt strands of hair slip loose of the knot and fall against her face. Things were just not going her way. She immediately removed her hands, but the damage had been done. Another lock of hair slid from the neat coil and she knew that within seconds it was going to look like a rat’s nest. Darn it.
She yanked the clip from her hair, intending to pull it back into the twist. "Yes, as a matter of fact I do. It’s one of the hazards of the job. You wouldn’t believe what I’ve had to put up with."
He paralyzed her with a lazy smile. "Try me."
She stood there like a simpleton with her hands stilled in their attempt to repair the damage she’d done to her hairstyle. He had a dimple and Heaven only knew why, but that fact had an astounding affect on her insides.
Giving up on trying to fix her hair without a mirror and with hands that shook for no apparent reason, she finger-combed the strands and let it fall in its customary blunt cut to her shoulders. Obviously, he wasn’t going to leave immediately, so she sat back down.
"I’ve had employers threaten me, call me names and throw temper tantrums right here in my office. The worst as far as I’m concerned, though, are the ones that come by and offer me money to not have contact with their employees."
Alex brought his hands together in a loose grip in front of him. "Why does that bother you? It seems like good business sense. You still get what amounts to a commission and the employer keeps his employee. It’s a win-win situation."
He didn’t get it. "Win-win for whom? The employee is stuck with a boss who would rather pay what amounts to protection money than improve their quality of life at work. Believe it or not, I’m not interested in earning my commissions that way. I’m a career guidance specialist, not the mafia, for Heaven’s sake."
Surprise and something else flickered in his dark brown eyes. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought it was desire. She must be mistaken. For goodness sake, she had just met the man. Besides, he couldn’t be attracted to her. He didn’t like her.
"So you only called Marcus this morning because you wanted to provide him with a better job opportunity than working for me? Your client’s needs had nothing to do with it." The sarcastic disbelief in his voice grated against her nerves.
She didn’t know why she’d given in to the urge to try to convince this man to see her differently. It was obviously a wasted effort.
"I called Mr. Danvers because my client specifically asked me to. I had other potential candidates for the job on my books with qualifications I thought were a better match, but I always try to please my clients, whether employer or employee. I had no personal desire to lure your assistant away from a job he enjoys. Once I discovered that he wasn’t interested, I congratulated him on finding a good position, told him to call if he ever felt the need for a change and hung up."
"That still doesn’t tell me who hired you to go gunning for my assistant."
Really. The way this guy thought. "I didn’t go gunning for anyone and as I mentioned, confidentiality prevents me from telling you who my client is."
Alex nodded and stood. He extended his hand in a unexpected show of courtesy. "Thank you for your time, Isabel. I apologize if my comments or attitude have offended you. I can see that you take your responsibility to your clients, both the employer and the employee, very seriously."
She shook his hand, nonplussed at the abrupt change in his demeanor. She was pretty sure he had meant to offend her. So, why the apology?
"I can understand your concerns." So many employers truly had something to worry about in this situation. However, Alex didn’t. "In your case, I believe they are unfounded. Mr. Danvers is obviously content to stay where he is."
Alex let his hand linger on hers for just a second longer than a formal business handshake required and then let her go.
As he left her office she couldn’t help wondering how he would do against the requirements on her list.
Look for CHANGE THE GAME in December from your favorite eBook retailer.
More Books by Lucy Monroe
WIN THE GAME
Book 2 in the CIS Duo will be out December 2014
Look for her brand new Northern Fire series Spring 2015 from Grand Central Publishing (Forever Romance). Cailkirn, Alaska: where the winters are cold, but the men aren't.
WILD HEAT
HOT NIGHT
FLASH POINT
More Single Title Contemporary Romance
SILVER BELLA
3 BRIDES FOR 3 BAD BOYS
Mercenaries & Spies
READY
WILLING
AND ABLE
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
DEAL WITH THIS
THE SPY WHO WANTS ME
WATCH OVER ME
CLOSE QUARTERS
HEAT SEEKER
Anthologies
DELICIOUS: Moon Magnetism
by Lori Foster, et. al.
HE'S THE ONE: Seducing Tabby
by Linda Lael Miller, et. al.
THE POWER OF LOVE: No Angel
by Lori Foster, et. al.
BODYGUARDS IN BED:
Whose Been Sleeping in my Brother’s Bed?
by Lucy Monroe et. al.
Look for the eBook re-release of
THE REAL DEAL - January 2015
Harlequin Presents
THE GREEK TYCOONS ULTIMATUM
THE ITALIAN'S SUITABLE WIFE
THE BILLIONAIRE'S PREGNANT MISTRESS
THE SHEIKH'S BARTERED BRIDE
THE GREEK'S INNOCENT VIRGIN
BLACKMAILED INTO MARRIAGE
THE GREEK'S CHRISTMAS BABY
WEDDING VOW OF REVENGE
THE PRINCE'S VIRGIN WIFE
HIS ROYAL LOVE-CHILD
THE SCORSOLINI MARRIAGE BARGAIN
THE PLAYBOY'S SEDUCTION
PREGNANCY OF PASSION
THE SICILIAN'S MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENT
BOUGHT: THE GREEK'S BRIDE
TAKEN: THE SPANIARD'S VIRGIN
HOT DESERT NIGHTS
THE RANCHER'S RULES
FORBIDDEN: THE BILLIONAIRE'S VIRGIN PRINCESS
HOUSEKEEPER TO THE MILLIONAIRE
HIRED: THE SHEIKH'S SECRETARY MISTRESS
VALENTINO'S LOVE-CHILD
THE LATIN LOVER 2-IN-1 HARLEQUIN PRESENTS
(WITH THE GREEK TYCOON'S INHERITED BRIDE)
THE SHY BRIDE
THE GREEK'S PREGNANT LOVER
FOR DUTY’S SAKE
HEART OF A DESERT WARRIOR
NOT JUST THE GREEK'S WIFE
SCORSOLINI BABY SCANDAL
ONE NIGHT HEIR
PRINCE OF SECRETS
MILLION DOLLAR CHRISTMAS PROPOSAL
SHEIKH'S SCANDAL
AN HEIRESS FOR HIS EMPIRE (OCT '14)
A VIRGIN FOR HIS PRIZE (NOV '14)
Sexy Regency Historical Roma
nce
ANNABELLE'S COURTSHIP
Langley Family Trilogy
TOUCH ME – July 2014
TEMPT ME – July 2014
TAKE ME – July 2014
Historical Paranormal Romance
Children of the Moon Novels
MOON AWAKENING
MOON CRAVING
MOON BURNING
DRAGON'S MOON
ENTHRALLED anthology: Ecstasy Under the Moon
WARRIOR'S MOON
For more information on Lucy's books, visit http://www.lucymonroe.com.
About the Author
With more than 7 million copies of her books in print worldwide, award winning and USA Today bestseller Lucy Monroe has published over 60 books and had her stories translated for sale all over the world. While she writes multiple subgenres of romance, all of her books are sexy, deeply emotional and adhere to the concept that love will conquer all. A passionate devotee of romance, she adores sharing her love for the genre with her readers.
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