Boardrooms of Power. Heidi Betts

it?’ he had asked darkly, and she had given him a weak smile.

      Now, at five-thirty, they had just seen off the latest in the ever-increasing line and Rose knew, without doubt, that it had been another unsuccessful interviewee.

      She hated this bit, when she walked down to the grand reception area in the foyer and did her best to fend off pointed and anxious questions as to whether the interview had been a success or not. This evening, however, it wasn’t too bad. Elaine Forbes, number thirteen in the line, was destined to prove true the superstition because her lightweight qualifications had made the business of rejection easier than usual.

      Five minutes debriefing with Gabriel and she would be out of the office and ready to begin her weekend.

      She arrived back at her office to find him lounging in her chair, feet propped up on her desk, hands folded behind his head.

      ‘Well?’ he asked, picking up her pen and twirling it over, ‘what did you think of Ms Forbes?’

      ‘I think we can strike her off the list,’ Rose told him, skirting round his indolent figure and gathering her various bits and pieces in preparation for going home. She could feel his eyes following her and hated herself for the excited ripple of reaction. She also hated it when he invaded her space. It was much easier to be in his office, because she could leave it and shut the door behind her. Right now, he was focused fully on her and it was difficult to escape the crazy notion that he was doing it on purpose, because he knew it rattled her. It was a thought that had occurred to her previously during the week and whenever it did she always hastened to tell herself that she was being silly, imagining things because of what had happened between them.

      ‘What makes you say that?’ Gabriel asked in a surprised voice and Rose paused to give him a jaundiced glance.

      ‘Oh, I don’t know, Gabriel. I guess it might have something to do with her staggering failure to master the basic test I set for her to judge how familiar she was with our computer package. Or maybe her lack of speed and accuracy when it came to taking notes on what I was saying.’ Rose knew Gabriel well enough to know that he said most things once and expected immediate comprehension. Floundering was not a quality he appreciated and Elaine Forbes had floundered in a fairly spectacular fashion.

      ‘She was remarkably attractive. Did you notice?’

      Rose flushed. Yes, she had noticed, as a matter of fact. It would have been hard not to. Five foot ten of curves clad in a handkerchief of a skirt and a top that just skimmed her waistline. Long blonde hair and wide green eyes that had sized Gabriel up and clearly not found him wanting.

      ‘I’m not sure what that has to do with anything.’ She fetched her lightweight jacket and slung it over her shoulders. It would still be too warm to put it on when she went outside but old habits died hard. She still felt undressed if she left the house without a jacket or a cardigan. Unlike the most recent candidate, who would probably have felt overdressed in anything as mundane as a cardigan. Or cream lightweight jacket.

      ‘Her credentials weren’t up to scratch,’ she said irritably, irked at the small smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he obviously contemplated the other assets Ms Forbes would bring to any job.

      ‘Which isn’t to say that we might not be able to put her on a course, get her up to speed. Provided her attitude is right…’

      ‘And what…’Rose was in danger of snapping, ‘would you qualify as the right attitude?’

      ‘An ability to work in perfect harmony with me. That is to say, do whatever I want without complaining.’

      Rose narrowed her eyes and was about to ask whether he had a problem with her just because she happened to have lodged a couple of small complaints after four years when she realised that he was joking.

      ‘Ha, ha.’

      ‘I admit she might not have the required intellect to hold down the job,’ Gabriel conceded, ‘despite all her other, highly visible assets.’

      Rose was getting tired of being baited. ‘I really must be off, Gabriel.’

      ‘Not so fast.’

      ‘Well, there’s not much left to say on the subject of Ms Forbes. I’m glad we both agree that the person who fills the position will have to have more going for them than long legs, long hair and breasts.’

      ‘I wasn’t about to prolong the conversation about the delectable Ms Forbes. I was going to tell you that there are some emails I need to get out today. The interviewing has thrown everything out of sync. So…you’ll have to stay on an extra hour or so until we get the workload covered.’ He held up his hands as if defending himself from the possibility of a physical attack. ‘And yes, I know it probably crashes through your work to rule barrier but I want to remind you of exactly how generous your pay package is.’

      ‘I don’t have a problem working an extra hour or two, Gabriel.’ And he knew it. ‘You know that! I only have a problem when you ask me to work ridiculous hours and it really only reared its head because, if I’m going to be studying, I’m going to need to prioritise my spare time!’

      Gabriel was beginning to wonder how it was that he had never noticed the feisty, challenging side of his perfect secretary’s personality. How could he ever have found her soothing? She was about as soothing as a shark in search of blood! Fortunately he was man enough to tackle any form of shark. And to enjoy the tussle. Right now he was mightily enjoying the sight of her turning pink as her feathers were well and truly ruffled. He also liked the fact that he got under her skin, that under her carefully cultivated cool exterior, the one that had had him hoodwinked for so long, she responded to him. As a man. He was pretty sure that she hadn’t been able to relegate that kiss to the back of her mind and that pleased him because he sure as hell hadn’t been able to forget it. Just thinking about her cool lips against his, about that instant, that one fleeting moment, when she had opened up and returned the kiss with a fire she was at pains to hide, was enough to make him feel hard. Like an adolescent in the throes of his first crush.

      For Gabriel that was a sensation so novel that it was enough to keep him up at night. He suspected that thoughts of him might well keep her up at night too. With any other woman he would have asked, knowing that it was really a very sexy question, especially if he qualified it by saying that the sleepless nights were mutual, but that was the last thing he would have done with Rose. He had no doubt that she would have flung that damned resignation letter straight at him and this time she would have not been open to persuasion.

      But he wanted her and he was pretty sure that she wanted him and he had time on his side. Well, sufficient time anyway.

      ‘Of course I know that! But we still have some work to put in here and I’m glad you don’t have a problem.’ He stretched and rubbed the back of his neck. ‘Now, if you want to come into my office, we can start downloading the files we need to have a look at and you have my word that I won’t keep you past the witching hour.’

      Not so fast, Rose wanted to shout as he disappeared towards his office.

      ‘I’m afraid there’s a bit of a problem with staying on tonight,’ she said awkwardly, following him in but standing in the doorway, hands in her jacket pockets.

      Gabriel, who was leaning over his desk, booting up his computer in preparation, looked up and frowned.

      ‘I thought we’d sorted that one out,’ he said abruptly.

      ‘You don’t understand. I can’t work tonight because I’m busy…’

      ‘You’re busy?’

      He sounded truly shocked and Rose knew why. Because in all the four years that she had worked for him, she had rarely denied his requests that she work beyond the call of duty. She had put her job ahead of everything. It satisfied her and coincidentally fed her hidden addiction to him. Over the years he must have gained the impression that she had no social life, nothing to distract her from her complete slavish dedication to him.

      She