“Aren’t you from Denham’s office?”
“Um...no, I’m—”
“If you’re not from Denham’s office, what are you doing here?”
“I’m here about the executive assistant position open for Mr. Ambercroft.”
His whole demeanor changed instantly. His back straightened, the hint of a smile that had been playing at the edge of his mouth disappeared and he gave her a once-over that bordered on offensive. He seemed to catalog every inch of her bust, the narrowness of her waist and the exact flare of her hips—as if he could see through the boxy cut of her fashionable but reserved suit His eyes made a slow sweep of her legs before coming back to her face.
“I’m sorry, Miss—” he glanced at her résumé again “—Price.”
“I currently work for Price Manufacturing. My name is Madalyn Wier.”
The man stopped short again, but Madalyn couldn’t begin to guess what he was thinking. She had the distinct impression he’d just done another mercurial shift, but she was clueless as to why a bit of the warmth returned to his face. Now he was reading her résumé as if he hadn’t seen it before.
This time, when he looked up, the smile was back, but she would have bet her last nickel that something significant had changed. It wasn’t in the curve of his lips; it was in his eyes, eyes that said he missed little.
“Ms. Wier, I apologize for the mix-up. Would you come into my office? I’d like to get this straightened out.”
He didn’t give her a chance to waver. He came closer and took her elbow, ushering her politely toward his door.
Madalyn’s breath caught again at his touch, and she had to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other without tripping. She could only hope she appeared calm and professional on the outside, because her insides were a wreck. She had no choice, really, but to go along with Philip, and she offered a quick prayer that this impromptu interview would be just the break she needed.
Philip’s mind was already whirling as he walked around his desk and took a seat while he studied her file with more care. When he was finished, he stalled for a bit more time by shuffling a pile of papers. He hadn’t gotten where he was by being slow on his feet, and if he played this right, he might just salvage a week from hell and get some information on a company he had his eye on, to boot.
Philip didn’t question the marvelous opportunities that had come to him over the years, events he could never have planned or predicted. He was, however, smart enough to act on them...immediately.
He’d been about to dismiss Ms. Wier out of hand—after all, she was much too attractive to even consider interviewing for Gene’s position—when a plan started coming together. There were those who didn’t think he had a heart, much less a libido, but Ms. Wier had already proven she could raise both his pulse and his... imagination. Feeling that instantaneous reaction, that unexpected response, hadn’t happened in so very long, he couldn’t help but be amazed. And it had certainly never happened with an employee.
But Ms. Wier’s attributes weren’t the point. The fact that she met so many needs at one time made her beauty serendipitous.
Number one, his secretary was on an extended leave, and he hadn’t kept a temp for more than a day for the last week. One had walked out at lunch and never returned. One had been pregnant and gone into premature labor. One had taken ill with the stomach flu. He wasn’t sure why his luck was running so sour in this area, but it was becoming a bit annoying.
Number two, Ms. Wier had an impressive résumé, including a tenure with a company he had his sights on. Price Manufacturing would make a nice addition to the Ambercroft portfolio of companies.
Number three, he wanted more information before he made a move on Price Manufacturing, and who knew more about a company than an executive assistant?
Hell would freeze over, however, before he let his little brother hire a secretary like Ms. Wier. Gene had used Ambercroft, Inc., as his personal procuring service for the last time. When he came back from Europe with his latest secretary-turned-lover, he was going to find an efficient, talented and decidedly matronly secretary waiting for him. Philip had already thought of a few words to describe Ms. Wier, but matronly wasn’t even in the same dictionary.
So, his most urgent needs were met in the attractive little package sitting patiently across from him with her hands folded in her lap. He’d have to do all the sensitive letters himself since his secretary wouldn’t be back for at least a month, but he could get a mountain of correspondence on other matters dictated and off his desk. Surely, in the weeks remaining until Mrs. Montague returned, he could get caught up and possibly discover some interesting information about Price Manufacturing. Then, with Gene’s secretary firmly replaced by a Mrs. Montague clone, he’d find a slot for Ms. Wier in one of Ambercroft’s many departments, and his life would return to normal.
What more could he ask for?
A glance at the stockinged calf revealed beneath Ms. Wier’s proper navy skirt gave a hint at exactly what more he could ask for—in the privacy of his own mind, of course. He’d never fraternized with an employee in his life, and he wasn’t about to start now. That was Gene’s department....
Yet, Philip doubted it would be a hardship to dictate to Ms. Wier’s delicate, oval face. Mrs. Montague was a handsome woman, no doubt, but she was almost as old as his mother and not exactly his type. He respected Mrs. Montague a great deal, and valued her as an employee, but the sight of her ankle had never even come close to making his pants seem tighter.
Reining in his wandering thoughts, Philip pulled out another smile. “Your résumé says you take shorthand.”
“Yes, I do,” she affirmed, straightening slightly in her chair.
“Good, good. It’s hard to find a secretary who knows shorthand these days. I confess I’m a holdout who hates those little tapes and prefers to dictate the old-fashioned way.”
Her answer was a polite smile.
He folded his hands on his desktop and put on his “Let’s get comfortable, shall we?” expression. “There seems to be a little misunderstanding here, but I think we can work this out. You see, my brother is in Europe right now and won’t be back to interview for his position for several weeks, I’m sure.”
He paused as a thought suddenly occurred to him. Why had the headhunters sent someone who looked like this to interview in the first place? He’d spoken personally with the head of the agency, making it clear exactly what he wanted in prospective candidates for the position. He’d offered a salary that was sure to bring in applicants with impeccable references and long years of experience. That usually meant someone older than thirty, and Philip had more like forty-five or fifty in mind.
So what was a woman like Ms. Wier doing here? The agency valued his business too much to ever make a mistake like that.
“Ms. Wier, how did you hear about our opening?”
Philip had watched too many people across a negotiating table to miss the tiny flicker in her eyes. Possible coup or not, if she lied to him—and he’d know—she was out on her cute little rear.
“To be honest, I heard through a friend-of-a-friend kind of thing. This is a job I’m highly qualified for, and I made the decision to take advantage of the valuable information.”
He liked a person with initiative—to a certain point. He admired gumption in a competitor and in an employee, as long as they didn’t push too far. He appreciated that she’d taken an opportunity, especially in this instance where it worked to his advantage, but he also made a note to watch her and make sure her proactive approach didn’t end up biting him on the behind.
Although she had an excellent poker face, he could feel her tension. He waited just long enough to make his unspoken point before nodding.
“As