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When he’d asked for help, he hadn’t expected a lush supermodel turned librarian. The sight of the curvaceous blonde with sultry glasses and a confident smile hit him right in the gut. He was also a fan of glossy red lips.
Those jeans should have been illegal, but he certainly wasn’t complaining.
Bloody hell. He didn’t have time for this distraction. He hadn’t even had time to interview anyone for himself and had trusted his most loyal, dependable employees to do that. But he’d only asked for someone well qualified, professional and polished.
He’d certainly gotten that last part; he had to assume the rest of her credentials were just as impressive as the outward package.
Might as well embrace his new temporary consultant. Temporary being the key word. Off-limits was also another key word because he never ever fraternized with employees. He liked to date, but he’d never gotten too serious...much to his family’s dismay and disappointment.
Most times the Townshends didn’t understand why Nigel was in New York, growing his empire, and not back in England, settling down and working on new heirs. He loved his family, he truly valued them and missed them like crazy. But he wanted to branch off from the dynasty and create his own legacy. This company and his shows were bigger than anything he’d ever dreamed. He just needed to continue that trend of growth and success in order to show his family that his goals and dreams truly were worthwhile.
Pushing the family issues aside, Nigel kept his eyes locked on the striking woman in his office. Talk about a test in willpower. If she was going to be working alongside him for weeks or months to come, he would have to remember this was a professional environment. He demanded as much from each of his employees and he would never let them think that he was incapable of meeting those standards himself.
Nigel came to his feet and rounded his desk. He was the boss, time for him to act like one and put these adolescent hormones to rest. His family considered him the infamous black sheep for breaking away, and he was doing his best not to live down to that reputation. Just because a man didn’t want to get married and produce a litter of children did not make him a failure.
Of course, his sister was getting married next week and he was a groomsman, so that certainly didn’t help matters.
All the more motivation to turn these dwindling numbers around and get Secret Lives back on top of the rankings. Maybe then his family would be proud of the work he did.
“You must be Roslyn Andrews,” he greeted, turning all of his attention to the new employee. “I’m Nigel Townshend.”
Her smile widened as she crossed his office and extended her hand. “It’s a pleasure, Mr. Townshend.”
“Mr. Townshend is my father,” he corrected. “You will call me Nigel.”
With a delicate nod, she replied, “Alright, Nigel.”
His name sliding through her lips was just as magical and potent as he’d expected. And all of his employees called him Mr. Townshend. He couldn’t quite justify the reasoning behind his quick response to her calling him Mr. but here they were.
“I had no idea I would be working with you directly,” she added. “Can I be honest?”
The combination of that sultry voice and the confident firm grip of her handshake assaulted every nerve ending he had. Her dark eyes flared when he slid his hand into hers.
Well, wasn’t this interesting?
She snatched her hand back and adjusted the purse strap on her shoulder. He had to give her credit, though, her smile never faltered.
Self-assurance was a sexy trait. Add that to the alluring outward package and he might be in trouble with this one. Hell, he was already in trouble since they were on a first-name basis after a one-minute meet. He had employees who had worked for him for over a decade who still didn’t call him Nigel.
“Please,” he replied. “Honesty is our key policy.”
She adjusted her tortoiseshell glasses. “I’m even more nervous now that I know I’m working directly with the boss. But, I promise not to let my nerves get in the way of doing my best work.”
“I hope you’ve saved your best work for me because I need the best.”
“No pressure,” she joked. “I hope I live up to your standards.”
“I have no doubt you’ll do just fine. I’ve seen your résumé. The fact that you work in interior design actually appealed to me because I believe designers look at every detail in all aspects of life and that’s exactly what I need. And, I’m not sure if you’ve heard anything, but I’m not difficult to get along with, though I’ve been told I have a dry sense of humor.”
“I have two older brothers. I’m pretty good with holding my own, no matter the jokes.”
With her honesty and sense of humor, Nigel could see they’d get along just fine...so long as he kept reminding himself this arrangement was professional and temporary.
How many times could he use those two words?
Probably not enough, because he had a feeling he needed to keep those in the forefront of his mind as long as Ms. Andrews worked by his side.
“Have a seat,” he told her, gesturing to the leather chair opposite his desk. “Since I didn’t sit in on the interview process, I’d like to get to know a little about you before we begin our day. Like I said, I’ve seen your résumé, quite impressive, and I’ve heard my crew speak your praises.”
“I’m flattered.”
She should be. They’d interviewed a slew of people for this position, but Nigel had put out very specific requirements. Interesting that the most striking, intriguing woman he’d ever met was the one who had landed in his office.
He worked with beautiful women every day. The entire cast of Secret Lives consisted of stunning ladies. But something about Roslyn seemed almost wholesome...which was quite refreshing in this field.
Nigel unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt as he went back to his desk chair. Distance from her would help him keep his head in the game, so would focusing on the sole reason for her employment. He needed a new vision for the show and the only way he could see that happening was to bring in an outsider.
There was no room for attractions or office escapades. The last thing he needed was a sexual harassment lawsuit. Of course, bad press would drive up ratings, but he wasn’t about to embarrass his family, put his own reputation on the line or degrade any woman.
He respected women and his new consultant would be no different. There’s no reason he couldn’t find her attractive and keep a level head about himself...right?
“I saw you recently moved to New York,” he began, leaning back in his seat.
Roslyn nodded. “About a month ago. It was time for a change.”
“You came from Texas?”
“I did. My family owns a ranch.” She eased her purse onto her lap and crossed her legs. “My brothers still live there.”
“So why the drastic change?” he asked.
A sadness swept over her face for a second before she tipped her chin and silently gathered herself together. “My father recently passed and it made me realize how fragile life is. I’d always wondered what city life was like and I decided to take the risk.”
Taking risks was certainly something he could understand and appreciate. He hadn’t gotten this far without stepping outside the proverbial box and taking his own chances in business. He understood her need to be out on her own, away from her family, and he instantly admired her drive and independence.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” he told her. “I have to