Page 9 of Dominion

“Well, I’m thinking they bring a certain close-mindedness to things. I mean, they’re set in their ways about what they think we should be doing, and we’re trying to do something new. On the other hand, to go around them would totally ruffle feathers and make it harder to get buy-in.”

Mr. Stone regarded her with cool assessment. Not surprisingly, he said nothing.

“I guess, selfishly, I’d rather keep them out, at least initially, because I’m afraid all my ideas will get trashed.”

“I appreciate your honesty, Ms. Bell.”

She rubbed her lips together. “So what do you think?”

“The choice is yours.”

She gaped. “The choice is mine?”

He nodded. “Make a good one.”

Oh, God.

She looked down at her notebook where she’d written down his direction. “And for the second one—I’m not sure I’m qualified to make that sort of assessment.”

“Well, do what you need to do to get qualified. I’m asking you to make it.”

“That’s a pretty huge responsibility; I mean, you want me to make a recommendation that affects people’s livelihoods.”

“And the future of this company. Welcome to my world, Ms. Bell. Do you want to be my assistant or not?”

She flushed and looked down at her paper to compose herself. “I do,” she said quietly. “I appreciate your faith in me.” When he said nothing, she amended, “Or maybe this is a test, in which case, I plan to pass it.” She lifted her chin.

A smile flashed around both corners of his mouth, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come. “Go,” he said, with his characteristic curtness.

She stood and walked to the door. Grasping the knob, she screwed up her courage and turned around. “Mr. Stone?”

He turned from his computer screen and raised an eyebrow.

“Did you hire me for this job because you actually think I show promise or is it because—” She stopped.

He didn’t help, gazing at her with both eyebrows raised now.

She swallowed. “Because you like the way I look in a skirt?”

The smile flitted across his face and his eyes dropped to her skirt and down her legs.

She flushed, wishing she hadn’t said it.

“Get out, Ashley.”

She actually laughed. Well, it was more a gasp for breath, or a sob. But it came out like a bubble of laughter. He’d called her by her first name, which felt like a success. And she loved the way it sounded in his deep, rich tones, evoking intimacy and… heat. She pushed the door open and stumbled out, relieved to be out of his intense presence. But the moment she shut the door, she missed it.

How would she survive working for this man? He stole her breath with every glance.

Jack cameinto his office without an invite and plopped into the chair opposite him. “What’s with the new girl?”

For some reason it bothered him Jack called her a girl. “Ashley Bell. She’s my new assistant. She was working in marketing.”

“Hmm.” Jack looked at him.

He knew what he was thinking. It was what Karen thought. Even Ashley thought it. He found a hot piece of tail and he wanted her to parade in and out of his office in short skirts to brighten his day.

Well, hell. It might be true. Every time he caught her scent, his body heated like it wanted to mark her. But she wasn’t just a pretty face. The girl had all kinds of bright ideas, and her fearlessness intrigued him. He didn’t know why he, a natural alpha, had been such a nancy at running this company. Not at managing the people, but at making changes and shaking things up. Ashley’s ideas all affirmed his natural instincts, which he had been ignoring.

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