Page 1 of Theirs to Take

His Naughty Assistant

Nova

Nova Ray wasn’t sure how the hell she was going to be able to pay the rent on her shitty apartment if she didn’t land this job. She had applied to be Mr. McTavish’s new personal assistant and today was her big interview with the man himself. He owned one of the biggest law firms in the Los Angeles area and if she could land this job, her troubles might just be a distant memory—well, most of them. There would be nothing she could do about her ex-husband being an asshole to her at every turn, or the fact that he had fought her for and won full custody of their son, Jackson. He’d even stooped as low as to tell the judge that she was an unfit mother at their last court appearance and that just plain pissed her off. It was all because of where she had to live, due to her lack of funds. If he had paid her the child support that he owed her, she wouldn’t have to live in her shithole apartment, but the judge had sided with her ex and now, Jack was living with him full time, spending weekends with her, and God, she missed her little boy. He was only four and every time she had to take him back to Simon’s big house—the house that they had shared while they were married, her little guy cried and clung to her like shewas his lifeline. She hated what this was doing to him, and this new position might be her ticket to getting her son back full-time.

Nova walked into the building that housed Mr. McTavish’s firm and let out her pent-up breath. It was the biggest building on the street and the inside was just as impressive as the outside. “Can I help you, Miss?” the security guard checking in visitors asked.

“I’m here for my eleven-thirty appointment with Mr. McTavish,” she proudly stated.

“Give me just a minute,” the guard said. He disappeared into an office off to the right and came back minutes later, nodding to her. “You can go on up. Mr. McTavish is expecting you. Take the elevator around the corner to the top floor and you will be deposited right into his office.”

“His office takes up the whole top floor?” she asked.

“He owns the whole building, Miss,” the guard said. “But yes, his personal office takes up the whole top floor. Good luck with your interview, Miss Ray.”

“I didn’t tell you my name,” she said. “How did you know?”

“It’s my business to know everything about everyone who walks through those doors,” he said, nodding back to the wall of glass doors that spanned the front of the building. “Have a nice day,” he said, effectively dismissing her. Nova looked behind herself to see that she was holding up a very long line of people waiting to get into the building and none of them looked very happy about it.

“Sorry,” she mouthed to them, turning back to face the guard. “You have a nice day, too,” she said, taking the security badge he handed her. “Thanks.” He pointed the way to the elevators, and she was on her way, feeling sicker than a kid who ate too much ice cream and then got on a roller coaster. Butthat was how she felt most of the time—like she was on a roller coaster and all Nova wanted was to get off of the damn ride.

Nova rode the elevator up to the top floor and took a deep breath just before the doors opened, letting it out when she saw the beautiful man who stood in front of her. He had on a gray tweed three-piece suit and God; he was gorgeous. His long, black hair was pulled back, and she couldn’t stop staring at his piercing blue eyes.

“Um,” she squeaked. “I’m looking for Mr. McTavish.” She sounded like a little mouse and that was the last thing she wanted. Nova cleared her throat and nodded. “I’m Nova Ray and I’m here to interview to be his assistant.”

He smiled at her, and she felt as though her girl parts would set on fire from just his sexy grin. Her mind was chanting, “Please don’t be Mr. McTavish” as she waited for him to say anything to her. If this guy was her prospective new boss, she was going to have a hard time concentrating on her work every day.

“I’m Alexander McTavish,” he said, his Scottish accent coming through as if she couldn’t find him any more attractive than she already had. His accent ramped up his sexiness to a full ten out of ten, and Nova knew that she was a goner. “You can call me Alex,” he offered, holding out his hand to her. Shit—she was going to have to touch him.

“Good to meet you, Alex,” she said, taking his offered hand.

“You too, Miss Ray,” he said.

“Please, call me Nova,” she offered.

He nodded, “Nova,” he said. Him saying her name the way that he had made her want to lean into his big body. She usually wasn’t a woman who’d swoon, but for Alexander McTavish, she’d swoon all day long.

“Shall we?” he asked, holding his hand toward the open door at the end of the hallway. She nodded and followed him to whatshould have looked like an office, but instead, looked like the inside of someone’s country home. The walls were paneled in a thick mahogany wood that made it feel like an old library in a castle far away. He even had bookshelves lined with books and a comfy-looking warn leather sofa that sat in front of a gas log fireplace. In the back of his office sat a giant desk that looked big enough to seat about twenty people around. It looked more like a conference table than a personal desk.

“Can I get you anything?” he asked. “A drink, water, something to eat?”

“Um, no,” she almost whispered. What the hell was wrong with her? She wasn’t usually a quiet, meek woman, but around him, she sounded that part. “Thank you, but I’m fine,” she said.

“Do you mind if I have a scotch?” he asked. He didn’t wait for her to answer as he poured himself a glass of amber liquid. “It’s already been a hell of a day.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she offered.

“Not your fault,” he said, drinking down half the liquid in his glass. “Have a seat,” he said, pointing to the couch.

“Wouldn’t you rather sit over there?” she asked, pointing to his desk. Sitting on the leather sofa made this whole thing feel less like an interview and more like a date—not that she’d mind dating a man who looked like Alex McTavish. No—that was her problem. She always fell for the good-looking, powerful men, and that’s how she ended up with an asshole ex who now had custody of her son.

“Doesn’t matter to me,” he said. “I just thought you might be more comfortable here on the couch.”

“All right,” she agreed, not wanting to argue with her prospective new boss. She crossed the room and sat down as he followed behind her. She felt so self-aware of her every movement as if she didn’t want to make the wrong one for fear of blowing this interview.

“You seem a bit uptight,” he said as she sat down.

“I’m just a little bit nervous. I have a lot riding on this interview, and I want to get things right,” she admitted.

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