“Jessica, do you have Mr. Stavros’s benefits package?”
“Oh, hello, Atlas. It’s nice to see you again.”
“Hey, Jessica. Nice to see you, too.”
She tucked her straight brown hair that fell to her chin behind her ears and opened her file drawer. She pulled out a manila folder marked with Atlas’s name and handed it to him.
We wove our way around the large office that occupied the entire floor of the building, meeting employees of eachdepartment, chit-chatting, and introducing ourselves. Atlas needed to know everyone in my sales department and Hugh’s operations department. Eventually, we made it back to our offices, which were right next to each other.
We stepped into the space where Atlas would be working. “This will be your desk. You obviously don’t have a door, but you have more privacy than the rest of the staff. The wall here blocks off the rest of the office, and you have a large window with a view of the city.
The area had a contemporary desk, file cabinets, two bookcases, a credenza, an ergonomic leather chair, and two chairs for guests. He also had a desktop computer and a landline phone.
“Wow, this is really nice. Much better than where I used to work as an assistant. You all are much nicer than my last boss, too,” he chuckled. Then he turned to face me with large black eyes. “Oh… sorry. I shouldn’t have said that about my boss.”
I smirked and stood close to him. “Careful, you know where mistakes will lead you.”
Atlas visibly gulped as he looked up at me. “Sorry, Mr. Pierce.”
I shrugged. “Hugh and I talked to your previous employer, and while he was gruff, he said nice things about you.”
“Wow, I feel bad now.”
“Eh, sometimes people don’t mesh. But Hugh and I think you will with us.”
“As you’re aware, I’m the Vice President of Marketing and Sales. I set the direction for the department’s efforts to drive revenue and market share growth. I oversee budgets and analyze trends to identify new opportunities.”
Atlas boldly lifted one of my hands and rested it palm up on top of his. He looked down and stroked the calloused skin onmy fingers. “Worker’s hands. I’d noticed them beforethatnight. Can I be honest?”
I enjoyed the electrical current passing between us. It had been a while since I’d experienced it. “Always, Atlas.”
“You don’t seem like a salesman.”
“Well, look at you… observant, too. I make things with my hands. Wooden things. Not like art, but for interior design, I guess.”
He looked up at me. You could get lost in his thick lashes and those dark eyes. Like falling into a pitch-dark pit, but you’re not afraid because at the end of it is light. “Like cabinetry or something?”
I smirked at him. “Or something.”
“That’s still artistic. I like that. I’m an artist, too.”
Now,thatsurprised me. “Really?”
He nodded, still keeping my hand resting on his, or perhaps I was holding it there. “Yep, I’m a painter, mostly watercolors, but I enjoy charcoal drawing, too.” He shrugged. “I’m not good enough to make money at it or anything, but I enjoy doing it.”
“You’re going to have to show me your work.”
That made him smile. I thought for sure he’d be reluctant since he was self-deprecating about his own work. “Okay. I’d like that.”
I dropped my hand, back to the task at hand, before I did something stupid, like kiss him. “Hugh is the VP of Construction and Operations. He oversees all projects from pre-construction to completion. He makes sure everything stays on schedule and remains within budget. So, you won’t only be grabbing coffee and going through our emails. You’ll be arranging meetings, taking notes, setting up dinners, and going with Hugh to sites to oversee projects. The rest is on our own time.” I winked, so Atlas understood what I was referring to.
With no one to see us, I took a little risk and fingered his pretty tie. “Were you tested?”
He quickly nodded. “Yes, Mr. Pierce. I have the results on my phone.”
“Good job, Princess.” I rubbed the material between my fingers. It was a nice suit and fit him perfectly. “Is this the only suit you have?”
Atlas looked away and down, pink blossoming on his cheeks again. “Yeah. I don’t make a ton of money. I didn’t have to dress up when working at a coffee shop or waiting tables. My last admin job was business casual.
