“You are seriously bad for my concentration,” he replied pulling her groin against his, the hardness there clear to them both. “I really didn’t fully think through the perils of employing you full time and on the same floor as me, did I?”
“I think you knew exactly what you were doing, Mr Brooker,” she said seriously.
“Maybe, but here I am chasing around after you again,” he said as Rosie knocked on the door and waited to be called in by which time Steph was sitting behind the desk and Jon was sitting opposite her.
With thanks expressed, Rosie quickly turned and left.
“So, this is business?” asked Jon seriously.
“Yes.”
“And is that the reason why you went through Andrea rather than calling me yourself?” A strange expression clouded his face.
“Yes, what other reason would there be?”
“I don’t know, maybe that you are still mad at how we parted yesterday,” he told her honestly.
“I was upset, but I gave myself a talking to and I understand that you have commitments, but we are getting side tracked by the personal stuff again. While we are, is it okay if I nip out later and do the afternoon visit to the hospital?”
“Of course, now talk business to me. It makes me horny when you turn all corporate.” He grinned salaciously making her laugh.
“Please concentrate on work otherwise we are going to be shagging on the desk if you keep looking at me like that.” She realised that despite her protests to the contrary, she had little to no objection to that.
“You started it when you wrapped your legs around me and suggested losing your underwear, which I am still considering. Now, Miss Pryor, business,” he said, picking up his coffee.
“I have some questions about my role here. I know that you and Grant talked through the new aspects of the job, but I must admit I am confused, so I made a list of questions,” she explained as she picked up her notebook.
“Fire away, darling.”
“What is my main role? Overseeing finances or new business or what?” She grew increasingly confused with her first question.
“I don’t know that you will have a main role because if there are no new deals on the horizon I can’t have you sitting idle, you’d be sure to get into trouble then. If there’s a new deal happening, then that would be your priority, or quarterly figures time it would be that and at other times it may be ironing outproblems in other financial departments. We’re all on the same learning curve, but I have no clear idea on what you should be doing and when. I trust you to manage your own workload without me breathing down your neck.”
“Fair enough. Grant said that I would have responsibilities for my departments, but I have no idea which departments are mine.” She wondered whether she had tried to run before she could walk by taking this job.
“Accounts and finance for sure and new business would be an area I would expect you to have some responsibility for, but we have another new business manager, Sophie Marley, that we are meeting with at nine o’clock tomorrow so she’ll be a new member of your team too. Anything else?” Jon stretched over to look at her list.
“This one will sound really conceited I’m sure, but where do I fit in with the other departments and managers?” she asked feeling a little embarrassed.
“Nothing conceited there, darling, you want to know whose opinions you can ignore and those that you have to at least pretend to listen to.” He smiled making her shake her head. “You fit in above departmental heads, but below me.” The arching of his brow made her laugh.
“Which as we both know is where I like to be and where you like me,” she replied.
“Oh, darling, don’t sell yourself short, sometimes I like you against me or over me, but usually and certainly managerially you are beneath me. There’s a level of hierarchy between you and me, but due to the nature of your role I would expect you to see me as your line manager. Next?” He smiled.
“My day to day role, I think you have covered that, so who do I submit my holiday request to?”
Jon laughed loudly. “Your line manager, me.”
“Who is Isaac Robertson and why am I meeting with him next week?” she asked next.
“He is the brother of Peter Robertson from Richards and is a senior shareholder there, so he is being sent here by them to renegotiate a possible deal, but I would be reluctant to offer what Richards wants and he knows that, so I think they are more in need of my money than I originally thought, meaning I need you to dig a little and then we will meet to discuss before we meet with them. Anything else?” Jon glanced down at his watch.
“Am I keeping you from something more important, Mr Brooker?” Steph smiled, enjoying this playful side of him.
“You are indeed, Miss Pryor,” he replied, laughing at her expression. “And you want to know what that is I suppose?”
“If you want to tell me.” She aimed for nonchalance, hoping to sound more convincing than she felt. Although the glint in his eye led to suspicion or perhaps hope that she might know what was more important to him.
