After another sip of her excellent coffee, she arched her brows, attention on him as she held her pen poised over the pad.While dictation wasn’t her favorite thing, she was no slouch and confident in her ability.
He started slowly as if doubting her skills, but once he saw she didn’t falter, he sped up.Leaning back in his chair, his eyes partially closed, he focused on spouting facts about honey production.
Suzie almost laughed at the cliche, and losing focus had her pen spluttering to a halt.“Sorry, could you repeat that?”
Honey?Hardly a groundbreaking secret.Honey was a subject she knew little about, apart from the fact it tasted delicious spread on her favorite granary bread, and her father was rather partial to a teaspoon in his hot toddy.
The man glowered at her, but instead of being intimidated, Suzie saw the growly bear more clearly.He wasn’t handsome in the traditional sense—she’d describe him as rugged—but his hazel eyes drew the gaze.They were stunning, surrounded by the long, dark lashes women strove to possess.And again, that sexy accent…
He gave his head a faint shake and plunged back into the dictation, moving on to the marketing aspect.Suzie’s pen raced across the page while she listened to his rough Scottish accent and assimilated the information.She found it fascinating.Honey was to him what music was to her, a surprising revelation.
Finally, he stopped speaking and picked up his empty coffee mug.“More.”
She stared at him before accepting the mug, but he plowed into returning phone calls.
“No, Michael.That’s fine.Harris is working this morning.He’ll take care of the honey for me.Your time is better spent at the plant.Aye, I’ll let you know if I need you.”He hung up and punched in another number.
Suzie shook away the accent-induced trance and ceased her eavesdropping to focus on the coffee.After taking her temp boss’s mug over to him and receiving a grunt, she assumed he’d want her to type these notes in readable form.
Suzie sipped her vanilla coffee and quickly found the relevant programs to do her thing.While the notes were comprehensive, they raised questions.She swiftly glanced at her growly boss, who appeared immersed in a sheaf of papers.
She shrugged inwardly and wrote her comments and questions in red italics beneath each point that made her curious.Some bosses liked their secretaries or personal assistants to use their initiative.She wasn’t sure which camp he fell into, but she’d learn soon enough.
Suzie completed transcribing her dictation and read through what she’d written.It was correct, and she felt her comments were relevant.She sent the document to a printer and stood to retrieve it.After another quick check, she took them to her temp boss.
“What is so great about this honey?”she asked, hoping she received more than snarls in reply.
“What?”he asked absentmindedly.His hair stood in tufts, although she hadn’t noticed him dragging his hand through his curls.
“Why is this honey important to you?Is it a bear thing?”
Niall jerked his attention from his research and formulas to gawk at her.Had he heard right?
“Are you obsessed with this honey because you are a bear?”she asked.
Genuine curiosity sat on her features.She didn’t mean to sound rude, or perhaps she did.Her green eyes certainly twinkled with mischief.
“Have you transcribed my notes?”he snapped.
“Yes.”
And to his surprise, she handed over the printed version.He scanned them rapidly and did a double take.She dared to pencil in comments.His brows squeezed together, his eyes widening at her concise wording and questions.Very interesting.
He lifted his head and honestly looked at her for the first time today.She had long black hair and green eyes that reminded him of the jade he’d seen during a visit to China three years ago.Her skin was fair but held the faint kiss of the sun, which led his thoughts in an entirely unprecedented direction.He wrenched his gaze away, his heart thumping against his rib cage.Despite that, her oval face remained in his mind’s eye, her small straight nose and full lips devoid of lip color.She wasn’t tall because he towered over her, but he dwarfed most humans.This one wasn’t human, though.His nostrils flared, his senses catching more now that he fully engaged them.
Feline.
“Please, can you tell me what is so special about your honey?”That was interest in those fascinating green eyes and an Antipodean accent.His last secretary hadn’t cared and had never asked questions, apart from requesting a raise for sub-par work.
“My honey has the usual health benefits.It is rich in nutrients and antioxidants.It has antibacterial properties that can soothe burns and sore throats.But it also has an added component, an unexpected benefit.”Pride rose in him because this was a freakin’ miracle.“My honey increases performance in speed and strength.”He paused for her reaction, and she didn’t disappoint him.
“How?Do you mean if I ate your honey, I could raise heavy weights above my head?”
A startled laugh escaped him.“Do you normally lift heavy weights?”
She wrinkled her nose.“That will never happen.”
He stared for a beat longer and experienced the strange urge to laugh.Quite unlike him.What magic did the woman use?He was driven.Exacting.He expected his employees to work hard and rewarded them well for their labor.He relied on instinct, along with research and careful plans.His goal: to become successful enough that his family would finally pay attention to him instead of ignoring him as the runt of the litter.It shouldn’t, but their lack of support hurt, and he was determined that one day, they would see him as a successful businessman.
