“Good to be back, Crystal.” He gave her a nod and a smile and her eyes widened as if in surprise. What? Was he usually such a grouch that when he was pleasant it came as a shock? He really had to do something about his personality.
Rock headed down the hallway to the executive suite and as he did his mind raced ahead to his next meeting with his executive assistant. Dana Daniels. Just the thought of seeing her again made him smile. Theirs had not been a comfortable working relationship, one which was more accurately described as being charged with electricity. But he was going to turn over a new leaf. Going forward, he would make sure that no-one, and especially not Dana, could accuse him of being cold and unfeeling. If it was the last thing he did, he would show his employees that he could be human.
He strode through the open door and into the front office, a practiced smile on his face. And there she was, sitting at her desk, absorbed in a telephone conversation.
As he entered she looked up and when she saw him her eyebrows went up and her voice faltered. “I’m sorry but I have to go now,” she said into the phone. “I’ll return your call shortly.” She returned the phone receiver to its cradle then, slowly, elegantly, she stood. And at the sight of her, Rock’s heart jerked.
He knew Dana was beautiful but today she was stunning. He could not put his finger on it but she just looked different. Had his absence from the office for the past week made him forget how beautiful she was? Well, his body certainly hadn’t forgotten. At the sight of her he’d gone from cool to hot under the collar and there was a tightness in his chest that told him that there was something about this woman - something that him just a little bit worried - that had a devastating effect on him. And if he knew what was good for him he would hide his reaction at all costs.
Rock cleared his throat. “Good to see you again, Dana.” He gave her a curt nod. “I thought you’d be on coffee break.”
For a moment she didn’t respond, just stared at him with wary eyes. Finally, she said, “Good to have you back. I hope you had a good trip.”
“Very good, thank you.” He gave her a slight bow then walked on and headed toward his office.
It was only when he got behind closed doors that he let his guard down. He threw the briefcase onto the nearby couch then reached up and loosened his tie. What the hell had Dana done? Was she determined to drive him crazy in this office? Since the day he met her she’d been a major distraction but now, even more so. Her eyes looked bigger and bolder, her lips fuller. And her skirt…where the hell had the knee-length skirts gone? This one showed quite a length of leg - legs that would be best employed wrapping themselves around his waist while he…
Rock shook his head. Come on, man, get yourself together. This is your employee you’re thinking about.
With a sigh he flopped down into the chair. This was going to be a long day. If Dana Daniels had meant to cause him major distress, she had certainly done that. It was going to be a hard task remaining businesslike with her looking like that. He just hoped he could keep his hands off her.
**
Dana bit her lip and blinked, struggling to hold back tears. How could she have been so stupid? How could she have thought that Rock would have been captivated by her new look? Ever since he had called her from the airport to tell her that he was coming in that day she’d been on needles and pins, anticipating his arrival. And when she’d seen him coming in through the door looking tired but oh, so handsome, her heart had literally skipped a beat and her mouth had gone dry. Not the kind of reaction you would expect an executive assistant to have for her boss, but so it was. There was no denying the attraction she felt for Rock St. Stephens.
And somehow she’d thought it was the same for him, maybe just a little bit. She’d even thought he would have been pleasantly surprised by her transformation, but nothing of the sort. In fact, his face had gone dark the moment he’d laid eyes on her. It was as if she had annoyed him in some way, simply by being there.
Getting dolled up to impress Rock St. Stephens had been the worst mistake of her life. Damn that Becky for trying to make her into what she was not.
Obviously, Rock could see right through her. He knew that this was not the real Dana. In reality, she was plain and boring. She was his executive assistant and nothing else and it would do her well, she now knew, to remember that.
With a manicured finger she wiped away the lone tear that had settled in the corner of her eye, sniffed, and straightened her back. She would not give in to this. She was professional and she was strong, and even if her boss ran off to his office in order to avoid her, she would not be hurt by it. Not Dana Daniels. Instead, she would change her tactic. If her boss was hard as rock, she would be cold as steel.
The ringing of the phone jerked her back to the present. Rock was calling her inside his office. But was she ready to face him again? Well, if she was to conquer her demons, there was no time like the present. Setting her mouth in a determined line she picked up her notepad and walked into his office.
CHAPTER FIVE
When Dana walked into Rock’s office she realized that seeing him and remaining aloof was easier said than done. When he’d entered the building he’d been dressed in jacket and tie, looking every inch the businessman. Now, however, he’d shed his jacket and thrown it on the couch and his tie hung loose around his neck. Even his sleeves were rolled up. When he’d come in he’d looked exhausted but now he seemed alert, ready to work.
Rock waved her over to the empty chair. She moved to take the seat he offered but paused when she heard his next words.
“I’ve got to apologize,” he said, and as she turned to look at him he gave her a rueful smile.
Dana could only stare back at him in confusion. What was he apologizing for? For not noticing that she’d made an effort to look good? For him? Don’t be an idiot, Dana. The man would never apologize for that. Slowly, she sank into her seat and turned her eyes up to stare at him.
“I know I’ve been more absent than present since I’ve taken over this corporation.” His lips tightened and he shook his head. “In the three and a half months since I joined the company how many days have I actually spent in the office? I’ve practically left the lot of you to run the corporation by yourselves.” He shook his head. “Especially you, Dana. I know in my absence everybody’s been running to you with their issues. It’s going to stop right now.” Rock got up from behind his desk and, shoving his fists into his pockets, he walked over to the plate glass window. He looked out over onto the streets of Manhattan, but from the faraway look in his eyes Dana could tell that he was not seeing anything down below. His thoughts were on other things, the matters of the corporation.