Ellen slapped her playfully on her arm. “Don’t you dare! And if I were you, I’d be the one making a move. If I remember right, both the new chauffeur and bodyguard had their eyes on you this morning.”
If only she knew. “No better way to attract a man than to spill coffee all over your dress.”
“Not that! I prefer blonds, but that bodyguard. I wonder what he looks like with his long hair out of his ponytail, and out of his suit.”
Zoe shook her head and doubted Ellen would be as excited if she saw Kai in his ugly Hawaiian shirt. “Okay then, I’ll tell him that too if I ever meet him. In the meantime, I’ll return to my translations.”
“Wait! Mr. Blackwood has canceled the general meeting, but he wants to see you in his office.”
Oh goody! She must have grimaced because Ellen offered her a kind smile and a touch on her hand. “He’s not as bad he seems, my dear.”
“That’s because you’re a saint!”
Ellen smirked, her face full of humor. “Maybe. But Mr. Blackwood has been good to me since I started working for him. You’ll see, after a while, he won’t appear as distant.”
Zoe doubted it, and she would need proof of that, although she may have had a glimpse of that at the police station. “I’d better go. Call a rescue party if I’m not back for lunch.”
The older woman laughed and returned to her office. Zoe was half joking, not very enthusiastic at the idea of spending time alone with the CEO. However, if it would allow her to get intel for the team, she was ready to sacrifice her sanity.
Blackwood’s office occupied a generous portion of the northern corner of the floor. The door was ajar, and she simply peered inside. He was there, his back to her, hands in pockets, his gaze lost on the city sprawled at his feet. He had removed his jacket and rolled the sleeves of his white shirt. His vest accented his build and slim waist. There was nothing soft or paunchy on this CEO. He reminded her of Kai in that regard. Lance was bulkier and taller. Kai was the one you didn’t see coming, but to the trained eye, his body revealed a lot. While Kai felt like an irritating little brother, Archer Blackwood stirred darker feelings inside her; annoyance, confusion, heat. All the things that would blur her mind and compromise her mission if she let them take over her mind. Her eyes detailed his wide back, his shoulders and muscled arms stretching the material. The more she examined him, the more curious she was. Her eyes widened at the ink she saw on his arms, near his elbows. Tattoos? It clashed with his image of a fierce and clean-cut CEO. She wondered what they were and to what extent they covered his body. Another thought she had to shake off.
“The door is open, Ms. Somersby, if you haven’t noticed. That means you can enter.”
Busted! And just as she was about to ogle his perfect ass. “I wasn’t sure if you were on the phone or not.” No way this arrogant man would win at this.
He pulled his hands out of his pockets for her to see, signifying he wasn’t holding a phone.
“You could have had one of those earpieces on. You know the technology, don’t you?”
Again, a flash of silver on his handsome, undecipherable face. Not answering, he kept his mercury eyes on her and sat behind his desk, gesturing to one of the chairs.
“Not even forty-eight hours after you’ve first been hired, and you’ve caused more trouble than any of my employees in ten years.”
Zoe had to admit her mouth moved faster than her brain sometimes, and now she realized that it increased in his presence. It was as if she was desperate to destabilize him, to make him crack.
“I already told you what happened with the dog yesterday, and why. And I didn’t intend to bump into someone and spill my coffee all over myself this morning.”
“Let’s focus on what’s to come, shall we?”
Zoe was about to open her mouth, but he continued.
“I want to bring you up to speed with what’s planned for next week. This is no secret, I’m in the process of selling all my oil rig refinery activities in the upcoming weeks. Well, it will certainly take more than a week to conclude a deal and do the sale itself, but this get-together offers the final candidates the opportunities to have more time with me in the final stages of negotiations. Your role, apart from handling all the written translations, is to be my interpreter. And when necessary, be one of the other members of senior management involved in all this.”
Zoe nodded. Nothing she couldn’t handle. “I’m ready when you are, all I need to know is what type of technology you’re using and do a few tests...”
Blackwood shook his head. “No technology, no outside booth until we are forced to. You’ll remain by my side at all times until given other instructions.”
“There is no need for me to be there with you.”
“More often than not, you’ll be by my side. That was what you were hired for. If I require, we’ll use a booth. You’ll be advised.”
Well, there wasn’t much more to say on the matter.
“Also, as of today, security is increased for all personnel.” He opened a drawer in his desk and retrieved an envelope. “Inside you will find an ID card that you must carry at all times as well as the new access codes to reach this floor. Memorize it. Starting tomorrow, a security liaison, Mr. Jones, will be on the floor. Ellen will give you all the required information. If you must return home late, a chauffeur will drive you.”
“I assure you, it’s not necessary.”
“It’s not a request, but an order, Ms. Somersby. One you will follow to the letter, starting right now.”
Her first reaction was to snap back, but another thought niggled the back of her mind.
“Why the step up in security?”
His closed face and swift annoyance at her question was an answer in itself. “Let’s say that some people want what I have more than others. These are only precautionary measures.”
According to her inner radar, this was a load of cookie crumbles, and she was about to say it when a light flashed, and a strange beep came from Blackwood’s phone.
Before she could ask what the sound was, Blackwood was on his feet, dashing for the door. Just as she was about to follow suit, he turned and hissed between his teeth, “This is an alarm. Something’s wrong, stay here and lock the door.”
And he was gone. Stunned by the order, Zoe realized that others may be in danger. Like hell would she stay behind and lock herself in like a coward. She was ready to face the fires of hell, and in defying Archer Blackwood, she might do exactly that.
