“What is their educational background?” He touches his beard thoughtfully.
When I first met him five years ago, he was clean-shaven. The beard is new. He was always ridiculously attractive; with his piercing amber eyes and cold demeanor, he created a commanding, authoritative presence.
I grimace, my gaze focused on his beard. I never liked men with facial hair, but it suits him.
My grimace transforms into a scowl.
Why does he have to look so devastatingly handsome?
Why couldn’t he be ugly? Or old? Or both?
“Natalie.” Ethan clears his throat. “Is there something on my face that displeases you?”
I blink. “Sorry, what?”
He’s lounging in his chair and observes me with those penetrating eyes. “You’ve been glaring at me for the past five minutes, specifically my beard. Do you not like it? I can shave it if it bothers you.”
“I—What?” Flustered, I quickly lower my gaze to my laptop. “You’re being ridiculous. Why would you shave your beard if I don’t like it?”
“So you don’t like it then?”
“I never said that!”
“So you like it?”
“This is highly unprofessional.” I hate how my face is probably a bright red by now. Having such fair skin definitely has its disadvantages. “I was just thinking over your question, not about your beard. Why would I think about your beard? I have no reason to think about?—”
When I look up, a half-smile is playing on his lips.
My eyes flash with annoyance as I realize he was just messing with me. “That’s not funny.”
He lifts his shoulders, grinning to himself. “I thought it was. Now about the educational background of these employees?”
I can’t wrap my head around Ethan. Even with his own brother, he’s cool and distant. But when it’s just him and me, it’s like seeing a side of him I’ve never seen before. When we first met, he had been sexy in an older guy sort of way. He had been intriguing, considerate, making me fall for him. He was the first man to pay attention to me that way, however, I was never his equal.
But this month has changed everything between us.
It feels like we are on more equal footing now. His attitude toward me has evolved completely. He likes to tease me in subtle ways, engages me in casual conversations, values my input on business decisions.
The first time around, I had been the one hanging on to his every word, mesmerized by this powerful man. Now? He treats me as if my opinion holds weight, as if my preferences matter to him, as if I’m important to him. This isn’t the Ethan Wilder I remember from five years ago. What made him change so much? Is this growth genuine, or is it another tactic? After a month of working together, I’m still not sure.
I rifle through the box of files beside me, shaking off my lingering doubts.
“Here.” I hand him a thick file. “I’ve already gone through these documents. They all graduated from average colleges, did basic internships. But all the internships were in companies owned by Braxton or his friends.”
Ethan’s eyes flash. “Of course they were. Did you have any say in their hiring?”
I shake my head. “Braxton conducted the interviews privately. But you might want to have a look at their progress reports.”
Ethan takes out the papers from the file, his eyebrows lift after he reads through them. “I have a feeling the companies you left weren’t very happy to let you go.”
“They did offer me incentives to stay. I simply wasn’t interested.”
Ethan examines me from over the top of the papers in his hand. “I wouldn’t want to let go of such a valuable employee either. After this past month of working together, I’m even more convinced. You’re not going anywhere, Natalie. You’re going to be stuck with me for a long time.”
For the first time, there is no hint of suggestion in his voice. I realize he’s looking at me—in this moment—as a professional, not a woman. My cheeks feel hot as pride fills me.
I’ve worked hard. Despite all odds, I have worked incredibly hard, and hearing this from such a successful businessman like Ethan after a month of proving myself daily makes me want to smile.
