Mr Lanford’s eyes bore into her as he flashed a half smile her way. “And how did you come to be mine…err here Miss…?”
“Luchia. My name is Eleanor Luchia, sir.” Eleanor quickly filled in. “Ms Penn hired me to organize your paperwork. I’m sorry, I thought you were aware.”
“And how long have you been employed here Ms Luchia?” He glanced over at Eddie as he asked the question. Eddie’s only response was to chuckle quietly next to her.
She hesitated, not wanting to get in trouble if she had overstepped her bounds, but since he was still smiling congenially enough at her she confessed. “A little over two months.”
“And where have you been hiding for those two months?” He quickly covered his shock with interested curiosity.
Eleanor pointed to the room she had left to open the door. “Right there.”
Both Eddie and Liam followed her pointed finger with amused gazes. She looked up at Mr Liam Lanford. “I apologize if you were unaware. I’ve been doing my best to make good progress. But when Diane didn’t answer the door I figured I would. Upon hearing it was Mr Dubois I became distracted and failed to inform you that he was here.”
“Distracted?” Liam crossed his arms.
“Discussing your plans for my expansion.” Mr Dubois interjected.
At Liam’s slow appraising nod, Eleanor blushed. “I’ll get back to my work sir. Sorry for the interruption.”
As she scurried back to her room she heard Eddie remark, “Quite the intelligent and engaging woman you have hiding in there, surrounded by your mountains of paper.”
Not trying to eavesdrop but curious as to what he would say in response Eleanor turned slightly toward them in her retreat. She couldn’t understand what he said but he didn’t sound angry so she hoped it was positive .
An hour later Eddie popped his head in where she was working. “I am on my way out Miss Luchia and I wanted to tell you how delighted I am to have met you. Being able to spend a little time discussing those plans with a fresh set of eyes is just what I needed.”
Eleanor blushed in surprise but nodded. “It was wonderful to meet you Mr Dubois.” She watched him disappear out of sight and once again focused on the papers in front of her.
A few minutes later she looked up to find Mr Lanford standing once again in the doorway. Immediately she rose. “Sorry I didn’t hear you come in.” The apology tumbled out as she straightened the papers in front of her.
“No need to apologize Miss Luchia. If anything, I should be apologizing to you. Ms Penn failed to inform me that had filled the position already or I would have come to introduce myself earlier. I don’t believe in being a faceless boss. Don’t be concerned if I come to check on you every once in a while. I do so with the employees I can in order to stay connected.”
She nodded, only slightly frenetic beneath her calm appearance. Maybe it was his piercing green eyes. Or the fact that he was drop dead handsome. Or maybe it was because she had made a complete dolt of herself in front of him when she’d ‘forgotten’ to bring his client in to him.
She only remembered to breathe after he nodded and strode smoothly out of the room.
The next morning, as she was sitting there, trying to focus on the sorting and not looking for interesting papers to glance over, Eleanor didn’t hear the soft footsteps of someone approaching and stopping just inside her doorway.
With a softly cleared throat he gained her attention. “Good morning, Miss Luchia. I figured I needed to make up for lost time and check in today, find out what progress you’ve made.”
In her best competent voice she began to explain her sorting and organizing tactics. Mid-sentence she recalled her manners and motioned to her chair. “Oh please sit. I didn’t mean to leave you standing.”
His low chuckle shook her professional veneer. “I am fine standing for the moment.” He moved in closer. “However, the progress you have made in two short months is impressive. I know that I’ve completely given up trying to keep order in here and would throw papers into a box and shove the box in here.”
“Does that mean you have another box in your office accumulating, unsorted, right now?”
He shrugged. “Guilty.”
Eleanor shook her head. “Don’t worry. By the time you have filled up that box and throw it into me I will have everything organized so well that it wouldn’t take me long to sort it out. Of course I hear I have several other rooms that require my attention as well.”
With a slow deep nod he laughed. “I have let it overcome me I fear. I do have one question, now that I think of it. How do you know Eddie?”
“Mr Dubois?” Eleanor blinked in surprise. “I don’t. I met him yesterday.”
“Yet you know of our expansion plans for him through our design and construction company.” He stated levelly.
Flustered, she wrung her hands. “Oh… I… just from sorting sir. I have to know what each paper is in order to sort it.”
“Furthermore, You know enough to have an in-depth conversation with him based on glances while sorting?” He surveyed her with renewed interest.
“Well. I do have an MBA sir, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Construction.”
Surprise lit his eyes.
“You never saw my resume did you? Ms Penn really did hire me because she figured I could sort papers.” Eleanor’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “I apologize if I overstepped my bounds. It won’t happen again.”
“Overstepped?” He roared as he laughed. “And here I find myself questioning why you are not working for me as a team lead or manager or architect. Why are you here in a dusty room filled with paperwork?”
“To become a part of the company and work my way up. I applied for your other positions first but they always filled without a word my direction. So I saw this as my only option left.”
Liam glanced at his watch. “I have a meeting in 5 minutes so I have to leave. But do not doubt that we will be talking later.” He paused at the door and looked back. He almost took a step back toward her.
“I’m tempted to fire you.”
Shock laced through her. “What?”
He shook his head and shot her a wry grin. “But I won’t.”
Eleanor let out the breath she had been holding.
“Eleanor, I think it is only fair to let you know, I really want to kiss you right now. And as your boss, I can’t. And as a gentleman, I won’t. Just tempted.”
Without another word he left the room, leaving her mind swirling with temptations of her own.
