Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33310 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33310 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Something hot, something dark, and something forbidden.
I quickly took a sharp breath and centered myself inside, trying to will the heat from between my legs. I forced myself to smile politely and professionally instead of letting the sudden dirty thoughts inside my head get ahold of me.
“My name is Hunter Black, Ms. Holloway,” the man by the window said in his smooth, yet gruff voice.
“And these are my partners in Camelot Holdings, Damien Caldwell and Sean Harlow.”
I nodded, and I was just opening my mouth to respond, when Mr. Caldwell — the man leaning against the desk, spoke sharply.
“You’re aware of the duties involved with the position?”
I nodded quickly, feeling the raw power in that voice of his take ahold of me.
“Yes, Mr. Caldwell.”
“Sir.”
My eyes drew back to his. “Pardon?”
A shadow crossed his face.
“I said sir; as in, you will refer to us as ‘sir’ or ‘sirs’.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. “Of course, sir.”
His eyes sparked, and I could see a slight grin pull at the corners of his mouth at my use of the word.
“It’s just that you’re…” Sean, sitting on the sofa, steepled his hands in front of him.
“How to put this delicately — you’re overqualified, Ms. Holloway. In fact, you’re educated enough to basically be in charge of a division here, rather than running coffee errands and scanning documents for the three of us.”
I tried to smile, but it quickly fell from my face. On the one side, it was nice of them of them to acknowledge my qualifications — or over qualifications as the case may have been. But on the other hand, I really did need a job, however overqualified I may be for it. And if I was going to not get it because of my higher education level than the other applicants, well, that would suck.
Damien seemed to see the look on my face, as he quickly shook his head.
“Nothing like that, Ms. Holloway, we’re just surprised to see a resume like yours in the pile.” His eyes narrowed at me.
“That said, the job does have duties that need being done, however overqualified you may be.”
He arched a brow at me meaningfully, and I nodded quickly.
“Oh, absolutely,” I said quickly, smiling.
“I’m perfectly aware of the position, sir, and I’m willing to start wherever I can.”
He smiled darkly, his eyes flashing at me again, and I could have sworn I saw his eyes momentarily slip down over my bare, crossed, knees beneath the hem of my skirt before darting back to my face.
“Are you married, Arianna?”
I jerked my head toward Hunter, still standing by the window, quickly blinking at his question.
“I’m aware that you’re a ‘Miss’, but I know many women don’t take a last name these days.”
I shook my head. “No, sir.”
“Boyfriend?”
His quick follow-up threw me even more off center. Wasn’t this an oddly personal question for a professional interview like this?
But still, I shook my head again.
“No, sir.”
“Good,” he said, smiling darkly at me as his eyes flicked over me.
The fact that he didn’t follow it up with any sort of explanation left me hanging on the reason.
“Would you stand for a moment, Arianna?” Sean’s smooth voice from the sofa had my eyes darting to him, and then finding themselves being held by that steely gaze.
“Stand, Ms. Holloway.”
His voice was darker this time, and slightly edged with irritation, as if I hadn’t followed through quick enough.
This is some sort of mind game they’re doing with all the interviewees, I thought to myself. It was strange, but I knew it had to be some sort of test to see how potential applicants reacted to demands and pressure.
Well, that I could do without a problem.
I stood readily, smoothing my skirt down.
Sean smiled.
“Good girl.”
The flush came roaring into my cheeks at the words, a shiver tingling down my back at the velvety way he’d said it almost under his breath.
He nodded, smiling at me as his eyes very obviously dipped over my body. And yet, it wasn’t creepy, and I didn’t feel like he was being inappropriate, despite how very inappropriate this was for an interview. His eyes moved over me again, and all I could think of were those words.
Good girl.
Yeah, I wasn’t creeped out at all. In fact, I found myself excited by his lingering looks; almost proud that he seemed to approve of what he saw.
His eyes moved back to mine, locking my gaze for another minute, sending a shiver through me before a cough brought my attention back to Damien.
“Turn around for us, Ms. Holloway.”
I felt the pulse of something wicked throb inside of me at his words.
Turn around for them?
I knew I should have been incensed, or that I should have walked out.
But I didn’t.
Looking back, I’m still not even sure why I didn’t. There I was, alone in a room with three gorgeous, dark, domineering men, asking me to turn for them, and yet I stayed right where I was.