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Hazel nodded. She reached into her bag and took out a notepad. “What’s first for today? Do you just want me to shadow you? Do you want me to get on the research? Or do you have something else you want me to get on?”
Ian’s lips curled, though there was no way that she associated her words the way he had. He recalled his fantasies wherein she would shed her clothing and ride on his throbbing erection like her life depended on it. Or she would fall back against his desk, letting him squeeze her plump breasts underneath that prim dress shirt…
“Sir?”
“Right. Well, I have meetings starting at nine, so why don’t you shadow me for the morning, and then we’ll sit together for lunch and discuss where I want you to start with your research?”
“Sounds good. Would you like some coffee while you prepare for the meeting?” Hazel offered.
“You’re not here to get me coffee, Hazel,” Ian replied, a bit amused.
“Well, I could use some, and I thought it would be polite to share.” Hazel rose and smiled at him impishly.
Ian leaned back in his chair and folded his hands. He quite liked this side of her. Confident, coy… maybe even a bit playful.
“I’ll take it black, then. Vicki will show you where it is.”
Hazel winked and pointed her left hand like a gun as she walked out the door. Ian couldn’t help but laugh. She was so unlike any of the other women in his life. Sure, his female colleagues have that spirit of strength, and some of the women he took home had that vulnerability, but few were so different from moment to moment. Her nervous schoolgirl routine had been delightful, but the way she could change on a dime made her ever so much more intriguing.
Hazel was a mystery, a tangle of complications, his to unravel. And now that she worked for him, he would have the time, and the access, to do so.
***
After each meeting, Ian found himself bombarded with Hazel’s salient questions about practically every facet of the meeting. He’d never heard her talk so much. It was a stark contrast to the meetings themselves, during which she had been silent, and the classroom, during which many of her comments were made from indignation rather than a spirit of inquiry.
Hazel had definitely decided that she was going to suck the marrow from this opportunity.
“Okay, okay.” Ian held up a hand as they entered his office. “Let’s put this on hold for now? I had lunch delivered.”
“Oh, thank you,” she said halfheartedly.
It only took him a moment to intuit, as she was eyeing the food laid out at the seating area to the far side of the office, beyond his desk and the conference table, that she suspected he would have ordered nothing she could actually eat. He felt a bit smug knowing that he’d exceeded her expectations.
“Have a seat.” Ian set his tablet on his desk and went over to take a seat on a plush, stark white chair. The coffee table was surrounded by them, a cozy respite in their Spartan surroundings.
Tentatively, Hazel came to sit on the loveseat opposite of the seat he’d chosen.
“I’m glad you’re such a go-getter. I wasn’t sure how you’d do in a real work environment.”
“I’ve had jobs since I was twelve.” Hazel shrugged and reached for a drink.
“Twelve?” Ian looked at the stacked salads and set one in front of her.
“Babysitting. I started with my little brothers and branched out to the neighborhood kids.” Hazel inspected the Brussel sprout salad with cranberries and pecans, and her brows rose as she realized that there was no meat tainting her food. “Maybe I could consider dealing with Hawk as practice for toddlers.”
Ian speared his salad. He’d ordered his with grilled steak and hoped she wasn’t the kind of vegan to lecture others. “One of your brothers is named Hawk?”
“Hawthorne. My twin brother. The little ones are Basil and Briar.”
“Your parents liked nature?”
Hazel rolled her eyes. “In theory, maybe. As a theme. They really aren’t that interested in the environment or even hiking. But I tell Mom that it’s her fault I’m an activist because she named me after a shrub.”
“So they aren’t as interested in social justice and charity as you are?”
“God, no. It’s lucky I have an academic scholarship. I’ve been working all around the university since the day I stepped on the campus.” Hazel shook her head. “But they’re lucky because Hawk didn’t even bother with a real university. He took some classes at a community college and then bailed for a coding boot camp.”
“That’s not a terrible idea. A lot of IT jobs prefer applicants that have just come from boot camps to those who spent time at a university. Tech changes so fast that a four-year degree can mean they learned last year’s code.”
