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"I’massuming you want me to highlight the difficulties and present asolution to the problem."
"You assumecorrectly."
Taking a deep breathand resisting the urge to smooth down her jacket, she met his gazesquarely. "The press has been speculating about your personallife even more so since the acquisition of the airline. A lot ofrumors are floating around-"
"I believe I -we - are paying you a substantial amount of money to keep the dogs onthe leash."
Her eyes flashed, butshe refused to rise to the bait. "There’s only so much Ican do." She told him bluntly. "You’ve refused toappear on several respectable talk shows that I have recommended. Youdon’t give interviews, something I also recommended. You’retying my hands and it’s frustrating. I’m very good at myjob, but I can’t work miracles."
The silence in theroom was so profound that you could hear a pin drop. It was onlyafter she’d finished lashing out she realized what she’dsaid. It was too late now to take the words back and she wasn’tsure she wanted to.
"Everybody elseleave the room." The voice was menacingly soft, his eyes stillholding hers. She was still standing and afraid to sit, but her kneeswere knocking and she was sure any minute now, she was going todisgrace herself by sinking in a heap to the floor.
Someone touched herarm lightly and within minutes the room was empty, except for the twoof them. Even his assistant had left.
Pushing back hischair, he strode over to the table to pour some coffee into one ofthe cups.
"Anything foryou?"
She swallowed thelump inside her throat and shook her head.
"Sit." Heordered as he came back to the table and took his seat. Sinking downon the chair in relief, she waited for him to lash out or to tell herthat she was fired. "No one talks to me like that."
"I-"
"You wereventing your frustrations, but I require professionalism in everyaspect. I’m the head of the company and as such, I demandrespect." Taking a sip of the coffee, he eyed her over the rim."You were saying something about not been able to performmiracles?"
She fidgeted with herlaptop and avoided his eyes.
"Come now, Ms.Simpson." He said sardonically. "Don't tell me your couragehas left you now that we’re alone?"
Lifting her head, shemet his eyes squarely, ignoring the quaking of her heart. "I’massuming I’m not fired?"
She could have swornthere was a slight smile crossing his stern lips.
"Let's assumethat for now."
"In that case, Ihave to tell you I’m accustomed to speaking my mind. That said,I’m also going to apologize for overstepping the line. But-"
"I knew therewould be one."
She nodded. "I’vebeen suggesting that you go on a talk show. Make an appearance. TheAmerican people are fascinated by your life. You give people hope, arag to riches story.
They feel they can doit if you can. You’re surrounded by mystery and that will, inturn, raise more speculation. If people don't know the truth, they’regoing to make up their own and if you keep silent, then theirso-called truth is what others will listen to. In this case, yoursilence is not golden."
The silence thatfollowed that was fraught with tension and she felt it mounting asthe seconds ticked by.
"I’m avery private person." There wasn’t even the slightestinflection in his deep baritone.
"You’re avery public person." She corrected. "I’m not sayingyou should tell them what you eat for breakfast or what type ofunderwear you have on, but just give them something to satisfy theirappetite for wanting to know what happens in the life of the verywealthy."
"Cotton boxers."
She blinked at him."Pardon?"
"My underwear."This time, the smile was even more evident.
"I didn’tmean-"
