AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Ms. Simpson!”The deep baritone seeped through her riotous thoughts and had herjumping slightly. She went warm with embarrassment when she realizedthat everyone was watching her.
“I’msorry. I- “
“If you’renot going to contribute to this meeting, I suggest you go back toyour office.”
It took everything inher not to lash out at him and she had a feeling that the prissyassistant was waiting for her to do just that. Taking a deep breath,she gathered her composure and rose.
“If I may haveeveryone’s attention pointed to the screen.” Picking upthe pointer, she walked to the large screen and pressed the button.“These are the projections of the social media uptick from theday of the interview. My staff have been monitoring the differentaccounts and the responses are overwhelming.“
Clicking on thescreen, she brought up the comments. “The public’sopinion has been swayed significantly, with a lot of sympathy forwhat the CEO went through and how the company has dealt with thefiasco by the previous owner of the airlines.”
Turning away from thescreen, she glanced at the group seated around the table. “Rosalynhas suggested a follow up interview- “
“Which isn’tgoing to happen.”
She gave a cool nodat that. “I already told her it might not be a good idea rightnow. I must point out however that the interview, sound bites, andthe follow up remarks in the various magazines are turning thingsaround.”
“What you’resuggesting is that we, or specifically Nash, should keep giving theseinterviews. Am I right?” Angela ventured in her smooth culturedvoice, one thin brow lifting.
“The man wouldnever get anything done around here.” Another board member saidwith a guffaw, sending laughter around the table.
Allison kept her coolwith great difficulty. She had made the interview happened where theothers had failed and that wasn’t appreciated.
“I’m notsuggesting any such thing.” She turned back to the screen andscrolled up. “The proof is there. For a long time, HamiltonIndustries has been in the spotlight, negatively, I might add becausethe CEO was so distant, for lack of a better word.
Now, he is real tothe common people and that has impacted greatly on the public’sview.” She turned toward them again. “Rosalyn alsosuggested an interview with your father.”
“Not a chancein hell.” The words were succinct, his expression formidable.
“I told her youwouldn’t be amenable- “
“I’m damnwell against the idea. You would do well to tell her that.” Hesnapped.
“I already didand I have to say my piece. A follow up interview with your Dadtelling his side of the story- “
“I said no!Dammit!”
The silence thatfollowed his explosive response was profound and Allison felt as ifshe was standing in front of the room, without a stitch of clothingon.
“Is that all?”He asked her frostily.
“For now. Yes.”
“Then give usthe room.” He said curtly.
Clicking off thescreen, she walked back to her side of the table and gathered up herstuff. The eyes boring into her back felt as if they were daggersdigging into her skin.
When she reached thedoors, she heard muffled laughter when someone commented that the‘new girl was trying to make an impression’. Closing thedoors behind her, she made her way back to her office and closed thedoor behind her.
She could cheerfullyhate him right now. Gone was the man who’d lain naked on top ofher, the man who’d used his mouth all over her body, the onewho’d made love to her until he had her crying out his name inecstasy.
It was as if he’dbeen hell bent on showing her what her position was. He was the boss;she was the employee and she shouldn’t forget that. Blinkingback the tears, she went back to work. She wasn’t going toallow him to spoil her day.
*****
He was moody andirritable. Nash had watched her walk out of the conference room withher shoulders straight and her head held high.
He’d felt theshame coursing through his body. He’d deliberately lashed outat her because he was having his own issues. His body betrayed himevery time he thought about her. Seeing her in the room had sent hisblood pumping hotly through his body.
