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Chapter One
Olivia
I lifted my head to take in the full reach of the Bennett Industries tower, a gleaming seventy-story ziggurat of steel and glass.
The air cut through my cheeks as I pushed through the revolving glass doors, ready to start my first day working for one of the largest circuit manufacturers in the world.
Expensive cologne and polished marble floors greeted me as I walked through the minimalist lobby, making my way through with a confidence I was trying desperately to actually feel. The receptionist eyed me with an intensity that made me question whether I belonged.
“Hi. Today’s my first day.” I smoothed my pencil skirt and shifted on my heels, feeling more like a girl playing dress-up in her mother’s pumps than an executive assistant for the CEO, Alexander Bennett.
Amid the floor-to-ceiling windows, sleek modernist furniture, and a water feature that could rival the Trevi Fountain, stone-faced figures in designer suits streamed by. An assembly line of key cards tapped open the electronic gates.
“And you are…?” The blonde woman at the reception desk, in a crisp white collared shirt, looked up at me, then back at her ledger.
“She’s my new one, Sylvia.” I heard the deep, gravelly voice before I saw who had spoken. His eyes locked onto mine as he walked effortlessly, his broad arms filling his charcoal gray suit perfectly.
The receptionist’s demeanor immediately changed. She stiffened her posture and touched her hand to her hair.
“Thank you, Mr. Bennett.” She turned back to me, lips pursed. “Welcome to Bennett Industries, Miss…”
I could barely remember my name while looking at him, much less speak it.
“Olivia Finnigan. She’s my new executive assistant. Olivia, come with me. We’ll get you your pass later.”
I nodded and walked behind him, as if pulled on a string, my legs practically shaking in his commanding presence. I had done my research, but even the gushing tabloid captions didn’t do justice to how handsome the ‘hot 38-year-old tech CEO bachelor,’ as they called him, was in person.
“How was getting to the office this morning?” He slowed his pace and waved me forward with his arm so I could walk closer to him, and the enveloping smokiness of his cologne engulfed me.
Even just barely touching me, his hand sent out an instantaneous spark of attraction that electrified the air between us. I swallowed hard, trying to hide how defenseless I was to his magnetism.
“It was good. Thank you.” I looked down, afraid that I’d trip on the marble floor if I keep eye contact. It’s difficult to voluntarily look away from those eyes, though. “I took the subway.”
I wasn’t usually attracted to older men, but the power and authority he projected sent a heat through my stomach.
He led me into the elevator reserved just for him as the chief executive. The attraction that had smoldered before was roaring into a conflagration. It took every ounce of discipline to resist the pull to draw closer.
“This is us. Sixty-fifth floor.” With the ding of the elevator, rows of employees turned their heads to see who the boss had with him.
A chorus of ‘good morning’ echoed as he glided through the halls.
“Olivia, this will be your desk, in the office right outside of mine. I keep the door open throughout the day. But you can sit later. Follow me into my office and we’ll talk there.”
I nodded, following him into the expansive room filled with natural light, dark wood furnishings, and a breathtaking view of the city. He took his place behind the massive desk, his presence still commanding the entire room.
“Thank you, Mr. Bennett.” My voice quavered slightly. I wondered how I would maintain my composure all day just feet away. “Where should I start?”
“First thing—and it’s very important—call me Alexander.” His serious expression broke into a smile. “Here are some basic forms I need you to look over at some point. But right now, this is what I need you to take a look at. As you can imagine, there’s a huge backlog.” He gently tossed a granite-black folder over to me.
“Of course.” I opened the folder slightly, feeling the texture of the expensive paper.
“We’ll be meeting with the marketing team to discuss our new product launch strategy. You can go over the materials in the executive conference room over there.” He pointed to an all-glass room with a long oak table. “I’ll join you shortly.”
I clutched the folder tightly and walked over to the adjoining conference room, highly aware of my body in my pencil skirt. I could see from the reflection in the glass windows that his eyes followed me in sync as I walked. The view outside of the windows, as majestic as it was, paled in comparison to the image of this man poring over my body like one more asset in his empire.
As I opened the folder and skimmed through the pages, I tried to forget the jolt of Alexander’s hypnotic stare, but it dominated every other thought.
“Olivia, I’d like you to meet a few of your colleagues.” I snapped the folder shut as Alexander entered the conference room, as if the thoughts of him dashing through my mind were actually printed on the pages. A trail of other employees, dressed in intimidating black ensembles, poured in and took their seats. And Alexander took his next to mine.
