"I'm fine - I'm just glad you didn't hit any of the children," she stated and turned away acting as if he wasn't there.
Dave stared at the back of the striking, dark-haired stranger in a bit of shock. He was certainly used to the appraising look she'd given him, but not the suddenly dismissive attitude that followed. He was also not used to the immediate attraction he felt toward her. She was not his typical type.
She couldn't have been much over five feet in height, and her dark brown hair and stunning green eyes were the opposite of the long-legged blondes with bigger chests than brains he normally went for. He could play with them and then walk away without anyone getting hurt over it.
He never picked up a woman in the park, as they were the commitment, till-death-do-us-part type and he would never take a trip down the aisle. He should count his blessings she was clearly not interested in him, but he'd hurt her, and couldn't leave until he knew she'd be okay.
"Let me see your neck, okay?" he asked, as he bent next to her and moved her hair out of his way. He was relieved to only see a small cut, nothing needing stitches. He was shocked the feel of her hair was like silk and he suddenly had images of it spread out on his pillow.
Jennifer sucked in another breath as his hand touched her skin. She about jumped out of the seat at the small movement of his fingers brushing against her neck. She passed it off as being overly tired.
"I'm fine, really," she said, needing him to remove his hands, since it was doing funny things to her stomach. She didn't have time for a man in her life, but if she did it wouldn't be with a man like the guy before her. It would be with a regular king of guy who didn't stop women in their tracks.
"Wow, Dave, you're only in town for a day and you're already attacking unsuspecting women," another guy said as he jogged up to them. Jennifer glanced at him and then her head whipped back around as she realized it was Lucas Anderson. She'd never seen him wearing anything but an expensive, tailored suit, and she could see why his wife was head-over-heels for him. Lucas was stunning, but while the man, Dave, she guessed, made her stomach stir, Lucas did nothing physical for her. She figured it was because she knew he was married - plus she'd met his wife, who was a really sweet woman.
"Well, you know how it is, any excuse to meet a sexy lady," Dave answered and Jennifer felt her mouth drop open. No one ever referred to her as sexy, and she hated to admit his words made her glow a bit.
"You look familiar, and before you think that's some cheesy line, it's not. You really do look familiar," Lucas said. She had to clear her throat before she was able to speak clearly.
"I work for you, Mr. Anderson, or well I did until my promotion today. My name is Jennifer," she finally responded.
"That's right, I'm sorry. I'm so used to seeing everyone in the offices that out in a park setting throws me off," he told her with a heart-stopping grin.
"No problem, it took me a moment to recognize you, as well," she said with a genuine smile. He was an easy man to talk to, making her feel comfortable, unlike his companion.
"Hey, quit flirting - you're a married man," Dave growled at Lucas. Jennifer felt her face flame in embarrassment.
"I…I wasn't flirting. I think your wife is wonderful," she stammered and sent a glare toward Dave.
"Ignore him, Jennifer. He's just jealous because you obviously have better taste than to talk to an ogre like him," Lucas said with the same friendly smile. She was thankful for his words, because her embarrassment eased.
"Whatever, Lucas. You're lucky you're a married man, or I'd prove to you later all the ladies wouldn't even know you existed when we walked into a room together," Dave said.
Jennifer watched the two of them rib each other and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt all the women in any room would be tripping over themselves to get to either of them. She was grateful she was too busy for relationships or she may have stood in line with them.
"I am sorry about hitting you with the Frisbee. Why don't you give me your number so I can call and make sure you're okay, later," Trenton said with the most seductive smile she'd ever witnessed. She had to call on some will-power to deny him.
"I'll be fine, I promise. I've to leave, so you both have a great time," she said, blowing him off. She got up and walked to the other side of the playground, collected her niece, and quickly departed. She was angry with the heat she felt in her cheeks, and the way he'd made her stomach quiver. She had zero time for men and though a part of her wished she could've flirted back, she knew she'd done the right thing. Besides, she'd never see him again, anyway.
Dave watched her walk away in a bit of shock. He'd never before been turned down by a female. He wasn't sure he liked the feeling. He usually had women stuffing their numbers in any available pocket he had, and yet the little spit-fire of a woman he found both breathtaking and irritating at the same time, completely ignored him and walked away without so much as a backward glance.
"Oh, you just got burned badly, Cousin. I guess Seattle women have better taste than those in Chicago."
"She has me intrigued. I'd have to chase her down, but luckily she works for your company so I'll be able to find her," Dave said, relishing her reaction when he did come in contact with her again.
"She said she was promoted and no longer worked for me. Heck, we didn't get her last name to even be able to find her," Lucas said.
"Oh, I'll find her alright. It's been a long time since a woman has peaked my interest like that," Dave said. Lucas looked at his cousin with a huge grin. He knew that look well, as he and his brothers had all fought tooth and nail to hold onto their bachelorhood, only to end up chasing down their wives. His cousin was on the prowl, and Lucas almost felt sympathy for the mysterious Jennifer.
"Okay, well enough mooning over the girl, we're supposed to be having fun. You have to be back to work soon enough and we haven't spent nearly enough time together the last several years," Lucas told him. Dave agreed, and they got back into their game. But the mysterious Jennifer stayed on his mind and Lucas kicked his butt all over the field. He was grateful when his brother Max showed up to help him out.
Jennifer was filled with nervous excitement as she rode the elevator to the twenty-fourth floor. She had loved the week off with her niece. It had been good for both of them. Molly was finally figuring out Jennifer wasn't going to leave her. They had looked through family albums for the first time since her mom and dad passed, and Molly looked at them with smiles, instead of tears.
They were making good progress and Jennifer knew before long they'd help each other heal. She'd forever miss her sister, just as she knew Molly would miss her mom, but the two of them had each other and that was their new focus. It was something giving them hope. Family was the most important thing, and as long as they could stay together, everything would work out.
The bell on the elevator chimed and she stepped onto the unfamiliar floor. She approached the reception desk, looking around in awe. She would've thought there'd be boxes everywhere, but it looked as if the area had been set up for years.
"Hello, I'm Jennifer Stellar, the new executive assistant for Mr. Anderson. I'm not sure where my office is," she said to the lady behind the desk.
"It's so nice to finally meet you, Jennifer. I hope you don't mind me calling you by your first name. Our boss has always allowed us to be somewhat informal. My name is Nancy, and I came with Mr. Anderson from Chicago. Let me show you to your office," the woman said.
"Informal is always good, so I don't mind. It's very nice to meet you, too, Nancy," Jennifer said. Nancy led her around the corner and opened a door. Jennifer loved the space. "It's beautiful," she sighed.
"If you need to make any changes, I'm sure Mr. Anderson would be fine with that. He likes his employees to be comfortable, as we're all here a lot," Nancy told her.
"This is a lovely office. I'm sure I won't need to change a thing."
"I'll leave you to get settled in. Let's do lunch together later this week to get better acquainted," Nancy said, and with Jennifer's encouraging nod, she left.
Jennifer walked around the large room and over to the enormous windows to look at the view. It was breathtaking and she was delighted at the sight of the famous Space Needle building. She finally pulled herself away from the view, and sat. Her seat was plush, and it molded to the contours of her body, applying pressure where needed. A giggle escaped before she could stop it. She grinned and spun her chair in a circle, letting out her inner child.
Dave walked through the connecting doors to the sound of a giggle, then stopped in his tracks. Spinning in a chair, only a few feet from him was the girl from the park. Her face was lit up with joy and she was so stunning he had to fight the urge not to yank her from the chair and crush his lips on hers. No
He was glad she hadn't yet noticed him. It gave him time to control his features. Once he had himself under control he cleared his throat to alert her of his presence, then waited until she turned. He was thinking this was going to be quite entertaining.
Jennifer turned at the sound and stared in horror. Her feet were still off the ground and her chair spun around again, before she managed to pull herself together enough to put her feet down and stop the spinning chair. She stared at the man before her, not knowing what to say. What was he doing in her doorway?
Her mouth dropped open as she started putting two and two together. He'd been at the park with Lucas Anderson and they had similar features. They must be related in some way. Did he work for the company? Was she going to have to see him on a daily basis?
"Wh…what are you doing here?" she asked, not really wanting to hear his answer.
"I'm at work, and what are you doing here?" he returned.
"I…I just started today," she stuttered. She wanted to know where he worked, but didn't think she'd be able to get the words out.
"And what is your position?" he asked with a smile.
"I'm the executive assistant for the president," she stated with a confident smile. She was feeling better now that the shock was wearing off. Her words came out as a challenge. She was proud of her new position.
"Really, and have you met him, yet?" he asked, trying to sound surprised, like she was getting one over on him.
"Yes, at the interview. George Anderson is an amazing man, and I'm proud and excited to be working for him," she said. She'd instantly liked both George and Joseph Anderson. She'd always been comfortable with older people, as they seemed much less judgmental.
"George isn't the president," he stated, popping her bubble. Her brows puckered and she looked at him like he was insane. He had to be trying to deceive her. George was the one who had interviewed her. She tried to remember her interview, word for word, but she couldn't remember him actually saying he was the president.
"Of course he is," she said, but not as confident.
"Believe me, I know he isn't. He retired years ago, and though he's still the majority owner in the corporation, he's more of a silent partner, dealing more with personnel situations and behind the scenes issues," he told her. Dave found he was enjoying her confusion, and watched as she tried to work out what he was saying. She still hadn't put all the pieces together. He was thrilled to find the spitfire from the park was his assistant. He found himself glad to be in Seattle. He was with his cousins, who he loved, he'd spoken with his siblings more over the last month than in the last several years, and he was intrigued by a woman. Things were looking up for him.
"Well, then who am I working for?" she asked, perplexed. He walked over and leaned against her desk, giving her a confident look. He raised his brows and waited for it to sink in. "That can't be," she barely managed to whisper when it started to sink it. He answered her with a huge Cheshire cat smile and watched as her eyes widened and her face paled. He was worried for a moment she may faint.
He had to hand it to her, though, because she pulled herself together quickly, and much to his relief, her color returned. Her expression changed from shock to defiance and he had to fight back his smile. He found she was going to be a challenge and he'd never been able to resist a challenge.
"I guess I should formally introduce myself, Jennifer. I'm Dave Anderson, President of Anderson United Corporation," he said, as he held out his hand. He was curious to see if she'd take it, or shy away. He hadn't seen her back down yet, and found he'd be disappointed if she did.
"Nice to officially meet you, Mr. Anderson. As you know, I'm Jennifer Stellar, and I'm looking forward to working here," she said as she took his hand. She felt the electricity from his touch shoot up her arm, and hoped he didn't notice the shiver traveling through her body. She'd have to get control over herself because there was no way she'd allow herself to be attracted to her boss.
"We're not formal in the executive offices. You may call me Dave," he said, holding her hand for too long to be considered appropriate.
"I prefer to keep things at work completely professional, Mr. Anderson," she said, pulling her hand from his and breaking eye contact. Dave was determined to break her defenses down, but he had plenty of time to do it.
"That'll be fine for now, but you'll become more comfortable," he said, knowingly. Jennifer stepped away. She needed to put some distance between them, and pull herself together.
"I'm perfectly comfortable, but I prefer to keep things at work professional. That way, no lines are crossed that shouldn't be," she said a bit haughtily. He looked amused by her prim and proper manner.
Are you always so argumentative? It may not work well for you when you aren't trying to please your boss," he told her with an almost wicked smile. She sucked in her breath at his veiled threat, before she narrowed her eyes. She wasn't a weak woman and if he thought he could make her shake in fear, or cave to his arrogant demands, he had a whole new thing coming.
"Believe me, I've never had any trouble making my previous bosses happy," she said, with just enough of a double meaning to make his eyes narrow. She turned away from him for a moment to hide her expression. Let him think what he wanted about that statement.
Dave stood in stunned silence. He couldn't tell if she was bluffing or not, but she may not be the innocent girl he'd first thought her to be. If she was a woman of the world, then he could take her guilt free. That idea didn't please him like it should've.
"Well, Jennifer, I'm certainly not feeling too satisfied right now," Dave finally told her. She looked at him in shock for a few moments. She was surprised he would call her bluff. She wasn't willing to play the game with him, anymore.
"We should get to work," she finally told him. He raised his brows at her, again. "I just don't want to waste the corporation's time by sitting around, doing nothing," she said as if talking to him was a complete waste of her time.
"Of course, you're right," he told her and his tone was all business. She was surprised by the complete change to his voice. He went from warm and flirty, to cold businessman in a matter of seconds. She was grateful he'd finally taken the hint and backed off, but felt a bit of loss at the same time. She was beginning to not under The rest of the afternoon Dave was completely professional, and Jennifer got so caught up in her work that the time flew by. She was surprised when Nancy came into her office and told her their day was over. She gathered up her things quickly, and went down the elevator with Nancy, before she headed to the childcare center. Molly's face lit up when she walked in the room, which filled her heart with joy.
"Did you have fun, today?" Jennifer asked.
"Yes, Tassia and Katie were here and I love playing with them. We had a tea party with real tea and chocolates and we even got to wear pretty hats," Molly said to her in a rush of words.
"That sounds great, Molly. I'm glad you had fun playing with your friends," she told her, happy her niece was showing signs of happiness, again. It had been too long since Molly had allowed herself to be happy and no four year old should be depressed.
"Excuse me, you must be Jennifer?" someone asked before she exited the building.
"Yes, how can I help you?"
"My name is Emily Anderson, and our girls have become quite close over the past few months. Tassia is having a birthday party this weekend, and I'd like to invite Molly over for a sleepover. I'd love to have you come, as well, and stay for the activities so you can know where she is, but we really would love to have her over," Emily said.
Jennifer's first reaction was to say no. Molly hadn't stayed the night with anyone since the accident and she wanted to keep holding her tightly, but she also knew she'd have to be gone for a few days at a time with her new position, and it would be a good idea to see how Molly would do away from home for one night.
"I'd love to bring her over for the party, but we'll wait and see about her staying the night," Jennifer agreed.
"I'm glad to hear that, I can't wait until the weekend," Emily said.
"If you want to give me directions to your place, and what time, we'll be there."
The two women exchanged phone numbers and addresses and then Jennifer left the building, feeling good about her day. It had started out a bit rocky, finding out her boss was the far-too-sexy-for-her-comfort man in the park, but she'd have to get over her attraction, because it couldn't lead anywhere.
Relationships, or even casual sex, came and went, but a good job and friendships were rare to find and you didn't let those go. Sleeping with her boss, no matter how devastatingly gorgeous he was, would be a huge mistake she'd regret the rest of her life.
"Are you ready to head home, little girl?" she asked Molly, while tickling her tummy.
"Yes, can we have pizza for dinner?" Molly asked between giggles.
"I would say tonight is a perfect night for pizza. It's been a day worth celebrating," she told Molly, which earned her many kisses and smiles. She walked toward her car with a smile on her face and a dance in her step.
Dave wasn't in nearly as good a mood as Jennifer. He'd forced himself to stay away from her most of the day. He was both thrilled to have found her so soon and to have her working for him, yet at the same time thinking the fates weren't on his side.
He knew there was no way he was going to be able to keep his hands off her. He was far to attracted to the delicate woman. He couldn't remember wanting to take a woman into his arms so badly, and her attitude was a challenge he didn't want to resist. He hadn't been challenged by a woman, ever.
He should transfer her to another division so he could pursue her guilt free, but he wanted her close to him. He was unwilling to transfer her, at least for the moment. He wasn't a teenager, who couldn't control himself and he wouldn't make her do anything she didn't want to, but he wasn't above seduction. He smiled at the thought.
"You're obviously a million miles away, boy," his father said, startling him out of his thoughts. He turned in surprise at the interruption. No one was ever able to sneak up on him, and he hadn't noticed his father entering his office.
"Hello, Father - what are you doing here?" he asked, managing to control his features and tone.
"I wanted to see how you're settling in," George said. Dave didn't miss the look of hurt in his father's eyes. He tried to block it out, but still felt guilty for being so disrespectful.
"I'd much rather be in Chicago, but it's efficient."
"I know you'll appreciate the move before too long. It will be nice for you and your siblings to be around your cousins, again."
"There won't be a lot of time for socializing, as moving a corporation home office takes a lot of work," Dave said, not wanting to make things easy on his father.
"There's always time for family. I messed up after your mother passed, and I'm trying to make it right," George said, being honest with his son. "Can we please let go of the hard feelings?"
"A lot has happened," Dave said but not so sure in the face of his father's grief.
"I know, and I'm sorry I fell apart. I loved your mother so much and it ripped me apart to lose her. I know I closed all of you out, but I'm trying to make it right. I hope you'll forgive an old man for being heartbroken. I'll leave you alone for now, but wanted to tell you your cousin Mark's having a birthday party for his daughter this weekend. I'd love to see you there," George said. He patted Dave on the back, then headed out the door.