Her Alpha CEO

Her heart sank more. “So you’ve said. You just haven’t told me what the responsibilities are.”

“Sure I did. They’re awesome.”

She expelled an impatient breath, her sadness turning to exasperation now. She was pretty sure where this was leading. Now she just wanted to get it over with. “Could you be more specific?” she asked half-heartedly.

“Well,” he began in the voice he used whenever he needed to stall, “for instance, every morning, you’d be in charge of sustenance acquisition.”

Any hope she might have still been harboring fled with that, and something hard and icy settled in her stomach. She eyed Brian flatly. “Sustenance acquisition,” she repeated.

“Sustenance acquisition,” he told her in a more confident voice.

“In other words, getting you your coffee.”

He uttered an insulted sound at that. As if he was the one who should be insulted, she thought. Right.

“No, not just getting coffee,” he denied.

“Okay, a Danish, too,” she conceded. “Or maybe a bagel, if you’re on a health kick.”

He opened his mouth to object, but she cut him off with, “What other awesome responsibilities would I have?”

Not that she couldn’t already guess. But she wanted to make sure before she declined the position. And then packed her bags and headed back to her own house. She didn’t care if she had to hitchhike all the way home.

“Well, let’s see,” he said, feigning deep thought.

Nina knew he was feigning it, because if he was having the thoughts she was fairly certain he was having, they weren’t in any way deep. Unless they were in something for which she would have to wear waders, which, now that she thought about it, was entirely possible.

“You’d also be in charge of technology aggregation,” he told her.

“You mean buying software for your laptop.”

“That’s way oversimplifying it,” he told her.

“Right,” she agreed. “Because I’d have to do all the paperwork on the warranties, too. Andthat sure can be awesome.”

He continued gallantly, “You’d also be responsible for environmental augmentation.”

“Keeping your desk tidy and well supplied,” she translated.

He frowned, but added, “And client satisfaction.”

“Planning cocktail parties.”

“You’d be my sanitary health liaison.”

“I’d make appointments for you at your barber and the gym.”

“And you’d be in charge of equipment enhancement.”

“Pencil sharpening,” she said brightly. “Yeah, can’t get enough of that.”

“Nina, it’s not—”

“Yes,” she said vehemently. “It is. What you’re describing is no more challenging that running my own bookstore. I’d just be a glorified assistant.”

“All right, all right,” he relented. “I want you to come and work for me in the capacity you are so good at. As my assistant. But I’ll pay you four times what you were earning before.”

“To do the same job?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

He didn’t answer right away, only met her gaze levelly and studied her with a look she had no idea how to decipher. Finally, though, he told her, “Because you’re the best assistant I ever had, that’s why.”

She closed her eyes. “I’m not an assistant, Brian,” she said. “I’m a businesswoman. That’s

where I want to make my mark in the world. That’s what brings me satisfaction. That’s what I want to be defined by.” She opened her eyes again and held his gaze with hers. “I don’t want to be anyone’s assistant. Not even yours.”

“But I can’t get through the day without you, Nina.”

“Of course you can get through the–”

“No.” He cut her off with even more vehemence than she’d shown herself. “I can’t. You’ve seen me. Look, I know I’m good at what I do for a living. Hell, I’m phenomenal at that. But I can’t do it by myself. If I have to be bothered with all the mundane, everyday tasks that so much time, I can’t get anything done.”

“And you think I like doing those things?” she asked. “You think I’m suited to that?”

“No, that’s not what I meant at all.”

She shook her head, not bothering to hide her exasperation now. “Face it, Brian, you just think you’re more important than me. You think you’re smarter than me, and more essential than me, and more valuable than me. But here’s a news flash for you. Everyone’s important in some way or another. Everyone’s got smarts of one kind or another. Everyone’s essential in some capacity. And everyone’s valuable, too.” She inhaled a deep breath and finished,“I’m valuable, Brian. For more than getting you coffee and tidying your desk and planning your parties. I can make as big a mark on the world as you have. And I will. Just watch me.”