“No,” he said briefly. “I am putting someone here for the time being as I will be away for a few weeks. You answer to him. His name is Bart McGowan and he will be the interim manager for now.” For a minute he appeared as if he wanted to say something else. “Keep up the good work.”
She got to her feet and willed herself to look cool and indifferent. He had kissed her in the most intimate way and had made her feel something for him and now he was telling her that it was business as usual! To hell with him! With her head held high, she walked out of his office and out of his life!
*****
Jason stared at the projection in front of him moodily, his expression bleak. He had spent the weekend thinking about the kiss and how much he wanted her and had decided that it would not do any good to get involved with someone who worked for him. He had allowed it to happen to him once! She had been a girl who had been working as an accountant at a company he had taken over. He had been working with her late several nights to get the accounts in order and it had happened naturally. It had been casual for him, but she had expected much more from him. Things had gotten nasty when he had told her that he was not that serious. It had almost ended in a lawsuit and his brother had had to act quickly by getting their lawyer on it. Ever since then he had been determined not to ever make that mistake again! had taken him by surprise and the attraction had been sharp and quick but after she had left he had come to his senses and knew it was not a good idea at all! So why did he feel so miserable?
*****
buried herself in work and told herself that she was thankful that it had not gone further than a kiss. She had been right and she was happy that he had ended things at that particular time. He had said he was leaving and that he would be putting someone else in charge. She had started to get accustomed to working with him and now she would have to get into the habit of working with someone else! The good thing was that Lincoln and Lucinda were on their way out. The woman had not come back to her with her demands and for that she was extremely grateful.
Her mind wandered to the kiss they had shared and she unwittingly explored it. She had never been in a real relationship before because she had been so caught up in her studies and then later on her work. He had touched something inside her, deep inside her, that she was doing her best to try and ignore. She had wanted to prolong the moment and it had taken much for her to put a stop to it.
She shook her head and went over the press release she was preparing. He had not said when he was leaving, but she had heard whispers that it was immediately. She had been getting covert looks which she had ignored. She was here to get the job done and she was going to do exactly that!
*****
“I am sure you will be able to pick up where I left off, Bart,” Jason told him over the phone. The man was on his way into town and would be coming into the offices in the morning. Jason had already informed the rest of the staff of the changes. “I have left everything in a file on the desk for you to look at. It is pretty clear cut.”
“I am surprised that you are leaving already.”
“It is time for me to move on. I have another prospect in the UK that needs my personal attention.”
“How is the atmosphere there?”
“A little tense, but I think they are getting the idea that this is really happening.”
“Anyone in particular that I can rely on when I am there?”
Jason hesitated a little bit before responding. “Head of marketing. She is very thorough and gets the job done.”
“Looking forward to meeting her.”
Jason stiffened but did not comment as he ended the call. It was not his concern!