“For what?”
“To bring him down amongst us mortals. We feel that all he needs is to fall in love.”
Stephanie couldn’t help herself. She snickered.
“Impossible. Rocks are incapable of feeling, and that man is about as emotional as marble.”
“I’m not so sure,” Jan commented. “He works so hard because this business is his life. There’s nothing else to fill the emptiness.”
“You don’t honestly believe a mere woman is capable of changing that?”
“Not just any woman, but someone special.”
“Well, leave me out of it.”
“You’re sure?”
“Absolutely, positively, sure.” Although the thought of seeing Jonas Lockwood on his knees was an appealing one, Stephanie was convinced it would never happen. He was too hard. A man like that was incapable of any emotion.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you.”
“Tell me what?” From the look on Jan’s face, Stephanie could tell she wasn’t going to like her friend’s next words.
“Bertha Westheimer telephoned this afternoon___”
“And?” Already Stephanie could feel the muscles between her shoulder blades tighten in anticipation.
“And she’s apparently recovering.”
“Good.”
“But, unfortunately, not enough to return to work. It looks like you’ll be with Mr. Lockwood another day.”
“Oh, no, you don’t,” Stephanie objected. “I’ll quit before I’ll work with that beast another minute.”
Jan didn’t speak for a moment. “In other words, you’re willing to let him assume everything he said about younger secretaries is true?”
Chapter Two
“Goodmorning, Mr. Lockwood.” Stephanie looked up from her desk and smiled beguilingly. After a sleepless night, she’d decided to change her tactics. Her mother had always claimed that it was much easier to attract flies with honey. In working with Jonas Lockwood that first day, Stephanie was guilty of giving him a vinegar overdose. Today, she decided, she’d fairly ooze with charm, and drive the poor man crazy. With that thought in mind, she’d dressed for work, humming.
“Morning.” Naturally, he didn’t reveal any positive reaction to her good-natured greeting.
“There’s coffee, if you’d like a cup.” She’d arrived an hour early to organize her desk and her day.
“Please.” He carried his briefcase into his office.
Stephanie noticed that his limp was barely noticeable this morning. Jan’s theory about his leg tying in with his disposition could well be proven within the next ten hours.
Jonas was already seated at his desk by the time Stephanie brought in his coffee. He didn’t look up. “I would have thought you’d consider making coffee too menial a task for a woman of your talent.”
“Of course not. A good secretary is responsible—’’ “I get the picture, Miss Coulter.” He cut her off and continued to scan the mail, his concentration centering on the neat stack of letters she’d previously sorted. “I’ll need you to take notes during a luncheon meeting, if that would be convenient.”
“Of course,” she replied sweetly. “Are there any files I should read beforehand to acquaint myself with the subject?”
“Yes.” He listed several names and businesses, but for all the notice he gave her, she could well have been a marble statue decorating his office. “One last thing.” For the first time he raised his eyes to hers. “Contact personnel and find out how much longer Ms. Westheimer will be out.”
It was on the tip of Stephanie’s tongue to tell him his precious “mature” secretary couldn’t be back soon enough to suit her. “Right away, sir.” Her tone dripped honey.
The piercing blue eyes narrowed fractionally. “I think I liked you better when you weren’t so subservient. However, I’m pleased that you finally recognize your place.”
Stephanie was so furious she wanted to explode. Instead, she smiled until the muscles at the sides of her mouth ached with the effort. “It’s only my job, sir.” His eyes sharpened all the more if that was possible. “Exactly, Ms. Coulter.”
It took every ounce of self-control Stephanie possessed to disguise her outrage. She’d never had to deal with such a man. But with everything that was in her, she was determined not to cave in to his dislike of her.