A Woman's Touch

the caterer this year.“
    Rebecca turned to smile at the attractive, middle-aged woman who had just halted beside her. Natalie Perm had joined Flaming Luck’s personnel department two years ago. „Hello, Natalie. I seem to be getting more comments on the food than anything else. I’m beginning to believe all those nasty rumors I heard about last year’s caterers were true.“
    „Every last one of them was true. The buffet table was filled with limp, squishy things on wet toast. We never could identify half the stuff. Just as well, probably. But this year everything looks first-class.“ She glanced around the room, nodding with satisfaction. „About time Stockbridge paid some attention to this side of the business.“
    „I gather he’s been busy with the basics for the past five years,“ Rebecca said quietly. „He hasn’t had a lot of time to worry about polishing the image of the company. You know how he is when he’s got his sights set on a particular goal. He ignores all the side issues.“
    „That he does.“ Natalie grinned. „He’s good at ignoring all sorts of things that might distract him from his goal.
    Things like people’s feelings. Things like the recommendations of his department chiefs. Things like decent caterers.
    Kyle Stockbridge is very, very good at going after what he wants, all right.“
    A small shiver traced the line of Rebecca’s spine. What Natalie had said was true. Kyle could be downright single-minded. Nothing got in his way once he’d decided what he wanted. And tonight he had made it clear he wanted her.
    „You make it sound as though Kyle is difficult to work for,“ Rebecca said quietly. „But I notice you’re still with the firm after two years. With your background, you could go anywhere.“
    „Maybe. But I couldn’t get a better salary. Believe me, I know. I checked around about a month after I took this job.
    Right after Stockbridge came storming into my office one morning and wanted to know where I’d been getting the turkeys I’d been sending to him to interview for a clerical position in accounting.“
    Rebecca shook her head in dismay. „He shouldn’t have been personally interviewing candidates at that job level.“
    „I know, but until you came along, Stockbridge was what might charitably be called a ‘hands on’ administrator. He didn’t trust anyone else to do anything right.“
    „Well, he’s learning. Flaming Luck is getting too big for the boss to take a personal hand in all the small details of running an office.“
    „My sentiments exactly,“ Natalie said dryly. „But up until two months ago, we all saw and heard a bit too much of the boss. He tended to show up at the most unexpected moments. And Stockbridge can be overwhelming, even in small doses. Charm and tact are not high on his list of priorities. I’m not sure he even knows the meaning of those words.“
    „I’ll admit he can be a little blunt at times.“
    „That’s putting it mildly, and you know it. The man rides roughshod over anyone who gets in his way. I’ll tell you truthfully, Becky, it’s been nice having you to run interference lately.“
    Rebecca winced. „Is that the role everyone sees me in? I was hired as an executive assistant, not a…a…“

    „A gladiator? Or a knight in shining armor?“ Natalie chuckled. „You know something? Stockbridge never had an executive assistant until he hired you. He didn’t know what to do with one. Claimed he had a secretary and that was all he needed. But two months ago he suddenly appeared in my office and told me to cut the paperwork on his first assistant. Said there wouldn’t be any need to interview for the position. He’d already found the right candidate.“
    Rebecca shifted uneasily, a little embarrassed. „I see.“
    „I thought I did, too,“ Natalie said wryly. „I don’t mind telling you I was rather skeptical of the whole situation. I couldn’t figure it out. Why would Stockbridge suddenly take it into his head to hire an executive assistant who also happened to be female? Stockbridge has never allowed his private life to interfere with his business judgment. In fact, I don’t think he has much in the way of a private life. He’s no ladies’ man, that’s for sure. He practically lives at the office.“
    Rebecca was deeply chagrined. „You thought he’d created the position for me because of a personal relationship?“
    „It did occur to me.“ Natalie smiled broadly. „But you’ve done