At the end of the day (which will no doubt be very late and well past working hours) Isaac is an absolute gentleman, but more than that, he is a good man. Exacting and perfectionist? Yes, and he expects everyone who does business with him to to be the same.   Underneath his often imposing facade is a man who is compassionate and caring. He’s also uptight and needs to smile more. Good luck with that one. I eventually gave up trying and instead worked to make everything run as smooth as possible for him.

  Maggie didn’t need the last page letter to tell her what a gentleman Isaac was. He’d proven that over and over in the two days she’d known him. How was it possible she’d only known him for two days? Surely it had been longer than that.

  She closed the binder feeling uneasy. Not because of anything she read exactly, but because she feared her work wouldn’t be up to his exacting standards. He hadn’t had any trouble firing the temp who’d messed everything up royally yesterday. If it ever came to that, she wasn’t sure she could stand for Isaac to fire her.

  She swallowed the lump in her throat at the thought.

  She would make sure he never had a reason to let her go.

  Besides, she’d much rather think about how he got a nickname referencing his dick. A giggle escaped before she could stop it.

  “I should have known I needed to read Lillian’s binder before giving it to anyone.”

  Maggie spun around at the sound of Isaac’s voice. He’d opened the connecting door so quietly, she’d missed him entering.

  He stood in the doorway between their offices with a confident stance and an air about him that bordered on fearless. She could have kept her eyes on his, they were captivating enough. Or she might have let the sight of his arms encased by the rich fabric of his suit hold her focus. But no, she’d been thinking about his dick seconds before and that’s exactly where her eyes went.

  And stayed there for the second or two it took to remember where she was and who he was. Her eyes snapped up to his, and if he had any idea about where her eyes had been, his expression revealed nothing.

  “Thank you for the shirt,” she said.

  “Don’t mention it.” He walked further into her office. “Now I can talk to you without feeling the need to stop by HR after.”

  She felt her cheeks heat. “So sorry about that.”

  “It’s not like you control the weather.” He pulled a chair to her desk and sat down. “I see you found Lillian’s binder. We have a few minutes before we have to be anywhere, I thought we could go over any questions you have.”

  Maggie breathed a sigh of relief and told herself she could do this. With renewed determination, she opened the binder to the first section she needed clarification on.

  Chapter Six

  The following days kept Maggie on her toes. There was so much to learn and she wanted to make sure she did everything correctly. Isaac had told her to be in the office at seven each morning. Because she wanted to beat him in, she showed up at six forty-five on her second day, surprised to see he was already there.

  The next day she arrived at six thirty, and again he was there. She gave up, there was no way she could get to work any earlier, it would not happen.

  “That’s not even considered a morning person,” she told Isaac when he informed her his typical day started at four thirty. “I don’t think they have a name for whatever person does that.”

  “As long as you’re here by seven,” had been his only reply.

  In the binder Lillian had written what kind of coffee Isaac liked best. Maggie made it a point on her way in on her fourth day to pick him up a large cup at a local coffee shop. Isaac seemed surprised, but he thanked her, and she continued to bring him coffee each day.

  Just as she'd thought, she really enjoyed having a group of people to get to know. Everyone she’d met at the office had been nothing but polite, and she’d gone to lunch with several of the ladies. Isaac wasn’t hard to work for contrary to what she had feared and what she’d heard.

  During her first week, he’d mentioned he had some evening and nighttime appointments he needed her to keep track of. The first few, he would just send her in an email with notes of the different meeting times and people to meet. She marked them on his calendar and ensured he knew about them when the time came for him to attend.

  Little by little, he transferred the PA duties to her instead of doing them himself. For the most part, she thought she was doing a fairly good job. He had never been late or unprepared for a meeting. And if her desk was just a little bit messier than anybody else’s, okay, a lot messier, at least she got the job done.

  Admittedly, Isaac gave her desk the side eye every time he came near it, but he never got on her about it or told her it was unprofessional. She appreciated that as none of her prior managers had ever kept quiet about the state of her working area.

  Two weeks into the job, she thought she had almost everything under control. It was a Monday, and she smiled remembering the day before. She’d taken Max out to lunch and told him how she’d been able to keep everything running smoothly for Isaac. Though he didn’t say anything, she had feeling Max didn’t believe her. That was okay, she knew she could do it, what’s more, she was doing it.

  Isaac’s office line rang, dragging her away from her thoughts. He was locked behind a closed door in a meeting with a client. A rather obnoxious client, from what she could tell.

  “Isaac Gregory’s office,” she answered. “This is Maggie.”

  There was a sigh from the other end of the line. “I suppose since you answered, Isaac’s unavailable?”

  It was a male, and not a thrilled one at that. She put on her best happy voice. “Unfortunately, that is the case, may I help you with something?”

  “Tell him John called, and I can’t make our session at The Club tonight. If he can, I’d like to reschedule for Thursday evening. Whatever time he’s able to meet will be fine.”

  She pulled up his Thursday schedule on her computer. “He has a few openings on Thursday night,” she told John. “I’ll check with him to confirm a time and then either he or I will call you back.”

  John gave a grunt and disconnected. Maggie drummed her fingernails on the desktop. That was the first time she ever spoken to one of Isaac’s “evening clients” as she called them. Until now, he had been the one to talk with them. She’d tried to get information out of him last week about what those meetings were and who they were with. His answer had been vague, and the way he talked made her think he was teaching something. She’d asked if she needed to attend, but he’d been very clear with a quick 'no.' So clear, in fact, she hadn’t brought up anything remotely connected to the meetings since.

  'The club' John had called it. He had to cancel tonight’s session at the club. On the surface it sounded like golfing at a country club. Except, who played golf in the dark?

  It was weird Isaac was so secret about the after work meetings. Especially since nearly everything else about him was an open book. She decided to ask him about it once again after the obnoxious client left.

  Thirty minutes later, he called her into his office. She walked in and waited while he finished typing on his laptop. She watched the top of his head and couldn’t help wondering what his hair would feel like under her fingers.

  “Thank goodness that’s over with,” he said, looking up. “Am I still free until two?”

  She had checked his schedule not three seconds before. “Yes, sir, and the two o’clock is the only thing you have left on your schedule today.”

  He stretched his arms over his head. “A light day, wouldn’t you say?”

  “No, I don’t believe I would, sir,” she said. “You arrived in the office at five-thirty this morning, and if today is like every other day, you won’t leave until six. The only reason you’ll leave then is to make your seven o’clock meeting with John. However, he just called to cancel it and asked me to reschedule for Thursday. Which means you’ll end up staying in the office until at least eight tonight.”

  “John called?” he asked. “Interesting. Put him down for Thursday. Seven o’clock is fine if I have that time open.”

  “You do.” She almost didn’t say anything else but hell, she’d never learn anything living like that. “What exactly should I put down, sir?”

  He looked at her as if he didn’t understand the question but he answered saying, “‘John’ at my seven o’clock spot is fine.”

  “But how will you know what you’re supposed to do for... or with John?”

  “I’ll know,” he said.

  'Yes, but I won’t,' she refrained from saying. “Why won’t you tell me what it is?”

  She wasn’t sure why she was pushing so hard, it truly wasn’t any of her business if he didn’t want to tell her. And yet somehow she had a feeling she knew exactly what it was. Or, more to the point, she had a fantasy about what she thought it might be.

  He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. A sure sign he was conflicted about something. “Did it ever occur to you I haven’t told you because you might construe my words the wrong way?”

  “I’m not sure I understand, sir.”

  “Then I’m not going to tell you about it,” he said. “Do we have everything we need for the two o’clock meeting?”

  “Yes, sir.” He may have thought that was the end of the conversation, that all it took was a change of topic, but it didn’t work that way. Not with her, though she would allow him to think so for a little while. The truth was, she would find out what the club was one way or another.

  Five minutes later, she swallowed a groan at Isaac’s insistence he needed her in the conference room for the two o’clock meeting. It wasn’t because he asked her attend, it was so much worse. He asked her to take notes, and then type them up afterwards for distribution to all the parties present. It was the first time he’d asked her to take minutes, and it scared her. Or maybe scared was too strong of a word. She was slightly worried. But that wasn’t quite right either, she was more than slightly worried.

  She was worried. Her handwriting was atrocious. Sometimes she wasn’t able to read it, much less anybody else. And if she couldn’t read what she wrote, how could she possibly take notes and type them up later to give the people?

  She had a feeling this could be bad. Really, really, bad.

  Isaac found he could hardly keep his mind on the meeting. Not because he wasn’t interested, and not because it was after lunch, his belly was full, and he wanted a nap. It was because Maggie sat beside him and kept muttering something under her breath he couldn’t quite catch.

  He had been pleasantly surprised the last few weeks at how well she acclimated to the office. Yes, her desk was a sight, and he had no idea how she ever found anything on top of it. But she did, and that was the important thing.

  Not once in the past two weeks had he been late or unprepared for a meeting. Maggie was a huge part of that success. After his recent failure with the temp, he had feared he’d find himself trying to send Ty back to London in order to beg Lillian to come back. Maggie, though different from Lillian in almost every way, certainly held her own.

  In fact, the only downside to Maggie working for him, was that Maggie was working for him. Since she was his employee, he couldn’t ask her out. Which was too bad, because he sensed a sadness in her that was at odds with her personality. He wasn’t sure what kind of relationship she had with her late husband. To hear her talk, life was nothing but sunshine and roses, but people often said things like that to keep those around them from knowing the truth.

  But none of that explained what Maggie’s problem was today.

  Finally, about forty-five minutes into the meeting, Isaac stopped for a ten minute break. Nina come in and showed the clients to the restrooms and the snack table Maggie had catered.

  Maggie, didn’t get up, but remained in her seat, mumbling and writing on her notepad as if still taking minutes.

  “Maggie?” he asked.

  Nothing but mumbles.

  “Maggie?” He tried again.

  “Just a minute please,” she said, in a small voice that didn’t sound like her at all. “I’m almost finished.”

  He peeked over her shoulder. “Almost finished with what?” She was still jotting down minutes from the meeting. How was that even possible? He looked around to make sure they were alone. No one was in the room except for the two of them. “Have you not taken minutes before? You don’t have to write them, you know. You could type.”

  She put her pen down and looked at him with sad eyes that had no business being anywhere around her. It hit him square in the chest she was not as jovial as she normally was. “I’m a very slow typist.” She sighed. “And I have taken minutes before, but I wanted to make sure I did everything exactly right for you. My handwriting’s so bad I knew I wouldn’t be able to read it later, so I tried to write slower, but then I got so far behind.”

  It didn’t escape his attention that if it had been anyone other than Maggie, he’d be telling them to get themselves together and to do the job. But for some reason, it was different with Maggie and he couldn’t stand the sight of her fearful and worried. He didn’t know why and he didn’t have the time at the moment to analyze it.

  “You should have told me,” he said. “I would have made other arrangements.”

  “I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

  Voices sounded from the hallway. He made himself brush aside her comment for now and held out his hand. “Come with me. I need you to take care of something that just came up. I’ll have Nina come in and take your place.”

  The smile she gave him touched him inside, hitting places he never imagined something as little as a smile could reach. He would go to extreme lengths to keep that smile on her face. There was no reason to even attempt to deny it.

  They were at work, talking about work. Nothing in their conversation, actions, or surroundings gave the slightest hint of being sexual. And yet, he felt it. That something within her that had joked about how he issued commands, whether she knew it or acknowledged it, was present in the simple sentence she’d just spoken.

  Maggie Warren was a submissive, and he was one fucked Dom.

  Chapter Seven

  The next day, Isaac had a lunch date scheduled regarding a charity benefit he had agreed to help with. Maggie thought she’d heard him say it was connected to Lance, though she wasn’t sure how that was possible with him in London.

  She’d arrived at the office with the expectation she’d go with him, but Isaac sent her a message around ten telling her he’d be leaving at eleven-thirty and not to expect him back until two. It wasn’t that he didn’t ask her to go with him that bothered her. She understood not wanting someone following you everywhere. What bothered her was he sent a message instead of walking the short distance to tell her in person.

  Things between them had been odd since the meeting the day before and she couldn’t figure out why. She didn’t think it had anything to do with the minutes. Isaac hadn’t acted upset. Chances were it had nothing to do with her; she had a bad habit of assuming everything was her fault. Which sounded arrogant when she thought about it, believing she was so powerful and held such control over everybody that way.

  With a sigh, she closed the spreadsheet she was working on for Isaac. She briefly considered calling one of the other admins and seeing if they wanted to go out for lunch, but decided she’d rather eat alone. There was a private patio off of the hall where the executive offices were and since she worked on the hall, she had a key.

  She gathered her lunch and walked the short distance to the patio’s entrance, breathing a sigh of relief at finding it empty. Though it was the middle of August, the overhang kept the area shady and relatively cool. Several large potted plants ensured privacy. She placed her peanut butter sandwich and the apple she brought from home on the table. A meager lunch, but it would do. She’d only taken one bite of her sandwich when the patio door opened.

  “Hey, Maggie,” Ty said. “I thought I’d have the place to myself. I assumed you’d be with Isaac.”

  “No,” she said. “He went by himself today.”

  “In that case, mind if I join you?”

  There was no way she’d say no to one of the company's partners. More than that, she didn’t want to. Ty had only been nice to her, not to mention he was handsome and charming. He wasn’t her type, but what did that matter if they were only having lunch? “Not at all. Pick a seat.”

  He sat across from her and pulled out what appeared to be leftovers of some sort. She wasn’t sure if he cooked himself or if he hired someone to do it for him.

  Ty looked up and caught her watching, but instead of the conversation growing awkward, he asked her if she was a sports fan. As it turned out, they both followed hockey, but Maggie was a hardcore Brooklyn fan while Ty pulled for Manhattan.

  After several minutes of debating, when it became obvious neither would be swayed, Ty leaned back in his seat and asked, “How do you enjoy working for the Big D?”

  His question caught her off-guard but only because she’d assumed if you didn’t mention the nickname to Isaac, the same rule applied to his partners. Since that obviously wasn’t the case, she replied, “I’m really enjoying working for him.”

  What she didn’t add was to ask who wouldn’t. He was smart, wickedly handsome, and to top it off, he was a gentleman. Sure, he was a control freak perfectionist but not in a bad way. He had never been cruel or disrespectful because someone didn’t meet his expectations. People just seemed to naturally want to do their best for him.

  Or at least she did.

  “Can I ask you a question?” she asked Ty on a whim.

  "Um...sure?"

  “What’s this club Isaac has meetings at in the evenings?”

  Damn, but he could make his expression as unreadable as Isaac could. She did the only thing she could. She waited.

  He finally gave a half chuckle. “Told you about that, did he?” He muttered something else under his breath, but she couldn’t make out what.