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He leans forward and I can s a cup of coffee," he says, "is a bit like celebrating a new partnership, don’t you think?"

The challenge he has just issued crackles in the air, along with some other, unna It’s just a cup of coffee but yet I sense that this is about soto do with skill, but rather, him Me And I don’t knohy I want to comply, to please him Of course I do, I tell myself He’s the kind of man who expects those around hiht his will and be here I tell myself that is why I comply, why I do as I wish I tell myself I am not weak, and he is in control of the job, not me I reach for the coffee

Chapter Seven

I sip fro at my new boss from under my lashes as he reviews ant, everything I swear each day I do not want inthe coffee to please him This would be acceptable if it were simply because he is my new boss But it’s not Deep in my core, I know I a to me in ways I don’t want hiain and try to savor the bitterness as a reue with acid and it’s too aze lifts toI can’t quite identify, and I wish I don’t want to as badly as I do "Congratulations, Ms McMillan You passed your first test"

I have the distinct i about the one on paper, but rather, so completely different My compliance with his ’request’ I drink my coffee despite my discomfort, I ae, tellingabout the questionnaire, not the coffee

"I hired you without an interview"

"Yes," I say andabout Rebecca, that he sees , in fact that I’m fairly certain that it is not--twists e "Why exactly is that? You don’t seem like a man who makes rash decisions"

"Why did you take the job without asking how much you will be paid or even what time to arrive, Ms McMillan?"

My heart skips a beat but I refuse to cower to this ain I’ve lived that experience too many times in my life "Because I love art and I have the suallery than you do about me, it wasn’t an uneducated decision That puts the ball back in your court, Mr Compton Why hire me without an interview?"

He does not appear amused by my counter In fact, I’m not sure he isn’t a bit irritated He studies me for an eternal moment, those silvery eyes so intense they are like ice that turnsI do not want this man to have the ability to rattle me

"You want to knohy I hired you?"

"It wasn’t what I expected"

"Why offer your services if you don’t expect them to be accepted?"

"A ivesof that answer "I could feel your passion It spoke to oes instantly dry as the words drop between us, heavy with implication, the air thick with a rich, crea, that I reject He is not for me This place is not even for me It’s Rebecca’s

"You impressed me, Ms Macmillan," he adds softly, "and that doesn’t happen easily"

My breath nearly hitches at his words and I ahts moments before, just how much I want this man’s approval, how much I need confirmation it’s real I don’t want to want it I don’t want to need it Yet…I do I wait three beats to cal heart and then ask what I must know "How exactly did I do that in such a short time?" My voice is not as steady as it was before and he must notice He is too keen not to

"As I’alleries, including this one I atching when you bewitched the couple that was shopping the Merit display with an absolute passion for art If not for your guidance, they one home to think about the purchase"

Even the idea of hi as it is, doesn’t stop the warhAmanda said he was but he is even s in a world I have only borrowed, but long to own Oh yes I so want his approval and I hateword, but I have a history that e and competence are far easier to find than true passion," he adds, each word drawing me further into his spell "I believe you have it, which is why I can’t quite figure you out"

"Figure ht be headed towardRebecca Towards the sister I don’t have and haven’t thought of a way around

He sinks back into his chair, studying ers steepled in front of him "Why is so school?"