Chapter 24 HOTTER THAN TEA
I felt my skin flushed, as hot as the tea we were drinking. I nodded, unable to articulate words, paralyzed by his touch. A fierce battle raged between my body, which longed to grab the beautiful and sensual CEO in front of me, and my rational mind, which screamed to flee the room before we succumbed to his charms.
“Mrs. Elisabeth, the way you look at me is tempting...” He smiled, running his hands through his hair to adjust his posture. “Try not to burn yourself again; I don't want you to lose your tongue; you could lose the ability to do amazing things with it!”
I widened my eyes at his insinuation, ready to argue, when Patrik raised his hand, indicating that I should keep silent.
“Did you do the evaluation I requested?” He leaned on the edge of the table, crossing his arms, slightly out of breath. My eyes drifted down his body, noticing the bulge in his pants. “Hey, young lady? My eyes are up here!”
Mr. Morgan pointed with his finger from bottom to top, guiding my head. I rolled my eyes, picking up the papers to hand them over without looking directly at him.
“Of course, sir, here they are.” I kept my gaze down, embarrassed.
“You researched our lawyer; interesting.” Patrik passed the sheets, analyzing them meticulously. “Why did you do that?”
“I thought it was coherent to investigate, Mr. Morgan, since the contract was drafted by Mr. Phill. However, the clauses benefit Forbs Industries more than our company.” I stood up, approaching him and pointing to one of my markings. “If you evaluate here, it doesn't make sense for the percentage to be higher for the industry than for SoundStory. It wouldn't be a good deal.”
Patrik's eyes sparkled as I explained each point.
“Very astute, Mrs. Elisabeth; that's why you're my right hand.” He smiled proudly. “Let me show you something.”
The CEO walked around the table, opening the first drawer and taking out a yellow folder. Inside were photos and a detailed report of secret meetings between the publisher's lawyer, Phill, Forbs Industries' CEO, Celdric, an unknown woman whom I presumed to be the Forbs' actress sister, and the industry's lawyer, the son of our legal department.
“You also suspected him?” I widened my eyes, intrigued, and took the photos to evaluate. “If you had these suspicions, why didn't you share them with me?”
“I wanted to evaluate your performance, your interests, and how much you care about the publisher,” Patrik said casually, but his insinuations clearly irritated me.
“Mr. Morgan, why did you think otherwise?” I frowned indignantly. “Did I give you reasons to doubt my loyalty to the publisher?”
“Absolutely not, Mrs. Elisabeth, that's exactly why I wanted to evaluate you... I've told you before, I believe in and trust your potential.” Mr. Morgan poked the tip of my nose, smiling seductively. “And I wasn't just referring to your bold writing!”
Winking, he sat back down, and I, blushing, sat in the chair, sipping the tea that was now lukewarm.
“So, you're not going to consider my comments?” I kept my eyes on the cup, playing with my finger on the ceramic rim.
“Your observations were concise; some I had overlooked. Your analytical and sharp gaze is exceptional; you, Miss, have great potential as a CEO and entrepreneur.” Patrik leaned forward, resting his hands on the table, becoming serious. “Have you ever thought about taking on these roles?”
“To be the CEO of SoundStory Press?” I widened my eyes, pondering. “I've never considered the possibility; I don't think I'm suitable or adequate for the position, Mr. Morgan!”
“Why not?” He scratched his chin, evaluating my posture. “You know how the company operates like the back of your hand; you know how to negotiate; our meetings are only successful because of your organization in documentation, agenda preparation for meetings, conduct, and procurement. How can you consider yourself unfit for the position?”
“Well, Mr. Morgan...” I bit my lip, feeling intimate with the conversation. “I'm just an executive secretary; I don't have qualifications in business or economics, nor would I be accepted by the directors since my purchasing power is very low. Besides, I couldn't afford the company's attribution percentage to take on such a position. And you're our CEO; I'd have to kill you to even consider the possibility!”
“Hmm, would you like to kill me?” Patrik smirked charmingly, a glint flashing in his eyes.
“Sometimes yes. Who hasn't wanted to get rid of their boss?” I smiled back, feeling a bit more relaxed. “You're not always easy to deal with.”
“The best men aren't!” Patrik teased. “Keep an open mind, Miss; you never know what the future holds.”
“Sir?” I raised an eyebrow, intrigued; his phone rang again, making him roll his eyes.
“I need to take this call; thank you for your input; you may leave.” The CEO looked at his phone screen, annoyed, and I stood up to leave. “Mrs. Elisabeth, I had planned a little outing for the two of us, but I just got a storm alert, and I'm afraid we'll have to stay here. Please stay in your room for the next two hours, so as not to disturb our ghost cleaning downstairs.”
“Mr. Morgan, I can clean the cabin; it wouldn't be a bother. If the storm is about to start, it wouldn't be safe for Mrs. Madalena to risk it!” I shrugged.
“Well, she was also going to bring our dinner...” He smiled weakly, gripping the device tightly in his hands; whoever was calling on his personal phone was certainly not welcome.
“Are there groceries in the fridge and pantry?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, Mrs. Magdalena always shops and fills the cabinets, so I don't starve.” Patrik smiled, amused.
“Very well, I'll make dinner!” I smiled determinedly, turning things around. “Now, if you'll excuse me.”
“Are you going to try to kill me through dinner? Very clever.” Patrik teased, laughing.
“It was like you said; I need to keep an open mind!” I winked at him. His smile widened, and he bit his finger provocatively. I could feel his gaze penetrating my skin.
“Miss Elisabeth is so audacious.” Sighing, Patrik seemed to struggle to concentrate while answering the phone. “What do you want?”
I quickly left the office, giving him privacy. I didn't want to be the person on the other end of the line having to deal with the CEO's harshness; he knew how to be intimidating when he wanted. Furthermore, I went downstairs looking for cleaning products, put on gloves, and started to care for the cabin. Then I went to the kitchen, rummaging through the pantry for ingredients to cook with. There was diced meat, potatoes, and carrots, among other provisions that would make a very tasty stew!
I took the potatoes, cut them in half, and cooked them with the skin on. When they were soft, I included them in the pan, pressing and filling the middle with cheese, then put them in the oven. The storm started, with strong gusts of wind making noises through the windows. I shivered, scared. I wasn't a fan of isolated places like this.