The Good Wife – The Silky Way
Colin Sweeney knows he's not an easy man to work for, and when he hired a new assistant, he can't help but wonder why she's so hard to spook.
Obs: Dear Mr. Sweeney is made of innuendos, so there's some of that.
The Silky Way
As Colin Sweeney looked at yet another of his pretty, young things who doubled as his assistant walk away in enraged tears, he sighed deeply, already wondering if this would result in yet another lawsuit.
He adored Alicia Florrick, truly, he did, but even so, it didn't mean he loved getting his ass sued.
Perhaps if Alicia would succumb to his charms...
"Jonathan" – he called for one of his HR guys, one who was likely sick and tired of serving Colin's every wish, but alas, such is life – "Please get me a new assistant. I'm afraid I've just lost one"
The man on the other end of the line grumbled, already far too used to his boss's antics, and familiar enough that Colin more than let it go.
"Will do, Mr. Sweeney. Would that be all?"
"Yes. Wait, no" – he paused – "Make sure you try to find me a smart one this time, or people are going to start thinking I hire assistants based on their looks, and not their assets for the work"
"... Of course, sir. I'll get right on it and send you the pertinent information on a few candidates as soon as possible"
"Thank you, Jonathan. You're a doll"
"I'm still not going to work as your assistant, Mr. Sweeney"
"My, my, I didn't ask you this time, Jonathan" – the man chuckled as the other man hung up on him.
Quite rude, really, but Colin could very well appreciate someone who didn't mind giving it to him on occasion. One of the many reasons why he adored Alicia Florrick so. Plus, she was ever so beautiful to stare at (and the fact that she called him on his shit just made her all the more appealing).
Not an hour later, Jonathan sent Colin a list of four candidates for the job, and their resumes. Colin suspected the man had a list of names always at the ready for such moments, not that he could blame him at all, he had gone through about seven assistants in the last ten months, after all.
Hm. Maybe he should, after all, try to get someone who had a little bit of smarts to go along with a pretty face.
He looked at the picture of one Grace Cavanaugh and grinned.
"You will do" – he said to himself and called Jonathan – "Yes, hello. Please set up a time with this Ms. Cavanaugh. For tomorrow, if at all possible. Northwestern, is it?"
"Yes sir, recent graduate"
"Marvelous. Please let me know"
"Yes, sir"
Colin stared a little more at the picture of the sun kissed haired girl, her smile polite but enticing. There was something about her, other than her excellent resume, that made him wonder how good an employee she would end up being.
Ah. Time for tea!
The next day, Colin sat across from the girl from the picture. Hair tied back, tanned face with the glow of youth, pearly and perfect rows of teeth flashing at him in a practiced manner, pant suit properly aligned.
All in all, Colin was assuredly hooked.
"Ms. Cavanaugh, is it?"
"Yes, sir"
"I understand you have just graduated from Northwestern, is that so?"
"Yes, sir. I majored in Public Relations"
"Really. Very interesting. And what made you want to work as my assistant, or as an assistant, for that matter? I'm sure there were more... Tempting lines of work you could have pursued after you graduated"
"There were, but I thought that, in particular, working as your assistant would prove to be an unique opportunity to learn how to put out fires and learn the ropes of PR with a... Polarizing figure such as yourself, sir"
Oh! Well, well. A sharp mind, a sharp tongue under that sweet demeanor. Dear, oh my! Colin liked her! The other girls all fell to his feet, practically begging to work for him, and yet this girl–! Yes, yes. She would do just fine indeed!
"Very political of you, Ms. Cavanaugh. When can you start?" – she grinned.
She started the very next day, wearing another boring if tailored pant suit.
"First things first, my dear" – he told her as soon as she stepped into his office, her hair falling down her shoulders. Much better than the ponytail of the day before – "I'm not sure pant suits are your thing"
"Sir?"
"I think you'd look nicer in skirts. Dresses and the like, do you have any?"
"I do..."
"Well, then" – he opened a wide smirk that the press called his 'I'm a proud wife killer!' smirk – "Please, starting tomorrow, if at all possible, come in skirts, Ms. Cavanaugh"
To his surprised delight, she smiled slowly.
"As much as I would like to follow your every instruction, Mr. Sweeney, I'm afraid that you may not and can not and will not dictate how I dress outside of it being appropriate office attire. Outside of that, it may be construed as sexual harassment, and depending on how forceful you are, as hostile environment"
"Ms. Cavanaugh!" – he cried out, all too gleeful. He'd chosen very well!
"I will take into account my wardrobe and available options each morning, and I will dress however I deem proper, Mr. Sweeney. Is there any other matter I should pay attention to?"
Damnit, he would have to be sued for sexual harassment, but he thought he'd like to bend the little girl on his desk. Perhaps over his knee, if she liked that sort of thing. She was such a minx! He liked her!
"Yes, please arrange a meeting with my attorneys, Alicia Florrick and Cary Agos. I have some matters to discuss with them" – the girl nodded politely.
"Anything else, sir?"
"Nothing at the moment, besides the tasks the previous girl failed to complete"
"Understood, sir. Excuse me"
Such a lovely behind too!
Colin shivered in anticipation! Ms. Cavanaugh was going to be quite a source of entertainment, he just knew!
Ah, another beautiful lady who gave as good as she got! If only this one would indulge him in his so–called lascivious behavior. His wife was all well and good, but a young thing he'd love to have pin him to the ground and ride him into oblivion? How could he ever resist?
As weeks passed, Colin had to admit to himself that Ms. Cavanaugh was indeed beautiful, smart, entertaining and, perhaps most of all, ingenious. She could wrangle his former flings with only the slightest of efforts, her smile always in place and just this side of deadly, she handled barking board members with an ease that made Colin a little jealous, truth be told, and simply tossed her hair at problems before tackling them and coming out the victor every time.
If only all of Colin's employees could be so useful and pretty at it as Ms. Cavanaugh!
Like he suspected, she never ceased to treat him like a mildly irritating pet who needed to be indulged at times and severely scolded the rest of the time, and it just made Colin like the girl that much quicker. She had a cool head and a soft smile when dealing with him, and though she could sound a little condescending, he supposed it was the kind of thing he needed in his life.
He was, however, drawing the line at her patting his head. She better not try it, or he'd have to show her just how feline he could be.
Nonetheless, Colin Sweeney at last felt like he'd found an assistant who would remain by his side fore more than a month or so. Maybe Ms. Cavanaugh would be in for the long run, make his life a little easier. He didn't quite comment on it with anyone, but having such a revolving door of assistants was a little tiring, and his affairs were always messy because of that. Maybe Ms. Cavanaugh would stay long enough for his life to be in one piece for the first time in a long time.
"Mr. Sweeney" – the girl of his thoughts knocked and opened the door hesitantly – "Please don't forget about your dinner with Mr. Sinclair and Mrs. Willard this evening"
"Oh yes. Thank you, Ms. Cavanaugh. Whatever would I do without you to remind me?" – she gave a little smile.
"Starve" – she replied cheekily and quickly made her way out.
A minx, really.
Ms. Cavanaugh had been with Colin for three months, a record many commented on and speculated upon, but a single sweet smile from her and they were off to their own devices, much to Colin's amusement. It was nice when his little assistant turned her aggressive charms onto someone else.
She did pat some of the more pathetic guys on the head sometimes, and Colin knew she did it to fuck with them, though they were all too dazzled by her to care that she was treating them like errant children at most and wild kittens at worst.
They were pouring over documents of the company latest deal, one that would help get the board off Colin's back for a while, the girl a great asset with her keen mind and organizational skills. Normally, Colin would never dream of allowing his mere assistant to even come into his office at such a time, but he'd come to trust Ms. Cavanaugh, and she had signed all sorts of confidentiality agreements, so. Yeah.
Dinner time had come and Ms. Cavanaugh asked absently if he'd like Thai or pizza, and the man paused. He hadn't had crappy food in such a long time, and, considering the girl's loose hair and jacket thrown off into a corner several hours prior, he grinned.
"Pizza, if you will. Meat's lovers on my side" – she snorted while shaking her head and finished the order over her phone.
"Would you like me to warn your wife you won't be returning any time soon, sir?" – the girl asked, eyes wide and oddly earnest.
"My wife? Oh, yes, I suppose" – she frowned but didn't comment. She never commented on his personal life, in fact, which he appreciated. The press had enough fun with his ever changing wives that he didn't need the closest thing he had to a friend calling him on his personal shit as well.
Oh dear. Ms. Cavanaugh WAS the closest thing he had to a friend. Talk about a sad little boy's life.
The next Saturday after that night, where they stayed at his office honest to God eating shitty pizza and working their asses off, he took her shopping, as reluctant as she was.
"My dear girl, I have come to a conclusion. Would you like to hear it?" – he asked her as she sat beside him in awkward (on her side) silence.
"I suppose"
"I do quite like you, and while I would quite like to do the wildest things your imagination could up with to you, with you, I do consider you a loyal and wonderful employee, as well as a personal friend" – she looked at him with wide eyes.
"You think... We're friends?" – she asked hesitantly, and he felt offended.
"Why, yes!"
"Oh. I mean" – she fidgeted adorably in place – "You're my boss, I didn't think it would be exactly... Appropriate"
"Why not?"
"You are Colin Sweeney"
"And?"
"And you've been married a bunch of times, you killed one of them, you dumped the second one, and you barely go home at a reasonable hour to see your third and current one" – she blurted out and, okay, ouch. Mean.
"First of all, I was acquitted of killing my first wife" – she rudely snorted – "Second of all, things didn't work out with my next wife. And as for my lovely and yes, third wife–"
"I just mean... I don't want to marry you or anything. Ever"
"That's disappointing"
"And I know you were never that... Ethical with your previous assistants"
"Why, I never!"
"Mr. Sweeney"
"We are out of the office, please. Colin"
"... Grace, I guess. And you're taking me shopping, that seems like such a breach of professionalism!"
"Indeed. Because I am not taking Ms. Cavanaugh shopping, I am taking Grace shopping" – she gave him a look. THE look – "I promise I will make no advances at you"
And now THE eyebrow too.
"... Nothing serious, in any case. It's very difficult not to flirt with you a little bit, my dear"
"Alright, I guess" – he grinned – "But nothing that screams that I'm sleeping with you"
"Deal. So, no edible panties, I take?" – again with THE look and THE eyebrow.
Dear Grace was a lovely shopping companion, not minding when his attention turned to something for his wife or himself, and letting him pick several items for her to try on. She even allowed his comments with only a look, but she was perfectly game for it, which made Colin all the fonder.
They had a lovely dinner at a discreet little diner, and Grace showed her less mature side by laughing with him as they split a massive order of ice cream and waffles after their already filling burger and fries.
"I hate to say it, but it's pretty fun being your friend, Colin" – the girl said as he drove her back home. He smiled at her, his belly full and his body light after such a pleasant day.
"I should say the same, Grace. We should do this again" – THE look returned.
"Not shopping, though. You went overboard"
"Oh, but you look devilish in all those dresses, my dear!" – she snorted.
"Still, way too much"
"I have the money, so why not?"
"It's not appropriate, even between friends"
"Well, alright then. What would you like to do then?" – he didn't think she'd quite appreciate HIS ideas of entertainment.
Grace had her own life outside of work, as did Colin, but they managed to put aside one day a month for a little outing. Sometimes the movies, the theater, museums, and even sillier things like an amusement park and a carnival. During the week, they'd often have lunch together, and dinner when they had to stay late.
Some people made passing comments about Colin's clear preference over Grace, and he smirked it all off, stating she was a sweet girl, but out of his league. The commenters would walk away in a daze, wondering how such a little girl could be out of Colin Sweeney's league, but they didn't know her, so of course they didn't quite understand.
"Say, Grace, would you at all be interested in coming to an event with me? I'm afraid my wife will be out of town then" – the girl gave him a look.
"I'm sure I can make the time. Is it the St. Patrick's Day thing?"
"Yes it is. We would have to acquire an appropriate gown for you, however..."
"Oh, I have one, it's fine" – he rose his eyebrows in interest.
"Indeed?"
"Yeap"
"Well, well, Grace, dear, you are always surprising me!"
"That's what I live for, Mr. Sweeney. At what time will you pick me up?" – they traded grins, hers much less cute and sweet after so many months working for him, and his fonder than he'd like to admit.
Grace looked stunning in a deep blue gown, her hair half up and falling in elegant waves, her makeup just this side of romantic and subtle. She stood at the bottom of the steps of her apartment, insolently allowing him to ogle.
Hey, they were friends, but he wasn't dead just yet! Thank you!
"You look very sharp, Mr. Sweeney"
"And you are a vision, Ms. Cavanaugh. Shall we?"
People were surprised by Colin's lack of wife and presence of assistant, though people were never too keen on antagonizing the notorious wife killer. Colin was glad to see so many people checking the almost angelic looking Grace by his elbow, not touching him in any way, but hovering close enough to show they had come together.
"Mr. Sweeney" – Cary Agos, one of Colin's reluctantly favorite lawyers greeted – "And... Grace, hey" – he smiled boyishly at the girl, who grinned back.
Hey, now.
"Mr. Agos. I would thank you if you did not flirt with my assistant" – the blond smirked minutely.
"Of course, Mr. Sweeney, how crass of me. Well, my date beckons me. I hope to speak to you later, Mr. Sweeney. Grace" – he nodded and made a beeline to the bar, where no one awaited him.
"And how do you know the handsome Mr. Agos?"
"Through my mom"
"Your mother? Well" – before he could say more, his absolute favorite, Alicia Florrick, slid to him in an appropriately forest green dress that made several heads turn to her.
"Mr. Sweeney. How lovely to see you"
"That should be my line, Mrs. Florrick" – he took her hand and kissed it – "Incredible as usual" – her smile was tight and uncomfortable.
"Thank you. Hi, Grace, you look amazing" – she complimented and passed her hand through the girl's locks with shocking familiarity.
"Thanks, mom. I don't have to tell you how great you look, I'm sure Finn has already told you many times tonight" – the woman laughed.
"Why, he certainly has" – she fussed with Grace's hair a moment longer and turned to the stunned Colin – "Oh, did Grace not mention she's my daughter?"
Minx and minx! No wonder Colin took to Grace so easily, and no wonder she was the only assistant to ever stand up to him! The pure deviousness was enough to make Colin want to grab the little girl and spank her, like that first day!
"She did not, Mrs. Florrick"
"Oh well" – the woman shrugged carelessly and raised a taunting eyebrow at Colin – "I should go" – she kissed Grace's cheek lovingly – "See you later, sweetie. Mr. Sweeney"
"Mrs. Florrick" – he inclined his head and waited until she was far enough, charming everyone she deemed worthy of her attention – "So, Grace Florrick, is it?"
"I would think you'd have an entire dossier on the people you employ, Mr. Sweeney"
"How did I never notice you say it exactly like your mother?" – the girl laughed.
"Excuse me"
"I'm not sure how I feel about you being my dear attorney's daughter"
"Don't forget I'm also the Vice President's daughter"
"Oh yes, there is that" – he gave her a grimace that quickly turned into a grin – "I do like you, despite myself"
"And I like you too, Mr. Sweeney" – she paused and smiled shyly – "Colin"
He looked at her and felt–
Something.
Alicia Florrick was like the Holy Grail, and Grace was– She was–
Well.
Things were about to become even more interesting now, Colin thought.
I had to. I haaaad to.
And my plot bunnies rebelled so hard, and decided that this and Zach's story are the beginning of a series. ¬¬