--1--
The elevator opened and the sound of heels clanking down the hall signified her arrival to the staff. Conversations were halted, candy wrappers buried in the trash, and computer card games ended. Even the newest and youngest employee to the up and coming company knew Kate Roberts, knew how she operated, and knew that even the slightest sign of deterrence towards the job at hand was picked up on and dealt with. The woman simply had that effect on people. She could get them to do anything she asked, and more often than not, it didn't even take words. A stern glance was more than enough to have people back on track. It even straightened their posture!
Kate breezed by her secretary, and without so much as looking at her asked in a single tone, "any messages?"
"No, Ms. Roberts," she replied. "Although Captain Brady called again and wanted you to get in touch with him at your earliest convenience."
She stopped dead in her tracks, turned to look at the woman who had just dealt her this blow, turned back around and continued into her office.
She quickly switched on her laptop. Landing in her chair and crossing her legs, she spun around to gaze at a vase filled with sunflowers, their leaves catching the light from her window causing a glowing effect. She laughed at the irony of it all.
The hours passed in a blur. Two meetings, three reports, and twelve phone called later, she glanced at her watch and raised her eyebrows in shock at the time. Five-thirty and still so many things unfinished. She stepped out into the hallway to find the place deserted. "People these days...always leaving the second the clock strikes five," she muttered under her breath. She collected her messages off the front desk, and returned to her corner office. The silk and wool jacket and skirt suit that seemed like a good idea this morning had overheated her for the last time. She shed her jacket and shoes, kicking back in her chair, she closed her eyes. Slightly drifting off, she didn't hear the door open or the soft footsteps on her office carpet. She did, however, hear the voice that followed.
"Well, well, well," the voice sternly began. Her eyes shot open, and she jumped. "Kate Roberts, sleeping on the job?"
She let out an annoyed groan when she saw who it was. "Roman," she said in an exhausted voice. She put her head down on her desk, hoping he'd disappear when she lifted it.
"Tired, Kate?" he asked in that cocky, arrogant voice that grated her nerves.
She looked up to see him still standing there, hands in his pockets. "No such luck," she thought.
"Yes, Roman. I'm tired. Am I allowed to be tired? I've worked almost sixty hours this week. As much as you may think otherwise, I am human."
He laughed and was reminded of yet again at how amusing she was, even when she was exhausted. "What do you want?" she demanded as she shut down her computer.
"Well, I was going to ask you to dinner. I haven't eaten a thing since breakfast, and I'm sure the same goes for you."
She began packing up her things and never once made eye contact. "And what exactly would make you think I would want to have dinner with you when I could have dinner with an inanimate object and enjoy much more in-depth conversations?"
He smirked, trying not to let on that her jabs could, at some times, cut him deeply. He liked her, afterall. "Liked" being the word he used in his own head. Truth was, he was absolutely fascinated with her. She had constructed a force field around her so thick that even the most persistent admirer couldn't break through. He had watched from a distance many times before. He knew the game she played. He'd mastered it even, which was why he took these verbal assaults. He knew that his curiosity had gotten the best of him, and if anyone could survive Kate Roberts, it was him.
She rose from her seat, and stopped when she saw he wasn't following her.
"Staying?"
"No, no. Just thinking."
"Well, there's a first for everything, I suppose. Let's roll."
She seemed bogged down by everything she was carrying, and he offered to take a few things.
"I can handle it," was all she said. He smirked while she had her back turned heading towards the door. He knew that was her mantra. He also knew it wasn't always true.
The elevator opened and the sound of heels clanking down the hall signified her arrival to the staff. Conversations were halted, candy wrappers buried in the trash, and computer card games ended. Even the newest and youngest employee to the up and coming company knew Kate Roberts, knew how she operated, and knew that even the slightest sign of deterrence towards the job at hand was picked up on and dealt with. The woman simply had that effect on people. She could get them to do anything she asked, and more often than not, it didn't even take words. A stern glance was more than enough to have people back on track. It even straightened their posture!
Kate breezed by her secretary, and without so much as looking at her asked in a single tone, "any messages?"
"No, Ms. Roberts," she replied. "Although Captain Brady called again and wanted you to get in touch with him at your earliest convenience."
She stopped dead in her tracks, turned to look at the woman who had just dealt her this blow, turned back around and continued into her office.
She quickly switched on her laptop. Landing in her chair and crossing her legs, she spun around to gaze at a vase filled with sunflowers, their leaves catching the light from her window causing a glowing effect. She laughed at the irony of it all.
The hours passed in a blur. Two meetings, three reports, and twelve phone called later, she glanced at her watch and raised her eyebrows in shock at the time. Five-thirty and still so many things unfinished. She stepped out into the hallway to find the place deserted. "People these days...always leaving the second the clock strikes five," she muttered under her breath. She collected her messages off the front desk, and returned to her corner office. The silk and wool jacket and skirt suit that seemed like a good idea this morning had overheated her for the last time. She shed her jacket and shoes, kicking back in her chair, she closed her eyes. Slightly drifting off, she didn't hear the door open or the soft footsteps on her office carpet. She did, however, hear the voice that followed.
"Well, well, well," the voice sternly began. Her eyes shot open, and she jumped. "Kate Roberts, sleeping on the job?"
She let out an annoyed groan when she saw who it was. "Roman," she said in an exhausted voice. She put her head down on her desk, hoping he'd disappear when she lifted it.
"Tired, Kate?" he asked in that cocky, arrogant voice that grated her nerves.
She looked up to see him still standing there, hands in his pockets. "No such luck," she thought.
"Yes, Roman. I'm tired. Am I allowed to be tired? I've worked almost sixty hours this week. As much as you may think otherwise, I am human."
He laughed and was reminded of yet again at how amusing she was, even when she was exhausted. "What do you want?" she demanded as she shut down her computer.
"Well, I was going to ask you to dinner. I haven't eaten a thing since breakfast, and I'm sure the same goes for you."
She began packing up her things and never once made eye contact. "And what exactly would make you think I would want to have dinner with you when I could have dinner with an inanimate object and enjoy much more in-depth conversations?"
He smirked, trying not to let on that her jabs could, at some times, cut him deeply. He liked her, afterall. "Liked" being the word he used in his own head. Truth was, he was absolutely fascinated with her. She had constructed a force field around her so thick that even the most persistent admirer couldn't break through. He had watched from a distance many times before. He knew the game she played. He'd mastered it even, which was why he took these verbal assaults. He knew that his curiosity had gotten the best of him, and if anyone could survive Kate Roberts, it was him.
She rose from her seat, and stopped when she saw he wasn't following her.
"Staying?"
"No, no. Just thinking."
"Well, there's a first for everything, I suppose. Let's roll."
She seemed bogged down by everything she was carrying, and he offered to take a few things.
"I can handle it," was all she said. He smirked while she had her back turned heading towards the door. He knew that was her mantra. He also knew it wasn't always true.