Free Entranced By Him by Cassandra Harper Page A

door open for me, an eyebrow raised in
question. I blushed furiously and darted into the room. I made my
way over to the refreshments and promptly scarfed down a
cheesecake-stuffed strawberry from the fruit platter. I spent the
next half hour mingling with everyone, though I felt Mr. Donovan’s
eyes on me more than once. Could he be interested in me? Don’t be
ridiculous, I told myself. If nothing else, he probably thinks
you’re a little crazy.
    Finally, after what seemed like ages, Mr.
Donovan cleared his throat and began, “I’d like to thank all of you
for taking an interest in my company with this internship. I know
most of you are only here for the résumé builder, and that’s
perfectly fine. Others have a genuine interest in this company, and
the rest of you I can only guess at. You are all welcome to stay as
late as you’d like tonight, but if any of you would like to speak
to me about advancing your career here, you have only to ask. I’ll
be available in my office on the top floor. Please enjoy yourselves
and I hope to see you all in successful business careers in the
future.”
    With that he began to make his way out of the
room. He paused here and there to say a few words to my colleagues.
As he drew closer to me, my heart began to pound. Certainly it was
just a coincidence he took the long way around the room towards the
door? He stopped mere inches from me and leaned in close, his green
eyes piercing mine. “I would especially like to see you in my
office, Ms. Hughes. I believe we have a lot to talk about.”
    Before I could respond he was gone, and I was
left jittery and excited.
    What was I going to do? Should I go for it? What
was the worst that could happen? I finished my drink and turned
determinedly towards the elevators. A few of my fellow interns were
also making their way over, Gina at the forefront, and I got in
line. Most likely he’ll pick someone else. What can he possibly see
in me?
    The elevator ride was oddly quiet. Everyone
seemed introspective, and I could practically feel some of them
practicing their self-aggrandizing speeches. When we reached the
top floor, I took a seat in one of the chairs in the waiting room
outside Mr. Donovan’s office. A tall girl in a smart-looking
business suit knocked on the door first. I heard Mr. Donovan invite
her in.
    Over the next hour and a half, former interns
filtered into and out of the office. It seemed that every time I
was about to stand up for my turn, someone slipped in before I
could even lift a finger. I found myself growing more nervous by
the minute. What if I ended up being last? Certainly he he’ll have
made his choices by then. Why was I even still waiting? And yet
something kept me rooted to that seat. Something in the way he
looked at me, maybe.
    “Ms. Hughes? Would you still like to talk?” I
jumped and looked around wildly. Suddenly I was alone on the top
floor of Donovan Enterprises with Logan Donovan himself.
    I stood shakily, smoothed my skirt and said,
“Yes sir, of course,” as I followed him into his office.
    The room was huge. A monolithic desk stood dead
center of the cavernous space and two full walls were nothing but
glass. I nearly got vertigo just looking outside, and carefully sat
on a very plush sofa near the drink cabinet.
    “So, Ms. Hughes,” Mr. Donovan began as he poured
two glasses of a dark amber liquid, “Why do you think I asked you
to come up here tonight?”
    “Well, sir, I assumed you’re going to offer me a
job. Though I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting to take any
shortcuts this early in my career.”
    He chuckled as he brought me my drink, and sat
down on the sofa next to me. “Now now Ms. Hughes, who said you were
taking shortcuts? What I’m looking for is a personal assistant,
someone who’s highly efficient, can keep my calendar in order, and
travel with me if necessary.”
    I frowned and sipped at my drink. It burned like
hell on the way down, but it warmed me all the way through.