"Who made the coffee?"
My heart sank, but then it clicked open.
"You asked me to bring you coffee, not brew it."
The amusement in Alpha's eyes spread to his irresistibly shaped lips.
"It's cold. Next time it's going to be hot, and you're the one making it, not Miranda."
"Who does Kane think he is? A volcano? Or a furnace? Maybe a cauldron that wants to absorb super-hot liquids."
Funny images of him looking like a cauldron burst into Nova's mind, and I had to purse my lips and not laugh out loud, but put on a serious face.
But he was perceptive, and he was watching my reaction carefully as he read my thoughts.
"Perhaps I was joking?"
"No, sir!" I shook my head quickly, and our eyes met. His gaze was strangely unsettling, shaking me and exciting me at the same time. Like a hot feeling that burned and soothed, it settled in the pit of my stomach.
He looked away, focusing on the box and reached up to open it. The blue cufflinks he wore had the same blue rose embossed into them that I had seen on his door.
He pulled out a blue tie, feeling the texture between his fingers, and his wild gaze darted back to me.
My hands twitched in worry. He was about to find out, too. He handed me the tie and asked casually.
"Put it on me, I'm late for a meeting."
I blinked, stunned. "He wanted me to put the tie on him."
"Was that another one of his tests?" Nova asked curiously.
"Or was he so empowered that he couldn't do it himself? Lazy asshole." I replied to Nova.
Seeing that I was undecided and standing there like a mannequin, he spoke again.
"You know how to do it? Or maybe I should be taught how to do it, too."
His words caused a few wrinkles to appear on my forehead. I quietly took the long, soft cloth from his hand and replied.
"I know how to tie a tie... Sir." I deliberately added the last word a little later, and his raised eyebrow rose even more.
He walked around his desk with a smooth, quick stride, shoving his hands into the pockets of his black trousers. Stopping right in front of me, the cold man stared down. Not with disgust, but with a hint of curiosity, as if trying to solve the puzzle that had been laid before him.
Nervousness reared its head again as I found myself looking at those dark circles of his. He carried some baggage, some hidden secrets, too.
Unconsciously, I took a deep breath, and the subtle notes of his cologne hit me thickly. It was fresh and clean, with notes of some very expensive whiskey and a hint of tobacco.
He must have sensed the change in me.
"A tie, Miss Zara," he asked, more quietly than before. His voice was a thin whisper, like a caress. There was no hostility.
I needed to be professional; he was going to be my boss, and this had to be part of my job description.
With a deep breath, I raised my eyes and hands again and reached for his buttons, careful not to touch his tanned skin.
My hands dropped to the sides of his shirt, and I began to button it.
His chest was warm even through the fabric, and I could feel the weight of his gaze on me. My cheeks and ears were flushed, and my heart sped up like a race car going 200 miles an hour.
The tie slid smoothly under my touch, the fabric whispering with every movement.
Putting the wide end of the tie down through the last loop, I gently pulled it down to improve the shape. The knot sat proudly on the smooth blue fabric, its deep hue looking majestic against it.
Knotting the collar button with trembling hands around his neck, where a few veins stood out, I adjusted the collar and smoothed it out. His huge frame blocked out everything else, and all I could see were the bulging muscles of his lean arms and chest.
Kane might be a cocky boss, but he was easy on the eyes.
"Done." I quickly stepped away from him and inhaled. His scent was interfering with my thought process.
Kane slunk over to the large mirror he had installed in his office. His waist was trim, and his ample hips were a sight every woman would want to openly gawk at.
"Stop staring," Nova chided me again.
"Bring me my coat."
"Bring me my coat," I copied him under my breath, irritated. Would it physically hurt him if he uttered even one word of praise? I knew he was pleased, but he wouldn't show it.
Forcing myself to move, I walked over to his executive chair and grabbed the dark blue coat he had draped over the back. The fabric was probably a cashmere/wool blend, smooth and durable.
It was saturated with his scent. I picked it up and carried it to him, standing behind him. He held out his right hand first, so I pulled the coat over him, then my left. He pulled it out of his lapels and adjusted it on his powerful, imposing frame.
Being so tall and with his broad shoulder blades, I seemed insignificant to him.
He combed his hair back with his fingers, keeping it from falling off his forehead.
Forehead and placed it stylishly on his head. Satisfied with his look, Kane finally turned to me. I took a step back from him.
"Your terms of contract are on my desk in a blue folder." He pointed with his index finger. "Read them carefully before you sign. If you do not agree to any of the terms, talk to me when I return from the meeting you will be attending with me.
Remember, once you sign the papers, there is no going back. You will be bound to do what I ask. Compliance is all I ask of you, Miss Zara. If you think you can give me that, you will have nothing to fear and no one to fear. I protect my employees. I hope you will not disappoint me like others before you."