My Boss, My Bad Boy

Chapter 2 - The encounter

Isabellas POV

The first days of the following week went by in a flash. I worked on the blueprints for the new project to have them ready for our monthly team meeting, which would be my first.

“The others are waiting in the conference room for your results. The boss is there too, "Andrea whispered to me.

"Thank you, Andrea".

I took a deep breath, straightened my shoulders and set off with the presentation.

“Good luck!” Andrea called after me.

Mr. Taylor was a nice and fair boss, but still, I was getting nervous because of the meeting. I sorted out the whole presentation nearly by myself. Mr. Taylor had looked over the changes I made a few times, but he hasn’t seen the final work yet, though he was covered in work by himself. He worked hard and expected his staff to do the same, but was always friendly and polite. This was my chance to show him that I was worthy of my position. Confidently, I opened the door to the conference room and marched in to share my ideas with Mr. Taylor and everyone else involved in the project when the hair on the back of my neck suddenly stood up. I stopped abruptly. At the front of the table wasn´t, as expected, Mr. Taylor sitting, but a familiar, quite handsome man, just about five years older than me, I would guess. He was wearing a suit that was visibly more expensive than everyone else’s here, just as he did the day I bumped into him. His eyes, these steel-blue ones, were fixed straight on me. It almost took my breath away. He had an amused smile on his face when he noticed my shock, but it quickly disappeared.

With raised eyebrows, he now looked at me questioningly.

"I ... um ..." I just stammered.

"Nice that you were able to set it up at such short notice, Isabella," a familiar voice tore me out of my paralysis.

"I'm sorry I couldn't inform you sooner, but unfortunately, Mr. Crawford is not in town for long and this appointment happened at short notice in his time window."

Our monthly meeting will not be until next week, but Mr. Taylor brought it forward at short notice. He pointed out to the man I remembered as James, who was now looking at me increasingly annoyed.

What was his problem?

“Miss Hunt, this is Mr. Crawford, CEO of Crawford Enterprises. Mr. Crawford, Isabella Hunt, our newest member of the team and my personal PA.”, Mr. Taylor introduced us.

Wait a minute, THE Crawford from Crawford Enterprises? The company I work for? I should know who he is when I see him, shouldn´t I? And I bumped into him the other day, was sniffing his scent, without knowing who he was. Oh my god. Floor, please open up under my feet. My heart slipped into the pit of my stomach along with the self-confidence I tried to keep up so hard.

"Have you finished the design of the new marketing concept for the new hotel?", Taylor asked.

"Y-yes,” I stammered, visibly confused, and stood rooted to the spot, unable to move.

"Okay, let's get started," he said.

“Miss Hunt it is, right?”, Crawford asked me with a slight smile around his lips, as if he finally got the answer to who this strange woman was, who bumped into him and ran off like an i***t. He leaned forward, pointing at the free chair next to him:

“As all other seats are taken, please sit down.” His voice was deep but warm. There was something dominant in his tone that didn’t leave any room for disobedience. So, I only nodded and did what he asked me to. As I was about to hand over the paperwork to Mr. Taylor, Crawford interrupted:

“Actually, I would like Miss Hunt to do the presentation, though she did the work and is familiar with all the contents”, he urged.

Mr. Taylor looked surprised and I looked back and forth between both of them, in fear and shock.

“I- I don’t know if I should.”, I started.

“I think you should, Miss Hunt,” Crawford interrupted me. “I´m sure you will do just fine. Please, start.”

I? Now? Here? I shifted nervously in my chair, not sure how to start. Either my restructuring plans would work or they would not. Would I still have a job if I screwed it up in front of the CEO? All my life I have worked hard just to be where I am now. I didn't have any friends, I didn't have the time for that, I never stepped out of line and on the subject of men ... I don't think any further explanation is needed. I was invisible until now. All eyes were on me. Mr. Crawford leaned back casually in his chair and looked at me curiously. Mr. Taylor nodded encouragingly with a smile. I straightened my shoulders, cleared my throat, still visibly nervous about the CEO's presence, took a deep breath and started.

The longer I talked and lost myself in my work, the more relaxed and confident I became. My self-confidence quickly evaporated when I was done and all eyes were on me with no trace of emotion. I waited for the devastating reaction.

Without even looking in his direction, when I sat back down on my chair, I felt Crawford's gaze on me and a heightened tension that was heavy in the air. I wanted nothing more than to be invisible again. Crawford, with his hand supporting his chin and index finger on his lips, seemed to think about something. Everyone´s gazes, except mine, were on him.

“I think we´ve heard enough” Mr. Crawford broke the silence and moved up from his chair.

“Everybody is back to work. Mr. Taylor, I need to speak to you now!” he said empathetically, as everyone got up and left the office.

Before I could leave, he addressed me directly:

“Miss Hunt…” I turned around to look at him. He nodded towards me. What was that about? I left the office.

"How did it go?" Andrea asked, no more than a whisper. She seemed to be bursting with curiosity.

I leaned forward:

"Did you know the CEO attended the meeting?"

"Mr. Crawford? You are joking! Nobody has ever seen him here before.” Andrea literally dropped her jaw.

"Well, I guess now a few did." I replied with a sigh.

"And what is he like? You hear all kinds of stories about him.”

"Do you yeah? Which ones?” I asked, only half interested.

"Well, he never shows emotions, his words ... hard and cold ..." I guess that’s how others probably see him. His dominance and strong presence can easily get mistaken for coldness and hardness.

"And he is super sexy." Andrea tore me from my thoughts with a crooked smile and a raised eyebrow, as if she were asking me a question.

"No idea." I said with a shrug while I continued to sort through my files. I could still feel her gaze on me.

“You know, I had to focus on delivering a presentation that I didn't even know I had to give and then in front of the CEO of this company! I almost peed my pants!"

Andrea couldn't help but laugh.

“And that wasn’t even the worst thing about it.” I mumbled more to myself.

“What do you mean by that?” Andrea asked.

“Nothing.”

“Isabella?” Andrea urged me.

“Do you know his full name?” I asked her.

Andrea furrowed her eyebrows and pouted her lips as she was thinking about it.

“I think it was James, why?” and then it hit her.

“No way???” her eyes so instantly, they nearly fell out.

“YES” I replied and sunk into my chair, burying my face in my hands. “I ran into my boss's boss, the CEO of the company I work for, and didn’t even know who he was. I´m dead Andrea, I´m going to lose my job.”

“Don´t be so overdramatic, Isabella. Why should you lose your job? You are doing great work. And what happens in private doesn’t matter. I mean it´s not like you bumped into him on purpose.” Andrea tried to calm me down.

“The only impression he has of me is being too late for work and being a stumbling mess. You should´ve seen me when he wanted me to do the presentation,” I moaned.

"Oh, come on Isabella, take it easy. I bet you did a great job there. You´re always prepared. But you don't want to tell me that you were in a room with Mr. ´hot´ and that you weren't attracted to him?"

"ANDREA!" I sighed and rolled my eyes.

“What? Lots of women would kill to get even close to him. And you were VERY close! And by what you told me about him, when you didn’t know who he was, you wouldn’t have minded running into him again, am I right?”

“Can you stop it now please, Andrea?” I said.

“Don’t be such a hypocrite, Isabella. You liked him when he was a stranger, but you don’t like him now because he is rich?”