An Irresistible Temptation: Master of Fortune / The Temptation Of Rory Monahan

“Love you too, Mum,” he said, disconnecting the call.

He held his mobile loosely in his hand for another minute until someone cleared their throat and he glanced up to see Astrid standing in his doorway.

“Yes?”

“I need your signature on these forms. The runner from talent scout Roger McMillan dropped this demo off with a note that they are playing tonight. And I’m going to need you to give me a little more information on Steph,” she said, holding a sheaf of papers out toward him.

He gestured for her to come in.

“Also the head of legal wants a meeting with you to discuss contract procedures. I know you said we’d be working out of your Bromley office, but the management staff have enquired about setting up meetings with you. Do you want me to direct them to your home office?”

He leaned back in his chair. “No. I think we’d better establish a day in the office each week for meetings. I have six direct reports, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Have them all scheduled for tomorrow,” he said. He’d learned the hard way at rugby that if he didn’t go for his goals he’d never achieve them. And teamwork was paramount to winning.

“Astrid, bring me the personnel files on all of the staff. After I’ve reviewed them, you can schedule the meetings. Does anyone have anything that’s pressing?”

“Just legal and accounting. You need to be added to the signature authority card before you can sign this contract.”

“Do you have that form?” he asked.

“It’s at the bottom of your stack. I’ll walk it down to accounting once you sign it.”

He pulled the paper out of the stack and signed it. There were a few other housekeeping-type forms for him to sign. Astrid had prepared them with his name and flagged the places where he was supposed to sign.

“Thank you, Astrid,” he said, handing them back to her. “You’re a very efficient assistant. I’m sure Daniel was devastated to lose you.”

She flushed and looked away, but didn’t respond. “You’re welcome, sir. Was there anything else before I go?”

He stared at her mouth for a minute, knowing his obsession with her lips was going to get him into big trouble. All he really wanted was to taste them.

Chapter 2

Astrid hoped that Henry never called Daniel to find out why she left her last job. Despite how close she and Daniel had become during their affair she knew he wouldn’t give her a good reference. Hell, he’d said as much earlier.

At the end…there’d been all those sick days.…Daniel hadn’t been very understanding. She wrapped an arm around her own waist as she struggled for a moment to keep the past where it belonged.

Astrid spent the rest of the day trying to stay focused on her job. But Henry seemed to need her in his office a lot as he got acclimated. And she found herself entranced just the tiniest bit.

He was smart and funny. Yet even innocent flirtations in the office were dangerous. Hadn’t she learned that the hard way?

She walked down to the legal office and left the paperwork that Henry had signed with the proper legal secretary.

Henry’s office was empty when she returned to her desk; she’d poked her head in his office to see if he needed anything. She’d listened to a few songs that Steph Cordo had sang…and that she’d heard on the morning talk radio.

She downloaded the song on iTunes and added them to her playlist. One thing she’d learned working with Daniel was to be very familiar with the artists and groups that label was pursuing. So Steph was the first of many new artists she’d be listening to. It would help give her a feel for what Henry liked, too.

Henry entered the office a few minutes later with three other men, none of whom she knew. He directed the men into his office.

“Hold my calls,” Henry said.

“Certainly, sir. May I speak to you for a moment?” she asked.

“What’s up?”

“These men aren’t on your calendar.…Do you not want me to make your appointments?”

“Oh, of course I do. I’m just not used to having an assistant,” Henry said.

She nodded. “Do you need anything for the next thirty minutes?”

“That’s pretty specific,” Henry said.

“Sorry about that. I’d like to go for lunch. My sister just rang and said she could meet me,” Astrid clarified.

“Go on then. I’ll be in this meeting for at least that long.”

“Do you want me to bring you back something?”

“No. I’m meeting my…half brothers. That still sounds strange to me when I say it.”

“I’d heard you all were getting together lately.”

“Heard where?”

“Um…well, I read about it in Hello!” Astrid refused to be apologetic about it. Hello! and other celebrity magazines were a resource for people in their industry. Daniel used to have her keep clippings of their artists so they could track their popularity.

“Gossip rags?”

She arched one eyebrow at him. “Where else would I hear about your meeting them? We don’t exactly run in the same circles.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I know the feeling. They aren’t my crowd either.”

“No, celebrities and footballers are more your speed,” she said. “I guess that’s how you have your finger on the pulse of what’s next.”

“Maybe. I think it’s more a feel for what the public is hungry for.”

He had a point. “I think you’re a very savvy man.”

“I am,” he said. “Before you head to lunch, will you call Marcus Wills for me? I’m supposed to have drinks with him, but I don’t think I’ll have time between meeting with the other Devonshire heirs.”

“Not a problem. Do you have his number handy? I haven’t merged your contents file with mine yet,” she said.

“I’ll IM it to you.”

“Great. I’ll take care of it.”