"You should report him to HR for sexual harassment." Steven's voice rushes over me, bringing my steady typing to a halt.
My hands hover above the keyboard frozen in shock as I look up into his serious grey eyes. "What? Who would I report for sexual harassment?"
"Mr Brookman."
Mr Brookman is one of the senior partners at Sinclair, Brookman and Pierce, the boutique corporate law firm where we work. I turn to where I can still see Mr Brookman walking away from my desk to his office down the hall. His snowy white hair sweeps his collar and he turns his head as he catches my gaze, blue eyes sparkling as he winks at me. I look away quickly, blushing as I think of accusing such a kind old man of harassment.
"You don't know what you're talking about," I say primly, tucking the loose blonde wisps of my hair back into my bun.
"Really?" his eyebrow arches and I'm tempted to giggle at the grim expression on his face.
"Really. Mr Brookman is always very professional," I say.
"So those private dictation sessions in the meeting room are purely professional then?"
"Of course."
"Come on Jen, you can't be that naive, it's discrimination. He's never even had a male assistant has he?"
"He's just old fashioned. I don't think he even realises there are any male assistants working here," I argue.
"And when he's looking down your shirt, that's just all in the line of business?"
"Oh come on, now you're just being ridiculous. Besides, is it even harassment if I don't even know it's happening?"
"If you don't believe me I guess I'll just have to prove it to you," he says, the twinkle of a challenge sparkling in his eyes.
"I'll believe it when I see it," I say staring him down. As the wry grin slips from his face my world narrows. The hum of the photocopier and the clicking of heels on polished wood fades and all that I'm left with is the heavy beating of my heart and the force of his steady grey eyes on mine.
*****
I wrench my eyes from his and busy myself with adjusting my keyboard. Watching him walk away under the cover of my lashes, I try to ignore my pulse fluttering as if trapped in my throat.
My fingers tremble slightly as I return to typing but even as I force my body back to work my thoughts keep wandering back to Steven and wondering just what he intends to do in order to win this challenge. It's impossible of course, I've worked with Mr Brookman for the last four years and he's always been a perfect gentleman. I've met his wife, Elizabeth, and his children. I've even met his grandchildren. There is no way there is anything improper going on, but there has to be a reason behind his outburst and I'm desperate to know what it is. I don't know Steven very well, he started work here just a few months ago when Mr Pierce hired him as a second year lawyer to lighten his case load. Yet in the short time he's been with the firm he's already gathered a reputation for being, well, a bit of a jerk. Handsome, direct, demanding, he gets what he wants and doesn't care who he has to go through to get it.
My phone rings and I snatch up the handset as I see the extension number of my friend and fellow assistant Michelle appear on the display, eager for a break from the words buzzing in my brain.
"You will not believe what just happened to me," I say.
"Ooh, smells like gossip. Tell me over lunch?" she asks.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
"I'll meet you at reception in 5," she says and I hang up, locking my computer and grabbing my bag as I rush out of the office.
Ten minutes later we're sitting at the cafe down the street with steaming bowls of spiced pumpkin soup and slabs of sourdough bread in front of us.
"So good..." Michelle moans around a mouthful of bread. "Ok, so spill. What's gotten you all worked up?"
"What do you think of Steven?" I ask, wanting to get her opinion first.
"The new guy?" she purses her lips thoughtfully. "He's kind of hot isn't he? Blonde hair, blue eyes, yummy. Most importantly, his handwriting is actually legible!" she laughs.
"Grey eyes," I murmur thoughtfully.
"Really? Could have sworn they were blue."
"Nope, definitely grey."
"Does someone have a crush?" she teases.
"No," I scowl. "He just said something strange to me. It's silly but I can't stop thinking about it." She looks at me expectantly and I sigh. "He thinks that Mr Brookman is... inappropriate. He intimated that he may have looked at my..." I wave my hands in the region of my chest, unwilling to say the words out loud.
"Finally!" Michelle squeals, rocking her chair back and forth in laughter. "I thought you'd never notice. I mean Mr Brookman is lovely but he really is a bit of a perv. Haven't you ever wondered why he went through four assistants the year before he hired you? You're always so prim and proper I was starting to think you'd never realise."
"He does not!" I exclaim in horror as Michelle continues to laugh. "Besides, I am not prim and proper," I pout.
"Maybe you're hiding your inner wild child deep inside," she concedes. "Way deep down."
"I would shock you with my wild side," I declare but as she laughs again my confidence deflates. "In any case, it still doesn't explain why Steven thinks I'm being harassed. It's not like Mr Brookman is really doing anything wrong. I mean I never even noticed!"
She shrugs, "maybe he's just jealous."
Hmm... Steven jealous, I'm not quite sure what to think of that.
*****
The following day work returns to normal and with the partners tied up in meetings all morning it's easy to forget what happened yesterday. However when Mr Brookman comes rushing over to my desk with an armful of case files in the afternoon, I feel myself tense. Steven and Michelle's words come rushing back to me and I blush as I stand and take the files from him.
"Jen, could you be a dear and make a few quick changes to these letters before they go out today?"
