Powerful Men 2: Four More Alphas Who Seize Control by Carla Kane

looked her up and down like she was a chocolate desert, laid out before him on a plate, fit for devouring. ‘And who do we have here?’ he smiled.
    ‘Suzie Armstrong,’ June introduced, ‘she’ll be Mr. Sugar’s new secretary. Suzie, this is Tommy Harlan, senior partner.’
    ‘How do you do Mr. Harlan sir,’ Suzie bowed.
    ‘I’m a little lit,’ Tommy quipped, ‘but hell it’s not too early is it? Ten thirty on a Monday morning?’
    Suzie didn’t reply. She wasn’t sure whether he was joking or not.
    ‘So your Sugar’s new gal, huh?’ Tommy asked, checking her out a little closer, ‘well good luck to you kid. You’re going to need it with that guy.’
    The senior partner lit a smoke and then headed off across the room. ‘June,’ he called behind him, as he went, ‘hold all my calls. I need to lie down for a minute.’
    ‘Yes sir!’ June replied and then shot Suzie a look which said; yes, I completely understand your shock here. She pulled out the chair of Suzie’s desk and held it for her. ‘Well why don’t you try it out,’ she offered.
    Suzie sat down and as soon as her butt touched the seat the telephone on the desk rang. She glanced up at June in shock.
    ‘Well pick it up,’ the other woman said.
    Tentatively, Suzie lifted the receiver to her ear. ‘Hello?’ she said, ‘Mr. Sugar. What can I do for you?’
    There was a pause at the other end of the line and then a deep, husky masculine voice spoke. ‘Who is this?’ it said.
    ‘Suzie glanced up at June again. June nodded to her. ‘It’s Suzie Armstrong sir. Your new secretary.’
    There was another pause before he spoke again. ‘Oh, well then welcome to Harlan Fisher.’ There was something about his voice, so deep and sexy, that reverberated through Suzie’s body as he spoke. Whatever man was attached to that voice, he was obviously nothing like the other men she’d met that day. ‘Hold on,’ he said, ‘I’m coming out.’
    The line went dead. Suzie held it in her hand for a second and then put it down on the receiver. ‘He’s coming out,’ she said.
    ‘Well get up then,’ June told her, ‘and get ready to introduce yourself.’
    Suzie stood up briskly and tried to straighten out her long tweed skirt as the door to Mr. Sugar’s office swung open and the man himself emerged.
    He was big and handsome, with a rigid posture which seemed to radiate power and inner-confidence. He had a strong, stern jawline and stony intelligent blue eyes around which there was a certain tightness that seemed to suggest some sadness or hardship from the distant past. Or maybe it was just a hangover. He smiled professionally and put out his hand.
    ‘Jon Sugar,’ he said, ‘welcome to the company.’
    Suzie grinned girlishly and shook his hand. ‘Thank you Mr. Sugar,’ she said, ‘it’s an honor to work here. I’ve heard so much about you all.’
    ‘Yes well we’ll see about that,’ Jon smiled, glancing slyly at June as if to share some private joke. ‘June,’ he said, ‘how are you this morning?’
    ‘Wonderful Mr. Sugar,’ June replied batting her eyelids salaciously, ‘thank you for asking.’
    ‘Ok,’ Jon said and turned his powerful frame back towards the rest of the room. With his eyes closed to slits, he surveyed the workspace with the cold gaze of a general. He turned back to June again. ‘What time are the Poppie’s Nuts people due in?’
    ‘Half an hour,’ June said, ‘but they’re usually late.’
    ‘And the conference room is all set up?’
    ‘Yes. It’s the prawn cocktail today.’
    ‘Good. Ok, I’m going down to Tommy’s office. Make sure no one goes into mine while I’m away.’ Jon Sugar began striding purposefully across the floor.
    ‘Mr. Sugar!’ June called urgently, ‘Mr. Harlan is lying down. He asked not to be disturbed.’
    ‘I didn’t hear that,’ Jon called back as he disappeared across the room.
    June looked at Suzie and shook her head wearily. ‘Sometimes I wonder why I even