A recently promoted peer is making waves

Cheryl was in Vanessa's office in a heartbeat, coffee carefully placed on Vanessa's mahogany desk, laptop at the ready. The girl was nothing if not efficient, and Vanessa leaned on her a lot. Cheryl had her own business degree, and her own ambitions; and Vanessa encouraged them and included Cheryl in even the deeper aspects of her work.

It cut into Cheryl's weekends, sometimes, but Vanessa never asked her secretary to work hours that she wasn't working herself, and despite some occasional annoyance Vanessa knew that Cheryl did appreciate the experience... and being paid quite a bit higher than any other secretary at her level. Lord knows Vanessa appreciated the help, and having more than a pretty floozy to bounce ideas off of. Being an attractive woman herself, having experienced many advantages, disadvantages, and temptations associated with having good looks, Vanessa was happy to see a beautiful young woman like Cheryl not just relying on her face and body to get what she wanted. Like Vanessa, she was choosing to instead rely on her own ambition and brains to secure her future for herself.

Cheryl eyed Vanessa's desk. It was normally meticulously organized, but now it was a frightening mess of sticky notes and papers. Most of Vanessa's work was kept electronically, but she was just old enough that for some things she preferred to have a paper copy on hand, and so were a few others in the office that collaborated with her. In times like these, it piled up.

"We cleared your desk just two days ago. Is all this just about Mr. Barrington's latest move? I heard that he -"

"It's not just Brand making the moves," Vanessa responded, keeping her voice kind despite cutting the girl off. She did cut Cheryl off, though, she was a little tired of hearing about the TAC's recently promoted shark, and didn't need to hear about what he had done when the evidence was written all over her desk. Yes, he was making a lot of progress, maneuvering and snapping up all kinds of territory, but he worried her. Someone like him was great for gaining ground, but not for keeping it, and the company that she had helped build had grown plenty and kept growing healthily by being steady in its maneuvers. By having a plan for what it bit off, and by keeping its reputation clean enough that having give-and-take with its favors meant something. Brand didn't care about that, didn't care about TAC. He just wanted another kill. Vanessa was fine with that as long as he was kept on a leash, and as long as he wasn't kept around too long. Let him work, let there be some quick gains, let her and her colleagues that had to actually figure out what to do with what he had gained be overwhelmed for a time... and then get rid of him before he, his reputation, and even his fast-paced gains all became a liability for the company.

"I know that, but come on, you have to admit he's done a lot of exciting things, and plus he's soo..." Cheryl cut herself off this time, but she bit her lip. It was clear where she was going with her talk, changing from business to idle gossip before she caught herself, knowing that her boss didn't have any patience for it.

Vanessa sighed inwardly. She might have brains, but Cheryl spent too much time around the other young female secretaries - half of who would let even the married executives bang them at the drop of a hat provided they were halfway handsome (or even not at all handsome if they had enough power and nice enough suits to make them otherwise appealing), and almost all of who would talk about doing it even if they had enough sense to keep their legs closed.

"Let's just get started picking up the pieces of what he's smashed and left in our laps, shall we?"

Just as Vanessa was about to start, a tall, broad-shouldered figure appeared, leaning in her doorway.

"Who's smashed what? Sounds a little heavy for a pair of beauties like yourselves."

Like the devil. Vanessa ground her teeth at the casual sexism, but it was hardly the worst she had received in her office.

Brand. Big, trim, clean-shaven, with sandy brown hair and gray eyes.

"Why don't you run along gorgeous?" He made enough room for Cheryl to leave, if she got close to him, "Sorry, I don't mean you, Ms. Lockley," Brand smiled at his own pathetic little joke, as if his intent wasn't clear.

Cheryl made a move to pick up her things.

"You can stay right there Cheryl," Vanessa knew he was baiting her. Hell, it's what he did. But coming into her office, ordering around her assistant - with a man like Brand everything had a meaning, it was always about control. She wouldn't let him...

Cheryl hesitated, rather than sitting back down. Vanessa had to struggle to keep her face even, to keep the simmering inside from being written on her features or in her eyes. Cheryl was not at all under his control, Vanessa was the girl's boss, and here her own secretary was conflicted about which one of them to listen to. In Vanessa's world, and even more in Brand's, that was already a point for him. God dammit, she hated this macho shit.

Brand smirked. Vanessa wanted to throw her fresh coffee in his face. She didn't have time for his stupid power plays.

"Ms. Lockley, trust me," Like she would trust a snake, "This isn't just business, or gossip, or..." Brand looked Vanessa up and down, and under his unsubtle little eye-**** she felt... stripped. She couldn't avoid being aware of her long, smooth dark legs under her desk, her tight black business skirt, her classy blouse and suit-top above it that concealed her large bust. Vanessa resisted the urge to shift her body under his gaze. She concentrated instead on looking right back at him, controlling her features to not reveal any emotion, any annoyance that she felt internally.

"... That is, it's something personal." Brand's gray eyes were less playful now. His mouth was a more serious line.

"I don't have anything personal to talk about with you, Brand. We've got work to do."

"We do have something to talk about." It was a statement, and in an instant all the jabbing humor was gone. Brand's hand, which had been casually held behind him, the one not eating the apple, revealed itself and flicked a paperclip-shut manila envelope across the room to land perfectly on Vanessa's desk. "You can go now... Carol, was it?" His eyes warmed up for Vanessa's secretary for a moment.

"Cheryl, sir," God, Cheryl just had to use some kind of honorific when he didn't even recall her name. Vanessa wanted to slap the girl. At least she looked back at her boss for permission, and Vanessa gave a curt nod. The pretty brunette just barely squeezed by the large invader, brushing close, and Brand made no effort to hide looking at her swaying backside walk away until she smoothly sat down at her desk.

Brand shut the heavy oak door.

Vanessa folded her hands on her desk, wishing she could ask him to sit without revealing how small she felt while sitting herself - under his piercing gaze, the shadow of his broad shoulders, all alone with him.

"What is this all about, Brand?"