Here Comes the New Boss...

Juliet O'Neil loved the library. Since she had been a young girl, it had been a place of safety and comfort for her. Surrounded by the rising walls of shelves lined with books, she felt as if she could lose herself amidst the sea of pages. She knew exactly where everything went; every book and every shelf, and to most visitors, the sight of her cutting back and forth across the floor with a bundle of books in her hands was not exactly a rare one.

Juliet was popular; everyone liked her. How could they not? Aged thirty nine, she was pretty with blond hair and blue eyes. Her body was lithe, and she worked out regularly to keep it that way. Her skin showed not a mark or a blemish, but far more important than all of that was the sense of confidence that she seemed to exude. There are people in this world who talk about the allure of an older woman, who might tell you that while youth has an attraction, that **** pales when compared to the gravity of a woman who is aware of her own sexuality, who has explored herself and who knows exactly who and what she is.

Juliet O'Neil was proof that such arguments were not totally invalid. As she made her way through the library that day, there were many people who turned to gaze at her, their hungry eyes following in her wake. She smiled to herself, soaking it up. Yeah, she knew that she was good looking. She knew that she was sexy. She basked in it. It was part of her and she loved it.

Confidence, that was the key. Juliet lived for the gaze of the people around her, she loved to be at the centre of the stage. She was a performer in a way. She knew the effect that her body had, and she enjoyed it.

But those who thought that her body was all she had were in for a rude awakening. Juliet was fiercely intelligent, and just as proud of her mind as she was of her looks. Juliet prided herself on being the very best she could be, and she lived her life with that in mind. But little did she know that today she would be facing a unique challenge and it started with a meeting.

"We have a problem, Juliet."

Lyra was the senior librarian. A severe-looking woman with flashing green eyes and dark hair cut short. Her skin was pale, and she wore a pair of spectacles whose primary purpose seemed to be to magnify her already considerable gaze. She was around Juliet's age, though of smaller build.

They were in the office, which was not, in fact, an office. It was a backroom to the library, just out of sight of the main area. Here, librarians could retreat when they wanted a moment or two of peace though that had gotten somewhat rarer of late due to current events.

"What is it?" Juliet asked. "Are we running low on funds again? I know after last time that was a risk but-"

"The money is in a bad way, yes," Lyra nodded. "We did get that previous grant but you know her underfunded we are compared to other public utilities. Added to that, George has recently decided to leave us."

Juliet blinked.

"George? Why would he ever do that? he loves it here."

"Apparently he got a better offer. A senior position opened up in the city and they asked him to go. Better pay and a larger library. As you might imagine, that leaves us stretched."

Juliet nodded. It was true; previously they had been having trouble with only three people. Now they were down to two?

"Low on money, low on workers, low attendance and with no particular route towards improvement," Lyra outlined their problems one by one. "I won't lie to you. It looks bad. Very bad."

"I know that," Juliet said, feeling a tight ball of anxiety coiling in her gut. "But you can't seriously be suggesting we close down? Can't we just ride it out?"

"We've been riding it out for years," Lyra said. "It's not getting better. George going was the final straw. We have to admit that we're not going to recover form this."

"You can't be serious!" Juliet leaned forward on her chair. "I've been coming to this library since I was a little girl!"

"I'm sorry. I really am but that's how it stands at the moment. Unless we have more money _and _more attendance, I'm not going to be able to justify keeping us open.

Juliet said in her chair, saying nothing for several moments. Her chest heaved, and she tried to put into words the clashing storm of her emotions. It wasn't like she needed the library. She was more than well off enough to find another job easily. In terms of personal space, she had the home she shared with her family and the gym. Plenty of space there.

And yet, the library was special. it was the place she'd known almost for her whole life. Juliet had assembled herself around it, her life had turned and twisted like a river and it had been the only constant.

Now it was going away? She felt like it was sand slipping through her fingers! It was terrible, like being stabbed in the gut. The realisation that something you loved was going to be gone forever.

"There has to be something we can do," She said. "I'm not ready to just sit around and let this place close down."

"I do have had one idea..." Lyra said slowly. "Someone has recently stepped forward. They're quite wealthy and would be willing to sponsor us."

"So what's the problem?" Juliet asked. "I can tell there is one or we wouldn't even be having this conversation."

"They have conditions. New uniforms. New policies."

"That all sounds like standard stuff."

"Believe me, it isn't. Some of the stuff there is...odd. To be frank, it means major changes for us both. If you're willing to work through it. If not, there's not much point."

"What do you mean by that?" Juliet asked, her voice dripping with suspicion.

"Because one of the conditions was that you personally continue to work here. He's an admirer of yours. Seems like he has been for several years."

Juliet sat back, feeling the realisation dawning through her.

"And his policies? Are they the kind of things I think they are?"

"Yeah," Lyra looked to the ground. "The new uniforms are a lot less...everything. The policies are a lot more demeaning."

"And he won't give us the money if I personally am not here?"

"That's right."

Juliet closed her eyes. The fact of the matter was that she had had quite a few admirers over the years. Some for her mind but most for her body. It wasn't surprising that one of them wanted to move into a position where they'd have power over her. The question was, did she allow it to happen?

She thought of the library, and of all the times she had spent here. She thought of what it meant to her, and also she thought of Lyra to whom it also mattered so much.

Besides, she was no blushing schoolgirl. Juliet was confident in her own body. She was powerful and strong. What could this guy really do to her that she couldn't easily take?

"All right," she opened her eyes. "Let's do it."

"You sure about that?" Lyra asked. "You know what it might mean."

"Of course I do," Juliet said. "But I also know how much this place matters. Besides, how bad could it be?"

That was a question she would soon regret asking.