Chapter 14 - Bumping into Mr. Orpheus

I’ve had plenty of time to work out various scenarios of how I’d meet Mr. Orpheus. Grace and Rhea had told me that he was intense and that as he was quite busy right now with a particular merger, he was more stressed than normal, so I had everything between a coquettish smile and giggle to a firm handshake played out in my head. The main thing in every scenario was making it a memorable moment for him. Making him remember me. By bumping into him and then falling on my ass, I certainly accomplished that.

His gravelly and firm voice seemed to fill up the office, “Look where you’re going you stupid…”

Looking up at him with my glasses down on the tip of my nose made him blurry as all get out. But I could easily see that he was tall and well built. I make out his facial hair, how it was grey on his cheeks and chin but still dark brown on his moustache and just under his lips. His suit was obviously custom made as it fit him like a glove. And even though I couldn’t make his face come into focus, I could feel the intensity of his gaze. His pale blue eyes felt like they were seeing everything about me. Everything.

While I continued to just sit there like a bump on a log, staring up at my new boss, he clearly took over the situation. Bending forward he gripped me around my waist and lifted me up without any sign of effort and easily pulled me to my feet. While I smiled and felt my face turning red, Mr. Orpheus moved his hand to grip my upper arm and turn me to the side a bit and played at brushing the dust off me. He easily reminded me why I was there, however, when he ‘brushed’ the dust off my ass about seven or eight times, obviously enjoying the multiple feels.

His voice, no less intense, was quieter this time around, “I apologize, I should have been looking where you were going miss. Mrs. Birdie, am I to assume this graceful young lady is the new secretary that you’ve been singing the praises of so highly?”

I clear my throat as I feel my blush intensify. Even in my heels, Mr. Orpheus stands a good six inches taller than me, making me still look up at him while he possessively holds my arm and gives me back-handed compliment after back-handed compliment. How can he say nothing untoward yet still make me feel like I’m two feet tall? Ms. Birdie thankfully answered, “Yes Mr. Orpheus, this is Miss Paris Beaufort, your new executive personal assistant. I’ve finished all her new hire paperwork and am just giving her a basic tour. I’ll show her your office and her desk and have her report at six AM for you tomorrow where you can give her your orientation.”

Mr. Orpheus uses his grip on my arm to turn me side to side as he looks me over. Oddly, it’s less about being manhandled in this manner and more about his level of intensity that’s putting me off my game. I feel like he’s honestly judging me like a prized piece of meat… and that I’m somehow coming up lacking even though I know Grace and Rhea have ‘designed’ me to be perfect for him. And his voice is even quieter now but still maintains that level of command that I feel I’m going to grow accustomed to, “Very well. We’ll see if she works out. Welcome to my team Paris.”

As if it were nothing more personal than a pat to my shoulder, Mr. Orpheus gives me a little slap to my rear, turns, and walks back from where he came. When I feel that he’s far enough away that we’re no longer in his sphere of influence I turn to Rhea and ask, “I can’t believe I fell when I met him. God! Is he always like that?”

Rhea’s answer chills me as her face remains impassive, telling me that she’s not joking in the least, “No. He’s normally not that calm and nice. He’s under a lot of stress though so he’s probably pre-occupied. Come along.”

My tour continues and includes the break room which evidently is the central breakroom of the entire corporation. Staff from the 31st floor all the way up to the 37th floor come here to the 34th floor’s break room. It not only has a large commercial coffee and espresso machine, it has two. The room is luxuriously appointed with comfortable seating and plenty of room for easily fifty people.

The entire office floor is laid out rather chaotically, as it includes three different departments. The Sales and Marketing departments both have staff here even though they together primarily share the 35th floor. There’s no rhyme or reason to wear various staff member’s desks and offices are placed. The only consistent portion is that the left rear corner is all mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Orpheus’ department. While I would have assumed either the sales or the marketing departments would be the most well dressed, it’s easy to pick out anybody that works in M&A as they are dressed like models. It’s mostly men, but even the women are wearing custom fitted clothes and expensive jewelry.

While there are several managers on the floor, including Grace, there is only one director. Mr. Orpheus. Evidently the executive team all work on the 37th floor. CEO, CFO, CTO, COO, all the C-whatever-Os. The vice presidents primarily work on the 36th floor. Sales and Marketing, along with their directors, work on the 35th. The 33rd and 32nd are where almost all of the work gets done and is much more crowded with cubicles filling up most of the space. And of course, the administration floor, the 31st, where Rhea works. But only the 34th floor is said to have a ‘boss’. Mr. Orpheus. The CEO might have a better office, but it seems Mr. Orpheus gets his own floor.

When we finally get to the back corner, I immediately spot my desk. All the desks that I saw in various offices, all the desks I saw out in the open floor, and all the desks I saw other executive assistants sitting at were all closed in front offering plenty of privacy. Not mine. My desk was lovely, but it was more or less a large piece of wood held up by four stylishly skinny slanted legs. I could see all the cables were hidden in a cable duct running along one of the legs letting it look clean. But anybody coming toward Mr. Orpheus’ office from halfway across the floor would have a clear view of my legs.

I had assumed that when tucked up under my desk I’d get some basic relief and be able to sit ‘normally’. With my legs slightly spread to give my privates some space. But with this desk I’d have to sit with my legs always crossed to protect my modesty, especially with the short skirts I’ll be wearing all the time. Hell, if I wasn’t careful, I’d be having a Sharon Stone moment with horribly different results.

Ms. Birdie pulls the chair out from behind my desk as she shows me my workspace, “As you can see, Mr. Orpheus doesn’t spare expenses when it comes to his staff. You’ll find this chair to be very comfortable when you’re in it. He also likes his executive assistant’s workspace to be clean, simple, and feminine. To him, pink equipment is feminine, so your desk mat, keyboard, mouse, and monitor are all pink. You have these three drawers on the side, but plenty more storage in the filing cabinets behind you. Your keys, which Mr. Orpheus will give you tomorrow, will unlock everything out here that you need access to, including your desk. He’ll expect you to have flowers on both your and his desk and they should be fresh at least three days a week.”

Looking over the workspace tells me everything I need to know and fits the narrative Grace and Rhea have spelled out about Mr. Orpheus. I’m to be out in front and on display. Even the desks and workstations surrounding this area are arranged so that anybody approaching Mr. Orpheus’ office will see me well in advance of me noticing them. And while Mr. Orpheus’ office wall is glass, most of it is covered by privacy blinds that are currently closed. Though there is a mirror right next to his door… that I’m fairly sure it’s one way glass allowing him a perfect view of me working.

When Rhea walks us into Mr. Orpheus’ empty office, I see that I was right, the glass lets him look out without anybody seeing in. When sitting at his desk, he’ll be able to see me sitting in my comfortable chair. My chair, with its mesh back, that he’ll be able to see through. Even my chair won’t provide me with privacy.

Mr. Orpheus’ office is very large. His desk is easily twice the size of mine with a space for his computer to the side and a large space directly in front of him for paperwork. Two comfortable chairs sit at angles in front of the desk, though I see that they’re lower than normal chairs, making any guests he sees look up at him. I’d wager that even as tall as he is, Mr. Orpheus’ own executive chair is raised up higher than it needs to be. The two exterior walls of the office are floor to ceiling glass and have a magnificent view. It includes the city, the Chicago River, the John Hancock Center or whatever they’re calling it now, and of course Lake Michigan. It is literally a million-dollar view.

There’s an entirely secondary seating and work area as well as a lounging area with a large plush couch. Overall, the office is very tidy and I imagine housekeeping is in here every morning and every evening keeping it this way. After I get a chance to look over most of the space Ms. Birdie starts guiding me out, “I’m sure he’ll let you know what’s important in here. He doesn’t let many people in so I couldn’t tell you what he needs you to know and what can be ignored.

With the tour done, we spent a few more minutes in Ms. Birdie’s office. She gives me another rundown of what to expect but it mostly boils down to doing whatever Mr. Orpheus says since he’s eccentric with his personal assistants. I get a list of important phone numbers as well as the company directory with every number in it and am told that I can always contact her if I’m not sure where to go for help.

Ms. Birdie’s final reminder is that while we don’t have all the time in the world, I should spend a couple days getting used to working on the 34th floor, meeting the other assistants and staff. I should at least appear to be blending in as a new employee so that I don’t rouse any suspicion with my boss. But if I see an opportunity for Mr. Orpheus to ‘sexually ****’ me, I should take it and be done with this whole project as soon as possible.

On my way out I see that Trixie is packing up for the day. When she looks up, she smiles at me and perkily asks if I’d like to go downstairs and get a cup of coffee before heading home. Seeing it as a good opportunity to see what Mr. Orpheus likes in a personal assistant, as well as getting to spend time with a beautiful woman, I take her up on the offer. Over a cappuccino, Trixie and I chat about anything and everything. It gives me a good opportunity to practice chatting about myself. My Paris self. Trixie’s whole upbeat attitude is infectious, and I find myself laughing and having a good time in her company. I only realize later that I haven’t had that experience with women before as she wasn’t reacting to me as a man. She was reacting to me as a fellow woman. I already knew I could pass, but sitting so close to a woman like Trixie, having her let her guard down, and see me in a casual way and still be fooled was a huge confidence booster.

When we’re about to part ways I mention that we should do this on a regular basis, get a coffee before we go home. Trixie giggles as she gives me a goodbye hug, “Oh that’s funny Paris. Honey, we won’t leave at, like, the same time. Malachi will just eat you up and keep you here to all hours of the night!”

The ride home on the train isn’t as bad as the morning was. As Grace said, I’m getting more comfortable being seen as Paris. I’m sure if this lasted long enough it would become perfectly normal, but as this will only last a few weeks at most, I won’t have that much time to get THAT acclimated to being seen as Paris.