“Why can’t you do this?”
“It’s rather like the nations where one can’t have one’s head higher than the king’s. If I did my own scheduling at my secretary’s office, I would lose dignity. No one would respect my authority at the corporation any longer.”
“The board would strip you of your title, and you’d lose your pension?” she smirked.
“Exactly. I have to retain my elitist appearance. It must not be said that I attend to my own menial tasks.”
“No, you just ask employees for dates and then make us adjust your schedule accordingly. Do I need to make dinner reservations too? Brush your teeth for you?” she teased.
“No, I’m sure Gina can take care of that during business hours.”
“Do you make her brush your teeth?”
“No. Certainly not. I have a separate assistant to take care of my dry cleaning and dental hygiene needs,” he said with a playful gleam in his gorgeous eyes.
“Remind me not to apply for any openings on this floor. I might end up flossing your teeth or trimming your toenails,” she said dryly as she shuffled scheduled events into other time slots.
“Now tell me where you’ve always wanted to go in the city. I’ll make it happen. There’s no club I can’t get into, no restaurant whose waiting list won’t bump me to the top.”
“That does sound impressive. But how about something more simple?”
“What? I am offering to spread this city at your feet. What would you like to do?”
“We could go for Thai food. I love noodles.”
“That’s it? This great city awaits, and you want a bowl of noodles?”
“Hey, you offer me anything I want, you don’t get to judge me. I could always change my mind and say I want to go to McDonald’s drive-thru.”
That’s just embarrassing. Stop before I make you restore all my Tuesday evening events to their original scheduled times in disgust.”
“You wouldn’t dare. I’d refuse to reschedule, and you’d be stuck here glaring at the computer with no one to work it for you.”
“I know perfectly well how to use the scheduling interface.”
“I know, your majesty, you just think it’s beneath you! So, I’ve got you hemmed in here. Tuesday your time is mine. Noodles. Maybe an old samurai film if I can drag you to a revival house. Don’t wear a tuxedo or something fancy. I’m wearing jeans.”
“Will you wear the flats I sent you?”
“Only if you won’t be bizarre about my feet and keep looking at them. Like you are now.”
“You’re not even wearing them now,” he protested.
“Which you know BECAUSE you’ve been staring at my feet,” she laughed.
“Would you like me to send a car for you? Where do you live?”
“Like you don’t have my HR file, stalker,” she said, “I’ll just meet you at the restaurant when you tell me where.”
“I suppose I can have Gina message you the arrangements.?
?
“Right. Because if you made reservations, your crown would slip off.”
“There are a great many things you might slip off of me, and a number of your garments that would look better on my floor.”
“Stop. I’m going on one date with you. The idea is to demonstrate to you that we are not two people who should get engaged. Or have any kind of physical contact.”