His (Personal) Assistant

A ROUTINE

Nine Months Later

"Morning," Annika said, falling into step beside Shivaay the moment he stepped off the elevator, passing him his usual coffee and a stack of File. "Here are the records you asked for."

"How d'you do that?" Shivaay asked, rubbing his eyes, exhausted, and gulping coffee gratefully as he accepted the stack of Files. He'd had a very late night and very little sleep, courtesy of the young lady who was presumably still asleep in his bed, and was feeling nettled by Annika's unquenchable perkiness and uncanny knack for knowing exactly when he arrived, despite the hour.

"I listen and I take notes," she replied smartly. Shivaay glared.

S: "I meant how d'you always know exactly when I'm going to get off the damn elevator?"

"Oh," she said, smiling widely. "Easy, I just bribed the security with a weekly tea, so they would message me everytime when you come to the office."

"When did you do this?" he asked, and Annika shrugged.

"About a week after I was hired." She switched her clipboard and notebook to the other arm. "I figured it would be better to be prepared for when you come in early." She smiled brightly. "Or late," she added pointedly, glancing down at her watch.

Shivaay grunted, and the cunning girl could tell he was impressed, though he'd never admit it. "Is this all of them this time?"

"All the ones they sent over, but Mishraji said he'd send on any more that may have been 'temporarily misplaced'."

"Good," Shivaay said as they turned into the office. "Call him and tell him I want them no later than tomorrow afternoon."

"It's done, I sent it out when the first batch came in, but I'll send him another. Also, you've got a ten o'clock appointment with the Inter-Departmental Liaison, she's angling to merge the Committee for American affairs with Canadian one and is practically frothing at the mouth to get the Minister's ear and make her case, so she'll probably push you to ask him, and I've booked you in at the Taj for lunch with Raheja to go over the proposal for the new Educational Grants, and your mother called, she needs you to contact her ASAP, wouldn't leave a message with me, but it sounded important. Oh, and you've got the charity gala tonight for Seven Hills Hospital. Khanna should have your Tuxedo waiting when you get home and there's a car scheduled to pick you up at seven, unless you'd prefer any other means."

"Which would you prefer?" he asked, sitting down and flipping through the stack of Files idly, not noticing Annika's stunned expression.

"Uh, sorry, what?" she stuttered.

Shivaay glanced up at her. "Which method of transportation would you prefer?" he repeated slowly, as though speaking to someone who didn't have a full grasp on the English language.

"Why does my preference matter?" she asked, the dull weight of dread that she was about to be asked to do something unpleasant settling in her stomach.

"You're coming with me," the arrogant man in him replied, cocking a brow as he smirked lightly at her. "I don't have time to ask anyone, and I can't go without a date, so you can tag along this time."

"I can call Ragini, or Tina, or Pakhi, or whoever your latest companion is and ask them," Annika said hurriedly, waving her hand as though to brush away the suggestion she go with him to the event. "I'm sure whichever girl it is will be thrilled, so I'll get on that right away and get back to you." She smiled nervously and he grinned back, looking incredibly like some sort of large, predatory cat stalking cornered prey.

"No, it's really much simpler if you just come instead. Besides, I'm in meetings all afternoon, so I won't get the reply even if whoever you call responds. And her name was Ragini, but I doubt she'd answer back politely if you were to call her." He sat back, looking at his assistant over with appraising eyes, realizing that Annika was actually decidedly attractive, which had only happened a few times in the last half year. Her long, vibrant hair waved over her shoulders and down her back today, free from its usual bun, and contrasted with her plain back wool dress and slouchy grey boots perfectly. "So," he finally continued, prying his gaze away from her curves to her unenthusiastic expression, "now that that's settled, I suppose I should let you know it's a black-tie formal event, so wear something extra-nice, and since you won't decide, we'll take the car. Be ready for seven-thirty."