Starting Over - Loki (COMPLETE)

16) Coffee, Ms Rushman?

"I thought we needed an assistant," Tony said carelessly to Loki one morning.

"Oh, really?" Loki raised an eyebrow.

"I've already hired one so don't worry about it. A Natalie Rushman. Fluent in Latin of all things."

Loki helped himself to some granola.

"Sounds infinitely useful," he muttered.

"Don't mock the dead language speakers," Tony warned, amused. "Anyway, she's starting today. I'll be giving her a tour this morning but perhaps you could pop by at some point too?"

"I assume she's attractive, then," Loki commented astutely.

Tony grinned.

"Very."

"Tony, not every woman is there for you to ogle. In fact, no woman is there for you to ogle. Ask their permission first. I don't want her filing a sexual harassment case against you."

"As if," scoffed Tony. "I'm a womaniser, not a barbarian."

"Good to hear," Loki muttered. "Otherwise I'll be having words."

Tony waved at him dismissively, words already forgotten. He slid a manila file across the table.

"Here's her resume in case you're now doubting my ability to hire useful people," he said, a knowing look in his eyes.

"Damn right you are," Loki replied. "She'd better be good at her job. Knowing you she won't be so I want the money saved by firing her to go to a good cause. The next PA needs my seal of approval."

"Copy that."

*

In the afternoon, Loki stopped by Miss Rushman's desk to see how she was settling in. S&W's headquarters were huge and often very noisy because of the R&D department down in the basement but their new assistant had been given a desk on Tony and Loki's floor, right outside each of their offices. Miss Rushman was a petite, elegant-looking woman with medium-length red hair and sharp eyes. Loki could tell that this was someone who knew what she was doing. He supposed Tony wasn't terrible at appointing people after all.

"Hello," he said quietly, so as not to startle her if she was, indeed, a normal assistant, rather than a spy for Hammer Industries or perhaps even a hooker - Loki wouldn't be particularly surprised if either was the case.

She looked up and smiled.

"You must be Mr Walker, my new boss."

"Indeed I am," Loki smiled back. "I hope you are settling in well?"

"Yes, thank you. Everybody has been very helpful, especially Mr Stark."

Boy was Loki going to kill that man.

"That's nice of him," he replied instead. "I have some time this evening... I wondered whether you would like to have a drink with me after work?"

"Will it be an establishment suited to alcoholism, or one where coffee is the beverage of choice?" She asked astutely.

He gave her an assessing look. Her posture indicated that the former was the better choice.