Shifting his weight nervously from one foot to the other, Roger took advantage of the time to stare at the receptionist. She was stunning, and well worth a second look.

The word “elfin” immediately came to mind. The girl had incredibly delicate features, narrow cheekbones, and long upward-sweeping eyebrows. She wore no makeup and needed none.

Her nose was best described as pixieish, while her thin, ruby-red lips, pressed tightly together, spoke of a hint of sensuality. A fluffy mass of light brown hair fell in immense curls past her back and down her shoulders.

She wore a long-sleeved, multicolored dress that left her golden shoulders bare. Loops of thin gold chain circled her neck and emphasized the healthy glow of her skin. No rings on her fingers, he noted with silent approval, though it was hard to imagine a girl this stunning was unattached.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” she giggled, resting the book on her desk. Dark brown eyes gazed deep into his. “No matter how many times I read The Lord of the Rings, I always have trouble putting it down.”

“Yeah,” said Jack dreamily, still lost in her eyes, “I know what you mean.”

The girl smiled, quickening his heartbeat even further. “Can I help you with something?”

Jack inhaled deeply, feeling foolish. “I’m here about the ad in the paper. The one about a job.”

“Really?” asked the girl, sounding a bit surprised. She squinted at Jack, as if trying to spot something not seen before. “That’s a surprise.”

Then, hurriedly, seeing the shattered look that passed across his face, “No, nothing personal about you, silly. When we placed the ad, we didn’t expect any responses for a week or more. It just appeared in the paper yesterday. I’m amazed that somebody in the Chicago area answered.” Almost as an afterthought, she added, “Actually, I think you’re kinda cute.”