Nervous Colleague

My reputation in the corporation I work in is of the Hatchet man brought into reduce staff and increase productivity. But I'd moved on in the company with my last promotion, just another executive and put in charge of R&D. But my arrival made everybody nervous, the corporation put a lot into R&D. It was results that mattered in R&D not how many staff there was, cutting staff meant losing highly qualified people who were very hard to replace when required. So, R&D was exempt from cuts mostly, but they weren't told that, it also helped to keep them on their toes. At 47 divorced and single again, I wasn't in any hurry for any relationship. My first weeks were getting to know my staff and the work being done. I soon realized one colleague 36 was extremely nervous around me, at first, I thought a bit amusing. Then she had a panic attack, so I'd her in my office laying on my couch to recover. One calmer I told her I wasn't there to fire anybody, and her job was completely safe. But it didn't calm her much if at all, as I was entitled to an assistant and had yet to find one. I decided having her as my assistant might give her the reassurance she needed. So, I'd her come to my office next morning, telling them to tell her when they told her she was wanted in my office her job was safe. She arrived nervous but at least not panicking, I straight asked her would she like to be my assistant and what it all entailed. A slight promotion I thought help her fearing losing her job. It did to some extent but then worry about failing and needing to travel at short notice started to make her nervous again. But at least I was quick to spot it, told her I'd complete confidence in her abilities to be my assistant. But where she lived made getting to the airport quickly a challenge, I'd bought a house 3bedrooms 1bathroom with an annex 1bedroom bathroom kitchenette attached. I offered it to her as a better place to live and it would allow us to travel together wherever we were going at the time. She accepted as it was at no rent and would give her some peace of mind. The next couple of months she greatly relaxed when with me and she is a very good assistant. By then I'd started thinking of starting to socialize again, no woman in mind of asking out. Then away on a trip to a trade show, as we were preparing for our return. I was called on to investigate a small business, it meant drive for over an hour and looking at the business. A day trip I thought, had our flight home booked for that night. No hotel bookings, we hired a car drove and done the investigation. It was raining when we left to do the investigation and was still raining when were finished and headed back to catch our flight. About halfway back there was a landslide, blocking the access to the only bridge we'd to cross. The work gang would be hours clearing it and we would miss our plane. We change our booking to the next evening and returned several miles to a small town; it had a motel. Nothing flash but it would at least give us beds for the night. Beds no bed yes only one room was available, and it had a double bed. But we could share a room for one night we were adults; we'd no other choice anyway. Well, one thing led to another and the closest of our work relationship became sexual. After 10am next morning the road was reported clear and open again, on returning home she joined me in my bed and is still sleeping with me still. No longer nervous and very happy in our relationship, I've started thinking she might make me a great wife. But haven't asked her to marry as yet.