by Candis Terry
Unbidden, her fearless alter ego dove into the fantasy of what it would be like to coax a smile of satisfaction from those sultry lips. Or maybe, if she blindfolded him with that blue silk tie, what kind of smile she could entice by exploring his athletic body at her leisure. With her tongue.
A quiet little hum accidentally slipped from her mouth and he pierced her with a dark glare.
Yep.
No doubt about it. Something was definitely wrong.
When the men finally stood, signaling the end of the meeting, Brooke hit print on her laptop. Perfect timing before her misplaced thoughts got her in even more hot water.
“I’ll grab the notes off the printer.” When she pushed away from her chair she could feel the heat of displeasure in Dec’s eyes as he continued to talk with the Flavios.
Her hands trembled as she pulled the papers from the printer tray and she wondered if she could get back the deposit on her vacation. She should have read the fine print, but now she was just thankful she hadn’t paid for the whole thing. Sure, she’d been saving money so it wouldn’t hit her pocketbook too hard, but she’d been saving because she had her own professional dreams and aspirations. Not that she didn’t love working for Dec, but she didn’t want to be someone’s assistant forever. No matter how wildly he stirred her blood.
Dec inspired her to believe in herself. He paid her well, gave her amazing financial advice, which she put to good use, and since she shared a house with her best friend her rent wasn’t astronomical. She was on a good economic path to her future. But without a job her savings would go kaput fast, and her dream of someday becoming a business owner would fade into the sunset. On top of all that, she’d just be sad not to walk into the office every day and be able to see Dec sitting behind his enormous sleek black desk.
With her mind reeling over the potential problem, she took a calming breath and tapped the sheets of paper into a neat stack.
As soon as she walked back into Dec’s office his dark brows pulled together again. Looked like the end of her workday wasn’t going to end up half as good as the beginning.
Mostly because when she’d woken up this morning she’d been employed.
Brooke slid one set of the meeting notes into a manila envelope and handed it to Mr. Flavio. The other set she kept in her hand to be filed away before she went home—probably unemployed and heartbroken. Maybe she was imagining things. Maybe Dec’s intense glares weren’t meant for her. Maybe he was just under pressure and she just happened to be in his blue-eyed line of fire.
“Gentlemen,” she said. “If everything is wrapped up here, I’d be happy to see you to the door.”
The Flavios shook Dec’s hand then began to file toward her.
“Brooke?” When she turned to face her boss, his lips were flattened in an implacable line. “Once you see the Flavios out, please come back to my office.”
“Of course.”
The walk back to Dec’s office made her heart thump like a frightened rabbit’s. With the spare set of meeting notes clutched in her hand, she knocked on his office door.
“It’s open.” Dec’s terse response delivered a punch of proof that she had plenty of reason to worry.
Though everyone had gone home for the night and no one remained in the outer office, Brooke closed the door behind her. No sense letting the bad juju escape. And no sense waiting for the hammer to fall. Time to take matters—and the state of her employment—into her own trembling hands.
Shoulders rigid beneath his charcoal Hugo Boss, the man who held her immediate future in his hands stood near the window gazing at the beach scene below. He didn’t acknowledge that she’d entered the room.
And that ticked her off.
“Are you firing me?”
His head snapped around, eyes shooting blue sparks. “What?”
“Are you firing me?” Clutching the copies of the meeting notes tighter, she propped her hands on her hips and lifted her chin. “Because if you are, I’ll fight for my job. I won’t go down easy. I’ve worked hard. And you’ll go a long way before you find someone as dedicated to the success of this company as I am.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” He stepped away from the window. Came closer, then backed off like he’d been hit with a wave of heat. “I’m not firing you.”
She blinked. “You’re not?”
“Hell no.”
Relieved, her hands dropped to her sides. “Then what’s with all the glaring eyes and menacing frowns?”
“What frowns?”
“Like that.” She pointed. “The one on your face right now.”
“Of course I’m frowning now. Because I think you might have gone a little crazy. Either that or you had a drinking lunch.”
She gasped. “I don’t drink on the job.”
“Maybe you should. It might loosen you up a little.”
“I don’t think I’m the one who needs to loosen up.”
His brows slammed together. “Are you saying I’m too tense?”
How in God’s name did the man not realize that tense was his middle name?
“Well, I did just sit through that entire meeting wondering why you were going to fire me.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Dead.”
His long, and obviously perplexed, pause immediately made her want to smooth things over. That was her style. Had always been her style. She couldn’t stand it when people were mad. She’d always taken a peacemaker role, even when she knew her efforts would be wasted.
“Am I that difficult to work for?”
“Occasionally you do make me want to drink my lunch.” Her attempt at humor went nowhere. “But you’re not the worst boss I’ve ever had. At least you don’t make me clean toilets.”
“I don’t believe that’s in your job description.”
“Good. Because that’s where I’d have to draw the line.”
“I don’t know why you’d think I’d fire you.” He moved toward his desk. His big hands slid over the top of his executive chair and gripped the leather tight. “Unless there’s something you’re not telling me.”
She tsked. “So suspicious, boss man.”
“Do I have reason to be?”
“You don’t trust me?”
He hesitated and Brooke knew she really didn’t want to hear his response. The persistent hesitation in his eyes made her believe that overall, her boss wasn’t a very trusting kind of guy. And now that it felt like his suspicion had dropped a dark cloud over the room she decided to lighten things up.
“Maybe you’re right,” she said. “Maybe this was all just a ploy to get a raise.”
“You should go for it.” He knew she was kidding and showed it with the barest hint of a smile. “Perfect timing.”
All things considered, it wasn’t his half smile that caused the delicious shiver to ripple up her spine. That strike of awareness was brought on by the slow, sensual ride his gaze took over her body. Like he was considering a test-drive in a racy sports car.
Or was she imagining things again?
As long as she was walking on a razor’s edge, she guessed it wouldn’t hurt to test her theory.
“I hope you know by now that I don’t beg for anything.” She watched his face for any hint of a change when she added, “Well, that’s not necessarily true.”
Though his expression tightened, awareness flashed in his eyes like a hot streak of lightning. When he cleared his throat and held out his hand, Brooke noted the response and wondered just how far she could push the proverbial envelope.
“Are those the meeting notes?” He gave a sharp nod.
“Oh.” As though she’d forgotten, she looked down as she extended her hand to give them over. “Almost forgot.” She’d probably go to hell for that little white lie. Or maybe her ticket for the downtown train would be stamped for what she was about to do.
Moving her fingers apart, several sheets of paper accidentally floated to the carpet. As she bent down t
o retrieve them, she made the most of the pose and gave him the best opportunity for an eyeful. To her shameless delight, his gaze followed every movement like warm honey melting over every dip and curve she possessed.
Dec had never looked at her that way before, and she liked it a whole lot more than his recent scowls. While he may not have been considering firing her, she still didn’t know what prompted his obvious displeasure.
While he may be good at hiding his soft center, Brooke was equally good at paying attention to the slightest details. The little things he did that showed his heart. Like the unexpected bonus he’d given Andrea in human resources when her husband had broken his leg on his construction job and couldn’t work for three months to help support their family. Or all the donations and personal effort he put into the many charities he supported.
But how far could she reasonably push him on a personal level before he finally hit the gas or put on the brakes?
Was she willing to risk it all to take that chance?
“Sorry about that.” Once she gathered up the papers and handed him the notes, their fingers touched and his eyes sparked again.
While it wasn’t confirmation that he’d crossed the boss/employee line—in her mind—it certainly had them teetering on the edge. And it definitely offered encouragement.
After he glanced at the notes then dropped them on his desk, she asked, “So if the unemployment line isn’t in my near future, what was it you wanted to see me about?”
When he looked up, he was back in full Declan Kincade professional mode.
“I know it’s been a burden for you to hold things up here at the office and cover for me since my parents died. I wanted to thank you for that.”
“You don’t need to thank me.” She wondered if he even knew of the pain that etched into his handsome face at the mention of his loss. Or how much she wished she could take all that agony away and see him smile. “I can’t imagine how difficult this has all been for you and your family.”
“It hasn’t been easy. And apparently it’s not getting any better. I spoke with Ryan earlier today and he says I need to get back up there as soon as possible.”
Without all the details, Brooke had sensed there was more going on in their family than what normally occurred with such a loss. She’d been happy to go the extra mile when he needed her. And, no question, she’d go that mile again. She suddenly felt ridiculous and petty focusing on whether she’d still have a job tomorrow or whether he’d been looking at her in a suggestive way when all he’d been concerned with had been the state of his loved ones and their family legacy.
“How can I help?” she asked.
“I know we have a lot of meetings scheduled in the next couple of weeks and that some are ones that have already been rescheduled from when I was gone before. I hate to have to reschedule again.”
“I’m sure your clients will understand.”
“I don’t want to take that chance. It’s not fair for them to put aside their financial futures just because of my little situation.”
“But it’s not little, Dec. And if someone doesn’t understand then maybe they’re not the kind of client you really need.”
“I wish it was that easy. But we need every client we have if we’re going to open that Chicago office within the next year.”
“Maybe now isn’t a good time to move forward on that project when you already have enough on your plate.”
“You don’t understand.”
But she did.
She knew he needed that distraction right now. He needed something else to focus on aside from the current issues and the overwhelming sadness of his loss.
She’d gladly distract him and let him focus all that energy on her. But she understood what he meant. She empathized with him. And because there was the slightest chance that she was probably, most likely, absolutely, positively already in love with him, she wanted to step up and do what he needed her to do.
“Right now I’m just trying to figure out how to pull everything together and be out of town at the same time.” The tension in his voice matched the rigidity in his jaw.
“Well . . .” She gave her idea half a thought then said, “I could go with you.”
“No. Not necessary.”
His instant rejection stung, but it didn’t stop her from forging ahead.
“Why not? It would enable us to keep working while you deal with your family situation. It might ease some of the pressure from constantly having to call and check in with me. I could set up Skype meetings with your clients so you don’t have to reschedule. Basically I’d be right there handling things for you like usual.”
A long pause hung between them while he considered her proposal. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
For me wasn’t spoken, but Brooke heard the words loud and clear.
How did she let this man know she’d do anything for him without sounding too desperate or presumptuous?
“You don’t have to ask. I’m offering. My job description doesn’t say I’m only to perform my duties within these office walls, does it?”
“I doubt I added that particular clause.”
“Then if there’s access to the Internet, all I’d need is my laptop and my phone and we’re in business.”
He studied her, obviously weighing the pros, cons, and sheer insanity of the whole thing.
“Come on, Dec. It makes total sense.”
To her relief, he caved. “If you’re sure it wouldn’t interfere with your schedule.”
“Your schedule is my schedule.” She gave a nonchalant shrug. “What difference does it make where it’s handled?”
His shoulders visibly relaxed a smidge. “Then, if you wouldn’t mind before you go home, I’d like to book our flight.”
“Not a problem.” She went to her laptop, which was still open on the conference table, and opened her browser. “How soon would you like to leave?”
“As soon as possible.”
She browsed a few airlines’ websites and those flights from local airports were booked for the next few days.
“Aside from going standby or chartering a jet there’s not much available for the next forty-eight hours.”
“Not surprised.” Once again he’d moved away from his desk to the window and stood there, hands in pockets, looking out.
“There is another possibility.”
He glanced at her over his shoulder. “Which is?”
“We drive.”
“Drive?” He spoke the single word like the idea was preposterous.
“Sure. How do you usually get around when you get there?”
“I rent a car.”
“Well . . .” Quickly she searched the drive time and distance to Vancouver in her browser. “It’s roughly a fifteen-hour drive. You can either waste time waiting on standby in the airport or shelling out a fortune for a charter. You’ll need a car once you get there, so driving is probably faster, more economical, and a reasonable alternative.”
He remained absolutely expressionless and silent.
“If you’re worried about the time behind the wheel, I can help. I promise I haven’t had a traffic ticket since they issued my license.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust your driving.”
“Then what’s the issue?”
“That’s a long time. In a car.”
“Afraid you’ll get bored?”
“No.”
“Are you afraid your butt will fall off?”
“No.”
“Aha.” She pointed. “You smiled.”
“No I didn’t.”
“You did too.”
His brows slammed together again as though finding something humorous was a sin.
“Be realistic, Dec. Driving is a solid option.” She’d pushed just enough and hoped he’d bend. “My only goal is to give you everything you really need.”
Even if what he really needed had never crossed his mind.
Chapter 2
Morning peeked its sunny little head above the horizon way too soon for Dec, who hadn’t slept all night. His sheets were tangled, a headache poked him between the eyes, and dread pounded his brain like a cheap whiskey hangover.
On a normal day he was an early riser. Even on weekends he had a pot of coffee going and the financial news up on the TV before the alarm went off.
Today was anything but normal.
Today he’d set himself up for a disaster. How he’d allowed Brooke to convince him that driving to Vancouver was a good idea was anyone’s guess. At the same time, he had to admit he hadn’t felt this heightened level of anticipation since . . . he couldn’t remember when.
After he’d left the office last night he’d needed an outside opinion that his plans weren’t out of line. Or at least a ride to the loony bin. Though his brothers were miles away and busy with their own lives, he’d needed someone—anyone—to talk him off the ledge of what-the-hell-did-I-just-do.
After Brooke had driven out of the parking lot in her little red car, he’d made a call to his most level-headed brother.
The conversation with Ryan began with the usual small talk of business and family. He learned that Ryan’s little girl, Riley, was having trouble sleeping because of nightmares. Jordan and his fiancée, Lucy, were sampling wedding cakes. Ethan was clearing out the old barn, apparently in search of the lost treasure. Parker continued to split his time between working long hours with his food truck business and juggling duties at the vineyard. And their baby sister, Nicole, was still contemplating taking off to Nashville to start her music career now that she’d graduated high school.
Dec believed now was a horrible time for Nicki to make such a life-changing decision. Especially since her entire world had been thrown into upheaval. Not only had she lost the mother she’d been very close to, she was still reeling from the comments made by their father right before he’d died. Comments that had led Nicki to believe he didn’t love her and that maybe she wasn’t really even his daughter.
