Andy chuckled. “I guess I was pretty transparent,” he admitted as the elevator door opened on fifteen and they got out. “But she’s worked for me since she got out of high school, and I’m protective of her.”
“High school? I thought she had a degree.” She might be beautiful, she might fill his dreams, but he expected a certain level of competence.
“She has her degree. She earned it at night while she worked here during the day. She has both experience and training, Jack. She’s the best I’ve got.”
Jack nodded. “With an endorsement like that, Andy, how can I go wrong?”
The man nodded in satisfaction as Jack opened the door to the cafeteria so Andy could roll in.
“You can’t, Jack. She’ll do a good job. Very detail-oriented.”
“You’ve convinced me. By the way, your prep work was quite impressive, too. If things turn out the way I think, I may turn over all my accounting work to Kane Haley, Inc.”
“Your suspicions are confirmed?”
“Not yet, but, unfortunately, I believe they will be. I guess the temptation was too great for Roger. I pay him a good salary, but he wanted more. I believe he's falsifying the amounts and skimming. I just can’t prove it yet.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah. How about here? There’s room for your chair at this table. I’ll go get the coffee.”
He brought two cups back and was turning to go back for a third when Sharon appeared. It startled him when his heart seemed to leap with pleasure. It was those dreams, nothing more. “Sit down, Sharon. I’ll go get the third cup.”
“No, thank you. I’ll have fruit juice.” As he turned to discover the location of juice, she added, “I’ll get it myself. Go ahead and drink your coffee before it gets cold.”
She left before he could argue with her. “Is she always this independent?”
“Yes, she is. And did I mention hard-working?”
“You’ve sold her, Andy, I promise,” he told the man with a grin.
Andy gave him a serene smile. “Good.”
Sharon took a long time to get her juice, but she finally joined them. As she sat down, the loudspeaker announced, “Mr. Huffman, you have an important phone call.”
Jack watched her eyes widen in apprehension, so he wasn’t surprised when she offered to take the phone call for her boss.
“No, I’ll get it. You two go ahead and get acquainted.” Andy rolled toward the door to the cafeteria. Sharon watched him go as if she’d just lost her best friend.
Jack waited until she faced him again. Then he got straight to the point, afraid she’d run away before he did. And took hold of her arm to be sure. “We need to talk.”
chapter three
Sharon wasn’t sure he’d recognized her, until he touched her. Until he demanded they talk. But she’d had several minutes, while she went to her office, then trodden the steps down to the cafeteria, to figure out her response, in case he had.
“No, we don’t. We’re going to work together, and I think we can do that. Nothing else matters.’’ She’d practiced those words in her mind as she’d used the stairs. They weren’t quite as formal as she’d hoped, but she thought he’d get the point.
Besides, the man hadn’t even recognized her. What did it matter to him?
“Sharon, I didn't know where to find you.”
Oh, yeah, like he’d cared. “The hospital would’ve been a good place to start looking.” She wasn’t going to let him think for a minute that she believed the concern in his voice.
“If you expected me to look for you, why did you leave without finding me?”
“Because, according to the nurse, you’d already left.”
“That’s what they told me about you.” His thumb, resting against the skin on her wrist, began moving in slow circles, all too reminiscent of his attempts to calm her in the elevator, and she jerked her arm away.
“I was there for three hours. I had a cut on my arm that needed a couple of stitches and they were busy.” Let him chew on that. She was pretty sure the best he’d had were bruises that required no care.
“You were cut?” he demanded, alarm in his voice.
“Stop it!” she said, louder than she intended, causing several people to turn and stare at them. If Kane Haley heard that she’d upset his biggest client, she’d be out of a job so fast, her head would spin. “Please, Mr. Waterton. I need my job. If we can keep everything on a professional level, I promise I’ll handle your work as you wish.”
“You think I’d have you fired? Don’t be ridiculous, I’d never—
“If Mr. Haley thought you were displeased—”
“Oh come on, he’s not a tyrant. He’s a very reasonable man.”
Sharon briefly closed her eyes. Of course, he was. But she knew how important this job was to him. And to her. She gathered her strength and looked at him. “I’ll do a good job. Now, if you’ll give me twenty-four hours, I’ll have all the adjustments made and ready to go. Shall I bring them to your office tomorrow?” She prayed he’d follow her lead.
After a determined stare, he sighed and said, “No, I’ll stop by your office tomorrow. Or we could have a working lunch?”
“No, thank you. I work better in the office.” She stood. “Perhaps you could come by after you have lunch tomorrow, to be sure I get everything done.”
“Yes, ma’am. Are you leaving before Andy gets back?”
“Andy’s phone calls are never short, Mr. Waterton. I’ll let him know our coffee break is over.”
“Jack,” he said forcefully. The least you can do is call me Jack.”
“Of course, Mr.—Jack. Tomorrow.” Then she walked out of the cafeteria!—and sagged against the wall when she was out of sight.
Now what was he supposed to do? He’d intended to apologize for—for making love to her? Hardly. He didn’t regret that. The loving had been the sweetest he’d ever experienced. Probably because of the adrenaline the danger had evoked.
But he hadn’t been able to forget it.
His sister had picked him up from the hospital and taken him to his condo because he had a flight out of Chicago that night. His parents had invited both him and his sister and her husband to visit them in Florida to discuss several investments they’d made and the new will they’d drawn up.
He hadn’t wanted to go, but his sister had convinced him they should. She had more faith in their parents’ love for the two of them than he did. It seemed to him that parents who loved their children wouldn’t leave them with nannies and baby-sitters all the time.
Anyway, he’d made his way in life. He was the sole owner of John Waterton Development Company, and it was in good shape. He didn’t want his parents’ money.
After those two weeks, he’d figured he’d need a reward for the suffering, and he’d lined up a deep-sea fishing trip with friends from college. He’d relaxed on the boat, letting the waves rock him, thinking about Sharon.
If, as he’d assumed, she was an innocent, swept up by the panic and fear she’d exhibited, he’d taken advantage of her. He’d thought about calling the hospital and asking them to check their records. But then he’d told himself he’d check with them when he got back.
Then this project had come up and he’d gotten swept up in it. At night, when he crawled into bed, he thought of Sharon. Thought. Yeah, dreamed, yearned for, craved. But come morning, he was back in the real world, running as fast as he could.
And there was Roger. He had been hurt by the man’s betrayal as well as angered. They’d worked together for over ten years. He’d thought they were friends.
Anyway, he’d neglected to make amends.
Then, today, he finds she’s his accountant. It all seemed a little coincidental, suddenly. A beautiful woman as a bean counter? Unexpected. A beautiful woman as his bean counter, one he’d made love to in an elevator. Unbelievable.
“Where’s Sharon?” Andy asked, startling him.
He looked up to find the man
had resumed his place at the table. “Hi, Andy. Want me to freshen your coffee?”
“No, thanks. Is everything all right?”
Jack couldn’t help but smile. There was that hovering again. “Quit worrying. I didn’t scare her away. I’m not even sure that would be possible. She offered to have all the changes in place by tomorrow afternoon and offered to bring them to my office. But I’ll be out, so you’ll see me here tomorrow. Okay?”
“I told you she was good. She works too hard, though.”
“You mean she doesn’t slack off when she has a hot date the night before?” He hoped he might pry more information out of Andy than he’d gotten out of Sharon. Which wouldn’t be hard since he’d gotten nil from her.
“Nope, not even then.”
“What happens if she marries? Will she keep working?”
Andy raised one brow and stared at him. “I don’t think she’s that involved with anyone at the moment, so I don’t think you have to worry about that.”
“Oh, good.”
“Are you married?”
He stared at Andy, surprised by the question. “No, I’m not.”
“Good,” Andy said with that serene smile that was beginning to irritate Jack. Then he added, his smile widening, “Just wanted to give as good as I got.”
“Sorry. She wasn’t very interested in casual chitchat. It worried me that she was so—so closed up.”
“Sharon doesn’t make friends easily, but once she does learn to trust someone, they’ve got a friend for life.” Andy pushed his chair back from the table. “Well, I’d best get back to my office and take care of the latest emergency. Let me know if you have any problems with the project.”
“I will, Andy, thanks.” He stood and shook the man’s hand. Then he followed him from the room.
It irritated Sharon, but she put more thought into her appearance the next day than she usually did.
“He’s just a lousy man. What’s wrong with you?” she asked the image in the mirror. “One who took what he wanted and then walked away. He’s not worth any extra primping!”
She twitched her skirt into place and turned to see how much leg she showed through the kick pleat in the back. Obviously her body wasn’t listening to her head.
No wonder. Her dreams last night had been even more spectacular than ever. She’d been shocked— when she’d awakened. In her dream she’d been warm and welcoming, begging for his touch. “You idiot!” she snapped, then sighed.
There was no need to worry. He wanted nothing to do with her. If he had, he would’ve found her. It had been two months. Strictly business. That’s what she had to keep in mind.
At work, she kept her mind focused on business. Jack’s papers were in order and ready to be shown by ten o’clock. Tidying her desk, she decided she needed a coffee break, or juice break, as she had now decided. She’d read all the material the doctor had given her. One cup of coffee a day was all she should have.
Maybe she was doing overkill, but she’d switched to hot tea at home. Juice for break. Lots of water. And she was discovering some discomfort in her normal suits. Several were a little tight around the waist.
She thought about Jen again. She was seven months, but she’d hidden her condition until almost five months. She needed to ask her for tips, but then she’d have to tell her why. She wasn’t ready for that yet.
She stared at the papers she’d neatly stacked there. How long would the project last? She didn’t want Jack to know about the baby. She hadn’t changed her mind about that.
When she reached the cafeteria, her friends were all there. Julia Parker had joined Maggie, Lauren and Jen. They'd all started about the same time and had gradually formed their own little club. “Am I late?” she asked as she slipped into the last chair.
“Of course not,” Maggie assured her. “I was just telling them about your good fortune. Sorry, I should’ve waited for you to tell them, but they were asking who the hunk was from yesterday.”
“The hunk?” she asked, staring at them blankly.
“Oh, come on, Sharon. In the cafeteria yesterday morning. You know, tall, dark, muscles out the wazoo, the most beautiful blue eyes,” Julia said.
“My, you certainly took inventory,” Sharon said, trying to smile. “And you didn’t get his social security number?”
“Do I need it? I had in mind a romantic evening, not retirement.”
Everyone laughed, and Sharon said, “Obviously Maggie has told you his name is Jack Waterton. We were talking business, Julia, so I don’t know his social details at all.”
“Girl, you’re going to end up an old maid if you don’t start paying attention,” Lauren assured her. “We all thought he was well worth a second look.”
“You can have one this afternoon. He’s coming back after lunch.” She hadn’t been able to think of anything else all morning.
“Ah, is that why you’re wearing a new suit?” Jen asked, grinning.
“It’s not new!” Sharon hurriedly assured her. “I bought it two years ago, but then I lost some weight and it didn’t fit right. But I’m afraid I’ve put back on some pounds. Maybe it’s the fruit drink,” she said, holding up the glass of orange juice.
“You look fine to me,” Maggie said, with a warm smile. “Is your cold going away?”
“You have a cold?” Julia asked, frowning. “I don’t hear any signs of it. How long have you had it?”
“Oh, I don’t, really. For a couple of days, I thought I was coming down with something. That’s all. It’s all gone away.”
“Good, so when Mr. Waterton asks you to dinner, you won’t have to turn him down,” Jen said.
Sharon stared at her, her mouth open. She had nothing to say.
“Don’t say he wasn’t attracted to you,” Lauren warned. “I saw him take hold of your arm.”
“He’s—he’s one of those touchy people. You know, the kind that hug you after you’ve met once. That kind of thing. But I explained that I’m not.” She tried to take a deep breath without anyone noticing. This coffee break was not relaxing.
“Did he take offense?” Julia asked. “I doubt he gets that response from most women.”
Sharon looked at Julia but didn’t say anything. She couldn’t deny her friend’s assessment. That certainly hadn’t been her response in the elevator. His arms had been her shelter, her protector.
“Quit teasing Sharon,” Maggie ordered. “She knows better than to have a—a social relationship with the man. She’s going to be working with him. And it’s very important that things go well.”
“We won’t be working with him,” Julia pointed out.
Maggie shook her head and rolled her eyes at Julia. “Go for it, then. I certainly have no intention of stopping you.”
“Not me. If I wanted a man, he’d be great, but I’m off men right now.”
“Yeah, who isn’t?” Sharon muttered and then took a sip of juice. She tried to ignore the pang in her heart. She didn’t want him. Not at all. Too bad Julia didn’t. She was a beautiful woman, tall, graceful. A lot of fun, too. She’d be perfect for Jack.
She needed a change of subject. “Any word on the child-care center? I’m supposed to check with Michelle by phone before she comes back on Monday. I don’t want to get her hopes up if nothing is going to come of it.”
“Is Michelle coming back soon? How’s her baby?” Jen asked. Several others asked about her, too.
It was Maggie who answered her question. “Kane hasn’t changed his mind, if that’s what you mean. In fact, he’s dedicating more time to it than anything else on his agenda.”
“He’s so cute,” Lauren added and everyone stared at her. “Oh, I don’t mean—well, I do actually. He came to my department and asked about pregnancies—recent ones. He got all embarrassed and half the department wanted to volunteer to get pregnant if he’d be the father.” She giggled. “Fortunately, no one told him that.”
“But I gave him a list,” Maggie said, a question in her eye.
> “Yeah, he told Andy he thought maybe some women didn’t report their pregnancies right away,” Sharon said. She’d chosen the topic, but she wasn’t feeling much more comfortable with it than she had the first one.
The others looked at Jen.
“Think he’s thinking about you, girlfriend?” Lauren asked her.
“Maybe, but I had a good reason.”
“He said he wanted to know all the pregnancies because the number would affect the decision on whether to have a child-care facility or not,” Sharon added.
“Well,” Jen said after some consideration, “since I’m on the committee, I can understand that, but all those with children under the age of six are being counted, too. So it’s not just pregnant women.”
“Say,” Julia suddenly asked. “Did you see that movie I told you about last weekend? There was a pregnant woman in it, and it was a scream.”
The talk turned to movies and Sharon breathed a sigh of relief.
Jack couldn’t believe how nervous he was about seeing Sharon this afternoon. He hadn’t even eaten much lunch, and usually his appetite could be counted on.
Of course, it could partly be blamed on Roger. He’d joined him for lunch, having just heard that Jack had hired Haley’s company for the new project. Jack had given him excuses for the choice, but he had a feeling Roger wasn’t satisfied.
He would’ve preferred lunch with Sharon.
He straightened his tie and stepped out of the elevator on the sixteenth floor. Sometimes he didn’t wear a tie, especially when most of his day was spent on the job. His men would laugh at him. But it was important that he look his best for Sharon. To help her stick to business. Like she wanted.
Him, too. That’s what he wanted. Then he chuckled at that blatant lie.
When he reached Sharon’s desk, he was able to stare at her without her being aware because of the woman sitting on the corner of her desk, chatting.
She looked wonderful today, the dark green suit picking up a touch of red-gold in her long hair.
When The Lights Went Out... Page 3
