A Solitary Romance: Book 1 in the Only Love Series

by Violet Sparks

  "Easy," a hoarse voice rasped.

  Her assailant's lips grazed the top of her ear, provoking another violent thrash from Katrina. She'd heard that crazy people possess superhuman strength, and this thug proved it. But she refused to give up, imagining her father's reaction to news of her murder. Kate opened her mouth and drew in enough oxygen to yelp loud enough for the first floor security guard to hear, but she didn't act fast enough. A large, calloused hand clamped over her mouth. She tried to bite his fingers, but her small mouth couldn't stretch that far.

  "Good God, Woman, stop fighting me!" The words came as a low growl, piercing the auditor's survival mode. She instantly ceased struggling. Her knees buckled, and only Robert's muscular arms kept her from sinking to the ground. The man kept his hand over her mouth, but gently caressed her cheek with his thumb, attempting to calm her. He then slid his fingers down her face and neck, resting his arm across her clavicle bone. She felt the tense muscles that stretched across his chest relax against her back, but he failed to release his hold on her waist. She listened to his ragged breathing and recognized his masculine, woodsy scent.

  "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," he whispered, his lower lip still touching her ear.

  Katrina caught a sob in her throat, his gentle tone her undoing.

  "Shhh, everything's all right," he whispered, placing his chin on her head.

  Kate thought she might pass out again. Weak from yesterday's raging fever and the sudden burst of adrenaline she'd used to struggle against Robert, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to settle against her new boss. Tucked beneath his jaw, she lost track of time as her breathing settled into a slow rhythm that matched his.

  When he slid his arm from her waist, she shifted back to reality. He placed a hand on each of her shoulders and turned her towards him. When she raised her gaze to meet his, she found his stare impenetrable. Did he look at her with pity or scorn? She searched his face but found no answer. She felt as if his dark eyes delved into her soul and found herself powerless to look away. Time stood still.

  "What are you doing here?" he asked after several moments, his tone aggravated.

  Kate's jaw dropped.

  "What am I doing here? I work here! What were you doing, sneaking up on me and grabbing me like that?" she demanded, the volume of her voice rising.

  "I didn't sneak up on anyone, Katrina. I was sitting over there." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing to the bullpen that housed the company's small Human Resources department.

  HR's cubicles had partitions over five feet high, allowing for privacy. No wonder she hadn't seen him.

  Robert continued, "I was checking everyone's billable hours. What were you up to, planking or perfecting a circus act on company time?"

  Katrina shrunk from the anger that sparked from his smoldering eyes. His mood was now apparent. She fought back the tears she felt welling behind her lashes.

  "I was reaching for yesterday's journal. I didn't have the energy to walk half way around the office and thought I could grab it from here. I start my work day early, and I'm usually the only one here for at least an hour. I can get current stock prices and news from the east coast as it happens." The words gushed from Kate, who found herself getting bolder and angrier with each syllable.

  His expression softened, and she saw one corner of his mouth twitch upwards.

  "I heard a noise and stood to see you lurching over that divider. I thought you were going to fall, so I ran over and tried to help. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

  His eyes moved to where she rubbed her shoulder, the one he'd clamped down on. She heard the concern in Robert's voice, and it soothed her fury. She rotated her arm forward and backward, wincing.

  "I'm going to have several nasty bruises," she replied with honesty.

  "So am I." He turned his head, revealing marks along his jaw line where she'd dug in her nails. She'd drawn no blood, but left nasty purple indentations.

  "Maybe that will teach you not to grab women." The words flew from her lips before she could stop them.

  Aware that she sounded bitter, Katrina regretted her remark at once. Did she still resent all the female attention he received at Wood and Associates seven years ago? What about at the library the other night?

  Robert wagged his head at her, a faint smile on his face.

  "Go sit in your office and I'll bring you a coffee. You need to gather your wits before anyone else arrives," LaSalla ordered.

  She didn't budge. How dare he speak to me like that? She should complain to Harriet Reynolds, the head of Human Resources. She continued staring at him, deciding what to say.

  "Didn't you hear me? Go on and do something with your hair while you're at it. You look like you just rolled out of bed."

  Kate clamped her lips together and spun on her heels. She stomped to her office without looking back. She missed the look of admiration that spread across Robert LaSalla's face.

  Ten minutes later, Robert tapped on her window and pushed her office door open, not waiting for an invitation. She had taken a comb to her hair and straightened her clothing. Her shoulder and hip throbbed with a dull pain.

  Her new boss placed a Styrofoam cup on her desk. The paper tab of a tea bag dangled down the side of the disposable container.

  "I thought a hot tea would be best for your nerves," he said with a soft tone.

  His comment infuriated Katrina. She didn't try to hide the anger that flashed from her eyes.

  "I didn’t realize you were such a wild cat, Katrina."

  Was he making fun of her? Trying to tick her off? He raked his gaze over her face and torso. Kate felt a blush rising from her neck. As the heat reached her face, she pressed a hand against each cheek without thinking. An image of herself, balancing over the fulcrum of the cubicle wall, rear in the air, skirt creeping up her thighs, came to mind and her face grew a deeper shade of red.

  "What do you mean?" she stammered, an unfamiliar vehemence in her voice.

  Robert grinned at her and turned to leave her office. He stopped in the doorway and looked back over his shoulder.

  "Just that I'm much bigger and stronger than a tiny thing like you, and I still had a hard time subduing you. Drink your tea." He paused before adding, "And be more careful next time. You could have gotten hurt. Don't forget—meeting at nine in the conference room," he called, walking away as if nothing had happened.

  She wanted to scream, or throw something at the man, or hit him, or all three at once. His words galled her entire being. She started to tremble, not sure if the ordeal, her fever, or his words caused the shake.

  She arrived in the conference room at 9:05. She didn't plan to get stuck, alone with Robert, waiting for everyone else to get there. A full house turned in unison and stared at her. Do I have two heads? What is their problem?

  "You're late, Katrina," William Dodd said with an irritated tone.

  "Sorry, on the phone with a client," she lied.

  Kate scanned the room for a seat. Positioned next to Robert, the lone empty chair awaited her. Great.

  She walked around the conference table as LaSalla pulled the chair out, flashing her a dazzling smile.

  "Thank you," she whispered as she sat.

  "If it's all right with you, Katrina, I'd like to get started now," the managing partner stated.

  She glanced from Chuck Manning to Kiki Tam before answering.

  "Yes, thank you, Mr. Dodd," she managed to squeak out. She'd gone from an office favorite to the bottom of the totem pole since Robert arrived. How humiliating.

  "I want everyone to know, I don't plan on making any major changes. We'll still have the Spring Fling, Summer Beach Splash, and Fall Ball." William Dodd rattled off upcoming company parties. He'd always been generous, entertaining his employees, their significant others, and clients four times a year at lavish events.

  Her old boss continued, "Robert will conduct your reviews in a few months, just as I would if I were here. His comments and suggestions re
garding raises and promotions will be forwarded to me, and we'll decide together how to proceed at that time. So, the process will take longer than normal, and I'd appreciate your patience. Any questions before I turn the floor over to your new leader?" Dodd paused a moment, glancing around the room. "Good. Robert, come on up."

  The managing partner took the seat left vacant by LaSalla.

  "Hello. Let me start by saying I'm honored Mr. Dodd offered me this opportunity. Our families go way back, and I'm well versed in the kind of man your managing partner is. I intend to run the office just as he would, or as close as I can get." He paused and smiled at William. "A little about myself," he continued. "I spent four years serving our country in the Marines, after college."

  "Like father, like son," Dodd said under his breath.

  Katrina glanced at the managing partner and saw him beam with pride at his replacement. So that's how Robert landed this position—the good old friends and family program. She should have guessed as much.

  LaSalla continued, "After that, I worked with Katie, here, at Wood and Associates, performing the Capital Bank audit. Katie and I go way back."

  What? How dare he! First off, no one called her Katie. Only her mother used that term of endearment. And they had no history, as he implied. She felt a dagger coming her way from Chuck and risked a quick peek in his direction. Sure enough, her look was returned with an angry glare. She heard Robert continue on, but his words failed to register—more talk of his family. Everyone in the room laughed, snapping her from her thoughts.

  William Dodd gave her the fatherly smile that used to be the norm. He patted her hand, as she looked around. The chuckles died down, but everyone still looked her way. She turned to Harriet, who mouthed, It's okay, and nodded with a sympathetic expression. Then, she glanced back at Robert. His eyes danced from behind those glasses and he wore a grin. Mr. Dodd pushed his chair back and resumed control of the meeting, trading places with LaSalla.

  "Thank you, everyone, for coming. Katie, would you mind staying? I'd like you to explain that investment vehicle to Robert," Dodd said as her coworkers filed from the room.

  Great. Now her real boss called her Katie. She caught a raised eyebrow from Kiki but ignored it. She tried to stay calm. Now was the time to remain professional and present her findings to the managing partner. Her conclusions would form a major portion of the firm's opinion on their client's acquisition.

  "Well, what did you find out?" Dodd asked, once the three were left alone.

  "Our client wants to acquire a company that's heavily into a unique Malaysian investment vehicle. At first glance, it looks like they speculated with buying on margins, which of course would be improper."

  She looked at Robert as she spoke, bringing him up to speed. Now she turned to Mr. Dodd.

  "The vehicle is, in fact, a stock in a private Asian company. They're quite profitable, but chose to pursue an outside cash infusion to facilitate expansion into markets in China. The securities became available one batch, if you will, at a time. The more the company in question bought, the deeper the discount offered by the issuer. They didn't want to deal with numerous investors and kept them to a minimum this way, while still raising the needed capital. What threw us off was the way they accounted for the investment. They applied the discounts retroactively, spreading them across the previous purchases. It's all according to Hoyle. I think our client is in the clear to proceed."

  "That's wonderful, Katie. Good work!"

  "Thank you, Mr. Dodd. I'll drop my report on your desk before I leave tonight."

  She shot LaSalla a quick glance and saw him clench his granite jaw. A small pulse throbbed just below his ear, where his jaw squared against his neck. Black and blue marks that almost looked like stitches remained where she'd tried to claw him.

  "Give it to Robert instead, all right?"

  "Yes, Sir."

  No sooner had she arrived back in her office, than Kiki popped in, closing the door behind.

  "Well, what have you got to say for yourself?" the receptionist asked, tapping her toe and crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned against the wall.

  "What are you talking about?" Katrina felt perplexed.

  "Man-O-Your-Dreams said he'd asked you out at Wood and Associates, and you'd refused him, placing him in the friend zone!"

  "What? When did he say such a thing?"

  "Really, Katrina, I don't know where your head is sometimes. Right in the meeting, about fifteen minutes ago, that's when he said it. Everyone laughed. Well, everyone except Chuck. He was not amused!"

  Kate placed a hand over her forehead. She rubbed her eyes. She could not believe the audacity of that man.

  "Robert LaSalla never asked me on a date in his life. I don't know what he's up to, but I'm tired of it."

  Katrina's head pounded.

  "I think my fever's returned. I'm going home."

  She gathered her things, including her due diligence report for the client, and headed towards Samantha's old office. With any luck, she could place it on his desk and get out of the building before anyone else noticed her missing.

  As she hoped, LaSalla wasn't at his desk. She slipped into the cad's workspace, intending to drop the report and run. She couldn't ignore the large bouquet of bird of paradise flowers on the credenza below his window. The arrangement had an Asian elegance to its design. Before Katrina knew it, she'd pulled the card from the blooms and read its message: Good luck, Darling, on the first day of your new job. See you tonight!

  "Uhm, uhmm."

  Oh, no.

  Kate turned to face whom she knew must be Robert. She clamped her jaws together, hoping to control her expression. With his arm raised over his head and braced against the jamb, Robert's frame filled the doorway, his body and face assuming a nonchalant pose. His presence filled the office, overwhelming her.

  "Can I help you, Katie?"

  Maybe it was the exhaustion. Maybe it was the stress of getting a new boss, or maybe it was how her blood coursed through her veins, making her heart beat wildly whenever she found herself in proximity to this man. Whatever the cause, Katrina lost it. She slammed her report down on his desk, then determined to confront him.

  "I don't appreciate you trying to make me look foolish in front of my peers with lies about our past. You never asked me out, and I can't fathom why you'd say such a thing!" Her voice rose in volume to almost a yell. She added, "And don't ever call me Katie again!"

  She stalked towards Robert, expecting him to move out of her way. A crowd gathered outside his office. The man didn't budge.

  "Excuse me!" she spat.

  He still didn't move. A gasp of exasperation escaped her lips as she advanced on her superior. She intended to squeeze by him if necessary. Now just inches apart, he shifted his body to block her exit. She raised a defiant face to meet his. The infuriating man grinned.

  "What do you think of my flowers?" he whispered, so no one outside could hear.

  "Out of my way!" Katrina ordered in a low tone, ignoring the effect his voice had on her and attempting to push by him. As her body pressed past his, she felt his taught muscles bunch against her. An electric shock held her in place for a moment, but she managed to charge on, ignoring those who gathered nearby.

  Once home, Katrina scrubbed the kitchen, then rearranged her closet.

  "Insufferable, egotistical, infuriating, annoying man!" she said aloud.

  Her phone rang. Caller I.D. let her know Kiki was trying to reach her. She snatched the phone from its cradle.

  "I'm going to file a sexual harassment suit against him!" she exclaimed.

  "Now, now, Girlfriend. Just settle down. I can't figure out what's got you so riled up."

  "He's lying about our past, for one thing."

  "Maybe you just never heard him ask you out. You tend to drift, ya know?" Kiki said. Her friend continued, "Just don't do anything rash. Try and relax and rest this evening, and hopefully everything will blow over by morning. Okay? The market's not
good for job hunting right now. You need to make this work. Besides, William will be back before we know it."

  Kiki was correct. She could outlast this troglodyte.

  "You're right. I'll calm down."

  "So, I'll see you tomorrow? You can't miss Dodd's going away party, Katrina. It's going to be a blast."

  "If I can stand, I'll be there. Good night, Kiki, and thanks for talking me off the ledge."

  The friends signed off. Possible reasons for her being so upset bounced about her brain. Was it due to the note? Discovering the two-timing scoundrel had a girlfriend did bother her, if she were honest. He had no right to ask her to dinner the other night.

  Katrina decided a hot bath was in order. She pushed Robert LaSalla from her mind and ran the water. Sliding into the tub, she focused on next week's meeting with Barry at the Heller. Home sick when the director called, she spoke with him at length about the upcoming exhibit. Her excitement grew about her unique opportunity and dismissing thoughts of her new boss became easier.

  After her soak, she called her father. She knew her brother, James, was home for a visit, on leave from the Navy, and she hoped to chat with both of them. Speaking with her dad always made her feel better, even if she didn't discuss whatever bothered her. Since her mother died, they'd become even closer, forming a special bond. Jim, as the older brother, was a horse of a different color. She'd been a target for his teasing most of her growing up years. He still treated her like a kid.