Chapter One
“You’re here late.”
Lexie Underhill flinched at the unexpected voice that drifted across her office, but she didn’t need to look up to recognize who was standing in her doorway.Cameron Rowe.Her breath tightened like a pinched balloon.She’d thought she was alone.
How could she have missedhim?
She quickly silenced the music that was coming from her iPod docking station.She wished desperately for the suit jacket that sat draped over the back of the chair behind her, but she refused to reach for it.Refused to show any signs of weakness.
“So are you,” she noted as her chin lifted.Hatchet man.
Her toes inched towards the shoes that lay tumbled under her desk.She’d thought she was the only one left in the building.Even the cleaning crew had come and gone, so why washestill here?
“What are you working on?”he asked.
She swept her hand protectively over her proposal, wiping away the tiny flecks of paper that clung to the clear plastic cover.Static electricity tingled against her fingertips, a prickly warning.“Just getting ready for tomorrow’s all-staff meeting.”
His brow furrowed as he watched her place the bound copy with the others.“Is there a problem with Marketing’s quarterly report?”
“No, it’s ready to go.”
Curious, he pushed away from the doorjamb and walked closer.His gaze kept going back to the stack of proposals, and Lexie fought the urge to clutch them to her chest.She headed up Underhill Associates’ marketing department, but the concept before her was something new…an idea she’d had to help turn her family’s company around.
Rather than gut it asheintended.
Her hackles rose higher as he lowered himself into the chair in front of her desk.Without her jacket and shoes, she felt at a distinct disadvantage—even if he was just as casual.His tie was loosened, and the sleeves of his crisp white shirt were rolled up on his forearms.Strong, tanned forearms, she couldn’t help but notice.He tossed his jacket onto the chair beside him and leaned towards her.
She inhaled slowly, fighting her response.He didn’t fool her.That was a wolf in sheep’s clothing before her.
“I’m sorry,” she said tightly.“Did you need something?”
The moment stretched infinitely as he watched her.Even quiet, he had a powerful presence.Make thatespeciallywhen he was quiet.
“A break,” he finally answered.His attention shifted to her desk.It was uncharacteristically cluttered.The quarterly marketing report was open as she scoured it one last time for any typos.Her calculator was powered up, fresh from double-checking all her numbers, and a half-empty can of Diet Mountain Dew sat within reach.So did a granola bar, but it was untouched.Lexie cringed, especially when his gaze landed on her iPod.This was her inner sanctum, the one place where she could be herself.She didn’t like him this close, in her space.He made her feel exposed.
Had since the very first time she’d met him.
“Looks like you could use one too,” he murmured.
Her pen flicked back and forth between her fingertips.Being alone with him like this wasn’t a good idea.In the three months since her father had brought Rowe onboard to restructure the company, this was the closest she’d ever gotten to the man.Or more precisely, the closest she’d ever let him get to her.Inevitably, she found herself sitting beside him at meetings, but outside of that forced proximity, she’d become adept at avoiding him.
And for good reason.
“It will only take a little bit longer for me to finish,” she promised.
“Anything I can help you with?”
“No.I’m good.Thanks.”
His gaze honed in on the stack of proposals again.“Is it the layout for the new magazine ad?”
“No.”
“The results of the online survey?”
“No.”
“Some special project I don’t know about?”
