Her boss Spence Benedict, VP of Marketing, wasn’t a slave driver.Neither was Holt.They didn’t expect the numbers on their desks first thing in the morning.In fact, the month-end meeting wasn’t until three o’clock.But Summer wanted to surpass expectations and give her boss time to review the numbers before they went to Holt.It wasn’t as if they didn’t have a good idea—they were both hands-on executives—but still, she’d wanted to turn over the completed report before lunch, and she’d made that goal.
She heard her clerks talking, banging drawers to grab purses, or shoving wallets into their pockets, and heading out to lunch.Then it went quiet.She was alone.There would be no more interruptions for an hour.She could relax for a few minutes.Breathe.
She probably would have, if Knox Turner hadn’t suddenly been standing in her open doorway.
She wanted to growl.She couldn’t let him know she was still embarrassed.After all, it had been her office at ten o’clock at night.She was supposed to be alone; he was the interloper.
But now he looked like anything but an interloper.He stood in the doorway, hands on the jamb, leaning in slightly as if he were ready to do a push-up.He had a body that did not quit.His suit jacket was open, revealing his broad chest under the white shirt, a flat abdomen, and thighs in his slacks that suggested he lifted weights.As for hispackage—she didn’t shiver, she didn’t avert her eyes.But she did salivate a little.
Then he sauntered into her office and made himself at home in the chair opposite her.“I hope you had a good weekend,” he drawled.
“I did.I finished all the work on Friday so I didn’t have to come in over the weekend.I enjoyed a coffee date with my girlfriend,” she said pointedly, showing she wasn’t interested.
But a moment later, his knowing gaze made her wonder if he’d noticed she hadn’t mentioned going out on a date.And from that, he might glean that she wasn’t seeing anyone right now.Just as Lee said—she had a big mouth.
Thank God he didn’t pursue it.“Your daughters?”he asked, pointing at the pictures of her girls on her desk.
She couldn’t help beaming with pride.“Their high school graduation photos.”
“They’re both beautiful women, like their mother.”
Oh no.Here it came.She decided to ignore any innuendo in what he’d said.“They’re smart too.”
He grinned.“Just like their mother.”
This time she wanted to groan.He was definitely about to hit on her.
Then he did it.“So, was that your significant other on the phone on Friday?’”
All right.She’d screwed up.She’d talked about sex in the office and sparked his interest.But she wanted to make it clear to Knox thatshewasn’t interested.“No.I don’t have a significant other.I’m not planning on having a significant other.I don’t date.He was just a friend.I’m busy with my career, and I have no time for relationships.”
He gazed at her with his gorgeous, all-knowing dark amber eyes.“Except late at night over the phone when no one’s in the office.”His eyes gleamed as if they were spotlights shining directly on her.
The awful, terrible part was that his voice, his words, and the knowledge that he’d heard everything made her wet.
“But I’m so glad to hear you don’t have time for relationships,” he went on, that gleam growing to a blaze in his eyes.“Because all I’m interested in is your voice over the phone.And your imagination.You are one amazing woman.”
Really, how could any red-blooded woman not preen under those words?But she had to be strong—after all, they worked together, and things could get messy.“I appreciate the compliment.But I can only handle one friend with benefits at a time.”
He leaned forward, legs spread, elbows on his knees, eyes boring into her.“Ah, but I’m not asking to be a friend with benefits.Just a phone call.Because I’m very curious about you, Summer.I have so many questions to ask.But only over the phone.”
He pulled his cell out of his pocket and punched in a few numbers.Suddenly, her desk phone rang.She looked at it but didn’t pick it up.
“That’s my personal cell number,” he said.“If you feel like a little talk sometime, I’d love to hear from you.”Then he rose to his full, sexy height and smiled.God, what a killer smile.Just like on Friday night, he turned at the door to look at her and offered his parting shot.“I can make it just as good for you as you made it for your FWB.”
He wouldabsolutelymake it good for her.She felt that deep in her core.Because she was already feeling the effect he had on her right now.
But shemustresist.No way, no how could she get involved with him.
Knox Turner and phone sex would not go together without serious negative consequences.
She was an intelligent,forty-five-year-old woman, and she wouldn’t let herself be phased by Friday night’s incident with Knox.By Wednesday, it didn’t appear there would be any repercussions from her ill-advised naughty phone call.He obviously had no intention of telling Holt Montgomery—or even Spence, her first-level boss.Knox hadn’t even asked for her cell phone number.And he hadn’t hassled her when she didn’t call him.
Instead, he’d left everything up to her.
Of course, she’d never call him.Even though she’d added his cell number to her contacts.Who knew, she might have to contact him sometime about a shipment.
But by Thursday night when she got home from work, she neededsomething, badly.It was lucky Knox was out of town with the R&D guys, evaluating the test product, or God forbid, she might actually have used that number.
