One Night with the Boss (4 page)

“Meaning she would stand up to you and not get steamrollered?” One eyebrow lifted, a dare to challenge her assessment.

“In a job interview, I have a finite amount of time to form an impression about someone I’ll be working with.” He shrugged. “In that time with Heather, my impression became aware of attitude.”

“Did it occur to you that she was trying to project confidence?”

“No.” When there was no response, he figured she was waiting for more. “When I interviewed you, you had an air of confidence and competence without even a hint of attitude.”

“I see. So, even though time is getting short, your attitude hasn’t changed.” Her full mouth pulled tight. “Okay. Number two. Annabel Brown.”

“She seems like a perfectly nice young woman. The right skill set. Good résumé.” Brady put a hint of doubt into his tone.

“Attitude?” Olivia called his doubt and raised him a whole lot of sarcasm.

“Not from her, but
you’re
walking a little close to that line.”

“So fire me,” she challenged.

“I think I can handle it a little longer.” Brady couldn’t imagine
not
handling it. Liv was dipped in determination, but wielded it wisely and with a sense of humor. For whatever argument she chose to pull out her attitude, it always passed the level-of-importance test.

“So Annabel has everything you’re looking for. I’ll contact human resources and get them going to fast-track a job offer...”

“Hold on.”

She looked up. “What?”

Was that impatience he heard? “I didn’t say I wanted to hire her.”

“Why wouldn’t you?”

“There’s something missing. A focus. Fire in the belly. It’s hard to put into words.”

“Ellie Hart recommended her. She works for one of Ellie’s brothers at Hart Incorporated. That’s the big time and they don’t tolerate fools. Annabel knows what she’s doing but wants to do it here in Blackwater Lake. What are you trying to say, Brady?”

“She seemed a little less than motivated. On the lazy side.” He was making that part up.

“She’s from Texas.” Olivia stood and shoved her hands on her hips. If it was possible to breathe fire, she would have. “People from the South have a drawl. That doesn’t mean they can’t be forceful when necessary.”

He loved it when she got riled up, and it made her crazy when he suddenly switched gears. As he was about to do. “You’re right. I’m no doubt misjudging her, so we’ll just chalk it up to lack of chemistry.”

“Okay. So it’s a no on Annabel.” She blew out a breath. “What about Chris? So far he’s the first one you promised to contact.”

“I like him.”

“There’s a
but.
”

“How do you know?”

“Chalk it up to a lot of years working for you.” She met his gaze. “Plus you had a funny expression on your face during the interview. What was that about?”

A feeling had come over him that he hadn’t experienced for a long time. Survivor’s guilt. Henry was dead and Brady was alive. In college they had been excited about a future in business together, then suddenly Henry had died and all those dreams disappeared with him. Brady had to carry on alone. It was a stark reminder that anyone he cared about could be gone in an instant.

Brady looked at Olivia’s face, so familiar, so alive, and realized he didn’t know what he’d do without her. At work, of course. And she was waiting for an answer to her question.

“Chris reminds me of someone I used to know in college.”

“Henry Milton,” she said. “I noticed the resemblance, too.”

He nodded. The two of them had been inseparable all through school, always at each other’s houses. “Chris is bright, enthusiastic and would be an asset to this company.”

“I thought so, too. So I’ll offer him my job.”

“No.” He straightened away from the desk and looked down at her. “He’s too young and inexperienced and smart enough to realize it.”

“He can learn. I did.”

“The thing is that you and I learned together. He’d be stepping into a high-power situation.” He shook his head. “No, I think his talents would be better utilized in research and development. Contact human resources and tell them to find something for him.”

“Okay. He’ll be an asset to this company. But that means we’re back to square one.”

“It would appear so.”

“You’re too damn cheerful, Brady.” Her eyes flashed with frustration. “You do realize that in another week I’m leaving. Whether or not you’ve hired anyone to replace me. This isn’t a joke and I wish you would stop treating it that way.”

She was being incredibly stubborn about this, and he blamed Leonard. “Why do you have to go?”

“You know why.”

“Don’t you think it’s incredibly selfish of Leonard to insist that you move away?”

“He’s not insisting.” She met his gaze as if she expected a challenge.

“Okay, then. Why doesn’t he relocate from...” He waited for her to fill in the blank with a city or state and when she didn’t, he was peeved. “He should be the one to move, find a job in Blackwater Lake.”

She blinked up at him for several seconds. “It’s a small town and there’s nothing here that would utilize his particular skills,” she said after some thought.

Brady recognized the expression on her face. It was the one she wore when she had to think fast, to come up with an explanation or particular spin. The truth shouldn’t take that much effort.

“What particular skills does he have?”

Her chin lifted in that stubborn, familiar way, just before she got defiant. “Well, for one thing, he’s a good kisser.”

“Is that right?”

That might get him a volunteer job at the charity fund-raiser kissing booth, but gainful employment was questionable. He was aware of the edge in his voice and the tight knot in his gut. It was the first time he’d thought about her actually kissing Leonard. Or in Leonard’s bed. A man touching her, any man. He didn’t like any of the above, not even a little bit.

This sensation had all the characteristics of jealousy but he couldn’t believe that’s what it was and didn’t care right this minute. He still had questions. Like...

Were there other men? Wouldn’t he know if there were? Who were they and why hadn’t he met them?

He hadn’t known about Leonard and suddenly, with an intensity that surprised him, he wanted to know everything.

“How many men have you kissed, Liv?”

“That’s none of your business.” Annoyance and indignation looked really good on her.

“I’m making it my business. You’ve worked for me a long time and I don’t know who you hang out with. You say Leonard is a good kisser. How many men have you kissed to compare him with?”

“Enough. Ask anyone.” The pulse in her throat fluttered frantically. “Unlike you, I don’t have a reputation for not being much in the kissing department.”

That was a semidesperate attempt to create a diversion but Brady was intrigued, in the mood to push the advantage. And he couldn’t stop looking at her mouth.

“I’ve never had any complaints about my technique. You shouldn’t believe rumors.”

“That’s hard to do without any contradicting data...” She shrugged, but it was uneasy, not the nonchalant gesture she was going for.

“Well, then, with my reputation on the line, I feel obligated to provide you with the necessary information.”

Her mouth dropped open and Brady forgot about his reputation and everything else except the need to taste her lips. He closed the distance between them in one step, then threaded his fingers into her silky hair with one hand and pulled her close with the other.

“Here goes.”

Chapter Four

O
livia couldn’t believe this was happening. She’d wondered forever how it would feel to be in Brady’s arms, with their bodies pressed together from chest to knee. The reality was so much better than anything her imagination had cooked up.

If this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up.

For one thing, she hadn’t thought about his fingers threaded through her hair and how exquisitely
romantic
that would feel. Or the intensity darkening his eyes. The expression did things to her insides, things she couldn’t put into words because the feeling was simply AWESOME. All caps!

His mouth hadn’t officially touched hers yet and it was already the best kiss she’d ever had, proving that it wasn’t
how
you kissed, but whom.

“Liv,” he whispered, brushing his thumb across her cheek and then her lips.

The touch had heat mixed with shivers racing over her shoulders and arms.
So near yet so far,
she thought as his warm breath caressed her lips. It taunted and teased and she’d already waited years for this. She was so over being passive. On tiptoe, she closed the infinitesimal distance between them and softly pressed her lips against his as she slid one arm around his waist and the other hand up to his chest.

His heart thundered beneath her palm, making her heart thunder, too. His mouth was soft and met her own just before his tongue lazily skimmed her bottom lip. The flash was like tissue paper igniting and threatened to make her go up in flames.

Worse, the touch made her
anticipate.
She wanted his hands to find their way to her breasts, to settle on her hips and slide possessively over her stomach.

He nibbled the corner of her mouth and worked his way across her cheek to her ear. When he took the lobe gently between his teeth, she nearly gasped from the delicious sensation, came close to dissolving in a puddle at his feet. The touch almost made her forget that he was her boss. He was simply a man—who made her ache for so much more.

Olivia wished that she’d been the one to pull away first, but that wasn’t the way it went. The only small satisfaction she got was that Brady looked surprised. And his breathing was definitely not steady. With luck that would keep him from noticing that she was having a bit of trouble pulling enough air into her lungs. Or that she was quivering with reaction and wanted more.

“So...” He took a step back. “What’s the verdict? Are the rumors true?”

She blinked up at him and the words sounded like a recording played back on slow speed. That was because her brain didn’t have enough oxygen to process his question at more than a crawl. “What?”

“You know. The rumor that I’m not much in the kissing department?”

Olivia snapped to as surely as if he’d dumped ice-cold water over her head. Her mind kicked into high gear as she put a thoughtful expression on her face.

“I can’t speak for your other women,” she said, “but as kisses go, that was adequate.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” She tapped her index finger against lips still throbbing from the all-too-brief, way-above-adequate close encounter. “I think that’s a fair assessment.”

“Adequate?” He sounded shocked and annoyed in equal parts.

“Yes. It was nice. I think the rumor must have come from someone who had expectations of more.”

Technically that was true because, she’d made it up when he started pressuring her about Leonard being the one to relocate. Where Brady was concerned, she couldn’t quite suppress expectations. In her own defense, she’d had to think fast, something that was becoming a necessity of late.

“Adequate? Wow. I never thought I’d say this, but that makes me wish you’d said it was fine.”

From that she guessed he hated it when a woman used less than glowing adjectives about his performance. She couldn’t resist messing with him, just a little.

“That works too,” she agreed. “It was fine.”

He groaned. “You’re killing me here, Liv.”

“I didn’t mean to offend your fragile male ego. I’m just trying to be honest.”

And failing miserably. That kiss was so much better than fine or adequate. It was truly spectacular and she would swear the earth moved.

“From now on, I think I’d rather you lie to me.”

“I can do that.” Better than he knew.

“Okay, then.” Brady dragged his fingers through his hair. “Look, do you mind locking up? I’m going to see Maggie and my niece. It’s been awhile and I want to spend a little more time with them.”

The visit was on his schedule and Olivia looked at her watch. This was a little earlier than he usually left. Frankly, she could use some time alone to collect herself. “Of course. I have some work to finish, but I’ll make sure everything is shut down and the alarm is on.”

“Thanks.” He moved past her on his way to the doorway.

“Yeah. Tell Maggie hi and have a good evening.”

Over his shoulder he said, “See you tomorrow.”

When he was gone, a wave of sadness broke over her as reality sank in. He wouldn’t be saying that to her too many more times and she would miss it terribly.

Sighing, she shut down his computer. Just then her cell phone rang and the caller ID announced her mother. Her stomach knotted because they hadn’t talked yet. She’d had to leave a message and now her mom was getting back to her.

She hit the send button. “Hi, Mom.”

“Hey, Livvie. Sorry I didn’t call you sooner, but your text said to call when I had time to talk. Even now I barely have a minute, but wanted to get back to you. What’s up? Is everything okay?”

Without actually answering that question, she asked one of her own. “Have you seen Maureen O’Keefe?”

“Not since we had breakfast this morning. Why?”

“There’s something I have to tell you, Mom. You’re aware that I’ve been thinking of quitting my job.”

“Of course. You already gave your notice twice and Brady talked you into staying.”

“He has a way of doing that. But this time I made sure it will take.”

“You quit?” There was barely a question mark in her mother’s voice.

“Yes. I didn’t tell you guys in advance this time because of the other two times it came to nothing. But I had to tell Brady I was leaving.”

“Well, of course you did. He’s the boss and will need to replace you.”

“Exactly. But Maureen dropped by and he told her.”

“So that’s why you’re sharing now. You wanted us to hear it from you.”

“Partly. It’s just that this time I wanted to make sure I went through with it. The thing is, Mom, I’ve accepted a job with a college friend of mine who’s starting up a technology company in California.”

There was a moment of silence, long enough to make Olivia hate herself for not delivering this information face-to-face. But she couldn’t chance that the news would get back to her mother before she’d had an opportunity to say something.

Finally words filled the silence. “That sounds like an exciting opportunity, sweetie. It’s good to shake things up.”

“Speaking of that...” She took a breath. “Maureen will ask you about my boyfriend...”

“You’re going out with someone? Have I met him?”

“I’m pretty sure you haven’t.” No one had. Not even Olivia.

“That’s wonderful, honey.” Her voice sounded rushed. “Look, I’m so sorry. But I have to run. Are you still coming for dinner this weekend?”

“Of course.”

“Good. You can tell us all about your news then. Bye. Love you.”

“Okay, Mom. Love you.”

She hit the end button, then looked around Brady’s office as she was about to turn off the lights. Her gaze rested on the place where they’d stood when he kissed her. Memories of that perfect moment squeezed her heart.

Why did he kiss her now, when she was really leaving? It would be one more thing to miss when she was gone. And she had a bad feeling that no man’s kiss would ever be quite as incredibly, deliciously adequate as Brady’s had been.

* * *

On the drive out of Blackwater Lake to his sister’s house, Brady still couldn’t quite believe he’d kissed Olivia. He was used to being the smartest guy in the room, but what he’d done was colossally dumb. In fact it set a new and higher bar for dumbness. Thanks to probably the hottest kiss he’d ever had, it made him completely aware of his executive assistant in every way. Not only that, he couldn’t stop thinking about how easy and natural it would have been to sweep her upstairs and into his bed. And he was still regretting that he hadn’t, because there was no doubt in his mind that she’d have gone with him.

Since the day he’d hired her, he’d always been able to close off these thoughts, but kissing her opened the door and there was no way to shove the messy flood of feelings back inside. So he needed a distraction.

“And I know just the thing.”

He turned off the main road into Maggie’s driveway and up to the three-story log cabin set in a clearing surrounded by evergreen trees. The yard in front had grass bordered by bushes and flowers, which were not blooming in January. This place was like something out of a fairy tale and any second he expected the seven dwarfs to march out of the woods singing “Hi Ho.”

Brady exited the low-slung sports car then jogged up the steps and knocked. A few seconds later the dead bolt clicked.

Maggie opened the door. “Hello, Uncle Brady.”

“Ba-ay!” His niece, pretty in pink from head to toe, toddled over and grabbed her mother’s leg.

“If it isn’t Snow White and the littlest dwarf, Sunshine.” He grabbed up the little girl and lifted her high in the air, where she giggled happily. “How are my two favorite girls?”

“Don’t let Mom hear you say that.”

“She knows I put her into a completely different category.”

“Right.” Maggie grinned. “You’re still her favorite.”

“And you’re still bitter about that.” He settled Danielle on his forearm and moved farther into the room.

“Always.”

His sister was a beautiful woman, and that was a strictly impartial male observation. Shiny brown hair fell past her shoulders to the middle of her back and her eyes, depending on her mood, were warm like dark cocoa or cool and shaded like smooth brandy. For nearly two years they’d been more like the latter. Any man would be lucky to have her, but the one who’d won her heart had died almost two years ago while bravely serving his country in Afghanistan. Now his two favorite girls were alone.

“You’re here earlier than expected. Want a beer?”

“Love one.” When Danielle wiggled to get down, Brady set her on the wooden floor in the big, open great room. “I’m here early because I missed you guys.”

Maggie walked around a kitchen island big enough to land a helicopter before stopping in front of the refrigerator. Glancing over her shoulder, she said, “What’s wrong, Brady?”

“Nothing.” No way he was that easy to read. “Why do you think something’s wrong?”

“You look funny.” Maggie set his beer on a coaster on the coffee table. “Everything okay at work?”

“Fine.” If you didn’t factor in him kissing Olivia.

He sat down on the earth-tone woven area rug that covered the middle of the room to play with his niece. Danielle pulled over a wicker toy basket filled with dolls, stuffed animals and fat play figures that fit in her tiny hands. Chattering to herself in a language only she knew, she started unloading her toys one at a time into his lap.

“How are you?” he asked his sister.

“Good. I’m thinking of expanding the ice-cream parlor into the available business space next door. Make it a sandwich shop. With homemade soup. Quiche. Salads made with organic greens. Free-range chicken and grass-fed beef.”

Brady held still while his niece crawled onto his thigh and threw a teddy bear out of her way to make room. When she was settled, he braced a hand on her back for stability.

“Are you going to have hamburgers?”

“Hadn’t considered it.” Maggie sat on the dark-colored sofa and thought for a moment. “Maybe veggie and turkey.”

“You don’t want it too girly. You want your marketing window open wide. Don’t turn off the guys with too much chick food.”

“Good point.” She smiled fondly at her daughter, who’d pulled a pink feather boa from the bottom of the toy basket and was doing her best to wrap it around Brady’s neck. “Speaking of girly...”

“Don’t you dare take a picture. No way this leaves your house,” he warned.

“Serves you right for buying it.”

“I couldn’t come home from that San Francisco trip empty-handed.”

“Danielle wouldn’t know the difference.”

“She’s smarter than you think. She would know Uncle Brady went away and didn’t bring her something.” He smiled at the solemn concentration on the little girl’s face. “Besides, I’m all about retail bribery to secure her affections.”

Maggie beamed at him. “You would be a terrific father, Brady.”

“Why? Because I spoil your child?”

“No. Although that’s important, too.” Her expression turned tender. “Just spending a lot of time with her like you do means so much. Every little girl needs a positive male role model in her life so she knows what to look for when she grows up.” Her eyes took on the familiar sadness. “You should have a bunch of kids to fill up that obscenely big house of yours.”

“Not likely,” he said.

“Surely you have women throwing themselves at you. You’re okay-looking if one can ignore those ears.”

Brady threw a foam-rubber pink ball in her direction. “Funny.”

“Seriously, you’re rich and handsome. A pretty good personality. And, quite frankly, you’re getting to the age where people are beginning to wonder and ask questions.”

Folks in Blackwater Lake gossiped about anything and everything anyway. But Maggie meant something more. “What are you talking about?”

“You’re not getting any younger, and inquiring minds want to know if you’re gay. Or if there’s some dark and twisted reason for you not getting married and having children.”

“I don’t need to explain. Let’s just call it highly unlikely.”

“But why?” Maggie persisted.

“It’s not complicated.” He watched his niece totter over to pick up the ball and then put it in her mouth. “I’m just not a falling-in-love kind of guy.”