Unfinished Business. Cat Schield
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him how sharp and sweet the desire was between them.
“Are you really ready to risk disappointing a client?”
“No.” A rosy flush dusted her high cheekbones. Had she picked up on his thoughts? “But I can’t abandon my business to be your assistant.”
“Hire someone to fill in for you.” He bared his teeth in an unfriendly grin. “Even you can see the irony in that.”
For the last few minutes, cracks had been developing in her professionalism. “You’re being unreasonable.”
“Of course I am. I’ll call someone else.” The telltale widening of her eyes was gone so fast he nearly missed it. This is where he challenged her reputation for providing excellent customer service to test how badly she wanted his business. “I’m sure another agency would have what I need.”
“Lansing Employment has what you need,” she countered, the words muddy because she spoke through clenched teeth.
He held silent while she tried to stare him down. Every instinct told him to send her on her way as he would any other supplier who couldn’t provide him with exactly what he wanted.
But they had unfinished business. At some point in the last five minutes he’d decided he needed closure. Four days with her hadn’t been enough time for the passion to burn out. Much to his dismay, he still wanted her. But for how long was anyone’s guess. From past experience he knew his interest rarely lasted more than two months.
And when he grew tired of her, he would end things on his terms. On his schedule.
“Fine.” She glared at him. “I’ll fill in for two days.”
“Wonderful.”
She stood, ready to stalk out of the office, but something held her in place. Her eyes were troubled as they settled on him. “Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“Demanding that I act as your assistant until I can find a replacement.”
“You’re here. It’s expedient.”
His current workload was crushing him. His managers had finalized their forecasts and forwarded next year’s budget numbers a week ago. With the economy slow to recover, controlling spending and increasing sales was more important than ever. Case Consolidated Holdings owned over a dozen companies, each one with very different markets and operations. It was an organizational challenge to collect and analyze data from the various sources given that each entity operated in a completely unique environment with it’s own set of parameters and strategic plans.
Andrea knew the businesses as well as he did. Losing her now threw off his entire schedule.
“Are you sure that’s all it is?” Rachel demanded.
Max stopped worrying about deadlines and reminded himself that his desperate staffing situation was only half the reason he’d insisted Rachel fill in for a few days. “What else could it be?”
“Payback for how things ended between us?”
“It’s business.” That she was suspicious of his motives added spice to the game.
“So, you’re not still angry?” she persisted.
Yes. He was still angry.
“After five years?” He shook his head.
“Are you sure?”
“Are you challenging whether or not I know my own mind?”
His irritation had little effect on her. “Five years ago, you made it very clear you never wanted to see me again.”
“That’s because you never told me you were married.” He kept his tone smooth, but it wasn’t enough to mask his dangerous mood. “Despite my telling you how I felt about infidelity. How it nearly destroyed my parents’ marriage. You involved me in an extramarital affair without my knowledge.”
“I’d left my husband.”
He breathed deep to ease the sudden ache in his chest. “Yet when he showed up, you went back to him fast enough.”
“Things were complicated.”
“I didn’t see complications. I saw lies.”
“I was going through some tough times. Meeting you let me forget my troubles for a while.”
“You used me.”
She tipped her head and regarded him through her long lashes. “We used each other.”
Max’s gaze roamed over her. She wasn’t the most beautiful woman he’d ever met. Her nose was too narrow. Her chin a bit too sharp. She hid her broad forehead with bangs. Boyishly slim, her body lacked the feminine curves he usually appreciated in a woman. But there was something lush about the fullness of her lips. And he’d adored nibbling his way down her long, graceful neck.
He wasn’t surprised to be struck by a blast of lust so intense, it hurt. From the first, the chemistry between them had been hot and all consuming. The instant he recognized her in the lobby, he knew that hadn’t changed.
For a second, doubts crept in. Would spending time with her open old wounds? The last time they’d parted, he’d been out of sorts for months. Of course, he’d been in a different place then. Full of optimism about love and marriage despite the painful lessons about infidelity he’d learned from his father’s actions.
Thanks to Rachel, his heart was no longer open for business.
“What time should I be here tomorrow morning?”
“Eight.”
She headed for the door and he let his gaze slide over her utilitarian gray suit. One word kept rolling over and over in his mind. Divorced.
Fair game.
She hesitated in the doorway, her back to him, face in profile. Her quiet, determined voice floated toward him over her shoulder. “Two days. No more.”
Without a backward glance, she vanished from view. Sexy as hell. She’d always had an aura of the untouchable about her. As if no matter how many times he slid inside her, or how tight he wrapped her in his arms, she would never truly be his.
For a man accustomed to having any woman he wanted, that elusive quality intrigued him the way nothing else would have. He couldn’t get enough of her. They’d been together for four days. He’d been insatiable. But no matter how much pleasure he gave her, no matter how many times she came apart in his arms, not once did he come close to capturing her soul.
It wasn’t until she left him and went back to her husband that he’d understood why.
Her soul wasn’t hers to give. It belonged to the man she’d pledged her life and love to.
Rage catapulted Max from his chair. He crossed to his door and slammed it shut, not caring what the office thought of his fit of temper. His hand shook as he braced it against the wall.
Damn her for showing up like this.
And damn the part of him that was delighted she had.
Two
Rachel hurried through the plate glass doors of Lansing Employment Agency and nodded to her receptionist as she passed. She didn’t stop to chat as was her habit, but went straight to her office and collapsed into her chair. It wasn’t until she’d deleted half her inbox that she realized she hadn’t read any of the emails. Sagging forward, she rested her arms on the desk and her forehead on her arms. Reaction was setting in. She was frustratingly close to tears.
“That bad, huh?” a male voice asked from the hallway.
Rachel nodded without looking up. “It’s worse than bad.”
“Oh, you poor thing. Tell Devon all about it.”