Her Boss's Private Affair by Emily McKay Chapter One

Dont look now, but youre being watched, Macy Cartwright whispered conspiratorially.
Rosa Cardona had sensed Caleb watching her the moment she walked into the party.
This was more than mere overactive intuition. These days, he was always watchin
g her. She schooled her features and took a sip of wine before risking a glance
over her shoulder. On the other side of the sprawling conference room, Caleb sto
od talking to a board member and to Tessa Bing from the legal department. From t
his distance, Rosa couldnt hear them. The party was in full swing, everyone in th
e mood to celebrate the release of their new chronic lymphoma drug. The catering
staff carried trays of champagne and appetizers through the crowd of boisterous
employees. Someone had plugged their iPod into the rooms speakers and Coldplay r
umbled behind the chatter. Despite the festive chaos of the room, her attention
narrowed in on one man. Caleb Alexander was neither particularly tall nor partic
ularly handsome. He was a little shy of six feet and wore his blond hair too lon
g to be fashionable and too careless to be chic. The scar that ran from his temp
le to his cheekbone was his most identifying feature. The scar seemed a physical
representation of his personal intensity. Everything about him, from the quiet
strength of his presence to the attention he commanded, declared he was a man to
be reckoned with. More to the point, he was her boss. He leveled his inscrutabl
e gaze at her, as if he enjoyed making her squirm. Rosa straightened her shoulde
rs, refusing to be bullied, even if he did hold her career in his hands. To Macy
, she said, He doesnt scare me. Macy snorted her laughter past a bite of bruschetta
. Then Im pretty sure youre the only one. Maybe its just because you havent had the c
hance to meet him yet. He was out of town when I interviewed. She and Macy had gone
to college together. When Rosa had decided to change jobs, it was Macy who had
gotten her the interview at Alexander Enterprises. But I met him on my first day.
And Ive seen him around a few times. Macy seemed to be waiting for her to say mor
e. Since she couldnt tell her friend what she really thought of Caleb, Rosa took
another sip of her wine and feigned a bored sigh. He seems pigheaded and domineer
ing. Macy chuckled. Most brilliant men are. But I think he prefers the terms deter
mined and assertive.

They always do, she murmured drily. Thats right, Macy said. Your older brother is like
that, too, isnt he? Ford is my half brother. She and Ford had grown up in separate
households. Their father had a wife and family in one town, a mistress and daugh
ters in the next. Hed played them all for fools. At his death, Ford had done what
he could to weave the two broken families into one whole. She admired his deter
mination, but knew his wounds went as deep as her own. Trying to make up for the
ir fathers failings, Ford was the consummate older brother, wanting to take care
of everyonewithout letting anyone close enough to hurt him. Her issues were a bit
more cut-and-dried. She never wanted to make her mothers mistakes. She wanted to
stand on her own two feet and make her own way, thank you very much. But youre ri
ght, she continued. Ford and Mr. Alexander are cut from the same cloth. They get w
hat they want, no matter who stands in their way. You make him sound unreasonable. N
ot unreasonable. Just convinced he knows whats best. Macy looked across the room. W
ell, theres one way theyre different. Isnt your brother ridiculously handsome? Rosa
followed Macys gaze. You dont think Caleb is? Goodness, no. Hes soso She shrugged, c
y incapable of coming up with an accurate adjective. Wait a second. Youre calling
him Caleb now? I Momentarily flummoxed, Rosa could only sputter. Caleb? How had she
made that slipup? Until now shed been so careful. I Isnt that what everyone calls hi
m? No. Pretty much everyone calls him Mr. Alexander. Except his closest friends an
d even they call him Alexander. Her heart thudded, making her feel like a butterf
ly caught in a net. But before she choked out the lie shed been concocting, Macys
eyes went wide. Hello, ladies. A deep voice rumbled near her ear. Caleb. Naturally
. Macy automatically shifted to make room for him to stand between them. He was
dressed in his customary jeans and dress shirt. As always, he radiated that stre
ngth of personality that had led Macy to describe him merely as so

The three of them chatted for a few minutes about the release before Macy excuse
d herself. With her lips pressed into a scowl, Rosa watched her friend abandon h
er. Coward, she muttered under her breath. Caleb sent her an odd look. Did you just
call her a coward? Rosa slanted her gaze to him. No. Of course not. I would never
accuse her of cowardice. Calebs lips twitched. Are you laughing at me? Why do you so
und so surprised? The intensity of his gaze sent jittery heat spiraling through h
er body, making it impossible to stand still beside him. As she wended her way t
hrough the crowd, he fell into step beside her. You dont think I have a sense of h
umor? No. It seems far more likely that this she gestured toward his mouth isnt laught
r at all, but some sort of muscle spasm. This time his lips curved into what was
definitely a smile, but there was no humor to it at all. No, there was a wolfish
hunger behind it instead. As if she should be clutching her red-hooded cloak an
d hurrying off to Grandmas house. It was all too believable that Caleb might temp
t a woman from her path, only to devour her whole in the darkness of the woods.
He forced his smile wider. How about this? Better? My, what big teeth you have. Al
oud she said, Very reassuring. People must think Im over here telling you knockkno
ck jokes. For a second something flashed in his eyes that might have been real hu
mor, but it vanished, only to be replaced by something dark and heated. Another
one of those uncontrollable shivers went down her spine. What was it about this
man that stirred such a reaction in her? He was the opposite of what she wanted.
After her upbringing, she wanted to be with a man who was open and honest. Some
one without the power to crush her career would be nice, too. And why was she ev
en thinking about this now, when she should be focusing on making a good impress
ion in her crucial first month on the job? The last thing she needed was for

someone to see her flirting with the boss. Or drooling over him. Or trembling at
his touch. Not that he had touched her. Oh, no. Hed been very careful not to do
that. Thank God. Because if he had, she may very well have collapsed into a quiv
ering mass of Jell-O. Unfortunately, before she could excuse herself, he said, Si
nce I have you here, somethings come across my desk Id like to get your opinion on
. She blew out the breath shed been holding. Work. Yes, they should absolutely tal
k about work. Fire away. His eyes once again lit with that avaricious hunger and h
e nodded toward the conference room door. Right this way then. Ah, you want to talk
in your office. Its a little too noisy in here to concentrate on business. We woul
dnt want to overlook something. Logic told her she should protest. Despite the noi
se, they could talk business here. But logic couldnt compete with the way her blo
od was suddenly thrumming in her veins. His office was one floor up. Theyd be alo
ne. An idea that made her feel suddenly lightheaded. Their colleagues were busy
enjoying the celebration; no one would miss them. Anyone who did would think not
hing of him leaving the party to discuss work. Certainly, she found herself agreei
ng. His hand moved to hover just above the small of her back as he guided her fr
om the room. He hadnt even touched her, yet her every nerve prickled. Though it c
ouldnt have lasted more than sixty seconds, the ride up to the executive offices
on the sixteenth floor seemed interminable. The walk down the hall to his office
even longer. But the instant the door closed behind them and they were alone, h
e pressed her against the solid oak of the door and plastered his body against h
ers. Chapter Two
You couldnt get away any sooner? Rosa gasped out the words the moment Caleb wrenche
d his mouth from hers. She tasted of red wine, desire and impatience. Of hunger
so deep her question barely registered.

No, he muttered, trailing his mouth to the tender skin of her throat. Thompson woul
dnt stop talking about our third-quarter numbers. One floor below his office, the
crowd still celebrated. Caleb could hear the steady thumpthump of the musics bass
, echoing the desire thudding through his veins. He shouldnt want her like this,
but that didnt lessen his need. Rosa was an employee. Shed been with his company f
or just over a month. Maybe it was wrong for him to sleep with an employee becau
se he had all the power in the relationship. But he couldnt imagine anyone taking
advantage of Rosa. And no matter what his ethics told him, he simply didnt have
the strength to resist her. The buttons of her jacket gave way to his fingers an
d she shrugged out of it. Beneath her jacket she wore a skimpy camisole. And no
bra. The straps slipped down her arm, allowing him to nudge the fabric aside and
free one of her breasts. Her body was willowy, slender without being petite, an
d her breasts matched it. They were neither too small nor too large, but fit per
fectly into his hands. But it wasnt enough. He wanted more. She gasped as he took
her nipple into his mouth. Her head was thrown back, her inky hair spilling ove
r her shoulders, her dark eyes drifting closed. After only six weeks, he knew he
r expressions well enough to know how aroused she was. He ran a hand up her leg,
making her squirm. She wiggled, tugging her skirt to her hips and granting him
access to the silken fabric of her panties. He yanked them down and then delved
into the folds of her flesh. She was already damp with need, quivering at his to
uch. The feel of her, the scent of her, spiked his desire. He reached for his be
lt, but her hands were already there. She slid his zipper down and a moment late
r cupped his penis in her hand. He stilled as his breath caught and her touch se
nt a shudder through his body. A few minutes later, he was sheathed inside of he
r, their bodies moving against each other in rhythmic passion. He was lost to he
r touch. As she was to his. *** Do you think anyone missed us? Her voice sounded g
ravelly to her own ears, thick with recently sated desire. She lay beside Caleb
on the floor of his office, nearly naked, her clothes scattered around her. Her
very blood felt sluggish and lazy, so it was all she could do to roll over and d
rape herself on his chest. God, I hope not.

His voice rumbled through his chest and she felt the words forming inside of him
even as his breath brushed against the top of her head. It was a very intimate
experience, listening to someone talk while laying half on top of him. This kind
of physical closeness was new to her. It thrilled her as much as it terrified.
But she couldnt let herself think about that now. I should be very angry with you,
she muttered. His hand moved in lazy circles up and down her arm. Why? Because this
was supposed to be a quickie. I shouldnt have been away from the party this long
. Though only an hour had passed, she couldnt possibly go back now. After a quicki
e in his office, she might have been able to repair her appearance. But not now.
Her hair, which took so long to straighten every morning, was helplessly mussed
. Her clothes were wrinkled beyond repair. And worst of all, the last time hed ma
de her come, shed cried. Actual tears. Shed managed to hide them from Caleb, but h
er emotions had ruined her makeup. Anyone who saw her leaving his office now wou
ld know exactly what theyd been doing. That would be disastrous. She didnt even al
low herself to consider the tears shed cried and what they might mean. She wasnt a
crier. She hadnt cried when her childhood cat, Momo, died last summer. Why would
she cry now? Suddenly uncomfortable, she pressed her palm to Calebs chest and pu
shed herself to a seated position. Her muscles protested at having to move again
after being turned into Jell-O, but she ignored them as she looked for her clot
hes. Dont go, Caleb said from behind her. I have to. We cant sleep on the floor. That
ot what I meant. She stilled in the process of picking up her camisole. Shed known
what hed meant. Pushing her arms through the straps, she said, Youve never asked m
e to stay before. You made the terms of our arrangement clear from the beginning. Y
es, she certainly had.

Now, as she stepped into her skirt, she glanced over her shoulder. Hed scooted to
rest his back against the front of the sofa. One leg was bent at the knee, his
arm resting on it. There were no lights on in the room, but the last remnants of
sunlight filtered through the reflective windows casting interesting shadows ac
ross his face and naked chest. The scar that slashed across his cheek seemed to
shine white against the golden tan of his skin, making him look dangerous. Like
one of the pirates from the romance novels shed read as a teenager. Back when she
believed in true love and happily-ever-afters. This is how it has to be. Somethin
g unfamiliar and needy tightened in her chest, but she pushed it aside as effici
ently as she tugged up the zipper of her skirt. If Id known who you were I never w
ould have gotten involved with you. So youve said. Numerous times. She focused on dr
essing, on creating some semblance of respectability, but she could hear his exa
speration. Their relationship had been a fluke from the beginning. An accident o
f nature. On the way to her interview with Alexander Enterprises, shed gotten str
anded at the Chicago airport. Shed met Caleb at a restaurant where theyd shared a
table. Shed been drawn to him from the moment shed introduced herself and begged f
or one of the few empty seats in the overcrowded terminal. Excited by the prospe
ct of launching a new life, shed felt reckless and free. An affair with a handsom
e stranger was a temptation she simply hadnt been able to resist. It was unlike a
nything shed ever done in her well-structured life. But she hadnt regretted it. Un
til her first day at Alexander Enterprises when she met her new boss for the fir
st time. Now, she shoved her right foot into her shoe, but then couldnt find the
left. No matter where she looked it wasnt there. Twitchy with frustration, she dr
opped to her knees to look under his desk. I cant be involved with my boss, she sai
d, partly to herself. If anyone finds out were sleeping together, my career here w
ill be over. Your career here will be over only when I say its over. You dont understa
nd. I just left a job at FMJ where everyone assumed I held my position only beca
use my half brother was the CEO. No shoe under the table. She crawled the few ste
ps to the sofa and crouched lower to peer underneath. If people learn were lovers,
itll be the same thing all over again. No one will treat you with disrespect. Ill m
ake sure of that.

No one would be openly disrespectful. But Id still get a reputation for sleeping m
y way to the top. Still, no shoe. What was she supposed to do, leave the building
barefoot? It was bad enough her hair was a mess and her makeup streaked. Shed ne
ver be able to explain away missing clothes. She was supposed to be master of he
r own destiny. She refused to be brought down by a single shoe. Rocking back on
her heels, she rubbed her fingertips across the tension knotting her forehead. Lo
oking for this? She looked up to see Caleb, now dressed in only his pants, holdin
g her shoe in his hand. Yes. Thank you. But her tone didnt hide the strain she felt
. She stood to take the shoe. I should be more careful, or well never keep this a
secret. But when she reached for the shoe, he pulled it back, instead holding out
something in his other hand. What if Im done keeping this a secret? Her gaze dropp
ed from his eyes to the tiny box he held in his hands. It was a jewelry box. The
kind wedding rings came in. Chapter Three
Caleb watched as an expression of panic crossed Rosas face. Yet she seemed unable
to take her eyes off the jewelry box he held. She inched forward, the way one w
ould approach a rattlesnake. By the time she finally pried open the box, her fin
gers were nearly trembling. For a second she stared at the contents with confusi
on. Earrings, she said with a sigh. Only then did he realize she might have expect
ed something else. Like an engagement ring. Funny how the thought of offering he
r one of those didnt make him feel nervous at all. But the sheer relief on her fa
ce meant only one thing. The thought did make her nervous. She thrust the earrin
gs toward him and grabbed her shoe from him. I cant accept these. Why not? he asked,
refusing to take back the box. Standing on one foot, she slipped her foot into h
er shoe. Thats just not the kind of relationship we have. I want a different kind of
relationship with you.

Hed been Rosas lover for more than a month now. Shed insisted they keep their affai
r a secret because he was her boss, but he was done playing games. He was tired
of sneaking around and hiding how he felt. He wanted more. Its time to decide what
you really want. He studied her expression, taking in the way her eyes widened a
little, before her expression became shuttered. She was so damned closed off. Ob
viously what I want has nothing to do with this. She retrieved her suit jacket fr
om where it had fallen by his office door and slipped into it with brusque effic
iency. It was hard to believe mere minutes ago shed been lying draped over his ch
est, exhausted from making love to him not just once, but twice within the past
hour. It had always been like that between them: fast and passionate, nearly unc
ontrollable. This relationship has been all about what you want. Youve been so wor
ried about people finding out were together. But I dont care what other people thi
nk. Of course you dont care. You built one of the most successful biotech companies
in the country out of nothing but hard work and sheer determination. No one can
accuse you of sleeping your way to the top. He leveled his gaze at her. I can per
sonally guarantee that no one will accuse you of that either. She rolled her eyes
. Yeah. Thatll be subtle. He quirked an eyebrow. Subtlety has never been my strong s
uit. Her gaze drifted over his naked chest as if measuring the strength of his wi
ll based on the bulk of his body. No, she agreed. No one would ever accuse you of t
hat either. Then she sighed. Im not trying to be difficult, but try to see it from
my point of view. This is the first job Ive had where I didnt work for my brother.
And, sure, its nice having pull with the boss, but most of the time it creates m
ore problems than it solves. Everyone assumes youre skating by on something other
than your own hard work. You did a great job at FMJ. Alexander Enterprises never
would have hired you if you hadnt. Exactly. I worked my ass off at FMJ. And no one
in management so much as hinted that I wasnt doing my job. But I was never as eff
ective as I could have been. When you work in human resources, people have to th
ink youre on their side. Any relationship they think you have with the uppity-ups
only gets in the way.

As much as he loved this willful streak of hers, man, it was getting in his way
now. He could read her thoughts as easily as if some cartoonist had drawn though
t bubbles over her head. The jewelry hed given her had freaked her out. Not becau
se shed wanted it to be a ring and it wasnt. But because for a moment there, shed b
een afraid that it was a ring. Which meant the thought of committing to him frig
htened her. And that didnt sit well with him. Hed meant the earrings to move their
relationship forward. Instead, she was digging in her heals, forcing their rela
tionship to a standstill. Whatever deeply personal reason she had for her behavi
or, she thought she could hide it behind this excuse about how an affair with hi
m endangered her credibility. But he wasnt falling for it. If those tactics had w
orked with the other men shed dated, no wonder she was still single. He wasnt so e
asily distracted. And he certainly hadnt built Alexander Enterprises into a Fortu
ne 500 company by playing it safe. Okay, he said. I see your point. In order for yo
u to do your job, people have to trust you. But if thats true, then hiding our re
lationship is even more of a mistake. Nothing stays hidden forever. Sooner or la
ter, someone is going to find out were involved. And when they do, its only going
to be worse. The smart thing to do would be to come clean now and tell everyone
were involved. He watched her carefully, her expression all but unreadable. Odd ho
w he recognized every twitch of desire that crossed her face, but couldnt begin t
o guess what she was thinking now. Until her expression settled into one of stee
ly resolve. No. I cant do that. This isnt just my job at stakeits my independence. If
I lost She shook her head, but said no more. Only the faintest sheen of tears in
her eyes told him her answer had hurt her as much as it did him. At least he kne
w where they stood. She didnt trust him. She wanted her independence because she
believed their relationship had an expiration date. She was just waiting around
for their affair to end. Hed gambled everything. And hed lost. Chapter Four
Rosa fled from Calebs office. Only when she reached the safety of her car did she
realize she still clutched the jewelry box from Caleb. She thrust it into her p
urse, refusing to think about the earrings.

All weekend long she waffled between her desire to call him and her even greater
desire to simply keep her head down and pretend her love life hadnt morphed into
a ticking time bomb. One that wasnt just about to blow up in her face. Sooner or
later, bombs tended to go ka-boom. When this one blew, it just might take her c
areer with it. It was ironic. Shed grown up scoffing at her mothers mistakes, swea
ring that shed never make the same ones. Her charming father had swooped into the
ir lives periodically, full of grand gestures and promises hed been unable or unw
illing to keep. In his absence, money was tight and moods were grim. There was n
ever enough of him to go around not for his mistress and bastard daughters at any
rate. Shed sworn shed never let someone else control her life like that. Never pu
t herself at the financial or emotional mercy of a man. And yet here she was. Fr
iday night, Caleb had made it clear that he wanted to bring their relationship i
nto the light of day. But she couldnt do that. It was bad enough that her body se
emed completely in his control. A single touch and she was gone. If other people
found out about their affair, her job would be in jeopardy, too. First her body
. Then her job. Thank goodness her heart was still untouched. But for how long?
When hed presented her with that jewelry box, shed felt a spike of pure panic. For
one interminable moment, shed thought hed been about to propose. Of course, it ha
dnt been a ring. Merely a bauble meant to keep her distracted. Which should have
been reassuring, but somehow wasnt. Plenty of men bought expensive gifts because
it was easier than opening up emotionally. Her father had been like that. Her ha
lf brother, Ford, was like that, too. He treated women like they were birds, dis
tracting them with bright and shiny things. And it even worked with some women.
Her sisters, for example, were content with new cars instead of a real relations
hip with their brother. But it had never sat well with her. Was Caleb the same?
Were the expensive earrings merely a gift or were they meant to placate her? By
the time Monday morning rolled around, she was no closer to finding the answers
her heart so desperately wanted. Trying to clear her own thoughts, she stopped b
y the break room to fuel up on caffeine before heading to her office. Shed nearly
left when she spied Macys familiar bob, not sure if she had the energy to endure
her friends perkiness. Unfortunately, Macy spotted her before she could duck out
. Rosa flashed her friend an apologetic smile. Ive got to warn youIm not up for actu
al conversation just yet.

Rough weekend? Brutal. Macy held up a hand to stave off an explanation. Dont worry. No
need to tell me more. I know how hypersensitive you are about your privacy. Hype
rsensitive? Was that really how people saw her? Even her friends? Not that she n
ecessarily wanted the answer to that question on a morning when she was already
doubting herself. So she forced some perkiness of her own. Ill be back to myself a
s soon as I mainline some caffeine. Well, Macy whispered conspiratorially, if its a p
ick-me-up you need, Ive got something even better than espresso. I can hardly wait.
Macy either completely missed Rosas sarcasm or merely chose to ignore it. Early th
is morning, our fearless leader sent out an e-mail about a change in the companys
interoffice dating policy. Macy leaned closer. Can I assume this has to do with y
ou? Confusion clutched her. The interoffice dating policy? What could that possibl
y have to do with me? I mean She choked off the last of her words, all too aware t
hat she sounded panicky and defensive. To hide her attack of nerves, she busied
herself fixing her coffee. But no amount of coffee stirring could quiet her raci
ng thoughts. Dear lord, had someone found out about her and Caleb? Was it such c
ommon knowledge that Caleb was sending out policy-changing e-mails? Macy blinked
, clearly taken aback. I just assumed that, as head of human resources, you convi
nced Mr. Alexander that changing the strict no-employee-dating policy would make
for happier employees. Speculation lit Macys eyes. But if you didnt have anything t
o do with it, then maybe someone else did Macy let her words trail off suggestivel
y. Rosa felt her anxiety ratchet up another notch. Clutching her mug in both han
ds, she headed for the door, hoping to shorten the conversation. What do you mean
?

I mean, maybe hes got something else motivating his sudden change of heart. Or sho
uld I say, someone else. Macy halted and placed a hand on Rosas arm before looking
pointedly over Rosas shoulder to the bay of offices along the north wall. Someone
like Tessa Bing. Tessa Bing? Rosa felt her emotions yo-yo from anxiety back to con
fusion. Sure. Didnt you notice how long they talked at the party the other night? I
n fact, Rosa had not noticed. It hadnt ever occurred to her that shed need to keep
tabs on who Caleb was talking to. He hadnt struck her as the kind of man whod che
at. Had she been wrong? Of course they werent in a real relationship so perhaps h
ed taken liberties with the freedom shed given him. He doesnt seem the type, she mutt
ered aloud. To sleep with an employee? I know. But rumor has it hes dipping his pe
n somewhere in the company well, and my moneys on Tessa. And Ive certainly noticed
how approachable hes been lately. Apparently they dated years ago when the compa
ny was just starting up. Besides, look at her. Shes gorgeous. Tessa Bing was gorge
ous, like Heidi Klum with a law degree. How had Rosa missed the easy camaraderie
Tessa and Caleb shared? And, now that she thought about it, had she seen him la
ugh the other night at something Tessa had said? He certainly never laughed with
her. To make matters worse, Tessa had been at the company forever and was unive
rsally loved. Even Rosa couldnt come up with anything bad to say about her. And j
ust now, she was really searching for reasons to hate her. Logical reasons, that
was. Macy leaned closer. I bet hes bringing her to the big Foundation for Life fu
ndraiser this weekend. Wouldnt she make the perfect Mrs. Alexander? Yes. She would.
Inexplicably, Rosa found herself swallowing back tears. She mumbled something ab
out a teleconference and fled to the safety of her office. Frankly, she didnt kno
w what was worse: finding out everyone in the office was gossiping about Caleb a
nd some mystery woman. Or finding out the mystery woman wasnt her. Chapter Five

Caleb wasnt a man to hedge his bets. You either faced your problems head-on or yo
u risked losing. That approach had never failed him in business. It wouldnt fail
him with Rosa either. The problem was simple. He was ready to take their relatio
nship to the next level. She wasnt ready to commit yet. She claimed gossip at wor
k would impair her ability to do her job, but he knew the truth. She was afraid.
Her natural caution was making her second-guess her feelings. Hed never been in
a relationship that moved this fast before either. But then, hed never felt this
way about another woman. This bone-deep certainty that she was the one woman in
the world for him. That she belonged to him. His total conviction spurred him to
action. By sending out the e-mail, hed issued a challenge she wouldnt be able to
ignore. So he wasnt surprised when his secretary notified him that Rosa had reque
sted a meeting. What did surprise him was the cool indifference of her attitude
when she entered his office. She held her laptop in front of her chest like a sh
ield. But instead of launching into the diatribe he expected, she immediately be
gan discussing a complete rewrite of the employee handbook. He let her get a few
sentences in before stopping her. I trust you to handle that on your own. Id assu
med you scheduled this appointment to discuss something more personal. Oh, really?
She kept her expression perfectly blank. As if his assumptions were of no intere
st to her. As if she hadnt been naked in his arms on the very floor of this offic
e only a few days before. Why would you think that? He rose from his chair and rou
nded his desk to stand before the wingback chair where she sat, stiff and unwelc
oming. He refused to dignify her feigned disinterest with a response. After a lo
ng minute, she finally met his gaze, keeping her own steely and cool. After anot
her few beats of silence, she began to fidget. Then, abruptly, passion lit her e
yes. Albeit passionate anger, but at least he could read some emotion in her fac
e. So now Im supposed to schedule romantic rendezvous with your secretary? Her indi
gnation amused him, even as his body responded automatically to the implication
of her words. Thats not what I meant by more personal. She stiffened. Then I dont kno
w what you mean. I thought youd have an opinion about the memo I sent out revising
the companys dating policy.

It took her a moment to school her features. As head of human resources, I certai
nly wish youd conferred with me before making such a sweeping change to company p
olicy. But given the rumors, it sounds like you had good reason to act fast. There
are rumors already? He knew in an office of this size, rumors would be inevitabl
e. After all, he was counting on the rumors to push her toward a decision. Yes, t
here are quite a few of them buzzing around the office. Her mouth, which was norm
ally so wide and smiling, pinched into a sour frown. The most interesting one inv
olves you dating Tessa Bing. Tessa Bing? He nearly laughed out loud. Until he notic
ed her fierce scowl. She gave a tight little nod. Most people are basing it on ho
w much time you spent talking to her at the party on Friday evening. Dont tell me y
ou believe these rumors. Youre not denying them. He felt a fissure of anger crack th
rough his reserve. I spent time talking to Tessa because you insisted I not spend
the evening with you. For an instant there was doubt in her eyes. Then it vanish
ed. Bob Jonas in R & D mentioned seeing you together at brunch on Sunday. That tin
y fissure of anger began to widen, zigzagging across his emotions. Tessa and I ar
e old friends. Our mothers went to Brown together. Ive never made a secret of tha
t. And, yes, she and I meet for brunch occasionally. With our families. Did Bob
Jonas from R & D happen to mention that? He expected her expression to at least s
often. He waited for the flood of relief. Instead she crossed her arms over her
chest, her chin jutting out at a belligerent angle. No, he didnt mention that. Pro
bably couldnt get a word in edgewise, what with everyone else speculating about w
hat a great couple the two of you made. You cant seriously believe that Id date Tess
a. Why not? We never agreed to be exclusive. It was implied, he bit out. You think Im
he kind of man to date two women at once? Who am I to say what kind of man you are
? Most people think that youve just been waiting for the policy change to drop do
wn on one knee and propose to her.

Im not sleeping with most people. Exactly. He straightened, wishing he could take her
by the shoulders and shake her soundly. You are the one who insisted we keep our
affair a secret. She leaped from the chair, her unopened laptop still clutched t
o her chest. But you never argued, did you? Because it worked to your advantage. Wh
at exactly do you mean by that? he asked through gritted teeth. As angry as he wa
s, he half expected her to back down and scurry out the door. Its what any sane w
oman would do. Instead she bumped her chin up and glared at him. As long as our r
elationship was a secret, you could continue to woo the perfect Ms. Bing. Wherea
s if shed known you were sleeping with me, she might not have been so willing to
wait around for you. I cant believe this, he muttered. Hed sent the damn e-mail to ma
neuver her into dating him publicly. Hed thought his high-handed techniques might
annoy her, but he never dreamed shed freak out over something like this. Im not da
ting Tessa. If Id ever had even the slightest interest in her Id have pursued her
years ago. Rosa opened her mouth to protest. He didnt give her the chance. Your fat
her may have been a lying, cheating bastard, but Im not your father. The second he
saw her stricken expression, he wished hed softened his words. Great, now he fel
t like a total ass. But instead of ripping him a new one, like he deserved, she
quickly mastered her emotions and glared at him. Well, Im not my mother either. I
refuse to be hidden away like a dirty secret merely for the sake of convenience. T
rust me, there is nothing convenient about you. Fine. She hurled the word like an i
nsult, spun her heel and was halfway to the door before he stopped her with a ha
nd on her arm. If you dont want to be hidden away anymore, thats fine with me. Im mo
re than ready to go public. He didnt know what reaction he expected, but it was ce
rtainly something other than the complete surprise on her face as she blinked up
at him.

And if she thought that was a surprise, then she had another think coming, becau
se he was about to lay an even bigger one on her. You want people to know were tog
ether, he began. Fine. Lets get married. Chapter Six
You want to get married? Are you crazy? Rosas voice went all high and squeaky, as i
f shed been sucker punched. Hardly the resounding yes I was hoping for, he said wry
ly. He loomed over her, trapping her between his body and the door. His lips twi
tched into what could only be described as a grin. At work he was all single-min
ded determination. He brought that same focus to the bedroom. Being the focus of
such intensity brought her nerve-rattling pleasure, but lately shed found hersel
f wondering if he ever relaxed and let his guard down. So at the sign of his une
xpected humor, she could only shake her head in exasperation. Now youre laughing?
Over this? I do have a sense of humor. Obviously, but if this is any indication, its
not a very good one. Then she was struck by a memory of him throwing back his hea
d and laughing. The sort of full-bodied laughter that warmed her soul. It had be
en that first night, snowed in at the airport, trapped in the lounge for so long
. Before shed known he was Caleb Alexander, her soon-to-be boss. Before hed realiz
ed she was an employee. Before shed imposed so many restrictions on them. Ever si
nce then, their relationship had been winnowed down to this narrow swath of hot
sex and strained tension. Shed done this. This was how it had to be. Wasnt it? Pro
fessional success meant everything to her. She couldnt be like her mother, financ
ially dependent on a man, held hostage by her love life. Trying to focus on that
, she forced herself to stand incredibly still, her feet planted firmly on the g
round.

Asking me to marry you is probably the least-funny joke Ive ever heard. But I dont
blame you. This is my fault. I should never have let this get out of hand. Out of
hand? he asked. He was no longer grinning, but his expression was too enigmatic f
or her to read. Yes. Unable to stand still anymore, she reached for her bag and sh
oved her laptop into it. This is my life. My job. My responsibility. Every profes
sional goal Ive set for myself was within reach. I should never have let myself g
et distracted by great sex. Is that really how you see this? She rolled her eyes. T
ypical guy. Im trying to have a serious discussion here and you really want to pau
se so I can stroke your ego? Yes, the sex is great. You know that. Caleb reached
for her arm, snagging her attention with his touch. Yes, I know the sex is great.
The intensity of his gaze made something deep inside of her contract. Thats not wh
at I was talking about. Do you really see this as nothing more than a distractio
n? She sucked in a deep breath. Between the look in his eyes and the heat of his
hand on her armthe sheer strength of his personalityshe had trouble thinking. Forg
et trying to define their strange and complicated relationship. What do you want
me to say? Since theyd first met, their passion had blazed fast and strong. Her at
traction had overwhelmed all of her common sense. Being with you has distracted m
e from everything Ive ever wanted. But is it nothing more than a distraction? What mo
re could it be? And then the truth hit her. Oh my God. You were serious about gett
ing married, werent you? I may have a sense of humor, but I wouldnt joke about that.
Were not teenagers and Im tired of sneaking around. I want a real relationship ou
tside the bedroom, but Im tired of jumping through hoops for you. Its time to ante
up. The only question is what you want. What did she want? The second the questi
on filtered through her mind she knew the answer. She wanted him. Shed always wan
ted him. From the moment theyd met. From before that, even. He was the man her he
art had dreamed of before shed even known such a man existed. He was strong and s
mart. Confident without being overbearing. And it terrified her how much she wan
ted to be with him.

Not thirty minutes ago, she imagined he might be dating someone else while sleep
ing with her. The very idea had made her shake. It had wrenched her heart right
out of her chest. Caleb promised her he wasnt dating Tessa and she believed him.
His arguments were perfectly logical. Very rational. What scared her to the very
core was how irrational shed felt before hearing them. How completely vulnerable
shed felt. How exposed. Hadnt she promised herself shed never be that way with a m
an? Wasnt that why she wanted financial independence in the first place? So shed n
ever find herself at the mercy of a mans affection? Yet here she was. Financially
independent, but emotionally tied into so many knots she could barely function.
And still his question hung between them. What did she want? To avoid giving a
real answer, she said, Weve only known each other for six weeks. How could you pos
sibly be sure Im really the one you want? My gut says youre the one I want to spend
the rest of my life with. I didnt make it this far by being cautious. When its tim
e to put down money, I go all in. So Im all in. Are you? Chapter Seven
Caleb watched Rosas face, looking for any hint of what was going on in that convo
luted brain of hers. Maybe hed raised the stakes too high, but he needed to know
now where this was headed. She was everything he wanted in a wife: beautiful, sm
art and as dedicated to Alexander Enterprises as he was. Even better, because th
eyd gotten involved before she knew who he was, he knew she was interested in the
man, not the position he held. As an added bonus, the chemistry between them in
bed was unlike anything hed ever experienced. In short, she was the perfect woma
n for him. But he was tired of playing these games. If she didnt feel the same wa
y about him, he wanted to know it now. Almost as soon as he laid his cards on th
e table, he knew his gamble would pay off. He watched the doubts flicker across
her face in the furrow of her brow and the downturn of

her lips. Then the moment of indecision passed and her expression settled into o
ne of absolute certainty. Just when he was ready to pull her into his arms for a
celebratory kiss, she shook her head. No, she said. I cant marry you. *** Knowing sh
ed absolutely done the right thing shouldve provided some sense of satisfaction. B
ut for Rosa, it didnt. It did, however, allow her to coast in oblivion for severa
l days. For most of the week, in fact, she functioned like a semi-intelligent hu
man being. She went to work. She held conversations and answered e-mail. Three t
imes a day she consumed foodnot that she tasted it. Work had become merely about
survival. Life, about just getting through the day. By Friday, the decision that
had seemed so completely logical had gnawed through her to sit solidly in her b
elly like an intestinal worm. Shed made a mistake. She had thought that by ending
the affair she would regain some control over her emotions. She was wrong. She
hadnt taken control of her destiny. Shed sabotaged it. Just when she thought thing
s couldnt get any worse, she was digging through her enormous hobo bag, looking f
or any morsel of chocolate that might up her serotonin levels above rock bottom,
when her fingers latched on to the jewelry box from Caleb. She pulled it out. F
riday night when shed fled his office, shed thrust the box into the murky depths o
f her purse, desperate to cast aside the earrings and the ties they represented.
Now it seemed silly; foolish, even. The earrings had been nothing. A mere token
compared to what hed offered her on Monday. Why had she been so afraid of earrin
gs? For that matter, why had she been so afraid of an engagement? She was still
pondering the question, desperately trying to talk herself into putting the box
back into her purse, when there was a knock on her office door. Macy strolled in
without waiting for a response. Did you see Macy broke off at the sight of Rosas te
ars. Hey, whats wrong? Nothing! I just

Youre sitting in your office, clutching a jewelry box and sobbing. Macy glanced bac
k into the bull pen as if to verify no one else had noticed and then closed the
door behind her. Thats not nothing! Rosa pressed her lips together, trying desperat
ely not to blubber like an idiot. But then Macy was there beside her with a tiss
ue in one hand and a sympathetic hug in the other. The dam broke. Twenty minutes
of tearful explanation later and Macy knew the whole sordid mess. Rosas dignitywh
at she had left of itkicked in at the last minute, preventing her from sobbing ou
t the possibility that she may have actually fallen in love with Calebidiot that
she was. Instead of baring her very soul, she blew her nose one last time and st
raightened her shoulders, channeling the inner strength of the plucky heroine fr
om countless romantic movies. This is okay. I can get over this, right? Macy gave
her an encouraging nod. I made a mistake. A very big mistake. People have recover
ed from far worse, right? Sure! Macy handed her another tissue. Rosa swiped it unde
r her eyes to clean up the worst of the melting eye makeup. I just need to take a
few days to get control of my emotions, so I can comport myself with dignity. Ag
ain Macy nodded her support. The last thing I want is to burst into tears every t
ime I see him. Or Tessa. Oh, theyre not dating, Rosa said quickly. He explained everyt
ing. At least I dont have that to worry about. She glanced toward Macy, expecting
the requisite nod. But Macy didnt meet her gaze. What? Rosa asked. Macy looked read
y to chew a hole through her front lip. Everyones talking about it. Hes taking her
to the Foundation for Life benefit. Tonight. With a sinking feeling, Rosa propell
ed herself from her seat. She threw open her office door and stared across the b
ull pen to Tessas office, opposite her own. Then, as if the whole scene was being
choreographed by some evil genius, Tessa walked out. With Caleb behind her. His
hand at the small of her back, just as he used to do with Rosa. Tessa said some
thing and then laughed that infectious laugh of hers. Her head was tilted so tha
t her perfect blond hair spilled down her back as she looked up at Caleb.

That lying, cheating bastard. I hate him, Macy muttered beside Rosa. I should hate
him, right? But in that moment, Caleb looked from Tessas upturned face across the
room to meet Rosas gaze. She saw the full truth in his eyes. This could have been
her. Weeks ago hed asked her to the event and shed turned him down. Shed pushed hi
m into this. No, she told Macy. Hes not a lying, cheating bastard. He wasnt dating he
r while he was sleeping with me. But he is dating her now. Chapter Eight

It was no consolation knowing that Caleb was dating the beautiful Tessa only bec
ause Rosa had practically pushed him into her arms. Watching him leave the offic
e with Tessa on his arm, Rosa felt the full weight of what shed done. Beside her,
Macy was still trying to muster up a head of steaming anger toward Caleb. If he
proposed to you earlier this week, Macy was saying, he certainly shouldnt be taking
Ms. Perfectly Perfect to that benefit tonight. Rosa closed the door to her offic
e and leaned against it with sigh. No. I did this. I was afraid of how he made me
feel, so I pushed him away. To that tramp, Tessa? What was he thinking? Rosa just
shook her head. Tessa is perfectly nice and you know it. It doesnt matter who hes d
ating. He could be dating a dog and Thats not very nice. Oh, I dont mean a dog as sl
I mean, he could take an actual Pekingese to this benefit and it wouldnt matter.
He asked me to marry him and I turned him down. Hes not the kind of man who gives
second chances. Macys ire died down enough for her to give Rosa a quiet nod. The
gesture said it all. Macy agreed. Caleb wasnt an unforgiving man, but he was deci
sive. Once he made up his mind, he never changed it and he never looked back. I s
aid no and he took me at my word. He didnt invite Tessa to the benefit to rub my
nose in it. He did it to show me that hes moving on.

*** Despite Macys generous offers to supply sympathy, alcohol and dark chocolate,
Rosa insisted shed rather be alone. By the time she made it through her front do
or, she was feeling as bruised and battered as a hit-and-run victim. But she dut
ifully trudged through her personal e-mails, which shed been avoiding all week. S
he had likewise been avoiding calls from her mother, who had a preternatural kna
ck for knowing when her daughters were emotionally traumatized. But her mother w
as the last person Rosa wanted to talk to just now. Just then she reached an e-m
ail from her sister Beatrice and a link to a YouTube video. Hey, chica, check out
this press conference that Ford just held. You think this means we can get free
jewelry? Confused by the reference to jewelry, she clicked on the link. After a
minute the video started playing. It showed Ford, her brother, in some hotel con
ference room. On one side stood Jonathon Bagdon, the CFO of FMJ, and on the othe
r stood a beautiful brunette with the sort of ripe, luxuriant beauty of a 1940s
film star. It seemed FMJ, her brothers company, was buying out Biedermanns Jewelry
. The beauty was Kitty Biedermann, the heiress to the companys fortune. Watching
Ford, Rosa noticed the unusually protective gleam in Fords gaze as he watched Kit
ty Biedermann. Was it possible hed fallen for the heiress? It seemed impossible,
and yet Even as Rosa pondered the issue, one of the reporters in the audience ask
ed the same question. Ford deflected it with his usual easy charm. Of course. Wh
atever affection shed thought shed seen in Fords expression must have been a trick
of the light. Classic Ford. After their fathers death, hed swept in and taken care
of everyone. He was dynamic and charmingbut completely emotionally unavailable.
If you needed a job or a loan or, hell, even just a fancy new pair of shoes, he
was your guy. If you needed someone to talk to, then you were SOL. He could char
m the socks off anyone, but he never let anyone close. After the video ended, sh
e sat for a minute staring blankly at the busyness of the YouTube screen. Then s
he clicked Play again and watched it a second time. This time focusing on Ford.
After all, part of the reason she was so reluctant to deepen her relationship wi
th Caleb was because of Ford. When shed first met Caleb, he reminded her of Ford.
They were both self-made men. Both handsome, in their own way. Both powerful an
d wealthy. Both free with their money. Both used to getting what they want.

Watching Ford now, she realized what a disservice shed done by not reevaluating h
er opinion of Caleb once shed gotten more involved with him. On the surface he ma
y be similar to Ford, but thats all it was. Surface similarities. In reality, the
y were no more alike thanshe was like her mother. Just like that, she knew. Maybe
shed blown her chance with Caleb. But maybe she hadnt. Either way, she wasnt just
going to sit at home watching YouTube videos. She was going to do everything in
her power to win him back. *** This wasnt working. The woman Caleb held in his ar
ms as he danced across the ballroom floor was lovely and charming. She was an ol
d family friend. Someone he was comfortable with and admired. And he was bored o
ut of his brain. Unfortunately, she could tell. Tessa leaned back to look him in
the eyes. Im sorry Im not her. Not who? he asked, more out of stubbornness than anyth
ing else. Tessa smiled a little sadly. The woman you wish you were with instead o
f me. Caleb gritted his teeth, angry with himself for wallowing. And more angry w
ith Rosa for denying them both. I dont Of course you do. You dont have to pretend othe
rwise for my sake. When a womans invited to a party less than twenty-four hours b
efore the event, she assumes shes not her dates first choice. The orchestra began a
nother benign pop song and they kept dancing without missing a beat. Im sorry, was
all he could say. Theres no need to apologize, she reassured him with a smile. I had
no illusions to begin with and Im getting a nice evening out. I just hope youre a
ble to work it out. Youve been alone too long, Caleb. Its over between us. Tessa tilt
ed her head sympathetically. Then shes a fool. What makes you think she was the one
who ended it?

If youd ended it, you wouldnt be looking quite so grim, would you? It was mutual. Some
how he couldnt stand Tessas gentle concern. We wanted different things from our rel
ationship. Maybe itll still work out. No. He shook his head. She made her choice. Und
tanding lit Tessas gaze. Let me guess. You pushed her too early in the relationshi
p and she bolted. Caleb stilled, pulling back from Tessa. You make it sound like Im
the bad guy here. Not the bad guy, maybe just the overeager one. Youve always know
n exactly what you want. Its served you well in business, but when it comes to pe
rsonal stuff, you have to give the rest of us mere mortals a chance to catch up. Y
ou think I should give her another chance, he summarized. I think Rosa would be a
fool not to ask for one and youd be a fool not to give it to her. How did you know
its Rosa were talking about? I thought all the gossip was about you and me. I never
listen to gossip. But I have noticed the way you look at her. Its obvious to anyo
ne who knows you that youre in love with her. Looking over his shoulder, Tessa sud
denly grinned. Besides, shes the one whos shown up here looking for you. Caleb spun
around and searched the crowd. He spotted her instantly. Which wasnt hard to do g
iven that she was dressed completely inappropriately in jeans and a flowing shir
t. Still, she looked beautiful. Her long dark hair was loose about her shoulders
. Sure, her skin looked a little splotchy, like maybe shed been crying earlier, b
ut her eyes held an appealing determined glint and her jaw was set at that stubb
orn angle he so loved. She spotted him and began to stride across the room. Watc
hing her, everything else faded into the shadows. Tessa, the music, the other da
ncers, they all disappeared. Thats the moment he realized Tessa was right. He rea
lly did love Rosa. It wasnt just that he admired her dedication to Alexander Ente
rprises. It was more than his appreciation of her beauty or her strength of will
. Those things were true of Tessa also, but the sight of Tessa had never filled
him with such joy. No, he loved Rosa, plain and simple.

Hed planned to never give her a second thought, let alone a second chance. Despit
e that, he was thrilled to see her now. But she didnt look particularly thrilled
to see him. She stopped before him, her expression fierce. You are being complete
ly unfair. I am? Absolutely! You think just because youre the boss at work that you g
et to be the boss in our relationship, too. But youre wrong. I am? he repeated. He w
as smiling now, so pleased to see her it was all he could do not to pull her int
o his arms and kiss her soundly. But she hadnt noticed yet and he was enjoying he
r tirade too much to stop her. Theres no CEO in a relationship. Youre not in charge
. You dont get to decide its over just because things arent moving according to you
r timetable. If youve got a problem, we need to discuss it. Like I agree. adults. Like
ait a minute. You agree? I do. I She blinked in obvious surprise. I I didnt expect y
give in so quickly. Her eyebrows crinkled in confusion even as a smile teased he
r lips. I had a whole speech worked up. About how I loved you and how I knew you
loved me, too. And how I was determined to win you back no matter what. Unable to
resist the temptation, he swept her into his arms. Needing an excuse to hold he
r so close in public, he moved onto the dance floor and began to waltz, reveling
in the way her body fit perfectly against his. It sounds like a great speech. Yo
u can give it to me later. You dont want toI dont know, discuss it or anything? He shr
ugged. I got the gist of it. I love you. You love me. We belong together. Anythin
g else well sort out later. Oh. Well then. Her body seemed to melt into his. Theres on
ly one thing.

She pulled back to look up at him, a frown marring her features. What? There are a
lot of people here from Alexander Enterprises. I think the days of keeping our a
ffair private are officially over. Her frown vanished in the wake of her grin. Tha
t was a bad idea anyway. You sure you dont mind? It would probably be hard to keep th
ings a secret now that were engaged anyway. He pulled her tighter against him. Good
point. THE END