too much integrity to resort to such base behavior; so much integrity that she had been sure her desperate actions at CIS would make him despise her forever.
Besides, he needed to blackmail a woman into his bed like a desert sheik needed to import sand. So, why had he tried to?
He couldn't really want her. Could he?
The idea was ludicrous. Marcus could have any woman he wanted, His blond good looks and sexy humor made him irresistible to the opposite sex. She'd seen enough of that the day before just introducing him around the marketing department.
He didn't need to resort to taking a woman to bed whom he despised to fulfill his sexual needs.
But he had implied that was exactly what he wanted.
What could that mean, but that he did want her?
Could his awful threat be his way of reestablishing intimacy between them, even if he did not consciously realize it? If she could have shaken herself, she would have.
Just as she had tried to convince herself a year and a half ago that she meant more than a casual bed partner to Marcus, she was now trying to believe his motives were somehow related to his feelings for her. Feelings he did not have.
With blinding clarity, she realized she had re-turned to thePacific Northwest not just because it was home, but because she would be closer to Marcus. She was still chasing after rainbows, hoping to gain his love and trust once again. She gave a self-derisive snort. What an idiot.
The most likely explanation for Marcus's threats was plain and simple revenge.
She could just see him gloating as she agreed to go to bed with him, her heart all swelled with hope and wanting. Then he would turn her down flat and laugh in her face, or some such horrible scenario.
She was tempted to say yes just to get the torment of waiting over with. At least then she'd know what form his revenge would take. Something told her that if she called his bluff, even if Marcus rejected her, his own sense of honor would prevent him from turning on her later and telling Mr. Kline about her actions at CIS. After all, they would have a deal.
The question was: Did she have the courage to risk getting eaten in order to attempt declawing the lion?
Allison waited for Marcus Danvers to arrive for his morning appointment with George. She sat in her chair behind her desk in the anteroom outside the president's office just as if she hadn't woken feeling snuggly and sated in his bed two hours before.
At forty-five, single and a grandmother, snuggly and sexually sated were not emotions she took for granted.
George Kline had brought an element back into her life she'd believed gone forever when her first husband left her for his bimbette sales manager three years ago.
Sexuality.
She was a sexual being.
She was also a damn fine personal assistant and George appreciated both elements of her nature.
It flattered her. Such a dynamic and wealthy man could have his pick of young, nubile beauties, but he'd chosen her.
She smiled at him when he walked out of his office.
"Danvershere yet?"
"No, George, he's not."
He frowned, his pale eyes narrowing. "I told you to call me Mr. Kline in the office, Allison."
He was fanatical about keeping their relationship at work separate from their private life. Kline Technologies strongly discouraged personal relationships between employees. George believed in setting an example.
Sometimes she slipped up.
She didn't mean to, but it was hard to separate the two areas of her life completely when he played such a major role in both of them. "I'm sorry."
He nodded, brisk and efficient. No sentimentality to mar his perfect business image.
"WhenDanvers gets here, send him right in."
"Yes, sir."
He smiled, his approval warming her even though it was short-lived, and he disappeared into his office a second later.
Marcus Danvers arrived five minutes later
Besides, he needed to blackmail a woman into his bed like a desert sheik needed to import sand. So, why had he tried to?
He couldn't really want her. Could he?
The idea was ludicrous. Marcus could have any woman he wanted, His blond good looks and sexy humor made him irresistible to the opposite sex. She'd seen enough of that the day before just introducing him around the marketing department.
He didn't need to resort to taking a woman to bed whom he despised to fulfill his sexual needs.
But he had implied that was exactly what he wanted.
What could that mean, but that he did want her?
Could his awful threat be his way of reestablishing intimacy between them, even if he did not consciously realize it? If she could have shaken herself, she would have.
Just as she had tried to convince herself a year and a half ago that she meant more than a casual bed partner to Marcus, she was now trying to believe his motives were somehow related to his feelings for her. Feelings he did not have.
With blinding clarity, she realized she had re-turned to thePacific Northwest not just because it was home, but because she would be closer to Marcus. She was still chasing after rainbows, hoping to gain his love and trust once again. She gave a self-derisive snort. What an idiot.
The most likely explanation for Marcus's threats was plain and simple revenge.
She could just see him gloating as she agreed to go to bed with him, her heart all swelled with hope and wanting. Then he would turn her down flat and laugh in her face, or some such horrible scenario.
She was tempted to say yes just to get the torment of waiting over with. At least then she'd know what form his revenge would take. Something told her that if she called his bluff, even if Marcus rejected her, his own sense of honor would prevent him from turning on her later and telling Mr. Kline about her actions at CIS. After all, they would have a deal.
The question was: Did she have the courage to risk getting eaten in order to attempt declawing the lion?
Allison waited for Marcus Danvers to arrive for his morning appointment with George. She sat in her chair behind her desk in the anteroom outside the president's office just as if she hadn't woken feeling snuggly and sated in his bed two hours before.
At forty-five, single and a grandmother, snuggly and sexually sated were not emotions she took for granted.
George Kline had brought an element back into her life she'd believed gone forever when her first husband left her for his bimbette sales manager three years ago.
Sexuality.
She was a sexual being.
She was also a damn fine personal assistant and George appreciated both elements of her nature.
It flattered her. Such a dynamic and wealthy man could have his pick of young, nubile beauties, but he'd chosen her.
She smiled at him when he walked out of his office.
"Danvershere yet?"
"No, George, he's not."
He frowned, his pale eyes narrowing. "I told you to call me Mr. Kline in the office, Allison."
He was fanatical about keeping their relationship at work separate from their private life. Kline Technologies strongly discouraged personal relationships between employees. George believed in setting an example.
Sometimes she slipped up.
She didn't mean to, but it was hard to separate the two areas of her life completely when he played such a major role in both of them. "I'm sorry."
He nodded, brisk and efficient. No sentimentality to mar his perfect business image.
"WhenDanvers gets here, send him right in."
"Yes, sir."
He smiled, his approval warming her even though it was short-lived, and he disappeared into his office a second later.
Marcus Danvers arrived five minutes later
Similar Books
