Natural Born Trouble by Sherryl Woods

forget about that creep who dumped on her. Something tells me nobody could do that better than you. There’s not a woman on the premises who doesn’t swoon when you pass by.”
    â€œI’m delighted to have your blessing,” he said dryly. “Unfortunately, it appears that’s not the one I need.”
    â€œIt’s a start,” she retorted cheerfully. “Good luck.”
    Duke took his time walking down the short executive suite corridor to Jordan’s office. If he had his way, they wouldn’t have this conversation. Unfortunately, it appeared unlikely that he was going to get his way, which meant he’d better come up with some satisfactory answers for the questions Jordan was likely to ask.
    In typical fashion, his boss didn’t waste time on small talk. Duke was barely across the threshold when Jordan scowled at him and asked, “What’s going on between you and my daughter?”
    Duke took his time responding. He deliberately sprawled in a chair opposite Jordan, hoping that the casual pose would communicate in a way that words could not that he wasn’t going to be intimidated. Eventually, he shrugged. “Nothing as far as I know. Have you asked her?”
    Unfortunately, Jordan was too sharp a businessman to be fooled by Duke’s tactic. “Oh, please, don’t give me that,” he shot right back. “I want a straight answer.”
    Duke sat up a little straighter. He met Jordan’s gaze evenly. “I don’t know what you’ve heard, sir, but that’s the truth. We’ve barely met. She’s made it plain she’s not interested. What more is there to say?”
    To Duke’s astonishment, Jordan actually chuckled at that. “I don’t suppose you see the contradiction in that, do you? According to your claim, you two hardly know each other, but already she’s felt it necessary to tell you she’s not interested. What do you suppose brought that on? You don’t expect me to believe it’s how she opens every conversation with a man, do you?”
    He flinched at the direct hit. “I suppose not.”
    â€œCould it have something to do with you kissing her the other night?”
    Duke stared. “How the hell do you know about that?”
    Jordan almost looked as if he felt sorry for him. “Son, you were on the front porch of my father’s house in the middle of a family picnic. The teenagers sneak around like budding operatives for the CIA. You can’t keep a secret with this clan if you bury it in a cave a thousand miles away. How do you expect to keep anything quiet when you’re right in the thick of things?”
    â€œA good point,” Duke conceded. “I’ll have to be more careful next time.”
    Jordan looked positively hopeful. “Then there’s going to be a next time?”
    Duke gave up on the evasions. “If I have my way,” he admitted.
    Jordan gave a little nod of satisfaction. “Good.” He studied Duke intently. “Dani’s had a rough time these past couple of years ever since she broke up with herfiancé, Rob Hilliard. If I’d been more on top of things, maybe I could have done something to save her all that heartache.” He sighed with obvious regret, then looked directly into Duke’s eyes. “It won’t be easy getting her to trust you, you know that, don’t you?”
    â€œNothing worth having ever is.”
    â€œYes, you of all people would know that, wouldn’t you?”
    â€œThen I have your approval to keep seeing her?”
    â€œWould it matter if you didn’t?”
    Duke met Jordan’s gaze with a steady, unblinking look of his own. “No, sir. With all due respect, it wouldn’t.”
    â€œThat’s what I thought,” he said, sounding pleased. “Just one thing, though.”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œHurt her and there won’t be a place on earth you can