Silken Threads by Monica Barrie

When he offered her his hand, she slowly reached out to take it.
    The instant their hands touched, Cassandra experienced a rushing flow of heat that spread upward along her arm before expanding to suffuse through her entire body. Their hands stayed together, and their eyes locked for a long drawn-out moment.
    Only when he released her hand did sanity return. “I… Forgive me, Mr. North, I didn’t really mean what I said.”
    “ And I wish I could believe that. But I’ll accept a thank-you for what happened earlier.”
    Cassandra could still feel the heat of his skin on hers, although her hand was free and hanging at her side. Moistening her lips with the tip of her tongue, Cassandra nodded her head. “Thank you,” she whispered.
    “ Would somebody like to tell me what’s going on?” Gregory Leeds asked.
    Cassandra glanced at her father, about to speak, but Kirk spoke first.
    “ Your daughter was having some trouble with a man downstairs. I helped her out.”
    Cassandra saw the next question coming from her father and knew she did not want to get involved with that now. “It was nothing,” she told him. Then she turned back to Kirk. “I do hope you’ll forgive me for being so boorish. We’ll be spending a good deal of time together.”
    “ I’m well aware,” Kirk said tersely.
    “ Well, now that you’ve both been ah…formally introduced, may I suggest we get down to business?”
    Both Cassandra and Kirk nodded and followed Gregory Leeds to the far side of the office, where three chairs surrounded a table already set with cups, saucers, and a coffeepot.
    ~~~~
    Eight hours after meeting Kirk North, Cassandra sank into the steaming tub and tried to rid herself of worry and unease. Her bags were packed and waiting by the front door, but her mind was not yet ready for this next step in her life.
    Resting her head on the gilded edge of the large tub, Cassandra forced her muscles to relax and allow the hot water to work its special magic on them.
    Her eyes would not stay closed, however, because when they were, his face floated before her. His eyes burned deeply into hers with unspoken accusation as the memory of the afternoon’s fiasco rose fresh in her mind.
    Her humiliation at the first meeting with Kirk North seemed hotter than the water she lay in, and she could still feel the way her cheeks had flamed from her initial faux pas in her father’s office.
    She had entered his office in a cultivated mood of aggression and defensiveness. Cassandra had believed she needed to establish her authority immediately in order to survive the coming year. She had been foolish and careless in expecting to find a typical cowboy whom she wanted to impress with her power, especially after having read his personnel file. Instead she’d found the one person who had already proven he was far from her own preconceived notion of a cowboy.
    Cassandra remembered her father’s funny smile after she’d made her thoughtless entering remark. He had liked the situation she’d put herself in. Cassandra knew he had sensed the first round of victory went to him.
    Not yet, Father! she promised herself.
    The rest of the afternoon had taken on the aspect of a marathon: Her father had gone over all the details of her new position so Kirk North would clearly understand whom she was and why she was going to Twin Rivers.
    Whenever she’d glanced at Kirk, his face had been devoid of expression. In fact, after the first few words he’d spoken to her, his face had become an emotionless mask.
    The most disconcerting part was the way he’d spoken to her. Whenever he referred to her, it was in the third person. She’d wanted to yell at him, but she knew better. Instead, she’d reinforced her determination to be strong.
    Closing her eyes, Cassandra tried to think of something else but failed.
    “I believe we’ve covered everything,” Gregory Leeds had said with a smile. “I’ll expect detailed reports monthly,” he had added to