is.”
Whatever they wanted from him was going to be something he wouldn’t be able to deliver.
She closed the folder and strode toward the door to her office. “Who knows why people do the things they do. I’m going to start gathering some more clues today while you’re out of the office.”
“What are your plans?”
Before Jade could answer him, she heard a voice coming from her office. Being the dutiful executive assistant , she pasted a smile on her face and opened the door. But she stopped in her tracks when she crossed over the threshold and saw who it was.
The blonde from the newspaper.
The woman dressed professionally in a navy blue pinstriped pantsuit with a long jacket that stopped at her knees. Her white shirt peeked from beneath the lapels and Jade could see her black lace bra underneath.
Something flashed inside Jade before she tamped it down. This was bound to happen. Hadn’t she reminded Rhys she was ‘just the flavor of the night?’ Even though she’d known the truth, seeing it so close and fresh…and so soon…didn’t make her stomach squeeze any less.
The woman smiled. “You must be Jade.” She approached, her hand offered up in introduction.
Jade shook it and gritted her teeth in a smile. “Yes, I am. How are you?”
She flung her hair over her shoulder, looked around her to Rhys. “Wonderful. Your boss invited me to breakfast tomorrow. He knows how much I love it.”
I bet he does.
“I’m Jackie, by the way,” she said as she breezed by Jade and enveloped Rhys into a hug and kissed him on the lips.
“That’s nice.” The pain in Jade’s jaw threatened to dislocate her teeth. “Would you, or your guest, like some coffee?”
“No, I can get it myself. Thank you,” he said quietly.
“Well, if you need me, I’ll be in my office.”
He nodded his head but didn’t say anything, so she turned and fled into her office, shutting them out. She didn’t want to hear any professions of love, or how wonderful their night had been together. God. Since she hadn’t welcomed him into her bed last night, he’d quickly found someone to replace her. Tears prickled behind her eyelids. The jerk .
At eight fifty-five, the secretary of state walked into her office.
“Well, well, well. The pretty lady from last night. Jade, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Good morning, sir. How are you?”
He sat on the edge of Jade’s desk, and she scooted back just a bit. She wasn’t going to dare give him easy access or an opportunity to look down her shirt.
“So, how long are you going to be with us?”
“For about six weeks. Until his regular assistant gets back from maternity leave.”
He rose and walked toward her small inset. “You mind if I get a cup of coffee?” Before she could even answer, he was already pouring himself a cup. “Thanks.” He took a sip and strode back in front of her desk and sat down. “So, you ever work in a state office before?”
“No, I haven’t.”
His eyes didn’t move from the center of her chest. “Well, you be sure to let me know if you need anything. Behind Rhys, I’m next in command.”
That got her attention. “Really?”
“Yes. Of course, there’s the governor, then the lieutenant governor. Then me, the secretary of state.”
Maybe he was sending Rhys the threatening letters. Did he want Rhys’ job? Is that the reason he hadn’t asked for money. He just wanted Rhys out of the way. She made a mental note to check out the hierarchy of the governor’s office a little more closely.
“I guess that means you have a pretty important job around here then?”
“You bet it does, sugar.”
Ice slithered through her veins. She didn’t want to be in this man’s company any longer. “I’ll see if the lieutenant governor is ready for you now.” She rose and walked to the door she’d closed earlier. Even though she didn’t have eyes in the back of her head, she had no doubt his gaze zeroed in on her butt. She quietly knocked on the door
Whatever they wanted from him was going to be something he wouldn’t be able to deliver.
She closed the folder and strode toward the door to her office. “Who knows why people do the things they do. I’m going to start gathering some more clues today while you’re out of the office.”
“What are your plans?”
Before Jade could answer him, she heard a voice coming from her office. Being the dutiful executive assistant , she pasted a smile on her face and opened the door. But she stopped in her tracks when she crossed over the threshold and saw who it was.
The blonde from the newspaper.
The woman dressed professionally in a navy blue pinstriped pantsuit with a long jacket that stopped at her knees. Her white shirt peeked from beneath the lapels and Jade could see her black lace bra underneath.
Something flashed inside Jade before she tamped it down. This was bound to happen. Hadn’t she reminded Rhys she was ‘just the flavor of the night?’ Even though she’d known the truth, seeing it so close and fresh…and so soon…didn’t make her stomach squeeze any less.
The woman smiled. “You must be Jade.” She approached, her hand offered up in introduction.
Jade shook it and gritted her teeth in a smile. “Yes, I am. How are you?”
She flung her hair over her shoulder, looked around her to Rhys. “Wonderful. Your boss invited me to breakfast tomorrow. He knows how much I love it.”
I bet he does.
“I’m Jackie, by the way,” she said as she breezed by Jade and enveloped Rhys into a hug and kissed him on the lips.
“That’s nice.” The pain in Jade’s jaw threatened to dislocate her teeth. “Would you, or your guest, like some coffee?”
“No, I can get it myself. Thank you,” he said quietly.
“Well, if you need me, I’ll be in my office.”
He nodded his head but didn’t say anything, so she turned and fled into her office, shutting them out. She didn’t want to hear any professions of love, or how wonderful their night had been together. God. Since she hadn’t welcomed him into her bed last night, he’d quickly found someone to replace her. Tears prickled behind her eyelids. The jerk .
At eight fifty-five, the secretary of state walked into her office.
“Well, well, well. The pretty lady from last night. Jade, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Good morning, sir. How are you?”
He sat on the edge of Jade’s desk, and she scooted back just a bit. She wasn’t going to dare give him easy access or an opportunity to look down her shirt.
“So, how long are you going to be with us?”
“For about six weeks. Until his regular assistant gets back from maternity leave.”
He rose and walked toward her small inset. “You mind if I get a cup of coffee?” Before she could even answer, he was already pouring himself a cup. “Thanks.” He took a sip and strode back in front of her desk and sat down. “So, you ever work in a state office before?”
“No, I haven’t.”
His eyes didn’t move from the center of her chest. “Well, you be sure to let me know if you need anything. Behind Rhys, I’m next in command.”
That got her attention. “Really?”
“Yes. Of course, there’s the governor, then the lieutenant governor. Then me, the secretary of state.”
Maybe he was sending Rhys the threatening letters. Did he want Rhys’ job? Is that the reason he hadn’t asked for money. He just wanted Rhys out of the way. She made a mental note to check out the hierarchy of the governor’s office a little more closely.
“I guess that means you have a pretty important job around here then?”
“You bet it does, sugar.”
Ice slithered through her veins. She didn’t want to be in this man’s company any longer. “I’ll see if the lieutenant governor is ready for you now.” She rose and walked to the door she’d closed earlier. Even though she didn’t have eyes in the back of her head, she had no doubt his gaze zeroed in on her butt. She quietly knocked on the door
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