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ISBN-10: 0373731663
Once Burned, Twice Shy
When it comes to Rachel Lansing, COO Maxwell
Case makes an exception to his take-no-prisoners approach. He’ll hold this
beauty hostage as his assistant and settle old scores from their brief affair
five years ago. The pleasure will be all his.
Rachel smells blackmail. But with her
ex-husband extorting big money from her, she needs Max as a client to keep her
employment agency alive. So she hunkers down as his secretary. Soon their reignited
passion burns away the clouds of mystery surrounding her past. Will their
intimacy survive her secrets this time?
~ ~ ~
"You."
The word came out as an unfriendly accusation. "Hello, Max."
Rachel Lansing had been bracing herself for this meeting all day, and now that it had arrived, it was so much worse than she'd imagined. Her heart stopped as the gunmetal gray of Max Case's gaze slammed into her with all the delicacy of a sledgehammer.
She
dug her fingernails into her palm as his broad shoulders loomed closer,
blocking her view of the tastefully decorated lobby with its soothing
navy-and-olive walls and stunning original art.
Was it her imagination or did Max seem bigger, more commanding than the creative lover that haunted her memories? Or maybe his presence overwhelmed her because in a charcoal business suit and silver tie, he was less approachable than the naked fantasy man that frequented her dreams.
Only
the public nature of this reunion enabled her to subdue the flight impulse in
her muscles. She rose from the comfortable couch in the reception area at a
deliberate, unhurried pace. Keeping her body relaxed and her expression
professional required a Herculean effort while her pulse jittered and her knees
shook.
Pull
yourself together. He won't appreciate you melting into a puddle at his feet.
"Thank
you for seeing me." She stuck out her hand in a bid to restore her
professional standing and wasn't disappointed when Max ignored it. Her sweaty
palm would betray her nerves to him.
When
he remained mute, Rachel plowed into the tense silence. "How great that
Andrea had her baby. And two weeks early. Sabrina told me she had a boy. I
brought her this." She raised her left hand to show him the pink and blue
bag dangling from her fingers. She'd bought the gift for his assistant weeks
ago and was disappointed she wouldn't get to see Andrea's expression when she
opened it.
"What
are you doing here?"
"I
was supposed to meet with Andrea."
"You're
with the employment agency?"
She
whipped out a business card and extended it across the three feet that separated
them. "I own it." She made no attempt to disguise her pride at what
she'd accomplished.
He
rubbed his thumb over the lettering on the business card before glancing down.
"Rachel…Lansing?"
"My
maiden name." She wasn't sure why she felt compelled to share this tidbit
with him. It wasn't going to change how he felt about her now, was it?
"You're
divorced?"
She
nodded. "Four years."
"And
now you run an employment agency here in Houston?"
She'd
come a long way from the girl who was barely able to support herself and her
sister on the tips she made wait-ressing in a beach restaurant in Gulf Shores,
Alabama. And yet, how far had she come when no matter how well her business
did, she never felt financially secure?
"I
like the freedom of running my own business," she said, pushing aside the
worry that drove her day and night. "It's small, but growing."
And
it would grow faster once she moved into larger offices and hired more staff.
She had the space all picked out. A prime location that wouldn't have lasted on
the market more than a few days. She'd signed the lease yesterday, gambling
that the commission she'd get from placing a temporary assistant with Case
Consolidated Holdings would give her the final amount she needed to move. Maybe
then she could stop living day to day and start planning for the future.
However, now that she'd run into Max, that fee seemed in jeopardy, and just to
be safe, she'd better back out of the lease.
If
only Devon had been able to come here in her stead. A skilled employment
specialist, he was her right hand. Unfortunately, his mother had gone to the
hospital yesterday with severe abdominal pain and had been rushed into surgery
to remove her gall bladder. Rachel had told Devon to stay with his mother as
long as she needed him. For Rachel, family always came first.
"How
many assistants have you placed here?" Max's piercing stare didn't waver
from her face as he slid her business card into his breast pocket. The effect
of so much icy heat coming to bear on her was starting to unravel her
composure.
"Five."
She dropped her hand into her jacket pocket to keep from plucking at her
collar, lapel or buttons and betraying her disquiet. "Missy was the first.
Sebastian's assistant."
"That
was your doing?"
Rachel
blinked at the soft menace in his voice. Did Max have something against Missy?
She'd been with Case Consolidated Holdings for four years and had worked out
great. In fact, it was that placement that had jump-started her business.
"I
heard she recently got promoted to communications director." And married
Max's brother, Sebastian. Surely that proved how good Rachel was at her job.
"That
means you've been in Houston four years?" The question rumbled out of Max
like a guard-dog growl.
Anxiety
spiked. "About that."
"Why
here?"
When
she'd left him in the Alabama beach town, he'd never wanted to see her again.
Was he wondering if it was fate or determined stalking on her part that she'd
shown up at Case Consolidated Holdings?
"I
moved here because of my sister. She went to the University of Houston and has
friends here. It made sense for us to settle in Houston after she
graduated."
Inferring
that Rachel hadn't had friends where she'd lived before. Curiosity fired in
Max's eyes. The intensity of it seared her nerve endings. Five years had passed
since she'd last seen him and her physical response to his proximity hadn't
dimmed one bit.
"I
have three clients in this building," she told him, her tone firming as
she reclaimed her confidence. She'd been dealing with executives for over ten
years and knew exactly how to handle them. "The fact that I've placed five
assistants here and we've never run across each other should tell you that my
interest in your company is purely professional."
He
surveyed her like a cop in search of the truth. "Let's talk."
"I
thought that's what we were doing." She bit the inside of her lip as the
smart-ass remark popped out.
Once
upon a time he'd liked her cheeky banter. She doubted he'd say the same thing
today. Five years was a long time to stay mad at someone, but if anyone could
manage, it would be Max Case. "In my office."
Pivoting
on his heel, he strode away from her down the hallway that led into the bowels
of Case Consolidated Holdings. He didn't look back to see if she was following.
He expected obedience. He'd always been bossy that way. Telling her where to
put her hands, how to move her hips, the areas of his body that needed her
attention.
Her
skin flushed. Desire found a warm and welcoming home inside her. She couldn't
move. What was she doing? Her memories of those four days with Max belonged in
the tomb with all her girlish hopes and dreams. Her moratorium on men and sex
remained in full force. Indulging in lusty thoughts of Max was the height of
stupidity if she hoped to cultivate a professional relationship with him.
Max
disappeared around a corner. This was her chance to run. She should make some
excuse. Send Devon to do the interview tomorrow.
No.
Rachel squared her shoulders. She could do this. She had to do this. Her future
required this placement fee.
Five
years ago, she'd learned a hard lesson about running from her problems. These
days, she faced all difficulties head-on. Lansing Employment Agency needed this
commission. She would do a fabulous job for Max, collect her money and treat
herself to a bottle of champagne and a long bubble bath the day the agency
moved into its bigger, better office. It all started with this meeting.
Rachel
forced her feet to move. Step by step she gathered courage. For four years
she'd been scraping and clawing her way upward. Convincing Max that Lansing was
the agency for him was just one more hurdle, and by the time she reached the
enormous office bearing Max's name, she had her chin set at a determined angle
and her eyes focused on the prize.
"Did
you get lost?" he asked as she crossed the threshold. A long time ago.
"I
stopped at Sabrina's desk and asked her to send the baby gift to Andrea."
Rachel
glanced around Max's office, curious about the businessman. During their four
days together, she'd learned about his family and his love of fast cars, but
he'd refused to talk about work. In fact, until she'd met Sebastian four years
ago, and noticed the family resemblance, she didn't know he was Max Case of
Case Consolidated Holdings.
The
walls bore photos of Max leaning against a series of racecars, helmet beneath
his arm, a confident grin on his face. Her heart jumped in appreciation of how
handsome he looked in his one-piece navy-and-gray racing suit, lean hips and
broad shoulders emphasized by the stylish cut. A bookshelf held a few trophies,
and books on muscle cars.
"You
cut your hair." Max shut the door, blocking her escape.
She
searched his expression, but he'd shut all emotion behind an impassive mask.
His eyes were the blank stone walls of a fortress. Nevertheless, his personal
comment aroused a tickle of awareness.
"Never
liked it long." Her ex-husband had, however.
A
softening of his lips looked suspiciously like the beginnings of a smile. Did
he recognize her attempt to camouflage herself? Shapeless gray pantsuit, short
hair, no jewelry of any kind, a sensible watch, flat shoes, minimal makeup.
Dull as dirt to look at, but confident and authoritative about her business.
She'd never been any man's fantasy. Too tall for most boys. Too flat-chested
and skinny for the rest, the best she'd been able to hope for from her male
classmates in high school was best friend or buddy. She'd grown up playing
soccer, basketball and baseball with the guys.
Which
is why it continued to blow her mind that a man like Maxwell Case, who could have
anything he wanted...
~ ~ ~
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