AROUND CHI-TOWN

Anyone wondering where last night’s unexpected June heat wave came from need look no farther than the posh downtown hotel where a couple dozen of the hottest men in Chicago were auctioned off for charity. (For charity—or for the hundred or so hungry females in the audience?)

And the star of the show was our own Justin Connelly. Though this member of the famous Connelly clan hides inside the hallowed halls of his family’s corporation, he is definitely not all work and no play! Looking positively studly in his black tux, Justin attracted the highest price tag of the night.

Society debs from the renowned Novak, Powers and Barlow families upped the ante, but it was an unknown bidder who snared the baffled bachelor. Reliable sources identify Kim Lindgren as Justin’s very own secretary. Can’t you see it now? “Miss Lindgren, take a memo…. Check on the status of the research data, follow up with the advertising figures, and…while we’re at it, come give your boss a kiss.”

After all the Connellys have been through of late—with son Daniel’s assumption of the throne of Altaria, his attempted murder, the corporation’s near computer disaster—yours truly guesses even this blue-blooded family could use a bit of fun and folly!

And the Winner Gets…Married!
Metsy Hingle

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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For Missy & Molly Brown,

My Four-Legged Babies Who Provide Continuous Joy

METSY HINGLE

is an award-winning, bestselling author of romance who resides across the lake from her native New Orleans. Married for more than twenty years to her own hero, she is the busy mother of four children. She recently traded in her business suits and a fast-paced life in the hotel and public-relations arena to pursue writing full-time. Metsy has a strong belief in the power of love and romance. She also believes in happy endings, which she continues to demonstrate with each new story she writes. The Wager (MIRA Books, August 2001) was Metsy’s first single-title release. Behind the Mask (December 2002) will be her second MIRA Books title. She loves hearing from readers. For a free doorknob hanger or bookmark, write to Metsy at P.O. Box 3224, Covington, LA 70433.

MEET THE CONNELLYS

Meet the Connellys of Chicago—wealthy, powerful and rocked by scandal, betrayal…and passion!

Who’s Who in AND THE WINNER GETS…MARRIED!

Justin Connelly—His head is always buried inside a column of figures at Connelly Corporation. But this budding bachelor is about to become intrigued by “figures” of a different kind…the female kind!

Kimberly Lindgren—In business suits and upswept do’s, she’s toiled side by side with her boss, Justin. Until one night when she lets her hair down and allows him to see she has more to offer than good typing skills!

Robert Marsh—A loyal Connelly employee and fiancé to a Connelly woman. What lies beneath his million-dollar smile and prep-school education?

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

One

“Where is he?”

Kimberly Lindgren jerked her gaze up from the computer screen as Tara Connelly Paige stormed into the office suite. “Mrs. Paige,” she said, quickly coming to her feet to intercept the other woman, who, given the high color in her cheeks and the snap in her voice, was obviously furious. “I don’t think your brother is expecting you.”

“Oh, I’m sure he’s not. But he is going to see me.”

After working as an executive assistant for more than two years at Connelly Corporation, Kim had become a master at smoothing ruffled Connelly feathers. Yet something about the fire in this particular Connelly’s violet eyes told her this was not going to be one of those times. Still, she had to at least try. “I believe Justin is on the phone at the moment,” she said, positioning herself in front of her boss’s office door. “If you’ll have a seat, I’ll let him know that you’re here.”

“Thanks. But I’ll just tell him myself.”

Kim didn’t move. “That might not be a good idea, Mrs. Paige. Your brother’s had a rather difficult morning.” Which was an understatement if there ever was one, Kim admitted silently. The day had turned into a disaster—one for which she felt partly responsible since it had been she who had discovered the cost overruns in the firm’s new advertising campaign that was set to kick off next month.

“If that’s your way of telling me that Justin’s in a rotten mood,” Tara went on, “I appreciate the warning. Really, I do. But it just so happens that I’m in a rather foul mood myself, and Justin is the reason. I am going to see him, Kim. Now the only question is whether you’re going to move away from that door and let me pass or am I going to have to go through you?”

Stunned, Kim remained speechless. For several long seconds she simply stared at the petite dark-haired woman dressed in the chic red suit, dashing hat and gloves and killer high heels. At five foot seven, Kim estimated she had at least five inches and twenty pounds on Tara Paige. Yet Kim didn’t doubt for a moment that the other woman meant every word she’d said.

“It’s your call, Kim. What’s it going to be?”

“Why don’t we go in together?” she suggested, seeing no alternative. Since Justin really was on the telephone, she tapped on his door and entered without waiting for a response. The sight of Justin at his desk with the magnificent view of the Chicago skyline behind him was something that never failed to make her heart race. But the scowl on his handsome face now made her tense. Glancing past him, Kim noted the storm clouds threatening outside the windows. While she didn’t like to think of herself as superstitious, she got a sudden sinking sensation in her stomach. Of course, having an obviously upset Tara on her heels didn’t help.

“Listen, Marsh, I don’t care how busy you are with the wedding plans. I want the revised budget and copies of all your correspondence with Schaeffer on my desk by the end of the day. Is that clear?”

Kim nearly winced at the edge in Justin’s voice, but it was the way he was rubbing the back of his neck that concerned her. He’d been working too hard again, she thought. Since taking over as vice president of marketing six months ago when his brother Daniel had assumed the throne of Altaria, he’d handled the work of two men. He’d also had to deal with more than his share of problems—beginning with the attempted assassination of his brother, followed by the corporation’s computer crash a few weeks ago, and now this latest fiasco with the firm’s advertising campaign. The fact that the error started with Robert Marsh, who was about to become Justin’s brother-in-law, surely added to Justin’s stress.

“I mean it, Marsh. I want everything before the close of business today or you can clear out your desk,” he said, and slammed down the phone. Only then did he look up at her. “Kim, I—” He looked past her, and upon spying his sister, his scowl deepened. “I said I didn’t want to be disturbed.”

“I know, and I’m sorry for the interruption,” Kim began, knowing all too well that Tara couldn’t have come at a worse time. “But your sister needed to speak with you, and I thought maybe you could see her for a moment before you leave for your next appointment.”

“Mother was right about you, Kim. You really are a diplomat,” Tara said as she breezed past Kim and placed herself directly in front of Justin’s desk. Despite Tara’s refined demeanor and tone, Kim sensed the anger still simmering just beneath the surface. “The truth is that, short of tackling me, Kim did everything possible to keep me out of here.”

“And naturally you refused to take no for an answer,” Justin replied.

“Naturally. And considering it’s a skill I learned from you, big brother, I can assure you that I have no intention of taking no for an answer now.”

Kim held her breath as Justin and his sister squared off. While she’d always found the size of the Connelly family mind-boggling, it was the dynamics between the siblings that continued to fascinate her. Probably because her own family had consisted of just her and her mother—and now, only her. Suddenly feeling like an intruder, Kim said, “I’ll leave you two alone.”

“You might as well stay,” Justin replied before she’d taken a step toward the door. “This shouldn’t take long and there are several things you and I need to go over before I leave.” He glanced at his watch. “All right, Tara. I’ve got all of five minutes to spare. So why don’t you tell me what’s got you so fired up?”

“I’m fired up, brother dear, because you think you’ve weaseled your way out of being in the bachelor auction fund-raiser this weekend like you promised.”

Justin sighed. “It’s not a question of my weaseling out of anything. I simply can’t do it.”

“Why not? And don’t hand me that lame excuse that you gave Jennifer about some unexpected business problem that you need to take care of, because I’m not buying it.”

Kim held her breath as temper flashed in Justin’s hazel eyes.

“It’s not an excuse. It’s the truth,” Justin countered. “Whether you believe it or not is up to you.”

“Well, I don’t believe it,” Tara returned.

“Suit yourself,” Justin told her, and picked up a report from his desk. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got work to do.”

“I will not excuse you, Justin Connelly,” Tara said. She slapped the gloves clutched in her fist against her opposite palm like a whip. “And don’t you dare pull that ‘I’m too busy’ number on me. Have you forgotten how important this fund-raiser is? That the money is going to be used to help the families of slain police officers?”

Tara didn’t have to add “families like Jennifer’s,” Kim thought, because they all knew that until Jennifer’s recent marriage to Chance Connelly, the former social secretary and her young daughter had been one of those families. That Justin remembered, too, was evident from his somber expression.

“No, I haven’t forgotten,” Justin said firmly. “I’ve already apologized to Jennifer for pulling out at the last minute. But I have an important meeting in New York that afternoon, and it would be nearly impossible to get back in time.”

“Then change the meeting or go a day earlier or next week.”

“Don’t you think I would if I could?” He raked a hand through his hair. “I had a difficult enough time getting this meeting on Friday and it’s something that can’t wait. If you’re worried about the money my pulling out will cost, I’ve already assured Jennifer that I’ll be sending a generous contribution to make up for canceling.”

“And just how do you propose we make up for the money that we’ll lose in ticket sales when word gets out that Justin Connelly, voted one of Chicago’s most eligible bachelors and the key draw for the blasted event, has pulled out of the auction? Of course, that doesn’t even begin to take into account the amount of money that we might have been able to raise if your tush were on the auction block.”

Justin frowned at his sister. “You make me sound like a side of beef.”

Tara sat down on the corner of Justin’s desk. “In a manner of speaking, you are.”

“Thanks a lot.”

Tara shrugged. “Can I help it if there are women out there willing to pay big bucks for the chance to spend an evening with you? Face it, pal, you’re a hot commodity. Not only are you the brother of a king, but you’re also an heir to the Connelly fortune. You wouldn’t believe the number of women who actually think you’ve got a pretty face and sexy body. And judging by the comments I’ve heard, they’d all like nothing better than the chance to get you between the sheets.”

“For Pete’s sake, Tara! Will you knock it off?” Justin snapped, his face heating. Pushing away from his desk, he rose and walked over to the windows to stare out at the rain that had begun to fall.

“Well, if this isn’t a first. I do believe I’ve embarrassed you.”

He whirled around, shot her a withering glance. “Of course you’ve embarrassed me. And Kim, too,” he added. “Since when do you and your friends sit around discussing men as though they were…were…”

“Sex objects?” Tara offered.

Justin glared at her.

Tara laughed. “Oh, come on, Justin. Did you really think that was a privilege reserved only for men?”

“You’re my little sister!”

“I’m twenty-five years old, a widow and a mother,” Tara said, her voice suddenly serious. “Believe it or not, I do know a thing or two about sex.”

Justin groaned. “I don’t want to hear this,” he told her, and, returning to his desk, he snatched up the report in front of him. “I’ve got work to do. I’m truly sorry about the fund-raiser, but I promise I’ll send a sizable check.”

“What about the auction?”

He sighed again, put down the file. “Tara, I’ve already explained, there’s just no way I can make it,” Justin said, and there was no mistaking the regret in his voice at having to deny his sister’s request. “I’ll admit, I’ve never been wild about the idea of being in this auction. I only agreed to do it because Jennifer and Mother asked me to and I know it’s for a good cause. But as much as I hate letting them or you down, there is simply no way I can be in two places at once.”

Kim hadn’t been any keener on the idea of Justin spending a romantic evening with some beautiful socialite than he seemed to be, she admitted. And she had been relieved when he’d canceled. But now, witnessing Tara’s disappointment and Justin’s distress at being the cause of it, she couldn’t help but feel guilty. Before she could change her mind, Kim blurted out, “Actually, there is a way you can do both.”

Both sets of Connelly eyes turned to her. “How?” Tara asked.

Kim swallowed. “A couple of things would have to be worked out first, but it is possible.”

“What do you need?” Tara countered.

“First you and Jennifer would have to arrange it so that Justin would be the last bachelor to be bid on at the auction.”

“That’s not a problem,” Tara assured her. “What else?”

“Justin’s meeting scheduled here Friday morning with the marketing department would have to be postponed until next week.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem, should it?” Tara asked her brother.

“I guess not.” He eyed Kim warily. “What about Schaeffer?”

“Your New York meeting with him could be moved up a few hours. Say a meeting over lunch instead of one that spilled over into the dinner hour.”

“What makes you think Schaeffer will agree to that?” Justin asked. “I had a devil of a time getting that meeting in the first place.”

“I’ve gotten to be sort of friendly on the phone with Mr. Schaeffer’s secretary,” Kim said. “She works closely with him. I think I can get her to convince him that it would be…beneficial to have an early meeting and leave his evening free.”

“I see,” Justin said.

Kim felt her own face heat at the knowing look in his hazel eyes. “That way even if your meeting with Mr. Schaeffer runs over, as long as you made it to the airport by five o’clock or five-thirty, I can get you on a shuttle that would put you back in Chicago in three hours. Allowing thirty minutes travel time to get you from O’Hare to the hotel, you could be there for nine o’clock.”

“And I can have a driver waiting at the airport to pick you up and take you to the hotel,” Tara concluded. She clasped her hands together and smiled. “Please, Justin, say you’ll do it.”

“Seeing how my assistant has conspired with you, I don’t seem to have much choice.”

Tara turned to her and beamed. “Bless you, Kimberly Lindgren. I owe you one.”

“Not at all. I was glad to help.”

“You did a great deal more than help,” Tara insisted before turning back to Justin. “The woman’s not only a diplomat, she’s a genius, Justin. I wonder if you realize how lucky you are.”

“I’m beginning to.”

Something in Justin’s voice and the way he was looking at her caused Kim’s pulse to race. Mortified that he might realize how she felt about him, she averted her gaze. “I’d better go see about making those calls,” Kim told them.

“And I’ve got to go or I’ll never make it to that meeting on time,” Justin replied and began shoving papers into his briefcase.

“But we have to discuss your date package,” Tara informed him even as he snapped the briefcase shut and reached for his suit jacket. She followed him to the door. “We need to come up with something really special.”

“Get with Kim,” he told her. “She’ll know what to do.”

“I think dinner and tickets to the theater would be nice,” Kim suggested a few minutes later.

“Nice, but not special,” Tara informed her. “If a woman is going to bid top dollar for a date with Justin, we need to offer her something exciting.”

Just being on a date with Justin would be exciting enough for her, Kim mused silently. But then she was in love with him and had been for months now. Not that Justin had any clue about her feelings for him. He didn’t. And for that she was eternally grateful. After all, what could be more cliché than to have a secretary fall in love with her boss—a boss who didn’t even know she existed?

“Any ideas?”

Kim gave herself a mental shake and reminded herself to deal in reality. “How about one of those dinner cruises?”

“Hmm. That would be romantic. But I was hoping for something different,” Tara replied. She crossed her legs and began to tap one manicured nail against her chin. Suddenly her finger stilled, and, tilting her head to the side, she stared at Kim. “If you were the one going on a date with Justin, where would you want to go?”

Kim stiffened. Had Tara somehow picked up on her feelings for Justin, she wondered. “Me?”

“Yes, you.”

“Really, Mrs. Paige, I don’t think—”

“Please,” Tara said, wincing. “Do you think you could manage to call me Tara? I’m guessing that we’re about the same age, but every time you call me Mrs. Paige I feel like someone’s grandmother.”

Kim’s lips twitched. “You don’t look like anyone’s grandmother.”

“I certainly hope not,” Tara told her with a laugh.

The woman was beautiful, glamorous, sophisticated. Everything that she wasn’t, Kim thought. And even though at twenty-four she was only a year younger than the other woman, Tara had already been married, widowed and had a child. Kim couldn’t help but think that life was passing her by quickly.

“So what would you consider a fun and exciting date?” Tara asked.

“I doubt that my idea of fun and excitement would appeal to the women who’ll be bidding at the auction.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m not like them,” Kim answered honestly.

“You’re a woman, aren’t you?”

“I…yes.”

“Then whatever appeals to you should appeal to other women.”

“But—”

“No buts,” Tara told her and stood. She gathered up her purse and gloves. “I’ve got to run. But why don’t you put a date package together that would appeal to you.”

“Like what?”

Tara shrugged. “I don’t know. Something that you would like to do if you were the woman going out on a date with Justin. Make it as simple or elaborate as you want.”

“But what if I choose something that’s all wrong?”

“You won’t,” Tara assured her. “Trust your instincts, Kim. Whatever you choose, I’m sure it’s going to be perfect.”

“Let’s hope you’re right,” Kim told her and wished she had as much confidence in herself as Tara seemed to have in her.

“I am,” Tara said with a smile and started toward the door. She paused, turned back. “Oh, I almost forgot. Are you doing anything Friday night?”

“No,” Kim replied cautiously.

“Great. I’ve purchased a couple of tables for the fund-raiser, so I have some extra tickets. Would you do me a favor and attend as my guest?”

“But Mrs.— Tara,” she corrected when the other woman gave her a reproving look. “That’s very kind of you, but I couldn’t possibly go.”

“Why not? You said you were free.”

“I am, but—”

“No buts. You deserve to enjoy yourself after all your hard work, and you’d be doing me a favor by going. Will you need a ticket for an escort?”

“Uh, no. That won’t be necessary.” It had been months since she’d been out on a date—and couldn’t even fathom whom she would ask to accompany her to something like this.

Tara beamed at her. “Great. Then I’ll see that a ticket is messengered over to you in the morning.”

Before Kim could argue further and tell Tara that she really didn’t belong at such an affair, the other woman was gone.

“Damn it!” Justin pitched the report he’d been reading onto the others on his desk. How he would dearly love to wring Robert Marsh’s neck. Unfortunately, he couldn’t because the man had covered his tracks well. Frustrated, Justin shoved away from his desk and wandered over to the windows that filled one wall of his office. Normally looking out at the skyline soothed him, helped him to organize his thoughts. Yet watching the shifting colors as the sun began its descent seemed to make him even more restless. Probably something to do with the gloomy weather that had played havoc with the city most of the day, he told himself.

Of course, this mess with Schaeffer hadn’t helped. It was going to take a miracle to launch the marketing campaign on time without blowing an even larger chunk of the budget. But somehow he had to find a way, Justin reminded himself. He simply had to. His family was counting on him. Sighing, he returned to his desk and dug in, determined to find that miracle.

More than two hours later, when he lifted his head, Justin gave a grunt of satisfaction. By shifting and scaling back expenses, he’d managed to make some progress and he’d done so without losing the integrity of the plan. Now, if he could bring the rest of the costs into line, he just might be able to pull it off. Rummaging through the papers on his desk, he searched for the file folder containing the billing costs on the marketing campaign to date. Unable to find it, he stopped and tried to recall when he’d had it last. He’d given it to Kim to check out the accuracy of some of the figures, he remembered. Maybe it was still on her desk.

Intent on finding the folder, Justin started out of his office only to stop cold at the sight of Kim. For once she wasn’t sitting at her desk, the picture of efficiency in her sensible heels and sedate business suit, hard at work. Instead she stood in her stocking feet with her blouse opened at the neck and her eyes closed while she stretched. And as he watched her extend and stretch her body, all thoughts of the missing folder and business went right out of Justin’s head.

In the six months that he’d worked with Kim, she had been the perfect assistant. Not only had she made the difficult task of taking over after his brother’s departure for Altaria a smooth one, but her people skills had proven invaluable to him. In all that time she had been poised, efficient, businesslike.

She didn’t look the least bit businesslike now. Not with her eyes closed, her head tipped back and a serene expression on her face. Slowly, as though performing a dance, she began to bend her body. And if his life depended on it, Justin couldn’t have looked away. Transfixed, he watched her move with the grace of a prima ballerina. When she folded her body in two, her skirt climbed up, and Justin swallowed hard at the view of her legs. Funny, he thought, as Kim brought her head down to press against first one ankle and then the other, but he’d never noticed before just how long and shapely Kim’s legs were. And how in the devil had he failed to notice what a small waist she had? Or the enticing lines of her hips?

Justin’s blood heated as she unfolded her torso and reached over her head once more, pulling the silky white blouse she wore taut against her breasts. He must have been blind, he decided, not to have realized how lushly curved Kim was. He noticed now—a fact that was all too evident by the desire stirring in his gut.

Don’t be a jerk, Connelly. Say something. Let the woman know she isn’t alone.

Justin opened his mouth, intent on announcing his presence, when Kim removed the clip from her hair. He nearly swallowed his tongue as yards and yards of long, honey-blond hair came tumbling down around her shoulders and face.

Sweet heaven, had all that gorgeous, sexy hair been tucked into that no-nonsense twist?

Damn! He scrubbed a hand down his face. He’d always been a sucker for a woman with long hair, beginning with Miss Malone, his kindergarten teacher. Biting back a groan, Justin admitted that next to Kim, Miss Malone wouldn’t even stand a chance.

He was absolutely out of his mind, Justin assured himself. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to block out this new image of Kim. Didn’t he have enough on his plate to deal with without this? They’d yet to find out who had tried to assassinate his brother, and he was none too thrilled about his sister Alexandra’s upcoming marriage to Marsh. Add to that the problems at work and the headaches resulting from that most-eligible-bachelor status. The last thing he needed was to complicate his life even more with a woman—especially a woman he worked with on a daily basis.

The smart thing to do was to go back to his office and forget he’d ever seen this side of Kim. Which was just what he intended to do, Justin decided as he opened his eyes. Allowing himself one final glimpse of the sensual creature before him, he started to retreat into his office when Kim opened her eyes and stared straight at him.

“Justin,” she said his name in a breathless whisper that did nothing to cool the erotic thoughts that had been running rampant through his head only moments before.

“I’m sorry,” he managed to get out. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“You didn’t. Disturb me, I mean,” she added while she slipped back into her shoes. “I was…I was just doing a few stretching exercises to try to work out some of the kinks in my shoulders and neck.”

Although she told him something about the importance of stretching, the words barely registered because he was far too mesmerized by her attempts to tame all that honey-gold hair into a neat twist. As far as he was concerned, she’d failed big-time, since several thick strands managed to escape the clip and now tumbled carelessly down her nape and the sides of her face. With her cheeks flushed and her hair mussed, Justin could all too easily imagine the way Kim would look after a night spent making love.

Kim took a breath. “Anyway, I guess I got kind of stiff sitting at the computer and— And here I am babbling on. Did you want me for something?”

Justin nearly groaned at the innocent remark as totally inappropriate thoughts came to mind. “No, I was just…” Damn, he couldn’t even remember what it was he’d come out here to look for in the first place.

“Justin, are you all right?”

No, he most definitely wasn’t all right. Not when he couldn’t shake the punch of arousal he’d experienced upon seeing Kim stretching a few moments ago.

“Is something wrong?”

Justin gave himself a mental slap, forced himself to focus on the present. “No. Nothing’s wrong.” He let out a breath. “It’s been a long day. And speaking of long days, what are you still doing here?”

“I had some work that I wanted to finish up.”

“Whatever it is, it can wait until tomorrow. You should have left hours ago,” he said, more gruffly than he’d intended.

“You’re still here.”

“My family owns the place,” he pointed out.

“Yes, of course. I never meant to imply…I’ll leave now and get out of your way,” she murmured, then quickly turned away.

But not before Justin caught a glimpse of hurt in those big blue-green eyes. Damned if he didn’t feel as though he’d just kicked a puppy. “Kim,” he said, moving beside her. He turned her around to face him and tipped up her chin. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. Just because I’m in a lousy mood is no reason to take it out on you.”

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not.” He captured the fist she held stiffly at her side and lifted it between them. “If it’ll make you feel better, go ahead and sock me one,” he said, jutting out his chin. “I deserve it for acting like a jerk.”

“You’re not a jerk.”

“Sure, I am. Or at least I gave a good impression of one a minute ago. I hurt your feelings, and for that I’m sorry.”

“But you didn’t—”

Justin silenced her with a look. “You may be a terrific assistant, Ms. Lindgren, but you’re a lousy liar.”

“Thank you. I think.”

He grinned at her. “Hey, I’m the one who should be thanking you. The truth is I’m not sure what I’d do without you.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’d manage just fine,” she said, and reclaimed her fingers. Though she stepped back, she came up against the desk, which prevented her from putting the distance between them that Justin suspected she’d intended.

“Hopefully, I won’t have to find out. But seriously, what I should have said, and botched totally, is that as much as I appreciate all your hard work, there’s no reason for you to put in such long hours.”

“I don’t mind,” she told him. “I like my job. I like working with you.”

“Darned if I understand why,” he countered, and smiled at her again. “But how about calling it a day? I bet if you try, you might still be able to book yourself a massage at the health club.”

“I probably could if I belonged to a health club. But since I don’t, there’s really no reason for me to hurry,” she said, smiling up at him.

The smile intrigued him almost as much as she did. There was something both innocent and seductive about her smile. And it did nothing to ease his arousal. Taking a step back, Justin tried to shake off this new awareness of Kim as a desirable female.

“You’re scowling at me again,” she accused.

“Not at you. At myself,” he corrected, feeling like an idiot. Of course she didn’t belong to a health club. The fact that his family and most of his friends worked out regularly at a club certainly didn’t mean that Kim did the same. Chances were she couldn’t afford that kind of luxury. Because a luxury is what it was. It was the reason he refused to join the fancy clubs and worked out at a hole-in-the-wall gym. He stared at her and suddenly realized that other than the fact that Kim was single and had no family—facts his brother had told him when he’d taken over the position of vice president of marketing—he knew very little about Kim’s personal life despite the fact that they worked so closely together. It was hard to imagine her all alone when he had such a large family himself. “I guess this is my night for apologies. That sounded terribly arrogant of me. I shouldn’t have assumed that you belonged to a health club.”

“Don’t be silly. It was a logical assumption.”

“No, it wasn’t. And I’m sorry if I embarrassed you.”

“You didn’t,” she insisted. “Please. There’s nothing to be sorry about. Connelly Corporation is very generous to its employees, and most of the clerical staff belongs to health clubs or spas. I could, too, if I wanted.”

“But you don’t want to?”

She shrugged. “I just don’t know when I’d get the chance to use it.”

“Which is my fault.”

She tipped her head, studied him. “And how do you figure that?”

“Look what time it is and you’re still here. I work you too hard.”

“No, you don’t. Besides, I don’t work nearly as hard as you do,” she countered.

Justin snorted. “I don’t have a choice. My family is depending on me. You, on the other hand, don’t have any excuse. I mean it, Kim. No more late nights like this for you.”

“But I told you, I like my job. I like working with you.”

“Even when I’m a royal pain in the neck?” he teased.

“Even then,” she said. “Now, unless you need me for something, I’d really like to finish transcribing these notes,” she told him, and reclaimed her seat in front of her computer screen.

“The notes can wait until tomorrow.”

“They could, but there’s no reason why they have to.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but which one of us is the boss here?”

Kim laughed. “You are. But all I need is ten minutes to finish, and then I promise I’ll head for home and a long, hot soak in the tub.”

An image of Kim naked in a bathtub covered only in bubbles had Justin gritting his teeth. “Scouts’ honor?”

“Scouts’ honor,” she said and held up three fingers.

“All right. You’ve got ten minutes and then I want you out of here.”

“You got it,” she promised and went back to work.

When Justin exited his office fifteen minutes later, Kim was still at her desk, staring at her computer screen and rubbing the back of her neck with one hand.

Even though his brain told him it was a mistake, he started toward her. “Here, let me do that,” he said, and pushed her hand away and replaced it with his own.

“You don’t have to do this,” she argued.

Justin ignored the comment. “No wonder you’re hurting. Talk about tense. Relax,” he commanded, and began to massage her shoulders. Determined to prove to himself that his earlier reaction to Kim had been a fluke, a momentary aberration caused by spending too much time at work and neglecting his social life, he went to work on those stiff muscles. Satisfied that, by analyzing the situation, he now had any earlier sexual attraction he’d experienced toward Kim firmly under his command, Justin skillfully tackled the mass of knots along her spine. Using his thumbs, he applied pressure to a particularly tight spot between her shoulder-blades and began to knead it.

“This really isn’t necess— Oh…”

His control slipped a notch at the sounds coming from Kim. Steeling himself, Justin reminded himself this was Kim Lindgren. Kim his assistant. Kim his right hand. Kim, whom he had no right to think of as a woman. But when she moaned again, his body reacted. Desire fisted in his gut, sent heat firing through his veins.

So much for being a master of control, Justin decided. Calling himself ten kinds of fool, he tortured himself further by inching closer and breathing in her scent. Roses, he thought as he dragged in another whiff. Since when had the scent of roses become a turn-on?

But he forgot all about the way she smelled when Kim tipped her head forward, giving him further access to her neck. Although he knew he was playing with fire, he reached for the strands of hair trailing her nape. They slid across his fingers like wisps of silk and did nothing to cool his blood.

The sight of that pale strip of skin where the edge of her blouse ended sent another wave of heat rushing through him. Before he could stop himself, he moved his fingertips along her bare neck. Soft and warm was all he could think. And before he could shut off the voice in his head, he heard the question. Would she be this soft and warm all over?

“You have magical hands,” Kim murmured.

The husky timbre of her voice stripped off another layer of his control. “Kim, I—”

The sound of the elevator bell in the hall outside the suite sent sanity rushing back. Saved by the bell, Justin thought, and dropped his hands to his sides. Taking a step back, he dragged in a steadying breath just as the building’s chief of security entered the suite.

“Evening, Mr. Connelly. Ms. Lindgren,” Tom Jenkins said.

“Good evening, Tom,” Justin told the other man.

“Hi, Tom,” Kim said softly.

“I’m just making my rounds. You folks going to be here awhile longer?”

“I’ll be here for another hour or so, but Ms. Lindgren is leaving now. As a matter of fact, I’d appreciate if you’d see her to her car.”

“Sure thing, Mr. Connelly.”

“But, Justin, my notes—”

“Can wait until tomorrow,” he said briskly. “You’ve put in enough hours for one day. Go home, Kim. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Kim’s expression fell, and he could have sworn it was disappointment he read in those blue-green eyes. But before he could change his mind, he turned on his heels and retreated to his office, where he sat down at his desk and dropped his head into his hands.

Talk about close calls. He was lucky, Justin assured himself. He’d come dangerously close to crossing the line with Kim just now, and tomorrow he would be grateful he hadn’t done so. Because if he’d kissed her as he’d wanted to do, he had no doubt he would have made a major mistake on both a personal and a business front. Silently patting himself on the back, he told himself he’d done the right thing. He’d done the noble thing. He’d walked away when every instinct in him had wanted to pull her close, taste her mouth.

Yes, he was lucky, he reiterated. They both were. Lifting his head, Justin stared unseeingly at the work spread out across his desk. And as the memory of Kim’s scent, the feel of her skin came back to haunt him, Justin grimaced and decided that sometimes doing the honorable thing really sucked.

Two

Justin was just being kind. Don’t read anything into it.

Kim repeated the words like a litany—just as she had been doing since she’d left the office hours earlier. Not that it seemed to be doing her much good, she admitted. Because, try as she might, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the way Justin had been looking at her just before Tom’s arrival. Not as a boss would, but the way a man looks at a woman. A woman he wants. And she’d felt the heat of those oh-so-serious hazel eyes trained on her like a caress.

Even now, just remembering that look in his eyes made her shiver with excitement, with longing. Despite her limited experience with men, she knew desire when she saw it. And it had been desire she’d read in Justin’s eyes. Desire for her.

Her. Plain, polite and boring Kimberly Lindgren.

A ripple of pleasure raced over Kim even as that nagging voice inside her reared its head and warned her not to be foolish, not to delude herself by believing that Justin would ever see her as anything more than his assistant.

Be realistic, she told herself. The man was a Connelly. A member of one of Chicago’s most prestigious families. Wasn’t he just voted one of the city’s most eligible bachelors? The man dated models, socialites, gorgeous women—not nobody secretaries with less than sterling pedigrees.

But, lying in the darkness of her bedroom with morning still hours away and her thoughts so filled with Justin, she ignored the warning voices. For once she didn’t want to be the sensible and level-headed Kim Lindgren. Instead she wanted to relish the memories of how Justin had looked at her, touched her. Snuggling beneath the covers, she squeezed her eyes shut and allowed herself to relive those magical moments at the office with him. The feel of his hands—so strong, yet gentle. The warmth of his breath tickling her neck as he stood behind her. The hot, hungry look in his eyes when she’d turned around and met his gaze.

Kim clasped her hands to her throat as the image of his face swam before her closed lids. He’d been standing so close to her, close enough that she could see the faint trace of stubble darkening his chin. Close enough for her to smell the woodsy and spicy scent that he always wore. Close enough for her to feel the warmth of his body just inches from her own.

Her heart raced. That ache she got low in her belly whenever she dreamed of how it would be to have Justin hold her in his arms, to have him tell her that he loved her as she loved him, started anew. “And the chances of that ever happening are about as likely as Chicago getting snow in July,” she muttered as sanity returned at last.

Grabbing her pillow, she flopped over onto her stomach and ordered herself to go to sleep. And in sleep she allowed herself to play out the fantasy as she never dared do when she was awake. In the safety of slumber she imagined the feel of his mouth—hot and hungry on hers—tasting her, filling her, and then the sound of his voice as he whispered words of love and called out over and over, “Kim…Kim…”

“Kim? Kim, did you hear me?”

The impatient note in Justin’s voice startled Kim from her musings. Embarrassed to be caught daydreaming, she looked up and found a somber Justin standing in front of her desk. “Sorry. What was that?”

“I asked if you had a chance to draft that memo of understanding for my meeting with Schaeffer on Friday.”

The all-business note in his voice lashed at her like a whip. “It’s on your desk in your in basket,” Kim answered, doing her best to match his cool tone.

“Good,” he grumbled, and started toward his office only to pause and look back at her. “Are you feeling all right? You seemed…distracted.”

Kim flushed. “I’m fine. I’ve just had my mind on putting together that date package for the bachelor auction so I can messenger it over to your sister today,” she told him, opting for the half-truth. She had been working on the package, but it hadn’t been the real source of her distraction. Justin had—or rather she’d been busy daydreaming that she was the lucky woman who would get to share the date with him.

He groaned. “Don’t remind me. I still can’t believe I let Tara convince me to go through with that thing instead of just sending a check.”

“Your sister’s very persuasive.”

“Pushy is more like it.”

Deciding not to comment on what seemed to be a family trait, she pointed out, “It is for a good cause.”

“Which is the only reason I agreed to do it in the first place,” he informed her, and mumbled something about needing to have his head examined because he’d probably be changing clothes in the limo to get to the thing on time.

Given Justin’s reluctance to participate in the auction, Kim suddenly questioned her decision to follow Tara’s advice and make the date one that she herself would find appealing. “Do you want to take a look at what I put together as your date package?” she asked, and picked up the envelope that contained a certificate that detailed a romantic sailing date on Lake Geneva.

“I’m sure it’s fine,” he told her, and started again toward his office.

“It’ll only take a minute to look it over, and I’d—”

“I said it’s fine,” Justin snapped.

Kim clamped her lips together and remained silent.

Justin sighed, rammed a hand through his hair. “Listen, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bite your head off. It’s just that…I have a lot on my mind at the moment.”

“I understand,” Kim replied, still stinging from his sharp tone. She did understand that Justin worked much too hard, that he demanded too much of himself. In the six months that she’d worked with the man, she had seen him in a number of stressful situations. But never once during that time had he ever raised his voice to her or spoken to her as he had a moment ago. Even worse, she hadn’t realized until now just how vulnerable she was to him or how much he could hurt her.

Was it because of last night? she asked herself. Had he somehow picked up on her feelings for him and was now uncomfortable with her?

Mortified at the thought that Justin might know she was in love with him, Kim wished she could simply disappear.

“Kim, I really am sorry,” he told her again, his expression softening. “The last thing I would ever want to do is hurt you.”

Kim nodded and averted her gaze, afraid she would see pity in his eyes, afraid of what he would see in hers.

He stood there a moment longer, then said, “I’ll be in my office the rest of the afternoon. Please hold my calls.”

“But what about the lunch with your father?”

“I canceled it so I could work on this Schaeffer deal. I’ll need to schedule some time with him when I get back from New York.”

“I’ll take care of it,” she advised him, pleased that her voice could sound so professional and detached when inside she still felt raw, exposed.

“Thanks,” he said, and disappeared inside his office.

But the instant the door closed behind him, Kim lost some of the starch in her spine. So much for any notions that something had happened between them last night, she thought. Hoping that Justin might finally have begun to see her as more than just his assistant was obviously nothing more than a fantasy on her part. A fantasy that bore a painful resemblance to her mother’s string of hopeless romances. She’d adored her mother, missed her still. But as much as she had loved her, she had hated the constant highs and lows caused by her mother’s endless quest to find Mr. Right.

Evidently she had more of Amanda Lindgren’s penchant for impossible dreams than she’d thought, Kim decided. Thank heavens she also possessed enough common sense and pride to choke a mule. Whatever change she’d thought she’d detected in Justin’s attitude toward her last night, it obviously wasn’t romantic in nature. There hadn’t been anything remotely romantic about the way he’d looked at her today. If anything, he’d seemed cool and unapproachable—not at all the warm, caring man she’d grown accustomed to working with these past months.

Taking a cue from Justin, she promised herself that no matter how she felt about him, he would never know. She picked up the envelope containing the certificate for the bachelor auction. After enclosing it in a transmittal envelope, she started to attach a cover note to Tara declining the offer of the ticket. Then she hesitated. Maybe she would think about it some more. She tackled the pile of letters and messages on her desk, determined to bury herself in work and forget about those magical moments with Justin last night.

“What else?”

“I need you to sign off on these letters and the checks that go with them,” Kim informed Justin two afternoons later.

Quickly he scanned the letters in question, noted the sums of the accompanying checks and scrawled his signature across the documents where indicated. As he did so, he steeled himself against her scent—a whiff of roses and something exotic—that filled his head each time he was near her. “Is that everything?”

“Except for the final draft on the Schaeffer document. I’ve put in the additional changes you wanted, but you’ll probably want to go over it one more time to be sure everything’s covered.”

She handed him the lengthy document he’d worked and reworked several times already, and as she did so, his fingers brushed hers. Kim snatched her hand away—but not before he’d felt that stab of awareness again. “I’ll take a look at it now, then maybe you can get out of here at a decent time, for a change.”

“I’ll be at my desk.”

After she’d exited his office and he was alone again, Justin swore. Something had to give—and soon. Ever since the other night, Kim had been acting differently toward him. Oh, she still was doing a great job as his assistant. He couldn’t have asked for anyone more knowledgeable, efficient or reliable. But he sensed a distance now, a wall, that hadn’t been there before. While he…he had been going slowly insane with very nonbusinesslike thoughts about her. Despite the fact that he’d driven himself relentlessly at the office during the day, then pounded on the bags at the gym until he was exhausted in the evenings, he’d lain awake for the past two nights thinking about Kim, wanting her. Try as he might, he hadn’t been able to forget the image of her the other night. Sighing, he sat back in his chair and closed his eyes.

And there she was again with her hair tumbling down her back and shoulders. He curled his hands into fists, remembered how silky that hair had felt, how soft and warm her skin had been. He dragged in a breath and could have sworn he could smell her—that sweetness of roses and sunshine and secrets.

Get a grip, Connelly.

Justin snapped open his eyes. He had to stop thinking of Kim that way, he reminded himself. Maybe the trip to New York would help. Surely spending all day Friday, plus the weekend away from Kim would help him get his head and hormones straight. And who knows, maybe that bachelor auction would turn out to be a blessing in disguise. With a little luck he just might meet someone interesting. Maybe another female would make him forget all these wild thoughts he’d been having about Kim, Justin decided. And with that plan of action firmly in mind, he picked up a pen and went to work on the agreement.

“That should do it,” Justin muttered some time later. He tossed down his pen and leaned back in his chair. Finally, after incorporating several suggestions from his father and fine-tuning the document once more, he was satisfied. Now he just needed to sell it to Schaeffer. Stretching to ease the stiffness in his shoulders, he cupped his hands behind his head and spun his chair around to face the windows.

“Aw, hell,” he grumbled at the sight of the star-filled skyline. A quick glance at his watch told him he’d been at it for hours, which meant that Kim had been forced to stay late again. Shoving out of his seat, he tore out of his office.

“What’s wrong?” Kim asked, jerking her gaze up from the computer screen.

“It’s late, and I promised that you’d get out of here at a decent hour for a change.”

“It’s only half past eight,” she informed him, and averted her gaze.

“Only? You’re supposed to be able to leave at five.” He could probably count the times on one hand that she’d left at quitting time. He claimed a seat on the corner of her desk. “And thanks to me, you’ve had to work late again.”

“I didn’t mind. I had some things I needed to catch up on. So did you finish?”

“Yes,” he told her, but made no attempt to give her the agreement.

Finally she shifted her gaze back to his for a moment. “If you intend for me to put in those changes, you’re going to have to give that to me,” she said, and held out her hand for the document.

“I’ll plug in the changes. Just pull up the original agreement on the screen and then you can get out of here.”

“Don’t be silly. I’ll do it,” she argued.

“No. Go on home. You’ve stayed late enough.”

Kim hesitated a moment. “Justin, is there something in that agreement that you’d prefer I not know about?”

“Of course not.”

“Then since it is part of my job, I’ll make the changes,” she informed him. “Besides, as you’ll recall, the last time you used my computer, you, um, had some difficulties.”

“That wasn’t my fault,” he said, recalling that the system had ended up crashing when the terminal had insisted he’d performed an illegal operation.

“I’m sure it was just a coincidence. All the same I’ll feel better if you let me make the changes.”

Reluctantly Justin handed over the pages.

She scanned the edited sections a moment. “It’ll probably take me about twenty minutes to do these and print up a fresh copy. If you want to go home, I can drop the revised set by your apartment on my way home.”

He found the idea of Kim visiting his apartment appealing. Which was why he said, “I’ll wait.”

When his stomach grumbled a few seconds later, Kim looked up. “Maybe you should go down the street and have dinner while I take care of this. By the time you get back, it’ll be finished.”

“What about you? You haven’t eaten yet, either. And don’t tell me you’re not starved because I wouldn’t believe you.”

“I’m all right,” she said as she continued to scroll down on the screen and make changes. “I’ll pick myself up something on the way home.”

“Do you like pizza?”

“Yes,” she said, pausing, her voice cautious, as were her eyes.

“Everything on it?”

“Justin, this isn’t necessary.”

He ignored her and reached for the phone. After dialing information, he had the number connected. “Everything on it?”

She frowned at him. “No anchovies.”

Justin grinned at that. “You’re a girl after my own heart, Kim Lindgren,” he told her, and placed an order for a super-size pizza extravaganza with everything except anchovies.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” she admonished. “I’ll never be able to eat even a third of that pizza.”

“Good. That means there’s more for me.”

“But I thought…”

“You thought?” Justin prompted.

“I thought you would prefer to sit down to a real meal, something from a nice restaurant.”

“By a ‘real meal’ I take it you mean a thick steak or some expensive entrée with a fancy sauce served on china?” Justin countered.

“Yes.”

Justin grinned at that. “You obviously don’t know many teenagers, do you?”

She gave him a puzzled look, which caused her brow to wrinkle in the most adorable way. “No.”

“Well if you did, you’d know that pizza isn’t only considered a real meal. It’s the best meal possible.”

Justin had been right. The pizza was a fabulous meal, especially when it was accompanied by an enormous Italian salad, bread sticks and a glass of wine from the bar in his office. Kim couldn’t remember when she’d enjoyed a meal half as much.

Maybe it was the wine, she thought, as she breathed in the merlot and watched Justin over the rim of her glass. He seemed more relaxed, warmer toward her than he’d been in days. And she…she was enjoying herself, enjoying him. Sitting back in her chair at the conference table in Justin’s office, Kim allowed herself the pleasure of watching him.

“How’s the wine?” he asked.

“Wonderful,” she replied, and took another sip to prove it. Remembering what she’d read about wine, she allowed the flavor to rest on her palate to fully enjoy its taste before swallowing.

“Don’t tell me you’re full,” Justin teased.

“Hardly.” She took a third slice of the pizza. “Tell me more about the teenagers you work with at the youth center.”

“They’re a challenge,” he began, and told her about how bright some of the troubled teens he’d been working with really were. “They keep me on my toes, that’s for sure. You should think about coming down. There’s a lot they could learn from you.”

“I doubt that. You’re the marketing whiz.”

“But there’s more to business than marketing. You’re smart, organized and you have a way of putting people at ease. Those are rare qualities, Kim. You instill even a fraction of them in those kids and it’ll go a long way toward shaping their future.”

“Thank you,” she murmured, touched by the sincerity of his words.

“Nothing to thank me for. It’s the truth. And I hope you’ll at least think about coming down to the center.”

“I will,” she promised, and nearly choked when he smiled at her. God, but he was beautiful, she thought as she watched him tackle another slice of pizza. With that hint of red in his brown hair, the hazel eyes filled with laughter, the strong cheekbones and stubborn chin. For him to be so nice and honorable, too, just made him that much more attractive. Who could blame her for falling in love with him?

“You going to eat that?” he asked, pointing to the last slice of pizza on her plate.

“No. You go ahead and finish it,” she told him.

“Tell you what. Why don’t we split it,” he suggested, and proceeded to divide the slice in two.

Justin polished off his half in a matter of seconds, but it took her a while longer. “Full?” he asked as he refilled both of their glasses.

“Stuffed is more like it,” she confessed, dropping her napkin on the paper plate.

“Hang on a second. You’ve got a little tomato sauce on your face.”

“Where?” she asked, and reached for a napkin to blot at her chin.

“Here, let me do that,” he said, and, taking the napkin from her, he caught her chin in his hand and gently dabbed at a corner of her mouth.

He was so close Kim could see the stubble on his chin, smell the woodsy scent he wore. And when his fingers stilled and he looked into her eyes, she could scarcely breathe.

“You have the most incredible-colored eyes,” he told her.

“They’re blue.”

“No. Not blue. Not green. But a combination. They’re the color of water in the Caribbean where I sailed my boat last summer.”

He stroked her cheek with his thumb, brought his face a fraction closer. “Kim, I…”

Kim’s heart beat wildly in her chest. The breath stalled in her lungs. Instinctively she tipped up her head, closed her eyes and waited for the touch of his mouth.

“I-it’s getting late. We probably should call it a night,” Justin said, and dropped his hand from her face.

The words hit Kim like a blast of cold water. Her eyes snapped open and she scrambled to her feet, horrified of what Justin must think of her. Unable to meet his gaze for fear he would realize she’d wanted him to kiss her, she began to frantically snatch up the empty plates and napkins. “You can go on home. I’ll clear away this stuff and lock up,” she told him as she piled the paper goods atop the now-empty pizza box.

“Here, let me get that,” Justin offered when her unsteady fingers began dropping the soiled napkins.

“I’ve got it,” she argued.

But Justin ignored her. “You’ve worked hard enough today. Go ahead and close up shop at your desk while I handle the cleanup.”

Eager to escape, Kim didn’t argue. She simply fled Justin’s office, praying she could get out of there before he saw the tears prickling at the backs of her eyes. Quickly she grabbed her purse from inside the drawer of her desk where she kept it and snatched up her car keys. “Good night, Justin,” she called out, and started for the door. “Thanks again for dinner.”

“What? Wait a minute,” he said, sticking his head out the door of his office. “Let me get rid of this,” he told her, indicating the wineglasses and wine bottle he held in his hands. “It’ll only take me a second and then I’ll walk you to your car.”

“That’s really not necessary. Tom or one of the other security guards will see that I get there safely.”

“But—”

“I’ve got to go. Have a safe trip and good luck with Schaeffer tomorrow,” she said, and exited the office suite quickly before the first tears began to fall.

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