Before Jill could even get through a small portion of the staff rundown, Celia poked her head back into Jill's office. "Jill you need to be at a meeting at nine o'clock, and it is already eight-forty-five. You'll have these meetings every Monday. Sorry, I didn't tell you sooner, but I honestly didn't think they would have you join them your first day."
Jill sat stunned. "Me either. Are you sure?" There was nervousness in her voice she couldn't hide.
"Tyler specifically asked for you by name," she said with a shrug her shoulders.
Grabbing a legal pad and a pen, Jill followed Celia to the meeting location. She stood at the door of the gigantic conference room, silently sizing up the six men and four women who sat around the table. All were professional, reserved, and curious about the new addition. Her ... the new addition. The nervous one who wished everyone would stop staring at her.
Tyler sat in a seat closest to the head of the table, but not at the head of the table. That seat remained open. Jill looked at the empty chair, wondering at the oddity of it being left open.
When Tyler spotted Jill, he stood and waved her forward, a warm smile on his lips. Tyler was in his mid-forties, with red hair and fair skin, wearing confidence as a second skin.
"This is Jill Green, team, our new associate. Please make her feel welcome."
People nodded and murmured greetings.
"Grab a seat and we'll get started." Jill sat at a seat close to the end of the table. She didn't want to seem too aggressive on her first day. She'd give it a week to start showing more assertiveness.
"Team, we have terrific news. We have landed BG clothing," Tyler announced.
There were whispers around the table. Jill wasn't sure why.
"I know we thought we couldn't get in on this campaign, but Ryan pulled some strings, and the outcome is a win for Carlson. We have one shot and one shot only to prove we can handle their business line of clothing. Let's make it a good one."
The conference room door opened.
Jill froze.
It couldn't be.
A tall man with broad shoulders and dark raven hair stood in the doorway. His presence transformed the mood of the room, electricity suddenly darting around the table. A well-fitted suit easily emphasized his muscular yet lean form.
Jill couldn't breathe.
It was Ryan.
How did this happen? What was she going to do? She tried to calm her panic, but it was almost impossible. She softly exhaled. Seeing Ryan in this setting was intimidating for a million reasons.
For one, he was like a tiger on the prowl, a businessman with money and purpose. His fluid movements were both confident and menacing. Everyone in the room seemed to sit up an inch higher in their chairs.
Talk about being from different worlds. If he was caviar, she was sardines. It was a horrible thought.
Tyler greeted him with a welcoming smile. "Ryan, welcome back. We were just talking about this great opportunity you maneuvered for us!"
The room filled with cheers.
Jill felt like melting into the ground or bolting from the room before the inevitable happened, before he saw her. But it was too late.
"Ryan, let me introduce you to our new associate. This is Jill Green." Tyler motioned towards Jill. She saw the surprise flicker in his face as his eyes met hers.
He looked at her for a long, awkward moment, never blinking, never showing any sign of emotion. Jill's chest was tight, her hands clammy. Memories of him touching her, and pleasing her, dashed through her mind. He was thinking the same thing. She saw it in his eyes.
Destiny had played a nasty trick on her, really on both of them. How could this have happened? She felt like she was being punished for living a little.
Jill watched nervously as he moved towards her, a predatory gleam in his eyes. All eyes were on them as he stopped beside her chair.
He held out his hand, a slow smile turning up his lips. Tentatively, she slid her hand into his, feeling the warmth of his skin like a caress. Simmering heat danced between them as they stared at one another.
His words rang in her ears. I am going to kiss every inch of you so perfectly you will never, ever forget me. She hadn't.
Nor would she ever.
Had he forgotten her? But she knew the answer. It was in his eyes, and his touch. He still wanted her. "Welcome, Jill Green," he said in a soft voice.
She swallowed. Even his voice evoked memories of whispers in the dark. "Thank you," she managed in a voice that somehow didn't seem strained.
He was still holding her hand. She wondered if anyone else thought he held it too long. One of his fingers stroked her palm sending a wave of sensation up her arm.
Then he released her hand and turned away.
Jill struggled to gain her composure as he took his seat at the head of the table.
Her career had taken a nose dive.
Her body was alive and pulsing with desire over the man who was now her boss.
Her mother couldn't work the same schedule she used to be able to handle. She depended on Jill. This job was a chance to dig them out of piles of bills, and poor living.
She needed this job.
She wanted her boss.
Could things get any worse?
* * * *
He sat at the end of the conference table covertly studying Jill. It was almost unbelievable that she was here, in his conference room, working for Carlson. All his efforts to find her, and then, she just showed up.
Women didn't get under his skin. Until Jill.
That's why he looked for her. He couldn't stop thinking about her.
Her transformation to office attire did nothing to hide her amazing curves or downplay her lovely skin. It also did nothing to diminish how she affected his senses.
He wanted to touch her again. To taste her, tease her, and yes, to please her.
Their night together had stayed with him like some kind of constant replay in his brain. At first, he had tried to play it off as some silly hang up about her running off on him. But after several days, he knew it was more.
Having her work at Carlson wasn't the way things could or should have played out. But it was better than never seeing her again. He'd find a way to make it work. As the meeting drew to an end, Ryan forced his attention back to Tyler, who was addressing the group.
"We are throwing a party for Bret Weaver, the key decision maker at BG clothing. Mark your calendars for the Friday after next at the New Yorker Hotel. Ryan will spend a week in Los Angeles with him before that. We need to be sure he's armed for success with great ideas. "
His eyes went to Jill at the mention of the New Yorker. Memories of meeting her there danced in his eyes as he looked at her. She blushed and averted her gaze.
Tyler was still talking. "It's Bret's birthday. Now I know I don't need to say this, but I expect all of you to be present and accounted for. This is short notice. Only three weeks away. You'll be paired up in twos to prepare ideas. This is for the professional line only."
Ryan pushed to his feet. "You have very little time here, team. I need good, innovative ideas." Then with a quick nod of his head, and quick glimpse at Jill, he turned towards the door.
This time she couldn't run out on him. He knew where to find her, and find her he would.
Chapter Five
Jill walked into her office and pushed the door shut, letting out a huge breath. She crossed the room, tossed her folder of work on her desk and began pacing, back and forth, back and forth.
It was four-thirty and the first time since seeing Ryan that Jill had managed to get a moment alone. She had buzzed through the day in a panic, trying to act calm and collected.
She wasn't.
She was completely freaked out.
What in the hell was she supposed to do?
She had slept with her boss! Worse, she wanted to do it again.
Oh, God. She stopped pacing. This was crazy. She had to talk to him. What if he thought she knew who he was that night? Oh
, no, not good. She definitely had to talk to him.
Not giving herself any more time to think, she marched out of her office and towards the executive suites. She had to do this.
Approaching Ryan's office, she found it closely guarded by his secretary, Nancy Moore. She was an attractive woman in her mid-thirties, who was most definitely a snob. She didn't even acknowledge Jill's presence.
Ignoring the woman's snotty attitude, Jill cleared her throat. "I'm here to see Ryan." Jill cringed inwardly, realizing awkwardly that she forgot to use his last name. She tried to play it off by ignoring the slip. "I'm Jill Green."
The secretary stared at her with open irritation. Her tone was crisp. "Do you have an appointment with Mr. Monroe?" The woman emphasized the formality of the name, Mr. Monroe, clearly reprimanding.
Jill suppressed an urge to snort. Instead she offered a sticky sweet smile and kept her voice accommodating. "No, but if he would see me, I would greatly appreciate it."
The secretary sniffed, and gave Jill a look that said I doubt it. Clenching her teeth together, Jill bit back a retort. The woman actually looked as if she might refuse to buzz Ryan.
Finally, she picked up the phone and dialed Ryan's extension. She announced Jill into the phone, and then listened. Surprise registered on the woman's face before she carefully wiped it away.
"Go right in."
Jill wanted to gloat, but she figured it wouldn't serve any purpose. It was a short lived victory, considering she had merely won an opportunity to go into the lions den.
* * * *
Sighing deeply, Ryan leaned back in his oversized executive chair. His hand went to the back of his neck where tension seemed to sit like a heavy rock. After the morning meeting he had been slammed with appointments. He had wanted some time to think through his next step with Jill.
It appeared he had none.
He should have guessed she'd try and talk to him.
He knew his ultimate goal. He wanted her. Period. No questions. Not just in his bed, but in his life. It was crazy, yes, probably. But he wasn't fighting it. She was special. For the first time in years, he was thinking about something other than work. Taking over the family business had driven him to forget all else.
But now ... Jill made him want more.
* * * *
Jill wiped her clammy hands on her skirt before reaching for Ryan's doorknob. Gathering her nerve, she swung open the door, took a tentative step inside his office, and shut it behind her.
The staff didn't need to know about her past with Ryan. The thought almost made her laugh, but not with humor. The past had suddenly become the present. Only she could manage to choose her future boss as a bed partner.
His office was elegantly decorated with spectacular ceiling to floor windows that covered two out of four walls. Ryan sat behind a massive desk, looking sexy and intimidating, and talking on the phone.
Maybe visiting him was a bad idea. She started to turn, to bolt, but then he looked up. She was trapped. She tried to wipe the panic from her face.
He smiled and waved her forward.
No escape.
She swallowed as she forced her feet to take steps.
One, two, have courage, don't bolt.
She sank into a chair in front of his desk waiting for his call to end, hoping she had made the right decision by coming here, sending a silent prayer above.
Ryan took one look at her expression and narrowed his eyes on her. "Stop frowning. I won't bite," he said softly.
"I'm not frowning," she retorted and then regretted it. Damn, he was her boss. She couldn't snap at him. Forcing herself to meet his gaze, she said, "I had no idea who you were."
"I know," he said, reassuring her. "The thought hadn't even crossed my mind."
She studied him a moment, trying to be certain he meant his words. "This is a bit unusual," she said, trying to find a better choice of words but coming up with none.
"Unexpected," he said as he leaned back in his chair, "but not unpleasant."
Her eyes narrowed. "Please don't tease me. I'm having a hard enough time with this."
His brow inched up. "I assure you, I was quite serious."
Her brows dipped. She didn't understand him. Didn't want to. She just wanted this to all go away. "I'll resign if you want me to." She paused a beat. "If you think that's best."
Ryan studied her for a long, intense moment.
She was fretting much more than he expected. He pushed to his feet and walked around the desk. When he was directly in front of her, he leaned against the wooden top on the desk, making them closer to eye level.
Their legs were only inches apart. He still towered over her, which he hated. She seemed nervous enough without that added into the picture. "I don't want you to resign," he said softly.
She wet her lips with her tongue. A nervous action not meant to be seductive. It was. It made him want to taste her. "I really feel like I should resign."
He raised a questioning brow. "Why?" He didn't want her to resign. His eyes held hers, willing her not to look away. He stared into her eyes. Ryan loved their color, brown and vibrant. He wanted to see them filled with passion, not the torment they now held.
"You know why," she said quickly, insistently.
"No," he said, "I don't. Do I remember every intimate detail of our time together? Absolutely. With vivid color. Does that mean you should resign? Absolutely not." He let his words linger in the air a moment. "What about you? Do you remember?"
He was so close he could smell her soft, floral scent. Memories of touching her wrapped around him like a fine mist. She surprised him by squeezing her eyes shut as if she was hiding from his words.
"Jill?" he said prodded gently.
Slowly, her eyes opened. "Look," she said hoarsely, then paused to delicately clear her throat. "What happened between us... I don't make a habit of that sort of thing."
He didn't blink, didn't move. "I know," he said with confident reassurance. "What I don't know is why you ran out on me that night."
Again she surprised him by abruptly pushing to her feet. She did a lot of that. Surprising him.
She moved as if to retreat. No way, he thought. He wasn't about to let her run. He followed her to his feet, his hand snaking out to grab her shoulders.
She glared at him. "Please let me go. I came here to make things better, not worse. I do need this job. If you let me stay, I won't say a word to anyone. Professional and personal belong in two different places. I know that."
His eyes narrowed. "Ah," he said slowly, "but it's too late for that, isn't it? We have to play the hand fate has dealt us, Jill. There is no way in hell either of us can forget what happened that night."
She shook her head doggedly. "It's not too late. I can deal with this. No one will know. I can forget," she replied insistently.
He eyed her keenly. "So admittedly you haven't forgotten up to this point." A slow blush crept into her cheeks. He stepped closer, bending his head so his mouth was close to her ear, "What makes you think you can now? Um?"
She swallowed but didn't respond, in fact, he could have sworn she swayed towards him. He pushed a bit harder. "Why'd you leave without saying goodbye?"
Her chin tilted up in defiance, their eyes locking. "Why does it matter?" She tugged at her arms. He held her easily. "Let me go, Ryan."
He shook his head. "Not this time."
He slid his arms around her waist, and pulled her soft curves against his body, as his mouth covered hers. He slipped his tongue between her teeth, kissing her with a hunger that had built over two weeks, and many dreams.
Her hands were on his chest as if she would push him away, but she didn't. At first she was stiff, but slowly he felt her melt against him, her hands moving around his back.
Her surrender was like sweet nectar. Sweet and perfect. He devoured her like a starving man because that's exactly what he was.
Starving.
For her.
She moaned into his mouth. "J
ill," he murmured against her mouth. "You shouldn't have left me."
"I had to," she said softly.
He tilted her chin up with his finger, making her meet his gaze. "Why?"
Her voice held a tiny little quiver. "It's hard to explain."
"Try."
She didn't say a word. After several long moments, he brushed his lips over hers. "I want you," he told her huskily. "Tell me you want me, too."
She stiffened, her hands moving to his waist, no longer hugging him close. He kept her tightly wrapped in his arms.
"It's not a question of want, and you know it. I don't think you would believe me if I told you I didn't want you." She swallowed hard before continuing. "I can't, no I won't, sleep with my boss."
Ryan opened his mouth to protest when a knock sounded on the door. He cursed under his breath. Where in the hell was his secretary?
He stared down at her, a promise in his eyes. "This isn't over." Then he released her because he had no choice.
Jill ran a hand through her hair, trying to compose herself. "I'll let whoever it is in as I go."
Ryan watched her leave. No way was this over.
She wanted him. He could smell her passion, and taste her need. If seduction was what it would take to get her, then seduction it was.
* * * *
Her life was hell. That was what rolled through Jill's mind as she unlocked her apartment.
She walked in her front door, dropped her purse and keys on the entrance table and headed straight to her bedroom. She flung her shoes off, mumbling as she did. Once she had comfortably donned a pair of boxers and a t-shirt, she stuffed her feet into her fluffy blue slippers.
Her next stop was the kitchen. After a long few moments of staring into the contents of the refrigerator, she grunted and slammed the door shut.
No way could she eat.
Heading back to the bedroom she grabbed the remote and flipped on the television as she dropped to the bed. Flipping through the channels, not really paying much attention, she finally hit the off button.