At his desk, Andrew slammed the phone down for the hundredth time. Alexandra wasn’t taking his calls. Tired of leaving messages, he hung up whenever the answering machine came on. When she’d left his office, he tried to follow her, but had been covered in nothing but a towel. By the time he would’ve gotten dressed and to the lobby, she would’ve been long gone.

He kicked out both Jack and Leslie, telling Jack to forget their deal. Whatever he was going to sign, he decided not to, based on Alexandra’s advice. He had no idea what she was talking about, but he believed her.

He never really liked Jack that much to begin with. The man seemed to always be hiding something, or not telling the entire truth. There was only one reason Andrew agreed to work with Jack.

Alexandra had just started working in the office across the way and he’d fallen hard for her. When his investigator told Andrew that she was in a relationship with Masterson, he pulled out a relatively new project proposal with Masterson’s name on it. After reviewing the paperwork, he decided since Alexandra trusted him, so would he.

After meeting with Masterson at Come Again to finalize things, they were to sign contracts today. That was the night Andrew was with Alexandra. The best night of his life.

When she said she broke up with her jerk boyfriend, he should’ve taken that as a clue to ditch Masterson. But the dots didn’t connect in his mind with Alexandra naked and under him. And bent over in front of him. And spread out in the chair. And...

Damn. His pants were tightening around his enlarging dick. He got up from his desk. It wasn’t like he was getting anything done. He couldn’t get his mind off Alexandra.

He looked out the window toward her office. All he could see was the damaged blinds on the side opposite her desk. He didn’t remember seeing that before, but he wasn’t even sure he’d seen her blinds closed before.

Running fingers through his hair, he glanced at his watch. Alexandra usually left around noon for lunch. If he went over now, he could catch her and make her listen to him. How this was all a stupid mistake and Leslie’s doing, not his.

At least he’d been smart in one sense. He’d informed security about Leslie, telling them never to allow her past the lobby again. Talk about shutting the stable door after the damn horse had bolted.

He rushed out the door into reception. A startled Jen asked where he was off to.

“I’m going to get back the woman I love.” He saw her confused face and laughed. His heart felt lighter knowing this would all work out. They’d go to lunch, talk, and see how silly that all had been. They would go back to his place and have sex, and he’d never let her leave again. Okay, that was a little possessive and creepy. He’d keep it to himself.

When he stepped onto the sidewalk outside, a large police presence was in front of her building. After making it to the front door, the guard there told him the building was closed for the rest of the day.

How could the building be closed? It was a semi-public place with several businesses within its confines. When he argued and tried to push his way in, he was escorted by a squad of uniforms out of the cordoned-off area and told if he persisted, he could spend the rest of the day in jail.

He stomped back to his office, not knowing what else to do. He remembered seeing his secretary with Alexandra and her friend that night at the lounge.

“Jen.” He flew into the office, startling her. “What all do you know about Alexandra?”

Her brows drew down. “Why? You going to fuck her again?”

He was shocked in silence. She’d never spoken like this before. He didn’t know what to say, but he really didn’t want to acknowledge the question with a “you bet your life I am.” Especially after going through her divorce.

He then realized that he’d been so wrapped up in Alexandra that he hadn’t asked Jen about her personal life.

They used to talk all the time, until Leslie, then Alexandra came into the picture. For a while, Jen was the only female in his life. They had gone out to lunch a few times, just to get out of the office. She was a tremendous assistant and he’d pay her whatever necessary to keep her happy and in his employ. Sometimes things got so hectic, he would’ve forgotten his ass if it weren’t attached and she’d saved him.

Jen’s face flooded dark red. “I’m so sorry—”

He held up a hand. “No. It’s okay. Things did get out of hand this morning. I want to thank you for helping with it. Leslie needs to stay away.”

“And Alexandra?” she asked. “You ran out saying you loved her. Do you?”

He felt like a boy in high school being quizzed by a date’s father. “I believe I do. I’ve never felt these feelings for anyone before. I can’t stop thinking about her. She makes me laugh and I feel happy just seeing her beautiful face.”

Jen nodded, glancing down at her desk. “Yes, that sounds like love.” Her last couple words were wobbly, on the verge of tears. Damn, he was being an insensitive jerk. Talking about him finding love when she was now alone.

“Jen,” he started, “I can’t imagine what you’ve been through with your divorce and all. Are you all right?”

She nodded, grabbing a tissue and wiping at her eyes. “I’m fine. Life isn’t how I thought it would be when I filed for the separation—”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

She waved away his question. “Nothing. The only thing that’s important is that I pursue the plans I’ve had.”

“Yes,” Andrew agreed. “Never give up your dreams,” he thought about that for a second, “unless they take you away from me. I don’t want that.” Good God, he’d be so lost, he wouldn’t know how to sharpen a pencil. He glanced around for a sharpener. How did they sharpen pencils?

She smiled and gave a little laugh, looking more like the Jen he was used to. Whew, that was close. A crying woman was every man’s nightmare. He didn’t know the first thing about comforting a female. Seemed men always said the wrong things. He’d gotten good at keeping his mouth closed during those times.

He really wanted to get back to his original question about what Jen knew about Alexandra. If he asked a second time, would she go off again? She stared at him, the silence stretching.

“Oh,” she said. “You wanted to know...” She pulled out her cell phone. “I have Nina’s number. You can try her if Alexandra isn’t picking up. Maybe she’ll talk to you.” She wrote on a sticky note and handed it over.

Andrew thankfully took it. “Take off the rest of the day, Jen.”

She looked up, surprised. “Really?”

“Yeah,” he said. “I don’t plan on being here much longer. Put the phones over to the answering service and head on out. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Sure. Thanks, Andrew.”

“Anything for you.” And, boy, did he mean it. He wondered how she would feel about Alexandra working with them. He’d create a position for her full-time, in his office, so he could look at her all day.

Was that a sappy, romantic gesture or what?