The last night before Shin Electronics continued with their American tour, Emily stared at herself in the mirror and glanced at her sister, who stood behind her. “Well? What do you think?”

Shin Electronics had other options for West Coast resorts—Club Tahoe was only one of several on their list. That was why tonight had to be perfect.

Lisa nodded. “Hot.”

Originally, Emily had planned for the ball to be earlier in the week, but upon reflection, it made more sense to have it the last night so they could end the company’s stay on a high note.

“Hot, but am I classy?” Emily said. “I don’t want to draw the wrong attention.”

Lisa groaned. “Listen, I’ve held back when it comes to your clothes this week. Like, hard. I’m trying to keep things simple, but you’ve got to give me something. This gown is knockoff couture. It’s drool-worthy and you need to wear it.”

Emily petted the light gray fitted dress, which accented her eyes. Spaghetti straps held up the modest neckline, but the rest of her feminine goods were covered. One would think that made it modest, but the gown was tight, with a light shimmer, and draped all the way to the floor. “You’re right. I would have worn a simple black dress that probably didn’t fit well. This fits me…”

“Like a glove,” her sister said with a wicked smile.

Emily’s mouth twisted and she bit the inside of her lip. “I’m super grateful for your help, but you promise it’s not too much?”

Lisa slapped Emily’s ass. “No, now get out of here and knock ’em dead.”

“What about my makeup?” Emily reached for a tissue to dab off some of her lipstick.

Lisa swiped the tissue and shoved Emily toward the door, handing her keys and a wrap at the same time. “It looks perfect. Goodbye.”

Emily spun around outside, only to find the door shoved closed in her face. Damn her sister!

But Lisa was right. If Emily looked at herself in the mirror one more time, she might change her mind. And at this point, she was about to be late.

She rushed to her car and drove to Club Tahoe, pulling up to the entrance. She wasn’t wearing spiked heels this time—Emily managed to veto that one—but she wasn’t walking a quarter of a mile through a darkened parking lot in a formal gown, either.

She handed her keys to the valet, and the young guy skipped around the car to the driver’s side. He took off in her hybrid faster than she’d ever dared push the little car.

Facing the entrance with its massive glass-and-wrought-iron chandelier, Emily felt like a glamorous guest and not simply an employee. She let that sink in.

Her job was kind of amazing. But it couldn’t last. She had ambitions, and spending her life as an assistant wasn’t what she’d envisioned. She also didn’t want to forever be under Levi’s thumb. He’d never respect her. For some reason, that was important.

Emily hurried to the employee offices. The space was deserted, workers having either gone home for the evening or wearing their finest to help host Shin Electronics and its clients.

She draped her wrap over her desk chair. And froze.

Spinning in a circle, Emily glanced frantically, patting down her body. “Where’s my bag?” Her heart raced. “Shit!”

“Problem?”

She swung around. Levi stood in the doorway. When did he walk up? “Yes. I left my workbag at Lisa’s.” She pressed her fingers to her forehead, mentally cursing herself and the dress that had preoccupied her.

Levi checked the time on his phone. “Getting late. You can pick it up tomorrow. Won’t be needed tonight anyway.”

“It has my ID, my phone, and my tablet. My life and the life of Club Tahoe are on those two devices.” Sadly, she’d rather be without her ID than her phone.

“We’ll survive without them for one night.”

“But—”

“Here.” He handed her a small black swath of silk fabric. “This should take your mind off things for a minute. You said you do bow ties?”

And that was when Emily moved past her phone panic and really took in Levi. He wasn’t wearing the slacks and dress shirts that pulled against biceps too large for the average businessman, fitting him in all the right places. Or even the sexy suits that had her drooling. No, Levi wore black tie tonight, and Emily questioned whether her heart could take it.

The whooshing in her ears was deafening, her face flushed to stinging levels, and her hands had turned clammy. In short, her adrenal system was freaking the hell out. “Who dressed you?”

Stupid, stupid—what was she saying?

Levi chuckled. “I dress myself these days. But I could use a hand with…” He gestured to the tie again.

She let out a careful breath, which came out hot on her lips. “Let me just…” She walked over and grabbed a stepping stool she used to place books on the tops of shelves.

Moving the stool in front of Levi, she stepped up, putting her nearly at eye level with him. Which wasn’t helping her adrenaline rush. She avoided his eyes. “That’s better. These ties are a little trickier.”

Levi’s hands came up and held her hips in place, as though to steady her.

Her hands halted. Her breath too.

Breathe. “Thank you.” She cleared her throat and wrapped the tie around his neck and below the collar of his white tuxedo shirt. The lapels of his jacket were thin and refined, the shoulders squared and fitting his naturally larger build. “You even smell good,” she murmured, frustrated.

It wasn’t right. Her attraction to Levi was supposed to decrease after they spent more time together, not grow stronger.

“Thank you, I think.” His voice was lower than normal, a touch gravelly. “I guess I should come clean about the penguin suit. Adam picked it up for me. Sent over some Italian guy to take measurements. My brother knows me a little too well. I would have rented one.”

“Adam’s the brother I met with his fiancée the other night?”

“The one and only.” His eyes seemed to drop, taking in not only her hands as they busily worked the tie, but her dress as well. “You know—you look lovely tonight. And you always smell good.”

She glanced up to find his blue gaze on her face—her lips.

Her eyes were gray. Not blue or green. Just gray. But Levi had light blue eyes that swirled with shades of green. She swallowed. “You smell me?”

She did not just say that. Because if she said that out loud…

His warm palms on her hips pulled her closer, and he leaned in, pinning the hands working his tie against his firm chest. He paused a hairsbreadth above her mouth. “Every chance I get.”

And then he kissed her.

There was no tongue, and the kiss was barely long enough to be defined as more than a graze of lips, but his mouth was firm yet super soft and his arms were still holding her to him.

She blinked, staring at those blue eyes that had suddenly grown darker. “You kissed me.”

“Yes.” His eyebrows pinched together, but he didn’t look away.

“I’m Lisa’s little sister.”

His body stiffened. “I don’t need the reminder, but…does that matter?”

“Does it matter to you?”

He didn’t answer right away. Then his gaze fell to her mouth again and his hands slid up her back, causing all kinds of heated, electrifying sensations to spiral down her spine.

Her adrenaline was already heightened. This was just driving her crazy. Fight or flight? The urge to attack him with her mouth and kiss him with all the pent-up lust that had built since she started at Club Tahoe was overpowering. Or she might jump off the stool and run. Either was possible.

She closed her eyes briefly. “When you touch me, I can’t breathe.”

His gaze slid to her chest. “Your chest seems to be rising and falling just fine.” Levi’s focus in the vicinity of her breasts did more funny things to her equilibrium.

“And now my heart is hammering.” The bow tie slid from her fingers, falling half-tied against his tux as she gripped those slim, refined lapels of his for balance.

Not flight, then. If he wasn’t careful, there would be an attack of the hormone variety. “You should have someone else do your bow tie. I’m too jittery.”

He slid his hand farther up her back and tangled it in her long hair. “How can I calm you? I’m a master, you know.” He peppered her jaw with delicate kisses. “Calming during times of crisis. It came with my old job.”

Calming during times of crisis? Oh God. She had ideas. Lots of ideas. Ones that ended in a climax for the ultimate calm.

The expression on her face must have given her away, because he leaned forward and kissed her again, this time cupping her jaw and parting his mouth.

Emily wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled his firm chest against hers, the heat of him sending shivers through her. Levi Cade was kissing her. Her. Emily Wright.

“You’re thinking too much,” he murmured against her lips, sliding his mouth down her throat and sending a shockwave of sensation south of her waist.

“Because you’re kissing me.”

He looked up devilishly. “And I’m enjoying it.”

Knock, knock, knock.

Emily jerked back at the sound of someone at the door. But forgot she was on a stool. Her balanced failed, her body heading backward—

With his arms still loosely around her, Levi tightened his hold and caught her. He lifted her off the stool and set her on the ground.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly. “Shit.”

“Who is it?” he called out, a light smile on his face as he gazed at her. He seemed more relaxed than he should be. They were at work, making out in her office. Why wasn’t he freaking out right now?

“Levi? Is that you?”

Levi’s head swiveled to the side, his body going rigid at the same time Emily recognized the voice beyond the door.

She glanced once more at him, but his face had smoothed of its temporary paralysis to something resembling calm. But she’d caught it. That look of shame, or pain—she wasn’t sure. And the seductive smile he’d worn earlier had disappeared entirely.

Emily walked over and opened the door.

“Hey.” Lisa looked past Emily to Levi. “I didn’t realize… Here.” She shoved Emily’s black bag at her. “You left this at my place. I thought you’d need it. I’ve never seen you without your phone.”

“Thank you.” Emily held the bag with stiff fingers, unease washing over her.

She glanced at Levi. He was staring at her sister.

And Emily was suddenly an outsider. Invisible.

This was Lisa’s boyfriend. Not Emily’s. Never hers. What did she think she was doing kissing him?

A retching sensation cramped her stomach. “I’ll let you two get reacquainted.”

Emily swept out the door and practically ran down the hall in her attempt to get away.