GRACE WAS SO surprised by the kiss, she didn’t react immediately. Not that she could have. The man could kiss, and that fact kept her from pushing him away. Good sense won out in the end, however, and she forced her lips away from his. His quiet groan of irritation made her smile.

“Wait, Max. I need a minute to think.”

“Thinking’s overrated.”

He leaned in again, but she laid her fingers over his lips. “Really. It’s too much. You’re too much.”

Max smiled against her hand and kissed her fingertips. “You make me want to carry you away and hide you from the world.”

Grace rolled her eyes. “I don’t think my parents would approve.”

Max chuckled, slipping a lock of her hair behind her ear. “No, I don’t suppose they would.”

“I’ll meet with Kenna tomorrow,” she said. “If that works for her, okay?”

He nodded. “It will.”

“You won’t force her, will you?”

“Sweetheart, I know you haven’t met her yet, but I promise you’ll laugh when you do. She’s not one who’s easily bullied.”

Her heart leapt at the endearment. She didn’t know how much longer she could resist him. She pressed her lips into a thin line. “How long has she worked for you?”

Max settled his hand on the back of the sofa. “Since the beginning.”

“Did you really form in the eighties?”

Max studied her again, his eyes boring into her soul. She couldn’t stop a shudder.

“I’d rather not answer that question right now, lass,” he said.

“Why not?”

“Because it’s not a short answer.”

“I don’t understand,” she said. “It’s a yes or no question.”

“It’s not really.”

“Did you or did you not form in 1986?” she pressed.

“No.”

“So, you’re not in your forties, then?”

Max grimaced. “No, lass, not even close.”

She relaxed. “I knew there was no way you could be that old. You don’t really look much older than me, to be honest.”

“I should go,” he said.

“Oh, okay.” Grace didn’t want to admit that she didn’t want him to leave.

“I’ll ring you when I have a time for you to meet with Kenna. Bruce will pick you up.”

“That works,” she said, and rose to her feet. “I’ll write down the number for you.”

Max handed her his phone. “Just enter it in here.”

As Grace was punching in her number, Maggie knocked on the open door. “Grace? Nate has your phone.”

“Shit! Really?”

“Yep. You left it in his car. You really should have it surgically attached to your body.”

“You’re hilarious.” Grace sighed and focused on Max. “As you can see, I don’t have my phone, so you’ll have to call the home line tomorrow.” She added her home phone number to Max’s contacts and handed him the phone. “Sorry.”

“She has lost seventy-two phones since her seventeenth birthday,” Maggie said. “It’s a disease with her.”

“Okay, dramakazi,” Grace admonished. “I haven’t lost quite as many as that.”

Maggie shrugged. “Close, though.”

“Good-bye, sissy,” Grace said, waving her hand as though to flick Maggie from the room.

Maggie laughed, but did leave them alone.

Max slipped his phone into his pocket and smiled. “I’ll have Bruce pick up your phone from your friend.”

“He doesn’t need to go to all that trouble. I can grab it tomorrow when I’m in the city.”

He stroked her cheek. “It’s no trouble, lass.”

Grace licked her lips. Lord, this man was charming...and gorgeous...and ridiculously sexy.

“So, will you have lunch with me after you meet with Kenna?” he asked.

She nodded before she even really registered his words. “Yes. I’ll have lunch with you.”

Max grinned and Grace forced herself to step away from him. Distance helped her think. Although, she wished it helped a little more than it did.

“I’ll leave you now, then,” Max said. “Although, I don’t really want to. But it’s late.”

“Yes, it’s late,” she agreed, her heart dropping at the thought of him leaving.

He smiled and closed the distance between them again, wrapping an arm around her waist and leaning down to kiss her.

As he deepened the kiss, she slipped her hands into his hair...his very soft hair that she couldn’t seem to stop touching. His hand stroked her back as the other tilted her chin for even deeper contact, and Grace felt like she was falling into an abyss of emotion.

With a strength she didn’t really feel, she broke the kiss, dropping her forehead onto his chest and taking several deep breaths in an effort not to hyperventilate. “You can’t keep kissing me like that.”

“Why not?” Max asked, his arm still wrapped around her like a steel bar.

“Because if you do, I may let you carry me away and hide me from the world.”

He chuckled. “I don’t have a problem with that.”

“I’m sure you say that to all the girls.”

“I’ve never said that to anyone before,” Max said, his expression hardening, and she felt bereft when he stepped away from her.

“No one? Really?”

“No one, Grace,” he stressed, his voice filled with irritation.

“Okay, dude. Keep your underwear on. It’s not like it wasn’t a logical conclusion. You kind of have a bad reputation, you know.” He grimaced and she instantly felt like a shrew. “I’m sorry, Max. I don’t mean to snap.”

“I get it,” he said quietly. “I do have a reputation. However, I’m trying to change that.”

“You are? Why?”

“Because I have no interest in anyone other than you, Grace. Perhaps I haven’t been as clear as I should have been on that fact.”

Grace dropped her head and stared at her feet. “Oh.”

Max lifted her chin. “I don’t want that to freak you out.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “Everything about you freaks me out, Max. None of this makes sense to me, but for some strange reason, I can’t seem to resist you.”

He leaned down, nose to nose with her, and smiled. “Good,” he said, and then kissed her again. Softer this time, and far too short in her opinion. “I can feel your exhaustion. You need to rest, lass.”

“Yes, I probably do.”

“Walk me out?”

She nodded. “Of course.”

“Will I get to meet your father soon?”

“I’m not sure,” she said. “He’s away on business this week, which is probably a good thing.”

“Why?” Max asked.

“Because he’s a little overprotective, and you’re already concerning him.” Grace cocked her head. “So, I think we’ll wait on introductions for a bit.”

“So, he’s aware of me then.”

“Oh, don’t go getting all big-headed,” Grace said. “Maggie has a big mouth and tends to over-exaggerate.”

“I happen to find your sister delightful,” Max argued.

“That’s because she worships you. And the fact that she adores you is why my father is concerned.” She grimaced. “She’s not the greatest judge of people.”

Max chuckled, lifting her palm to his lips. “Well, I plan to do everything to gain his trust.”

Grace laughed. “Good luck with that.”

“Thank you,” he said, and Grace led him out of the front room and back to the kitchen.

After saying good-bye to her mother and sister, Max kissed Grace’s cheek and headed to the awaiting car. Grace watched him drive off and then closed the door. She managed to gather the dishes and load them into the dishwasher without too much of a grilling from her mother, and then escaped to her bedroom.

* * *

Once Bruce took off toward Portland, Max raised the privacy glass and took out his phone. He wasn’t looking forward to his conversation with Kenna, but then again, he never did.

“Hi, Max,” Kenna said, her voice surprisingly pleasant.

“I want you to meet with Grace tomorrow. You’re going to hire her.”

“To do what?”

“She’s going to be your assistant,” Max said.

Silence.

Max frowned. “Did you hear me?”

“Aye, Max. I heard you.”

“What time works for you to meet with her?”

An exaggerated sigh came over the line. “How’s eleven?”

“I’ll check with Grace, but I think that’ll be fine.”

“Anything else?”

“Yes. You’re to treat her with respect.”

“Excuse me?”

Max scowled. “You heard me, Kenna. You’re to treat Grace with respect. Is that a problem?”

“Bloody hell, Max. You’re an arse.”

“Because I want you to treat my mate with respect?” he ground out.

“No, you bampot, because you think I wouldn’t. Is there anything else, Your Highness?”

“Don’t call me that.”

“My deepest apologies,” she droned.

“You know I can sack you, Kenna.”

“I know you can try,” she countered. “Anything else?”

“No.” Max scowled. He might have the power to fire her, but the truth was, the band would never survive.

“Good night, Max.”

Kenna hung up before Max could respond. He sent off a quick e-mail to Grace and then tried not to worry about her meeting with Kenna as he dragged himself to his room and forced himself to bed.

* * *

The next morning, Grace pulled on a black pair of pants and a blouse that she hoped would be suitable. She had no idea what the appropriate interview attire was when meeting with the tour manager of one of the biggest bands in the world.

She decided on flats rather than heels, and pulled her hair back into a ponytail in an effort to keep it out of her face. She heard the faint ring of the doorbell and grabbed her purse just as Maggie knocked on her door.

“Your limo’s here,” Maggie said with a giggle.

“You find that funny?”

“Um, yeah. Don’t you?” Maggie grinned. “Do you know anyone else who’s been picked up by a limo for a job interview?”

Grace chuckled. “I guess you have a point there, sissy.”

“If you get this job, does that mean I can get backstage passes?” Maggie asked as she followed Grace downstairs.

“I think you can probably get those now, Mags.”

“Really?”

Grace nodded. “I have it on good authority that Max finds you delightful.”

“Shut up, he does?”

“Yep. He told me that last night.”

Maggie clapped her hands. “He did?”

“He did.”

“Can he put that in writing?”

Grace laughed. “You so want to get Laurel riled up, don’t you?”

Maggie had the wherewithal to blush. “What? No, I would never do that.”

Grace stared at her sister until she caved and started laughing.

“Okay, yeah, that would be a bonus,” she admitted.

Grace nodded. “As I suspected.”

“She’s just so nasty,” Maggie said.

“I know she is. I’ll talk to Max about those passes,” Grace promised, and pulled open the front door. Bruce waited on the porch.

“Have fun,” Maggie said, and closed the door.

“Good morning, ma’am,” Bruce said, tipping his hat.

“Hi, Bruce. Thank you for picking me up.” She followed him to the car. “I hope it wasn’t any trouble. I could have driven.”

“No trouble at all.” Bruce pulled open the back door and handed her a small package. “This is from Mr. MacMillan.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Grace climbed into the limo and secured her seatbelt before unwrapping Max’s gift. A box and a note were enclosed. Opening the box, she found two cell phones inside, her old one and a brand-new iPhone. She unfolded the note and smiled...his familiar handwriting floated on the page.

Grace, I took the liberty of purchasing you a new phone. I wasn’t clear which century yours hailed from, and I’d feel much better if you had something new. Yours, Max.

“Oh, you’re funny, mister.” She stared at the iPhone and then at her Nokia flip phone. She didn’t even know how to turn on the new phone, which was part of the reason she refused to give up her Nokia. She liked her “dumb” phone...she never saw the need for a “smart” one.

She dropped the phones into her purse, along with the note, and carefully folded the wrapping paper, laying it inside the box. She would return the expensive phone to Max as soon as she saw him. She wondered if she’d see him before her interview, and was dismayed with the sudden racing of her heart at that thought. She missed him and that concerned her. If he’d managed to wheedle his way into her heart in a matter of a few days, what would happen if she saw him every day for an extended period of time? The thought was terrifying...and somewhat exciting.

Bruce pulled the car up to the front of the Governor Hotel, maneuvering around the crowd outside, and faced her. “Do you still have my card?”

“I have your number in my phone,” Grace said.

“I’m at your disposal today, ma’am, so please call me if you need a ride somewhere.”

“Okay, thank you.”

A young man opened Grace’s door and she climbed out. The crowd started yelling, but then a collective groan of disappointment sounded when they saw Grace.

“I’m glad I don’t have low self-esteem,” she muttered.

The young man chuckled. “We’ve been dealing with them ever since the word that there might be a famous band staying here got out. At least they’re no longer inside.”

“I’m sure your guests would have loved that.”

“Yes ma’am.” The young man held the main door open and smiled. “Just through these doors, Miss Wilson.”

“Oh, thank you.” Grace wondered if she’d ever get used to people knowing who she was before she even arrived. It was a little disconcerting.

She entered the hotel and was greeted by yet another hotel employee who led her back to one of the private meeting rooms. He opened the door for her. “Thank you,” Grace said and stepped inside.

A woman who appeared almost as young as Grace, rose from her seat and smiled. “You must be Grace.”

“I am. Kenna?”

“Aye.” Kenna held out her hand and Grace shook it. “It’s lovely to meet you.”

“You too.”

Kenna had the most glorious red hair Grace had ever seen, and her gray eyes sparkled as she waved Grace to a seat at the table.

“I understand you’d like to work for the band,” Kenna said.

“Um. Yes. I suppose so.” Grace bit her lip as she sat down. She wasn’t sure how honest she should be with this potential employer.

“Have you seen an outline of the job description?”

Grace shook her head. “No, sorry. I actually know nothing about it.”

Kenna opened a file and handed Grace a packet. “Well, why don’t you take a minute to familiarize yourself with the responsibilities, and we can go from there.”

Grace set the packet on the table and sighed. “Kenna, may I be completely honest?”

Kenna nodded. “Please.”

“I have never worked for a band before. I know nothing about what it involves, and I know that Max has this grand idea that you’re going to hire me and everything’s going to be perfect, but I want to be upfront about my experience. I don’t have much. Max also alluded to the fact that you weren’t really going to have a choice in whether or not to hire me, because he’s so incredibly self-important.”

Kenna stifled a snort and nodded.

“I think working in an assistant manager role for a popular band sounds like a lot of fun, and also like a lot of work, but I truly don’t want the job unless both you and I think I’d be the right fit. Max or no Max. I can tell you what my strengths are and what aspects of being an assistant I love, and maybe they’ll match up with this description.” Grace laid her hand on the packet. “But will you please be honest if you don’t think I’ll work out? I only want the job if I deserve it, and not because Max has some weird fascination with me.”

Kenna smiled and nodded again. “Never fear, lass. If you’re not a right fit, we’ll sort it out, but I’ve had a chance to look over your resume, and it’s quite impressive. It’s true that you don’t have specific training in the world of temperamental musicians and international touring, but why don’t I just lay out some scenarios and you can tell me how you might handle them. That way we can see what sticks, eh?”

“Perfect. I would like that very much.”

Kenna grinned, and opened her portfolio.