By the end of his first week, Trevor was absolutely exhausted. He honestly didn’t know how his brother managed to do it all, but he was determined to keep up with the breakneck pace that Trey was known for.

He decided to duck out a little early––at six pm––since it was Friday night. He was just passing Millie’s desk when she stopped him in his tracks. “Do you have time to go home and change before the gala?”

“Gala?” he asked, realizing too late that he sounded like a clueless dope.

“It was on your agenda,” she informed him in her no-nonsense tone.

“I didn’t… I can’t… I’m not ready,” he finally admitted.

Opening one of her desk drawers, she poked around for a moment before pulling out a rolled-up, sleek silver tie. “Lucky for you, I’m prepared for anything.” She smiled as she handed him the necktie. He wondered what ‘anything’ might entail. “Some of the guests will be in tuxedos, but you can make a bold statement by showing up in this. It matches your suit perfectly,” she assured him.

“I don’t have a date,” he muttered the thought out loud.

“Once people figure out who you are, a date will surely find you.” She raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at him. He wasn’t used to the clamoring for attention that went along with his powerful new position, and he wasn’t sure he ever would be.

He shook his head, not wanting to attempt to slice through the fake, money-hungry groupies that always seemed to want to dig their long, red claws into Trey. Being his brother’s proxy would likely mean they would now come after him. “Could you go with me?” He hated to use Millie as a crutch, but he always seemed to feel more comfortable when she was nearby.

“That’s not in my job description,” she informed him.

“I know, I just want you there… for moral support.” He added the last bit rather lamely.

She seemed torn to the point that Trevor was convinced she was going to say no. Instead, she told him to give her a fifteen-minute head-start before picking her up at her condo.

“What’s the address?” he asked as she quickly grabbed her expensive leather handbag and bolted for the elevator.

“Jim knows,” she smiled at him as the doors closed separating them.

Trevor had forgotten that he now had a limo with a driver. That particular perk was especially difficult to get used to. He tried not to let it bother him as he pondered the fact that Jim had been to Millie’s condo before. Did that mean that Trey had been there? Would it be against the rules to ask Jim??

He had to assume that Jim’s loyalties were with his brother––just like those of everyone else in his employ. That tough realization confirmed his first instinct… not to ask Jim any questions about Trey and Millie’s relationship. He wasn’t entirely sure that he wanted to know the answer anyway.

Millie’s three-story condo was modern and picturesque. Just as Trevor was reaching for the car’s door handle to climb out of the back of the limo, Millie emerged from her front door. Talk about picturesque… she was an absolute vision in a long, beaded, emerald-green cocktail gown. Her blonde hair was still coiled into the French twist she often wore at work, but a few curly tendrils were now framing her lovely face.

“You look stunning,” Trevor informed her when she joined him in the limo.

He didn’t think it was possible for her to be more beautiful, but the rosy pink blush that surfaced on the apples of her cheeks proved him wrong. He lifted her hand to press his lips to it. When he set her hand back down, he tried to keep it clasped within his own, but she pulled away. “You’re my boss,” she reminded him simply, as if he had forgotten.

“Acting boss,” he amended, pulling a grin out of her. “I looked it up in the Employee Handbook, and it doesn’t specifically mention acting bosses and employee relationships.”

“You did not look that up,” she accused, but she couldn’t seem to keep a straight face.

“I did,” he confirmed. “It’s very clear that supervisor-employee relationships are forbidden, but we are definitely in a gray area as far as that goes.”

“Human Resources wouldn’t see it as a gray area,” she informed him before adding, “and I’m the one who would lose my job. They can’t afford to let you go.”

He couldn’t deny the truth to her statement, so he decided to let the topic drop. The stretch limo was already pulling to a stop at the curb of the art museum where the gala was being held anyway.

Quick as a wink, Jim was around the car and holding a large, black umbrella out to protect his passengers from the misting rain that had just started falling. Unsure what to do and not wanting the chauffeur to feel like he had to accompany them inside, Trevor took the umbrella and told the driver he would text when they were ready to be picked up. Jim nodded and returned to his post.

When Trevor placed a gentle hand on the small of Millie’s back to lead her up the museum’s wide marble steps, she didn’t want to admit (even to herself) how good his warm palm felt on her lower back. She tried to convince herself that it was simply the kind gesture that had her skin tingling, but deep down she knew there were definite sparks between her and her acting boss. She also knew that she had to put a stop to it or risk losing her job––something she wasn’t willing to do.

They both were astounded by the museum’s transformation. The main hall had been turned into an elegant ballroom for the gala. The dimly lit statues and paintings served as the perfect backdrop for the event.

Too nervous to eat, not wanting to drink, and unsure what else to do, the pair went straight to the silent auction tables. Trevor was embarrassed to discover that his hefty six-figure salary was nothing compared to what most of his peers at this event earned. In fact, several of the silent auction bids for classic cars, fancy yachts, and extravagant private jets had already surpassed his annual salary. While his brother would have been the top dog if he were here, Trevor felt like an imposter who simply didn’t belong.

Not wanting Millie to catch wind of his shame, he asked her to dance. One thing he was confident in was his ballroom dancing skills. The smooth, graceful way she followed him seemed effortless, proving that she had plenty of her own talent on the dance floor. They glided and twirled together, gazing at each other as if they were the only two people in the room. When the song ended and several bystanders clapped for them, they realized that they had unwittingly been in the spotlight.

Winded, they decided to step outside for some fresh air. Once there, Trevor offered her his suit jacket to stave off the chilly breeze. Thankfully, the misting had stopped, but it had left in its wake a briskness that hadn’t been noticeable before.

She gladly accepted his offered jacket, so he draped it over her shoulders. Availing himself of the opportunity, he left his arm around her. Despite her best intentions, she found herself sagging into his warmth, savoring the feeling of being protected by him as they looked out over the lights of the city.

Their heads were tipped together, leaning into each other. When Trevor turned to press his lips tenderly against the side of her forehead, she turned to look up at him. Her gaze was steady and adoring. It melted Trevor’s heart. Before he knew what was happening, he had turned to face her and leaned down for a kiss on the lips.

Her quiet moan when she opened her soft lips to his almost did him in. He kissed her hungrily, like a starving man aching for more. Their tongues found each other and danced together as their bodies had earlier. Arms embracing one another, they clung to this delicious forbidden moment, not wanting it to ever end.

Panting and craving him more than she had ever wanted anyone in her entire life, Millie forced herself to pull back. “We can’t,” she told him as her face crumpled. Lifting her palm to her mouth to catch a sob, she turned and ran back inside.

“Dammit!” Trevor banged his fist down on the railing in a futile attempt to assuage his anger. Realizing that his outburst wasn’t helping anything, he pulled out his cell phone and texted Jim that Millie was ready to be taken home.

Deciding that he would just walk home, he shot off that text to Jim as well. Maybe the fresh air would help clear his head enough that he could figure out what to do about the woman of his dreams, who also happened to be his employee.