JESSICA EXITED THE conference room wearing a smug smile. Screw Charlie; she owned that meeting and he knew it. She was the only one on the team who knew enough about this client’s technology to convince them that they had to contract with DMC. After only an hour, they were ready to sign on the dotted line. Finally. It took months to get this meeting, and she just scored a major victory. Not that Charlie was gracious about it. Beyond introductions, he didn’t even acknowledge her. God, it would be so amazing to finally call the shots at these client meetings. I’m so close, I can feel it!

Derek doesn’t look pleased. She flashed him a toothy grin. What a tool. I know you’ve been plotting against me for this promotion. But it won’t work. Nothing is going to stand in my way, not you, not Charlie and not my health. I just can’t let it happen. It’s the only way.

Michele Hanson, the head of technology for Barclay Investments, accompanied them out. “Jessica, Charlie, Derek, thanks so much for your time. We’re really excited to get started.”

“Michele, it’s been a pleasure. We’ll look forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks to kick everything off.” Charlie shook her hand. As soon as Michele walked away, he glowered at Jessica.

“I need you to handle a recruiting event this afternoon over at Stanford. You have exactly thirty minutes to get there. Think you can handle it? I mean, you should be in good shape to get there on time since this meeting didn’t run over, right?” Crossing his arms, a mean smile spread across his face. “Please don’t take any detours.”

Stunned, Jessica’s jaw dropped but she snapped it shut. What a prick. “What are you talking ab—”

Charlie leaned forward, dropping his voice. “Did you think I wasn’t slick enough to check on the status of your last meeting? I know exactly when you left that site and I know that you were half an hour late to this one. So, don’t insult my intelligence with your bullshit excuses. You’re lucky Michele was so understanding, but I most certainly am not pleased.”

“Charlie, I can’t go to Stanford. I need to get back to the office to review some materials for tomorrow morning. Why can’t you send Derek?”

“I need Derek to handle some meetings this afternoon. Go back to the office later. This is important. You’ll be meeting with the summer intern candidates. I need someone from the group to weed these kids out, otherwise we’ll be at the mercy of human resources. I need interns who can do more than pretty up a PowerPoint presentation. Got it?”

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Derek’s smug look.

Panic rose in Jessica’s throat. There was too much to do at the office. Interviewing interns, for chrissakes? She’d be there all afternoon with no reprieve. “How am I supposed to sign the rest of my clients when you keep interrupting my work? I need to meet with as many of these start-ups as possible while we’re out here. You agreed to it.”

“Listen Jessica, let me be perfectly clear. I’m running the show and you’ll do what I tell you to do. You don’t get to dictate priorities.” Charlie narrowed his eyes.

“I didn’t take this role to be your lackey. I’ll go to Stanford but I will get these clients signed.”

“I certainly hope so. The deadline is looming and the partners are expecting results.” Charlie pulled out his phone and stepped back into the conference room.

“Don’t worry, Jess. I’m sure meeting with the interns will be a productive use of your time while I close some more deals to solidify my promotion.” Derek snickered.

“The game’s not over yet, Derek. And I believe I’ve already won this round.”

“It won’t be enough, Jessica.” He folded his arms and shot her an icy glare.

She picked up her laptop bag and stormed out of the building, cursing Charlie, Derek and that damned intern program under her breath.

She noticed a black Town Car parked out front and clapped her hands in excitement. Charlie’s ride? Oh, please, please, please!

“Hi there.” She sidled up to the passenger window. “Are you waiting for Charlie Locke with DMC?”

“Good afternoon, miss. Yes, I dropped him off here about an hour ago.” The driver gave a polite smile.

She surveyed the courtyard. Charlie was nowhere in sight. Stifling a mischievous smile, Jessica slid into the backseat. “Well, then, this is my lucky day. I work for Charlie and he told me to take his car over to Stanford.”

“No problem, miss. Should be there in about twenty minutes.” He pulled away from the curb.

Jessica’s heart pounded. She’d catch an earful for this stunt. But since Charlie would always find something to bitch about, why not take advantage of the situation? I hope they get stranded here for hours!

She smoothed the front of her new dress, her thoughts involuntarily returning to the mysterious stranger with those ridiculously dreamy eyes. Enough! Remember your priorities, Jess. If you want that promotion, keep your eye on the prize and away from all other distractions! Besides, she was only out in Palo Alto temporarily. Even if she was in the market for a relationship, long-distance romance rated right up there with the flu and refried beans.

The Town Car pulled up to a picturesque building on Porter Drive exactly twenty minutes later. “Here you go, miss.”

Jessica signed the charge slip and stepped out of the car. The architectural design was so eclectic, with its unique mix of historical and contemporary buildings lined with lush green foliage. Grabbing the handle of her laptop bag, she headed into the building with ten minutes to spare.

The hallway leading to Career Services was lined with students dressed to the nines, confident they would be offered their dream jobs that afternoon. Jessica meandered through the eager crowd and found her assigned room. Ten interviews? She stifled a groan and reviewed the list on the conference table. Jesus, I’m not going to get back to the office until dinnertime! She grabbed a bottle of Poland Spring from a table and chugged it to silence her growling stomach before the first bright-eyed candidate arrived.

Two and a half hours later, Jessica shook the hand of her fifth interviewee and escorted him out of the room. She collapsed into a chair and stretched her arms overhead. Was she really only halfway through? This whole experience was grating on her nerves. If she had to listen to any more self-important Stanford undergrads tell her why they were so perfect for the DMC intern program, she was going to scream. Their sense of entitlement was shocking and a little aggravating, to say the least. If they knew she graduated from Boston University—forget the intern program—they’d no doubt tell her how much better equipped they were to do her job.

It was time for some fresh air. Jessica grabbed her purse and informed the receptionist that she had to take a call.

Much as she hated to admit it the tingling in her feet intensified with each step. The numbness in her limbs was bad enough. She sighed, recalling the upcoming appointment with Dr. Martin. Would test results indicate that the multiple sclerosis was progressing faster than he expected? The reality was always on the forefront. She’d forever be plagued with uncertainty and fear, not knowing how the disease would affect her long-term. It’s smarter for me to be on my own right now, to focus on my career. It’s the only thing I have control of anymore. I refuse to deal with another Drew situation. If I don’t let anyone get close, I’ll never get hurt like that again.

She took a few deep breaths of the crisp California air, trying to clear her mind of any negative thoughts. Just relax, Jess. Concentrate on what’s right within your reach. No stress, just success. She could almost hear her father’s voice, chanting those very words.

The phone chirped with a text from Charlie, an unwelcome sound yanking her back to reality. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard in mid-reply when a figure about twenty yards away caught her attention.

Hazy memories rushed back with sudden and astonishing clarity. Oh my God. It can’t be…can it? Despite her excessive consumption of vodka on that night so many months ago, there was no forgetting his face, or body for that matter. It was Paul.

Her heart raced. Jessica wasn’t the type to have a one-night stand; it was never even a consideration. But she’d gotten swept away in a moment of weakness, a final attempt to bury the pain and anger confronting her on a daily basis. Being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis was scary enough, but being cast aside by the man she was supposed to marry drove her over the edge.

That lying bastard Drew abandoned his promise to love her for better or worse, in sickness and in health. He couldn’t deal with the unknowns surrounding her illness, so he broke off their engagement. Just like that, with no regard for her at all. He wanted a perfect life and he no longer had a perfect partner. The outright rejection was devastating and she buried herself at work to escape the heartbreak, until one Friday night, when her best friend Lisa decided it was time for Jessica to move on with her life.

She met Paul at happy hour, which was ironic and apropos at the same time. Jessica wanted a distraction from her emotional turmoil and Paul was it, a delicious, sensual, and carnal diversion. His lustful gaze made her shiver with anticipation and his body made her explode with erotic sensations so powerful her knees threatened to buckle at the mere thought of him. They barely spoke at all, but their physical connection more than made up for the lack of conversation.

Jessica froze. But I met him in New York—what are the odds of running into him three thousand miles away? Not that she’d bothered to ask where he lived or worked. Hell, she didn’t even know his last name; it was one of the many things they neglected to cover that night.

It was clear there was no future with Paul. He did this often, she was sure of it. He played his part remarkably well and helped her forget the pain. She wasn’t in the market for anything deeper, intent on burying the steamy encounter with Paul in her memory. But she’d never regret it; the experience empowered her to start living again.

Paul spun around and Jessica’s heart raced as recognition washed over his chiseled features. She struggled to calm her breathing while a slow sexy smile spread across his mouth. Lord, I remember that mouth…

Jessica forced her eyes to look somewhere else, anywhere else, but they wouldn’t obey. Unable to break the spell, she fixated on the perfect specimen of a man walking toward her.

“You left without saying goodbye.” His deep blue penetrating gaze sent a chill down her spine.

Jessica felt her face flush. “I, um, I’m sorry…I, uh, I just didn’t want things to be awkward or anything, and—”

Paul laughed. “Right. No awkwardness here.”

Jessica flashed a self-conscious smile, her mouth dry. “Yeah.” Seriously? How is this happening to me? My first and only one-night stand back to haunt me months later. I am so not doing that ever again!

“I guess I should introduce myself since we never quite got there last time.” Paul flashed a sly smile and held out his hand. “Paul Emerson.”

Jessica snapped to attention. “With Blue Coat Capital?” Blue Coat was the top venture capital firm in the country for technology start-ups, the exact types of clients she needed for her consulting practice and Paul Emerson was the principal. Did I actually sleep with Paul Emerson? Holy shit!

Paul nodded. “Very good. And you are…?”

She cleared her throat. “Jessica Latham.”

“Looking for a job?” He motioned to the building behind them.

“Um, no, I work for DMC. I’m here doing some interviews for our summer program.” She smiled, trying to relax. “But I needed a break. I’m kind of surprised at how overqualified these kids think they are for our internships. There are some big time superiority complexes here, you know?”

Paul chuckled. “Yeah, I’d say you’re dead-on with that conclusion.”

“I just never realized how snooty these undergrads would be, I mean, they’re the ones looking for jobs. You’d think they’d have their best foot forward. Instead, they’re telling me how they’ll transform DMC with all the skills they acquired here.” Jessica furrowed her brow as Paul chortled. “What’s so funny?”

“I’ll make sure to pass your comments on to the head of Career Services.” He winked.

“Excuse me?” She shifted in her shoes to alleviate the tingling, confused at his comment. A few seconds later, it dawned on her. “Wait, where did you—?”

“Here. And since I sit on the board, I know they’d appreciate the constructive criticism of a Fortune 50 company.”

“Oh! I’m so sorr—I mean, I hope I didn’t offend you, it’s just that I’m not used to—” Dammit! Couldn’t quit while you were ahead, right Jess? She wished the ground would swallow her up.

Paul laughed. “Trust me, I don’t offend that easily. I didn’t mean to rattle you, but the look on your face was priceless.”

Jessica’s phone bleeped again before she could choke out a response. Charlie. “Would you excuse me for a second while I send a quick message?” Frustrated, Jessica stabbed at the keyboard in response. For once she’d love to tell Charlie to fuck off. Just once.

“Boyfriend?” Paul raised his eyebrow as she typed.

Jessica’s breath caught in her throat as she met his curious gaze. God, he was so sexy, the sound of his voice made her tremble. Jesus, Jess, get a grip.

“Boss.” She crossed her arms. “Hovering, impatient, intolerable boss.”

“Ah, giving you the grunt work.”

“Yeah, real nice, right? Diverting me from what I’m supposed to be getting done.”

“Which is?”

“Well, for the past six months, I’ve been building a new consulting practice for DMC. I wanted a different job, and after putting some feelers out, one of the partners asked me to run this project.”

Paul whistled his approval. “Very impressive. Sounds like you’re intent on growing your career, good for you. That kind of loyalty is rare. Most people will jump ship before considering an internal move. Just like these over-privileged undergrads probably would.” He pointed a thumb toward the building, a look of mock disapproval on his face. Jessica giggled. “So, what’s the new practice all about?”

“I work with technology start-ups that need help taking their companies public. I signed a couple of clients out here this week and I have a few things moving along back in New York. It’s slow going though, because I’m basically the sales team and I need to make a recommendation on whether or not it’s going to be a profitable business for us.”

“How much time do you have left?”

“Ummm, almost none.” Jessica grinned. “The review meeting is already scheduled in New York. I’m hoping the partners will see the potential and let me run the practice.”

Paul nodded and leaned forward with a seductive smile that made her heart flutter. “You know, it could be beneficial for you to learn more about the venture capital industry, since investors play a pretty significant part in the whole IPO process. Might not hurt to network a little, maybe even find some more clients to sign?”

Oohhh. He wants to see me again. Oh my God, how the heck would that even work? He’s Paul Emerson! The guy can get any woman he wants. I mean, yes, he’s sexy as hell but I just...no, I’m not heading down that path again. I’d be another notch on his bedpost and that’s not who I am, not who I want to be. “How exactly would I go about that?” She gave a mock quizzical look, already knowing his answer. Easy, Jess, you’re in the lion’s den now.

“Well…I’ll be in my New York office next week. I’d be happy to give you an overview of the industry, if you’d like.” That sexy smile was back.

If I meet him in the office, it’ll be purely professional, right? Having him as a connection can really help me sell this practice to the partners. He’s a major player in the technology industry, infamous really. She was torn but desperate. Charlie’s insinuation about the impending deadline was a reminder that she needed to present a recommendation for this practice in the very near future. You don’t really have a choice, Jess. Take the opportunity. It may not come around again. “Wow, that would be really helpful. Are you, um, sure you’d have time for that? You seem like a pretty busy guy.”

“I think I can make some time.” He handed her a business card. “Give me a call and we’ll set something up.”

“Okay, great.” Jessica gave him a card of her own. “Thanks so much for the offer, I really appreciate it.” She hesitated, too nervous about the prospect of seeing him again to think straight.

The receptionist popped her head outside and she was rescued. “Miss Latham? Your next round of interviews was supposed to begin five minutes ago.”

Jessica sighed. “Of course, I’ll be right up.” She turned back to Paul. “Sorry, I’ve got to go. I need to meet with more arrogant kids who are plotting to steal my job.” She chuckled.

Paul gave her a lazy smile and leaned against a statue. “It was really nice seeing you again, Jessica Latham. I hope I’ll hear from you.”

Jessica ran a hand through her hair. The uneasy feeling in her stomach was more than nerves. There was something unsettling about Paul, but she couldn’t pinpoint it. She backed away. “Yes, thanks again. Really appreciate it.”

Holy crap. She hurried towards the building. Against her better judgment, she glanced over her shoulder and drew in a sharp breath when Paul met her gaze. So incredibly sexy and self-assured, but still way out of her league.

Something about Paul captivated and frightened her at the same time. The exterior was glossy and polished, but her instincts told her that anything more than a platonic meeting would end badly for her. He’d never settle for less than perfect. Somehow, I can’t see him being too anxious to push me around in a wheelchair in twenty years and the last thing I need is another Drew in my life.