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“SO HE JUST HIRED YOU?”

I leaned back in the chair and popped another greasy potato chip in my mouth. The evening brought some cooler temperatures, so Crystal and I drove Tyler to the nearest park to play. I was hesitant about staying out past dark, but Tyler had been cooped up in the motel for nearly four days straight, and although he never complained, I knew that he needed to get out and run around.

We chased him around for about an hour before collapsing on the bench to watch him play in the sandbox. “Not at first. He thought I was some sort of spy. He even did a background check on me.”

Crystal’s eyes widened. “Did he find out about your ex?”

“No. I guess he didn’t dig far enough. Anyway, he’s paying me Darleen’s salary and paying in cash, so I’ll be able to get an apartment soon.”

“That means your name will be on a lease.”

I grimaced. “I was hoping to avoid that by subleasing, but Tyler needs to start school next year. I can’t afford private tutors to homeschool him, and Lord knows I’m not smart enough to do it myself. I guess eventually I’ll have to stop running, but the election will be over by then, and hopefully Jonathan will quit looking for us.”

“So what did you say to make Graham think that you weren’t a spy?”

I thought about the moment when he’d opened the present and stared at the boat. I knew that was when he’d decided to hire me, but for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what was going on in his head. He was cold and controlled one minute and hot the next. It was enough to give a girl whiplash.

“I don’t know, but I think I almost got myself fired this morning. I made a comment about his house being too big, and he kissed me.”

“Kissed you?” Crystal gasped.

I shushed her and glanced over at Tyler. I didn’t want him to think that there was any trouble between me and the new boss. “It wasn’t that kind of kiss. I think he wanted to prove a point.”

“That he’s a good kisser?”

Just thinking about the kiss made me curl my toes, and I blushed. It had been a long time since a man had put his mouth on me, and I’d never had a kiss like that. “Yes, but that wasn’t the point. I think he was trying to prove that he could take whatever he wanted. I think I set him straight.”

“From the look on your face, it doesn’t look like you set anything straight,” Crystal said with a laugh. “It looks like you want him to do it again, and if I were you, I’d let him. You’ve got too much on your plate, Julie. You need to relax and unwind from time to time.”

“I am not going to unwind with the man who pays my bills.”

Tyler stood and brushed himself off. For a moment, I allowed myself the luxury of living in the moment with no worries. He looked so tired that he nearly fell over, but he had the biggest smile on his face. “Momma, I’m hungry.”

Crystal started to collect our things, and I ruffled his hair. “Then I suppose I should feed you.”

“Can we stop and get some hot dogs on the way home?”

The happy moment was over. I hadn’t gotten paid yet, and although I had plenty of food at the house, I only had enough cash left on me to get some gas and pay the motel room for the next week. Quickly, I tried to calculate just how much gas I had in the car.

“I think hot dogs are a great idea. In fact, it’ll be my treat,” Crystal said with a smile. “I can’t remember the last time I had one with all the fixings.”

“I’ll pay you back,” I murmured with a grateful smile. I hated borrowing money, especially when I knew that she wasn’t much better off than me, but I also hated to disappoint my son.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I would have been inside all night watching television if you hadn’t invited me out. Besides, we need to celebrate your new job.” She lowered her voice and winked. “And your new man.” 

I reached over to pinch her, but she was already up and chasing Tyler to the car with a shriek. I’d add some money to the pitiful amount that she charged me to watch Tyler next week. It was strange for me to have a friend, but the more time I spent around Crystal, the more I couldn’t imagine my life without her.

The next day I realized that Crystal was right about one thing. Graham Porter had not gotten the message.

I’d worked all morning transferring data from Darleen’s computer to my new laptop, and he’d stayed out of my way. My stomach was grumbling when he appeared in my open doorway.

“Join me for lunch?” he asked in a low voice.

It was a simple lunch invitation between employer and employee, but desire shot through me. How could a man look so tense and so wild at the same time? There was a dark desire in his eyes as he stared at me, but he kept his back stiff and straight as though he were afraid that if he relaxed even for a moment, he’d lose control.

Day two, and I already wanted to fuck my boss on the desk. What the hell was wrong with me?

“I had a big breakfast,” I muttered as I kept my gaze trained on the computer. If I looked up, I knew he’d see the lie written all over my face.

“I can hear your stomach from here,” he growled and stalked forward. “You’re not going to ignore me because of one little kiss, are you?”

“You’re not inviting me to lunch because of one little kiss, are you?” I shot back. “Because I have a hard time believing that you ate any of your meals with Darleen.”

“You’re not Darleen.”

“You’re right about that,” I snapped. “Because she would have welcomed you with open legs, but I am not like that. I just want a professional relationship.”

A slow and sexy smile spread across his face. “It’s just lunch. We can always make it a working lunch if it makes you feel better.”

“Why?” I found it hard to trust his innocent words when his eyes continued to look me up and down like he wanted to eat me for lunch. Lord help me, but my panties were soaked at the thought.

“The last time I ignored my personal assistant and let her do her own thing, she hired someone else behind my back to do her job. Let’s just say that I think I should keep a close eye on you.”

Was he teasing me, or did he really not trust me? I was just about to agree to a working lunch when my phone rang, and my heart jumped in my throat.

That was Crystal’s ringtone.

“Ignore it,” he commanded, but I was already scrambling for my purse.

“I can’t. It’s my babysitter.” Blood rushed to my ears as I picked up the phone. “Crystal? What’s wrong?”

“Julie, I don’t want you to get all upset,” she said in a calm voice. “I’m taking Tyler to the hospital, but I wasn’t sure if you had insurance.”

“Insurance? What the hell does that matter? What happened?”

“He was climbing a tree, and he fell. I don’t think he broke anything, but he’s got a head wound, and it’s bleeding pretty profusely.”

“Oh, God.” My legs shook, and I reached out to grab something. Suddenly, Graham was behind me with his hand on my back. “Yes, please take him to the hospital. I’m on my way. I’ll meet you there.”

I hung up and whirled around only to run smack into Graham. “I’m sorry. I’ve got to go.” As I stepped to the side, he moved with me and blocked my path. “What is wrong with you? My son is hurt. I have to go.”

“I’m not going to stop you,” he said calmly. “But you can’t drive in this condition. If you’ll give me a second, I’ll grab my keys and take you.”

“What?” My mind was a jumble, but somewhere in the haze, I knew that I didn’t want Graham to meet my son. Still, I was too scared to voice my opinion, and before I knew it, his expensive leather seat was cradling my ass as we flew down the highway.

I would have taken Graham as a man who had someone else drive him around, but he looked comfortable behind the wheel. Even though I had no idea what kind of car we were in, I knew that it was powerful. Graham was the kind of man who craved power.

“I’ll drop you off at the emergency door and park,” he said as he slowed the car. “I’ll come find you. Remember to breathe, Julie.”

Breathe. Tyler might fall apart if he saw me in hysterics, so I tried to focus on calming down and counting my breaths as I hurried to the information desk. “My name is Julie Dennings. I’m here to see my son, Tyler. He came in a few minutes ago with a head wound. He’s only four years old, and he’s my only baby. Please.” My voice cracked, and I gripped the edge of the desk.

The heavy-set nurse clicked a few keys on the keyboard and hit a button under the desk. “He’s in room 204,” she said with a comforting smile as the doors opened. “I believe the doctors are still in there with him.”

Gripping the strap of my purse, I hurried down the linoleum hall and tried to block out the sounds. Cries of pain and sobs of grief echoed off the walls. Everything was so white and sterile. I hated the idea of him being here. Too many machines and not enough hugs. By the time I turned the corner into Tyler’s room, my whole body was shaking.

“Momma!” Perched on the bed with a pretty, petite nurse wrapping gauze around his head, he gave me a big toothy grin. “The lady is going to make me look like a mummy!”

I nearly melted into the floor. “That sounds like fun, baby. Are you in pain?”

Crystal was pressed against the wall, and her face had gone unnaturally pale. Just looking at her made me terrified all over again, but the nurse just smiled. “Other than the head wound, he seems to be fine. The doctor has already had a look at him, and he isn’t showing any signs of a concussion. Head wounds tend to bleed, and they can be terrifying. We’ve stopped most of the bleeding and given him a couple of stitches.”

Tyler grimaced. “That hurt, Momma. Am I going to look like a monster?”

The nurse’s soothing voice calmed me, and I reached over to hug my son. As he tipped his head, I could see the patch of hair that they’d shaved and the stitches. Bile rose in my throat when I realized how bad things could have gotten.

“He’s a brave boy,” the nurse said with a smile. “I’d have some children’s Tylenol on hand in case the pain gets to be too much when the excitement wears off. Keep the stitches dry for the next week, and you can take him to his regular doctor to have them taken out. Of course, if you notice any unusual coloring or swelling, you’ll need to bring him back immediately.”

“Thank you,” I murmured as I pressed Tyler to my chest. He squirmed.

“Oh!” The nurse said suddenly. “You must be Tyler’s father. I was just explaining everything to your wife. I’m going to print off some paperwork and the discharge papers. If you have any questions, you can ask me then.”

For a second, I thought it might be Jonathan standing in the doorway, but it was just Graham. He didn’t bother to correct the nurse. “You didn’t have to come to all the way back,” I said hastily. Why hadn’t he just stayed in the waiting room?

“I wanted to make sure that everything was fine.” He eyed Tyler coolly, and for a moment, I thought he might bolt.

Tyler was wiggling away from me, and those southern manners that were drilled in me took over. I took a deep breath. “Tyler, Crystal, this is my boss, Mr. Graham Porter. Mr. Porter, this is my neighbor and friend Crystal Smith, and my son, Tyler.”

Crystal had a bit more color in her cheeks when she reached out her hand. She murmured a quiet hello, which surprised me. In the whole time that I’d known Crystal, she’d never been shy.

Tyler, on the other hand, wasn’t shy at all. “Are you my daddy like the nurse said?” he asked in a serious voice.

My eyes widened in alarm. Tyler had never asked about his father. “No, sweetheart,” I said as I stepped between them. “The nurse was mistaken. I was working at Mr. Porter’s house, and he drove me here. He just wanted to make sure that you were alright. Okay?” I was desperate for him to understand.

He nodded his head. “Okay. Thank you for bringing Momma,” he said politely.

Graham looked completely out of his element as he shuffled his feet. “You’re welcome,” he said gruffly. “I’ll just get a cup of coffee and wait in the waiting room until you’re ready.”

As he walked out, Crystal let out her breath in one big whoosh. “I hate hospitals. I want to throw up just being here, but he just made the whole trip worthwhile. Jesus, he’s even hotter in person.”

She had no idea.