Vanessa had woken up the next day to an empty bed and felt conflicting emotions. On the one hand, she was glad that he’d saved her the embarrassing morning after … She couldn’t believe how brazen she’d been. On the other, she was sad not to see if the chemistry between them was as strong in the cold light of day, as it had been after a bottle of wine.

When she’d finally gotten out of bed and saw the note propped up against her bathroom mirror, she’d felt a rush of happiness that she decided not to analyze at that point.

I want to see you again. Enrique, it stated simply, listing his phone number underneath.

Vanessa liked that he once again handed the decision, and therefore the control, over to her. She’d ridden on that high, and the satisfaction from a terrific night of sex, but she hadn’t called. She wasn’t sure yet if she was going to or not.

She needed to call Ella and talk it all out.

Now, the weekend was over and she was excited about beginning a new week with a new client. She walked purposefully through the aisle of desks, saying good morning as she made her way to her office.

It wasn’t big, but she loved it. Tucked away in the corner, she loved having the semblance of privacy. Most of her day was filled with people, so it was nice to have a place to go to when she needed a moment of peace. She’d decorated it simply, in blues and grays. Her favorite thing about it was that if you looked out the window really hard, you could see the ocean in the distance.

Vanessa had almost made it to her office when she heard Derek call out for her to come to his. She quickly redirected and almost dropped her travel mug of hot coffee when she saw Enrique standing just inside the door.

“Vanessa Vaughn, this is Enrique Diaz. He’s Angie’s cousin and our new intern,” Derek said with a smile, oblivious to the fact that one of his prized employees had recently ravaged the new hire.

Her first thought was to wonder whether or not Enrique had known who she was when she picked him up at the party that night, but his face portrayed the same shock that she felt, so she was pretty confident that he hadn’t. Still, what were the odds? And he was Angie’s cousin?

She realized that they’d never got around to last names, and she’d never asked him why he was at the party, so it was really her own fault.

God, if Derek found out she could lose her job.

“Ms. Vaughn,” Enrique said, masking his surprise. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Vanessa schooled her features and shook his offered hand.

“You as well, Mr. Diaz.”

“Please, call me Enrique,” he said smoothly, and his eyes heated with a look she remembered well. His thumb gently caressed the inside of her wrist, and she pulled her hand away.

Taking a deep breath, Vanessa tried to calm her racing heart, but the combination of Enrique’s nearness, and the possibility that they’d done something wrong … something forbidden … had her body reacting feverishly.

Her question was answered. They didn’t need alcohol to have chemistry; their bodies seemed to combust when they were within a few feet of each other.

“Enrique,” she said huskily, and the look on his face told her that Enrique knew she was turned on. She flicked her gaze over to Derek, and was relieved to see he was looking down. “Well, if you don’t need me, I’d better get to work.”

“That’s fine,” Derek said, looking up with a tight smile. “I’ll see you at the afternoon meeting.”

Vanessa gave her boss a brisk nod, then turned and added, “Enrique.”

“Ms. Vaughn,” was his reply.

She turned on her heel and high-tailed it down to her office, shutting the door and leaning against it to take a deep breath.

Vanessa was seated behind her desk, caught up in an email she was sending out, when a knock sounded at her door. She looked up and said, “Come in,” then held her breath as she waited to see if he would be there.

Enrique walked in, then shut the door behind him. His eyes roamed her face, seeming to look inside in order to work out how she was doing, then he grinned and asked, “What are the chances?”

“I guess they were pretty good, considering we met at a work function,” she admitted, feeling foolish. “I guess I should have asked what you were doing there.”

“I was invited by my cousin Angie, and her boyfriend, Colt. They’re the ones who recommended me for this internship, and they thought it would be a good idea for me to meet some of the people I’d be working with,” Enrique answered, four days too late.

“An internship,” Vanessa muttered, thinking that he was a little old to be just starting out as an intern, but not wanting to sound rude. “Have you worked in PR before?”

“I finished two tours in the military last year,” he replied, peaking her interest. “We didn’t exactly call it PR on the inside, but the work was similar. It’s been hard for me to find a job as a civilian, which is why I accepted an internship. You’ve got to start somewhere, right?”

His answer sounded almost scripted, but she chalked that up to probably having to field that question a lot since he got out of the military. And now that he mentioned it, it fit him. He looked like a military man. That certainly explained the body…

“Well, welcome to the firm,” Vanessa said, then lowered her voice and added, “I’m sorry to say that if I’d known you worked here, I never would have approached you. I have a strict no fraternization policy.”

Enrique walked to the desk and placed his palms flat down on the surface. He leaned down, his face mere inches from hers, and said, “Then I’m glad it was never brought up.”

She stood, and he rose to full height.

“That means we can’t do that again, Enrique.” Vanessa could hear the regret in her voice. “It would be inappropriate for me to carry on with an intern.”

Enrique’s mouth thinned with disappointment.

“We’re both grown-ass adults, Mi Cielo. We don’t need permission.”

Vanessa pulled her lower lip between her teeth as she thought about how much she’d like to forgo the rules, just this once.

“I don’t know…”

“No one needs to know,” he pleaded, his gaze hot as he watched her worry her lip. “You’re the boss, just like before. You let me know what you want, and it’s yours.”

She wanted him.

Right or wrong, she loved the way he made her feel, and she wasn’t ready to give that up.

“Kiss me,” Vanessa ordered, sealing their fate.