Excitement hit me, rushing through my veins so quickly I became lightheaded. I wanted to stand up and dance. Sing even.  

“Personal?”

“Very.” His keen gaze studied me. “I don’t make it a habit or a point to sleep with my employees, to date them, or even flirt. I want that out on the table. Work is work. Personal is just that. Personal.”

“Okay.”

I winced at my hesitant and gauche reply. I sounded nothing like a confident, polished career woman should sound like.

Instead, my one-word reply fit better with a middle school girl standing by her locker while getting her first confession.

Not that I ever had that either.

“I’ve been avoiding you this week because I realized my interest in you veered into an unprofessional lane and I didn’t like that. I didn’t want to find you attractive, Paige. But I did and it made me...angry. With you.”

“I see.”

I couldn’t lie and say that on some level I didn’t want him to notice me. Of course, I did. I just didn’t want him to be mad about it.

This made me feel worse.

I wanted him to like me, to want to like me the way I liked him. I hoped he could see something good in me because I sure as hell couldn’t.

“Do you really?”

Honest for a change, I admitted, “Gavin, I don’t know what to say. I expected you to say something much more different than you like me but it makes you angry. I don’t…I don’t know how to handle that.”

“I’m not a man of pretty words. It gets me into trouble more often than not.”

“Ah, I see. Actually, that makes me feel a little better. I thought it was just me.”

Although he smiled, Gavin’s outward warmth dwindled to zero. He was removed from me, almost as badly as this week. Only the intensity in his gaze proved he felt something powerful inside. 

“Good, because what I’m going to tell you is only going to be said this one time tonight. If you’re not interested then know I won’t bring it up again. We’ll continue on as before. You won’t have to worry about losing your job if you decide my interest is unwanted. Understand?”

“I understand.”

I was flattered. I was intimidated. I was hungry for more of his words.

“Tell me something, Paige. Is it just me?”

God to have my secret question reflected back to me! Kismet, serendipity, or fate—I didn’t care what it was called. All I cared was that Gavin wondered the same thing I did ever since meeting him.

I swallowed hard. Answering Gavin would put me on a whole level of vulnerability I wasn’t quite ready to feel.

But you’re lying about everything else. Can’t you at least be honest in this?

If I couldn’t be honest now then when?

“Gavin, I…ah...” I licked my lips and started over again. My façade cracked, letting the real me push through long enough to tell him, “No. It’s not just you. I was attracted to you from the first moment I saw you. I wasn’t proud of myself for feeling it and I tried to blow my interview because of those feelings.”

Gavin cocked his head. I could tell I stunned him.

“Wait. You tried to tank your interview? Which part? You were damned near perfect.”

“You don’t know?”

“No.”

I gave a saucy shrug. “Then I’m not going to tell.”

Gavin smirked and leaned forward. “All right, Paige, you can keep your secret. But know this—I can get it out of you anytime I want.”

I sure as hell hope not.

“You’re pretty confident about that.”

Gavin merely gave me a speculative look. It was one that said “I don’t even have to dignify that with a response. You and I both know it’s true.”

I believed it. I didn’t need a demonstration.

Playing with the stem of my wineglass, I tossed my words out and hoped they didn’t betray the nervousness of my true thoughts.

“I feel like I’m in the hot seat, Gavin. It’s not nearly as fun as you telling me more about yourself. Your feelings in particular.”

“I was hoping we’d already gotten past that.”

“No way! I practically spilled my guts and you’ve barely said two words.”

Gavin snapped his fingers. “All right. What do you want to know?”

“What’s next?”

“Meaning?”

He wasn’t one for making this easy, was he?

“Meaning why are you telling me this now?”

His smile faded. Intensity replaced the playfulness in his stunning face.

“Because I want you, Paige.”

“You do?” I whispered. “Really?”

“Yes. You fascinate me. I can usually figure people out but you...you refuse to go into simple categorization. It keeps my attention and prods me to discover why.”

I nearly closed my eyes in bliss. As far as conventional romantic overtures went, Gavin’s words wouldn’t place in anyone’s Top 100.

But I wasn’t a conventional girl.

I was strange in what I liked and I liked Gavin’s compliment.

“I’m not that complicated. Really.”

“No? Somehow I don’t believe that. You were a programmer who decided to become a PA. You’re incredibly cordial and can get along with anybody—surprisingly, even me. You dress and walk as if you live in heels, but I’ve seen you kick off your shoes as if they pain you more often than not. 

“You work like you don’t even know the word ‘tired’ just to keep up with me, but the minute you make a mistake you’re ready to bail. Nothing ever seems to fluster you, but every now and then I see someone else peeking behind your perfect mask. It makes me want to break it apart so I can see what’s really beneath.”

Hearing Gavin’s assessment of me was a dark gift. It seduced because I now knew how much of me he really saw. It horrified because of the very same reason.

I took a measured sip of wine and frantically scrambled for something to say.

“There’s not much there. I’m afraid it would bore you to tears.”

“I doubt that.” Gavin reached for my hand. “Look, I’m going to be your boss for a little over two weeks. That position is sacred to me. I don’t have any intention of pressing or taking advantage of you during that time.”

“I doubt you’d be taking advantage of me, Gavin.”

His thumb swept across the back of my hand. “Don’t tempt me, love. You have no idea the kind of man I can be.”

It was silly thing, but hearing the endearment brought me a deep bolt of happiness.

“So what are we to do? Go on as if this conversation didn’t happen?”

“In essence—yes. We’ll work as usual, I won’t show you special attention, you’ll be your phenomenal self, and at the end of your employment…”

The words drifted off, leaving his statement open and full of enticement.

“At the end?”

“At the end you’ll come to me. Free and clear.”

“Oh.”

I looked down at my lap, unable to pull on the correct mask in time. I was smitten by how quickly this was going. I never thought this would happen. Not in a million years.

I’d hoped to earn his respect and maybe a little bit of his gratitude, but I never expected anything between us to last more than these few short weeks.

Now everything was about to change but only if I said the one magic word. The one word I should never, ever say.

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

His smooth, deep voice poured over me. I couldn’t stop the goofy grin from spreading across my face. I didn’t even want to.

“Yes!”

Gavin reached for my hand. His strong fingers folded over mine. It was warm. I felt safe, as if all the wrong things in the world could be made right by his touch.

“I’m happy to hear that, Paige. Happier than I remember being in a long time.”

I beamed brighter. I was just about to share similar feelings when the scent of gardenias drifted across the table.

“Gavin? It’s been ages since I’ve last seen you!”

I looked up in surprise. A sultry brunette in a form-fitting dress stood by Gavin’s side, her eyes solely for him.