I could see the horror on her face as she stood there before me. While she was horrified, I could do very little to control the smile that was spreading on my face. How was it that the universe always worked in my favor?

She was the only girl who had ever turned me down, and just moments before I could possess her, no less. No girl had ever been able to resist me, not once I decided that I was going to have her.

That Friday night, it was Aria on my radar. I’d caught sight of her the moment I walked into that bar. Tight, short black dress and endlessly long legs. Her red curls were like a red flag, waving in the air, calling out to me. I was drawn to her like a moth to the flame.

I enjoyed the chase, but I liked to keep it short. It had worked with Aria, or so I thought. When she led me to her apartment, I knew that I was going to have a great night. She had a petite slender body and the perfect cushiony lips. I’d already scanned her. I knew her breasts would be the perfect fit for my hands. I couldn’t wait to have her.

Then, she’d pushed me away. Just when I’d stripped her of all her clothes, just moments away from feeling the softness of her core on my fingers, on my mouth . . . she had changed her mind.

I wasn’t the kind of guy to force himself on a woman, so I walked away. But there was no denying it: I was furious that I couldn’t have her. I called up a girl I used to sleep with, and she was only too happy to oblige. I had to find some way of letting out that energy which Aria had built inside me.

And now, as luck would have it, she was standing in my office, looking at me like she’d seen a ghost.

“You want me to forget about what happened?” I asked, teasing her.

Her cheeks were flushed. She was glowing under the pressure of the scrutiny. I could see that her muscles were tensed up. She’d barely moved since she had extended her hand to me. “Yes, please. I would be grateful if you did,” she replied in a fake-firm voice.

She was in different attire, but it was the same body. She was still sexy as hell: tight skirt, a buttery-smooth silver blouse that stretched over her breasts. She’d pinned her fiery curls up in a neat bun at the back of her head and some stray strands escaped and framed her face. She was too sexy to be a secretary. It would be such a waste!

“You mean that you want me to forget how you kicked me out of your apartment?” I asked, arching my brows. I was teasing her, trying to push her to her limits and see how she would react.

“I’m sorry about that, Mr. Sole. I wasn’t sure of what I wanted. I guess I had too much to drink,” she replied, keeping her voice even. I had to admit, she knew how to keep it professional, regardless of the circumstances.

“You had one drink. I was counting,” I retorted and stood up from my chair. She was following me with her eyes, tracking my every move. I could sense that she wanted me to stay away. She hoped that I wouldn’t go near her.

“Well, isn’t it for the best that nothing happened between us? Since we’ll be working together now. If you still want me to work here, that is,” she replied and I stopped in my tracks, just a foot away from her.

I was smiling and she was not. “Of course, Aria. You’re going nowhere now that I have you here in my lair,” I continued. I saw her gulp, drank in the way her delicate little throat moved. I had to do everything I could to keep my hands to myself, to not reach for her and unbutton that blouse. I was desperate to see her pale smooth breasts spill out of her bra again – see the look of desire in her eyes as I rubbed my fingers on her folds.

“Mr. Sole, I . . . ” she began to say and I stopped her.

“I know what you’re going to say. You want me to stop talking that way. We’re working together, you’re my employee . . . blah blah blah,” I said. Aria clamped her mouth shut and stared back at me.

For a moment, I considered the idea of just firing her on the spot. Maybe that would have been the reasonable thing to do. I could see how nervous she was. I wasn’t even sure if she’d be able to do a good job. She looked like a delicate little thing. A girl who would crack under the pressure of my demands. I needed a strong-willed, hard-working secretary. The only thing I could see that set Aria apart was that she was absolutely delicious to look at.

“Go back down to Rebecca and she’ll help you set up your desk. Then meet Silvia on the third floor. She’ll take you through a list of your duties,” I instructed her.

Aria nodded her head like a soldier receiving orders for war.

“I expect you to be fully prepared for tomorrow morning. I don’t have the time or the patience to train you,” I snapped.

She nodded again, and I turned and walked back to my desk. I knew I should have fired her. Keeping her on was a bad idea, but she was too tempting to resist. Besides, the longer I kept Aria close to me, the better chance I stood of closing the deal.

There was no way I was going to let a girl refuse me. I was going to possess Aria Lawson. She just didn’t know it yet.