Carly spent the weekend reviewing notes from her college courses, reading newspaper articles online, and hanging around the house in her pajamas. Penny showed up on Sunday and dragged her out of the house to see a movie and do some shopping, and she reiterated that Carly should stick with the plan to drive Donovan crazy by acting uninterested.

On Monday morning, Carly was in her conference room chair early, waiting for everyone else. Donovan came in first and said hello to her. She simply nodded and leafed through her notebook, looking over notes from previous story meetings. She heard Donovan sigh, and when he sat down, she could feel tension radiating off him like waves on the beach.

The thought brought up a vision of the two of them on the beach at sunset during their vacation, Donovan’s hand on the small of her back while they walked.

“You have the best body,” he said, his hand moving down to her butt and squeezing.

Carly blushed and looked down.

“Seriously. You’re one of the sexiest women I’ve ever seen.”

When she still didn’t answer, Donovan stopped and pulled her around to face him. It was dark. They’d walked well past sunset, and no one else was around. Donovan stepped close to Carly, and she felt her body respond the way it always did when he was close.

He leaned down and kissed her, and she responded by kissing him back.

“It’s true, you know,” he said, pulling away a little. “I’ve never been with a sexier woman.” He tilted her chin back up when she tried to lower it. “Why do you do that?”

Carly shrugged. “I’m embarrassed, I guess.”

Donovan grinned. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. You’re gorgeous.”

They’d had sex on the dark beach, the waves pulsing along with their blood, and Carly had shrugged off any embarrassment like an old worn-out shawl.

She pushed the memory away. She needed to focus on acting aloof, and that wasn’t helping.

“I’d like to see you in my office immediately after this meeting,” Donovan growled at Carly just before the other reporters began filing in and taking their seats. She glanced at him but didn’t respond.

The meeting went much like the previous week’s all had. Every reporter received an assignment except Carly. Anger coursed through her, and she glared at Donovan as she gathered her notebook and stood up. He rose too and jerked his head at her in a clear order to follow him.

When they got to his office, Donovan closed the door and then whirled toward her. “What do you think you’re doing?” he spat.

She widened her eyes and blinked slowly, trying to look innocent. “What do you mean?”

“You’re avoiding me and not speaking more than two words when I ask you a question. Why?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

A vein popped out on Donovan’s forehead. It was the first time she’d seen him angry. She was furious too, but she couldn’t keep from thinking that he looked pretty sexy while mad.

“Carly, I don’t think this is working out. I’m considering letting you go.”

Her jaw dropped, and she clenched her fists. “Why? I haven’t done anything wrong. You said you didn’t want a relationship with me, so I’m trying to move on. And you haven’t given me a single story of my own to investigate and work up. So how do you even know what I’m capable of as a reporter?” Carly worked hard to keep her voice low. She didn’t want to shout and have people in the hallway whispering about her.

Donovan looked away and shook his head. “I haven’t given you a story because there hasn’t been a good one for you yet.”

“What kind of story is good for me? Just give me something—anything. Let me show you what I can do.” She moved to stand a few inches in front of him and reached out to touch his arm. Speaking even more softly, she said, “And Donovan, I don’t think we need to ignore the feelings we have for each other. We can make a relationship work without letting it interfere with our jobs.”

He looked into her face and leaned toward her a fraction. “This wasn’t supposed to happen,” he said. “Not now.”

“What?”

“It’s not time for me to find someone yet. I have four more years to throw myself into work before I’m supposed to find someone and settle down. Carly, you’re dangerous to me.” He touched her cheek, and she closed her eyes and leaned into him, basking in the feel of his skin against hers again. “I can feel myself wanting to fall for you. Completely. But I just don’t want to yet. I’m sorry.”

Carly opened her eyes and pleaded with him. “But what if this idea you have of waiting until you’re thirty to fall in love means you’ll miss out on someone special?” She turned and placed a kiss on his palm and then murmured, “Someone like me.”

Donovan swallowed hard. He moved his lips, but no words came out. For a fraction of a second, Carly thought he might lean forward, sweep her in his arms, and kiss her. But he didn’t. He dropped his hand from her face, stepped back, and then turned and walked over to the large window behind his desk. He stared at the buildings.

Carly stood still, not wanting to walk away. It might be the last time she was this close to Donovan.

But his back was ramrod straight, and he was silent. It was clear he was done with her.

She spun on her heel and walked out of Donovan’s office, shutting the door firmly behind her.