Naked Attraction

“Ms. Lee?”

She snapped to attention, then searched her mind, trying to remember what the interviewer had asked. “Was my decision to start Future Trends influenced by my father’s appointment of Robby Robriquet to run Lee Polls?” she prompted.

“Yes,” Derrick returned. “Was it?”

“Of course not!”

“You’re sure?”

“Absolutely. I’m very happy here. Who wouldn’t be?” She waved a hand to call his attention to the surroundings. She’d revamped a two-bedroom apartment in a brownstone, the same one she’d initially shared with Susannah when they’d first arrived in New York nearly a year ago.

Since then, Susannah had reunited with J.D. and Ellie had retooled the place into an office. New gray carpet, simple black lacquer desks and classic plum window treatments had made the apartment look trendy and upscale.

“But it was assumed you, not Robby Robriquet, would have that position?” Derrick Mills prompted.

Silently, she damned the reporter for rubbing salt in the old wound. “Not really,” she denied. “Or, to whatever extent I assumed that, I’m not sorry.” She offered a wry smile, hoping Derrick would fill in the blanks.

“Not sorry that Lee Polls has trended downward in sales and contracts? Some of its oldest customers have jumped ship since you left, you know.”

“Sometimes it’s either sink or swim.”

“And you’re swimming while Lee Polls is sinking?”

“You said that, Mr. Mills, not I.”

“But where do your ultimate loyalties lie?”

“With myself.” She arched a brow. “I mean, do you think I should retain family loyalties merely because Lee Polls has been run by Lees for so long?”

“I wondered.”

“None whatsoever. Business is business, Mr. Mills. We all know that.”

“Clearly, you do. No wonder you’re so successful. Many might have experienced the Robriquet appointment as a setback, but instead, you opened Future Trends within a week of your father’s decision. There have even been rumors, saying that you now intend to sell your new business already, for a hefty profit, once more proving your lack of sentimentality. ”

“Quite the contrary. I’m looking for acquisitions, although not for sentimental reasons.”

“Lee Polls?” He eyed her. “Are you considering buying your family’s company and merging it with Future Trends?”

“Again, you said it, not I.” She laughed lightly. “Although nothing’s in the works quite yet.” But if she was quoted in the newspaper, Robby might start to sweat, she thought. And after what he’d done to her, she wouldn’t mind making him squirm.

“People might take such a move as vindictive.”

“Well, I’ve never cared what people think of me.”

“Fair enough.”

“But as I said, I’ve got no feelers out right now.” She smiled once more. “I’d need to find more office space first, anyway.”

“Three rooms could be cramped after a merger,” he conceded, glancing from where they were seated to what had been the living room a few months ago.

Following his gaze, Ellie tried not to grimace. Her only employee, Angelina Carrella, had seemed excellent on many levels, at least initially. She was neat, prompt and efficient. However, love had entered her life, and now the girl was ruined. An engagement had followed, and ever since, Angelina was distracted and absentminded. Yes, in only a few short months, she’d transformed from a demure assistant into a brazen spitfire who spent half the day on the phone with her fiancé, Antonio, or the various relatives from whom she was soliciting funds to pay for an absurdly lavish wedding.

Each day, Ellie was treated to the very last thing she needed to see—pictures of gowns, flowers, cakes and bridesmaids’ gifts. One minute, the wedding would be black and white, then pink and blue, then red and green. Plans had begun for Valentine’s day, then Christmas, then Antonio’s birthday. Every step in the direction of finalizing a decision caused lengthy phone fights.

Even worse, despite Ellie’s clear instructions to behave while Derrick Mills was on the premises, at least, Antonio had now arrived to take his sweetheart to lunch. By the looks of it, and the very loud smacking sounds, if the two didn’t leave soon, they might well wind up making love on Angelina’s desk.

Ignoring the trajectory of her interviewer’s gaze, Ellie continued, “Well, most of the analytical work is done by computer here, and I often meet clients in their own offices.”

Derrick Mills was still watching the couple. “Looks like you’ve got lovebirds around.”

So much for ignoring them. “She was an excellent assistant before the engagement,” Ellie quipped with a wry smile.

“A wedding can be so exciting,” Derrick said on a sigh.

Great. He was a romantic. Ellie couldn’t help but notice he began toying with his wedding ring. “A newlywed yourself?” she guessed.

“Almost a year ago.”

About the time Ellie was leaving Robby. “I’m happy for you,” she managed, very much doubting she sounded sincere.

Not that he seemed to notice. When his eyes found hers again, they held that dopey dazed look of the truly loved. “No man in your life at the moment?” he prodded.

She tamped down the images the words conjured…Robby’s hot body slick with soapsuds in the shower, asleep on his back with a sheet draped over his hips like a loincloth, lifting her off her feet and whirling her in a circle. “Afraid I have too little time.”

His eyes were on Angelina and Antonio again, and when she followed his gaze once more, Ellie realized it was no wonder. The Latin lothario had his sweetie nearly backed against the desk now, his hands on her hips, a huge, lusty Cheshire grin on his face. The hem of Angelina’s skirt was rising dangerously high on her thigh. Heat rose in Ellie’s cheeks. The other day, she’d returned from a client meeting and found the couple nearly sprawled across the couch. Well, maybe that was an exaggeration, but there was definitely a tongue kiss, thus a reminder of the passion she’d once shared with Robby.

“They’re in that beginning phase,” she offered.

Derrick Mills turned his attention to her once more. “It’s amazing how long such a phase can last,” he said cheerfully. “My wife and I hope it will go on forever.”

It won’t, she wanted to ensure. She knew better than these lovesick fools. And between Mr. Hearts-and-Flowers and the two love bunnies in the next room, it was downright hard to conduct this business meeting. “Uh…do you have any more questions to ask?”

Glancing down at the pad on his knee and riffling through the pages, Derrick considered. “Sorry. At any mention of romance, I just…”

Ellie raised a hand and held it up, palm outward. “No need to explain.” Sighing, she prompted, “Your next question?”

“I use the old-fashioned stuff,” he continued absently. “Paper. The electronic devices drive me crazy. So I’ll need just a second to collect my thoughts.”

While she waited, Ellie smoothed her skirt and recrossed her ankles. The rust-orange suit and shoes she’d chosen looked amazing, but weren’t comfortable. Still, a photographer had arrived with Derrick, and she wanted to seem her best. If a picture did make the paper, Robby would see it, since he always read their popular publication.

Robby. Again! Cutting off the thought, she wondered why the damnable man kept invading her mind. The affair was over. Period. And yet she sometimes awakened, more than she wanted to admit, her sleep-hazy mind full of dreams about the raw sexual passion they’d shared.

“Well,” Derrick began. “I believe I’ve got everything I need. I’m struck by your success. So is my boss. That’s why he sent me here. I really wanted to meet you personally, rather than just speak on the phone, and now that I have, I’m truly impressed.”

So the article was going to be a good one. She fought the urge to shout with joy. “Thank you, Mr. Mills.”

“In under a year you’ve built an amazing company. You’ve cut the overhead so much—”