Trading Places with the Boss

She gestured again, chin in the air. “You’re excused. Carry on.”

“Such graciousness. You put me to shame.”

She smiled impishly. “Then my work here is done.”

A faint grin actually appeared on his face. “Oh, no, honey. I’m going to be more of a challenge than you can imagine.”

Her breath caught in a little hiccup in her throat and she blinked to cover it up. “That’s a little scary. I can imagine a lot.” She flashed him a look. “I’ll clarify even further. I prefer men with a little sophistication.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “I suppose what you really prefer is Jason McLaughlin.”

Her head whipped around and she glared at him. To her complete shock, he actually looked chagrined.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “That was a low blow.”

“You should know,” she said tartly. “You’re the king.”

“Of low blows?”

“And other assorted indignities.”

“Indignities.” He mocked the way she’d said the word, humor softening the edges. “Gettin’ sorta high falutin with your language there, girl. I knew you way back when we were both prairie rats. You can’t fool me.”

He was teasing her, but in a gentle way, not the way he used to when they were young. If he didn’t watch out, she was going to start to like him.

“Maybe you can’t be fooled,” she said. “But at the same time, you can be persuaded. You’re a smart guy. You know there’s nothing wrong with reaching for something a little higher.”

A boisterous bunch of young people was headed straight for them. Reaching out, he put a hand at the nape of her neck, guiding her with a protective touch as the youngsters passed.

“Just as long as you don’t forget where you came from,” he murmured.

The feel of his hand on her skin was seductive and she felt a lazy sense of warmth seeping into her system. Taking a quick step to the side, she managed to pull away as she pretended to need the room to turn and face him.

“Well, look at you,” she said earnestly. “You were in a business suit this afternoon. You had on a tie and everything. Your shirt was crisp and white and your slacks had a great crease. You looked wonderful. Your father never looked like that in his life.”

His face twisted into a thoughtful frown. “So I’m aiming for a higher place just like you think I oughta, just by wearing a suit?” He gave her a look of pure exasperation. “Listen, Shelley. Nobody ever worked harder to make a ‘higher place’ in this world than my father did.”

“Except maybe my mother,” she shot back. “How do you think she managed to run Millie’s Café on her own? Nobody handed her anything.”

A reluctant grin began to surface again on his handsome face. “Well…my pop can outhustle your mom.”

Her chin went out. “Cannot.”

His eyes twinkled. “Can, too.”

She smiled back, just barely, flashing her eyes at him. “Well…maybe. But he can’t cook like she can.”

He nodded. “You got me there.”

They were back in front of the hotel. Without saying a word, they both paused. Neither seemed anxious to go in. She turned to look at him and he met her gaze.

“So you swear you didn’t come to the conference because of McLaughlin?” he demanded.

She hesitated, then held up her hand like a Girl Scout. “I swear to you. I probably wouldn’t have come myself if I’d known he was going to be here.”

He nodded slowly as though thinking that over. “So tell me…why did you come? Just what is your ulterior motive?”

She couldn’t keep meeting his gaze after that. Because the truth was, “ulterior motive” was a good phrase for her purpose. She had agreed to come at the last minute, knowing it would give her an opportunity she wouldn’t otherwise have to do a little detective work that needed to be done. But she couldn’t tell Rafe about that. To do so would involve telling a secret that wasn’t hers to share.

Taking in a deep breath, she raised her gaze to his again. “You know, there are some things that are just plain private,” she said firmly, though her pulse gave a nervous flutter as she noted his reaction. “My reasons have nothing to do with the business,” she added. “And anyway, you have no right to ask me.”

“You won’t tell me.” He looked astonished at her defiance.

She shook her head and shrugged, her palms out. “You have no need to know.” It was only the truth. Why couldn’t he accept it and move on?

His eyes looked very dark in the lamplight. “You realize that means I can’t put my suspicions to rest.”

She turned her head so fast her long silky hair whipped around her shoulders. He was being impossible. But then, that was his nature, wasn’t it? She’d almost forgotten with him seeming so approachable.

“Then you just suspect away all you want, honey,” she told him with her thickest Texas drawl. “As long as you do a good job for me tomorrow. Because for the time being, I…am…the…boss.” With a look daring him to dispute what she’d said, she whirled and strode for the elevators.

Chapter Three

In the morning, the first person Shelley saw as she stepped off the elevator on the lobby floor was the very man she dreaded seeing—Jason McLaughlin.

“Shelley. It’s been a long time.” The tall blue-eyed man in the Italian silk suit stepped forward and took both her hands in his, smiling down at her. “You look wonderful.”

For a moment she wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to speak. Did he know her well enough to see the turmoil her heart was in? Did he notice the tightness around her mouth, the panic in her eyes?

Probably not. After all, there was no real evidence that he had ever known much of anything about her, that he had ever really cared. She’d warmed his bed and kept his apartment picked up. That was all he’d ever really wanted, wasn’t it?

On the other hand, she’d spent all of her teenage years watching everything he ever did. She’d even kept a notebook about him, hidden under her mattress and only brought out late at night to write some new secret in. Saw Jason at the feed store this afternoon. He had holes in his jeans and looked so cool. He turned my way and I almost had a heart attack. But he walked right by. I don’t think he saw me.

He was her one and only teenage crush, and when she moved to San Antonio after college and got a job in his firm, she was in seventh heaven. And then he actually noticed her, picked her out to be his special assistant, and very quickly, his special girl. It was like a dream come true. Until she woke up.

“Jason,” she said, finding her voice at last. “I’m surprised to find you here. I would have thought this would be a bit too bourgeois for you.”

“Don’t be silly,” he said, beaming at her. “This conference has become the highlight of the business year in San Antonio. We came to win the competition.” He laughed lightly, his white teeth flashing

Sharks have white teeth, too, she thought a bit wildly. Translation: beware!

Aloud she said, “Good luck. We’re hoping for a good result as well.” But she felt as though she were in deep water and in danger of losing her grip on the surface with predators circling.

He still had hold of one of her hands and he tried to tug her a bit closer. Looking down dreamily into her eyes in a way that would once have sent her reeling, he said coaxingly, “Listen, we’re both on our way to breakfast, aren’t we? Come have it with me. We’ll get a booth. We need to catch up on old times.”

She opened her mouth to respond, planning to put him in his place with a well-chosen word or two. But she wasn’t quick enough, because suddenly Rafe was there, sliding his arm around her shoulders.

“Sorry, McLaughlin,” he said coolly. “I’ve already got her booked up. You’re out of luck.”