His Temporary Assistant

“She definitely is,” Ryan said cheerfully. “She said you were staid.”

I wasn’t going to rise to her bait.

I simply was not.

“Trust me, some of the thoughts I’ve had today were the furthest thing from that.”

Ryan took a long sip and then set down her glass. Rather than touch me, she just placed her hand close to mine. “Tell me exactly what happened between the foyer and when we sat down. Keep in mind I don’t know any of the players.”

My first instinct was to deny, deny, deny. My second was to not lie, since I didn’t want to be like my father in any way.

I could have misconstrued what I saw. Maybe they were having a work lunch just like we were. Perhaps he was checking the shrimp for doneness. Maybe they were doing a taste test. Or he’d sprained all his fingers, and she was helping him.

Right.

“Seated behind you on the opposite side of the fireplace is a distinguished older man with salt and pepper hai

r and a young blond female. She was feeding him shrimp.”

His assistant.

When I berated myself for workplace impropriety, I had no clue that it was most assuredly something I would have to look into for the entire firm.

Like father like son?

My gut twisted into foul knots.

“Okay.”

“The older man is my father. In case you didn’t realize my age, the young blond is definitely not my mother.”

Ryan pursed her lips before immediately knocking her silverware to the floor. “Oops!” She bent over to retrieve it and spent a moment checking out the couple at the other table as she straightened. “He’s definitely hitting it to her.” She shook her head. “Watch them and tell me when she goes to the bathroom.”

“What? Why?”

“I’m going to have words with her.” She propped her chin on her fist. “Which do you think is better? ‘I’m curious if his STD results have come in’ or ‘how is he acclimating after that prison stint?’”

I didn’t expect to laugh. Then again, I’d been caught between annoyance, laughter, and lust since the first time her name appeared in my inbox. Had it only been a week?

The blond walked away from her booth. Had she overheard us talking about bathroom breaks?

Ryan popped up from her seat.

“No. Don’t. Ryan.” I lurched over the table and grabbed her hip when she started to take a step.

My fingers tingled as I upped the pressure. Heat flashed up my wrist. At this point, I wasn’t even surprised.

Touching Ryan was an electrical event every damn time.

She gazed down at me through her darkly lashed eyes. “If you wanted to touch, you just had to ask.”

I didn’t let go. If anything, I gripped that soft handful of flesh harder. Possibly leaving marks she’d remember later. Maybe even burns.

Surely I couldn’t be the only one who felt that incredible warmth every time we touched? I didn’t dare ask, but from the way she trembled faintly in my hold, she had to be feeling something.

Her throat moved and she slicked her tongue over her lips. “Don’t like the STD question? I could pretend to be an ex of his and slap her and call her nasty names. That’d probably work too.”

“Sit. Please.”