Boss

Clearly Julien was wrong about the watch. It didn’t show any reaction to the bombshell who was telegraphing her availability.

He looked back up to note that she’d moved on to someone considerably more appreciative.

Which left him free to peruse his own thoughts. There was little Nathan enjoyed more than the strategy. Except the chase.

Chapter One

Juggling two venti mochas with extra whipped cream, her electronic card key, a purse and a bag stuffed with her workout gear, Kelsey Lane exited the elevator and strode toward the set of double doors at the end of the hallway. Since it wasn’t even seven o’clock, she had almost the whole building to herself, something she liked, especially on Monday mornings.

This early, if she drove, she typically didn’t have to fight traffic on Houston’s busy roads. If she rode the train, she could always find a seat. Regardless, she liked to get a jump on the week, organizing and preparing before the phone started to ring.

The lights were on in the office, so she tested the handle, hoping the cleaning crew was still there and that the suite was unlocked. Thankfully it was. “Good morning!” she called out so she didn’t startle anyone.

With her foot, she shoved the door closed behind her.

She moved through to her desk and put down the drinks and keys before dropping her purse and bag on the carpeted floor. Then she turned to open the blinds so that she could see the upcoming sunrise reflect off the nearby skyscrapers. This had to be one of the biggest perks of her job. A spectacular view of Houston, from forty stories up.

As she turned, she noticed a potted yellow hibiscus in the corner. It hadn’t been there when she’d left on Friday evening. While it was beautiful, it wasn’t something that Samuel Newman would have brought in.

“Hello.”

Startled by the very masculine, very sexy bass that sounded nothing like her boss’s voice, Kelsey glanced up.

A man she’d never seen before filled the doorway and she sucked in a panicked gasp. His shoulders were unbelievably wide. He had on a white long-sleeved shirt with turned-back cuffs. A light gray tie was loosely knotted around his neck, and he stood with arms folded across his chest and a slight frown on his face.

Fear and uncertainty slammed her pulse into overdrive. “Can I help you?” She reached toward her phone so she could alert security about an intruder, though how anyone could have gotten past the guards in the lobby puzzled her.

“You’re Kelsey Lane. And I promise you, you don’t need to call for help.”

Kelsey scowled. “You seem to have me at a disadvantage. Mr…”

“Donovan. Nathan Donovan.”

She exhaled in a rush and moved her hand away from the phone. Of course. Though she’d never met any of the Donovan brothers, she knew their reputation. Cool. Fearless. Calculating.

Nathan, if she remembered correctly from the numerous articles she’d read in Houston’s weekly business newspaper, was the youngest son. He reportedly had an uncanny eye for numbers, for investments. As the financial brain behind the family dynasty, he’d ruthlessly acquired business after business, streamlined them, sold some of them off and made others operate on thin margins, exhausting the remaining employees while terminating the rest. But one thing they all had in common after he was finished with them was profitability.

“I see you’ve heard of me.”

“Who hasn’t?” she returned. He was rumored to be outwardly friendly in a way that disguised his true Machiavellian personality. He wasn’t a man to be underestimated. But the bigger question was, what the hell was he doing in Samuel Newman’s office before seven o’clock in the morning?

“Was any of it good?” he asked.

“Any of…?”

“The things you’ve heard about me.”

He looked at her through shockingly green eyes, and his gaze was so intense that she had to resist the impulse to squirm. His voice was a rich, deep baritone. Though she imagined his words were meant to keep things light and invite conversation, ribbons of unease gripped her stomach.

Rather than answer directly, she hedged, “Is Mr. Newman in there?” She leaned her head to the side, but she was unable to see past Nathan’s body and into the office beyond.

Nathan scowled. “I assumed you’d be expecting me.”

A moment earlier he’d seemed at ease, welcoming. But now he looked ferocious. His jaw was locked and he took a step into the room, narrowing the distance between them.

“He didn’t call you? Contact you in any way?”

She shook her head.

He cursed, low and vicious, making her wince.

“Newman was supposed to tell you,” he said.