‘Sorry.’ She glanced down to find that her blouse was so wet she might as well have not been wearing one. With a squeak of alarm she crossed her free arm over her breasts, only then realising how terrible she must look in general.
His scowl deepened as he plucked her sodden jacket and the package from her hand and disappeared down the hallway, returning a moment later with a towel.
‘You know where the bathroom is,’ he bit out, keeping his eyes above her neckline. ‘Use it.’
‘Actually, I don’t,’ she said, rubbing her arms from the chill that was either coming from him or the air-conditioning. ‘I’ve only ever dropped things off before and left.’
Clearly annoyed to have his peaceful night invaded, he strode down the hall, impatience evident in every taut line of his hard body. ‘Here.’
He pushed open the door to a bathroom and Cassidy gratefully disappeared inside.
She nearly let out another squeak at seeing blotches of mascara pooled beneath her eyes and straggly bits of her hair sticking to her ears and neck.
The ruined woman in the mirror was not the impeccably presented one she had turned herself into since leaving Ohio and it was yet more confirmation that she should not have got out of bed that morning.
Taking a deep breath, she skimmed the towel beneath her eyes and wiped her face and neck. Then she unpinned her hair and searched in her bag for her hairbrush. Not finding it, she had a vague memory of Amber asking if she could borrow it the night before. Cursing her beloved niece, she finger-combed the mass of tangled waves and tried to re-pin her hair. Unfortunately the rain had made it curl in every direction so she gave up, letting it hang past her shoulders. She shivered in the air-conditioned bathroom and groaned anew when she realised that her bra was visible beneath the downlights.
Terrific.
She pulled her blouse away from her skin and wondered if it would look odd if she walked out holding it like that.
Deciding that she’d have to brazen it out, she tilted her chin and exited the bathroom. She’d get her coat, wish her boss goodnight, and head off to face the next disaster. It couldn’t possibly be any worse than this one.
Peeking into the living room, she caught sight of her boss outlined against the New York skyline, his hands on his hips. The clouds had parted and late sunbeams shone down on the newly washed buildings, gilding them in gold and silver.
But it was the gorgeous view inside the room that held her attention more. Tall, broad-shouldered and lean-hipped, with long, muscular legs and dark blond hair that gently curled against his strong neck, he was the epitome of sleek male power in the prime of life. He might be a cold-hearted workaholic but he was pure perfection to look at.
Against her wishes her heart rate quickened once again and, unwilling to get caught staring at him a second time, she turned away to hunt for her jacket.
Logan turned to find Cassidy scanning the room and looking more like something the cat would drag in than his usual efficient EA. All day she’d been off and now she even looked it. Her usually perfect up-do a cloud of chestnut waves, her wet blouse the texture of tissue paper, and just as revealing, and her face clean of make-up. The only thing familiar about her was her glasses, ones she’d adjusted further up her nose with her little finger when she’d caught him staring at her. A nervous gesture he’d only ever seen now and then.
His office ran like clockwork thanks to her. But the woman standing in front of him looked like she should be about to do a strip tease before ending up in his bed.
Wondering when his libido had regressed to the point that a woman in a wet shirt could turn him on, he strode out of the room and returned with one of his sweatshirts. ‘Unless you’re planning to enter a wet T-shirt competition after you leave here, you’d better put this on.’
Her eyes didn’t quite meet his as she took it from him and slid it over her head, her thanks muffled by
the fabric.
The sweatshirt was miles too big, falling midway down her thighs and draping over her hands, but it did the job of turning her from shapely to shapeless as required.
He didn’t know what had happened today but it had all started when he had arrived at his office to find that Cassidy wasn’t there. Always on time, and with his morning coffee ready for when he walked in, she had been noticeably absent. Not only had he been required to make his own coffee but he’d had to field two visits from junior staff asking for information he didn’t have. Then his COO’s assistant had stopped by to make an appointment for him to meet with her boss and had tried to linger.
When Cassidy had finally arrived, blaming the subway, she’d been harried. At first he hadn’t noticed because she’d appeared as well groomed as always in a black suit and white blouse, her auburn hair pinned back into a French twist. She’d worn it like that on her first day and had never deviated from the style. It had annoyed him at first because it was always the same, but then he’d come to appreciate her consistency. Not to mention her efficiency.
But she hadn’t been efficient today. Following up one unexpected mistake with another and another until he’d almost asked her what was wrong.
He hadn’t because the last thing he wanted to do was to encourage personal interactions in the office. He did not want to give her any ideas that might change the nature of their working relationship. Something that had happened with more than one EA in the past.
In his experience people were rarely as they seemed on the outside and yet he was sure that his EA was exactly as she seemed: an intelligent, quiet, sensible woman who had incredibly sultry lips. And vivid, velvet-green eyes. He’d noticed both right away, and nearly hadn’t hired her because of his reaction to them, but his HR manager had convinced him that she was perfect.
And she had been.
Perfect.
Until now.
She glanced at him and adjusted her glasses again. ‘I know you’re busy so if you tell me where my jacket is, I’ll get out of your hair.’