Seduction by Design

The heel of her shoe made a dent in the lush carpet as she whirled around and slammed out the door. Nancy looked up anxiously. “That bad?” she asked worriedly.

Hailey swallowed the aspersions she would have liked to make about Mr. Tyler Scott and answered breezily, “Not at all. Mr. Scott and I understand each other perfectly.” She left before Nancy could question her further.

By the time she reached her office, the soles of her feet were burning from the pounding she had given them on the hot asphalt. With each step, she had cursed Tyler Scott as the most arrogant, most conceited, most infuriating creature she had ever met.

His assumption that she wouldn’t be able to resist him was incomprehensible. Did he think she was a weak specimen of the female sex, hungry for the touch of a man? Had he snickered over her employee file when he noted her age and marital status? Had he mentally dubbed her a frustrated old maid? Had he supposed that she was lonely enough and desperate enough for a man’s attention that she would succumb to his advances without a quibble?

She instructed her assistant to carry on as she sailed through the outer office and into the tiny lavatory provided for her convenience. Her image in the mirror alarmed her. Had Charlene noticed her disarranged hair, moist lips, and flaming cheeks?

She was always immaculately groomed. Wouldn’t everyone have seen that there was the slightest smudge of lipstick on her jaw? Tyler’s lips had picked up the coral gloss from hers and carried it to that sensitive spot just under her ear. Luckily, her blazer hid the fact that her blouse was twisted and coming out of the waistband of her skirt.

Muttering self-deprecations, she quickly bathed her face with cold water and repaired her makeup. She brushed her hair and secured it into a tight prim knot on top of her head. Somewhat restored, she resolved to put the interlude out of her mind for the rest of the afternoon.

It wasn’t so easy to do. Charlene noticed her supervisor’s distraction immediately. “Say, Hailey, are you okay? I’ve asked you the same question three times. I get the impression you haven’t heard a thing I’ve said.”

“Yes, I’m fine,” Hailey said. “I’ve got a headache, that’s all.”

“Well, what do you want me to tell him?”

“Tell who?”

“The high school principal from Knoxville,” Charlene said wearily. “He wants to know about an end-of-season party for the football team.”

“Oh, yes. When is the season over?”

“October thirtieth.”

“Then why are you even bothering me with this? You know we close for the season on October first.”

“Well, I just thought—”

“No exceptions, Charlene.”

“All right, I’ll tell him.”

Hailey could tell by the girl’s wounded tone that she had been unfairly using her as a scapegoat for her own bad temper. “I’m sorry, Charlene,” she said by way of conciliation. “If you’ll give me his number, I’ll call him myself. And I apologize for being so grouchy. It’s been a rough day.”

“That’s okay. I think it’s the humidity.”

In Hailey’s case, it wasn’t the humidity. It was a pair of gray eyes, flecked with ebony and fringed with spiky black lashes, that kept interfering with her work and souring her disposition. It was the vivid recollection of urgent lips demanding a response in the gentlest of ways. It was a hard, taut body pressed against hers, acquainting her with the male physique in a way that left her trembling.

She hadn’t known many men, had certainly never been deeply involved with any. Now this man was storming his way into her life with plans to use her just as everyone else had. What was it about her that made people think they could take advantage? Was she too dependable? Too acquiescent? Or was cowardly a better word?

All her life she had been used. By her parents to set a good example for Ellen. By Ellen to do her dirty work and get her out of trouble. By friends to whom she could never refuse a favor even at her own expense. She had learned the hard way that people are avaricious and grasping and that it was human nature to take advantage of one who was weak.

But maturity, repeated disillusionment, and heartache had taught Hailey well. She had achieved independence and guarded it fiercely. She’d be no one’s doormat. Not Tyler Scott’s. Not anyone’s.

Eight o’clock found her checking over the tally of guests who had walked through the turnstiles that day. At the sound of her name, she raised her head and looked through the plate-glass windows that enclosed her office to see Faith Scott charging around the fountain outside. The girl was out of breath, her broadly smiling face bathed with a film of healthy perspiration, when she came to an abrupt halt on the other side of the glass and cried, “Isn’t it great, Hailey?”

Hailey slid the window open so they could hear each other without shouting. She was laughing at the sheer delight written all over Faith’s features. “Isn’t what great?”

“Daddy told me you’re coming to dinner with us.”

Indeed, Tyler looked quite pleased with himself as he sauntered around the pool of water surrounding the fountain. His coat was negligently hitched over his shoulder by an index finger. His long stride brought him quickly up to the window, where he casually draped his arm around Faith’s shoulders. “Hi,” he said.

Hailey wanted to scream. His taunting grin was more irritating than his seductive promises had been. She was on the verge of telling him that she wasn’t at his beck and call when she happened to glance down into Faith’s expectant face. The harsh words died an instant death on her lips. Tyler was using the child for his own devious ends. But Faith was innocent, and Hailey didn’t want the girl’s disappointment to be on her conscience.