Debra & Regan Webb & Black - Investigating Christmas

“I know you’re busy,” she began, “so I’ll be brief. I could use a job, Rush. If you can find a place for me.”

He knew the perfect place for her, though it had nothing to do with the professional answer she was seeking. Sitting forward, he propped his elbows on his knees. She knew him too well to bother hiding his excitement about bringing her on board. “A job here, with me?”

“With Gray Box.” Her lips pursed. “France has been a great experience. Beyond beautiful, but—”

“We have plenty of wine country here,” he interrupted. A voice in his head roared at him to shut up. He was an idiot to think she reminisced over their weekend adventures the way he did. He’d heard how quickly she’d replaced him with a new man in Chicago.

Her lips curled into another distant smile and she smoothed her hands over her dress. “California is home,” she finished.

“I’m glad to hear you’ve come to your senses,” he teased.

Her serious brown gaze didn’t share his humor. “Do you have any openings?”

He glanced past her, had to assume Trisha’s desk remained empty on the other side of the privacy-frosted glass. “I could use a personal assistant,” he said, making the decision as he spoke.

“You’re well aware I have an MBA. Maybe I can be of more use in—”

“Your current post is what, precisely?” Her gaze turned sharp with a hint of temper and he knew he had her just where he wanted her. Well, professionally anyway.

“Yes, my current title is personal assistant,” she allowed. She crossed her legs at the ankle, distracting him again with far more intimate memories. “When I took the post with Dieter Kathrein everyone involved knew I was overqualified.”

“I can assure you as my personal assistant you’ll have more challenges.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” Lucy tilted her head toward the desk on the other side of his office. “What about your current assistant?”

“She’s not the dedicated PA I need,” he countered. “Trisha manages my calendar and answers the phone right now, but it’s a stopgap measure. She doesn’t have your business acumen and I don’t have time for her to develop it.” The ease of his admission didn’t surprise him. He’d always been able to talk with Lucy about anything.

Her dark eyebrows arched and her lips parted for a moment, then she clamped her mouth shut. “I see. Tell me more.”

“We’ve been searching for a better fit for her within the company,” he added. “What were your duties with Kathrein?”

She shook her head, her gaze dropping to her hands. “Beyond telling you I managed his calendar, the rest of my responsibilities are confidential.”

“Right. Of course.” He waved that off as unimportant and quickly outlined his professional expectations. A savvy, analytical mind like Lucy’s could help him keep Gray Box at the top and develop new ideas and market applications. She would be the perfect liaison between him and clients who waffled around wasting his time, too. “What do you think?”

“Salary and benefits?”

“Name it, whatever you need. I’ll make sure it’s all written into the contract.” He twisted, pointed out a building across the street. “You can even have the corporate suite at the hotel until you find a place to live.”

“That’s very generous. Thank you.” Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes as she accepted the ridiculous offer.

“You’re worried about me, aren’t you?” He sat back, stretched his arms across the back of the couch. “About our history?”

“No,” she said, her denial a little weak. “I came to you as a colleague and friend. We both have new interests, now. You can reassure Trisha or whomever you’re seeing that I won’t interfere with your personal life.”

He didn’t appreciate that promise or the vague reprimand. Lucy had been his only “interest” for over a year. She still was, if he was brutally honest about it. The women who’d followed her had floated through his life without any real substance or impact. Contrary to rumors, he didn’t date in the traditional sense of connecting to someone. Trisha was the latest in a line of women willing to spend time as his public companion in exchange for his opening a few professional doors for her.

“I won’t lie, Lucy. I’ve missed you. If you want to reconnect personally, I’m all for it.”

Her eyes went wide. “Rush.”

He flared his hands, let them fall. “Call it full disclosure. When it comes to you and me, the ball is in your court. If you’re here for purely professional reasons, I respect that.”

“I am.” She swallowed. “Thank you for the job. You won’t regret it.”

He already did. Lucy Gaines had been everything he’d wanted from a woman in both his personal and professional worlds. Smart and kind, lovely and compassionate, they’d shared interests from wine country to stock market trends to pitching in with local charities.

“Let’s get out of here.” If they stayed in this office, he’d be tempted to unload every stray business idea he’d wanted to discuss with her over the past year. Not only would that border on employee abuse, it would leave him wide open and vulnerable. He wanted her, he intended to have her, but only when he knew she’d stick around. Standing, he urged her to her feet as well. “I’ll show you what’s changed since you left.” Reflexively he checked his watch.

“Only everything,” she said with a short laugh. “Don’t wreck your entire day for me. I’m sure Melva can fill me in and give me instructions about the hotel suite.”

He picked up on the edge creeping into her voice. How could he convince her he wanted to give her every minute today? “Melva is absolutely capable,” he agreed. “We can skip the full tour if you’re tired from the trip.” He wasn’t sure why he was pressing her, only that he wasn’t ready to let her out of his sight. She was everything he remembered and more, but he got the feeling she was hiding something about her time with Kathrein. He didn’t stand a chance of figuring it out if he left her alone.

“I feel fine, Rush,” she said, her smile tight. “We’ve agreed to terms. You don’t have to entertain me.”

“Ouch.” He laid a hand over his heart, feigning pain. “I’m going to play tour guide anyway. There’s no one better than me to bring you back up to speed, on Gray Box specifically and the Bay Area in general.”

She shook her head, but not before he noticed the little lift at the corner of her mouth. His arrogance had often amused her. He switched off the privacy glass and caught sight of Trisha at Melva’s reception desk. An even better reason to leave the office behind for the afternoon, he decided. While he’d been honest about searching for a better post for Trisha, he hadn’t focused on the issue. Now he had an excellent reason to move forward on that adjustment immediately.

“You know,” he said, turning his back on the rest of the executive floor, “I should start the tour right here.” He gestured toward the door in the opposite wall, tucked behind a floor-to-ceiling display case filled with books and myriad industry awards. “My indispensable PA should know my secret escape route.” He led her out of the office and into a narrow service hallway. “Private bathroom,” he said, pointing out another door. “There’s a bedroom as well.”

“A bedroom? Good grief, Rush. It’s a wonder you haven’t been sued for harassment.”

Well, that stung. The gossip rags and paparazzi greatly exaggerated his personal exploits whenever he chose to spend time around town with models or actresses. “It’s not a space I share,” he replied through clenched teeth. When and why had her opinion of him plummeted so drastically? “You know how things go during research or a product launch, or—”