“So you do,” she said. “Forgive me. I’ve gotten off track. What can I get for you?”
For just three seconds, his gaze flicked over her with a heat that burned through her gray Ann Taylor suit, white blouse and maybe even through her department store bra and panties to the soft flesh beneath.
Emma held her breath.
“I’m still making evaluations based on the reports I’ve received. I’ll be asking for information from other departments later today.”
Emma’s breath came out in a whoosh which she attempted to hide. She clasped her hands together. “Okay. Just let me know,” she said and watched Damien return to his office and close the door.
“Get yourself together,” she told herself. The only difference between Damien and her previous bosses was that Damien was worse, far worse. And far more forbidden.
The following day at lunch, Lilli De Luca burst through the door to Damien’s outer office suite with her baby David in her arms. “Hi, Emma! We’ve missed you.”
David, with his curly hair and bright blue eyes, beamed. “Mmm,” he said as he looked at Emma.
Emma couldn’t help smiling back at him. “What a sweetheart. Omigoodness, look at how he’s grown,” she said, extending her arms.
David went to her willingly. Emma dipped slightly under his weight and glanced at Lilli. “He’s gained.”
Lilli smiled and groaned at the same time. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“He’s so friendly, though. I thought he would be clingy,” Emma said, bouncing as the baby stuffed his fist into his mouth. “Teething?”
Lilli nodded. “I’m told he’s in that in-between stage. A few more months and he’ll get clingy.”
“He’s gorgeous,” Emma said. “And such a sweetie.”
Lilli smiled with pride. “I couldn’t agree more. Max is busy on a conference call. He told me a visit from David and me would cheer you up. How’s it going?”
“It’s going,” Emma said because nothing else really seemed appropriate.
Damien’s door swung open and he glanced at the three of them. He lifted his eyebrow in inquiry at Emma. “Mrs. De Luca,” he said.
“And David,” Emma added.
“Call me Lilli,” Max’s blond wife said. “How are you?”
“Fine, thank you. And you?”
Lilli smiled, glancing at David. “Busy. I see you won the lottery and got Emma assigned as your assistant.”
He gave a slight nod. “Yes.”
“Alex and Max have been locked in warfare over who gets Emma as their assistant. Consider yourself very lucky,” she said.
“I do,” he said, glancing at Emma and then at the baby. “This is Max’s son?”
Lilli nodded. “The joy of our lives.”
David looked at Damien curiously and Damien extended his hand toward the baby. David grabbed the man’s thumb and tugged.
Damien smiled. “Strong grip,” he said. “He will have a strong will.”
“Not too strong, I hope,” Lilli murmured. “Would you like to hold him?”
Damien hesitated. Something inside Emma forced her to move before he could respond. She pushed the baby against his chest and he instinctively cradled David in his arms.
“Hello, there,” he said.
David stared at him, transfixed, then blew a bubble.
Damien’s lips curved slightly. “David is a good name for you. I can see you throwing a rock and felling Goliath.”
“A modern-day Goliath,” Lilli said. “Who would that be today?”
Damien met her gaze. “Interesting line of thought,” he said and passed the baby to his mother. He nodded. “It’s a pleasure to see you again.”
“And you,” Lilli said. “You have a difficult job. I don’t envy you.”
“I lead with my mind, not my emotions,” Damien said. “I perform best that way.” He glanced at Emma. “I need reports from some additional departments.”
More terminations, she thought, but schooled her expression. “Let me get my notepad.”
“I should go,” Lilli said. “It’s good seeing you again, Emma. Call me sometime. We could meet for lunch.”
“Thanks,” Emma said, feeling a tightness in her stomach. “That sounds great. Thank you for stopping by.” She picked up a pad and headed for Damien’s office.
Moments later, after he’d listed the departments, she nodded and rose from the chair in front of the desk.
“You look pale,” he said. “You hate what I’m doing.”
“You see revenue,” she said. “I see people’s lives and families.”
“Ultimately,” he said, “revenue affects people’s lives and families.”
“I suppose,” she said, feeling tired.
“Take the rest of the day off,” he said.
She snapped her head up. “I couldn’t.”
“Yes, you could and you will. I take care of my own. I’ve been a manager long enough to know when one of my employees needs a break. And you need one now.” He waved his hand. “Go shopping, take a nap, sit by the pool. Do whatever women do to relax.”
She smiled. “I don’t shop to relax. I’m not a big napper. And in case you didn’t notice, I’m not chasing a tan.”
“I noticed,” he said, his eyes slightly hooded. “Find a way to take a break. You need it.” He glanced down at his laptop screen as if he were dismissing her.
She rose slowly, unable to look away from him. He was right, but sometimes she didn’t knowhow to relax. “What about you?” she couldn’t help asking, even though she should. “How do you relax?”
He lifted his head, meeting her gaze. Had she really dared to ask him that?
“I don’t,” he said. “It’s not necessary for me.”
She tried to bite her tongue, but her reply escaped despite her better judgment. “Pot. Kettle.”
His eyes narrowed. “Go home.”
“I will,” she said. “But pot. Kettle. G’night.”
Emma arrived home and checked her voice mail, bracing herself as she heard her mother’s voice. She sounded fine, but Emma could never be quite sure. She dialed her mother in Missouri. “Hi, Mom. How are you?”
“Good,” her mother said. “I worked at the drugstore today. There was a big sale on ibuprofen, so everyone was stocking up. It kept me busy. You’ll be happy to know I didn’t do any gambling.”
“I am,” Emma said.
“But it sure is boring as hell,” her mother retorted when Emma failed to rise to the bait.
Emma’s stomach twisted. “Boring as hell” was a red flag. It was one of the first signs that her mother was falling off the gambling wagon.
“Would you like me to come see you?” Emma asked. “I could probably come this weekend.”
Emma’s mother laughed. “No. I’m not in any trouble. You can stay where you are.”
“Are you sure?” Emma asked. “Because I can—”
“No, no. You don’t need to interrupt your schedule for me. We’ll see each other in June. That will be just fine for me. Have you been out with any new men lately?”
“Work has been busy for me, too,” Emma hedged. “I need to get used to my new boss.” Emma wasn’t sure that would be possible with Damien.
“Is he young and handsome? Maybe you could go out with him. I never understood why you didn’t date your other bosses. They were young, handsome and rich.”
Her mother just didn’t understand. “Mom, part of the reason I’ve succeeded is because I keep my professional life separate from my personal life.”
“What personal life?” her mother countered. “All you do is work or take classes. When are you going to do something fun?”
Emma bit her tongue. She hadn’t had time for a lot of fun with her mother’s gambling addiction. “When things settle down a little bit,” she said and switched the subject. “Is everything okay with your apartment? You mentioned a problem with your garbage disposal.”
Ten minutes later, she hung up and released a heavy sigh, but she couldn’t escape her uneasiness. Emma’s mother had left Las Vegas three years ago after Emma had bailed her out of another bad debt. The goal had been to remove her mom from temptation. So far, it had worked, but Emma never felt as if she could let down her guard.
With her salary, Emma could be living in a luxurious condominium if she chose. Instead she always felt as if she needed to save it all away just in case her mother faltered again.
At times her worry had consumed her—she’d only found relief in work or the classes she took. Lately, however, she’d found herself craving something more. Not gambling, thank goodness, but perhaps friendship or companionship. She’d shied away from close relationships partly because of her shame over her mother’s problems, but it had been three years since her mother’s last gambling incident. Maybe she should try going out. Emma pictured herself hitting the club scene and cringed. Doing laundry or charity work would be easier and more productive.
Despite the fact that she was aware of every move Damien made during the next week, Emma kept her professional facade firmly in place. Inside, she was insatiably curious. His scar fascinated her. She wondered how he’d gotten it. She wondered where he got those calluses on his hands and how they would feel touching her.
There was a ruthless, dangerous streak about him that intrigued her. He was clearly a predatory male—there must be a woman orwomen in his life. His sexuality was too strong for him to be a monk.
Exhausted by the time she arrived home at the end of the week, she went to bed early only to dream of him. In a steamy vision, he held her with his dark gaze, then took her into his arms. Her heart hammered against her chest and she knew she should pull back, but she couldn’t find the energy or the will.