“And your determination to believe they’re true doesn’t make it so,” Jennifer snapped, throwing his words back at him. “I don’t know you, and I damn sure don’t know the people who gathered this defamatory conjecture.” She flicked a corner of the folder. “Let’s face it, Mr. McCall. If any of this was provable in court, you wouldn’t be sitting here across from me at a restaurant table. You would be meeting with the DA or SEC.”“That’s where you’re wrong,” Scott said, a cruel satisfaction glinting in his eyes. “It’s amazing how the court of public opinion will try and convict someone much swifter than a court of law.” Her stomach rolled, bile churning before racing for the back of her throat. She hated to admit it, but he was right. Good God, if any of this information leaked, it would destroy Bruce's reputation, his engagement, and irreparably harm the family company. It wouldn’t matter if the claims couldn’t be proved; the speculation alone would be detrimental and the damage irrevers
“Thank you.” Felicia turned, smiling softly and extending her hands toward him. Scott enfolded hers in his, squeezing them. “But no, I want to spend some time with her before I grade papers. Although she always loves to hear you play. It's been a while since you did that, Scott. Maybe you could bring your guitar with you sometime this week.”“I’ll do that,” he agreed. His mother had been responsible for him first picking up the instrument. She’d found a battered acoustic Fender at a garage sale, and from the second he’d held it, he’d been enamored. Though extra money had been almost nonexistent during his childhood, she’d still found a way to pay for lessons. No one outside the family had ever heard him play, because it was for him. His peace. His way to lose himself and get away from the stresses of running a multimillion dollar company.His mother cupped his cheek, giving it an affectionate pat before lowering her arm. “Now, not that I don’t enjoy you dropping by, but is everything
"Mmm." Scott replied, then his eyes narrowed. It was, he realized, one of those rare moments when she really smiled at him. She should do it more often.Definitely. But there again, maybe she shouldn’t. Not if he wanted to stay sane."It's not an order, Miss Sanchez, but if you want it to be, that's okay too." Vivian chuckled. "Come on." The elevator ride was quiet, which Vivian was completely okay with. She feared that if they spoke, they'd end up talking about that kiss, and she knew how that conversation would go. He'd say it was a mistake… That he wasn't really thinking straight that evening. Then he'd probably apologize for doing it, but that would only sound like rejection to her, and she preferred it if they both kept quiet about it. They both stepped out of the elevator and walked out of the administrative building. A man walked over to talk to Scott and Vivian moved away a bit to give them some privacy. When the man left, Scott waved for her to join him again.He watched a
Linda leaned over, "So tell me," she continued. "What's it like to working for the handsome Scott McCall?" George and Betty laughed while Michael rolled his eyes and sighed. He looked like he was tired of hearing Linda talk about Scott. Vivian shrugged. "I could ask you the same question," she replied. "You work for him too" "You know what I mean. Yeah I know I also work for him, but I meant being so close to him. You're his personal assistant so you gotta know some things about him apart from work. Is he dating anyone? You know he used to date this woman, Elizabeth Smith…she's a model, and she thinks she's so special. She used to come to the office to see him then…. Urggh… she was the worst.""Hmhmmm" Betty nodded in agreement. "I'm so glad they broke up… and I know it makes no difference because I can't date him either, but she doesn't deserve him." "And you do?" Michael chipped in. "Shut up, Michael!" Linda shot back. Vivian watched Betty and George giggling as they always d
There was something about the way he was staring at her. Something dangerous… and yet she wanted to run towards it instead of away from it. His voice was husky… deeper than it usually was, and his eyes appeared darker. His lips were curved slightly upward, like he'd just heard a joke, but Vivian knew that there was nothing funny about that gaze. He stared down at her, his black eyes slowly traversing her hair, her outfit and down to the boots that added four inches to her height. When his eyes met hers again, she barely caught herself before taking a step back from the heat there. It practically seared her skin.Hazardous. Dangerous. She silently chanted the warnings to herself like a mantra. He would set fire to her life and leave her covered in ashes.“I'm really sorry if I disturbed you,” she rasped again, before clearing her throat of the arousal thickening it. “I didn't know that you were here.”“You’re beautiful.” Scott said instead of paying attention to her apology. Struck s
The sharp order ricocheted off her skull. Damn Scott McCall. She hated that he’d infiltrated her head, and she couldn’t evict him. It’d been one week since that meeting—no, ambush. One week since she was supposed to give him her decision about his preposterous ultimatum.Smothering a sigh, she excused herself from their small group on the pretense of checking with the catering staff, and headed across the room. She’d taken only a dozen steps before she saw something that made tingles jangle up her bare arms and culminated at the nape of her neck.She sucked in a breath and immediately turned to the source of the unsettling feeling.Scott McCall. She balled her fist, forcing her feet to maintain a steady, unhurried pace forward. Even as her heart pounded a relentless rhythm against her sternum. Why the hell was he here? She wondered. “How did you get in here?” she gritted out.Conscious of any gazes that might be leveled on them, she kept her polite, social mask in place, when in tru
He was her brother. And to keep that happiness shining on her brother’s face, she would have to make a deal with the devil. And Scott McCall was close enough.It wasn’t difficult to locate him in the crowded room. She found him and gave him a small nod, and he returned it. Exhaling, she turned her attention to the glass of red wine she’d barely touched throughout dinner. Now it, and about four more, seemed like a fabulous idea.She would need all the courage she could get._______"Can we get this thing started, please?” Jennifer asked Scott with a frown on her face as she set the glass on the small table and sat down on the chair. She rubbed her bare arms, and the sign of nerves pricked a conscience he’d believed to be impervious. “I’m sure you’ve already guessed that I’m going to agree to your ridiculous plan. Or let’s just call it what it is. Extortion.”“You have a choice, Miss Bennet,” he reminded her, sipping his bourbon.“Yes,” she agreed, bitterness coating the word. “Sacrific
He didn't even smile at her. In fact, he had that look on his face that suggested that he was very unhappy about something, and Vivian had this weird feeling that it was about her. "I trust you had a good weekend," he said. It sounded more like a statement than a question, and he seemed to get angrier as he spoke. "Yes, sir. I did" replied Vivian. "How was your weekend?" Scott's frown deepened. He had had an unpleasant week. His sister was getting better thankfully, but this whole thing with Bruce and Jennifer Bennet was getting to him. To make it worse, Vivian was out, attending parties with other men in the sexiest outfit he'd ever seen on her and it pissed him off. The fact that he was feeling this way about his Assistant only made it worse. And yet she stood there, in a sky blue office suit, looking so professional and innocent, that it was almost impossible to believe that she was the same person he'd seen in those damn boots and jumpsuit that looked like sin and he'd found i