Vivian stared wide eyed at him. "Me? Why me?" She asked. Scott almost winced. She sounded like the thought of attending a party with him was the worst thing she had ever heard. Did she really dislike him that much? Or was it because he wasn't that Michael guy? What the hell did she even see in him? He had no fucking idea. He hadn't expected her to scream and jump in excitement at the news, but the look on her face was just hurtful. Almost as if she was scared to be around him. He shrugged. "Well, you're my assistant" he said, and hoped that his statement would make enough sense. "Sometimes, you'll have to attend business events with me. Sometimes even travel trips too. This isn't just a party. A lot of potential customers and investors will be present and I will need you to be around."It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't entirely true. Yes, she'd have to attend some events with him, but this particular party wasn't one of them, but he just wanted her around. He'd even considered asking J
There was room to stand although, and, in an effort to find Scott, Vivian began to push her way forward, when she froze.Because he was there.Difficult to see, true, because he was surrounded by a nucleus of glamorous women who seemed to be straining towards him, drawn like iron filings to a magnet.But his presence was as unmistakable as it was remarkable. That tall, wide-shouldered yet lean body.The jet-dark hair and the glittering stormy eyes. And before they could be trained in her direction Vivian fled—making her way back through the hall and out through the exit door, like someone seeking sanctuary.The air was surprisingly clean and pure and scented, with only the faint drone of traffic reminding her that she was in the city. Vivian took a sip of her drink, but the wine almost made her choke when she sensed, rather than heard, someone behind her and she spun round to see the tall, dark figure watching her, unmoving , the dark eyes unreadable, and she stood, rooted to the spot
"Stop it." Vivian said softly. "But why," Scott questioned softly, taking the glass from her unprotesting fingers and placing it on the table next to his, "Why do you say that? When you don’t really want me to stop it?’ "Yes, I do, Mr Mc—""Scott…" he corrected again. "Scott" she whispered, but he must have read the lie in her eyes and on her lips. "I don’t think so. I know it's been tough at work—but we’re no longer at work. No one from the office is even here so we are free to do what the hell we want. You want me. We’ve been fighting it and I don’t want to fight it any more. I know what you want, honey, ""Stop it," she whispered again, but he took no notice, just gave a low laugh as he caught her by the waist, drawing her behind the scented seclusion of the thick, scrambling honeysuckle and into his arms."Say it once more—with feeling," he whispered.Say it? She could scarcely breathe, her senses were so full of him and the heady perfume of the flowers. He pulled her closer a
"I just wanted to make sure you got home safe," Scott said. It wasn't much, but it was such a sweet gesture that Vivian couldn't help a smile. She just couldn't figure the man out. Sometimes, he behaved like an asshole that she wanted to scream at him, and other times, he was such a gentleman. A gentleman who knew exactly how and where to touch her to make her shiver. "Yes I'm home" she replied simply. "Don't you care if I'm home?" he asked mockingly, "Damm woman, you know you can be mean sometimes."Vivian chuckled softly . Imagine him calling her mean! It was the joke of the century. "Fine, are you home now, Mr McCall?" she asked, smiling, and she was glad that he couldn't see her. "Yeah I'm home." Scott replied, "And please call me Scott, damn it. We're not back in the office now, are we?" "It doesn't change the fact that you're still my boss," Vivian said, but she was talking more to herself than him. Like reminding herself that she was going down a dangerous route. She'd jus
Vivian shifted, her fingers aching from gripping her arms too tight. His anger showed in every line of his tanned skin. But she refused to be intimidated. "I talk. But you have to realize you haven't asked me anything or any question I have to reply to. You do this all the time." she challenged back. She regretted the comment immediately, because he suddenly lurched forward, his calm demeanor gone in a single sharp blink of his eyes. "Explain what you mean by that," he commanded."I…No." Feeling her cheeks start to heat, Vivian lowered her gaze."You damn well will, Vivian" he countered harshly. "And you will do it right now!" "Why are you angry with me?" she queried hotly." You instructed me to go through the documents and I did. Did I do something wrong?"She knew damn well why he was angry and was trying to divert the subject, Scott recognised, narrowing his eyes as he swung his mind back to the night of the party. "What the hell do you think —?" he shot at her."I don't know!" H
Damn! The silent curse burned its way around his head in protest for letting this thing between them go this far. Two damn long weeks after that night and she was still here driving him crazy.A curse locked in his throat. Vivian Sanchez might not like him, but she lusted after him with a fever she was too inept to keep hidden, though he was equally certain that she was not aware that she was so transparent.She made him think of a living, breathing sexual grenade with the pin dangling halfway out—half precocious woman, half infuriating child. She heat him up like no woman had ever done, and he wanted her in his bed!Scott made a grab at the thread of this discussion. "Call Senator Adams "he instructed." Tell him I’m no longer interested in doing business with them.""Me—?" Vivian gasped."Why? But I don’t —" "And bring me some coffee," he cut over her protest and sat forward to "And remind Anne to tell the account manager that I will be out for two hours at lunch." "But…Scott please
What if she took Betty's advice—?Scott hated that thought. "Damn," he muttered, not liking what was rattling around inside him. Where was the guy who focused purely on business? The guy who barely noticed a woman unless she was stretched out naked on a bed?Perhaps that was it. He needed a woman. Sex, he named it. A long night of seething hot passion with the kind of woman who could appreciate what he could do for her without expecting the whole heavy emotional bit by return. He was not possessive. He was not even mildly demonstrative like Vivian had dared to suggest. If he touched her like she said he did, it was done with attention to polite good manners and respect. She was the one who’d misread the signals.Okay maybe that was a lie, but he wasn't excessively obvious about it as she claimed. —---------Senator Adams Griffin was at first stunned by Scott's decision to pull out of negotiations, then he grew increasingly more angry by Vivian's apologetic inability to give him answ
Vivian opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't find the right words so she closed it again. Scott shook his head." Yeah, that's what I thought.""Scott, you don't understand." "I think I do, Vivian. Just forget it." The car stopped and Vivian looked out the window. They were already at the cheesecake shop. She returned her gaze to Scott, but he wouldn't even look at her and she felt very bad. "Thanks for the ride." she said. "Good night." "Good night, Vivian." Vivian got out of the car and hurried into the shop, feeling even worse than she felt in the morning. Scott watched her as she walked away. Damn her, he thought. Damn her for making him feel this way and putting him in this constant state of confusion. Then he withdrew his phone and canceled his date with Olivia. —-------Jennifer Bennet stood in the foyer and stared at the front door as the ring of the doorbell echoed through her house.Seven o’clock. Right on the dot, she thought and rolled her eyes. It was time to