ONE

Allie Mitchell was having a typical Monday. Too bad that it was actually a Thursday, she thought as she looked down at the tear in her jacket. She had torn it on a piece of metal in the parking garage that morning, and it had given before she had a chance to notice that the fabric was caught. Good thing it was on a side seam, she thought. Barely noticeable to anyone but her. But it just seemed to top off everything else that was going wrong that day. She had started the day with a cold shower, noting that she should call the plumber about the hot water heater before her friend Anna got back from a business trip this weekend. She then dropped her hideous pancake makeup on the bathroom floor and made a huge mess on the tile. While rushing around the kitchen, she had spilled coffee all over her sleeve, forcing a quick change of her outfit. And then her car's maintenance light came on when she started it that morning. All in all, not a good start to the day. So when she received her boss' summons to his office as soon as she got in that morning, she assumed that it would be more bad news. Stowing her lunch in the small refrigerator in the company break room, she slipped into the ladies' room to fix her jacket with a safety pin, and to check that her makeup was intact. She looked terrible, she thought as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. But that was intentional. She had gotten this job because her boss had wanted a matronly-looking woman who had no physical appeal whatsoever. When Allie had heard about the job from a good friend of hers in HR, she had jumped at the opportunity. But her friend had warned her that it would be a hard position for her to get. "Why? I'm completely qualified, and I would give away all of my worldly riches for a chance to work for Sean Greyson. He's a legend in the business world." "Your worldly riches wouldn't mean much to the man," Debra had laughed. "A used Honda and a small apartment with a few antiques is probably pocket change to him. But here's the thing...." Debra went on to explain that Sean Greyson's three previous secretaries, each with impeccable credentials, had all taken the position in hopes that they could seduce their rich, handsome, and successful boss into a relationship. Mr. Greyson was tired of the game. He just wanted someone to do the work, do it well, and leave him the hell alone. "So how will he weed out candidates? Do I need to wear a fake wedding band or something?" "No, one of his previous secretaries was married. Didn't make much of a difference to her. I guess she was prepared to trade up. I think your best bet is to downplay your physical attributes, and to play up your strengths." "Meaning?" "Wear nothing sexy or revealing to the interview. Pull your hair back into a bun or a pony tail. No makeup, or maybe something that actually looks bad on you. I can get you in the door to see him, Allie, but you're going to need to sell him on who you are. So be studious, serious... quiet. You're one of the most kind-hearted people I know, but just don't let him see the social side of you until later. Let him think he's hiring a repressed librarian." So Allie had gone to her interview in an ill-fitting suit with a blouse in a color that didn't suit her, and had done what she could with some old stage makeup that a friend had given her. She had been quiet and serious, and kept her personality hidden. And it had landed her the job. But unfortunately, one year later, she was still trapped in the old and poorly fitted suits, and wearing ugly makeup. At times, she considered slowly phasing out the old clothes and starting to wear outfits that fit her better, both in size and personality, but she knew that her boss trusted her and was happy with her work, and she really saw no reason to rock the boat. The one time she did her hair differently, he had looked at her long and hard, and she had panicked. The next day, it was back in a neat bun. With one last look in the mirror, Allie left the ladies room, went back to her desk to pick up her notebook and appointment book, and headed toward Mr. Greyson's office. The door opened just as she reached it, and Sean Greyson stood in the doorway to usher her in. Tall, with an impressive air of authority about him, he intimidated Allie without even trying. It didn't help that he was so handsome, she thought. His dark hair was turning grey around the temples, but that only seemed to add to his distinguished appearance. His eyes were a unique shade of green that seemed to change with his mood. Right now, he was completely focused on business. "Come on in, Allie," he said, as he turned back toward his desk and motioned to one of the chairs in front of it. "Sit down, and let's get through the planning for the Montreal trip. Did you book everything?" he asked, sitting back down behind the desk and pulling his planning book toward him. "Yes, sir. You are in the same suite as last time, and your flight leaves on Thursday morning at 7:00. You return on Saturday morning on a 10:15 flight, so you'll be able to attend the dinner on Friday night." "Is Joe available?" "Yes. He'll meet you at the airport and will be available to drive you anywhere for the next 48 hours without any problem. He said to let you know that he's found a new lunch place for you." Sean nodded, and then quickly moved on. "And you have a full meeting schedule for me, I assume." "Yes, sir. It's all in your Outlook calendar, so you have it on your Blackberry. Most of the meetings are scheduled to give you a bit of time in between them in case you are running late or want to check messages, but your Friday morning is booked fairly solidly. I had trouble fitting everything since Charles wanted a 10:00 that day. But take a look, and if there is anything you want me to change, I'm happy to do so." "Great. Thanks, Allie. The only other thing I need you to do for me this morning is to order flowers for Maureen. You have her information, correct?" "Yes sir, I do. What would you like the card to say?" "Just sign my name." Allie nodded and made a note to herself. She never knew if the plain signature was an apology, a thank you, or a farewell. Sean always took care of making sure that the women he dated knew where they stood at each phase of their relationship, so she never needed to get too involved. She just needed to choose an arrangement, and she generally chose different colored roses for different women. To her, the rose was a cliché, and trying to mix any other flower in just seemed too personal. So she stuck with roses, and so far, she'd managed without confusing any of the women. "Anything else sir?" "What are you working on this morning?" he asked. "I'm typing up some letters for you to sign, returning e-mails asking for appointments, and generally just making sure that everything is in order before you go. Is there anything else you need me to concentrate on?" Sean shook his head. "No. I just need to finalize the Robertson contract by the end of the day. If I need anything else, I'll let you know." He stood then, intending to walk out behind Allie to go see the firm's lawyer about the Robertson deal, and waited as she stood and gathered her things. Allie turned to go, remembering at the last moment her appointment book that she had left on one of Sean's chairs. She turned abruptly to go back for it, forgetting that Sean was directly behind her until it was too late. She careened into him, losing her footing, and falling directly into his arms. He caught her easily, and set her upright, but held her arms loosely with his hands as he looked carefully into her face. "Are you all right?" he asked. Allie just nodded her head. "I'm fine, and I'm very sorry. I left my appointment book..." she started to explain, but her voice died off as she looked up into the green eyes of her boss. His expression was one of concern, but Allie felt his hands slowly moving along her arms, almost caressing her through the thick material of her suit jacket. She doubted that he even knew what he was doing, but it was doing very interesting things to her own equilibrium. Pulling deliberately away, she moved back toward where she had been sitting and picked up her book. "Sorry about that," she said quietly as she reached the door again, book held in front of her like a shield. "I'll get out of your way now. And I'll try not to run you over in the future," she added, trying to keep things light. Sean didn't say anything as Allie slipped past him and moved out into the hallway. Having her fall into him like that had been more than unexpected, he thought. It had been most unwelcome. His assistant was a mouse, he thought. A shy little mouse, who wore ill-fitting clothing, and never seemed to get any sun. And while she was the best assistant he'd ever had, he never thought of her as a woman. The last three secretaries that HR had sent him had all been lovely, but all of them were clearly in the market to date him, not to work for him, and none of them had lasted longer than a week. Allie was different. She showed no personal interest in him at all, and her ability to know what he needed before he'd even asked for it was amazing, if occasionally disconcerting. So while she was nothing like the beautiful women that he dated regularly, either physically or in temperament, that was exactly how he preferred it. The problem was, he'd never touched his assistant before. And when she'd fallen into him, he had realized that she was a lot smaller and... well... curvier than he'd given her credit for. All of that tweed made her look large and boxy, but he realized that she might actually have a decent body under all of that tweed. But it didn't matter, he knew. She was his assistant, and he refused to date his employees. And a decent body didn't change the fact that she was a mouse. So why, he thought as he headed down the hall to see his lawyer, was he even thinking about this at all?

Allie was thinking similar thoughts as she sat down at the computer in her office, took a deep breath, and looked down at her frumpy suit. First of all, Sean was her boss, she told herself. And she wasn't interested in an affair with her boss. She wanted to be taken seriously, which is why she went to so much trouble to disguise herself in the ugly clothes and sallow makeup. So why was she now breathing so quickly, and why was her heart rate so fast? Who's kidding who? she thought dryly. Damn. If he hadn't touched her, she would have been able to go on thinking of him as just another man in a suit. But she had felt his hard muscles as she had slammed into him, and then felt his gentle caress as he made sure that she hadn't hurt herself. And now the attraction for him that she had kept hidden away for the past year had surfaced. Allie shook her head and sternly admonished herself. She was a professional, and she would continue to act like one. No doubt Sean had already forgotten about it, dismissing Allie as clumsy as well as mousy. So she would do her best to bury her feelings again. And that would be that.

The following week, Allie was just starting to gather her things together to leave for the night when her boss appeared in front of her desk. Allie jumped a bit, but immediately smiled up at him. "Mr. Greyson. I'm sorry, you startled me. Is there something you need?" Sean ran his hand over his face apologetically and said, "I'm sorry, Allie, but I need you to work late tonight. I need to finish hammering out the Thomson deal, and I really need you there to mark it up and be sure that we don't miss anything. Will that be a problem for you?" Hiding her disappointment, Allie shook her head and just said, "Nothing I can't work around, Mr. Greyson. I just need to make a phone call and then I can come back to your office. What do you need me to bring?" "I'm sorry if I'm forcing you to change your plans, Allie." Allie smiled politely. "It doesn't happen often enough for me to get upset, sir. I know this contract is important. Do you have copies of the paperwork, or do you need me to print them out again?" "I have them. Just come back after you make arrangements," he said. After Sean disappeared into his office, Allie picked up the phone and called her roommate. They had had plans to go to a local tavern that night for drinks and dinner with Anna's fiancé, as well as a few other friends from Anna's firm. "It's Allie," she said when Anna answered the phone. "I'm so sorry, but I need to work late tonight. I have no idea what time I'll be home, but just go without me." "Aw, Allie. I really wanted you to be there." "I know. I really wanted to be. But it can't be helped. If I can leave at a decent hour, I'll call you and find out if you'll still be there for a while. I'll come by if I can. I'm sorry, sweetie." "It's fine, you know," Anna said kindly. "I'll miss you, but I understand." "Thanks. You're the best. I'll talk to you later." Hanging up, Allie was surprised to see Sean lounging in the doorway. "You did have plans tonight," he said mildly. "Nothing that can't be changed," she said. "Let me just grab my notebook and I'll be right in." Sean stepped back into his office, wondering why he cared. His assistant's personal life was her own, and he had no interest in it. Still, it was clear that Allie had a boyfriend, and he was curious about what kind of man she was dating. Probably a computer guy or an accountant, he thought with amusement. Someone equally mild-mannered. But he hoped that the guy appreciated her. And that he got to see her in something other than grey or beige tweed. Allie followed Sean in, wondering why he was suddenly so interested in her personal life. He'd never asked her about it before, and never showed any curiosity in what she did after hours. So it was probably an anomaly, she thought. He was just being polite. Sean sat down in the couch in his office, and dropped his papers on the coffee table in front of him. Allie moved to a leather chair across from him, and arranged her notepad on her lap. "I'm ready whenever you are," she said to him. For the next two hours, they went through the contract page by page, with Sean pointing out things that needed to be changed, and Allie carefully taking notes and marking the document so that she could make the needed corrections. They took a couple of short breaks when Allie needed to find specific documents in the files, but for the most part, they worked straight through. By the time they came up for air, Allie's stomach was growling. "You were very obliging to stay tonight, Allie," Sean said as they began pulling papers together into orderly piles. "Not a problem, Mr. Greyson," she said quietly. "Still, make sure you mark this on your timesheet for the week. I'll want to ensure that you're compensated." Allie nodded. "I appreciate it, but it's not necessary. This is part of my job. I know that we still need to go over the details of the agreement. Would you like me to order dinner in, or were you planning a late supper after we're through?" "By all means, let's order something. That way, I can feed you, and we can just go home when this is done." Relieved, but carefully keeping her expression blank, she asked, "Do you have a preference for dinner?" "Anything that suits you is fine. Just get plenty. I'm starving." An hour later, Thai cuisine ordered, delivered, and eaten over surprisingly interesting conversation, Sean leaned back on the couch and said, "Excellent food choice, Allie. And it's good to have dinner with a woman who eats." Allie began to pick up the food containers, and looked up in surprise. "As opposed to...?" she asked Sean rolled his eyes. "A woman who pushes food around on her plate, then eats a piece of lettuce and says she's full." Allie laughed. "If you're telling me that I eat a lot...." Sean immediately held up his hands in front of him. "Oh no. I'm not saying that!" "You'd be right," Allie finished. "I think I have a high metabolism. I seem to be able to eat quite a lot without...." she stopped then, remembering that she was supposed to be appearing slightly overweight in her ill-fitting clothes. "Well, let's just say without putting on as many pounds as I probably should, given my diet." But Sean was looking at her through narrowed eyes, remembering the feel of her from when she had fallen in to him earlier in the week. It was none of his business, he thought. If his assistant wanted to wear ugly clothing, that was her call. As long as she got the work done, and done well. Still, he couldn't understand it. Most women would be flaunting a body like hers. But Allie was different. Still, he wondered what had happened to her in the past to cause her to be so modest now. Allie had cleaned off the remains of their dinner and was picking up her notebook again. "I can get started on these changes tonight, if you'd like," she told Sean as she leafed through the pages of notes she'd taken. "Tomorrow morning is soon enough, Allie. We're both tired tonight, and it will go faster tomorrow, and you'll make fewer mistakes if you're rested." "I don't make mistakes," Allie pointed out. "Not with these kinds of papers." "You're right," Sean said. "You don't. Still, a good night's rest is in order, for both of us. Unless you're going out on the town tonight?" he asked. Allie laughed. "No way. I'm headed home. I'll be here first thing, and I should be able to have this on your desk by 9:00 or so." "No rush," Sean assured her. "Come on. Get your things and I'll take you home." Shaking her head, Allie quickly refused. "No, but thank you. I've got a regular driver who gets me when I work late. I just need to call him." "Him?" Sean asked. "A boyfriend?" Allie laughed lightly. "A taxi driver. He's working his way through school, so I like to give him business when I can." "But do you have one?" he persisted, his eyes boring into hers. Allie looked confused. "One what?" "A boyfriend." Allie stood up straight then, holding her notebook in front of her like a shield. "Why are you asking me that?" "I just want to be sure that I'm not monopolizing your time so much that you don't have time for a personal life." Allie flashed him a quick smile. "My personal life is fine, Mr. Greyson. I'll see you in the morning." TWO

The remainder of the week passed quickly. Allie barely saw her boss, apart from early mornings and later afternoons when she would appear at his office door with an armful of papers to sign or comment on. He would take care of the work quickly, turn it back over to Allie, and then would shut himself back into his office to take care of other issues. On Friday afternoon, Sean called Allie into his office. "I need you to go with me to Vegas next week, Allie. I was hoping I'd be able to leave you here to hold down the fort, but I really need to have you with me. You have my flight and hotel information, so just call and add yourself to the bookings. Be sure to get in the same hotel, and get a seat next to me on the plane, if possible." "Yes sir. I'll make the arrangements. Stan Tully's secretary has already booked your meetings, so I'll just let her know that I'll be accompanying you. I know that you're staying a couple of extra days to meet up with some friends, so just let me know how long you want me to stay, and I'll book my return flight." "You're welcome to stay, Allie. You've been working hard, and I never know when I'll need you, so why don't you book a few spa treatments and enjoy a couple of extra days in Vegas?" Allie shook her head. "That's not necessary, Mr. Greyson. If you need me there, that's different of course." "I may need you. Is that enough?" "I'll take care of the planning, sir. Anything else?" When Sean dismissed her, Allie headed back to her desk and quietly made the arrangements to accompany her boss. She did this frequently, so it wasn't a lot of added stress for Allie, but she felt a slight twinge of anxiety this time. For the past year, the attraction she felt for her boss was easy to conceal and, in fact, easy to deny, even to herself. But something had changed this week. It was subtle, but it bothered her. Maybe it was the way he'd touched her in his office earlier in the week. Or the way he'd looked at her the other night, when she mentioned her metabolism. Or his sudden interest in her personal life. But Allie was uneasy about it. Traveling with a man she was very attracted to, but, in truth, deceiving... she would need to be on top of her game all week, and into the weekend. They left town on Wednesday morning. The flight itself was uneventful, though the seating in first class was a luxury for Allie. She didn't often travel with her boss, but when she did, she enjoyed being pampered. The one thing that was hard was being in such close proximity to him. Not only was it hard to keep her attraction to him hidden, but it was also hard to be so close, knowing that he may be able to see through some of the awful disguise she wore. So she usually wore her hair down on trips like these, so she could hide behind the curtain of hair, and keep her face from his perusal. It didn't really matter, Allie thought as the plane landed in Las Vegas. Sean had been buried in work the whole time, and only looked up when the flight attendant offered a drink, or when he needed to ask Allie a question. She had taken a book along with her to read, in between doing what Sean asked of her, but she spent a lot of time looking out the window, and even managed a short nap. "Mr. Tully will have a car waiting outside of baggage claim for us," she informed her boss as they wheeled their suitcases toward the exit. "Hopefully one that is air-conditioned down to about 50 degrees," she added wryly. "I forget how hot Vegas gets during the day." Sean laughed. "And you're buttoned up in your suit. If you want to take off your jacket, feel free. It's just me," he added. "Thanks," Allie said, but with no intention of removing any item of clothing in his presence. Fortunately, the suit she had worn this morning was fairly lightweight, and not nearly as heavy as many of her outfits. As they exited the airport, a driver in a light-colored SUV was waiting for them, and as Allie had hoped, the air-conditioning was on full strength. By the time they made it to the hotel they were staying at, Allie was actually chilly, and glad she'd kept her suit coat on. After checking into the hotel, they each went to their rooms to freshen up before the afternoon's meetings started.

When they arrived back at the hotel that evening, Allie stifled a yawn. Dinner had been delicious, but had been eaten during a long and fairly tedious conversation regarding corporate law. A nice meal in her room would have been so much better, she thought, but she knew that her boss relied on her to give him her impressions of their meetings, and she hadn't wanted to seem anti-social on their first evening there. "The car will be by for us at 8:00 tomorrow morning. Would you like me to have breakfast sent to your room, or would you prefer to eat in the cafe?" she asked as they walked into the lobby of the hotel. "Why don't you meet me at 7:00 in the cafe?" he replied. "We can get a quick breakfast and go over anything that we need to before the day starts." "That's fine," Allie agreed. "Then I'll say goodnight, and see you in the morning." "Would you care to join me for a nightcap?" Sean asked before Allie could walk away. Allie was surprised, but just shook her head. "Thank you, sir, but I've got a few things to type up before I go to sleep, and I want to be sure to be fresh in the morning." "Tomorrow night, then," Sean stated. "We'll be on our own for dinner tomorrow, and we can use the time to walk through any last details that we'll need to tie up on Friday." "Sure, "Allie agreed. "Good night, Mr. Greyson." As Sean watched her go, he vaguely wondered why he had asked her to join him for a drink tonight, and why he was pressing her to have dinner with him tomorrow. Normally, he would gladly eat alone, perhaps play some blackjack at one of the casinos, and maybe even enjoy a harmless flirtation. After all, it was Vegas. But for some reason, he enjoyed the company of his mousy little assistant. And it would be fun, he thought, to watch her in a casino. He wondered if she would play the slot machines, or roulette. Or would she stand shyly in the background, just watching him? The thought of that was intriguing to him, and again, he asked himself why. There was nothing about the woman that was like anything that normally attracted him. So why was he looking forward to a business breakfast with her the next morning? Sean headed into the bar alone. Allie may not have wanted a drink, but Sean needed one tonight. He needed to remember that he was here, alone, in one of the more interesting cities in terms of a night life. Why not enjoy it? Sitting down at the bar, he ordered a bourbon, then turned to look around the room. It didn't take long before a tall attractive woman with long blond hair sauntered up and perched on the stool next to him. And it didn't take much longer before Sean offered to buy her a drink.

Allie couldn't relax. She had changed her clothes, scrubbed her face clean, ironed her clothes for the next day, gone over her notes from the day's meetings so she was ready for tomorrow, and she still felt keyed up. She really wanted to go to the gym. But what were the chances that she'd run into Sean, she wondered. She knew that he was a morning exerciser. He ran and lifted weights before he showed up at the office, and seldom, if ever, ran at night. So she thought she was safe once she got to the exercise room, but the question was whether she'd run into him on the way there. He was probably still downstairs, or maybe even in one of the local casinos, so it was probably safe. Still, she needed to be careful. Pulling on her gym clothes, gathering her long hair back into a ponytail and tucking it into a cap, Allie knew that she would probably be more disguised in these normal clothes than if she tried to add a bulky hoodie or sunglasses to the look. Still, she threw a towel around her neck and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before taking the stairs down. Sean was on a higher floor than she was, and far more likely to take the elevator. The gym was on the same level as the bar, and she needed to walk by the bar to get to the exercise room. She hadn't realized that, or she probably would have jettisoned the workout idea. As she walked past, she took a quick look into the room, immediately spotting her boss with his arm around the waist of a beautiful blonde woman. He was looking her in the eyes and laughing, and he appeared far more relaxed than he ever did around her. The quick pang of jealousy that she felt took her by surprise, and she quickly moved past the open door. Using her key card, she opened the door to the exercise room. Thankfully, it was empty at this hour, and she was able to choose the equipment she wanted, but she was also aware that she was completely sunk if Sean chose to come in here tonight. There was no escape, and no way he wouldn't see her. For that reason alone, Allie kept her workout short but intense. By the time she finished, and crept back by the bar, her boss had obviously called it a night, either with or without the beautiful blonde, since he was no longer perched on a stool. Allie told herself that it was none of her business what had happened between the two of them -- Sean was her boss, a single eligible man, and this was Vegas. She shouldn't be at all surprised if Sean chose to have dinner in the company of a beautiful woman. And it was entirely possible that Sean knew that woman, and had invited her to meet him here. There was no reason he would have informed his assistant of his plans. With that thought in mind, Allie headed straight for the stairs again. She wasn't chancing getting caught in the elevator with her boss, whether or not he was heading to his room alone.

At 7:00 the next morning, Allie was sitting in the light-filled cafe, drinking her third cup of coffee. She had ordered a light breakfast of fruit and granola, and was waiting for Sean to join her. She had eventually slept well, though initial thoughts of her boss with the blonde model-like woman tormented her while she was trying to fall asleep. Still, she felt rested, and while she was still dressed in her awful suit and makeup, she didn't feel half-bad. At 7:15, just as Allie was starting to get worried that Sean wouldn't make it to breakfast, he appeared in front of her, pulling out a chair and reaching over to commandeer her carafe of coffee. "Late night?" she asked in amusement as he rather speedily tossed back the hot liquid and poured himself another cup. "Not too bad," he answered her as he settled into his seat and placed an order for a spinach omelet. "Did you sleep well?" "Yes, thank you. Would you like to go over anything this morning before we leave, or just read the paper?" she asked politely. "Paper, please. You've got everything we need for the day, I'm sure of it. Thanks, Allie." With that, he disappeared into the local paper, while Allie enjoyed her breakfast and watched her fellow diners. As she leaned her elbows on the table and sipped her coffee, she became vaguely aware of a woman approaching the table. Looking closer, Allie realized that it was the woman that Sean had been with in the bar last night. Unfortunately, she was moving so quickly that Allie didn't have time to make an escape before the woman stopped next to Sean, and touched his shoulder possessively. When he looked up, Allie noted a very quick glance of displeasure before he pasted on a face with no expression. "I had a nice time last night," she all but purred as she leaned down toward him, pushing her cleavage forward into his face. "Let me know if you'd like to repeat it tonight." Across the table, Allie barely avoided snorting into her coffee, but simply sat without making a sound. Sean reached up then and gently removed the woman's hand from his shoulder. "It was nice to meet you last evening, Shelly. I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay, but unfortunately, I have plans for the rest of my time here." Shelly looked over at Allie, who was trying to hide her amusement. "He's not your husband, is he?" she asked belligerently. "Oh heavens no," Allie said, smothering her laughter and waving her hand. "I'm just the secretary. He's all yours." Sean shot Allie a look of annoyance before turning his attention back to the blonde standing next to him. Allie took pity on him then, and stepped in. "He's right, though, Shelly. I've got him booked in meetings for the rest of the time that he's here. If you want to leave me your number, I can call if he has any cancellations. Otherwise, the rest of his travel is all work and no play." Shelly looked sympathetic then, and gave Sean a lingering caress on the shoulder before quickly writing her name and number down for Allie. "Feel free to call anytime," she smiled flirtatiously. "Even from home some evening... if you're lonely..." Allie watched the woman walk away before rolling her eyes. "I think she just invited you for phone sex," she said, matter-of-factly. Sean nearly spewed out his coffee. "What?" "You heard me. What else do you think she meant?" she asked. Sean shook his head, looking at his assistant in amazement. "Exactly the same thing, but I never expected to hear you say those words." Allie smiled calmly, then pushed her chair back. "We should probably get going, sir. The car will be here for us shortly." Taking one last sip of coffee and laying his napkin down in front of him, Sean stood up. "I'll meet you out front in five minutes," he said. Watching Allie pick up her things and walk away from the table, he was struck again by the contrast between the way that she looked and the way that she acted and moved. There was something very natural and graceful about her, despite the shoes and suit she wore. He couldn't understand it. But the thought of his little assistant even knowing about phone sex was disconcerting to him. And the sudden thought of her actually engaging in it was enough to make him want to kill anyone who was on the other end of a phone line with her. It was her mouth, he thought. Her skin tone may be awful, and she may need a few weeks in the sun to get any kind of coloring, but her mouth was the mouth of a vixen. It was beautifully shaped, her lips were naturally colored, and when she smiled, it changed her expression completely. Taking a deep breath, Sean shook his head and moved toward the lobby. He needed to get his mind going in a very different direction, or he'd end up saying or doing something completely inappropriate. And they had a long day of meetings ahead of them. But tonight, they'd go to dinner, and he'd explore these new thoughts a bit more. While he had no intention of acting on anything personal related to Allie, his new interest in her personal life intrigued him.

The day passed quickly, and when they got back to the hotel that night, Allie turned to her boss. "If you just want a quiet evening in your room with room service, please feel free to do that." "No," he replied, looking down at her with a stern look on his face. "I made reservations at my favorite restaurant tonight. Go get changed." Allie looked alarmed. "I didn't bring anything but suits. What you see is what you get. Are you sure you don't want to go alone tonight?" "No, Allie. I'd like your company, and I'd like your take on the meetings today. Meet me back here in half an hour. We'll go find someplace quiet for a drink, and then go on to the restaurant." Back in her room, Allie quickly reapplied her makeup, changed the camisole under her suit so she felt a bit fresher, and changed her shoes into flats. Trendier than heels, they still were far more comfortable than her standard work shoes, and would be better if they walked around a bit that night. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and added her glasses. Then, rethinking her outfit, she pulled off the camisole, added a light sweater in case she wanted to pull off her suit jacket, and then grabbed her purse. Heading downstairs in the elevator, she came out into the lobby and looked around for her boss. He was leaning against a wall, one hand in his pants pocket, waiting for her, and for just a moment, her breath caught. When they were working, it was easy to forget that he was so attractive, and so damn sexy. But when they took a break, as they did tonight, Allie wondered what it would feel like for him to be waiting for HER. For ALLIE, not for his assistant. If he were to look at her, and really see her. If she were able to dress for him, and not for the job. If he wanted her. Sternly telling herself to put those thoughts aside, she walked over to where her boss was standing. He looked down on her and frowned. "Something is different. You're shorter." Allie smiled. "Flat shoes tonight. My feet were killing me. I'm ready to go." "Great. Do you mind walking, or are your feet completely sore?" "I don't mind walking at all. These shoes are comfortable. And it's a nice night." They strolled downtown to the strip, and walked around a bit before Sean led her into one of the big name casinos. The bar was crowded, but not noisy, and they were able to get a small table in the back, where they could actually converse without shouting. "What did you think of the day's meetings?" Allie asked, once she had a glass of red wine in front of her, and a small bowl of nuts between them. "I thought it went fine. The only glitch was with their legal team, but they should get that worked out before Monday morning. Anything you see that I didn't?" Allie shook her head. "No, nothing unusual. I'll get the remainder of the notes typed up this weekend, and we should be ready to go when the paperwork comes in from their end on Monday or Tuesday." They spent the next 30 minutes or so talking about the day's meetings, before Sean finally said, "Good. I think we're caught up on everything. So we can relax tonight and talk about something other than work." "Absolutely," Allie smiled politely, her expression professional. "I'd like to explain about Shelly...." "Shelly?" "The woman from this morning. I know it sounded like we... well..." "Mr. Greyson!" Allie stopped him, appalled. "This is none of my business. What you do in your spare time is completely up to you." "We had a drink. That's all." "Why do I want to stick my fingers in my ears and say 'lalalalalala' until you stop talking?" Allie asked, reaching for her wine and taking a sip. "Did you really just tell me to shut up?" Sean asked, not quite able to believe that his shy little assistant had said that to him. "Why yes, sir. I did." Sean threw his head back and laughed. "You're unbelievable. In a good way, of course. Look, I just wanted you to know that I don't make it a habit of picking up and sleeping with strange women on business trips." "Mr. Greyson....," Allie said with a warning tone. But Sean's laughter had died. "It's important that you know this about me. That all my employees know this. Behavior like that could put my company in jeopardy." Allie nodded. "I understand what you are saying, but I think your employees trust you. They know you date. A lot. But I don't think anyone would say that you're not discerning. Can we change the subject now?" she asked, feeling her face starting to flush under her makeup. "Are you blushing?" "Yes. Subject change, please." "OK, let's talk about you. Are you discerning?" "What kind of a question is that? Of course I am." "Good. Because I don't ever want to think of someone taking advantage of you." Allie drained her wine glass. "I don't think you need to worry about that. I'm pretty capable of taking care of myself, and I don't really date a lot." "Why not?" "I'm busy. What time is our reservation?" "OK, I get it. Another subject change. I'm running out of subjects." But Allie shook her head. "No you're not. We still have religion, politics, culture, music, international affairs, domestic affairs, taxes, Hollywood gossip..... you name it." "I want to know more about you," Sean said, leaning back in his chair and pinning her with a piercing gaze. "I'm boring. Taxes are more interesting. Talk to me about your musical preferences. Or Hollywood gossip. That would be interesting." "If I were to tell you that I used to be in a band, would you be shocked?" "Like a school band? A marching band? A grunge band?" "A marching band?" Sean asked, putting his hand over his heart. "What, you think I played the tuba?" "I can kind of see that," Allie teased. "But seriously, tell me." The conversation flowed easily after that. Allie was relaxed in the dark atmosphere of the bar, less concerned that her boss would be able to see past her disguise. And Sean was amazed at how the dim light brought out the highlights in his assistant's hair, and hid the sallow tone of her skin. She really could be quite pretty, he thought. Without a lot of effort. After they finished their drinks, Sean took Allie to the restaurant he had chosen, an exclusive steakhouse on the Boulevard. It was an amazing meal, and the only thing Allie regretted was that she was here as an employee, dressed in really hideous clothing, instead of as Sean's date, dressed in something fantastic and sexy. But Sean had a way of making her comfortable, and before she knew it, she felt perfectly at ease, and even flirted a bit with the sommelier. "Leave the poor man alone, Allie," Sean said with a sigh. "Excuse me?" "That tweed you wear can't completely disguise your figure, Allie. Poor Daniel was falling over himself to look down your jacket." Allie flushed, pulling the fabric closer together and sitting up straighter. "I doubt that, sir, "she said quietly. "But I appreciate the warning." "I didn't mean to embarrass you, sweetheart. I just don't think you realize the impact you have on men when you smile at them." Allie just looked down, her eyes anywhere but on Sean. "I think I'm done," she said quietly, setting her fork on the plate and resting the napkin next to her on the table. "If you'll excuse me, I'll run to the ladies room." Sean's eyes narrowed as he watched his assistant push away from the table and head in the direction of the restrooms. He had embarrassed her. But he wasn't sure why. She was shy, that was clear, but she seemed like she had been less so lately, particularly around him. He wondered why she was so sensitive to compliments, and why she seemed able to flirt with other men, but was so serious and so self-conscious around him. When she returned to the table, it was clear that she had redrawn her armor, and she was back to her professional self. She sat across from him again, and pulled her napkin back into her lap, though the table had been cleared in her absence. "Coffee, Allie? Dessert?" Allie smiled politely. "That was a fantastic dinner, and I could not eat another bite. Seriously. Please take me back to the hotel and send me to my room and do not let me eat for the next week." Sean leaned back in his chair. "Are you tired? Or could I talk you into stopping at the casino for a while?" Allie's eyes narrowed. "Casino? Hmm. OK, I could do that. What do you play?" "Usually blackjack, sometimes poker, but I don't take it seriously. What about you? Are you a slots girl?" "I'm no kind of gambling girl," Allie admitted. "But I've always wanted to try blackjack." Sean's eyebrows went up. He didn't think his little Allie had it in her, but if she was interested, he was teaching her.

Two hours later, Allie was nearly skipping back to the hotel with delight. "I won. Did you see that? I won." Sean smiled indulgently. "Yeah, I saw that. I was right next to you, in case you didn't notice." "Wow. $40. I'm buying drinks tomorrow," she said, but then her smile died as she remembered that she was with her boss, and he probably had plans tomorrow night. Plans that didn't include her. "Oh, wait. Sorry. You're meeting your friends tomorrow. I knew that." "I think I can fit in drinks with you, Allie. In fact, if you want to join us...." But Allie backtracked quickly. "Oh, no. No. But thanks. Thank you. I..." "It's OK, Allie. After our morning meetings, you can just enjoy the afternoon tomorrow, and Saturday of course. Go to the spa or the pool, OK? We'll head to the airport at about 3:00 on Sunday afternoon, so you have plenty of time to just enjoy the weekend." "You don't need me?" "I'll call you if I do." When they got back to the hotel, Sean insisted on seeing Allie to the door of her room. "I had a really nice evening, Mr. Greyson. Thank you for dinner. And the blackjack lesson. I hope I'm not completely hooked." "It was a pleasure, Allie," Sean said as he took the key card from Allie and expertly unlocked her door for her. "Sleep well, and I'll see you in the morning." Allie smiled up at Sean and reached for the key card. As her hand touched his, she felt a surge of electricity, heightened by their closeness, and the subtle but enticing scent of his cologne. Clasping the card, she quickly said good night, then opened the door and slipped in before she could make a fool of herself. She was too vulnerable where this man was concerned. For all of her watchfulness, and all of her caution, it wouldn't take much for her to throw all of that away for a moment in his arms. And that made him very dangerous to her. Sean watched the door close between them, and turned to head to the elevator. He had felt the current between them too. And it was far stronger than he'd imagined it might be. There was something about his mouse of a assistant, he thought as he stepped into the elevator and pushed the button for his floor. Something that made him speculate about what was going on inside of her head, and what made her tick. And for the first time, he allowed himself to wonder what it would be like to find out. THREE

Weekends were healing to Allie. She scrubbed her face clean of all makeup, wore soft well-fitted jeans and t-shirts, and acted like a normal young woman in the city. She met friends for brunch, bought flowers from corner vendors, and stayed up too late watching movies or laughing with Anna about absolutely nothing. She cooked, she cleaned, and she let down her guard. Which was why she absolutely cringed at the idea of spending a Friday night at Sean Greyson's home, dealing with caterers and event planners, while he threw a large party to celebrate the finalization of the Thomson deal. There was no getting out of it, she knew. She was the only person that Sean trusted to ensure that the event went off without a hitch, and while she had not been in charge of the guest list or the entertainment, she knew the catering plans better than anyone. But she dreaded the evening, particularly since her nice evening clothes and shoes would need to stay in her closet. Now, dressed in an ill-fitting beige dress, with a pair of sensible heels and a pair of reading glasses with heavy frames, Allie stayed on the sidelines of the party, working closely with the catering staff to ensure that the event ran smoothly. Watching all of the glamorous people moving through the room, she felt a twinge of regret as she looked down at her own attire. She certainly was not dressed to impress that evening. "Allie? Is that you?" Allie looked up to see her roommate's fiancé standing in front of her. "Paul! What are you doing here?" "Believe it or not, I'm on the invitation list." "Seriously? I haven't seen the guest list, but that's kind of unusual, isn't it?" "You mean because Sean and I are mortal enemies?" Paul grinned. "I guess he decided on keeping friends close and enemies closer. Nate is here tonight too." "Oh my. That is a change. But I haven't been much involved in this event -- just in charge of the catering." "Come out back with me for a minute. I want to talk to you." Allie glanced around quickly, saw that things were running smoothly, and agreed. Grabbing a glass of wine from one of the roving wait staff, she joined her friend on the back patio. They chatted for a few minutes about the party and about the abundance of food and well-dressed people, before Allie finally asked, "So what's up?" "I want to ask you about Anna. I want to plan a honeymoon to knock her socks off, and I have no idea what she would like best. When we talk about travel, we end up all over the map. Any idea where she really would love to go?" "Oh, that's super easy," Allie grinned, leaning back against one of the stone walls. "Italy. Rome, Venice, Florence..... In college, she read The Agony and the Ecstasy, and kept me up nights telling me all about the genius of Michelangelo. Take her there." "Italy? Really?" "Really." "So here's where you've run off to," came a deep voice from behind Allie and Paul. Allie looked up to see Sean standing in the doorway, a deep scowl on his face. "Allie, I need you inside -- the caterers are looking for you." "Oh for heaven's sake," Allie said, letting her exasperation show for a moment. "I was just in there. What trouble could they have gotten into in five minutes?" she asked rhetorically. Turning back to her friend, she said, "Paul, it was nice to see you. Enjoy your evening." Sean stood to one side, letting Allie move by him into the house, then looked back out at Paul, standing on the patio. He and Allie had looked very comfortable out here together, almost like old friends. And why had they been discussing Italy? he wondered. It was where he was thinking of expanding his business, but he couldn't remember if he'd mentioned it in front of Allie. Was his assistant passing information to his competitor? He couldn't imagine it, not really. Allie might be shy and mousy, but she was smart, and he never had had reason before to question her loyalty to his company. The situation bore watching, he thought. And it was worth asking her about. Later.

Much later that evening, Allie's feet hurt, she was tired and cranky, but all the guests had finally left. She was in the process of settling up with the caterers when Sean came into the room. "When you're done here, come into my study. I want to talk with you for a few minutes." Allie was surprised, but she tried not to show it. "Sure. I'll just be a few more minutes." After helping the caterers load up the last of their gear and locking up the back door behind them, Allie headed back into Sean's study before calling her usual cab-driver to take her home. The door was open, but Allie knocked anyway to get his attention. Sean looked up and waved her in. "Have a seat, Allie," he said immediately. "Would you like a drink? A glass of bourbon, perhaps?" Allie shook her head. The last thing she needed tonight was a nightcap. One sip and she'd be sound asleep on her boss' couch. "No thank you, Mr. Greyson," she answered. "It's late. I should be getting home." Sean shook off the hint. "In a minute, Allie. I want to ask you about something. " Allie couldn't think what he might be asking her about that couldn't wait until Monday morning. "If you're concerned about the response to David Foster's letter, I sent that out before coming here tonight." "I'm not concerned about that. You're responsible. I figured you'd get it out this afternoon." "Then is something wrong?" she asked. "Come in and sit down," Sean ordered, waving at the couch. Allie moved forward and perched gingerly on the edge of the seat. Standing up, Sean moved out from behind his desk and sat down on the coffee table in front of Allie. When he leaned forward, Allie moved back in the chair, not wanting him to get close to her. "I want to know how you know Paul Mason." Of all things for Sean to ask, this was one of the most surprising. "Paul? He's a friend of a friend. I know him socially. Why?" "You looked fairly cozy out on the patio tonight." "With Paul?" Allie couldn't quite get her head around what Sean was asking. Was he asking her if she was involved with the man? That was actually kind of funny, she thought. "Yes," Sean said with exaggerated patience. "With Paul." "You're asking me if I'm involved with Paul," Allie said, needing to clarify where her boss was going with this. "Yes, I am," he said. "Are you?" Allie sighed. "I'm going home, Mr. Greyson. Like I said, it's late." With one quick motion, Sean shifted forward, his legs on either side of Allie's, essentially trapping her in her chair. "What are you doing?" she asked, panicking slightly. Close quarters like these might mean that he'd see the streaks of the horrible makeup she wore, and wonder. "Let me up, please." But Sean didn't move. He was more than a little uneasy at Allie's panicked response, since it could easily mean guilt. Instead, he moved his legs a bit closer together until they touched Allie's, and he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "Mr. Greyson, please. Let me up." "Tell me about Paul." But Allie wasn't thinking about Paul at the moment. All she could think about was the man in front of her. Her boss. His hard legs pressed against hers, and his green eyes roamed her face. Allie fought hard against the sudden attraction that came rolling in. Again. The same attraction that she had fought against for ages, and seemed to have to beat down every few weeks or so. They had worked closely together for over a year. They talked. They occasionally traveled together. They occasionally ate together. But apart from a few light touches on the shoulder or the arm, he had never ever touched her. And now, within the space of just a few days, that was changing. And it terrified Allie. As long as she thought of him as her boss, as a machine that dictated what she did and when, she could keep her feelings buried deep inside of her. And she needed to keep them buried. She knew what had happened with Sean's previous secretaries, and she was not going to let that happen to her. She was good at her job, and she was learning more than she'd expected when she took the position. The moment she let her attraction to Sean show, she would be moved on. Maybe not out of the company, but out of her position. She needed to get a hold of her feelings. Sean was watching carefully as his mousy little assistant looked everywhere but at him. He knew the effect he had on many women, but he knew his Allie, and she was unaffected by him, so this reaction of hers must be something else. And he intended to find out what. "Look at me, Allie," he said firmly, his voice a touch chillier than she'd ever heard it before. She forced herself to look him in the eyes, but dropped her gaze almost immediately. Let him think she was shy, she thought. She didn't need him looking at her that intimately. "Tell me about Paul," he said again. But Allie shook her head and sighed. "Look. It's late. I'm tired. We can talk through anything that needs to be talked about at the office on Monday. But for now, I need to go home." "You're not going anywhere until we've cleared this up." "There is nothing to clear!" Allie said in exasperation, looking at him at last. "You are the boss. I'm the employee. When it comes to professional things, I do as you tell me to. You pay me well for that. But this is after hours, and this has nothing to do with work. " "It has everything to do with work." "How do you figure that?" "Paul is a competitor." Allie crossed her arms and looked indignantly at her boss. "And you think I'm selling off trade secrets? I'm not sure whether to be more insulted at the fact that you think that I'm that disloyal to you or my employment, or that you think that the only reason he could be interested in me is to get at those secrets." "Come on, Allie," Sean said, leaning back a bit to give her some space. "What? Which is it?" "I know you're loyal to me, Allie, and to the company. But sometimes, a guy like that comes along, and..." "And what? The poor little homely secretary falls for the big powerful businessman, who entices her into pillow talk to get the information he needs? " "You're not..." Allie had had enough. She stood up within the confines of her boss' legs, and tried to push them out of the way so she could move away from him. But it was like trying to move boulders. Short of climbing onto the couch or straddling his leg, she was stuck. "Let me go," she said quietly. "Not yet. Sit back down." Allie tried to reign in her temper. "You may be my boss, but you do not own me. Now let me by. If you need me, I'll be in my office on Monday morning at 8:00." But Sean refused. "No. Sit down, Allie." Sighing, Allie lifted her head to the ceiling and counted to ten. "Look. I'm not interested in Paul. So that takes away any concern on your part about what I tell him or talk to him about." "Sit. Down." Sean's tone of voice at last got through to Allie. He was angry. Furious, really. And Allie had no idea why. She had seen him get angry before, but never at her. He never ever lost his temper with her. Allie sank back down onto the couch, crossing her hands in her lap and waiting. With exaggerated patience, Sean stood up and began pacing the room. "You are my assistant. Because of that, people may try to get close to you to find out about specific things I do. I don't know a lot about your personal life, but you strike me as someone who is a bit shy and a bit naive. I do not want you to end up in a compromising position, just because you think that someone cares for you when they are using you." "You are getting more insulting by the minute, Mr. Greyson," Allie said mildly, though inside she was fuming. "I may be shy, but I'm not naive. And when it comes to Paul, you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. And you're dead wrong." She stood up again. "I'm leaving, sir. Before I say something completely subordinate, and before you insult me so badly that I can no longer work for you." But Sean was between her and the door, and he stood his ground, a large and intimidating figure, particularly in the dark suit he was wearing tonight. "No," he said, almost casually. "You're not leaving yet. Not until I tell you that you can." "What do you want me to say?" Allie asked in exasperation. "That I'll stay away from Paul? I can't do that. I run into him from time to time. That I won't ever talk to him again? Again, I can't do it. I actually like the guy. But I have never, and would never, talk to him about you, about my work, or about anything that you are planning. What more do you want from me?" Despite his imposing figure, Sean moved quickly when he wanted to, and within seconds, he was standing directly in front of Allie, his hands reaching out to grasp her shoulders. Looking down at her, he shook his head slowly. "I'm not sure what I want from you, Allie. I just know that I don't want you to get hurt. And I certainly don't want you to get hurt because of me." Allie reached up to try to dislodge his hands. "I'm a big girl, Mr. Greyson," she pointed out. But Sean was looking down at where his hands grasped Allie's shoulders. "You're actually quite small," he said slowly. "A tiny girl dressed in a big girl's clothing. Why do you do it, Allie? Why do you wear clothing that doesn't fit you?" Allie yanked herself away. "What I wear isn't your concern, Mr. Greyson," she said quickly. "I wear what I'm comfortable in." "Most women would wear clothing that shows off their bodies. You hide yours. Why, Allie?" Allie closed her eyes and prayed for patience. When she opened them, Sean was watching her carefully. "Mr. Greyson, my private life is not your concern. Now will you please let me go so I can call a cab? I'm not only tired, I'm getting increasingly irritated, and more and more likely to quit. So if you don't want to spend all of next week training a new assistant, you need to let me arrange for a car to come for me." Sean shook his head, smiling slightly. "You won't quit," he assured her. But Allie wasn't smiling when she said, "No, probably not." "I think I'll take you home myself," Sean said quietly, shoving his hands in his pockets and leaning against his desk. "Not necessary," Allie protested. "It's late." "And by the time you call your driver and he makes it out here, and then gets you home, it will be much later. You did a lot of work tonight, Allie. The least I can do is drive you home." Allie sighed. "All right," she agreed. "Can we please go now?" Sean nodded, then motioned for Allie to proceed him out the door. Again, he noted how poorly her dress fit her, both in style and color, but he would cut out his tongue before mentioning it to her again. She chose the dress for a reason, he thought. And it was none of his business. Settling Allie into the passenger seat of his car, he moved over to the driver's side. He had had Allie in his car many times before, and never thought anything of it. But tonight, the car seemed too small, the passenger seat too close, and he could smell the soft scent of the woman next to him. Forcing his attention to the road, Sean drove Allie home, his movements sure as he took the curves of the roads with ease. By the time he pulled up in front of Allie's apartment building, the tension between them was thick. "Thank you for the ride," Allie said quietly as she pulled her coat around her and reached for the door. "You're welcome," Sean said, keeping both hands firmly on the steering wheel. "I'll see you on Monday." "Monday," Allie repeated as she opened the door and stepped out of the car. "Enjoy the rest of your weekend." Sean waited until Allie was safely inside her apartment before pulling away from the curb. He had wanted to walk her to the door, he realized, but knew that doing so was inviting trouble. Allie was nothing like any woman he had ever been attracted to, and he had worked alongside her for over a year without ever feeling any attraction at all to her. So what was different now? What had changed? It was true that he now realized that she had a pretty amazing body under those awful suits. And he genuinely liked her as a person. But her skin was awful. Her hair was awful. Those glasses she wore were awful. But when she had looked up at him with those soft eyes, as she had in his study tonight, something had shifted. He had wanted to kiss her. And that, he thought, was a problem. He could not and would not get involved with Allie. First and foremost, she was his employee, and he was not interested, ever, in dating an employee. That's why he had lost secretary after secretary -- Allie was the first in a long string of assistants that had been indifferent to him, and therefore productive. Second, he could not even imagine what people would think if he turned up at any event with her on his arm. She was nice, she was sweet, and the vultures would eat her alive. And third, well... he couldn't think of a third. But this was obviously just a passing thing, particularly since nothing had ever happened between them before. And it could just keep on passing through, as far as he was concerned. He was going to keep his hands and his thoughts to himself, and this wasn't going to even be an issue.

When Allie walked into her apartment, Anna and Paul were sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee. Paul looked up at his fiancée's roommate and shook his head. "Wow. You look a little different than you do around here on the weekends, sweetheart. I was surprised to see you looking so... well...." "Awful. You can say it, Paul. It's deliberate." "I gathered that. But why?" "Because the last three secretaries that Sean Greyson hired were all interested in him, or at least in his wealth. He finally refused to hire anyone under the age of fifty, or at least happily married. I figured that if I could show him that I was just a competent but sexless young woman, interested only in my job and my cats, he'd give me a chance. So I wear makeup that makes my skin sallow, I dress in shapeless suits or dresses, and I talk to him about nothing except work. I do absolutely nothing to appear attractive to him, and nothing to call attention to the fact that I'm female." Anna spoke up then, rolling her eyes. "And she's leaving out the fact that her last boss thought that secretarial duties included out-of-office activities." Paul looked closely at Allie then, and said, "The man may be many things, but he is not an idiot. And given the way that he reacted tonight when he found you talking with me out on the patio, I'm not sure that your strategy has worked." "Oh, it worked all right. He just thinks that you're seducing the poor homely secretary in an attempt to learn all his secrets." "Oh please. Did you tell him that I'm madly in love with your roommate?" "I figured that would give him even more ammunition to distrust me. I just told him that I wasn't interested in you, and told him that he was being insulting." "And he took that well, did he?" Paul asked with a grin. "Oh, about as well as you can imagine. But at least he acknowledged that he was being an idiot, and let me leave." "You should have left with me." "Yeah, if I didn't want a job waiting for me on Monday morning," Allie grinned. "I'm going to go take a good long bath, and then I'm going to bed. Have a good night, you two." FOUR

On Monday morning, Allie was in the office early, trying to get through some filing before the workday officially started. She was already fielding calls and answering e-mails when her boss walked in at 8:30. "Good morning, Mr. Greyson," she said politely, putting a caller on hold. "Good morning, Allie. How was the rest of your weekend?" he asked, equally politely. "Fine, thank you. Gregory Liles' secretary called this morning to see if we could move your meeting back by a few hours. I was able to do that, but I had to make a few changes on your schedule for the day to fit it in. There's a print-out of your calendar on your desk. And I need you to sign the Arrowfund contract before you do anything so that I can have it notarized and sent out this morning." Sean nodded. "I'll do that. Listen, Allie. About Friday night..." "Nothing to talk about, Mr. Greyson," she said shortly. "And I've got Dan Peters on line one for you." Sean gave his assistant a hard look, but just nodded. “When is my last meeting today?” “You’re done at 4:00 today, but you have a dinner date tonight at 7:00 at Guillermo’s.” “I’m going to need to cancel that. Can you…” “Make the call and send flowers. Yes, sir. I’ll take care of it.” “Thanks, Allie. I may need you to work late with me tonight, but only if you don’t have other plans.” Allie nodded, and smiled. “My plans tonight were doing laundry and cleaning the kitchen, so you’re in luck. I’m happy to stay.” “Great. Go ahead and put Dan through,” he said with a nod, heading back to his office. After calling Guillermo’s to cancel her boss’ reservation, Allie called his dinner date for the night. She hated making these calls, but the women that Sean dated seemed to know the drill, and while they were often frustrated with him for changing plans, it never seemed to be enough of an excuse to break up with him. Allie frequently took the brunt of their frustration, but keeping her cool was fairly easy. And the women were usually history within a few months anyway. After hanging up with his date for the night, Allie called the florist to order roses. Sean’s last meeting ran late, but Allie had plenty to do to keep busy until he was ready for her. She caught up on some correspondence and cleaned out her inbox, both physically and electronically, and was just getting ready to take care of some more filing from the morning when Sean walked in. “Thanks for staying, Allie,” he said as he shrugged out of his suit jacket. “No problem, Mr. Greyson. Let me know when you’re ready for me and I’ll be in.” “Give me ten minutes, and then come on back. Bring your notebook and laptop – I want to take care of some long overdue paperwork.” Allie nodded, and as Sean walked back to his office, she pulled out her laptop and turned it on. She didn’t use it often, preferring the larger screen and keyboard of the desktop, but it was occasionally useful, particularly for work like this, when her boss would frequently dictate entire paragraphs to her while she frantically typed. She took a quick break to use the restroom and to make sure that her makeup was still in place before joining her boss in his office. Moving a table over in front of her chair for the computer, she was soon ready to work, and just waited for Sean to join her. The work went smoothly, and Allie was amazed at how much they made it through in just a few hours. As before, they took a break after a couple of hours and ordered take-out food from a local restaurant, and then continued for another two hours. By the time they looked up and took a breath, it was close to 10:00. Sean looked at his watch and cursed softly. "I had no idea it was so late, Allie. I'm sorry for keeping you so long." "No problem, Mr. Greyson. I'm glad we had the chance to work on all of this -- it takes a lot of issues off of my to do list. I'll be able to take care of most of this tomorrow morning." "Feel free to come in a bit late tomorrow, Allie. There's nothing urgent on that list, and I can cover for a couple of hours." "Thank you, but I should be fine. Is there anything else you need tonight?" "No thanks. I'm leaving soon too. Can I give you a ride home, or are you calling your driver friend?" "I drove in today. My car is downstairs." "Good. If you can wait five minutes, I'll walk you out." "That's not necessary." "I know. But I'll feel better if you don't go out into the garage alone this time of night." Allie conceded, realizing that she had no good reason to refuse. Unless she wanted to tell her boss that she didn't like being alone with him. Or, rather, she liked it far too much. "OK. I'll get my things together." After she put away her computer and locked up her files, Allie pulled her purse out of her bottom drawer and hunted for her keys. She was swinging her purse over her shoulder just as Sean came walking out of his office. "All set?" he asked. "Ready," she responded. They waited together for the elevator, and took it in silence down to the basement garage. Sean was clearing some messages off his blackberry, and Allie just watched the floor indicator as the car descended. When the doors opened, Sean stepped back to let Allie precede him. Relieved, she waved casually at him to say goodbye, but Sean pocketed his blackberry and caught her elbow. "The full service package includes an escort to your car," he said smoothly. "Where are you parked?" "I'm over there," Allie said, gently pulling her arm from his grasp to point in the direction of her sedan. They walked side-by side over to Allie's car, and Sean waited patiently while Allie unlocked the doors and tossed her purse onto the passenger seat. "Thanks, Mr. Greyson. See you in the morning," she said as she opened the driver's side door. "I'd feel better if you let me follow you home, Allie," he said before she could get in. But Allie needed to get away, and if he followed her home, she knew she'd end up crashing into a lamppost or something because she wasn't concentrating. She forced a calm smile, and shook her head. "It's out of your way, sir. And I'll be fine. If you'd like, I'll text you when I get there," she added, pointing to his phone. "Do that, please," he told her. "And if you forget, I'll likely be knocking on your door in 30 minutes in a panic," he warned. "I can't imagine you in a panic," she said lightly. "But I won't forget. Good night." As she moved to get into her car, Sean reached out his hand and lightly grasped her arm. "I'd panic if I thought something had happened to you. Drive safely, Allie," he added, bending down and kissing her lightly on the cheek. He released her elbow and stood back then, watching until Allie was sitting in her car with her seatbelt on and the engine started before he began walking back to his car. Allie was stunned. She wanted to just sit in her car for a moment to collect herself, but knew that Sean would come back over if she didn't move to see what was the matter. So she took a deep breath, checked her rearview mirror, and backed out of her spot. After swiping her employee ID at the exit to the lot, she turned out onto the road and began driving home. It was a quick drive home, and Allie was parked outside of her apartment in less than ten minutes from when she had left work. She pulled her purse from the car and locked the doors, but hesitated before going inside. Anna would be home, and might be waiting up, and Allie needed a few minutes to herself before she had a conversation with her roommate. Instead of heading into the building, Allie walked down the block to the neighborhood coffee shop, which was thankfully still open at this hour. She ordered a cup of herbal tea, and sat down in one of the comfortable couches for a few moments. Pulling her phone from her purse, she quickly texted Sean to let him know that she was home, and then leaned back and closed her eyes. He had kissed her. It was only on the cheek, and it was obviously a kiss of affection and not passion, but he had still kissed her. Why had he done that? she wondered. Why now, after a year of working together, were things suddenly changing between them? If he didn't stop this new interest in her, she wouldn't be able to keep her guise going for much longer. And what would he say when he discovered the truth about her? She needed to start morphing back to who she was, she thought. Sean could take the credit. She could tell him that she was listening to him, and thinking about changing her wardrobe. And she could get a haircut. And she could... she stopped. She could do all of this, but gradually. And she needed to do it for her own sanity, and for her own integrity, not to seduce her boss. As attracted as she was to him, she was simply not interested in an affair.

Paul and Anna's wedding was approaching quickly, and while they were keeping the event simple and relatively small, there were still a world of details to work out. Allie had gone dress-shopping with her friend months ago, but now that the date was coming up, they needed to go in for alterations. So Allie spent most of the next several weekends with Anna, running errands, checking on arrangements, and generally keeping her calm as they checked everything off her list. And with Anna moving from Allie's apartment to Paul's house, packing boxes and bubble wrap were soon strewn about her place. "I can never find the damn scissors," Anna complained one evening as they were tripping over boxes in the living room. "That's why I stopped on the way home from work tonight and bought a pack of three. I think there's some scissor-eating gremlin that comes in here every night after we go to bed. But I'm tired of hunting for them. We can't lose three more pairs, can we?" Anna giggled. "I give us two days, and they'll be gone." "You're probably right," Allie grinned. "But maybe we'll have a fighting chance of finding one pair when we need them." "I can't believe the wedding is on Saturday," Anna said, sitting back and looking over at her best friend. "I can't believe it either. I'm going to miss you around here. Don't get me wrong, I'm completely happy for you, and I love Paul dearly, but it's going to be very quiet here without you." Anna reached over and hugged her friend. "Yeah, well you're not getting rid of me that easily. Keep my room ready. Whenever Paul travels, I'm coming over here for girl's night." "Anytime, my friend," Allie said as she hugged Anna back. "I'll keep the freezer well-stocked with Ben and Jerry's."

Sean sat in his home office, looking at the invitation to Paul's wedding that had come in the mail weeks ago. He had RSVP'd his acceptance, but now he stared hard at the invitation and thought back to the evening in his home when he had found Allie and Paul out in the garden together. Would Allie be going to the wedding? He could come right out and ask her, he thought, but he didn't want her to back out of attending if she thought he was going. He really wanted to see her in an environment like this. To see who her friends were. To watch her interact with them. To see her in something other than a baggy suit and sensible pumps. Surely she wouldn't wear THAT to the wedding, would she? Maybe he should ask her to go with him, he thought, but then quickly dismissed the thought. First, he wasn't completely sure she was invited, and he didn't want to hurt her feelings if she wasn't included and he was. Plus, she was still his employee. And he wasn't attracted to her, so why take her someplace if it could be construed as a date? He didn't want to lead her on -- that wasn't fair. Especially for someone like her, who probably didn't get out much. Taking a sip of scotch, he shook his head. Well, that was all true, except for the part about not being attracted to her. Because as crazy as it seemed, there was something about her that drew him to her. She wasn't pretty, she dressed like something out of a catalog for matrons, and she was so serious most of the time. She was not his type at all. So why did he suddenly want to pull off that jacket of hers and see what she was hiding underneath it? And why couldn't he get the thought of her from his mind? He remembered her playing blackjack and laughing when she won forty dollars. He smiled at the thought of her eating Thai food with gusto, or flirting with the sommelier at the restaurant in Vegas. But that was friendly, he thought. Wasn't it? He hadn't meant to kiss her the other night in the garage. He had meant to put her in her car and send her on her way. But the thought, even momentarily, of something happening to her had caused some sudden surge of affection to move through him, and the kiss was just a natural reaction to that. He clearly needed to date again, he thought. Since his last breakup, there hadn't been anyone who really interested him, but he should get out there again and see who he met. He needed to stop thinking of his secretary as anything but his assistant. And he needed to leave her alone before anyone noticed, including her. But the wedding, he thought. Would she be there? There was one way to find out.

The next day, Sean asked Allie to work on Saturday morning. "I'm sorry, but I can't, Mr. Greyson. Normally, you know I'd drop everything. But this is a personal matter, and I absolutely can't change my plans." "I need you with me, Allie," Sean said. "It's just for the morning, and just for a few hours." Allie sighed. "You're going to need to do without me, sir. I don't have the option of making a call and changing things. I'm very sorry. If you'd like me to find someone to cover for me, I'll do that. And if there's any way to change the date, I'd be happy to join you at any other time. But my Saturday is completely booked. I really am sorry." Sean told Allie not to worry about it. That he would manage without her this time. But he turned away with a slight smile. She was going to the wedding. He was sure of it. FIVE

The morning of Anna's wedding dawned bright and beautifully, and Allie spent the day with her best friend and Anna's sisters, getting her nails and makeup done and her hair styled before the ceremony. Anna, God bless her, had chosen lovely gowns for her bridesmaids in a soft rose color. The dresses were strapless, and gathered at the waist with a small bow. Allie, as maid of honor, was wearing a slightly darker shade of rose, which looked absolutely lovely with her coloring. Anna's dress was a similar style, but in a gorgeous cream color that made her brunette hair shine with life. Allie took one look at her friend and started to cry. "You look so beautiful, sweetie," she said as she took in her lovely appearance and her happy glow. "If you make me cry, I'll kill you," Anna replied with a grin. "Come on. Stop it. I'm going to have to redo your makeup, and if I get any on either of our dresses, I'll kill you all over again." Allie laughed. "OK, hand me a tissue. I'll blot up the tears and I'll be fine. A little extra mascara, and I'll be good to go."

Sean arrived early, wanting to sit toward the back of the church, out of easy sight of the guests. He wanted to see when Allie arrived, to see where she sat, and how close she really was to Paul. And he wanted to see what she chose to wear to an event like this. Surely it wouldn't be tweed, he thought. As the guests arrived, Sean kept a careful eye on their backs as the ushers seated each one, but nobody came in who looked anything like Allie. A couple of more matronly ladies came in, and were seated on Paul's side, but after a careful inspection, Sean could tell that they were larger than Allie, and a lot older. As the time of the wedding drew closer, Sean was starting to think that he was wrong. Perhaps Allie had somewhere else she needed to be. Maybe she had something going on with her family, or her boyfriend. But she had been so adamant that she couldn't change her plans. It had to be for something as momentous as this. Well, no matter, he thought. He'd stay for the ceremony, and then leave before the reception. Paul would understand, he thought. And he'd leave a nice check as a wedding gift. The music started then, and all eyes turned first toward the front of the church where Paul and his best man were standing, and then turned toward the back. The women were lovely, Sean thought absently. A simple wedding, simple dresses... this was the kind of wedding he would choose if he ever tied the knot. Paul was a lucky man that he was marrying the kind of woman who would choose this over a large formal affair. He absently watched the bridesmaids go by, then turned his attention to the maid of honor, who was starting down the aisle. She was carrying a beautiful bouquet of flowers, smiling broadly, clearly happy for her friend, and she looked..... wait. She looked familiar. Something about her walk, or her smile, or.... Oh dear God, he thought, as Allie passed by the row he was sitting in on her way to the front of the church. He felt like he'd been punched in the solar plexus. That was his Allie. And she was absolutely beautiful. Sexy. Stunning. Dressed in a gown that wrapped around her perfectly, molding to her curves, showing off every inch of her amazing body. And her dainty feet were strapped into amazing 3-inch heels. Allie had no idea that Sean was there. She walked right by him, her eyes focused on the front of the church. Sean watched as she moved into her position, and then turned with everyone else to watch the bride enter. And while she was a beautiful bride, Sean couldn't have told a soul what she looked like. He was too busy watching Allie as she performed the rituals of maid of honor for her friend. Why? Why did she hide behind the tweed and the baggy clothes and the eyeglasses, and even the awful makeup? He needed answers. Gone was any plan to leave before the reception. He was going to find Allie, and make her tell him what was going on. Because from where he stood, this was a problem. Partly because he now wanted this woman so badly that he needed to keep the church hymnal in front of him, and partly because he couldn't help but wonder why she had aimed to deceive him. After what seemed like an endless round of photograph-taking, the bridal party finally made their way to the Blue Heron Inn, where the reception was being held. It was both outdoor and indoor, and when Sean arrived, people were milling about on the lawn, holding drinks and chattering to one another as they waited for the bride and groom to show up. Normally, Sean would be deep in the mix of guests, since he knew many of the people here today, but he wanted to be on the sidelines. He had a lot to think about, and he still wanted the advantage of surprise when he found Allie. And he would find her. He would be careful, and he would time it right so that it didn't mess anything up for Paul and Anna, but he would find her. Allie was dancing with one of the groomsmen, and enjoying a harmless flirtation. It was clearly harmless, since Jeffrey referred to his partner of many years as "him," but Allie didn't mind. She was dressed in a beautiful gown and strappy heels, she was celebrating the wedding of her best friend, and the weather was absolutely beautiful. There wasn't a lot more she could ask for today, she thought. It was perfect. She was laughing at something Jeffrey said when she saw his eyes lock on to someone behind her, who was clearly stepping in to claim a dance with her. Swinging around, expecting it to be one of her good friends, her smile died abruptly when she saw Sean Greyson standing there. Jeffrey disappeared immediately, claiming thirst for a tall cocktail, and Sean stepped in, taking her left hand in his right hand, and clamping his other hand firmly at her waist. "Mr. Greyson," Allie said quietly, looking up into his eyes with trepidation. "Sean," he corrected, as he pulled her in a bit closer to his long form. "Oh Lord. What are you doing here?," Allie asked, still trying to get a handle on what this might mean for her. "I was invited," he said with a smile. A smile that didn't reach his eyes. "So this is what you keep hidden under all the tweed." He allowed his eyes to fall on the fabric where it settled over the swell of her full breasts, and down to where it angled in at her waist. "The dress is quite an improvement," he said dryly, his left hand lightly caressing the line of her hip. "Mr. Greyson," Allie started to pull away, but Sean held her tightly, not giving her an inch. "Sean, Allie. My name is Sean." His tone brooked no argument. Allie just looked away, trying to catch her breath. Not only was this a really bad turn of events for her professionally, but she now found herself in the arms of the one man that she was increasingly attracted to. And the dark grey suit he was wearing today only added to that attraction. The material was obviously expensive, and the suit draped perfectly over his hard form. The cologne he was wearing was subtle but appealing, and the way he was touching her was causing her pulse to race. This man was dangerous, she knew. And now, now that he knew her secret, the only defense she had was pure professionalism. "How was your meeting this morning?" she asked, trying desperately to fit back into the role of assistant. Sean smiled slightly, as if he knew exactly what she was trying to do. "We're not going to talk work this afternoon, Allie," he said conversationally. "Not until I figure out what the hell I'm going to do about you." "What.... what do you mean?" she asked. "You're not exactly who you have been putting yourself forth to be, Allie." Allie closed her eyes briefly, and nodded slightly, but then forced her gaze up to meet his. "That's true. But I've done nothing wrong, Mr. Greyson. I..." She felt his grip tighten, as he reminded her in a steely voice, "It's Sean, Allie." But Allie couldn't say his name. She just couldn't. Instead, she tried again. "Mr. Greyson..." Sean just turned Allie on the dance floor to move her away slightly from the rest of the group around them and stopped. He moved the hand that had been gripping her left hand and cupped the back of her head, forcing her face up to his. "Do you really want to have this conversation right now, Allie? I certainly don't mind, but I have a feeling that your friend Anna may not appreciate it." Allie sighed. "No, sir. I don't." She tried to pull away, but Sean did not loosen his grip. Instead, he moved both arms to encircle her waist and to keep her in his embrace. "I should go," Allie said quietly. "Anna..." "Anna is fine. She's enjoying her new husband," Sean said nodding in the direction of the newlyweds. "Dance with me," he added quietly, his gaze finding hers, and nearly drowning her in its intensity. "But..." Sean simply ignored the start of her protest and pulled her back into his arms as the band started playing a romantic ballad. And rather than keeping her at arm's length, Sean kept his arms looped around her waist. One hand moved slowly up her back, while the other remained fastened tightly around her. "Move with me, Allie," he whispered in her ear. "I want to feel you." Allie stiffly obeyed, but steeled herself against melting into him. Her movements were awkward, and she kept her head turned away. If she looked at him, if she really looked at him, she was in trouble. "Relax, sweetheart," Sean whispered in her ear. "Today I'm just a man you met at your friend's wedding. I'm not your boss." But Allie shook her head. "I can't." "Yes, you can," Sean insisted. He moved his hand gently over her back, caressing her soft skin, moving his lips to her neck and lightly kissing her behind the ear. Allie nearly groaned, and again tried to pull away, but Sean was holding her tightly, and the only way she would break free was to cause a scene. But she could feel him hard against her, and it both excited and frightened her. "Please, Mr. Greyson..." But Sean just moved with her around the floor, his mouth at her ear, talking to her in a low and gravelly voice, one that Allie had never heard before. "For months now, I've been attracted to you, Allie. Months. At least since Vegas, and probably before then. I knew that there was something about you that was different, but I couldn't figure it out. You made me crazy. You were dressed in some of the ugliest clothes I've ever seen, none of it fit you, and your skin... dear God, your skin. What did you do to it, wear stage makeup or something to look twice your age? But still, Allie. Still. I wanted you. The night I took you home from my house, I wanted to kiss you. "I went home that night and sat on my couch, and thought about you. I tried to figure out what there was about you that made me want you so badly. The only reason that I stayed away is that you worked for me. You were my assistant. But I didn't take you on any trips with me after that, since I knew that I may not be able to stop myself from taking you to my bed." Sean looked down at Allie then, and she saw the intense anger burning in his eyes, alongside something else. "Do you understand what I'm saying, Allie? Do you understand what you've been doing to me?" Allie shook her head and looked away, unable to comprehend what he was saying. She had done her best to make herself completely unappealing to the man, and to stay far away from him in every way but professionally. How could he possibly be telling the truth now? How could he have wanted the woman that she had pretended to be? For his part, Sean was trying hard to keep his own emotions under control. On the one hand, he was fuming that he hadn't seen through his assistant's guise. On the other hand, he wanted to take her to the nearest hotel, pull off the gorgeous gown she was draped in, and drive himself into her until he was completely sated. And it would take a lot, he realized, before he was satisfied. One of his hands moved down her back to the small of her waist, and pulled her forward, fitting her snugly against him. She could feel his hardness moving against her, and the desire she felt for him overwhelmed her. She needed to get away from him. Needed space and distance, or she would make a fool of herself on the dance floor. Pushing frantically against him, Allie's movements bordered on panic. Sean felt that, and immediately released her from the tight embrace, but continued holding her loosely by the shoulders. Leading her off the dance floor, he simply held her while she leaned into his shoulder, catching her breath. The music ended, then, and the cutting of the cake was announced. Without a word, Sean released Allie, who pulled quickly away and headed over to help her friend. For the rest of the afternoon and into the evening, Allie avoided Sean. She danced, she mingled, she laughed with her friends, but all the while, she felt his eyes on her. When she looked up, he was often engaged in his own conversations, but his eyes always met hers, and she knew that he was watching her. And Allie wasn't sure if what she felt in response was fear or excitement.

When Anna and Paul finally said goodbye to their friends and made their way to a local hotel, Allie lingered for a bit longer to talk to other guests, before she decided that it was late, and it was time to call it a night. She hadn't seen Sean around for a while, so she decided to try to make a break for it while the coast was clear. She had grabbed her tote bag and was just heading over to one of the cars that had been arranged to take guests home when Sean appeared beside her. "Ready to go?" he asked her, as if they had come together, and were now on their way home as a couple. Allie nodded. "I'll see you on Monday, Mr. Greyson." A muscle in his cheek twitched. "I'll take you home, Allie. Did you bring a coat?" "You don't need to do that, sir," she said quietly, remembering what he had told her earlier about the last time he drove her home. "Anna and Paul arranged transportation. I'll be fine." "That wasn't an offer, Allie. You and I still have a few things to discuss. Get your things, and I'll wait here for you." "Perhaps we should discuss them here," she said reluctantly. "Do not try my patience," Sean said mildly. "You're not in a good position to negotiate." Allie sighed. She supposed he was right. "Very well," she responded. Indicating her large tote bag over her shoulder, she said, "I'm ready." Sean's touch on her elbow to guide her over toward his car was light, but Allie knew better than to pull away. After working for the man for over a year, she knew his moods, and this one was a strange one. He was angry, but there was something else going on with him. Rather than aggravating him by trying to handle him, Allie decided to just wait him out. He would say what he needed to say when he was ready. After stowing Allie's bag in the back seat, Sean helped her into his car and made sure that her gown was fully inside before shutting the door gently. Moving over to the driver's side, he got in, started the ignition, and backed skillfully out of his parking space. "You can talk to me, Allie," he said with wry amusement, as he pulled out onto the dark road. "I have no idea what to say to you," she admitted. "Apart from anything related to work, and I know that's off limits tonight." "It is," Sean said in dry amusement. "But you've never had trouble talking to me about other things before. Even politics and religion, if I remember correctly." Allie smiled slightly. "You're right. But I'm having trouble tonight. I can't help thinking that you're furious at me, and it's hard to just talk nonsense with that hanging over me." "I am furious at you, Allie," Sean said quietly. "And there's not much you can say right now that would help." "Then I think I'll just stay silent, if it's all right with you." Sean looked over at Allie, who was sitting tensely next to him. "For now," he allotted.

Pulling up in front of Allie's apartment, Sean quickly got out of the driver's seat and moved around to help Allie from the car. He pulled her tote bag out of the back seat, and offered her his arm. Allie tried one time to leave him at the curb. "I can get that. Thanks for the ride." Sean just laughed without humor. "Nice try, Allie. Come on, I'll walk you to the door. Where are your keys?" Allie sighed, then reached into her bag and pulled out a set of house keys. Sean reached over and took them from her, guiding Allie up the walk as he did so. After unlocking the door, he handed the keys back to her. "Aren't you inviting me in?" he asked dryly. "Do you really think that's a good idea?" she asked quietly in return. "I do, and here's why. I intend to kiss you tonight, Allie. And it's not just going to be a peck on the cheek. So unless you want to give your neighbors a show..." "Mr. Greyson," Allie tried one more time to protest, but her attempt to keep things professional between them seemed to shatter Sean's patience. Without another word, he reached behind her, opened the door, slipped his arm around her waist, and pushed her firmly inside. Closing the door behind them, he dropped Allie's bag and clamped his hands around her shoulders, pulling her tightly against him, and then moving forward until she was sandwiched between him and the wall. His hands moved up then, framing her face and then pushing into her hair to hold her firmly in place. "My name is Sean," he growled at her. "Say it, Allie. And don't even think of calling me Mr. Greyson, or I won't be responsible for what I do to you." "But..." Allie started to object, but Sean just angled her face closer to his. "Say it, Allie," he demanded, his voice once again gravelly with need. "Sean," she breathed at last, her gaze falling to his mouth, which was clamped tight as he fought his own need for her. At the sound of his name on her lips, Sean's control snapped. His mouth descended unerringly to hers, and he stole her breath as he fitted his lips to hers. It was a full-on assault, Allie knew. It was a hard kiss, full of punishment, anger, and need. But it was the most amazing kiss Allie had ever had in her life. As Sean moved his mouth over hers, as he forced her to open for him so his tongue could seek hers, Allie lost all thought and gave herself over to feeling. As soon as Sean felt her respond to him, his plundering stopped, and was replaced by a seductive, sensual kiss. His mouth moved over her face, nipped at her ear, kissed her cheekbones and her chin, before again covering her own mouth with a kiss that spoke of his desire. Allie gave it all back to him, knowing as she did so that this is why she had kept herself apart from him for so long. She had known, from the start, that she was susceptible to this man. That all it would take was one kiss, one touch, and she would be lost. But now she had no choice. His direct onslaught took all of her inhibitions away. And she knew how badly she wanted this man. "Sean," she breathed again, as his mouth moved down her neck and nibbled along the top edge of her gown. "Please." "Please what, Allie?" he asked with a groan. "What do you want me to do?" Allie's response was to reach behind him, under his suit coat, and to run her hands firmly up his back. Standing on her toes, she fit her body perfectly to his, pulling one hand out to hold his head in place as she kissed him back with all of the passion she had kept hidden for months. Stripping off his suit coat and tossing it haphazardly onto the floor, Sean reached again for Allie, wrapping his arms around her and hauling her against him. His hands moved on her back, and she felt him seek and find the long zipper that held up her dress. As he slowly drew it down the length of her body, Allie felt the fabric loosening from around her body, felt cool air hitting her skin where the dress had warmed it. When the gown fell in a pool at her feet, Allie realized that she was now standing in her boss's arms, clad only in her strapless bra, her panties, and her sandals. He pulled back then, still holding her shoulders firmly as his eyes took in her slim form. Allie saw the passion burning there as his hand moved to gently stroke the tender skin above the line of her bra, and his eyes moved down to the wisp of satin and length covering her. "My God, Allie," he rasped, his voice thick with need. "You're beautiful." Reaching down, he took her hand and moved it to his erection, straining hard against his trousers. "Feel what you do to me, Allie. Feel how much I want you." But even though Allie wanted nothing more than to give herself to this man, and to feel him over her, inside of her, she needed to stop this. Despite what had happened between them today, he was her employer. And she couldn't, wouldn't, become a cliché -- the secretary who sleeps with her boss. Wrenching herself away, Allie picked up the gown and held it in front of her like a shield. "Wait," she managed to say, her throat tight with need. "Please." Backing away, Allie moved into the bathroom and plucked her bathrobe from the hook on the back of the door. Long and heavy enough to cover her, she slipped into it, knotted it at the waist, and left her gown hanging from the towel rack. Moving back out into the living room where her boss was standing, catching his own breath, Allie said quietly, "I have to stop." He nodded, restraining himself from reaching for her again. "I'll go, Allie, but we need to talk for a few minutes first. Where do you want to sit? And you'd better choose a place where there is some distance between us. I don't know if I can stop if I touch you again." Allie led him into the living room and sat in a chair at one end of the room. Sean sat on the couch at the opposite side of the room. When Allie was finally able to look him in the eye, Sean said quietly, "We will talk more on Monday. But right now, I just need to know why." Allie nodded. She looked down at her fingers, clasped in her lap, and then up at Sean. She held his gaze, knowing that she needed him to see her, to really see her, when she talked to him. She needed him to understand, and she needed him to believe her. "I wanted a chance," she sighed. Sean stiffened. His previous three secretaries had all wanted a chance with him too. They wanted a chance to make him fall in love with them, so they could marry him and his money. Oh, he knew well what wanting a chance meant to his secretaries. But Allie was still talking, and Sean forced himself to listen to her. Because the one difference between her and his other secretaries was that she never made a move on him. "I'm good at what I do," Allie was saying. "I just wanted a chance to prove it to you. But I knew that you wanted to hire someone different this time - - someone older, more sensible. Someone who wasn't trying to get the job so they could become Mrs. Greyson. But I also knew that you wouldn't see how responsible I was, even with my strong resume." She unfolded herself from the chair and leaned forward. "Please believe me. Deceiving you was never the goal. I never intended to hurt the company in any way. I wanted this job, and I wanted to work for you. That's it. I swear." Sean leaned back on the couch, one leg crossed over the other. With one hand, he rubbed his face wearily. "And now? What do you want now?" Allie didn't hesitate. "The same thing. I want to work for you. I love my job. I look forward to every day. It's interesting, it's challenging, and I learn so much from you." He stood up then, and walked over to where she was sitting. "And how do you propose we deal with this?" he asked, reaching down and gently caressing her cheek. She turned her face into his hand and softly kissed the palm of it before looking up at him. "We have to let this go. We have to." Sean grasped her shoulders and pulled her to her feet. Hauling her back into his arms, he leaned down and kissed her. Thoroughly. A possessive kiss. When he raised his face at last, he said quietly, "I'm leaving now, Allie, because I am very close to pulling you back into my arms and to hell with the consequences. So we're not done, Allie. Not by a long shot." But Allie pulled away. "We have to be," she said softly. "You're my boss. I can't sleep with my boss." With one last hard kiss, Sean moved away from her, reached down to grab his jacket from where he had dropped it, and headed to the door. When he got there, he turned around and held her with a gaze. "I'll see you in the office on Monday morning, Allie. We'll talk more then."

SIX

On Monday morning, Allie dressed in her usual work clothes. She left off the horrible makeup, and just scrubbed her face clean, pulled her hair back off her face, and shoved her feet into her normal pumps. Despite the ugly suit, she looked a little better, she thought. Not so much better that people would be talking about her, but better enough that she could take this a step at a time. She was at her desk and on the phone when Sean came in. She knew that he would be displeased with her clothing choice that morning, but was hoping to be able to explain it to him. Still, after how they had left things on Saturday night, Allie was kind of surprised that she still had a job this morning, and that he hadn't simply called her the next day and told her that she needn't bother to show up. When he summoned her to his office, she took a deep breath, then knocked lightly on Sean's door. He opened it almost immediately to let her in, and one look at his face told her that she was really in for it. His eyes were as cold as an arctic winter, and the firm set to his jaw only accentuated his icy gaze. She moved into the room, and he shut the door behind her. "Have a seat, Allie," he said quietly, his voice cold and stern. Allie sat down in her usual chair, pulling her notebook toward her like a shield. But Sean was not interested in providing dictation to his assistant. Instead, he stood a short distance away, leaned against his desk, and looked her up and down from her head to her sensible shoes. "I haven't decided what to do with you, Allie," he said quietly. "But I want you in the office tomorrow morning, dressed normally. I'm glad you chose not to wear any of that crap you've been wearing on your face, but the rest needs to change too. The disguise goes, Allie. Is that understood?" But Allie shook her head. "No," she said softly. "I will do it gradually, Mr. Greyson, but not all at once. If I show up looking like I did at the wedding, people will think...." "I don't give a damn what people will think. Your suits will fit you from now on. You will look professional." Allie looked up into her boss's eyes. "You may not care what people think, sir, but I do. You are the boss. You can do anything you want, behave anyway you want, say anything you want, and people will still listen to you and support you. Not me. I'm OK if they think that I'm gradually working on my appearance, but I don't want them thinking that I had a complete makeover, because they will think that I did it for you. To sleep with you. And that's not OK." Sean's eyes narrowed. "Was that your intention?" Allie looked puzzled. "Was what my intention?" "To get me so dependent on you professionally that when you revealed what an attractive woman you are, you'd get me to want more from you?" Allie looked at him incredulously. "You have got to be kidding me." "Other women have been more direct, but have been equally interested." "I'm not interested." But Sean just smiled coldly. "Yes, you are. Shall I prove it to you?" Allie just looked down at her lap, gathering her courage before she raised her eyes to Sean's. "I think you can easily prove that I'm attracted to you, though I had no idea how much until this weekend," she said honestly. "But I'm not interested in taking this anywhere. I love my job. I enjoy working for you. I don't want to jeopardize that." Sean's eyes narrowed. "Then tell me why I shouldn't fire you immediately for lying to me." "I never lied to you!" "You led me to believe you were someone you're not." "No, I never did. I just knew..." "Knew what?" "I knew what happened with previous secretaries, Mr. Greyson. What I told you on Saturday is true. I really wanted to work for you. Work for you, sir. Nothing else. But I knew you'd never hire me if you thought I was like them. I'm good, Mr. Greyson. You know I am. And I would never do anything unprofessional. But I needed a chance to prove that to you." "Seems like you managed to do something completely unprofessional after all, Allie." Allie's cheeks flushed bright red when she thought about her behavior at her apartment on the night of Anna's wedding. "I'm sorry about that, sir. Please chalk it up to the day, or the wine, or...." "I'm not talking about Saturday night. I'm talking about this," he said, waving his hand to indicate her outfit. Allie's eyes when bleak. He was firing her, she thought. There wasn't any other possibility, and truthfully, she didn't blame him. She should have slowly made changes to her appearance over time, while she had the chance. But now, it was clear that he neither liked her nor trusted her. "Is there anything I can do to fix this?" she finally asked. Sean moved around his desk and sat down in his chair, his arms folded on the surface in front of him. "I'm going to think about this, Allie. You're right -- you're the best assistant I've had in over a decade. So I'm not going to make any decisions lightly. But I expect you to make the changes I ask you to. If people think things about you, that's too bad -- you brought this on yourself." Allie nodded. "Yes, sir. Is there anything else?" "Nothing at the moment. Now go get the Foster paperwork and meet me back in here in ten minutes." Allie stood up. Back on solid ground again, her confidence returned. "It's sitting on my desk. I have the report back from legal on the contract nuance you were asking about as well -- I'll e-mail that to you before I come back in." "And Allie," Sean added as she was about to slip out the door. "Tomorrow. Decent clothes. Understood?" "Yes sir," she said quietly as she left the room and headed to her desk. Making a mental note that she needed to do some quick shopping at lunch, Allie slipped back into the role of perfect assistant.

The next day, Allie appeared at work in a beautiful light grey suit with a light pink camisole under the jacket. She drew the line at wearing makeup or styling her hair in a different way, but she knew that she needed to make an effort at dressing better or Sean was likely to drag her off at lunchtime and shop for her. And she was worried enough about appearances in the office. Already, three people had stopped her to tell her that they loved her suit, and to ask if she had gotten some color that weekend. By the time Sean came in to the office in the afternoon, Allie had made it through her entire in-box, and was working on catching up on her filing. She heard him come in behind her, and turned to look over her shoulder. He was leaning on her desk, flipping through the mail. When she looked up, he caught her eye and ran his gaze over her. "Better," is all he said. "Hair, makeup, and shoes are next. And the glasses." Allie rolled her eyes, but didn't argue. As he sat on her desk, Allie ran through her list of questions and issues with him, taking a few notes as he told her how to handle some of the problems. When they were through, Sean moved back to his own office, and Allie sat down at her desk to deal with the few things he'd asked her to.

By the end of the following week, the real Allie was showing up to work. Her hair was styled, though she often pulled it back into a neat pony tail. Her makeup was extremely light, but tasteful. Her shoes were professional, without being clunky. Her glasses were only on when she needed them to read. And she felt utterly and completely exposed, each time she went into Sean's office for anything. She had needed her old clothes and old disguise for far more than a way to get her job. She needed them to feel comfortable in her role. Now, even though she was fully covered and very professional in her attire, she still felt like her very life was bare and open to scrutiny. It was disconcerting, and she wondered if she would have felt that way if she had been honest about her appearance from the start. Her co-workers were far more accepting of the changes to her appearance than she had thought they would be. Allie was popular at work, both because of her personality, and because she often stood between them and their boss, who was less approachable than Allie. So when she started to dress differently, and started to look nicer at work, their response was not just positive, but enthusiastically so. In some ways, it bothered Allie more than if they'd been derisive -- she felt like she had deceived everyone there, not just Sean. So she just made more of an effort to be kind and accommodating, and nobody worried about her relationship with her boss. Which was good. Because, thankfully, nothing had changed between them. Sean had adjusted to her new look, and had stopped criticizing her attire. He treated her as he had always treated her in the office -- as a partner and a very competent assistant. And he seemed to have forgotten the night of Paul and Anna's wedding. Occasionally, Allie would feel him looking at her, but when she glanced up at him, she would find him looking beyond her, rather than at her, and feel silly for thinking he'd been staring. But for the most part, things were back to normal.

"What are you doing?" Allie had thought she was alone in the office, and the sound of her boss' s voice behind her startled her so much that she nearly knocked her head against the file cabinet drawer. Standing up, she rubbed the back of her head and shook her head ruefully. "Oh, you scared me, Mr. Greyson," she said with a slight smile. "I thought everyone was gone for the night." Sitting down in her chair, she looked back up at her boss. "I was trying to reach a folder that fell back behind the file cabinet. Which is a lot heavier than it looks, I should add." Sean sighed, his arms crossed in front of him. "You couldn't wait to call maintenance in the morning?" But Allie shook her head. "No. There's a business card in there that I need. I normally scan them and save them electronically as soon as I get them, but didn't for some reason with this one. So I need it tonight." Taking off his jacket, Sean moved over to the file cabinet, and easily managed to move it over far enough for Allie to reach back and grab the file before he moved it back into place. "Thanks," Allie smiled. "I appreciate it." "No problem. When you've got that taken care of, can you come back to my office for just a moment? I know it's late, but I need your help, and this should only take a minute." "Sure," Allie said, getting up to follow him back to his office. He stopped at his desk, and motioned for her to take a seat in his chair, facing his computer. When she did, Sean leaned over her back and pointed at the screen. "The IT team reinstalled my outlook files, and now the system is scanning every e-mail that I'm sending for spelling errors. It's annoying, and I can't figure out how to stop it. Can you make it go away?" Allie nodded, her attention on the screen "Of course," she said. With a few clicks of the mouse, Allie turned off the e-mail system's automatic spell check as Sean watched over her shoulder. "Anything else?" She stood up, bumping into Sean as she did so. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were right there." As he had months before, when Allie had careened into him in his office, Sean held her arms firmly to steady her, but this time was different. This time, he knew what was underneath his assistant's suits. And this time, he knew what she felt like, what she tasted like. He had been keeping his desire under control for weeks, but feeling her next to him, seeing her looking up at him so trustingly, snapped that firm control. His hands moved slowly down her arms until they reached her elbows. Gripping them tightly, he pulled her toward him, easily brushing aside her token resistance. Pushing back the files on his desk, and moving his chair away with his knee, he encircled her waist with his hands and lifted her to a sitting position onto the hard wood of the desk in front of him. His eyes on hers, he deliberately spread her legs with his hands and moved in between them until he was pressed up against the edge of the desk, and her legs were spread wide around him. "What... what are you doing?" she asked, her hands splayed on his chest, ready to push him away. "What I've been wanting to do for the last two weeks," he said softly as he moved one of his hands from her thigh to the back of her head. His other hand circled her waist and pulled her more firmly against him, his hardness nestled in the warm V between her legs. Holding her head steadily with one hand, his other hand moving her closer with each stroke on her back, he lowered his head to kiss her. And just like that, Allie's world exploded. The kiss they had shared in her apartment had been seductive, to be sure, but it was nothing like this. This was a kiss from a man who intended to have more. As his tongue moved between her lips and into her mouth, he thrust it in and out, sweeping her mouth, looking for an answering response. And there was nothing that Allie could do to prevent her own response to him. Absolutely nothing. She pulled her hands from between them and moved them around to his back to pull him closer, to thread her fingers through his hair, and to writhe her body against his as she tried to get nearer to his need. Sean's hands were on her head, holding her in place for his mouth, adjusting the angle, taking her breath with each added onslaught of his kiss. He felt Allie's tremors as he held her tightly against him, and took satisfaction in knowing that he was doing this to her. She wanted him, as much as he wanted her. Lifting his head from hers, he lowered his hands to her shoulders and gently pushed her slightly away from him, just enough to move a hand between them, to move to the buttons on her suit jacket, to push the fabric aside and take in the lace trim of her camisole, lightly lining her full breasts. Using the back of his hand, he gently moved his fingers over the fabric-enclosed nipples, grunting in satisfaction as they hardened still further at his touch. He reached down to pull the fabric of her camisole free from her trousers, moving his fingers up under the silky material, over her equally silky skin, and cupped her breasts through her bra. But it wasn't enough. He needed more. Removing his hand, he quickly stripped the jacket from her shoulders and pulled the camisole over her head, leaving her clad above the waist only in her bra. As his hands moved around her back to unclasp the garment, Allie at last came to her senses. "Wait," she breathed, pushing hard against him. "Please!" Sean immediately stepped back, his own breathing as ragged as hers, but kept his hands lightly on her shoulders until she looked up at him. The mixed emotions in her eyes stabbed at him. "Allie, it's OK. We'll stop. Just catch your breath." Allie reached behind her and grabbed her suit jacket, then hopped down off the desk and turned her back to Sean, pulling the jacket around her and buttoning it with trembling fingers. Dear God, she thought. This was her boss. She couldn't be doing this with her boss. As she adjusted her clothing, she felt his hands fall lightly on her arms as he leaned down and spoke softly into her ear. "You're right, sweetheart. This isn't the time or the place. But you make me so crazy that I forget that." His hands gently caressed her arms as he continued. "Let me take you home tonight, Allie." But she turned and moved away. "I can't," she said softly. "I'm sorry, but I can't." "Why not, Allie?" "I work for you, Mr. Greyson... Sean..." she quickly said, when she saw his eyes darken with frustration. "Allie, you know this isn't settled, right? That we will need to work through this?" She stopped at the door and looked back. "I do. I do know that." Sean nodded. "See you tomorrow, Allie." SEVEN

The next morning, Sean was back to business as usual, calling Allie into his office early in the day and working through his schedule for the next few weeks. "When is the Miami trip scheduled for?" Allie checked her notes. "Next month. You leave on the night of the 18th." "And London?" "That got pushed back. There was a scheduling conflict for one of the board members, so they had to cancel, but they haven't provided us with new dates yet. I'll check in again with Sara this morning to see if they have anything tentatively scheduled." Sean looked up at Allie over the top of his planner. "I may need you for the Miami meetings, Allie. Can you arrange that if necessary?" She shrugged "Sure. I can schedule a tentative booking, and we can cancel if we need to." "Do that, please, " Sean nodded. "Anything else, sir?" "Nothing for right now," he said. "I'm leaving the office early today. I've got a dinner meeting tonight, and there's a brief board meeting prior to the dinner, so I should leave here around 3:00. Feel free to take off when I do, Allie. You've been putting in a lot of late hours lately, and I'd like to see you have a break." "Thank you," Allie smiled. "It's a beautiful day. I just might do that." When Sean left the office at 2:45 that afternoon, Allie stayed around long enough to ensure that he didn't come back or call back with anything he'd forgotten, and then shut down her computer. She had arranged for all calls to be routed back to the switchboard, where the receptionist would take a message and call Allie if anything critical surfaced. She spent the rest of the afternoon outside, taking a run by the river and then taking care of some long overdue errands. She had made plans to join some friends for drinks after work, so she went home before that to shower and change. But the afternoon felt lazy to her, almost decadent. It was a nice switch from long days and late hours, and she reminded herself to thank Sean again the next day for encouraging her to leave early. She felt well-rested when she went into work the next day, which was clearly a good thing, since Sean was in a foul mood. His dinner the previous night had obviously not gone well, and it looked like there would be fall-out today. For the rest of the day, she ran interference for him with a lot of the staff, and tried to stay out of his way, apart from when he wanted something from her. "Allie, bring me the Wilson file," he called back from his office mid-day. Allie had it sitting on her desk, and picked it up to take it back to him. He was sitting at his desk, shirt-sleeves rolled up, looking simultaneously very angry, and incredibly sexy. When he took off his jacket, his muscles showed through the fabric of his shirt, and his physique was... well... amazing. Trying to shrug off the effect he always had on her, she knocked lightly on the door and walked in, the file outstretched in her hand. "Here you are," she said. "Is there anything else you need?" "About ten more hours in the day," Sean said with a frustrated sigh. "Where is Tom Cavanaugh? I think about half of this mix-up is his fault, and the other half is mine for not catching it before now." "I'll call his desk and get him up here. What else?" Sean shook his head. "Nothing for now. Thanks." "Can I order you some lunch?" Allie offered. Sean looked up gratefully. "Please. I'll eat anything at this point. Get something for yourself too, and come in here and eat with me. I need a break, and you and I can go over a few things before you get Tom up here." Back at her desk, Allie pulled out the stack of menus that she often used when they worked late, and chose a local deli. Ordering Sean's favorite sandwich was easy, and she selected an antipasto salad for herself. When the food arrived, she called back to him to let him know, and then carried everything back to Sean's office and set it on his coffee table. Reaching into the small fridge that she kept stocked, she pulled out a Diet Coke for herself, and looked questioningly at her boss. "Water, please. And can you shut the door?" "Of course," Allie said, moving back to quietly push the office door closed. Sean stood up from his chair and stretched before joining Allie on the couch. "Bad day?" she asked as he handed him his sandwich and drink. "Pretty bad," he grimaced as he accepted the sandwich and began to peel back the wrapper. "When your competitor calls you to tell you that one of your clients is seeking other options, you know that there's an issue." "Paul?" "Yeah. He's a good friend, despite the fact that we are often bidding against each other." "So what's going on with the client?" Allie asked, pulling the cover off her salad and digging in. Sean filled Allie in on the main issues, and why he needed to see Tim's financial files as soon as lunch was over, and Allie listened and asked keen questions. By the time they were done eating, Allie knew where she needed to go to get Sean some answers, and Sean felt a little better with some solid food in his stomach. "Thanks, Allie. Both for lunch and the company." "My pleasure. I'll go call Tom."

On Friday evening, Allie was finishing up some last-minute changes to a document when she looked up to see Sean standing in the doorway. "What are you still doing here?" he asked, surprised to still see her at her desk, since she had checked in with him a while ago to see if he had anything else for her that evening. "Just a few odds and ends so I can have them off my desk on Monday. I'm leaving soon. Are you on your way out?" "Shortly, yes. You don't have plans this evening?" he asked. "Not tonight. Fridays are usually my recovery night," Allie grinned. "I'll make up for it tomorrow night." "A date?" "Just dinner," Allie said vaguely. "Are you working this weekend? Will you need anything specific?" "I'll work from home a bit. But no, I think we're caught up on everything. Where is your dinner?" "A friend of mine is having a few people over. Casual. More of a backyard barbeque than a dinner, really." "Sounds nice." "You can come along if you'd like," she said without thinking, then blushed fiercely when he just stopped and stared at her. "I'm sorry, sir. I wasn't thinking. Of course you wouldn't want... and you must...." But Sean interrupted her with an unfamiliar look on his face. "I'd like that. If you're sure it wouldn't be an intrusion." Allie looked uncertain. "You don't have other plans?" Sean shook his head. "Nothing set in stone. And a barbeque sounds better anyway. Shall I pick you up?" "It's actually right up the street from me," Allie responded. Then, thinking 'in for a penny, in for a pound,' she asked, "Do you want to just meet me at my place and we'll walk up together?" "What time?" Sean asked. "Early. 5:00. Drinks and appetizers to start, and we usually end up eating closer to 8:00. But if you'd rather join us later, that's completely fine." But Sean shook his head again. "I have nothing planned. I'll be at your apartment at 5:00."

Sean fit in. Allie was sitting on the deck in a lounge chair, taking in the late-afternoon sun and sipping on a margarita, and watching her boss as he drank a beer and talked sports with the guys. She had been a bit worried that this would be awkward, or that he wouldn't enjoy her friends, but she should have known better. They guy was a chameleon. He fit in anywhere. "Allie, you are an idiot." She turned her head to the side and looked at her friend Fran, who was lounging on the seat next to her. "What did I do this time?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. "That man is the sexiest man I've ever seen, with the exception of my own husband, of course." "So why does that make me an idiot?" Allie asked. "Are you sleeping with him?" Fran asked. Sitting up in her lawn chair, Allie looked at her friend incredulously. "Of course not!" Fran rolled her eyes. "Then you're an idiot." Leaning back, Allie just sighed. "Frannie, he's my boss." "Then what is he doing here, at a barbeque with you?" Fran asked pointedly. "I have absolutely no idea," Allie sighed. "The invitation sort of slipped out." Her friend grinned at her. "Don't laugh. I just mentioned it and he jumped on it. Maybe he doesn't have friends to drink beer with." "Nice try. You can find beer-drinking friends at any local sports bar. No, he came with you. So I'm back to my original statement -- you're an idiot." "For heaven's sake, Fran. I cannot sleep with my boss. Talk about the biggest cliché in the universe." Allie took a sip of her margarita and watched Sean surreptitiously from behind her sunglasses. "I do not understand you." "I know," Allie sighed. "Sometimes morals are incredibly inconvenient." Settling back in her lounge chair, Allie gave a sigh of contentment. Good margaritas always made her happy, and sharing them with friends was even better. Sean looked over at her a few minutes later as he raided the cooler for another beer. He had shown up at Allie's place with two six-packs of good beer, and he was planning to enjoy at least a few bottles this afternoon. Pulling one out of the icy liquid it was sitting in, he screwed off the top and took a good long sip. Allie looked really good to him today. She was getting color from the summer sun, and her face glowed with good health. And those shorts she was wearing should be outlawed, he thought. If they were any shorter, they'd be non- existent. He knew that she had brought jeans with her to change into later, but for now, he was going to enjoy the view for as long as he could. By the time burgers landed on the grill, and the women had brought out fixings and side dishes, Sean was starving. He was used to eating late, but the smell of the grill and the fresh air combined to make him hungry enough to eat the table. The sun was going down, and Allie's friends had turned on strings of lights, so the setting was festive. Allie had changed into her jeans and pulled on a long-sleeved cotton shirt over her t-shirt, and she looked comfortable and very approachable. After loading their plates, Sean and Allie sat down next to each other on one of the chaise lounges, their drinks on the ground next to them. Allie took one bite of her burger and closed her eyes with delight. "Oh God, this is good. Whoever invented the grilled hamburger should be sainted." Sean took a huge bite of his burger and followed it with a swig of beer. "I completely agree," he said happily. "This is some of the best food we've had in a while. And I'm sure I can speak for both of us, since we've been sharing a lot of meals lately." Allie nodded, leaning down to pick up her margarita. "I love all of our take-out places, particularly since they are so fast, but this tops them all." After dinner, Sean and Allie got roped into a game of poker, and spent the next two hours laughing and chatting with Allie's friends before the evening started to wind down. As Sean and Allie left, Fran hugged Allie. "Remember what I said," she whispered. "I remember," Allie whispered back. "I'm an idiot."

The night was peaceful as Sean and Allie walked back to Allie's home. "Your friends are nice," Sean said, throwing an arm around her shoulder. "Thanks, I think so too. You seemed to fit right in with the guys," Allie observed. "Sports, beer, and burgers on the grill? What's not to like about that?" he grinned. Allie laughed. "I was in it more for the margaritas, but I see what you mean." She hesitated, then added, "I was surprised you came with me tonight." "Why is that?" Allie shrugged. "Doesn't seem like your thing. I guess I'm so used to seeing you in a tux or a suit, headed to a charity function, or a dinner date, or the symphony. Beer and burgers seems a bit more... well.... plebian?" Sean laughed. "Plebian? Allie, my parents were blue-collar. My dad worked in a steel mill, and my mom worked in a grocery store. Neither of them went to college, and a typical Saturday night away from the kids was bowling in the local leagues. They sent me to college, and I've gone way beyond what they expected, but I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I went to more than my share of barbeques growing up." "Well sure, growing up," Allie teased good-naturedly. "But when is the last time you held a bowling ball?" "Christmas Eve," Sean grinned down at her. "I took my niece and nephews bowling to get them out of everyone's hair." "Niece and nephews? You have siblings?" "You seem surprised." "Well yeah. I guess I am. Parents too. I thought you were one of those pod people that just popped out perfectly formed." "Perfectly formed?" "Pretty much. Maybe missing a foreign language or two, but you've taken care of that since then." Sean looked down at Allie with a grin. "How many margaritas did you have tonight?" "Probably one too many. Tell me about your brothers and/or sisters." "One of each. Both are married, both are teachers in the town I grew up in, and both are continually harping on me to move home." Allie laughed. "Families are like that, I think." "Your family too?" "My sister. I'm not really close to the rest of my family, but really close to my sister. But she lives in Minneapolis, and as much as I like the snow, that's a little too cold for me." "Your parents?" "They live in Ohio. They're nice people, but never understood how I could want more out of life than a husband and a bunch of kids." "You don't want that?" Allie looked thoughtful. "Eventually," she admitted. "But I didn't when I was 18, and I will never regret leaving home. If I'd stayed, I'd be miserable by now. I love my job. I never wake up and wonder about what might have been." "Glad to hear it. Glad to hear that you're not pining away for the Midwest, too." Allie laughed. "Far from it. So here's home. Do you want to come in for coffee, or do you need to head home?" Sean hesitated for half a beat, just long enough for Allie to remember that she was out with her boss, not a date. Just as she was steeling herself for his refusal, he nodded. "I'd love coffee."

"Here you go," Allie said, handing a mug of steaming decaf to Sean. He was seated in the Adirondack chair on the back porch, and she curled up on the swing with her mug between her hands. "This is nice back here," Sean observed. "Quiet." Allie nodded. "It's one of the reasons I rented the place. I feel like I'm in the forest back here." Leaning his head back on the chair, he looked over at Allie. "I had a nice time tonight." "I did too," she admitted. "I'm glad you came." "Thanks for inviting me. I know you didn't really mean to," he smiled over at her. "But it was what I needed this weekend. Sometime I get tired of all of the formal events I need to go to. I miss the backyard barbeques and kid's birthday parties." "Not many kids in your life these days? Apart from the nieces and nephews?" "No," Sean admitted. "I hardly know anyone with kids. Or if they have them, I never see them." "Do you miss it?" "Miss kids?" "No, miss having a normal life. Miss the church picnics, the baseball games, the fourth of July parades... all of that." Sean looked out into the distance. "Sometimes, yes. But then another deal comes along, and..." Allie chuckled. "Spoken like a true businessman." "I should get going, Allie," Sean said quietly. "This is nice, and I'd love to stay, but it's late." Allie nodded, uncurling herself from the swing chair and taking Sean's mug from him. Leading the way back into the house, she set their coffee mugs on the counter in the kitchen, and walked Sean to the door. As she reached for the handle, she said quietly, "Good night, Mr. Greyson. I'll see you on Monday." Sean held his hand against the door, preventing her from opening it. Looking down at her, he cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. "You do that on purpose, don't you?" he asked. Allie laughed. "Yes, but not for the reason you suspect." "And what reason would that be?" he asked mildly. She looked up at him. "I honestly don't do it to annoy you. I do it to remind myself who you are. When you're Mr. Greyson, you're my employer." His gaze softened. "And when I'm Sean?" Allie's eyes dropped to the floor. "You're more. Which is why you can't be Sean to me very often," she added, so softly that he barely heard it. Reaching out his hand, he gently cupped Allie's face, his thumb stroking her cheek. Bending down, he kissed her very lightly on the lips, then on her forehead. "Good night, Allie," he said. Reaching up, she curled her hand around his neck and pulled him down to her level. She lightly kissed him, her lips soft against his. "Sleep well," she said quietly before letting him go and stepping back. With one last long look, Sean headed for his car. He sat for a few minutes, wanting badly to go back into her home, pull her against him, and lose himself in her softness. She was becoming an addiction, he thought. A drug that he badly needed to make it through each day. And this was going to be a problem sooner than later. While she actually improved his productivity in the office, thanks to her organization and professionalism, she was whacking the hell out of his social life and his own sense of propriety. If he wasn't careful, others would soon notice his attraction to her, and that could be devastating for her reputation, and for general office morale. He wasn't fooling himself into thinking that his attraction to Allie would go away, or that he would be able to prevent himself from acting on that attraction. But he needed a game plan. A way to move forward that wouldn't hurt her, hurt his business, or affect the way that he worked. Simple to think about, he knew, but much harder to act on. EIGHT

"I hate Miami," Allie complained as she stepped out of the airport and straight into the heat of the city. Sean shook his head and smiled. "No you don't. You hate the humidity. Miami is fantastic." "You're right. I hate the humidity. How can people live in this?" "It's good for the skin," he chuckled. "Or so my sister tells me." "Thank goodness for air conditioning," she said firmly. "There's the car," she said, pointing to the white SUV that was sitting at the curb. "We have time to go to the hotel before your first afternoon meeting, if you'd like." "Let's drop off our luggage and find some lunch. I'd like to go over the sales figures with you before we meet this afternoon."

As they greeted their driver and loaded their luggage, Allie peeled off her suit jacket and folded it neatly over her arm. She knew she'd need it again once the air got cranked, but she didn't need to arrive at the hotel looking wilted. She waited patiently while Sean talked with the driver about their afternoon schedule, and then hopped into the back seat. Sean got in next to her, and pulled out his blackberry to check messages. Allie waited a few minutes before asking, "Anything we need to take care of?" Sean shook his head, looking over at her. "No. Looks like a quiet day back home, thankfully. So we can concentrate on things here. Do you have the files in here with you, or are they in back?" Allie pulled her briefcase toward her and extracted the files. "Here you go." For the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, Sean was all business, and Allie kept him organized and on track with all of his meetings. They took a quick break to go back to the hotel and freshen up before dinner, and then met clients for an early meal. After the dinner, Sean and Allie spent a few more hours working in one of the hotel's small business meeting rooms before they split up for the night. The next day was more of the same. After an early breakfast in the hotel restaurant, they spent the rest of the day in meetings, with only a quick break for lunch. Allie insisted on finding good pupusas, a specialty tortilla from El Salvador, stuffed with cheese, beans or meat. Sean indulged her, but after his first bite, ordered three more to follow. "You haven't had these before?" Allie asked in surprise. "No, and I don't know why not. They are delicious. I'll need to log about ten more miles on the treadmill tomorrow morning," he added. "Hey, if I have to deal with Miami humidity, at least I can enjoy Miami food," Allie grinned. They finished up their meetings at 4:00 that afternoon. Allie offered to look for flights back that evening, since they had finished sooner than expected, but Sean shook his head. "Let's go out and get a really good Cuban dinner. I'll ask the concierge to make us a reservation," he added. But Allie grinned. "Forget reservations," she said. "If you're game, let's just go over to Little Havana. The food is bound to be a lot better than at any of the gourmet Cuban restaurants, and I doubt we'll need a reservation." Back at the hotel, they changed out of their business clothes. Allie pulled out a sleeveless sundress in a soft blue color, and added a pair of beaded sandals. Grabbing a light sweater in case the night got chilly, she headed down to the lobby where Sean was already waiting for her. He was dressed in a pair of khaki shorts and a soft red polo shirt, and had on a pair of casual sandals as well. Little Havana was just as Allie remembered it from her last visit to Miami. Vibrant and full of life, the area itself was not really a great spot for tourists, but was home to amazing Cuban food and drink. They ate at a small restaurant recommended by one of the locals, and walked around a bit, but didn't stay late, since their driver warned that the place could get a bit dicey after dark. Instead, he took them down to Miami Beach, where they found a place on the water for drinks. "I take it back," Allie said as she finished her drink, then leaned back in the comfortable chair and felt the ocean breeze blowing softly through her hair. "I don't hate Miami at all. I could get used to this," she sighed. Sean smiled over at her. "Want to go for a walk by the water?" "Sure," Allie agreed. Sean settled up their check, and then pulled out Allie's chair for her and offered her his hand. She took it, and they weaved their way through the tables in the restaurant until they reached the sand of the beach. Allie bent down and pulled off her sandals, and Sean did the same. "This is nice," Allie said, as they strolled down to the water. She held her shoes in one hand, and with the other, pulled back her hair to prevent it from blowing in her face. "I love the ocean at night," Sean agreed. "It has a completely different feel from during the day. It's more powerful, and darker. In an emotional sense," he added with a grin. "I knew what you meant," Allie smiled. "I think I love it best in the rain." "Did you go to the ocean a lot when you were a kid?" "Not really. We stayed pretty close to home when I was young. But once I went away to college, the travel bug sort of hit me. And then all I wanted to do was see new things. I spent some time in the Keys, and then just traveled up the coast for a while." "I can't quite see you as a free-spirited nomad," Sean said seriously. Allie laughed. "I was a nomad for about five months. And then I decided that eating more than ramen noodles was a good idea, as was having a place to call home. So I got a job, and settled down a bit and the rest is history." "So I want to hear more about these free-spirited days," Sean teased as they walked along the beach. "Not much to tell," Allie shrugged. "I learned a lot about myself. And my own need for security, and a job I love. I worked some pretty awful jobs for a while," she said. "And I learned that I wanted to do something more with my life." "So you ended up working for me," Sean mused. "Is it what you hoped for all those years ago?" "More. Better. Like I told you a few weeks ago, I love this work. It's why I was willing to do anything to get the job, and anything to keep it. I can't imagine finding anything better." Sean came to a stop on the beach, looking out over the dark water. "If I had fired you..." Allie drew up beside him and dropped her shoes onto the sand beside her, where Sean had already placed his. "I would have found another job, and I may have grown to like it. But I would have always regretted deceiving you," she admitted. "I wish I'd had the courage to tell you." Sean shrugged. "I'm still amazed that it worked for as long as it did. I'm apparently a very gullible man." Allie smiled then. "No, you're not. We see what we want to see. You needed a competent and sexless assistant, and that's what I worked to give to you. Why would you look deeper?" "Sexless?" Sean honed in on one word. "Is that how you see yourself? Saw yourself?" Allie looked out into the darkness. "I guess so, yes. But mostly because I was trying so hard to be that. And the only way to be that was to feel that. Does that make sense?" "So you dressed in colors that didn't suit you, and clothes that didn't fit you." "Not much makes a girl feel worse than having ugly clothes," Allie said with a shrug. "But I added the glasses and the makeup and the hair for good measure. When I was working for you, I was someone else," Allie confessed. "I was me on weekends, when I'd go out, have fun, be with friends. But during the week..." "You were someone completely different. But how could you be happy with that?" he asked. "How could you love a job where you lost who you were?" Allie shrugged. "That's a good question. But I just loved the work so much that nothing else mattered." There was silence between them for a while as they each stared out at the horizon, lit from behind by the lights of the city. "You were never sexless, Allie," Sean said quietly. "You may have felt it, but it wasn't the truth. Even under that awful disguise, you were beautiful and sexy and warm. And that's what attracted me to you, even then." Allie turned toward Sean as his hands reached out and closed gently on her shoulders. He tugged her toward him, his arms moving around her back, his left hand circling her waist while his right hand buried itself in her hair. She melted into his embrace, her own hands moving around his back, both to steady herself and to pull him closer. When Sean lowered his mouth to hers, he moved it gently against her lips, while his hands held her to him fiercely. He kissed her over and over, gently, sweetly, moving his mouth to her neck, to her ear, and back to her lips. Allie moaned softly, a sound that she barely knew she made, but a sound that Sean heard. And it immediately made him hard. Moving his hands to her face, he angled her mouth to his and took her deeply, his tongue slipping inside her mouth, entwining with hers, a battle that neither sought to win. Allie went up on her toes, molding her body to his, and Sean took advantage of her position, reaching around her to grasp her and pull her tighter to his hardness. His hand moved from her back, around her waist, and up to her full breast. Allie gasped, and pressed her breast into his hand. His thumb caressed her nipple, causing it to harden under his touch. He slowly reached his fingers down under the bodice of her dress, pushed her bra aside, and gently moved his hand over her naked breast. Allie's head arched back as she moved against him, all thoughts of resistance gone. Her body was singing for this man, and she wanted him like she'd never wanted anyone ever before. She kissed him fiercely, wanting to show him what he did to her, and what she wanted from him. Sean heard the sound of voices before Allie did, and immediately pulled his hands from her dress and circled her waist with his arms, drawing her against him and holding her steady as they caught their breaths. The sound slowly began to penetrate the fog around Allie's brain, and she clutched Sean tightly in embarrassment. They stood there for several minutes, just two people looking out at the ocean, as a group of young college-aged kids strolled by them. They were loud and barely noticed Sean and Allie, which helped Allie to recover her senses faster. Finally, she broke free of Sean's embrace and bent down to gather their shoes from the sand. "Allie," Sean's voice was husky, his need for her unabated. "Sweetheart..." "I'm sorry, Sean. I didn't mean for this to happen, honestly." "I know you didn't, Allie. But you're in my blood now. And I hope to God that I'm in yours." Allie stood, her back rigid, looking away from Sean. She felt tears gathering in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall, refused to let him see her this vulnerable. When she felt that she could speak without her voice shaking, she said, "You're in every vein of my body. And I'm going to need to stop working for you, Sean. I'm going to need to resign." "No." His response was immediate. And stern. "I need you in the office now, Allie. We've got three major deals that are nearly cinched, and I'm not going to be able to train someone new and make those happen. If you want to leave, you can leave. But not yet." His voice softened then, as he reached out for her hand. "We'll figure this out, Allie." "How?" her voice was anguished. "I can't see you without wanting you. Without wanting this. I can't travel with you, because we end up here, in this same emotional place, every time." "What's so wrong with this, Allie? With us?" "I can't sleep with my employer, Sean. It's my own personal code. I'm sorry if it seems old-fashioned or..." "No, it doesn't. It's been my own ethical code for years, Allie. That's why none of the other secretaries lasted -- they wouldn't take no for an answer, and I wasn't about to say yes. But then you came along, and you got under my skin. And now I'm looking at all of my rules and principles, and wondering what I can compromise." "But you can't, Sean. That's why I need to resign," she said quietly. "I won't do it yet. I'll wait until I've trained a replacement, but I need to go." Sean's hand came up to caress her cheek. "What happened to your comments about this being the best job in the world for you?" "It's only the best job if I can do it, and do it well. And I can't do it well if I can't get my mind off of you." She looked up at Sean then, her hair blowing softly around her face. "If we could go back to three months ago, when you didn't know I existed, and I didn't know how much I wanted you, I would. But I know we can't do that." "No, we can't," Sean mused. Running his hand through his hair, he looked down at Allie, and cursed softly. "Let's go back to the hotel, Allie. We'll talk more about this when we get home, OK? Maybe when we're back in the office, back in a professional setting, we'll be able to work something out." Allie nodded. "Will you promise me one thing, Sean?" "Anything, sweetheart." "Will you make my leaving worthwhile?" she asked. Sean went still. A muscle in his cheek twitched. "What are you asking me?" he questioned at last, his voice so low that Allie barely heard it. "You know what I'm asking," she said in response. "Not tonight. Not next week. But someday, after I go." Gathering her in his arms, Sean's mouth sought hers with a need that he could barely contain. Holding her face firmly in his hands, angling her mouth up so that his own mouth fit perfectly over hers, he plundered her mouth with a passion that he couldn't control. Allie met his need with her own, but his strength and his desire was a force that swept over them both, and left them clinging to each other, out of breath and spent. After they'd caught their breaths, Sean lifted Allie's face to his. "Someday soon, Allie, I'm going to take you to my bed. I'm going to make love to every inch of your body, and you will be mine. You will belong to me. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?" Allie nodded, wanting that. Wanting him. Sean sighed. "Let's go," he said at last. "Before we kill each other out here with frustration." Together, they walked back to where the car was waiting for them, and they rode in silence back to the hotel. When they walked in the lobby, Sean turned to Allie, "You go on up, sweetheart. I'm going to go get a drink in the bar. If I get in the elevator with you, all bets are off for the night." Allie nodded. "Good night," she said quietly, turning and heading directly for the elevator bank. Sean watched her go. It was going to be a long night. NINE

When Allie and Sean returned to the office, they were pulled in many different directions. While they worked hard and worked long hours, they were careful to keep their work life separate from everything else. Sean traveled a bit on short trips, and Allie stayed behind, keeping in touch via e-mail and voice messages, but never talking directly, and never saying anything personal. It was as if they were both trying to return to the past, at least for a few more weeks. Sean was particularly careful to stay away from Allie. The thought of her resigning was troubling to him, as much because of how invaluable she was to him and is company, as the thought of not seeing her every day in the office. And while he knew that she was right, that this situation they were in would need to be resolved, he needed her now. There were too many balls in the air for him to lose her, train someone new, and get them up to speed while still juggling. So they walked on egg shells, saw each other infrequently, and only at work, and tried to pretend that they never took their relationship anywhere outside of the employer/employee realm. One Saturday morning, Allie was at loose ends. The weather was warm, and she badly needed a run. Pulling on her running clothes and shoes, she looked again at the morning paper that she had left open on her table. A small column on the front page was devoted to tonight's hospital benefit, and event she had completely forgotten about until this morning. As she started off on her run along the city's river, she thought about the benefit. It was an annual thing, and Sean was on the board so he went every year, always with a different beautiful woman on his arm. They were always photographed together, Sean and his date, and their photo frequently appeared in the society section of the newspaper. Last year, the first year that Allie had worked for Sean, he had asked her to arrange for flowers to be sent to the home of the woman he was escorting. This year, though, he had made no such request. Allie didn't kid herself into thinking that there was no date tonight. A man like Sean did not show up to these things without someone on his arm. But she wondered why Sean didn't ask for Allie's help for any of the arrangements. It would have been hard for her, she knew. She didn't want to be jealous of anyone Sean dated, but the recent changes to their working relationship were making it hard for Allie to see him solely as her boss. So she should have taken care of things for him. He should have asked her to. It would have helped her to put things back on the right footing. And she needed to date again too. It had been a while, more because she had been busy at work than for any other reason. She had plenty of opportunities, and her friends were always trying to set her up. But maybe now was the time. Maybe she needed to pull away from Sean, and maybe finding someone else to see from time to time would help her to do that.

When Allie got back from her run, she grabbed a bottle of water from her fridge and a towel from her closet and walked out onto her back patio to cool down. She had just plopped herself down onto the comfortable swing when she heard her cell phone ring. Standing up again, she grabbed the cell from the table where she'd left it and answered it, heading back out to the patio as she did so. "Allie, thank God you're home," Anna's voice was on the other end of the line. "What? What's wrong? Are you OK, Anna?" "I need your help. Do you remember Alex from the wedding?" "Of course. Paul's friend. The good-looking doctor, right? He was dating that really nice elementary school teacher, right?" "That's the one. Only Meghan walked out on him last weekend. You know the hospital benefit is tonight, right?" Allie groaned. "Oh no." "Come on, Allie. He honestly doesn't want to go tonight, but he needs to. It's important that the doctors show up tonight, especially those that are well- known to the board. I told him that I'd ask you if you were available and would be willing to go along, just so he didn't need to go alone. He agreed -- he said he'd go if you would be willing to go with him." "So why isn't he calling?" "Um, Allie, it's tonight. There is probably very little that he could say that would convince you to do this, and I'm probably one of the few people you won't say an immediate no to." "Well, that's true," Allie conceded. "But Anna..." "We're the same size. You can borrow one of my dresses. Please, Allie? Besides, it'll be fun. Paul and I will be there, and you and I can hang out by the buffet tables while all the men talk shop. Please?" Allie sighed. This had disaster written all over it. "I'll tell you what. I'll go under one condition. I come over there to get dressed, and go to the benefit with you and Paul. I'll meet Alex there." Anna's relief was palpable. "Oh Allie, I love you dearly, my friend. Now get your butt over here so I can dress you." After a quick shower to wash off the sweat and grime from her run, Allie dressed in a clean pair of sweats and shoved an assortment of underwear, shoes, and makeup into a tote bag. When she rang the doorbell at Anna's house, the door opened immediately, and her friend just reached out and hauled her inside. "Oh thank God, " she said as she pulled Allie through the house toward one of the guest bedrooms. She had pulled out an assortment of evening gowns for her friend to look through, and it didn't take long before Allie's eyes settled on her favorite dress among them -- a lovely dark olive green dress with a leafy pattern subtly woven throughout. It was cut in a modest sheath style in front, but the back and arms were bare. The skirt was long and slender, with a slit up one side to allow for movement. "I bought that one last fall for a dance that we never went to, so if you want it, it's yours." "I can't take your dress, Anna," Allie smiled. "But I'll gladly wear it tonight if you honestly don't mind!" "It will look better with your coloring than mine. Wear it." Three hours later, after a soak in the hot tub and a long hair and makeup session, both women were looking glamorous. Anna was in a long gold dress with a full skirt and a tight bodice. Both women had pinned their hair up -- Anna's was in a soft braid and Allie had hers in a loose bun, with tendrils escaping to frame her face. When they went downstairs to meet Paul, his mouth dropped open. "Wow. Anna, you are gorgeous. And Allie, you look a hell of a lot better than you did that night at Sean's place." As Anna playfully whacked her husband's arm, Allie's stomach dropped. How could she have forgotten even for one second, that Sean would be at this benefit tonight? And since it was so last minute, there's no way she could have warned him that she'd be there. He'd wonder why she didn't mention it, and he'd be right to be upset with her. Sighing, Allie knew that there really was nothing to be done about it, short of sending the guy a message. She wondered what he would make of a CU2NITE text.

Alex was waiting at the door for them when they arrived at the benefit, and he took one look at Allie and said, "Wow. There is not a guy here tonight who won't be wishing they were me. You look gorgeous." Allie smiled up at him. "Why thank you. And you look amazing yourself. I do love a guy in a tux," she grinned. Alex offered his arm to Allie as they headed into the large ballroom where the benefit was being held. "Thanks for coming tonight, Allie. I know this was short notice, and I appreciate it. I'm sorry if Anna badgered you." Allie laughed. "My guess is that she badgered you too. And it's no problem, Alex. I didn't have other plans tonight anyway, and this definitely beats take-out food." She stopped for a moment and looked up at him seriously. "Alex, I'm sorry about Meghan. Are you trying to work things out? You seemed so happy together at the wedding." Alex looked away for a moment, then back down at Allie. And in that moment, she saw his sorrow. "I don't know," he said quietly. "I want to, but the ball is in her court." Smiling sympathetically, Allie just said, "Well, tonight won't be easy for you, but I'll do what I can to help." "Thanks, Allie." Paul and Anna came up behind them as they stood at one of the small bar stands set up around the room. Paul and Alex each ordered a bourbon, while Anna asked for a Pinot Gris, and Allie requested a Shiraz. They found a small table to set their drinks on, and sat and chatted for a few minutes before Paul asked Anna to dance. Watching their friends move around the floor, Allie and Alex made small talk for a while. Allie asked Alex a lot about his work, but Alex was clearly feeling down and talked a lot about Meghan. Allie listened, and hoped that they two of them would be able to work things out. The room was crowded, and Allie refused to allow herself to search the room for Sean, so it was some time before she spotted him across the room. He was dancing with a beautiful red-headed woman who was smiling up at him as he moved her gracefully around the dance floor. Despite the pang of jealousy she felt, Allie reminded herself that the man was off-limits to her, and she forced herself to turn her attention back to Alex. "Would you care to dance?" he asked her as she sipped from her wine glass before setting it back on the table. "I'd love to," she smiled. The band had switched to a moderately paced song, and despite the fact that she barely knew Alex, they moved well together. Within a few moments of dancing together, it looked like they had been partners for years. "Well this is an unexpected surprise," Alex grinned down at her. "You can really move." "Likewise," she laughed. "I think I'm glad I came tonight." "I think I'm glad too," he said, spinning her back out for another dance. "You've cheered me up a bit. Not much, mind you, but a bit." After about three more songs, Allie was begging for a break and a tall glass of something cold. Alex went back to the bar for drinks, and she sat at their table, waiting for him to return. She looked up when she felt someone sit down in a chair next to her, and was surprised to see Meghan joining her, dressed beautifully in a long dark blue gown, but a hurt expression on her face. "Well it didn't take long at all for him to replace me, did it?" she said glumly. Allie just looked over at her and grinned. "Meghan. Thank God. That man is miserable without you. I'm leaving. You sit here -- he's going to be right back with drinks, and unless I'm a terrible reader of people, he's going to be absolutely thrilled to find you here. And no, I'm not even close to being your replacement, sweetie." Standing up, she bent down quickly and gave the startled woman a hug. "Good luck. Make him pay if he was a jerk to you." Allie grabbed her evening bag from the table and headed off to go find Anna and tell her that she was going home. Spotting her across the room, she began to make her way through the crowd. She hadn't made it more than a few steps when she felt a hand curl over her elbow, and an arm reach out to pull her toward the dance floor. "Mr. Greyson.... hello," she stammered as Sean simply pulled her into him and held onto her. "Allie, you probably don't want to make me any angrier tonight than I already am," he said softly, his grip on her tightening slightly. "You seem to be making it a habit to irritate me." "I have no idea what you're talking about," Allie protested, trying to put some space between them without making a scene on the dance floor. "Who is he, Allie? And how long have you been seeing him?" "What? Who, Alex? Why is it any of your business?" she asked, more out of curiosity than anger. Sean's response was to pull her even closer to him, his hand spread across her lower back as he moved against her, letting Allie feel his need for her. "That's why it's my business, Allie. Who is he?" Allie could barely speak, let alone continue to verbally spar with this man. "He's a friend. Actually, more like a friend of a husband of a friend, but..." "Allie..." "You need to let me loose," Allie said quietly. "I can't think when you're doing that." Sean released her slightly, moving his hand back to rest loosely on her waist, his other hand holding hers tightly between them. "Better?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. "Much. Thank you," she said softly, moving slowly with him as she caught her breath. "Anna called me late this afternoon and asked me to come tonight. Begged me, really. Alex is a friend of Paul's, and he and his girlfriend had recently broken up. He needed to be here tonight, but didn't really want to attend. He agreed to come for a while if I'd join him. I said I would, but I came with Paul and Anna, and I'll leave with them." "No. You'll leave with me, Allie," Sean stated firmly. "But..." "That's not negotiable. I understand that you're doing your friend a favor, so I will not monopolize you tonight. But at the end of the night, you leave with me. Is that understood?" he asked, lifting her chin gently until she was looking in his eyes. She shook her head. "No. You came with someone. You need to leave with her." Sean's eyes narrowed. "Do you really think I'd be here with you, like this, if I were here with someone else?" "You're not? But I saw you..." "With the wife of a good friend." "Oh." "Which brings us back to my earlier point. When it's time to leave, you tell Alex goodbye, and I will take you home." Allie nodded. "It's not really an issue, anyway. Alex's girlfriend walked back in about ten minutes ago -- I left her and Alex to work things out. I was on my way to find Anna and tell her that I was leaving when you accosted me." "So you and Alex..." "Barely know each other." "You looked pretty cozy with him on the dance floor." Allie smiled. "We move well together, but that's it." She felt Sean's grip tighten around her waist. "You and I move well together too," he said softly. Allie's breath caught as his other hand, holding hers, reached up to lift her chin again. He bent down and kissed her lightly, then rested his chin against her head and moved slowly with her. "You look beautiful tonight." "Thank you," she whispered. "So you didn't know until this afternoon that you'd be here tonight." Sean said, looking down at her. "No, I didn't," Allie said with a nod. "And that's why you didn't say anything to me about being here." "That's why." "You're going to be the death of me yet," he said with a slight smile. "Do you know how high my blood pressure got, watching the two of you on the dance floor?" Allie shook her head. "Maybe about as high as mine got when I saw you with that beautiful red-headed woman." Sean looked down at Allie, and pulled her in even closer to him. The heat in his eyes burned into her. "Dance with me," he said, his voice husky with need. "I want to hold you." They danced well together, Allie thought. His lead was easy to follow, and he knew his way around a ballroom floor. He held her loosely for most of the dances, but when the band started playing anything slow, he pulled her closer. "Don't you need to be social and dance with other people?" Allie asked after their fourth dance together. "I feel like I'm monopolizing you, and while I'm not complaining about it, I know that you have other obligations here." "My obligations for the evening are over," Sean stated firmly. "And there's nobody else I'd rather dance with. Do you need to find Alex?" he asked. Looking around the room, Allie saw Alex and Meghan still talking quietly together at the table where she had left them. They looked good together, Allie thought. And they didn't need her interrupting them. "No," she answered Sean. "Looks like he's doing just fine." With that, Sean swept her back onto the dance floor and pulled her close. Allie curled her arm up around his neck, and smiled up at him. When the camera flashed next to them, Sean knew immediately what had happened, but it was too late. The photographer was moving off through the crowd, and following and making a scene would only make matters worse. Releasing Allie, Sean ran his hand through his hair and looked down at the woman beside him. "Damnit, Allie. I didn't even think about the photographers tonight. This could be a problem," he admitted. "I didn't even consider it," Allie confessed. "And I should have. I knew you always got photographed here, but it's always when you're with some well known model, or..." Sean chuckled. "And you figured that they were photographing my date, and not me?" Allie nodded, but smiled ruefully. "I guess so. I'm sorry, Sean." "This isn't your fault, Allie. And what's done is done. We'll see if the photo even makes the papers tomorrow before worrying about it." He reached out his hand and waited for her to take it. "Let's go get a drink and be social, sweetheart." The rest of the evening was a blur to Allie. A wonderful, magical blur to be sure, but a blur none the less. Sean knew everyone at the event, and as he moved around the room, he stopped and talked with people of all ages and backgrounds, and charmed each of them with his courteous manner. Allie was impressed. She had seen him work a room before, but this was a different crowd, and he fit in. Just as he'd fit in at her friend's barbeque. Just as he fit in at business events. Sean enjoyed the evening more than he normally did. His dates usually dragged him away from his conversations and tried to pull him out onto the dance floor, or steal private moments with him. But Allie was interested in the people he talked to. She was engaged in the conversations, and she asked questions and actually listened to the answers. People liked her, he realized with some surprise. This was Allie, after all, and everyone liked her at work, but he had no idea that she would fit in so well at an event like this. Once, as the evening progressed, Allie excused herself to go find her friends and take a break from greeting strangers. She was pleased to see Alex and Meghan on the dance floor, holding each other tightly as they moved to a slow dance. Alex looked up once, and mouthed the words "thank you" to Allie. She grinned and winked, then went to check in with Anna and Paul. "Having fun?" Anna asked, hugging her friend as she moved up beside her. "Yes, I am," Allie smiled, as the two of them moved away from others and found a quiet corner to chat in. "Did you see Meghan and Alex?" she asked, pointing to the dance floor. "NO! Seriously? Meghan came here? Oh, that's wonderful! Oh wow, it looks like they're working things out, huh?" Allie grinned. "I think so. They were miserable without each other, though, so this had to happen sometime." "So are you coming to tell me that you're leaving?" Anna asked. "No, I was on my way to do that earlier when Sean waylaid me. He didn't bring a date tonight, and..." Anna was laughing. "It's about time," she said. "Geez, you've been dancing around each other for ages. Even before you stopped wearing that ridiculous getup to work. So where is Mr. Right?" she asked. Allie shook her head. "No, you've got it all wrong," she protested. "Anna, he's my boss. We're just..." she stopped, unable to really describe what they were. Anna looked seriously at her friend. "Sweetie, sometimes the circumstances aren't what we'd hope for, but you can't turn your back on something good, just because of that. If you and he are right for each other, you need to let things happen between you." Allie looked glum. "The issue may have been forced a bit tonight. A photographer snapped a photo of us on the dance floor." "So?" "So, those photos usually end up in the paper. And that means that Sean's entire company will think that we're... well..." "What? Dating? Dancing?" "Anna, it was a pretty intimate photo." "Ah. So they'll assume you're sleeping together." "I think so. Yeah. I'm pretty sure." Anna smiled kindly. "Well, I'd say that this opens up the door for you two to actually see each other, but I can see why you're concerned. How did Sean react?" "He seemed pretty resigned to it all. But I'm afraid that he might think differently when he sees the photo." "Well, it may not even make it into the papers. No point in worrying about it too much. Go have fun, sweetie. You've already been photographed together, so you might as well enjoy the evening as a couple." Allie laughed then. "I suppose you're right. Sean was going to take me home later, but maybe I should stick with my original plan and go with you and Paul." But Anna shook her head. "Go with him, hon. We're happy to take you home, of course, but like you said, the damage has been done. I don't think it will make a bit of difference to anyone if you leave with him." "Why are you always so darn logical?" Allie grumbled in good-natured complaint. "And right?" Anna hugged her friend, and together, they moved back into the crowd. Paul and Sean were talking together when the women walked up a few moments later. Paul smiled as Anna and Allie drew closer. "Are you both still happy?" he asked as he bent to kiss his wife's cheek. "I'm doing fine, but just let me know when you want to leave." But Sean pulled Allie close as she moved to his side. "She's leaving with me tonight," he said in a tone that brooked no arguments. "Ah, so that's how it is," Paul grinned. "About time, I say. OK then. Anna, shall we have a dance and show these two what a real romance looks like?" Anna rolled her eyes and grinned at her friends, but took her husband's hand and followed him out to the dance floor. Sean turned to Allie. "Are you still doing well? We can leave when you want to," he added. "I'm still happy," Allie said. "But I'd love a glass of champagne and a chair for a few minutes. My feet need a break," she said, looking down at her 3- inch heels. "I don't know how you women wear those," Sean admitted, then looked up at Allie with a gleam in his eye. "But I'm very glad you do." Pointing Allie to a small table nearby, Sean went to the nearest bar table and ordered a glass of champagne for Allie and a bourbon for himself. Setting the drinks on the table, Sean pulled out the chair next to Allie and lowered his long frame into it. "Do the same people come to this every year?" Allie asked Sean as she sipped her champagne. "Mostly. New faces appear annually, but the basic crowd is the same. Why?" "You just seem to know most people here," she said. "And they seem to know you." "Several of the people we talked with tonight are board members, and I know others from standard business dealings. But yes, many of them are regulars at these events. Did you like them?" he asked curiously. "Most of them, very much," Allie answered. "A few of them, not so much. But nobody was terribly unpleasant." "Anyone I need to beat up?" he asked with a wink. "Not at this time," Allie responded primly. "But thank you." Sean laughed, and the conversation turned quickly to the benefit, and what the yearly goal was. From there, Allie wanted to know how Sean had gotten involved with the hospital, and how he had gotten appointed to the board. Sean filled her in on his interest in the work they did, based primarily on his own experiences from years ago when one of his good friends had been diagnosed with a rare liver disorder. The doctors at the hospital had saved his life, and the level of care that he'd been given was beyond anything Sean had seen before. Since that time, his support for the staff and the facilities was unwavering. "You're amazing," Allie said when Sean finished his story. "Some people would have just assumed that was the job of the hospital employees. Others may have written a thank you note. But you actually got involved, and worked to pull even more resources in." Sean shook his head. "The staff here were the amazing ones. I was just doing what I could to ensure that other patients in the future got the same level of care." He quietly brushed off anything else Allie was about to say by asking her to dance. Allie took a sip of her champagne, and stood up. "Sure. Can we avoid photographers this time?"

Allie and Sean left the benefit as things were starting to wind down. As they waited for Sean's car to be brought round from valet parking, Sean looked down at Allie. "Well, that ended up being a far different evening that I expected it to be." "Same for me," Allie smiled. "But then again, I was expecting take-out food and a movie, so this was bound to be an improvement." Sean laughed. "Don't you get enough take-out during the week?" "I do, and I like to cook, but I hadn't gotten to the grocery store yet this weekend. That's on the chore list for tomorrow." The valet pulled up with Sean's car then, and after Sean had opened the passenger door for Allie, he tipped the valet before climbing into the driver's seat. "Sean, are you worried at all about that picture?" Allie asked as he pulled away from the curb. Sean glanced over with a grim look on his face. "Yeah, I am. But we'll see what ends up being published." "What if it shows up in the paper?" Sean reached over and squeezed her hand. "I don't know, sweetheart." Allie sighed. "I probably should have resigned when we got back from Miami. I'm sorry, Sean." "I needed you in the office, Allie. Your resignation would have been problematic in a lot of ways. So if this was a trade-off to keep you there for a while longer, I'll take it." Allie nodded. She knew what the last few weeks had entailed, and knew that her leaving would have made a mess of things for Sean. But she still worried that tonight's photo might make a mess of things for both of them. When Sean pulled to a stop in front of Allie's apartment, he turned off the car and turned to face her. "I'm going to walk you to your door, Allie. And then I'm going to drive away. Because if I come in tonight, we both know that I won't be able to leave." Allie turned her gaze to look out the passenger window, so her words were quiet, but Sean still heard them. "I won't want you to go. And if you walk me to my door, we're going to end up inside. You'll kiss me, and..." Sean reached out and turned her face to his. "I'll see you to your door, Allie. It's what a gentleman does. But I'll kiss you good night here." Bending forward, he gently kissed her, first on the lips, then on the forehead, but it was a chaste kiss. Then, he pulled back, got out of his car, and went around to open her door. He offered her his hand, and she gratefully took it as she stepped from the seat. Sean released her immediately, closed the door behind her, and walked her to her door, his hand lightly resting on the small of her back. Allie pulled out her keys. "Good night, Sean," she said as she unlocked the door and pushed it open. "Good night, Allie," he said. Backing away, he waited until she was safely in the door and lights were on before he turned and walked back to his car. He sat there for a few moments, his head back against the headrest. He had been through the ringer tonight, he thought. First, he had been shocked to see Allie at the benefit tonight. Then, he had seen her dancing closely with another man, and he had been shaken at the intense jealousy that he had felt when he thought she was with a date. The photographer had been the last straw. And the truth was, he was very worried about the photo. Despite the fact that he and Allie had never slept together, that photo would belie that fact. He knew that he could try to stop it from being published, but that would probably only make things worse. He could imagine the story now, about a local business executive trying to cover up an affair. And that would hurt him, hurt his business, and hurt Allie. An idea began forming in his head. He'd wait to see if the photo was published, but if it was, this might be a way to get him what he was starting to want very badly. Allie herself. TEN

It was bad. Allie was in his arms, bent backward to look up into his face, and her arm was curled around his neck. They were dancing, and Sean was looking down at her intently. But the giveaway was in the eyes. Nobody could mistake the passion simmering there for anything else. Sean sighed. He hadn't even considered the photographers last night. All he could think about was Allie. How much he wanted her in his arms. How much he wanted her in his bed. He knew that the photos from this event made it to the paper, and he knew that nearly everyone in his company would, by tomorrow morning, assume that he was sleeping with his assistant. This was bad for Allie, who had spent the last several months refusing to sleep with him for this very reason. But it was equally bad for him. He took pride in running an ethical company, with no moral shortcuts and no playing favorites. They would need to fix this, and soon. Grabbing his car keys and the paper, Sean headed for the door.

Allie was up early. She took a quick shower, made a pot of coffee, and then brought in the morning paper. With no small amount of trepidation, she began turning the pages. Seeing the actual photo brought her no sense of relief. It was exactly as she had remembered -- the scene, the moment. But when she looked at the photo, she realized that she had missed the strength of his passion when she had looked in his eyes last night. And now it was there for the world to see. Last night, Sean had seem resigned to what they would face, but Allie knew that actually seeing the photo this morning would anger him. It was what they had both been avoiding, and Allie blamed herself. She should have known better than to go last night, and she definitely should have stayed far away from her boss. But one touch, one kiss, one glance, and she was lost. And she should have known better. She knew that Sean got photographed every year at this event -- he was one of the youngest and best looking of the board members, and he always had a beautiful woman on his arm. She knew this, KNEW this, and yet she hadn't even thought about it tonight. Not even once. Even though she hadn't gone to the event as his date, nobody would believe that. And it didn't matter anyway - she had still ended up being photographed with him. And in a fairly compromising pose. Oh dear God, this was bad. Really really bad. Because even though she had not slept with her boss, nobody would believe it when they saw the photo. The loud knock on her door startled her out of her thoughts. She knew immediately that it would be Sean, and she went to open the door for him. She was prepared for his frustration, but one look at his face told her that he was no longer simply resigned, and that this wasn't a social visit in any sense of the word. Walking in, he bent down and gave her a hard kiss on the mouth before strolling back to her kitchen, where Allie had the paper open to the offending page. He shook his head, then turned his gaze to where Allie was standing, leaning against the doorframe with her coffee in hand. "Coffee?" she offered, pointing toward the full pot. "Thanks," Sean responded, pulling a mug from her shelf and filling it. He took one long sip, then set the mug on the counter and turned to Allie. "It's worse than I expected, Allie." "I know," she answered quietly. "I was hoping we'd just be able to explain it away as two colleagues who ran into each other and shared a dance." Allie sighed and shook her head. "That's not what the photo says, though." "No, it's not. There's no mistaking how we feel about each other, Allie. Not for anyone with eyes." She looked up at him then. "So what do we do? I'll resign right away, Sean, but..." "That won't solve anything for either of us, Allie. All it will do is make us look guilty of something we have not done." "But then, what...?" "I've come up with only one solution to this, Allie. We'll need to marry, and soon." Of all things that she expected Sean to say this morning, that was not one of them. "What? What are you talking about?" she asked, setting her coffee down next to her. Sean pointed at the photograph. "We are in an untenable position, Allie. And the damage has been done. You can resign tomorrow, and there will be a wealth of rumors that will follow both of us. You will always be the secretary who slept her way to the top, and I will be the employer who took advantage of his employee. I can't afford those rumors, Allie -- in our business, personal relationships and high moral standards are the name of the game." Allie just shook her head in confusion. "But.... how will marriage help that? Like you said, the damage has been done. We certainly weren't married when this picture was taken." Sean smiled without humor. "We convince people that we fell in love. That covers a multitude of sins, so to speak. If we marry, this goes away. I didn't take advantage of you, for one thing." "But I still slept my way to the top, didn't I? Only I slept my way into marriage. I landed the boss," she said bitterly. "I'll always be the secretary who enticed you into a relationship." Sean reached out and pushed her hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "I don't think that will be an issue, Allie. Remember, I've dated a lot of women. If I were easily enticed, I'd have been married long before now. People will assume that I fell in love with you, and married you." Allie closed her eyes. "Maybe I should just go. Find another job. In another city, or another state." But Sean shook his head. "That won't make the rumors go away. And it's a small world, Allie. You know as well as I do that the rumors will follow you, and my own reputation will still be damaged." Reaching out, he hooked her chin with one hand, and lifted her face until she was looking at him. "This is the only way. And Allie, you will marry me. Because you owe it to me." "What do you mean?" Allie asked in surprise. "Despite the fact that we work well together, I honestly should have fired you when I found out how you had deceived me into hiring you in the first place." Allie knew this was true, so just asked, "Why didn't you?" Sean dropped his hand and paced around her small kitchen. "I knew that you were telling the truth about why you did it. And I partly understood your reasoning. But mostly, you did your job and did it well. I didn't want to have to start at the beginning with someone new." Allie nodded, her arms crossed around her middle in a posture of misery. Sean continued. "But the fact is, you are still my employee, and we are still, in the eyes of what will soon be everyone in my company, having an affair. I'm not willing to let that go any further, Allie. You will marry me, you will convince everyone that you fell madly in love with me, and you will act as my wife." She closed her eyes. "For how long?" she whispered. "For as long as it takes, Allie," Sean responded. Allie opened her eyes and met his gaze with her own. "I don't want this, Sean. And I can't believe that you do either." Sean shrugged. "I don't have much of a choice. And if I don't have a choice, you don't have a choice. It's me, or it's the unemployment line, and a black mark on your name in this industry." "I can't believe that every company out there will care about the personal lives of their employees. And if I end up being fired, then sleeping my way to the top didn't really do me much good, did it?" Allie asked, still desperately searching for another option. "They may not mind your sexual activities, Allie, but I guarantee they will mind if their employees are honest or not. And I will be quite sure that any future employee on your part is aware of your history with me. And you know I'll find you, Allie, no matter where you go," he added, his voice stern. "Why are you doing this?" Allie asked in a whisper. "Because I care about my company, and ultimately my employees." "And me?" "You made your bed many months ago, Allie," he responded. Allie had never seen Sean's face so cold. But then, she'd never seen him quite this angry before. And she supposed he had reason to be. This one mistake on their parts had changed things completely, and had the power to change their lives forever. He must be wishing he'd never met her, she realized. And her deception from over a year ago now seemed like the catalyst that started them both down this path. Picking up her mug, she moved back over to the coffee pot and refilled it. She took the full mug over to the table and sat down. Looking at the photo again, she knew that there was no explaining it away. Not with the way he was looking at her. Not with her arm curled up and around his neck like that. Finally, she pushed the newspaper away and nodded. "Very well. You win. But with ground rules," she added quickly. Sean's eyes narrowed as he remained standing, looking down at her. "And those are?" "I want my own job, not in your employ. I don't need you to help me get it, but I need you to not stand in my way," she said quietly, not looking at him. Sean stopped to consider this. "And if I don't want to lose you from my company?" She looked up then, her eyes boring into his. "I need this, Sean. I need to know that if something bad happens between us, I will still have a job and a way to make ends meet." Sean raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "All right. I'm not going to fill your position for a while. Perhaps you'll learn to trust me over time and come back. I'd prefer that you did not work directly with any of my competitors. If you need me to put in a good word for you somewhere, I can do that. What else?" "A pre-nup," Allie said. "I never want anyone thinking that I married you for your money." Sean sighed at that. "I'm well aware that you're not marrying me for any reason other than that I'm forcing you to. But I can have my lawyer draw something up. Do you have a lawyer to look it over?" "I'll find one." "What else? Allie raised her eyes to his and said firmly, "I'm not sharing your bed." Sean's eyes narrowed as he looked across the table at Allie. His voice, when he spoke, was soft, but the steely tone was unmistakable. "That is not acceptable, Allie. You will be my wife in every sense of the word." Allie blushed, but continued. "No. Not right away. Maybe someday. But I won't be forced or coerced into having sex with you, just because of the circumstances of this marriage. That's a deal-breaker for me." Sean leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms, pinning her with his gaze. "Do you honestly think that I need to force or coerce someone to share my bed, Allie?" he asked softly. "And do you honestly think that you and I will be able to deny our attraction to each other for any length of time?" Allie shook her head. "I don't know. I'm angry enough at you right now that I think it might be pretty easy," she admitted. Sean smiled then, but it wasn't a smile that reached his eyes. "Very well. I will agree to not force or coerce you into bed with me. But I will not agree to a celibate marriage. Is that clear?" "You won't coerce me?" Allie asked, needing to hear it from him again. "No, but that doesn't mean I won't try to change your mind." "OK. I can live with that," Allie conceded. "Anything else?" he asked. Allie shook her head. "No." "Then we have plans to make," Sean said. "The wedding will need to be soon. Within the next two weeks." "Why?" Allie asked, looking up in alarm. "We need to make it seem like the planning has been going on for a while, Allie, and that we've been intending this all along. Otherwise, it will look like we're doing this for exactly the reason we are -- the photo in the paper. "This afternoon, we'll go shopping for your engagement ring. The jeweler I want to use is closed on Sunday, but I called him this morning and he is opening for us at 2:00 this afternoon." "You were that sure of yourself, were you?" Allie asked with some bitterness. "I didn't intend to let you say no, if that's what you mean," Sean responded. "I'll call the Justice of the Peace tomorrow and see when we can get an appointment for the ceremony, and we can take care of most of the paperwork this afternoon and tomorrow." Allie sat silently at the table, absorbing all of this. He was serious, she realized. This wasn't just a joke or a game. He was completely serious. He honestly was going to blackmail her into marrying him. She knew that her reputation was on the line too. Probably more-so than his, since it was she who would be seen as the gold-digging assistant, while his reputation would likely just be enhanced. But she knew that he took great pride in his ethical conduct, and this perceived affair could potentially put quite a dent in that armor, if they didn't do as he was suggesting. But it was a hard pill to swallow. Marriage was always something she dreamed about for the future, something that would happen when she fell in love with someone, and wanted to have a family with them. When she met a man that she not only could live with, but couldn't live without. And to settle for something business-like was the death of that dream. Harder for her was the fact that she honestly liked her boss. Liked the man who was currently forcing her to do something that she didn't want. How different it would have been if he had come here this morning, told her that he loved her, and that he wanted to marry her. But this? This was a nightmare, not a dream. "I wanted to marry for love," she whispered to herself. "Not like this." Sean heard her, but didn't respond. He simply stood there, leaning on the counter, and waited for her to come to terms with this. When she at last looked up at him, there was resignation in her gaze. "I want to go to Vegas," she said. ELEVEN

"What? Really? Why?" Sean was not opposed to the idea, but he was surprised by it. He had pegged Allie as the white dress, church service, flower- carrying woman who wanted to be surrounded by family and friends, and he'd expected to compromise on some of that for her. But Vegas? That was completely unexpected. "It's more in line with what this wedding will be," Allie said. "Plastic. Fake. Business." Sean's expression was stern. "This will be a real marriage, Allie. Nothing fake about it. But if you want to go to Vegas for the wedding, I'll allow it." "Allow?" Allie asked coldly. "Let's get one thing straight, Mr. Greyson. You may be my employer, and you may be able to tell me what to do at work, but you do not own me." A muscled in Sean's face twitched, his only visible reaction to Allie's declaration. Pushing himself from his leaning position, he sauntered over to where Allie was sitting, and simply bent down, took her elbows in his hands, and lifted her until she was standing next to him. He held her firmly, shaking her gently until she looked up at him. Quietly, he said, "I told you before, Allie, that you are mine. And while I will never try to control you or your actions, the fact is that you were mine from the moment you walked into my office, revolting tweed suit and all. "We are going to be married, Allie. And once we are, you will be my wife. That's an equal partnership in my book, so you don't ever need to worry about me making all the decisions, or running over you like a truck. But don't ever forget, Ms. Mitchell," he said sarcastically, "that you belong to me. Is that clear?" Allie pushed against him futilely. "No, damnit. I do not. I will not." "Shall I prove it to you?" he asked mildly. "How? By assaulting me? Making me so crazy that I beg you to take me? Oh, I have no doubt that you can do that, Mr. Greyson. Lord knows you've done it before, and I've let you. But no. You may physically own my body in the sense that you know how to touch me, but you do not own my heart or my brain or my spirit. And unless I choose to give them to you, you never will." Sean's fingers tightened over her arms, but instead of drawing her closer to him, he released her. She sank back down in the kitchen chair, rubbing her arms where he had gripped her, and looking up at him with an accusing glare. He watched her fingers moving lightly over the skin where he had held her. "Did I hurt you?" he asked quietly. She just shook her head. "The only thing hurting is my pride." Sean nodded, then pulled out the chair across from her and sat down. "I'll make the reservations for Vegas. You don't have to do anything apart from finding a dress. I'll take care of everything else." "And when people ask me for details on Monday morning, when I show up at the office, wearing your engagement ring?" "Tell them the truth. That I'm surprising you. But Allie, I expect you to act far happier about all of this than you're appearing right now. This is not a game, for either of us. This is our future." Allie sighed. "I'll try." When Sean looked at her skeptically, she said, "No, I really will. I know what's at stake here." "Very well," he said. We'll make it two weeks from yesterday. That gives you a weekend to take care of things, and it gives us two weeks in the office to get things ready to handover to Clay and Jason while we're on our honeymoon." Allie closed her eyes briefly. She hadn't even considered a honeymoon. "Do we have to...?" "Of course. Everyone will expect it." She nodded. Once. Briefly. "OK," she said quietly. "But I need to tell Anna the truth," she added. "I need her to shop with me, and I need her to be my support. Can you live with that? Because she will tell Paul, and I'd expect her to." Sean sighed. "I'll talk to Paul. So yeah, you can tell Anna. Are we good, Allie? For now?" Allie looked at him seriously. "Not really. But I'll do what you ask." "That's enough for now. OK. Get changed, and let's go." "Go where?" "Anywhere. Out of here. Away from that," he said, pointing at the paper. "We'll have a nice quiet lunch somewhere by the water, and just relax. Then we'll go to the jeweler's. " Allie's eyes rested on his face for some time before she simply nodded. Standing up, she slipped around him, careful not to touch him, and headed directly for her bedroom. Closing the door behind her, she sank down onto the bed and rested her head in her hands. She tried to imagine Anna's reaction to all of this, and couldn't. It was so far beyond anything that she'd ever thought her life would be. And after watching her friend walk down the aisle to the man of her dreams just a few months ago, she couldn't even fathom what it would be like to marry a man who didn't love her. Who didn't even pretend to. Oh yeah, he wanted her, but that wasn't the same thing at all. If he liked her, even a little bit, he wouldn't be doing this, would he? She sat on the bed for some time, looking at her options. And as far as she could see, she had very few. She had enough money in savings to keep her going for a few months, and she had friends and family that she could call on if needed. But unless she was going back to school for a completely new career path, one that Sean Greyson had no influence over at all, she would eventually need to find a job. Getting to her feet, Allie went over to her closet and pulled out a casual khaki skirt and a dark brown V-neck patterned t-shirt. Adding a beaded necklace on a string, and a pair of sandals, she pulled her hair back into a pony tail and lightly applied makeup to her face. Taking one last look in the mirror, she stopped short. She looked.... sad. Well, it wasn't every day that the man of your dreams proposed marriage, but without love. Oh no, she thought to herself. Wait a second. What was she thinking, 'man of your dreams'? Sinking back on the bed, Allie rolled her head back and looked up at the ceiling. Well damnitall to hell and back, she thought. She was in love with the guy. She had been stupid enough to fall for her boss. Oh for heaven's SAKE, she thought. Talk about cliché. Talk about stereotype. Talk about setting yourself up to get your heart broken into a million pieces. Because the one thing that Allie was absolutely sure about was that her boss was NOT in love with her.

By the time Allie reappeared in her kitchen, Sean was pacing the floor. He looked like a caged animal, Allie thought. A large ferocious man in her tiny kitchen, and an impatient one at that. But when he saw Allie, the look on his face softened. "You look nice," he said quietly. "Thank you," she said, setting her purse and sweater down on the kitchen table. "Are you OK?" he asked, almost reluctantly. She nodded. "You were gone a long time," he pointed out softly. "I know. I'm sorry." "Let's go, sweetheart," he said, holding out his hand. "Things will look better after they've had a while to sink in." Allie looked at him curiously. "So they've already sunk in for you? You decided this last night, didn't you?" she asked, realization dawning as she thought about his resignation to the photo appearing. "I saw it as an option," Sean admitted. "Depending on whether the photo was printed, and how incriminating it was." "So that's why the thought of the photo appearing in the paper didn't bother you. You already had this plan in mind." Sean didn't correct her. In truth, the photo hadn't bothered him because if it were published, it would force this issue to a head. They needed to resolve it, and now they couldn't procrastinate. He wanted this woman, and if marriage was how he would get her, then marriage it would be. She sighed, gathering her things from the table and picking up her keys from the counter. "OK. I'm ready," she said, refusing to look at Sean. But he stepped in front of her and gently lifted her chin until their eyes met. "Never doubt that I have your best interests in mind here too, Allie," he said softly. She pulled away, but not before nodding slightly in response. She moved to the door and opened it, holding it for Sean to precede her on the way out, then turning and locking it behind them. He led her to his car and held the door for her, then moved around to the driver's side. "Do you have any preference where we go?" he asked her as he climbed in beside her and turned to face her. She shook her head. "Surprise me," she said, her eyes meeting his at last.

He took her down to the old part of town, where lots of little shops and street vendors were set up, and they walked around, stopping in various stores to look around, watching the ducks in the water, listening to various artists playing their instruments of choice, and at last sitting down at a table overlooking the water for lunch. They didn't say much as they walked. Allie was too busy thinking to talk, Sean was trying to give her the space he knew she needed, and both were aware that their relationship would change from this point forward. But they were comfortable together after knowing each other and working closely together for so long. When Sean touched her arm or her back to guide her through the crowd, or when she took his hand to stop him when she wanted to look at something, their movements were natural and unforced. By the time they sat down for lunch, Allie felt a bit more relaxed. Sean didn't appear bothered at all by any of this, Allie realized, but he not only had had more time to get used to it, but he had thought it up. And although she wanted to resent him for that, Allie couldn't. If she could think of a better solution to this mess, she'd offer it up. But he was right. His reputation was on the line, and while she could move away and start over, he couldn't. So she'd help him. The problem was down the road. If they married in two weeks, then what? How long before they slept together? A matter of days, probably, Allie conceded. And then, how long before he tired of her, and began a discreet affair? Or perhaps more likely, given his ethical code, how long before he began to plan the divorce? Would she be able to survive it? She was in love with him. She wasn't sure how she'd made it as long as she had without realizing it, because when she thought back, she couldn't think of a time when she hadn't loved him. Even when she was just his faithful little assistant, and he was the unattainable boss, she had loved him. So sleeping with him would mean a great deal to her. It would be emotional, not just physical. And that's where the heartache would come in, down the road. Because once Allie gave her heart and her body, that was it. She was a forever kind of girl. Would he realize it at some point? Take one look at her and know? She would rather cut off her arm than have him read that in her face, she thought. Because if he knew she was in love with him, he would both pity her and hate her. He was not a commitment kind of a guy. This marriage thing would be a brief diversion in his life. But if he knew that she had given him her heart, he'd feel nothing but contempt for her. That's how he treated his women, she knew. They were never permanent fixtures, and he had no use for a woman who held on to him after he had decided that they were through. So her goal was to keep her heart guarded. He would have her body, she was sure of that. But he couldn't have anything more from her. She wouldn't be able to share anything with him -- not her feelings, her hopes, her dreams -- all of that needed to stay inside of her. She needed to keep her life as separate from his as she could. Then, when it was time for him to leave, she wouldn't shatter. Sean watched Allie as a million emotions flitted across her face, but none of them stuck and none were fully recognizable. He knew that she was thinking about them, and about their future, and it bothered him a bit that she was keeping it all inside. But he knew that she needed to work things out in her own brain before she could share them -- he had learned that about her over time. So he settled back in his chair and watched the water, letting her work through her feelings on her own time. When Allie finally reached some semblance of acceptance, she reached for her water glass and the menu. After placing their order with the waiter, they looked across the table at each other. "Will you be playing blackjack on our wedding night" Sean asked Allie with a slight smile on his face. "No. The night before the wedding," she said, completely serious. "I'll use what I win to buy our champagne. You'd better hope I win big or you'll be drinking a $2 bottle out of a paper bag." Sean grinned. "I was your lucky charm last time around. I'll hang out with you this time, and maybe we'll be able to afford the good stuff." Allie smiled then. "There's always the slots, if my blackjack skills turn out to be lousy. I may have had beginner's luck last time." Sean laughed. "I'll pack a few rolls of quarters," he said. Despite the tension between them, their lunch was fairly relaxing. They fell back into a normal routine as they ate, and by the time the meal was over, it was almost as if nothing had changed. After Sean paid the bill, they strolled back to the car. As they got in, he started the car and then turned to her. "Allie, listen. I want you to feel free to choose whatever ring you want. Don't worry about the expense -- this is my gift to you." She nodded. "I'll give it back to you when this is over, Sean. I know this is just a prop for..." She didn't have a chance to finish her sentence. Sean had turned off the ignition and reached for her. Holding her chin firmly in one hand, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. Hard. A bruising, punishing kiss. A kiss that dominated, rather than seduced. But, God help her, she responded. And that's when Sean broke the kiss and lifted his head, looking directly into her eyes. Still holding her face steadily in his hand, he spoke softly, almost coldly. "There will be no talk of divorce between us, Allie. And no talk of props, or acting, or games. This is real, and it's us. You are marrying me in two weeks, Allie. And that ring will stay on your finger. Do you understand me?" he asked. "But... but you said..." "What did I say, Allie?" "That it would last for as long as it takes. I assumed that when things died down, and the rumors went away..." "You assumed wrong. " "But..." "I told you, Allie. You will be my wife. I take that very seriously." "Seriously enough to marry me without loving me?" Sean was silent. Silent for long enough that Allie began to wonder if he had seen through her, and seen her love for him. Finally, he stroked his thumb over her cheek gently, and softly said, "I'll be very good to you, Allie. I will be faithful, and I will be committed. I hope that's enough for you." She said nothing, just held his gaze with her own. Finally, she pulled away and looked straight ahead. "You don't give me much choice," she said quietly.

They drove in silence to the jeweler's. When they pulled up outside the shop, Sean turned to Allie. "OK, here is our first test, sweetheart. Can you pretend to be madly in love while we pick out a ring?" "I can," she said quietly. "Can you?" Sliding out from the passenger seat, she waited for Sean to join her on the sidewalk before linking her hand with his. She smiled up at him, in what she hoped was an adoring manner, and watched as he smiled back down at her, squeezing her hand while he did so. "Mr. Greyson, welcome. And congratulations! This must be your charming fiancée." "Hi Sal," he said, shaking the other man's hand as he introduced Allie. "This is Allie. Allie, this is Sal, one of the most talented jewelers in the metro area." "One of the most?" Sal asked, his countenance changing to a scowl. "OK, OK, THE most. I just didn't want to swell your head anymore than it already is." Allie laughed at the exchange. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sal," she said as she shook the man's hand. "Come in, come in. Let's find the perfect ring." Allie saw it almost immediately. It was small, far smaller than she assumed that Sean would want her to wear, but it was a square diamond, set in a very simple white gold band. When she pointed to it, Sean looked at her incredulously. "Sweetheart, are you sure? You wouldn't want something more... well..." "Bigger?" she smiled up at him. "No. I like simple. If it were up to me, I'd probably forgo the engagement ring entirely. No offense, Sal," she added immediately. "This is beautiful, though. I'd wear it and love it." Sal looked at the ring she chose and then up at her face. He glanced over at the man next to her and said, "She's right, Sean. She's not the type to wear something ostentatious. She needs a ring to match her, not you. You can afford any piece of jewelry in this store, and everyone knows it. But the ring that you choose for her reflects your love for her. It needs to show that you understand her and want what she wants." "Will you at least try on a few other rings, sweetheart, just to be sure that you're not choosing something based on what you've always had, not what you want?" She smiled and shrugged. "Sure. You and Sal choose." But even though Sal brought out some lovely rings, and some equally pretentious ones, at the end she still wanted the ring she'd first seen when she walked in the store. "I'm sorry, Sal. I'm a bad fiancée," she teased as Sean was over with Sal's assistant, taking care of payment. "You should have been able to milk this engagement for a few hundred thousand dollars at the very least. But I'll be back here in the future. Your designs are absolutely beautiful." "Thank you, Allie," Sal said with a smile. "And I'll still be able to milk your fiancé for a few more dollars. He won't be content to only give you this ring. Not when he saw your eyes light up at some of the other pieces in here." Allie laughed lightly. "Good. We appreciate you opening up for us today. The least we can do is bring you a bit of business." As Allie and Sean left the store, Sal shook their hands. "Sean, if you don't make her happy, I'm going to steal her away from you," he threatened with a smile. "She's the nicest woman I've ever seen you with, and if you blow it, I'll make you sorry." Sean shook his head. "You don't stand a chance, Sal my man. She's mine." Allie looked down at her finger as they left the store. "It's beautiful, Sean," she said quietly. "Thank you." He leaned down and kissed her gently on the cheek as he opened the car door for her. "You're welcome, sweetheart." TWELVE

Sean insisted on dropping by the grocery store on the way home from the jeweler's, remembering Allie's comment from the night before about needing food in her apartment. "Come on. You won't want to go out again later, so let's just run by the store now, get what you need, and we'll be done with it." Allie sighed. "You're probably right. Look, this may not be my best idea ever, but would you like to stay for dinner? We can pick up a couple of steaks, toss them on the grill...." "I'd love to," he said before she could change her mind. "I'll run next door for a bottle of wine," he said when they pulled up at the store. "And I'll meet you back here when you're done." Allie moved quickly through the store. She knew what she needed, and she knew where everything was, so it didn't take much time at all. She found a couple of nice looking steaks, added some potatoes to her cart, as well as a bunch of asparagus, and tossed in fixings for a green salad. After adding her staples of milk, bread, butter, and cheese, she grabbed a tub of ice cream at the last minute. Comfort food, she thought. And she might need a lot of that over the next few days. When she got back out to the car, Sean was leaning against it, enjoying the late afternoon. "All set?" he asked as she pulled the cart up next to him. "Yes. Did you find wine?" "I did. They have a nice selection. " As Sean helped her load the groceries into the car, Allie had a moment of wistfulness. This was what she had always hoped marriage would be - a sharing of chores and responsibilities. And she wondered how far off the mark their marriage would fall when it came to these simple tasks. Would this be normal for them on a weekend, or would Sean just do what he normally did, and expect her to do the same? When they arrived at her apartment, Sean helped Allie carry in the groceries. "It's still early to start dinner," Allie said. "Do you want to take a glass of wine out onto the patio?" "Sounds like a really good idea," Sean agreed. "Point me to the corkscrew and I'll open the bottle." Allie got out her wine glasses and handed them to Sean, then fished her corkscrew out of the drawer. While he opened the wine, she put her groceries away, and then they took the bottle and glasses out onto the back porch. Before they each sat down in one of the comfortable Adirondack chairs, Sean pulled the small table that was between them to one side, and set the wine bottle down on it. Then he drew the chairs next to each other. The arms of the chairs were fully wide enough to accommodate a glass of wine, so this just let them sit next to each other. And, he thought, it allowed him to hold her hand. He needed to reconnect with this woman on a physical level, he knew. They were being too polite with one another. He needed her to relax with him again. Pouring them each a glass of wine, Sean sat down in one of the chairs, and waited for Allie to join him. "Here you are," he said, handing her a glass. "To our future together," he said as he clinked her glass with his. "As husband and wife." Allie gave him a measured look before taking a sip. Her eyes widened. "Oh, this is really good. What is it?" she asked. "It's a South African wine," Sean responded. "One of my favorites. I'm glad you like it." "Very much," she said as she took another small sip. "Tell me how you discovered it." They talked for the next hour about their various travels and the places they liked most, and traded travel horror stories as well. Sean poured them more wine as they talked, and eventually reached over and took hold of her hand, holding it lightly in his as they chatted. At one point, Allie went inside to prepare the steak and the potatoes for the grill, and to make a green salad for their meal. Sean lit the grill while she did that, and when she came out with the potatoes, he took them from her and added them to the rack. "I'm happy to do the cooking out here, if you'd like," he offered. "I like this. I invite you for a meal, and you cook," she smiled. "Sure, if you don't mind, that sounds great." They spent the next hour, leisurely moving back and forth between the porch and the kitchen, talking and sipping wine as they prepared the meal. By the time they sat down to eat, things were comfortable between them again. "This is delicious," Sean said as he ate. "Really really good." Allie laughed. "You cooked it," she pointed out. "You got the spices just right." "Well thank you. That's quite a compliment, especially considering some of the places you've eaten at." "Sometimes home-cooked food tops anything you can get in a restaurant." "Like macaroni and cheese," Allie agreed. "No restaurant makes that any better than you can make it at home. Same for oven fries." "Comfort food," Sean agreed. "All better when made at home." "But a steak?" Allie questioned with a smile. "On the grill, and with a good wine? Yeah, this is better than in a restaurant." Leaning back in her chair, Allie looked at Sean over the top of her wine glass and changed the subject. "Are you ready for tomorrow?" she asked quietly. "I am. Are you?" "Not even a little bit," she said with a sigh. "I'm in the office all day tomorrow, Allie. We'll deal with it together. And the ring on your finger will be seen early on in the day. By noon, everyone will know that we're engaged." She nodded. "You're not worried about reactions?" "I have good people working for me, Allie. I think most of them will be happy for us." Allie hesitated. "I hope you're right." Standing up, Allie began to clear the dinner plates from the table. "Coffee?" she asked. "Decaf, if you have it," Sean responded, standing up to help her. He loaded the dishwasher while she made coffee, and then they carried their mugs out into the living room. "Come join me on the couch, Allie," Sean requested as they moved into the room, and as Allie started toward her overstuffed chair. When she hesitated, Sean put out his hand, and said, "Don't be afraid of me, Allie." Allie shook her head. "I'm not afraid so much as wary." She sank down onto the edge of the chair facing him. Sean placed his coffee cup on the table in front of him, then leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "Have I ever hurt you?" he asked quietly. Allie smiled gently. "I know you wouldn't hurt me, Sean. Not intentionally. But I've worked with you for a long time now, and I know a lot about you. You're ruthless when it comes to winning." She placed her mug on the table next to his and looked down at her hands. "I'm just not sure what that means for me in this relationship. Or when this relationship ends." Sean opened his mouth to tell Allie that he had no intention of ending the relationship, but she just looked up at him and shrugged. "You go through women so quickly, Sean. I know better than to think that it will be different with me." "You don't have much faith in me," Sean observed grimly. "I know how many women you've dated since I started working for you," she answered with a wry grin. "And it's a lot." Sean stood up then, his eyes narrowed as he walked toward the chair where Allie was sitting. "I'm marrying you," he pointed out. "Under duress," Allie reminded him. She stood up, then, feeling at a disadvantage when she was sitting and he was standing over her. But this didn't help much, she thought, trying to move away to put some space between them. Sean reached out and gently grasped her neck with one hand, and threaded his hand through her hair with the other. Holding her steady, he moved closer to her and slowly lowered his mouth to hers. He kissed her lightly, carefully holding his need for her in check. "Let me show you how much duress I'm feeling, Allie," Sean whispered as he lightly kissed his way up from her mouth to the sensitive spot behind her ear and back down to her throat. He felt Allie tremor beneath him and reach out to clutch his shoulders with her hands. As she rolled her head back and moaned, Sean's mouth moved back to hers, and this time, he let Allie see the strength of his passion. His hands on the back of her head, his tongue moved into her mouth, seeking her response, seeking to set loose her own unbridled passion. He walked her backwards, until he had her backed her up against the nearest wall. He pressed into her, feeling her softness along the entire length of his hardness, but his hands were free to hold her steady for his kiss. Until that wasn't enough. With one hand still cupping her face and holding her carefully positioned for his kiss, his other hand dropped, skimming over her neck, her shoulder, and down to the side of her full breast. His hand eased between them, caressing her breast through the soft material of her t-shirt. When her nipple hardened beneath his fingers, Sean drew back and peeled off her shirt, leaving her exposed before him in a lace-lined satin bra. He stopped, then, his legs still pressed between hers, but he just looked down at her, stroking her breasts reverently, his breathing shaky with need. "I want you, Allie. I want to strip you naked and bury myself inside of you. I want to make you so crazy that you can't think of anything or anyone but me. I want to feel you wrapped around me, pulling me closer, crying out my name. "But we're stopping now," he continued as he slowly drew back, holding her gently in his arms as she caught her breath and fought back her own need for him. "It is nobody's business whether you and I have slept together, and I don't expect anyone to ask. But I want you to have a clear conscience when you are talking to people, and you won't have one if we sleep together tonight. So as much as I want to take you right here, against the wall of your living room, I'm going to wait. "But there's one thing that you need to get straight in your head, Allie," he added seriously, his hands framing her face. "This isn't a game to me. It's not a temporary diversion. That ring on your finger shows the world that you're mine, Allie." "And are you mine?" Allie managed to ask quietly, her voice shaking. "Or do I need to get used to sharing you with others?" Immediately, Sean's eyes grew cold. He stepped back from her, reaching down to pick up her t-shirt, and handing it to her. "Sean..." "Put your shirt on, Allie." Allie took it from Sean and slid it over her head. When she was covered again, she turned to look at him. "You didn't answer me," she pointed out. In seconds, Sean was looming over her, but he didn't touch her. "It was an insulting question," he pointed out. "Why?" Allie asked, refusing to be intimidated. "If you loved me, and were marrying me for real, I'd never ask such a thing. That would be insulting. But you don't, and you're not. This is largely a business transaction. So I need to know the parameters. I need to know what to expect." "This part of our relationship is anything but business, Allie." "So... what?" she persisted. "Discrete affairs? One-night stands?" Allie knew that she was infuriating Sean, but she badly needed to know. When he answered her, his voice was steely, his eyes cold, and the anger in his stance was visible. "Do not push me, Allie. You will be my wife. There will be no affairs, no one-night stands, nothing. Do you understand me?" But Allie needed more. "For both of us, or are you talking to me again?" A muscle in Sean's face twitched as he sought to contain his fury at the thought of Allie with another man. She was his, he thought. He would never let anyone else touch her. And he wanted to touch no other woman. The thought of making love to a woman who wasn't Allie left him cold. Slowly, he let his anger slip out of him and he looked down at the woman beside him and nodded. Once. Firmly. "Both of us," he said. Allie's eyes searched his. "Are you sure?" she asked softly. "Yes," he responded. One word. And Allie believed him. "OK," she sighed, looking down as she gathered her emotions. She felt Sean's fingers gently lift her chin, and watched as he bent down to kiss her tenderly. As he lifted his head, he pushed her hair back behind her ears with a gently stroke. "Do you want me to pick you up in the morning?" he asked quietly. "No. Thank you, but I think I'd like to stick to my routine." "Then I'll see you in the office, sweetheart. Sleep well tonight," he added as he kissed her again on the cheek. "You too," she echoed. "See you tomorrow."

Back at his house, Sean sat in his darkened den, a glass of scotch on the table beside him. Allie had thrown him tonight, he realized. When he had insisted on this marriage, he had done it for one main reason -- to quell the gossip that was sure to come as a result of the published photo. But if he were honest with himself, he knew that his motives included more than that. He wanted Allie. In a way that he had never wanted any woman before. And that included more than just sleeping with her -- it included making sure that she slept with nobody else but him. But he had never stopped to consider his own sexual habits. It was true that he had never committed to a woman, and had never wanted to. It was also true that no woman had ever asked him to. They all knew who he was when they began a relationship with him, and they knew better than to push him for anything that he wasn't himself offering. And Allie had. Not in so many words - - she had never told him that she expected monogamy. But her expectation that he may not give it to her had bothered him. A lot. It had made him feel like less than a man. Like he had turned into someone that his father could not be proud of. He knew that his parents were proud of him in most things in life. But he also knew that his mother avoided asking him about his private life, mostly because she didn't want to hear his answers. His dad had been a family man -- loving and faithful to his wife all his life, and neither of his parents could understand why he avoided settling down. And in truth, he didn't know himself. Taking a sip of scotch, he thought back to the women he had dated over the past year -- since he had first hired Allie. All of them were model-beautiful. A couple of them had substance, but weren't interested in settling down, even with a very wealthy man. But most of them were with him for what he could do for them. And they looked good on his arm and in his bed, so it was a fair trade. But it wasn't who he was. Not deep inside, where his parents had instilled a sense of family, home, honor. It was what he had wanted for a while, to show everyone that he had made it. His teachers had expected that he would follow in the footsteps of his father, and hadn't invested a lot of time in him, but he had excelled in college, gone on to business school, and made something of himself. But in the process, he'd hardened. While he still had a moral compass that was stronger than most, he had lost part of himself along the way. And he hadn't started finding it again until Allie. THIRTEEN

By the end of the day on Monday, Allie was drained, but absolutely amazed by the reaction of the people that she and Sean worked with. In the early morning, it seemed like people were avoiding her, and staying clear of Sean's office, and Allie was nearly in tears at the thought that she might have completely messed up any friendships she had within the company. But when Debra, her friend from HR who had initially helped her get the job, came up to ask her what the heck was going on, she immediately spotted the ring. "Oh my God. You're engaged. When did that happen?" she asked, holding Allie's hand and gazing at the ring in awe. "This weekend," Allie grinned. "Well aren't you the dark horse?" Debra exclaimed. "It's beautiful, and it couldn't happen to two nicer people. I'm very happy for both of you. You know, when I saw your picture in the paper on Sunday morning, I was prepared to come in here this morning and ream you out for not only having an affair with your boss, but so blatantly advertising it, but this changes everything. I'm happy for you, Allie." "Thank you," Allie managed to respond. "You know that this is largely thanks to you, right? If you hadn't helped me get the job in the first place..." "Yeah, but as I remember, we were trying to keep him from noticing you at all," Debra grinned. "I mean, come on. Three secretaries before you, all vying for his attention, and you are the one he falls for. The girl in the absolutely revolting wardrobe. I think that's why everyone in this building is going to be thrilled to hear about your engagement -- you're like a modern day Cinderella. The good girl getting the prince." Allie laughed then. "Oh geez. Don't let Sean hear you say that. I'll never live it down." "Live what down?" Sean asked, leaning in the doorway, watching the two women laughing. "Hi Debra." "Hey, Mr. Greyson. Congratulations," she said with a smile. "You've gotten yourself an amazing woman here." "I'm very aware of that," Sean said with an easy smile, looking over at Allie with a warm gaze. "Thanks, Debra." "Well, I'd better go and spread the news. Gossip is all over this place this morning, and I think some of it needs to be stopped. I hope you two aren't planning to get any work done this morning." And she had been right. Within ten minutes of her departure, staff members from around the building came into the office suite to congratulate her and Sean. Many of them said similar things to what Debra had -- they had felt uncomfortable with the idea of the boss sleeping with his assistant, but marriage? That changed everything. People were genuinely happy for them both. But now, as 5:00 loomed closer, Allie found herself watching the clock and longing for escape. Sean had been right, she thought. This would never have just blown over, not in this company. Not with the people that Sean had hired to work for him. She would have been ostracized among the staff, and Sean would have lost their respect. As it was, people were reading all sorts of things into what they thought they should have seen over the past few months, and some people went so far as to say that they knew this would happen. Allie's face ached from smiling so much, and Sean had shaken so many hands today that he figured he knew what candidates for public office felt like. For much of the day, he had kept his arm circled around her waist, and they played the part of a loving couple for hours. Allie was tired. She wanted dinner, a bath, and a long talk with both Anna and her sister. And she supposed that she needed to call her parents at some point too. Sean was a well-known businessman, and a photogenic guy -- this could make the papers, even in her hometown. "Can I take you to dinner tonight, Allie?" Sean asked as they both gathered their things and prepared to leave that evening. "I honestly just want a quiet night to myself," she responded softly. "I need to talk to my family and let them know what's happening. Have you talked to your family yet?" "Not yet. I'll do that tonight as well. Are you doing OK? You look tired." Allie sighed. "I am tired. But I'm OK. I'll be better once we can get back to a normal routine," she acknowledged. "I'd rather have you bark orders at me any day than to have to lie to so many people." Sean bent down and kissed her forehead. "We didn't lie to most of them," he pointed out. "And I don't bark." Allie laughed then. "Yeah, you do. But I don't mind it. I'll see you tomorrow, Sean." "Drive safely, sweetheart. I'll see you in the morning."

Allie's phone calls to her family were more difficult than she expected, particularly since she was essentially announcing that she and Sean were eloping. By the time she got off the phone, she badly needed a long talk with Anna. "You what?" Anna asked, after Allie broke the news to her. "You heard me," Allie said. "You're both idiots. For God's sake, Allie. Read the writing on the wall. The man is in love with you, you're in love with him.... If you need this crazy charade in order to make the relationship official, then do it. But I think you need to really think about what you're doing and saying, and then talk to him." "Anna, it's not like that. He isn't in love with me, not by a long shot." "But you're in love with him?" Allie sighed. "Aw geez, Allie," Anna said quietly. "You're setting yourself up to get badly hurt." "I don't think I have a choice, Anna. I'm not willing to hang him out to dry over this, and I don't want him feeling sorry for me, so I can't tell him how I feel. Do you see any other way forward?" It was Anna's turn to sigh. "OK, sweetie. What do you need me to do to help?" "Shop with me?"

The next day in the office was better, and the day after that. People were slowly getting used to the fact that Allie and Sean were a couple, and after a few days, the company was easily returning to business as usual. It helped that Sean was out of the office on Wednesday and Thursday on a business trip, only returning mid-day Friday. "How did it go?" Allie asked when Sean appeared in the office after his flight landed on Friday. "It went well," he responded. "Thanks for responding so quickly when I needed those files yesterday." "That's what I'm here for," she smiled. "Speaking of which, I'm going to start training a new secretary for you on Monday. She'll cover while we're gone for a couple of weeks, and if all goes well, she can continue on with you after that." Sean looked up from sorting through his mail. "Are you sure I can't convince you to stay?" "I don't know yet, Sean," she said politely. "I have a few interviews lined up next week. I assume you will be fine with me taking a few hours off here and there?" Sean nodded curtly. "Whatever you need, Allie. Are you set with everything you need for the wedding?" "Anna and I are shopping tomorrow. So yes, I should be fine." "Good. Can I take you to dinner tomorrow night?" Allie looked surprised. "Sean, you don't need to..." He interrupted her. "I want to, Allie. If you're in agreement, I'll pick you up at 7:00." She nodded. "That's fine. Thank you." "Good. I'll make reservations. I'll be in my office for the rest of the afternoon if you need anything," he added as he turned to head back to his desk. Allie watched him go. For all her worries about telling him that she was working on leaving the company, it went far smoother than she had expected.

Shopping with Anna was fun. Allie insisted that she did not want to pay a fortune for a wedding dress, and since she would need to find something that fit now, and not ask for any alterations, the two women had an appointment at a local bridal shop that specialized in off-the-rack dresses. "I want simple and elegant," Allie insisted. "No full skirt, no lace, no beads, no tulle. I think I want the dress that I wore to your wedding, but in ivory." Within ten minutes, Anna had pulled the perfect dress out for her. "Here, you crazy woman. Try this on. It's screaming your name. And it's really similar to the dress you wore when you were maid of honor." "Are you upset that we're eloping, Anna? That you're not going to be there with me?" "Honey, I'd love to see you get married. But under these circumstances, I just want to see you happy. Go try this on." By the time Allie got home that night, she had a wedding dress and shoes, both of which would pack easily into her suitcase, and any resulting wrinkles would hang out easily over night. She and Anna had shared a really nice lunch, and they had spent the afternoon getting manicures and pedicures at their favorite nail place. Allie felt the most relaxed that she'd felt in days when she opened the door to her apartment that afternoon. After hanging the dress in her closet, Allie took a quick shower and changed into a sleeveless navy dress. She slid into a pair of matching sandals with a low heel, and added a light sweater to the outfit in case it got chilly later in the evening. By the time Sean arrived at her door, she was rested and hungry. "You look gorgeous, as always," Sean said when he came to her door. "And punctual," he added with a grin. "Punctual is because I'm starving," Allie smiled. "Anna wore me out today." "Did you find everything you need?" he asked. "I did. And some things I didn't need," she laughed, thinking of the matching lingerie that Anna had pushed her to buy. "Do you need me to write a check to cover anything, Allie?" Allie shook her head. "No. I appreciate the offer, but I don't need money from you." "What do you need?" Love, Allie wanted to say, looking up at the handsome, sexy man who stood in her living room. I need you to love me. Instead, she lightly said, "Dinner. Did I not tell you that I'm hungry?" Sean laughed. "You did indeed. OK, let's go." Sean had made reservations at a Mediterranean tapas restaurant in the city, a place that Allie had been to only once or twice, but loved. They ordered a variety of dishes, shared them all, and enjoyed a bottle of wine to go with it. It was a place where they could easily talk, so they ordered coffee when they were done with dinner, and lingered while they talked. Allie told Sean about her phone calls with her family, and he agreed that they would need to visit them sooner than later. He told her about his calls as well, and how anxious his whole family was to meet her. And while Allie couldn't help but feel like her life was a fraud, she nodded and agreed that she was looking forward to meeting them as well. It was a nondescript evening, Allie thought. While the dinner had been formal, there had been nothing at all romantic about the night. It was no different from any other dinners they had shared together in the past, and while that was comfortable, it also felt sad to Allie. Here it was, one week before they were tying their lives together, and their conversation was business-like, ordinary. She flirted more with the waiter than she did with her dinner companion. Her fiancé, she corrected herself. So it was with a sense of sadness that she rode home with Sean that evening. Was this what their life together would be like? Was this the sum total of all they had learned about each other? When they pulled up in front of Allie's home, she politely asked him in, assuming that he'd plead exhaustion and head home. So when he quietly agreed that he'd like to join her for another cup of coffee, she was surprised. "Have a seat," she offered. "I'll put on the coffee." But instead of heading to the living room, Sean placed his wallet and keys by the door and followed her into the kitchen. Leaning against the counter, he watched as she measured and ground the coffee, added water to the machine, and flicked the switch to start the brewing. As she turned around to find a couple of clean mugs, she ran right into Sean, who had moved directly behind her. Placing one arm on either side of her, and bracing against the countertop behind her, Sean effectively held her loosely within his embrace. "I need to..." Allie started to say. "Kiss me," Sean said hoarsely. "You need to kiss me. All night, you've been the perfect little secretary. The perfect assistant. Cool. Collected." Sean moved in closer to her, fitting his long lean body against her own soft curves. "I want to see you lose your cool, Allie. For me." He lowered his head, still braced against the counter behind Allie. "Kiss me, Allie." Allie looked up at Sean, his eyes burning into hers, his gaze direct, the need he felt for her evident in his rigid posture, his uneven breaths. But he held still, waiting for Allie to make the move. "I am the perfect assistant, Mr. Greyson," she said quietly, her fingers reaching up to smooth over his tie, to brush gently against his chest. "And I always do what my boss asks of me." With that, she reached a hand up behind his neck to tug his head down. When his lips met hers, he held still, allowing her to take the lead, though it was killing him. She lightly nipped her lips over his, smiling slightly at his shuddering response. When she went back for more, gently tugging his bottom lip between hers, Sean found himself struggling for control, his mind trying to name the Super Bowl winners for the past few years in an effort to prevent himself from grabbing her, stripping her naked, and plunging himself into her. Her kisses, as sweet and innocent at they might be, were hotter than anything he'd experienced in years. Wrapping his arm around her, his fingers clenched around her waist, he let her kiss him. He let her set the pace, let her slowly explore his lips, his mouth, his tongue. As she deepened the kiss, his body stiffened and his muscles tightened, his embrace so powerful that breathing was difficult. When she at last move her mouth from his, taking a deep shuddering breath, Sean lost all semblance of sanity. His hands moved to the back of her head, finding the right angle for his kiss, and he took full control. His kiss was powerful, sensual, full of need and want and desire. His tongue plunged into her mouth, met hers, and withdrew again. With no effort at all, Sean reached around and lifted Allie until she was sitting on the counter, her hips spread wide to accept him between them, her mouth still pressed to his, his arms still clamped around her. Allie gasped as the juncture of her thighs encountered the hard need that pressed against her. Sean's mouth moved slowly down Allie's throat, and he moaned in frustration when he encountered the fabric of her dress. Reaching behind her, he slowly unzipped the garment, allowing it to fall loosely around her waist, exposing her satin-covered breasts to his view. This time, his moan was one of pleasure. He slowly brushed his hands over her fabric-covered mounds, watching as her nipples stiffened, and she pushed her full breasts into his hands. Bending down to kiss her again, he reached behind her and swiftly unfastened her bra, then gently cupped her in his hands as he deepened the kiss again. "Oh God, Sean," she gasped in pleasure, pushing herself against him, wanting him closer, touching her everywhere, inside her. She turned her head aside, needing to breathe, and he immediately moved his mouth to her breasts, kissing one, then the other. He fastened his mouth over one nipple while his hand moved over the other breast, and Allie pushed forward into both caresses, needing more, needing something she couldn't define. "Bedroom, Allie," Sean lifted his head to roughly demand. "It's there or right here on your kitchen counter." Allie simply pointed down the hallway, not trusting her voice, and gasped again when Sean lifted her into his arms with ease, carrying her to the bedroom. When they got there, he carefully lowered her to her feet, his hands lightly framing her face. "You are so beautiful, sweetheart," he said at last. "So damn beautiful. I've wanted you for so long." "Sean, please." "Please what, sweetheart?" he asked gently. "Please make love to me." But Sean just looked down at her intently. "Allie, do you remember what I told you when we were on the beach together in Miami?" Allie tried to remember, but it was so hard to think when she was nearly naked in his arms. Finally, she said, "I remember you telling me that you were going to take me to bed someday. I remember you telling me that you'd make love to me." Sean nodded. "I did. And I also told you that when I did, you would belong to me. That you'd be mine." He gently caressed her face with the back of his hand. "So be sure, Allie. Be sure that this is what you want." She looked up at him, then. Sean, the man she loved. The man she was marrying in a week. "I'm sure, Sean," she said quietly. Allie trembled in his arms, her fingers moving slowly up to loosen his tie, to unbutton his shirt, to begin pulling his clothes from him. But Sean stood rigid, his control wavering, but still in place. Allie saw the telltale muscle in his face twitch. The muscle that told her that he was fighting to be in command of his own actions. "Allie, I'm going to try my damndest to be gentle with you, but I can't promise. I need you too badly. " "I don't need you to be gentle, Sean. Just love me," she said softly. With that, Sean pulled her back into his arms and lowered his mouth to hers. Their movements became more frantic as Allie struggled to remove Sean's clothes, even as he was determined to pleasure her. As she pulled off his pants and boxers, Sean easily slid Allie's panties off and pushed her gently back onto the bed. Falling on top of her, he carefully supported his weight on his arms as he looked down on her. "You're mine, Allie," he said roughly, his voice gravelly with need. "Say it, sweetheart." "Yes," she gasped, arching up against him in an instinctive motion. "Please, Sean." Nudging her legs apart, Sean settled his hips between them, his need pressed directly against her. Her hands reached up, clutching his shoulders to pull him closer. His mouth covered hers, his tongue plunging inside hers, demanding her response. Allie felt her core go liquid, her need for him growing with every gentle thrust against her that he made. When he moved his hand to her breast, he circled her nipple with his fingers, then gently rolled the peak between his finger and thumb. Allie arched up into him, needing him, needing his closeness, needing his hardness against her. When he lowered his mouth to her breast, she moaned at the sensation, pressing up into him. Her hands feathered over him, clutching him one moment, moving to caress him the next. She wanted him. Wanted him with a strength she'd never known before. His mouth moving back to hers, Sean slid one hand gently down her stomach, his fingers touching her, feeling how ready she was for him. Rolling off of her, Sean reached for his trousers, looking for the condom he had placed in his back pocket earlier that evening. He skillfully rolled it on as she watched him, her eyes big as she took in his size and his obvious need for her. When he moved back to her, he lifted her legs slightly to find a better angle for entry, and slowly slid into her. She was wet, her entry tight, and she felt amazing. He began to push further into her, until he was completely inside, her velvety softness surrounding him. As he gently nipped at her breast with his teeth, he felt her insides clench around him. And that was enough to tip him over the edge. Positioning himself carefully over her so that he wasn't crushing her, he began to move within her. His gaze held hers, his jaw clenched with his effort to maintain some semblance of control. He wanted this woman, but he didn't want this to be over too soon. It felt too good. He eased out of her, then pushed back in to the hilt, her grip around him tight and her eyes closing with need. He increased his pace, each thrust bringing with it more pleasure and more need. In and out, in and out, his rhythm growing more and more rapid, as he felt the shudders deep within her start to spread. As she cried out with pleasure, he gave one more forceful thrust deep within her and they came together. They lay together, silent, as they came back down to earth. Sean rolled off her, but kept the connection firm, stroking her hair gently and kissing her softly as their breathing slowly returned to normal. "That was incredible," Allie whispered at last. "I had no idea...." Sean kissed her again, his gaze on her intense. "That's what I meant when I said you'd be mine, Allie. I'm not going to be able to let you go." "I'm not going to want you to," she murmured. "Sleep, sweetheart," he said as he pulled out of her. "I'll be right back." After taking care of the condom in Allie's bathroom, he moved back into the bedroom and looked at Allie. She was already asleep, curled up on one side of the bed, the covers pulled up and tucked under her chin. He leaned against the door frame. Normally, this is when he'd quietly pick up his clothes and go. He'd leave a note, send flowers in the morning perhaps, or have Allie do it, and then he'd call later in the week to schedule another evening together. But he had no desire to leave tonight. He wanted to curl in next to Allie, pull her into his arms, and fall asleep with her. The only problem was, he wouldn't want to sleep. Which reminded him -- he had another condom in his wallet. He decided that he'd better go get it now, since he was very likely to want it later. Pulling on his boxers, he moved down the hall and into the kitchen. Moving over to the full but abandoned coffee pot, he turned it off, then walked to the table where he had set his wallet. "Please tell me that you are not leaving here in only your boxers," he heard from behind him, and he turned to see Allie standing sleepily in the doorway, knotting the belt of her bathrobe. Sean shook his head and held up the condom with a sheepish smile. "No. Not by a long shot. I just thought we might want this later. Are you OK if I stay, sweetheart?" he asked. Allie just looked at him, pushing her hair back behind her ears. "You want to stay?" she asked, not sure she had heard him right. "You're damn right I want to stay," Sean said emphatically. "If you'll let me." "Of course," Allie said. Looking into the kitchen, she smiled ruefully. "We forgot all about the coffee. I blame you." Sean laughed. "It's still hot," he said. "I just turned the pot off. Do you want a cup?" "No. Not anymore. I got distracted by other things." Sean grinned. Allie was very different from what he'd expected. For some reason, he'd thought that she would turn shy and a bit standoffish after the slept together, but instead, she was standing in her kitchen, naked under her bathrobe, bantering with him. "What's funny?" she asked. "For some reason I pictured you in bunny slippers," he responded with a teasing grin. Her eyes narrowed. "Bunny slippers?" "No? Maybe cows? Pigs?" "I'm not sure what you're saying to me, but none of that sounds very sexy to me. The old Allie might have worn those in your presence, but not the real Allie," she told him. Sean moved over to her and put his arms around her. "I think either Allie is very sexy," he informed her, leaning down to kiss her nose. "With or without bunny slippers." Allie reached up and kissed him lightly. "I'm going to bed. Are you coming?" In response, Sean handed her the condom, then leaned down and swept her up into his arms to carry her back to the bedroom. FOURTEEN

The week leading up to the wedding went quickly. Allie worked to train a temporary replacement, a competent woman in her 50's who was not only happily married, but happily awaiting the arrival of her first grandchild. Allie assured her that if she wanted to take time off when the baby arrived, she and Sean would be more than willing to work out the timing. Allie herself went on two job interviews, and while she thought she might have landed at least one of the positions, she wasn't sure if either one would give her the same level of responsibility that her job with Sean gave her. Still, she knew that if she decided to leave, either one could serve as a springboard for a different kind of position in the future. But the evenings were amazing, Allie thought. Sean was a considerate lover -- he wanted her, but he also knew that she needed her own time to get ready for the wedding, and for an extra week away with him. So he stayed some nights, and left her to do her own thing on others, and he always seemed to know which she needed. The problem, Allie thought, was that she was falling more and more in love with him. And he showed no signs of feeling the same way about her. By the time Friday afternoon arrived, Allie was packed and ready. And nervous. Sean was meeting her at the airport in an hour, and there was nothing left for her to do but sit and think. Not good. Because all Allie could think about was that she was marrying a man she was head over heels in love with, and he was marrying her to protect his reputation and that of his business. Yes, they were good in bed together. Yes, they laughed and enjoyed each other's company. But for how long? How long before he decided that he was tired of her? How long before he suggested that they live separate lives? She knew that he had been insulted when she had asked him about exclusivity in their relationship, but while she was sure that he believed in his answer to her, she wasn't equally sure that she believed in it. Because she wasn't the kind of girl who could keep a man like him. She was definitely the girl next door, while he was the kind of man who could rule the world. And why would a man like that want a girl like her? By the time the cab came to pick her up to take her to the airport, Allie knew that she needed to fish or cut bait. If she went to Vegas, she was committing herself to marrying Sean Greyson. If she stayed at her apartment, he would come after her this afternoon. And it would be the end of everything. The end of their working relationship, the end of their personal relationship, and the end of her own life as she knew it. Everything would change. If she married him, he may eventually destroy her heart, but she had a chance -- and she would have more time with him. He may never learn to love her, but maybe she'd make enough memories with him to take her through what she was sure she'd have to deal with in the future. So she got in the cab. She made it to the airport. She checked her luggage, went through security, bought a magazine and a bottle of water for the flight, found her gate, and sat down to wait for Sean. She saw him before he saw her. And her heart melted. He was dressed impeccably as always in a beautiful black suit. His worn leather briefcase was tossed over his shoulder, and the newspaper was tucked under his arm. His gaze was sharp as his eyes roamed the room, looking for her. She watched as several women covertly glanced at him, and he watched his eyes flitter over them and keep moving. And when he finally spotted her, she was puzzled by the look of extreme relief that seemed to pass over his face before he made his way over to her. "Hi," she smiled up at him as he came to stand next to her. "Hi to you too," he said, bending down to kiss her gently on the lips. "I didn't see you at first. I was afraid that you were running late." "Running late, or not coming at all?" she asked. "I was afraid you were running late. I was terrified that you weren't coming," he said seriously. Sitting down in the empty seat next to her, he crossed his long legs at the ankles. "Did you get everything done? No last minute crises?" "No. No problems. Even the cab ride over was smooth. What about you?" "No crises on my end either," he told her. "Where's your dress?" "I packed it," Allie said. "So hopefully it is being loaded on the plane as we speak." "You packed it." "Yeah." "Allie, I think you're the only woman I know who would pack her wedding dress and hope that it made it to its destination." She shrugged. "I can always find a new dress tomorrow if I need one. It's Vegas, after all."

By the time they got to the hotel in Las Vegas, both Allie and Sean were tired. Between the craziness of a hectic week, and the flight and ground transportation stress, they stood in the lobby of the hotel they were staying at and just looked at each other. "I think I need a nap," Allie said seriously. "I think that sounds like a great idea," Sean said. "How about we rest up a bit, and I meet you back here in the lobby at 6:00. We can go get a drink and find some dinner before you go win me my wedding champagne at the blackjack table." Allie smiled. "No blackjack for me tonight, unless I get seriously rested. I might be willing to try my luck at the slots though." "Then I'll bring a roll of quarters with me." He bent down and kissed Allie lightly. "See you in a couple of hours." Allie headed off to her suite, thankful that Sean had insisted on separate rooms tonight. He wanted her to feel at ease this evening, and she was grateful. After unpacking her suitcase and hanging up her wedding dress in the bathroom where the steam from her morning shower would steam out the remaining wrinkles, she laid down on the bed and closed her eyes. Before she knew it, it was time to clean up and go downstairs to meet Sean. After a quick shower to wake up, she freshened her makeup, pulled on a short-sleeved brown flowered dress and a pair of high-heeled sandals, and gathered her hair back into a loose braid. She added a matching beige cardigan, then grabbed her purse and headed down the stairs to meet Sean. Dinner was delicious. In addition to their entrees, they split an appetizer, a bottle of wine, and a decadent dessert before Allie cried uncle. "Enough," she groaned. "Not only will I never fit in my dress tomorrow, but I will still be in a sugar coma and unable to move before 3:00 tomorrow afternoon. No more food or drink for me." "Coffee?" "Not even coffee." Sean laughed, then went around the table to pull out the chair for Allie. "Do you want to go to the casino, or would you like to call it a night?" "Casino," Allie answered. "But just for a short while. Just enough time for me to either win a jackpot at the slots, or to waste $10 in quarters. Unless you want to play cards for a while? If you do, I'll watch." "No, I'd rather have an early night tonight," he said. "I've got plans to get very little sleep tomorrow," he added seriously. "Oh do you, now?" Allie asked. "Big business deal to transact?" "Something like that," Sean agreed with a slight smile. "Come on. Let's go lose some money." Allie lost the roll. She was up $5 at one point, but Sean convinced her that a $15 bottle of champagne would not taste any better than a $10 bottle, so she might as well go for the jackpot. Unfortunately, she lost it all in the next ten minutes, but Sean just shrugged. "Next time," he said as he swung his arm over her shoulder. When they got back to the hotel, Sean insisted on walking Allie to her door. "I won't come in, Allie. But I just wanted to be sure that you got in safely." Bending down, he gently cupped her cheek, then lowered his mouth to hers in a tender kiss. "Good night, sweetheart. I'll see you tomorrow morning at 11:00." But like the last time they were here in Las Vegas, Allie found herself keyed up. And like the last time, she decided that she needed to hit the gym. Especially after that meal, she thought with amusement. If she ate like that every day, she'd need to spend her entire waking life on a treadmill. As she had last time she was here, she glanced into the bar on the way to the gym. It was a pretty empty place tonight, and a pretty small crowd. But then again, it was still early. Climbing onto the treadmill, Allie put in her earbuds and turned on some good music, and ran for 30 minutes, then lifted some weights. After a five minute cool-down, she hung her towel around her neck, took a long drink from the fountain, and headed back down the hall to the stairs. She would be able to sleep now, she thought. As she headed by the bar, she looked in again. There were more people here now. It was almost crowded, she thought. As she passed by the entrance, a familiar suit caught her eye. She stopped and backed up. Yeah, no doubt about it, that was Sean. With his arm around a stunningly beautiful woman. The woman was leaning back, looking up at him adoringly, her hand lightly stroking his arm and her other hand placed artfully on his chest. As Allie watched, the woman stretched up and kissed him. On the mouth. And oh God, Allie thought as she saw his arm tighten around her, he was going to kiss her back.

She backed out slowly, not wanting to draw attention to herself. She wasn't sure how she made it to her room, couldn't remember if she took the stairs or the elevator, didn't remember putting the key card into the slot. She only remembered nearly throwing up when she got back to her room. Leaving the lights out, she sank down into a chair, in front of the window, and looked out at the lights of the Vegas skyline. She had been such a fool, she thought. Such a fool. She had trusted him, and she had even talked herself into believing that this had the potential to develop into something real. Something meaningful. But he was already cheating on her, and on the night before their wedding, no less. She couldn't go through with it. If she married him, his cheating would destroy her completely. Not just professionally, but personally. So she might as well just bite the bullet now and be done with it. Let him destroy her professionally for not keeping her promise to him. Let him blackball her across the US and even internationally. She might lose everything, but she wouldn't lose her soul. She didn't think she'd sleep at all that night. But with her mind made up, her heart once again protected, she slept like a baby.

The next morning, Allie considered just leaving the hotel, but knew that wasn't the responsible thing to do, and she was nothing if not responsible. After a quick shower, she called the airlines to change her flight, pulled on a pair of jeans and a white cotton blouse over a black camisole, and slipped on a pair of black flats. After packing the rest of her clothes into her suitcase, she took a deep breath, and went to find Sean. She knocked on his door quietly, half expecting the woman from last night to be there. But Sean opened the door, dressed in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, his hair still wet from the shower. And oh, dear God, he looked so good. Allie nearly wept for her own loss right then, but remembered the scene from last night, and immediately grew more resolute. "Allie, what's wrong? What are you doing here?" he asked, a concerned look on his face. "May I come in?" she asked quietly. He stepped back immediately, letting her move into the suite as he closed the door behind her. "Is everything OK, Allie? Are you all right?" He sounded worried, but Allie knew better than to think he might be worried about her. She sat down on the couch, her hands folded in her lap. Looking up at him, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I can't do this, Mr. Greyson," she said finally. "I'm sorry. But I can't. I've thought about this a lot, and you'll be fine. I'll resign, immediately. You can say anything you wish -- that you found out something awful about me, or that I'd been married before and my divorce wasn't final, or even that I got cold feet and ran. Everyone will sympathize with you, Mr. Greyson. It's the perfect solution -- nobody will blame you for anything." Sean remained standing, though if Allie had been watching, she would have seen the look of pain and disbelief cross his face before he masked it. "What happened?" he said at last. "What do you mean?" Allie asked. "Between last night and this morning. What happened?" Allie looked straight at him, then, her gaze steady as she watched his face. "I had time to think, Mr. Greyson." Sean shook his head as he tried to understand what she was saying. "You've had plenty of time to think about this. I'm asking you again, Allie. What happened to change your mind?" Allie looked down at her hands then, and just shook her head slightly before she seemed to gather herself together again. "I changed my flight -- I leave in three hours. I'll clean out my office before you're back, and then I'll leave town. You won't ever need to see me again." Sean shook his head in disbelief. "And if I don't agree to this?" he asked. "You must, sir. If you think about it, I think you'll realize that it really is the right thing for you." "For me," Sean repeated. "For you," Allie agreed. She stood up then and pulled the ring from her finger, laying it on the coffee table in front of her. As she moved to the door of the suite, Sean realized that if he didn't stop her, she was walking out. And if he let her go, he may never see her again. In two steps, he stood between her and the door. She looked up at him in surprise. "Please. Let me by." But Sean shook his head. "No. Not until we work this out." "I need to go catch a flight, sir. I want to clean out my desk over the weekend when nobody is there. Please. Just let me go." "I can't do that," he said quietly, reaching out to lightly clasp her shoulders. "Allie. Talk to me. For God's sake. Don't do this to me." "Do what to you?" she asked incredulously, shrugging free from his touch, and finally showing some signs of emotion. "This won't do a damn thing to you. Your reputation will be fine. You'll be fine. Your heart will be intact. Even your pride, since everyone will assume that I'm the idiot here." But Sean caught her arm again and pulled her closer to him. Looking down at her, he asked again, "Allie, tell me why you're walking out on me." She stayed silent, fighting the emotion. Fighting the pain. She couldn't cry in front of him, she thought. He'd know how badly he hurt her, and he'd know that she had fallen for him. And her pride couldn't take it. She swallowed hard. "Allie....," Sean said quietly, bending down to look her in the eye. "I saw you with her," Allie finally managed to say. "Last night. In the bar. I saw you." Sean's gaze narrowed. "Allie..." She pulled free from his grip, and moved away from him, rubbing her arm as she did so. "I thought I could do this. But I can't. I'm sorry." She again moved toward the door, but Sean was faster. She looked up at him in reproach. "Get out of my way. Mr. Greyson," she added bitingly. Sean shook his head. "I can't, Allie. If I do, you'll walk out on me for good. Please. Come sit down. Talk to me." "I don't want to talk to you," she said quietly. "I know," he said. "But let me explain. If you still want to leave after that, I'll let you go." She looked up at him, her gaze skeptical, but she nodded. "Just don't touch me," she warned him. "I mean it." He stepped back, and motioned her to the couch. He moved a chair to sit across from her, and leaned forward, his arms on his legs, his gaze direct. "The woman you saw me with last night is an old girlfriend," he admitted. "I hadn't seen her in over three years, Allie. I was on my way to my room when I ran into her, and we started to talk. She asked me if I wanted to have a quick drink, and I agreed. We went to the hotel bar. I'm not sure what you saw, Allie, but I told her that I was getting married today. She hugged me." Allie waited for him to continue, to tell her that she had kissed him. To explain why he had kissed her back. So when he stopped there, Allie looked up at him. "Is that all?" she asked quietly. "I can still catch my flight if I leave now." Sean shook his head. "She kissed me, Allie. I stopped it immediately, and I stepped away, and I left." He paused, needing to collect himself before continuing. Looking straight into her eyes, he said quietly, "Allie, don't you know by now that the only woman I want to kiss is you?" Allie sighed, willing herself to keep her emotions in check. If nothing, this all had taught her how emotionally involved she was, while he was still only interested in pursuing the physical. Standing up, she forced herself to look down at her boss. The man she loved. The man she wanted. But the man who didn't love her. "Thank you for the explanation, Mr. Greyson. I appreciate your honesty." "The only woman I want to make love to is you. The only woman I want to marry is you. The only woman I want to have a family with is you. Allie, please don't walk out that door," he begged. "You'll destroy me." Allie's eyes filled with tears. "I have to go, Sean," she said, so quietly that he had to strain to hear her. "Or you'll destroy me." She was almost at the door when she felt his hand on her arm again. She turned, ready to beg him to let her go, but she looked up into his eyes, and what she saw filled her with hope. "Sean?" she asked tentatively. His gaze was intense as he held her steadily, looking directly into her eyes. "I love you, Allie. And I hope to God you love me too." Allie tried to find her voice, but she was too overwhelmed to say a word. He loved her? Did he really say that he loved her? He kissed her, once, gently, then drew her to him and held her tightly, her head pressed against his chest, his chin on the top of her head. Running his hands over her back, he said quietly, "You're not saying anything. Sweetheart, I can take a lot of things that you might want to tell me, but please. Please tell me that you're not going to leave me." Allie shook her head. "I'm not leaving," she whispered. Drawing her over to the couch, he pulled her down next to him and turned to face her, his arm draped along the back of the furniture. Allie sat sideways on the couch and curled her legs up in front of her, looking seriously at Sean. He reached out, gently caressing her face with the back of his hand. "It took me a long time to figure it out, Allie, which makes me the world's biggest idiot. But the night that I was with you, in your apartment, and you asked me if I'd be sleeping around once we were married.... your question infuriated me, Allie. I could not understand how you could have so little faith in me, but when I called you on it, you told me the truth -- that it was a business transaction, and not a matter of the heart. So you needed the business contract to be spelled out for you. I went home that night and sat in the dark and thought about you. And I realized then that what I felt for you was far different from what I had been telling myself, and that I saw our marriage as much more than a business transaction." Allie looked stunned. "But... I thought you just saw this as a physical attraction. That you just wanted to sleep with me, get me out of your system, and move on." Sean shook his head, smiling ruefully. "Sleeping with you made me want you more, not less, sweetheart. I won't ever be able to get enough of you. When I saw you at Anna's wedding, it was all I could do to stay in my seat, and not run to the front of the church and carry you out of there over my shoulder. But it's not all sexual, Allie. Even before I saw you at the wedding, I was drawn to you." "But... why? Sean, I'm nothing like the women you date. That woman I saw you with last night..." "...is beautiful on the outside, Allie. But she doesn't have even a tenth of your character, your kindness, your loving spirit. You're beautiful where it counts, Allie," Sean told her seriously. "But make no mistake, sweetheart, you're one of the sexiest, most beautiful women I've ever been with, and I want you like I've never wanted anyone before. None of the women I've been with hold a candle to you. I want you, Allie, not any of them." He reached out then and cupped her face tenderly. "Look, Allie. I know that this is sudden. And I know that you may not feel the same way about me that I feel about you. I've been rough on you. I've forced you to agree to marry me, for reasons that I'm only now beginning to understand. You may not want to have anything more to do with me, though I hope to God that's not true. But if you want to step back, take some time, we can do that. I can handle anything, Allie, except losing you." Allie sat still, wanting so badly to believe him, searching his eyes for the truth. "So if I want to wait..." "We go home, tell people we changed our minds about the Vegas wedding, and we see how things progress." "And if I want to break off the engagement completely, and see what happens between us?" Sean swallowed hard, but nodded. "Allie, you have to understand. I don't care about my reputation or my company enough to lose you. I'm done forcing you to do anything. As long as you're not leaving me for good, I'll do what I can to show you, really show you, how much I love you. And one day, perhaps you'll trust me enough to marry me." "And if I want to go through with the wedding today?" she asked softly. Sean took a deep breath, and his eyes caught hers as he said firmly, "There is nothing in the world that would make me happier. But this is your decision, Allie." She smiled softly, reaching out to take Sean's hand firmly between hers. "I love you, Sean. I have for months now, though I didn't realize it until a few weeks ago. Seeing you with that other woman made me realize that I couldn't share you. I couldn't just be a token wife to you. It would break my heart into pieces, and I wouldn't ever be able to put it together again. To be whole again. So that's why I decided to leave. Not because I didn't love you, but because I love you too much." Sean put his head back and let out the breath he'd been holding. "Thank God," he said quietly. He reached over to the coffee table where Allie had set her ring earlier and picked it up. Dropping to his knee in front of her, he slid the ring back onto her finger and simply said, "Marry me. Be my wife. Have my children. Love me." Tears in her eyes, she smiled down at the man in front of her. "I will," she said quietly. "I do." He stood up then and pulled her up into his arms. Framing her face with his hands, he looked down into her eyes. "I love you, Allie." And with that, he kissed her. A long, seductive, sensual kiss. One that held all of his feelings, all of his dreams, and his heart. And Allie kissed him back. "Should I cancel the wedding today?" he asked quietly. "Do you want to go home, plan, have a church wedding with all the trimmings?" Allie laughed. "Oh hell no," she said immediately. "I want to marry you, go play blackjack in my wedding dress, and then come back here and make love to my husband," she stated firmly. "And you? Would you prefer to wait?" "Oh hell no," he laughed in response. "I want to marry you, watch you win every hand at the card table, use your winnings to buy the best champagne we can find, and then come back here and make love to my wife." And Allie kissed her boss, and soon-to-be-husband on the cheek. "I just love it when we agree."