Convincing Max that Lansing was the agency for him was just one more hurdle, and by the time she reached the enormous office bearing Max’s name, she had her chin set at a determined angle and her eyes focused on the prize.
“Did you get lost?” he asked as she crossed the threshold.
A long time ago.
“I stopped at Sabrina’s desk and asked her to send the baby gift to Andrea.”
Rachel glanced around Max’s office, curious about the businessman. During their four days together, she’d learned about his family and his love of fast cars, but he’d refused to talk about work. In fact, until she’d met Sebastian four years ago, and noticed the family resemblance, she didn’t know he was Max Case of Case Consolidated Holdings.
The walls bore photos of Max leaning against a series of racecars, helmet beneath his arm, a confident grin on his face. Her heart jumped in appreciation of how handsome he looked in his one-piece navy-and-gray racing suit, lean hips and broad shoulders emphasized by the stylish cut. A bookshelf held a few trophies, and books on muscle cars.
“You cut your hair.” Max shut the door, blocking her escape.
She searched his expression, but he’d shut all emotion behind an impassive mask. His eyes were the blank stone walls of a fortress. Nevertheless, his personal comment aroused a tickle of awareness.
“Never liked it long.” Her ex-husband had, however.
A softening of his lips looked suspiciously like the beginnings of a smile. Did he recognize her attempt to camouflage herself? Shapeless gray pantsuit, short hair, no jewelry of any kind, a sensible watch, flat shoes, minimal makeup. Dull as dirt to look at, but confident and authoritative about her business. She’d never been any man’s fantasy. Too tall for most boys. Too flat-chested and skinny for the rest, the best she’d been able to hope for from her male classmates in high school was best friend or buddy. She’d grown up playing soccer, basketball and baseball with the guys.
Which is why it continued to blow her mind that a man like Maxwell Case, who could have any woman he wanted, had wanted her once upon a time.
An enormous cherry desk dominated a position in front of the windows. The piece seemed too clunky for Max. Rachel pictured him behind an aerodynamic glass and chrome desk loaded down with the latest computer gadgets.
Instead of leading the way toward his desk, Max settled on the couch that occupied one wall of his office. With a flick of his hand, he indicated a flanking chair. Disliking the informality of the setting, Rachel perched on the very edge of the seat. Her briefcase on her lap acted as both a shield and a reminder that this was a business meeting.
“I need an executive assistant here first thing tomorrow.”
Rachel hadn’t been prepared for Andrea to have her baby two weeks early. She had no one available that was skilled enough to fill in starting in the morning. “I have the perfect person for you, but she can’t start until Monday.”
“That won’t do.”
With her commission slipping away, panic crept into her voice. “It’s only two days. Surely you can make it without an assistant until Monday.”
“With Andrea gone today, I’m already behind. We’re up to our necks in next year’s budgets. I need someone who can get up to speed swiftly. Someone with world-class organizational skills.” His focus sharpened on her. “Someone like you. You’re exactly what I need.”
Her gut clenched at the flare of something white hot in his eyes.
A matching blaze roared to life inside her. Five years ago, that similar fire had charred her self-protective instincts and reduced her sensible nature to ash. She’d flung herself headlong into his arms without considering the repercussions.
The last time she’d lost herself that way, he’d ended up hating her. Meeting his gaze, she realized that his anger hadn’t been blunted by the passing years. Time hadn’t healed. It had honed his resentment into a razor-sharp tool for revenge.
Rachel braced herself against the earthquake of panic that threatened her peaceful little world and set her jaw. “You can’t have me.”
Her declaration hung in the air.
But he could have her …
As his assistant.
In any of the dozens of ways he’d had her before.
His choice. Not hers.
Energy zipped between them, fascinating and unsettling. The scent of her perfume aroused memories. Reminded him how sharp and sweet the desire was between them.
“Are you really ready to risk disappointing a client?”
“No.” A rosy flush dusted her high cheekbones. Had she picked up on his thoughts? “But I can’t abandon my business to be your assistant.”
“Hire someone to fill in for you.” He bared his teeth in an unfriendly grin. “Even you can see the irony in that.”
For the last few minutes, cracks had been developing in her professionalism. “You’re being unreasonable.”
“Of course I am. I’ll call someone else.” The telltale widening of her eyes was gone so fast he nearly missed it. This is where he challenged her reputation for providing excellent customer service to test how badly she wanted his business. “I’m sure another agency would have what I need.”
“Lansing Employment has what you need,” she countered, the words muddy because she spoke through clenched teeth.
He held silent while she tried to stare him down. Every instinct told him to send her on her way as he would any other supplier who couldn’t provide him with exactly what he wanted.
But they had unfinished business. At some point in the last five minutes he’d decided he needed closure. Four days with her hadn’t been enough time for the passion to burn out. Much to his dismay, he still wanted her. But for how long was anyone’s guess. From past experience he knew his interest rarely lasted more than two months.
And when he grew tired of her, he would end things on his terms. On his schedule.
“Fine.” She glared at him. “I’ll fill in for two days.”
“Wonderful.”
She stood, ready to stalk out of the office, but something held her in place. Her eyes were troubled as they settled on him. “Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“Demanding that I act as your assistant until I can find a replacement.”
“You’re here. It’s expedient.”
His current workload was crushing him. His managers had finalized their forecasts and forwarded next year’s budget numbers a week ago. With the economy slow to recover, controlling spending and increasing sales was more important than ever. Case Consolidated Holdings owned over a dozen companies, each one with very different markets and operations. It was an organizational challenge to collect and analyze data from the various sources
