“Yeah, but can she type?” Adam muttered acerbically.


Trish James had heard more than enough from Adam Duke, who obviously hadn’t noticed that she’d been standing in the doorway to his office for the last five minutes.

It’s showtime, she thought, steeling her nerves as she pushed away from the door and crossed the wide, elegantly furnished office to introduce herself.

“I type 120 words per minute, Mr. Duke,” Trish said brightly as she held out her hand to shake Adam Duke’s. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Trish James, your special assignment assistant.”

As their hands touched, Trish felt a jolt of heat and stared up at the man, hoping her apprehension didn’t show on her face. She’d known from the start that the CEO of Duke Development would be a formidable opponent. She just hadn’t realized that he’d be so tall and intimidating. Or so attractive-if you cared for the sort of potent, masculine toughness that must’ve appealed to every last woman in the known universe. Looking into his dark blue eyes, she felt her stomach take an unwelcome dip. Even seething with anger, Adam oozed sex appeal from every inch of his broad, muscular frame. Minutes ago, as she’d watched him from the office doorway, Trish had had to stifle an almost overwhelming urge to sneak away.

But Grandma Anna hadn’t raised a coward, so she’d pushed ahead and here she was, ready to beard the lion in his own den.

“Trish dear,” Marjorie said with a wink, clearly aware that Trish had overheard everything the HR manager and Adam had just said. “This is Adam Duke, of course. You’ll be working together for the next few weeks. I know you’ll do a wonderful job. Call me if you have any questions.”

Marjorie gave Adam a final warning glance, then smiled again. “Have a good day, both of you.” Then she turned and raced toward the door.

Trish almost laughed. Sure, have a good day. It was really starting out well. She tracked Marjorie’s escape out the door, leaving Trish on her own to face the man who had haunted her dreams for the last year. A man who’d turned those dreams to nightmares.

A man who didn’t even know who she was.

“Welcome,” Adam said gruffly.

“Thank you,” Trish said graciously, ignoring the insincerity in both their voices. They’d just started off on the wrong foot. Determined to right the situation and conduct herself professionally, she cleared her throat and said, “I appreciate that you’d rather not depend on a floater, Mr. Duke, but let me assure you that I know my way around an office.”

His eyes narrowed. “We refer to them as special assignment assistants, Ms. James.”

It took her a moment to realize he was joking. “Of course we do. My mistake.”

He smiled reluctantly. “That’s better.”

Her entire system zoomed up to red alert. It was that devastating smile that did it. Warning! her nerve endings screamed. In that moment, she could see how his former assistant might’ve been seduced into working for him until she snapped in two.

Determined to follow through with her plan, she squared her shoulders. Despite his gorgeous face, Adam Duke was a shark. He personified the killer species, and Trish ought to know, since he’d cold-bloodedly destroyed everything she’d ever loved. Now it was payback time. That’s why she was here.

Looking at him now, she had to admit he was the best-looking shark she’d ever seen. His eyes sparkled with both awareness and cynicism, but Trish could imagine them turning to blue ice if he ever discovered her true reason for being here.

“Ms. James?”

“What? Yes?” Trish blinked. The last thing she needed was to be caught staring soulfully at her unforgiving boss. “I’m sorry, I was taking mental notes. Could you repeat that?”

With a thoughtful nod, he glanced at his watch. “I’ve got to leave for a meeting shortly, but I’ll show you around first.”

As they crossed the luxurious space, Adam pointed out the locked cabinet where he kept some personal files, next to a sideboard with coffee and sodas to which she could help herself.

“Thank you,” she said. “I appreciate that.”

“I’m not sure you will when you have no time to go to lunch and this is all you’re stuck with.”

“At least we won’t die of thirst,” she said lightheartedly, but her grin faded as she met his gaze and was struck again by his sheer strength and masculinity. She had to force herself to get a grip.

Despite his good looks, she knew he was inflexible and demanding, knew he would be a formidable taskmaster. Frankly, she wished she could tell him to take this job and…well, she couldn’t say it. She needed the job too much. She was on a mission and she would accomplish what she’d set out to do. Let Adam Duke look down on her, if it made him feel bigger and better. She didn’t care. The worse he treated her, the more justification she would have for doing what she’d come here to do.

But why did he have to be even more gorgeous in person than in the newspaper photographs she’d studied? Honestly, didn’t she have enough to handle without being bombarded by feelings of attraction for a man who had single-handedly brought so much pain and destruction to her life?

No, it didn’t matter how handsome he was. All that mattered was, if not for Adam Duke, Trish would still have her home and her grandmother would still be alive.

Adam checked his wristwatch again and Trish snapped back to attention. “I’m sorry, Mr. Duke, but I don’t know your schedule yet. Do you need to leave for your meeting?”

“I’ll be cutting it close,” Adam said distractedly. “Let me get you settled before I go.”

He led the way out to the large alcove where she would work. He pointed out the wall of file drawers behind her desk that held most of his clients’ personal information and all the deals he was currently working on.

“Arranged in alphabetical order,” he added.

Remembering his comment to the HR manager, Trish smiled. “I assure you I’m familiar with the alphabet.”

He managed a rueful chuckle. “Let’s hope so, Ms. James.”

Trish grabbed a pad and took fast notes as he gave her a list of names of people whose calls he would always take, along with his cell phone number.

“While I’m gone, you can get your desk arranged, then I’ve left a cost analysis to be typed up, as well as some other letters and documents that need revisions. If you have time, you can start studying what’s inside those file drawers. I’ll need the Mansfield papers when I get back.”

Trish wrote everything down, then smiled. “I’ll take care of everything, Mr. Duke. You won’t be sorry.”

With a look that said he was already sorry, he said, “Call me Adam.”

“And please call me Trish,” she said.

“Right.” He looked at her for a moment, his mouth set in a skeptical scowl.

She smiled expectantly.

“Don’t forget the Mansfield papers,” he said finally, then strolled out of the executive suite, leaving Trish more shaken than she wanted to admit.


“That went well,” Adam muttered in disgust as he pounded the elevator call button. “Knucklehead.”

As he contemplated the attractive brunette who was now assigned to be his interim assistant, three things bothered him. First, the woman had been able to sneak up on him without him even noticing, and that never happened. He attributed his lack of awareness to his angry reaction to the news that his formerly invaluable assistant had run off and left him in a bind.

It had been obvious by her sardonic smile as they shook hands that Trish James had heard every word of his tirade over Cheryl’s untimely departure-and that was the second thing that bothered him. No one ever saw Adam Duke lose his cool. His control was legendary. Marjorie didn’t count. He’d known the woman for almost as long as he’d known his adoptive mother.

But now Trish James had seen him ranting like an idiot and that was never a good way to begin a working relationship-not that they would have that lengthy a working relationship, he hastened to add. He would need someone much more highly qualified to take over the position of executive assistant, not some refugee from the floater pool.

He immediately backed away from that thought. Marjorie was right, the floaters in his company were all good workers with great attitudes, willing to pitch in wherever they were needed. But Adam would need someone with top skills and experience, a self-starter and a go-getter with enthusiasm for the long work hours and a deft hand at dealing with his very demanding clients.

The third thing that bothered him was that she didn’t look like the usual matronly floater his company employed. Notwithstanding that mocking little grin, her mouth was a bit too wide and her lips too lush. Her almond-shaped, dark green eyes seemed to focus a little too knowingly on him. He’d noticed the confidence in her posture and the way she held her chin high, and found himself grudgingly admiring her. She seemed determined to make this work.

She wore her shiny, chestnut-brown hair pulled back from her face in a classic style, and her black, pinstriped pantsuit fit her tall, poised figure like a glove. He generally hated pantsuits on women, but hers wasn’t so bad. If his instincts were right, and they usually were, Trish James’s suit covered one fantastic set of legs.

His groin tightened uncomfortably at the thought and he smacked the elevator button again. Her touch had sent something hot and wicked blasting through him and Adam wasn’t about to encourage it.

But hell, every time she’d smiled up at him, Adam had felt his pulse spike. Her eyes had glittered with natural humor and her smiling lips were moist and full.

“And you hightailed it out of there like you were being chased by the town bully,” he muttered in annoyance as the elevator doors finally opened. Two tech guys exiting gave him a puzzled look, but he ignored them both as he stepped inside.