LITMIR.BIZ

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Cassandra shook her head, a look of sheer horror on her face. “No way. I swore once I grew up I would never get involved baby-sitting children again. I don’t want to spend even an hour watching other people’s kids!”

      Jared and Helen stared at her vehemence. She took a deep breath, knowing she’d overreacted. But she was adamant—she had watched her last child. She was a businesswoman. Hadn’t Jared just praised her work? Given her the go-ahead on the GlobalNet project? She had better things to do than baby-sit the boss’s children.

      “You wouldn’t be watching them, precisely,” Helen said placatingly. “Just helping Jared with them on the return flight. He needs your expertise.”

      Cassandra shook her head. The old feeling of helplessness began to rise. Why did everyone expect her to be the nurturer? What about her own needs? When would someone look to see what she wanted, needed, to feel complete? To feel valued? She was more than a competent baby-sitter—and had the degrees to prove it.

      Jared narrowed his eyes. “Sounds like the best suggestion I’ve heard so far. It’ll just be a short jaunt to New York. We’ll discuss GlobalNet on the flight over. You can give me pointers on watching twins on the flight back. Consider it part of your job.”

      “It’s not part of my job.” Cassandra faced him, her hands fisted in her lap. She dare not cross the line with her boss, but she had to stand up for herself. She didn’t want to be thought of as a baby-sitter just because she was a woman.

      For a moment Jared was struck by the sparkle in her dark eyes, the challenging tilt of her rounded chin. Slowly he said, “There’s a clause in your job description that includes other tasks as assigned. I need help, doesn’t look like anyone else is available. As of now, consider this as another task assigned.”

      “You’re his secretary, can’t you go?” Cassandra turned to Helen, her plea obvious.

      “Afraid not. I have an invalid mother I care for. I can’t leave her alone overnight. Besides, I don’t know any more about children than Jared.”

      “I was hired as a marketing analyst, not a nanny,” Cassandra protested, swinging to Jared.

      He smiled sardonically, anger edging him. “I believe in utilizing all experiences of my employees. Consider yourself indispensable for this assignment.”

      “I protest.” She said it firmly, yet deep inside she knew it wouldn’t matter. Jared wasn’t listening.

      “It’s settled. Meet me at the airport in time for the flight. Helen, give her the details. I’m heading home.” He caught her eye and narrowed his. “Don’t be late!”

      Cassandra watched him leave, the unfairness of it all striking her. She met the sympathy in Helen’s gaze.

      “He needs your help. You said you know something about kids, he hasn’t a clue. It’s just overnight, Cassandra,” the older woman said.

      “I’m always the one stuck with children. For years, it was always, ‘Leave them with Cassandra’. Working here was my chance to leave that behind,” she said wryly, rising. “Guess that was wishful thinking.” She took a deep breath. Trying to look on the bright side of things, she wandered to her desk. Casting her mind back, she tried to picture the needs and abilities of toddlers. It really hadn’t been that long since she’d been in charge of little children. She could certainly handle a cross-country flight.

      And she’d have Jared’s attention on the flight to New York. Maybe she could discuss some of her other ideas with him. Looking for the silver lining, she swept folders into her briefcase and headed home to pack.

      

      Four hours later Jared leaned back on his sofa watching the clock on the mantel. In ten minutes he had to leave for the airport. He’d had a Scotch, but it had done nothing to ease the turmoil. Sleeping had been out of the question—he’d been afraid he wouldn’t wake up in time for the flight. He’d sleep on the plane. It would have to do. He considered the situation once again, trying to make some sense of it.

      Oddly, his thoughts kept returning to Cassandra Bowles. For the two years she’d worked for him, he’d barely noticed her. She’d done her job well, already had one promotion behind her. Recently she’d been assigned as project manager for the GlobalNet account. Accomplished, proficient, professional—all desirable attributes for a career-minded woman. Her surprising outburst this afternoon startled him. Jared liked things to make sense, to follow a logical pattern—and that hadn’t. She was usually enthusiastic and agreeable, and her refusal had been surprising and unusual. A mere suggestion to accompany him on the trip to see to the children, help bring them to San Francisco, and she’d just about exploded. He wondered why.

      Maybe he’d discover on the trip.

      The red-eye flight would arrive in New York just after eight. They’d go directly to the attorney’s office upon landing. Jared had showered and shaved, donned a fresh suit and shirt. His overnight case contained casual clothes for the return journey. He might not know much about children, but he knew enough to suspect they’d be too messy for an Armani suit.

      He wondered what he should be taking to entertain two toddlers.

      His thoughts veered to the babies. How could MaryEllen have kept them a secret? If her lawyer was to be believed, she feared he would demand she return to San Francisco. Would that have been so bad? They’d worked together at McGeorge and Fergarson, discussed starting a business for months before taking the plunge. She’d had as much invested in the company as he. Pouring all their resources into the firm, they’d conserved on expenses by marrying each other. He liked the challenge of building a company, but sometimes he thought MaryEllen defined herself by the company and its success. Had business been more important to her than her children?

      He rose, not liking the trend of his thoughts. He grabbed the overnight case and started for the airport.

      

      Cassandra sat alone in a bank of chairs at the boarding gate, casually reading a magazine, a small tote bag beside her feet. She might resent the assignment, but she was professional enough to do her best. Knowing they’d head directly for the attorney’s offices, she’d dressed in a charcoal gray suit matched with a white blouse. Both traveled well, and she hoped she wouldn’t look like a wrinkled mess in the morning. A tingling awareness struck her, and she raised her gaze. As if attuned to him, she spotted her boss as he crossed the concourse toward the gate.

      She sighed softly and sat up straighter. Jared was so good-looking he shouldn’t be let out without a keeper. Unconsciously she noticed the glances he received from the other women in the area. Some bold and interested, others more surreptitious, but all following his long stride as he crossed to join her. His dark hair was thick and neatly trimmed. The tan he’d had in the summer was not as evident after his recent trip, but the rugged masculinity in his face struck a spark of interest for the first time.

      Cassandra frowned. Was it knowing he was single again that caused that? She’d thought he was drop-dead gorgeous when he’d interviewed her, but so far out of her league, she’d immediately ignored the sensations that flittered inside her and concentrated on doing the best she could on her assignment.

      In reality, nothing had changed. So why this sudden awareness? She smiled politely as he drew closer.

      “Here as ordered, sir,” she said briefly.

      He sat beside her and glanced at her carryon bag and briefcase. A sardonic smile creased his cheeks. “You sound like a kitten spitting at a bulldog. Just remember who’s the boss.”

      She met his hard eyes, a faint hint of anger visible in her gaze. “No danger of forgetting that, is there?”

      Jared smiled.

      She tightened her lips and returned to her magazine before she gave way to the urge to slap that smug grin off his face.

      “Do you sleep in suits?” he asked.

      “What?” She looked

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