LITMIR.BIZ

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something because obviously, she was having a problem right now. Her job search. The book on her desk. Her emotional breakdown just now. This wasn’t the dependable, rational Winnie Graham he knew. She wasn’t exactly a rock this week.

      “It’s not you,” she said hoarsely, ashamed that she was practically disintegrating again. “It’s me.”

      He shook his head, lines fanning from his eyes, deep grooves etched beside his mouth. “I don’t understand.”

      Her eyes burned and she fought the urge to sniffle. She knew her nose must be bright red and her glasses were fogging up. “I’ve fallen in love.”

      There was a moment of dead silence and then a small muscle in his jaw popped. “With someone here? At Grady Investments?”

      He couldn’t have sounded more incredulous. “Yes.”

      It wasn’t a lie. She had fallen in love and she was in a muddle and she’d never been so emotional in all her life.

      He leaned on her desk, leaned so close to her she caught another hint of spice. “He doesn’t love you?”

      Her eyes burned and she swallowed hard. “Oh, no, sir. He’s not interested in me.”

      “Is he married?”

      She shook her had swiftly. “No.”

      “Has he taken advantage of you?”

      She couldn’t help blushing. “No. No, it’s not like that. The problem is, he doesn’t know I exist while I…I—”

      “You what?”

      “I’m crazy about him.” She averted her head, wishing she could just crawl into some city manhole and hide. “Hopelessly crazy.”

      “That does sound bad.”

      “It is,” she answered huskily, her voice breaking. She could feel his gaze rest on her, felt what seemed to be sympathy, and she didn’t want it from him. “Which is why I started looking for a new job. I knew this wasn’t working out and I thought change was necessary. I thought it’d be wise to put some distance between us.”

      Mr. Grady looked troubled. “But if he doesn’t know…?”

      “It doesn’t matter if he knows or not, I know. I know when he’s here. I listen for his footsteps, for his voice, for everything.” She bit her lip, fought for control. “But it’s too painful. I can’t do this anymore.”

      He studied her for a long silent moment and then shook his head. “Fine. Tell me his name and I’ll fire him.”

      Winnie nearly fell off her chair. “Mr. Grady!”

      “I’m not going to let one of my most valuable staff members ruin her career.”

      “You can’t blame him!”

      “I don’t. But I’m also not going to stand by and watch you walk out because some guy here is knocking around your heart. If you can’t stand coming to work because Mr. Heartbreak works here, then give me his name and let’s get this over with.”

      She couldn’t believe he was serious. He’d fire someone because she wasn’t happy here anymore? “You can’t be serious.”

      “He’ll get an excellent severance package.”

      “Mr. Grady!”

      “And the best references.”

      “No.”

      “I want his name.”

      “No.” Her phone rang and she looked at the handset where the number and name of the caller flashed. “It’s Shipley’s Bank again,” she said, heart hammering, hands shaking and yet incredibly grateful for the interruption.

      “His name, Winnie.”

      Her phone rang again. She tensed, muscles tightening everywhere. When the phone rang a third time she couldn’t keep silent. “I’m going to answer. Do you want to take the call or should I take a message?”

      He didn’t say a word, his dark blue gaze locked with hers. He didn’t look angry as much as determined, jaw jutted, expression intense.

      Winnie reached for the phone, “Mr. Grady’s office, may I help you?”

      He gave his head a slow shake and mouthed the words, “This isn’t over, Winnie,” before returning to his office.

      He remained sequestered in his office on the call with Shipley’s Bank for nearly two hours before leaving directly for a meeting across town.

      After he left, Winnie let out a long sigh of relief. She’d been sitting on pins and needles the past two hours and wanted nothing more than to get a break herself. She opted for a rare luxury—lunch out, heading down the street to her favorite deli two blocks away.

      But not even a lunch out could erase her worry. Business and pleasure didn’t mix. Careers were destroyed over office romances. It’d be disastrous for her to remain at Grady Investments much longer. She felt it in every bone of her body.

      Winnie walked slowly back to the Tower’s building, trying to ignore her reflection in the mirror-glass building fronts but it was impossible to deny the black glasses, beige blouse, hair scraped back from her face which screamed, uptight. Make that uptight, unsatisfied virgin.

      Yes, an uptight, unsatisfied virgin. That’s exactly what she’d become.

      Winnie stopped and stared at her reflection and hated what she saw. This wasn’t her. This isn’t how she felt on the inside. On the inside she was madly passionate, daring beyond measure. On the inside she wanted everything and was willing to risk all—

      On the inside.

      There lay the problem. No one knew about Winnie on the inside. No one saw the fun side, or adventurous side of her. No, she kept that side buttoned down and pressed back because once upon a time she decided if she wasn’t going to be popular and sexy and fashionable then she damn well better get respect.

      Respect. Augh! Respect was fine for seventy-year-old matriarchs, but she was twenty-five. She had no social life. No dates. No romance.

      No wonder.

      Impatiently Winnie reached up and undid the top button of her stiff blouse. She didn’t want to be uptight. She didn’t want to be unsatisfied. She didn’t want to go through life without ever experiencing anything.

      Winnie unbuttoned the next button. Checked her reflection again. Still boring, still a virgin, still really really not sexy.

      And let’s face it, two buttons unfastened on a beige blouse were not exactly a makeover. What she needed was a miracle. What she wanted was a life-changing experience.

      She’d give up everything, she thought, if for one week—no, make that a month—she could look like Tiffany from the sixty-third floor. Sexy, curvy, sensual. A woman that made men hot. A woman that made men melt.

      Crossing the lobby Winnie’s sensible heels clicked loudly on the floor. She pressed the elevator up button and waited. A moment later the elevator doors opened. People streamed out. Winnie stepped back to let the others pass. As she moved out of the way, Tiffany Saunders grabbed Winnie’s arm.

      “Hey,” Tiffany cried, latching onto Winnie’s sleeve as if they were life-long friends. “I just heard the news. It must be nuts upstairs!”

      “What news?”

      “About Morgan Grady. News Weekly’s Man of the Year. Isn’t it incredible?”

      Winnie blinked blankly. “But Mr. Morgan isn’t Man of the Year, he was Sexiest Man—”

      “No, no. This just happened. The magazine doesn’t hit the stands until tomorrow but it was announced on the noon news broadcast today. The media are everywhere. They’re swarming upstairs—” Tiffany broke off, eyes widening.

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