The VIP Room(165)

Marcus Hawkins has a problem - he needs a date. His solution happens to be standing right in front of him. Curvy Leah Frane has been driving him to distraction since the day she became his assistant.

Now is his chance to do something about it.

Leah is coerced into the date by her sexy, gorgeous boss - a man she wants so badly she can taste it. He only sees her as his super-efficient assistant - when he sees her at all.

It's just one date. What could possibly happen?





Chapter 1





“Almost there,” he muttered, his fingers flying. “Almost have you…”

Marcus Hawkins hunched over his keyboard, determined to find every last back door his former programmer buried in their latest software. Damned if he’d let the snot-nosed kid worm his way in and play havoc.

Everything around him became white noise when he focused on code. His brother Graham teased him about it, and told him once even a naked woman begging him to take her didn’t stand a chance when he had code in front of him.

“Not that bad,” he mumbled. It just took all his attention, all his focus—

Her scent hit him a second before she spoke. Floral, with an edge of spice.

“Mr. Hawkins.” His assistant, Leah Frane, stood in front of his desk. The tone of her husky voice told him she’d said his name more than once. “Your phone is ringing. Again. It’s your brother.”

“Thanks.” Still staring at the screen, he groped across his desk for the phone. “What?”

“Don’t put yourself out, Marcus.”

“I’m working, and I have a deadline. Spit it out, Graham.”

“Your presence is required at the charity event tonight.”

“What charity…” His mind caught up with him, and he slumped in his chair. “Is that tonight?”

“Shutting out the world is never to your advantage, Marcus, when you have responsibilities—”

“I got it, Graham. No brotherly lecture necessary. What about Elias? He can represent—”

“Elias is in Europe, dealing with issues.”

“Right.”

Marcus rubbed his forehead. Even though he was the youngest, Elias had the most experience handling the often stiff-necked board members in their foreign office. It helped that he also spoke fluent French.

Graham’s voice jerked him back. “Since Elias is unavailable, both Father and the board expect you to be there. I expect you to be there. With a date.” He sounded smug as hell when he said the last part.

Relief flooded Marcus when he remembered he did make a date, with his stand by. “Cassie is coming with me.”

“Really?” Marcus did not like the smirk in his brother’s voice. “I understand she accepted a modeling job. In Paris. Find another date, baby brother.”

Graham hung up before Marcus could start cursing. So he started by cursing his former date.

“Damn it! She had to pick tonight to skip out on me.”

He slammed the phone down so hard he expected the handset to shatter. A sharp gasp froze his fist right above the desk. He’d forgotten Leah was still in the office. With a mental curse he looked up, and his breath lodged in his throat.

His usually buttoned up assistant had taken off her hip length, squared off jacket at some point, revealing a blue and white striped blouse, the hem loose over her too long, too boxy blue skirt. He had never seen so much of her skin before.

She crossed her arms, which only accentuated her high, firm breasts. His cock stood at attention, pressing against the zipper of his jeans. Marcus had been fantasizing about his curvy little assistant since the first day she walked into his office. So proper, so sensible, so damn sexy because of it.

He ran one hand through his already disheveled black hair, and let out a sigh, staring at his computer screen. What the hell was he supposed to do about tonight? Graham would gloat, publicly, if he showed up solo. The board approved of his new tech startup—especially since he was raking in more each month than the family business—but his years as a playboy still rankled, and they wanted proof that he had actually changed.

Leah cleared her throat. “If that’s all, Mr. Hawkins, I should get back to my desk. I have several letters to finish before I leave.”

The obvious answer stood right in front of him.

“I have a question first.” He looked up in time to see the nerves before she managed to hide them.

“Yes?”

“What are you doing tonight?”

She stared at him. The faint blush coloring her cheeks turned him on. Damn it, why did she have to work for him? He had a strict rule about dating staff. Especially staff who would be gun shy of his former, well-deserved reputation.

“I—” She took a deep breath, her blouse outlining those luscious breasts. His cock became painfully hard. “I have plans.”

He stood, moving to her. She stumbled back, and trapped herself against the wall. This time the blush bloomed across her pale skin. She clutched the notepad in her hand to her chest, probably thinking it protected her. All that did was draw his attention to the way her blue striped blouse hiked up, revealing one shapely hip, and the soft curve of her belly. What he could see of her legs under that ugly skirt had his cock throbbing.

It was time to do a little pushing. Just enough to force her hand—and not send her screaming out of his office.