By the time she’d reached the bottom of the water bottle, she felt somewhat refreshed. Since she still had a few minutes to kill before meeting up with Eric, she meandered around a few booths they hadn’t yet gotten to.

  She stopped by a booth of new electronic pets and watched the ten-minute demonstration. The adults were riveted, but after a few minutes, the younger attendees walked away. She made a mental note, then moved on to a digital device that operated like a hard sketch pad with different-colored stylus pens. The drawing could be saved or printed, or “torn off” by pushing a button that made the noise of paper being torn and then wiped the screen clean. Kids were congregating there, and staying. She made another mental note. While standing in the next booth, she heard a man’s voice on the other side of the tall wall say, “Eric McDaniels, you old dog—how’s it going?”

  “Good, Tag, how’s it going with you?”

  “Fine. Hey, I heard through the grapevine that you’re going to be a Mixxo man starting next Monday.”

  Kate froze and waited for Eric to set the man straight. Instead, the silence dragged on too long for her comfort. “Listen,” Eric finally said, “that’s not public knowledge yet. I’m here with my boss, so mum’s the word, okay?”

  Kate’s heart dropped. John would be devastated.

  “Sure, man, I won’t say anything. When are you breaking the news?”

  “I have a big deal I’m trying to close before Wednesday. I figured I’d break the news after that and at least go out on a good note.”

  “Sounds like a plan. How’s your golf game these days?”

  “I’d rather not talk about it,” Eric muttered, and their voices grew more dim as they moved away from the wall.

  Kate leaned against a table, besieged with a dozen thoughts and emotions—betrayal and hurt among them. Which was silly because Eric owed her nothing, not professionally—since they’d been working together barely a week—and certainly not personally. Still, when she’d expressed appreciation that he hadn’t gone to Mixxo, he could have said something.

  Which wasn’t entirely fair, she conceded, since technically she would’ve had to fire him on the spot. This way at least he had a shot at getting the Lexan business for Handley before he left. And even though a quarterly bonus was probably his motivation, it was a win-win situation under the circumstances. Eric had no doubt considered all possible scenarios before deciding on this course of action. And it was in her company’s best interests if she didn’t say anything until after the Lexan account had either been won or lost.

  She acknowledged a tightness in her chest at the prospect of not working with Eric in the future, which only reinforced her fears that she had developed intense feelings for him. Then on the heels of her musings, another thought occurred to her.

  If she weren’t Eric’s boss—

  “Ma’am, could I interest you in a demo?” a man asked, gesturing to the digital camera display she’d been standing next to.

  She jumped, realizing that Eric could come around the corner at any moment. “No, thank you.” She scooted out of the booth and walked in the opposite direction, her mind spinning with the ramifications of Eric leaving Handley.

  “Check your e-mail! Right here—use our new lightweight laptop to check your e-mail! Free of charge! Privacy guaranteed—all Web browsers available!” The man running the booth gestured to her, waving her into a small cubicle. “Give it a try, ma’am. Take as long as you want. Here’s a brochure.”

  She acquiesced because it would give her a nice, quiet place to sit and collect herself before she had to meet Eric. She waited until the man disappeared before pulling up her preferred browser and accessing her e-mail through several secured servers. When her messages loaded, she scanned the addresses, smiling when she spotted a note from FoolforYou. She glanced over her shoulder, then pulled up the note.

  Kate,

  Yes, I’d very much like to meet face-to-face to explore our “diversions.” I’m trying to figure out how someone as amazing as you can still be single. Is there by chance a broken heart in your background? My schedule is flexible, so let me know when and where you’d like to meet.

  Fool for You

  “Interesting,” a man said into her ear.

  Kate started and turned to see Eric standing at her shoulder, peering at the screen. Heat flooded her face and she fumbled for the keys to remove the e-mail from the screen, furious. “How dare you spy on me!”

  He backed away, lifting his hands, laughing. “I wasn’t spying on you. I saw the top of your red head and I wondered how you were feeling.”

  She gritted her teeth. “You’re insufferable.”

  He gave her a wry smile. “If it makes you feel better, I didn’t read the note.”

  She turned back and exhaled, then stabbed keys to log off the system.

  “Wow,” he said, “it must have been personal for you to get so upset.”

  She stood and marched past Eric. “I’m going back to the hotel.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  She turned. “Don’t, Eric.” She lifted her finger, dismayed to see it shaking. “Don’t.”

  Kate left the show and grabbed a taxi back to the hotel, taking refuge in her room, berating herself for letting Eric get to her…again. She called room service and ordered a salad. While she waited, she emptied her briefcase and studied reports until her eyes were practically crossed. Feeling restless and a little homesick, she called Lesley, who, gauging from the sounds in the background, was in the middle of a family pillow fight.

  “Kate! Hold on.” She covered the mouthpiece. “Everybody, cool it until Mommy gets off the phone!”

  Kate smiled at the ease with which her friend governed her household, and, for the first time ever, experienced a little pang of envy.

  Lesley uncovered the mouthpiece. “Okay, I’m back. What’s up?”

  “Oh, nothing, really, I’m just checking in.”

  “You sound funny—do you have a cold?”

  “Just a touch of a headache. I was at an electronics show all day.”

  “Ugh. Should have been with me at the kiddy jungle gym all day—that’s only slightly less harrowing. Seriously, how are things going?”

  “Fine, really. Fine.”

  “‘Fine, really. Fine.’? Me thinks thou doth protest too much. Is McDaniels giving you a hard time?”

  “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “Hmm. I hope so.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Her friend sighed. “It means that I know you were head over heels in love with him once, and old habits are hard to break.”

  Kate touched her temple and, incredibly, felt tears pressing on her eyelids. “Lesley, I really don’t want to talk about this right now. I just needed to hear a familiar voice.”

  “I could give you Neil’s number.”

  Kate hesitated, considering telling her friend that she suspected Neil was her anonymous e-mailing “Fool.” But how crazy would that sound?

  A knock sounded on her door. “Oh—gotta go, Les. That’s room service.”

  “Good timing. Take care of yourself.”

  “Bye.” Kate hung up the phone, grabbed the tip money she’d set on the desk, then opened the door.

  Eric stood in the hallway, looking contrite. “I came to do something.”

  She crossed her arms. “Apologize?”

  He stepped forward. “No.” Then before she could process what was happening, he put one arm around her back, pulled her against him and lowered his mouth on hers. In a split second she registered the familiarity of his lips, the musky, masculine scent of him, the instant desire rising in her limbs. Then sanity snapped back like a broken rubber band, and with much effort, she wrenched away. She stepped back, bumping the door, and covered her mouth. Anger—at herself—coursed through her veins. Her chest heaved as she tried to get enough air. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

  “Like hell,” he said, his expression dark. “It needed to be done before now.”

  “We can’t do this,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m your boss.” Remembering that wouldn’t be the case for long, she added, “And it would never work between us.”

  He frowned. “Why not?”

  She drew herself up and flung out her arm. “Because…because you’re…you and I’m…me. We’re like oil and water.”

  “Maybe,” he said, then he leaned in. “But there’s something between us, Kate, and it’s inevitable that we get together. Forget that you’re my boss—we’re man and woman first.”

  Kate stared, and was at a loss to do anything but laugh. “Are you kidding me? Eric, I’ve fought role stereotypes my entire life, and you’re one of the biggest male chauvinists I’ve ever met. Don’t forget that I overheard you telling a coworker that I wasn’t qualified for this job. You were condescending to me during my first staff meeting, and during this trip, you’ve patronized me like I was one of your ‘women.”’ She poked him in the chest to emphasize her words, causing him to back up. “Well. I’m. Not. One. Of. Your. Women. And I’m not going to take a step backward in my career just to climb into bed with you.”

  Eric jammed his hands on his hips and looked as if he wanted to refute her, but couldn’t. Finally he donned what she was sure he thought was his most swaggering, most adorable expression. “So you’re low enough to resort to the truth—is that the best you got?”

  She wanted to kill him. Instead she spied the room service server wheeling her dinner down the hall. The man stopped at her door, and she gave him the tip she was still holding. Then she took the lid off the chef salad, happy to find it drenched in ranch dressing. She picked up the salad plate and smashed it against Eric’s chest, grinding it into his red shirt for good, gooey measure. “How’s that?” She smiled, then slammed the door in his face.

  CHAPTER TEN

  You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm.

  —Sidonie Gabrielle Colette

  Fool,

  I’m flattered by your compliments, and I suppose that everyone past the age of fifteen has a broken heart in their background. My heart is no exception. I’m traveling for business, but will be returning Wednesday. Would you be available to meet for coffee Thursday or Friday?

  K

  KATE REREAD the note and sipped her tea. She was glad she had waited until this morning to reply to the note, waited until she had recovered from Eric’s latest assault on her senses so she could think more clearly.

  She bit her lip. So Neil Powers wasn’t the most exciting man she’d ever met—at least he was insightful and attentive. And accommodating. She had a feeling that dating Neil would be conflict-free. Unlike…

  Kate frowned and hit the send button, then settled back with her tea to watch a Sunday news magazine on TV. The anchor’s mouth moved, but unfortunately it was Eric’s words that kept creeping into her head like a bad song. There’s something between us, Kate, and it’s inevitable that we get together. Forget that you’re my boss—we’re man and woman first.

  She emitted a dry laugh. The man’s ego was big enough to be taxed. And that kiss…

  She gave herself a mental shake and decided to take a book to the pool. They weren’t scheduled to depart for Pensacola until late this afternoon, and she was feeling confined. Unfortunately, the only book she had with her was How to Make an Effective Sales Call. She donned a modest green one-piece bathing suit and a pair of shorts and headed to the outdoor pool, which was crowded. She found a chaise in a semi-shady spot a few feet away from the activity and tilted her face up to enjoy a few minutes of sun before diving into her less-than-riveting reading material.

  And that kiss…well, Eric had really overstepped his bounds there. Did he think she would be receptive to him after the way he’d behaved? That she’d be willing to hitch her reputation to his runaway train? She wet her lips, reliving the intense pressure of his determined kiss. Hard, skilled…promising.

  “With that smile on your face, you must be thinking about something good.”

  Her eyes flew open. Eric stood over her, brown and buff and wearing black trunks.

  “Nice day, eh?”

  At the sight of his bare broad shoulders, she swallowed. “You’re blocking the sun.”

  He moved and walked over a few feet to grab an empty chaise. “Mind if I pull up a chair?”

  She frowned. “Actually, I’d rather be alone.”

  “That’s no fun,” he said, dragging the chaise close, then dropping into the chair. “I hope you know that my dry cleaner is going to charge me a small fortune to get the food stains out of my clothes.”

  She turned over on her stomach and reached for the book. “Don’t even think about trying to expense it.”

  “Need some lotion on your back?”

  “No.”

  “Towel?”

  “No.”

  “Cocktail?”

  “No.”

  “Whatcha reading?”

  Without looking in his direction, she held up the cover, then reread the same paragraph for the third time.

  “Do you work all the time?” he asked.

  She looked up. “Do you talk all the time?”

  “Pretty much—it’s my only flaw.”

  She lowered her sunglasses. “Is that supposed to be funny?”

  “Yes.” He sighed. “Kate, I want to call a truce.”

  She arched an eyebrow. “A truce?”

  He nodded. “I really want to land this deal with Lexan.”

  At the uncharacteristically genuine tone of his voice, her mouth softened. “And?”

  “And…I need your help.”

  She frowned, wary. “How so?”

  “I’m not connecting with the buyer.”

  “Can you be more specific?”

  “He doesn’t like me.” He shrugged. “Go figure.”

  One side of her mouth slid back. “How do you know he doesn’t like you?”

  He winked. “Believe me, I can tell when someone does or doesn’t like me. Besides, he called this morning to cancel our meeting tomorrow.”

  She blinked. “We’re not going to get the business this quarter?” With Eric leaving, it could be a while before someone could take over major accounts. She hadn’t even thought about a replacement.

  “I did talk the guy into rescheduling to Tuesday.” His grin was sheepish. “I told him I had my boss with me and I couldn’t leave town without bringing you by.”

  The smallest of smiles lifted the corners of her mouth. “I’m your Trojan horse?”

  “Something like that. The thing is, the buyer really does like our line of electronic games, I can tell. So, I’m thinking our odds of getting the business will improve if we hit him with a tag team presentation.”

  She weighed the benefit of the business to Handley versus having to work closely with Eric on a presentation. Since he was leaving the company soon, this would be a good way to find out as much as possible about Lexan and his other accounts without raising his suspicion. And she had agreed to accompany him on this trip to learn more about direct sales—this might be her only chance to pitch directly to the customer. Then she frowned. “Do I have your word that there will be no funny business?”

  He held up his hand. “Scout’s honor, boss.”

  She turned over and sat up. “What would I have to do?”

  ERIC COULDN’T REMEMBER the last time he’d been nervous on a sales call, but his hands were sweaty as he held open the door and allowed Kate to precede him into the building that housed Lexan Electronics’ headquarters. Some of his apprehension was due to the fact that he did want to close this business—his bonus was riding on a healthy order, and he preferred to leave Handley with a bang. But he conceded that much of the tightness in his chest was due to the fact that Kate would witness him either close the deal, or crash and burn.

  Talk about performance anxiety.

  The lobby was an impressive display of tile, glass and chrome, but Eric only had eyes for the woman who walked in front of him.

  In the last day and a half, they had gotten along better than he could have imagined because they’d been focused on one objective. He wanted the account badly enough to repress his natural urge to flirt with Kate, and in return, he’d watched Kate slowly let down her defenses. The drive to Pensacola yesterday had been downright enjoyable. He had shared his approach to other major accounts, and together they’d assembled a dynamite presentation for Lexan.

  Although in his opinion, the vision of Kate in a cream-colored suit was enough to clinch the deal.

  The problem was, while his respect for her over the past couple of days had grown exponentially, so had his lust. He had no choice now but to leave Handley because he knew for certain he wouldn’t be able to hide his desire every time he saw her.

  The buyer, David Jyles, greeted them with his normal brittle tone, but as Eric predicted, Kate had him eating out of her hand in no time. She asked endless questions about their operation, using her relative ignorance of sales to her advantage. At the end of their allotted thirty minutes, the buyer called his secretary and asked that his schedule be cleared so he could spend more time with the “good people from Handley.”

  Pangs of jealousy barbed through Eric’s chest when the man swept appreciative glances over Kate, but he could tell Jyles was also responding to her genuine manner and her savvy questions.

  He remembered a couple of sentences he’d read in the secret admirer note that he’d seen when he was looking over Kate’s shoulder at the electronics show—why was someone as amazing as Kate still single? And did she have a broken heart in her background?

  Funny, but he’d never thought about Kate having broken his heart when they were in Vegas. She’d gotten under his skin, into his brain, and she continued to plague various other parts of his body…but his heart?