Page 45 of Blind Date with the Boss

Logan took one glance at it and let out a louder groan, then leapt to his feet and released a strong expletive. ‘I can’t believe Maria did this.’

He could feel panic rising and he began to pace.

‘She would have reduced me to my bottom dollar.’ He reached the far wall, paced back again. Fear. The sickening fear that had dogged him since his teens clawed at his throat.

He slammed a fist into the wall. ‘She’s been a bloody plant all along. She’s probably been planning this for ages. There could have been a takeover of Blackcorp.’ It was his worst nightmare.

He shot Sally a fierce glance, challenging her, needing her to understand. ‘My family’s already been through one bankruptcy. I swore I would never let it happen again in my lifetime.’

All his years of hard work, all his self-denial and disciplined planning would have come to nothing.Nothing!

‘But everything’s okay, isn’t it?’ Sally asked quietly. ‘I didn’t send the emails. Nobody got this information.’

‘You’re right.’ Logan shot her a shaky smile. ‘You’ve pulled us back from the brink of disaster.’ He felt a blast of euphoria. Sweet, piercing relief. But it quickly evaporated as the full implications of Maria’s treachery struck home.

‘Maria was setting you up, of course.’ It was a terrible possibility, but it had to be true. ‘She wanted the emails to come from you. Then, if the leaks were discovered, they would have been traced to your desk.’

Sally pouted. ‘Why did she pick on me?’

‘She would have been confident that you didn’t have a hope of defending yourself. It’s so much easier to cast suspicion on the newest employee.’

‘And then it would have been my word against the word of the boss’s trusted PA.’

‘Exactly.’

This time it was Sally who swore. Colourfully. And then she quickly blushed. ‘Sorry. Having four brothers expands a girl’s vocabulary. But how dare she use me like that?’

Tears shone in her eyes and the sight of them undid Logan. Closing the gap between them, he took her hands. ‘Maria’s a poor judge of character. No doubt she thought of you as nothing more than the new girl – a little nobody on the front desk – too terrified to question her.’

Sally rolled her eyes and the action sent her tears spilling down her cheeks. Logan wiped them gently with his thumbs. Hesaid softly, ‘Sally saves the day.’ It was supposed to make her smile. Her smiles were precious. Pure gold. ‘I mean it, Sally. You’ve saved my company, you’ve saved me.’

She rewarded him with a tiny tilt of her mouth. Her lovely, soft, inviting mouth. Which he should not be looking at with shameless desire.

But desire for Sally had become his constant companion lately and now it was heightened by all the other emotions swirling through him – shock, horror, gratitude, elation. ‘How can I ever thank you?’ he whispered and then to cover the deeper feelings he hadn’t meant to reveal, he tried to lighten the moment. ‘I’m great with flowers and dinners, but what else can I offer you, Sally?’

For ages, she stood there, staring at his computer, but when she looked up, there was a playful twinkle in her eyes. ‘I think the least you could do is kiss me again.’

Wrong answer. He was supposed to be keeping his distance from this woman. He was her boss and he’d as good as promised that he wouldn’t lay a finger on her.

Sally seemed to have forgotten. And the truth was, Sally had earned twenty years’ worth of kisses, and it was only fitting that he should be the man who gave them to her. Slowly. Lovingly. Over every inch of her soft, silky skin.

Whoa, there.Straighten your thinking, man.

Logan shifted his focus from Sally’s tempting mouth to the bank of windows. The world outside was pitch black now. It was time to get her home before he forgot his good intentions. Time to…

He looked into Sally’s eyes again.Major mistake. He felt as if he were drowning, feared he was losing the fight. He was a mere male and how could he resist this tempting saviour? Why should he resist her when she was so clearly inviting him to kiss her?

Lifting his hands, Logan framed her face, knew he had no chance in this lifetime of keeping his distance.

Nevertheless… it was supposed to be a restrained kiss. That was the plan. Cradling her face with gentle hands, he lowered his lips slowly, brushed them softly against her mouth.

And his plan turned to dust as Sally gave a small whimpering cry, wound her arms around his neck and arched into him. Her lips were sweet and eager. She nipped him lightly on his lower lip and made soft sounds of wanting that sent his best intentions scattering into the night.

His kiss turned hard and deep. His hands slid down her arms and cupped her bottom. Oh, God. Her kisses were way beyond sexy. She tasted divine, sent him wild.

He’d never been stirred to this feverish point where physical need and tender emotions were fused in one overwhelming torrent of longing. He had to have this woman. He was on the edge of losing control completely.

No. Hell no. He couldn’t do that.

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