Page 1 of An Engagement for Erica

PROLOGUE

“We make a great team. I’d say that was a successful merger,” Tucker Nelay said.

“As successful as it can get when acquiring a company that doesn’t want to do that,” Erica said.

It’d been his idea to hire the consultant months ago. He’d found the best firm in Manhattan, got approval, was assigned the sexy professional across from him, and in the past several months, she’d gone from straight-laced businesslike to a chick he’d want a touch of flirtation with at a nightclub after a long day.

And after this meeting, the celebratory drink was on him. He was going to firm that up before she walked out the door.

“We don’t always get what we want in life,” he said. He knew that better than most.

His decision to not be part of the family business right out of college and get his experience elsewhere was ridiculed by his father but supported by his grandfather.

He only cared what one TC Nelay thought and that was the man who started TCN Industries. Not the one who fathered him.

That TC Nelay could go fuck himself.

“We don’t,” Erica said. “There will be some unhappy people and turnover in the next six months. I’ve outlined my projections and thoughts. You know you can reach out to our firm for any other help.”

“Can I reach out to you?” he asked, smirking.

“You can request me,” she said. Her face flushed a bit. That had been the start of her warming up to him today. It always began with a flush from her for him to move forward.

She seemed almost embarrassed at times, but he kept his flirting on the up-and-up. She could read between the lines and the smart Erica James had.

If she’d shot him down even once, he’d know and move on.

Not one fire from the gun telling him to halt had come.

“Then I will if we need it,” he said. Since he’d heard the talks behind closed doors that he’d be getting his long-awaited promotion to Vice President of Operations after his work with Erica and how smooth the transition went, no one would question his need to bring her back.

He sat there and listened to Erica’s calm smooth-as-butter voice go over the report that she’d email to him later on and he’d present to his superiors.

Her face seemed to get more flushed though for some reason.

Not from any mild flirtation he was sending her way.

“Excuse me,” she said. “I’m just going to get some more water.”

He reached across the table for a bottle that had been put out and handed it to her.

She opened it and drank almost half in one gulp.

“Are you okay?”

“Just feeling a little warm. Did the heat kick on?”

“I don’t think so,” he said. He got up and looked at the thermostat in the room to see it was set the same as it always was. “Looks fine to me.”

“Sorry,” she said. “I hope I’m not coming down with something. And it’s too soon to be a hot flash.”

She didn’t normally drop her guard enough to crack a joke like that, but he smiled and she returned it.

When she was done drinking, she went back to her report with him watching her as she read and then explained everything.

She kept squinting her eyes as if she was trying to focus. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Seems bright in here too. I’m not sure what is going on. Maybe I’m just tired and thrilled to be done. Not with you, but it’s been a long several months.”

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