Page 1 of Seductive Secrets

Chapter 1

“This came in the mail for you today, sir.”

James glanced up impatiently. “Thank you, Leslie. Can you put it with the other mail?”

He felt his assistant’s hesitation and pulled his focus away from his computer screen. He lifted his eyebrows questioningly, silently prompting the woman.

Leslie grinned and took a breath. “Now that I have your full attention,” she said with a bit of sarcasm to her voice, “thiscame in the mail today.” She held up a key, letting it dangle from her fingers.

James leaned back. “Someone mailed me a key?”

She lifted her eyebrows in silent mockery. “Apparently, sir.”

James chuckled, then reached for the key. “What does it unlock?”

“No idea, but it came with this note.” She handed him the letter. “I don’t have a Mark in your contacts list, so I’m not sure who he is.”

James read the message.“Can you hang onto this for me?” It was signed Mark DuBreck.

Immediately, memories came flooding back. “He’s an old college friend,” James replied. “We were in a fraternity together, but we sort of lost touch over the years.” James leaned back in his leather chair, toying with the key, the late afternoon sunshine glinting off of the metal. “I had lunch with him a few weeks ago, but I hadn’t heard from him since then.”

“How do you want me to answer this message?” she asked, referring to the letter. “I’m not sure how to respond.”

James shrugged. “I don’t know. I have no clue…” he stopped, thinking back to the conversation he’d had with Mark during their meal. Hazelton Manufacturing. That’s where Mark worked and that is also where the dark haired, dark eyed woman works. Different divisions. But maybe this was exactly the excuse he had been looking for!

The key suddenly disappeared into James’ fist and he nodded curtly to Leslie. “I’ll take care of it,” he assured her, leaning forward and typing, pulling up the information he needed.

Vaguely, he heard Leslie muttering something as she left his office, but James was focused intensely on the task in front of him, blocking out any extraneous distractions. He didn’t bother to interpret his assistant’s mutterings. He’d been waiting for a reason to contact the dark haired beauty for weeks!

As soon as he had her number in front of him, he reached for the phone and dialed, anticipation thrumming inside of him.

At the soft, feminine greeting, his body tightened. Smiling, he swiveled in his leather chair so that he was looking out the window of his office. “Angela! This is James Rutherford. We met–”

“I remember where we met, Mr. Rutherford,” Angela interrupted, closing her eyes in an effort to stop her betraying heart from hammering against her ribs. How could just the man’s deep, husky voice create this crazy, intense reaction within her? He was just a man. An ordinary man!

Angela slumped back in her office chair, spinning around so she was facing the window. But she didn’t see the spectacularview of the lake or Chicago’s skyline. She didn’t see the sunshine or the boats sailing through the sparkling water. All her mind could see was the tall, dark haired man who had invaded her dreams over the past several months.

She’d forcefully, firmly relegated this particular man to her past! She’d worked hard to stop thinking about him, refusing to let the memories of their last interaction distract her. How dare he call her up and completely ruin her efforts?

Could she feel the arrogant smile in his voice when he continued? Gritting her teeth, she forced her heart to slow as she listened to the dratted man, ignoring the shiver of…it wasn’t anticipation. Definitely not anticipation!

“Excellent. I’m relieved that I left a lasting impression on you.”

Angela opened her eyes. “Of course you did, Mr. Rutherford,” she replied, trying to sound cheerful. James Rutherford was a powerful man. Disgustingly wealthy and impossibly handsome. James had those all-American good looks; a chiseled jaw, deliciously broad shoulders, and carved muscles all over his six foot, three inch body. Angela remembered staring stupidly up at him the first time she’d met him, wondering about those yummy muscles as well as the intensity of his gaze when her friend, Kasim, had needed help. James had offered his help, his house and his resources at a time when Kasim needed it. Angela knew that she owed this man a debt because Kasim wasn’t just a friend. He was like a brother. Kasim had helped her at a time in her life when she’d existed on nothing more than stupid hope and gritty, desperate determination.

Angela mentally braced herself against his potent charm. “How can I help you, Mr. Rutherford?”

The soft, deep laughter sent shivers of delight racing through her body. “I thought we could dispense with the formality, Angela,” he said, using her first name to emphasize his point.

Yeah, he was right. Darn it! “Yes, well,” she closed her eyes for a moment, picking up a pen simply to have something in her hand. “It’s been a while.”

“It has and I’m sorry for that.”

“It’s fine,” she told him. It was perfectly fine!

“No, it isn’t. Unfortunately, this isn’t merely a social call. I need some help, if you have a moment?”

Angela sighed with relief. Help was something she’d always provide. This man, well, anyone really, just needed to ask. She thrived on helping others. It gave her life meaning and purpose.

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