To Sin with the Tycoon. Cathy Williams

doorframe, as dramatically good-looking at the close of day as he was first thing in the morning. Where most people occasionally looked harried, he always seemed to be brimming over with vitality, however frantic his day might have been.

      ‘That’s good to hear because I haven’t got around to having any kind of appraisal with you.’

      Alice doubted he had ever done an appraisal in his life. If his employee didn’t fit the bill, then he simply dispensed with them.

      ‘Not,’ he said, reading her mind with unnerving accuracy, ‘that I make a habit of conducting appraisals of my secretaries.’

      ‘Is that because they usually only last two minutes?’

      A tingle of pure pleasure raced through her when he burst out laughing, which subsided eventually for him to cast appreciative eyes over her.

      ‘Something like that,’ he murmured. ‘Seems a little pointless to give them an appraisal when they’ve already got one foot through the back door and their desk has been cleared.’

      ‘Well...’ He was blocking her way out and she dithered uncomfortably. Standing by him, it was brought home sharply just how tall he was. She was tall but he positively towered over her.

      ‘Well, of course, you’re on your way out. Is that what had you smiling?’

      ‘I beg your pardon?’

      ‘Your plans for the evening. Is that what put that smile on your face?’

       If only you knew... If only you guessed that I was smiling at the notion that you would never look twice at me; smiling for being an idiot even to think about something like that.

      His plans had been for the theatre, followed by dinner at one of the most exclusive restaurants in London.

      The theatre, followed by dinner out—at a haunt for the paparazzi because the clientele was usually very high-profile—followed by...

      Heat flooded her as she contemplated after-dinner sex with the man standing in front of her, still blocking her path. His hands on her body, his mouth exploring her, that dark, sexy voice whispering in her ear...

      Her body jack-knifed into instant, crazy reaction. Liquid pooled between her legs and the unfamiliar tug of desire hit her like a ton of bricks, shocking in its intensity and as destabilising as the sudden onslaught of some ferocious disease. She couldn’t move. Her legs were blocks of cement, nailing her to the floor as her imagination took flight in forbidden directions.

      And, all the while, she could feel those dark, dark eyes pinned to her face.

      ‘I have to go,’ she said tightly. She went to push him aside and more heat flared inside her, making a mockery of her attempts to harness her prized composure.

      He was a man she might respect but didn’t like! A man whose brilliance she could admire whilst being left cold by his detachment!

      Once out of the office, she fled...