“I’d Be Willing To Let You, Uh…Work Off The Debt.”

The shock traveled through Kim’s body, followed by a sharp jab of anger, which was compounded by the lascivious gleam in Jared’s eyes and the unmistakable challenge in his face.

“You’d what?”

“I’d be willing to make arrangements for you to work off the debt this summer while you’re not teaching.”

“That type of ludicrous line might work on the many women who frequent your bedroom, but I’m most certainly not one of them!”

“Whoa! Hold on there. I don’t know what you’re assuming, but I’m offering a legitimate position, handling the summer office chores.”

It made sense, but did she dare trust what he said? He was a Stevens. For as long as she could remember, their families had been enemies….

Dear Reader,

Revel in the month with a special day devoted to L-O-V-E by enjoying six passionate, powerful and provocative romances from Silhouette Desire.

Learn the secret of the Barone family’s Valentine’s Day curse, in Sleeping Beauty’s Billionaire (#1489) by Caroline Cross, the second of twelve titles in the continuity series DYNASTIES: THE BARONES—the saga of an elite clan, caught in a web of danger, deceit…and desire.

In Kiss Me, Cowboy! (#1490) by Maureen Child, a delicious baker feeds the desire of a marriage-wary rancher. And passion flares when a detective and a socialite undertake a cross–country quest, in That Blackhawk Bride (#1491), the most recent installment of Barbara McCauley’s popular SECRETS! miniseries.

A no-nonsense vet captures the attention of a royal bent on seduction, in Charming the Prince (#1492), the newest “fiery tale” by Laura Wright. In Meagan McKinney’s latest MATCHED IN MONTANA title, Plain Jane & the Hotshot (#1493), a shy music teacher and a daredevil fireman make perfect harmony. And a California businessman finds himself longing for his girl Friday every day of the week, in At the Tycoon’s Command (#1494) by Shawna Delacorte.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day by reading all six of the steamy new love stories from Silhouette Desire this month.

Enjoy!

Joan Marlow Golan

Senior Editor, Silhouette Desire

At the Tycoon’s Command
Shawna Delacorte

SHAWNA DELACORTE

has delayed her move to Washington State, staying in the Midwest in order to spend some additional time with family. She still travels as often as time permits, and is looking forward to visiting several new places during the upcoming year while continuing to devote herself to writing full-time. Shawna would appreciate hearing from her readers. She can be reached at 6505 E. Central, Box #300, Wichita, KS 67206-1924.

To Lola,

thank you for your valued friendship over the years.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Epilogue

One

“She did what?” A shocked Jared Stevens swung his legs off the top of his large oak desk and jumped to his feet.

“She tore up the letter and threw it at me. Then, before slamming the door in my face, she told me, and I quote here, ‘It will be a cold day in hell before I pay one penny to any member of the Stevens family.’ She also said that any claim by you that her father owed a debt to Stevens Enterprises died when her father died.” Grant Collins stood on the other side of the desk, a sheepish expression marring the attorney’s otherwise dignified persona. “I’ve never had anyone do that before.”

Jared’s unmistakable anger surrounded his words, matching the irritation that shoved at him. “Just who does she think she is? I want you to—” He stopped and took a calming breath as he ran his hands through his thick dark hair. He narrowed his eyes and wrinkled his brow while turning a thought over in his mind.

“Never mind. I’ll handle it myself.” His tone of voice said the meeting was over.

As soon as his attorney left, Jared poured himself a cup of coffee and settled into the large leather chair. He picked up a file folder from the top of his desk, studied the contents for a few minutes while sipping his coffee, then leaned back and closed his eyes. He didn’t have the time or patience for dealing with some old business transaction between his father and Paul Donaldson. The Stevens–Donaldson feud had been going on for three generations. He was tired of it and didn’t care anymore what had started it or why it had escalated. He didn’t have any interest in pursuing the matter with Paul Donaldson’s daughter, either. He only wanted the past due twenty-thousand-dollar promissory note paid off so he could close out the matter. It was business, nothing personal.

He took a big swallow from his coffee cup. He had never met Kimbra Donaldson, but now it looked as if he would be doing battle with her whether he wanted to or not. The red numerals on his desk clock showed 4:30 p.m. The Donaldson house was only three miles from the Stevens family compound where Jared spent part of each summer since taking over the reins of Stevens Enterprises, even though he maintained a three-bedroom town house in San Francisco where he lived most of the year. The large estate doubled as his business office for a couple of months each summer when he retreated to his home town of Otter Crest on the northern California coast in an attempt to escape the congestion of San Francisco where Stevens Enterprises was headquartered.

He emitted an audible sigh. The matter of the promissory note had to be resolved as soon as possible so he could put it behind him and get on with real business. And that included the date he had that night with the stunning redhead he had met a week ago at a party thrown by a business associate in San Francisco. A little grin of expectation tugged at the corners of his mouth. It was almost an hour drive into the city, but it would be worth it for the night’s pleasure he anticipated. But first he had to deal with the troublesome issue of Kimbra Donaldson. He placed the file folder in his attaché case, grabbed his car keys from his desktop and headed out the door.

Kimbra Donaldson had been in the same high school graduating class as his half brother, Terry Stevens. Terry’s mother had been the second of what turned out to be a total of six wives plus numerous mistresses and short-term affairs for Ron Stevens. On many occasions Jared had thought how fortunate it was that his father didn’t have more children by his many wives. When Jared left Otter Crest at the age of eighteen to go to college, Terry and Kimbra were ten-year-olds in elementary school. That had been twenty years ago.

Terry’s opinion of Kimbra had not been very flattering, but Jared didn’t put much stock in Terry’s opinions. They hadn’t been very close before their father’s death five years ago, and Terry had been an ongoing problem for him ever since he had inherited the task of keeping an irresponsible Terry out of trouble.

Along with responsibility for Terry, he had also inherited the presidency of Stevens Enterprises. It had been a sobering dash of cold water thrown on his flamboyant social life, yet at the same time a stimulating challenge for someone who had been drifting through life without much purpose.

Jared drove down the street lined with older homes, checking the addresses until he found the house where Paul Donaldson had lived for almost forty years. He pulled into the driveway of the small house, turned off the engine and sat staring at the front door. An uneasiness settled in the pit of his stomach, and a strange feeling of apprehension welled inside him.

He had never dealt with any woman who had the gumption and assertiveness to rip up a demand for payment and throw it in an attorney’s face. All the women he knew were decorative, fun-loving and always ready for a good time. And he had known plenty of them—women who were happy to embrace his philosophy of no strings attached and definitely no commitment.

He saw the curtain at the front window move a little bit. Someone was watching him. Jared took a calming breath. He couldn’t put off the confrontation any longer. He needed to get the business resolved so he could be on his way to San Francisco and his female companion of the evening. He opened the car door, mindful that his every move was being scrutinized.

As he climbed out of the car, Kim Donaldson continued to watch him from behind the edge of the curtain. She had heard the car pull into the driveway but didn’t recognize the silver Porsche. Then the door opened and the occupant climbed out. A hard lump formed in her throat followed by a sinking feeling of dread. Jared Stevens in person. She had allowed her anger to get away from her earlier and said a couple of things she shouldn’t have. Honestly, Kim, when are you ever going to learn to think before speaking and keep your big mouth shut? She had no idea that her outburst with the attorney would produce such a quick, decisive and definitely unwanted response.

She swallowed the lump, took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. She had never met Jared Stevens, but she had seen him on a few occasions over the years when he had returned to Otter Crest during the summer. One such occasion had burned into her memory. She had been in high school. She had stopped to watch a softball game in the park and had immediately spotted one of the players dressed in cutoff jeans and a tank top. The physical attraction had been like a bolt of lightning.

Kim had fallen instantly in lust with the ruggedly handsome young man in his early twenties without even knowing who he was. The image had remained burned into her consciousness…the long legs, broad shoulders, strong arms and golden tan. Later she found out the man of her dreams was none other than Jared Stevens, Terry’s older brother—the one the residents of Otter Crest always referred to as a womanizing playboy. She had immediately dismissed any interest in Jared Stevens. Their families had been feuding for generations, and there was no reason to assume he was any different than his brother, who she knew for a fact was an insufferable jerk, but the enticing image had remained with her all these years.

She watched as Jared leaned across the car seat and grabbed his attaché case. His jeans, T-shirt and running shoes belied his position as head of a multimillion-dollar corporation. A wave of anxiety swept through her. Should she pretend no one was home? No, that wouldn’t serve any purpose. She had to face him if for no other reason than to reinforce her comments to his attorney. She had no intention of paying him one penny of a debt her father had long claimed didn’t exist. Besides, there was no way she could raise twenty thousand dollars even if she wanted to.

The ringing doorbell sent a nervous anxiety rippling through her body. She took another calming breath, but it didn’t help. She opened the door to her uninvited visitor.

“Kimbra Donaldson?”

His voice sent little shivers through her. It sounded every bit as smooth and sexy as he looked. The years since that day when she had watched him playing softball had only enhanced his appeal. What were then youthful good looks had matured into incredibly handsome features combined with a magnetic appeal that reached out and grabbed her on the most primal level. And his eyes…she’d had no idea they were such an intense green. They were the type of eyes that could delve into the very core of a person’s existence and uncover the innermost secrets hidden there. A sudden shortness of breath caught her by surprise. It was easy to see why so many women fell all over themselves in an attempt to get close to him. She shook away the unwanted thoughts and tried her best to rein in her rush of sensual excitement.

“Yes, I’m Kim Donaldson.” Calm down, breathe slowly. Her self-directed instructions were wasted when she saw his gaze travel from her face down her body to her feet, then slowly climb her bare legs to her face again. There was no mistaking the lustful look that darted across his face, a look that said he liked what he saw. It was the type of look that made her feel naked and vulnerable while at the same time promising untold pleasures.

If only she had known he was headed her way she could have changed from the blue T-shirt and white tennis shorts she was wearing and would have stuck her bare feet into a pair of shoes. If she had been able to change clothes perhaps she wouldn’t feel as if he was studying every curve of her body. A surprising jolt of excitement hit her—a sensation as disturbing as it was undeniably sensual.

“You prefer Kim rather than Kimbra?”

She nodded, words refusing to materialize.

“I’m Jared Stevens.”

She finally found her voice but couldn’t find a way of keeping her displeasure out of it. “I know who you are.”

A flicker of surprise darted across his face, then quickly disappeared. “You were rather rude to my attorney this morning. In fact, Grant said it was the first time anyone had ripped up a letter and thrown it at him. I’m afraid your actions have forced me to take matters into my own hands.” He stared at her for a long moment, then smiled…a devastatingly sexy smile that showed perfect white teeth in sharp contrast to the golden tan of his face. “I believe we have some pressing business to discuss.”

A quick intake of breath was her immediate response to his smile, his nearness and the overwhelming power of his masculinity. It took all her inner resolve to maintain a semblance of composure while responding to his words. “We have nothing to discuss.”

“We most certainly do, Ms. Donaldson.” He made another obvious visual survey of her physical attributes before regaining eye contact with her. “We have lots to discuss.”

The sparkle in his eyes intimidated her as much as it excited her. Her composure slipped away faster than she could keep hold of it. The last thing she wanted to do was appear in any way hesitant or unsure in front of Jared Stevens.

“May I come in?”

“Uh…” She tried to force some words, but nothing happened. She stepped aside and motioned him in, all the while berating herself for acting like some silly awestruck teenager. He was the enemy, not someone whose presence should render her tongue-tied.

She raked her fingers through her short blond hair, shoving it away from her face as she nervously cleared her throat. She gave it another try. This time the words managed to escape her throat in a businesslike manner.

“I don’t see what we have to discuss. You’re trying to extort money from me for a debt that doesn’t exist. My father was very emphatic about that. I also think it’s in very bad taste for you to swoop in like some type of vulture on the heels of his funeral to make your demands.”

Jared cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. A quick look of surprise covered his features. “Extort? That’s a rather harsh word to apply to an honest debt, one that’s five years past due. If you were five years late in paying a twenty-thousand-dollar debt to anyone else, they would have had you in court by now.”

She fixed him with a hard stare and blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. “If there was a legitimate debt, it would have been paid by now!”

He leveled a pointed look at her. Her blatant attempt at being as difficult as possible did not negate the obvious. Kim Donaldson was definitely a feast for the eyes, from the beautiful face to a body that would set any man’s pulse racing—including his. His gaze wandered to the soft fabric of her T-shirt and the way it caressed the curve of her breasts, to her sleek tanned legs extending from her shorts and the russet polish on her toenails. He pegged her height at about five feet seven, a good match to his six-one. Her stubborn determination and the fiery glints of anger sparkling in her blue eyes did not dissuade him from entertaining the numerous erotic thoughts that had been circulating through his mind from the moment she’d opened the door. He forced his thoughts to the business at hand.

“I don’t know where you got the impression that the debt isn’t legitimate. Your father signed a promissory note with Stevens Enterprises for twenty thousand dollars, payable in full two years from the date of signing. In exchange for the promise to pay, your father received exclusive use of one of our warehouses for that two-year period of time. Having a promissory note rather than a lease agreement was your father’s idea, an unusual request, which my father extended himself to accommodate. Shortly before the two years was up, my father died. Collection of the money due ended up in a state of limbo while the company changed from my father’s hands to mine.”

He placed his attaché case on the coffee table, then withdrew a file folder. “After taking over the company I was busy with several other matters, including restructuring part of the organization and developing new business areas. Three years passed before the now severely overdue note was brought to my attention. For the past two years my corporate attorney and your father had been going around and around about the principal amount due plus all the accrued interest.”

Kim folded her arms defiantly across her chest in an attempt to put up a staunch front, but listening to Jared’s description of the business transaction left her feeling a little uneasy and a lot uncertain. “My father’s account of the events differs quite a bit from your fanciful version.”

“My version is fact, and I have the appropriate documentation to back up my claim.” Once again he flashed a devilishly disarming smile. “If you have any proof of your father’s side of this, I’ll be happy to take it into consideration.”

Her anxiety level jumped up a notch or two. Jared was too self-assured, too smooth. She had never seen any paperwork relating to the matter. She only had her father’s assertions. A shudder of apprehension swept through her consciousness. What if her father really did owe Stevens Enterprises twenty thousand dollars plus all the accumulated interest? She would never be able to pay that off. There hadn’t been much money in her father’s estate, and most of that went to pay for his funeral. As for his other assets, she would need to convert them to cash to pay what she considered his legitimate debts. Her savings amounted to only a little over two thousand dollars.

She gathered her determination. He was just trying to bluff her, to make her believe he had some kind of tangible proof. She was not going to fall for his line. It was the way the high and mighty Stevens family had been treating her family for three generations.

“If you have this proof, then I want to see it now.”

“Of course.” His manner was almost condescending as he smiled at her again, a smile that spoke volumes—a smile that said he had not been bluffing.

Jared opened the file folder and handed her copies of a signed contract and a signed, notarized promissory note for twenty thousand dollars. She fought to keep her hand from shaking as she stared at her father’s signature. She carefully read both documents. It all looked legal and binding. A sinking feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. All her bravado crashed as the cold chill of reality sank in.

“I, uh, I want Gary Parker to look over these documents.”

“Is that your attorney?”

“Yes.”

“No problem.” Jared stood, picked up his attaché case and walked to the front door. “I’ll contact you in a couple of days to finalize the arrangements for the payment of the debt.”

Kim watched from the window as Jared returned to his car and drove away. It had been a very unsettling meeting, caused as much by the way he made her senses tingle as by the stressful outcome of their conversation. Why had her father insisted the debt didn’t exist when he had obviously signed a contract and a promissory note? She knew he couldn’t have already paid out the twenty thousand dollars to settle the debt. As executrix of his estate, she had been over his finances.

A hint of despair settled inside her as her gaze drifted around the living room of the old house, the house where she had grown up, the house where she had lived until seven years ago—the house where just yesterday mourners had gathered following her father’s funeral. Her father’s sudden death at the age of fifty-five from a massive coronary had come as a shock to her. She had always thought of him as being in good health. He had never mentioned anything about heart problems, but her conversation with his doctor before the funeral told a different story. Her father had known of his heart condition but had chosen not to follow his doctor’s orders.

She looked around the room again. It seemed like such a long time since she had moved from Otter Crest to accept her first job as an English teacher at a high school in San Francisco. In reality it had been only seven years, but it had been a very eventful seven years.

She had firmly established her career and earned the respect of her peers for her hard work and dedication to her teaching. She had twice been voted the most popular teacher by the student body of the school. The only downside had been her ill-fated engagement to Al Denton, a man whose idea of commitment to a relationship turned out to be that she was the one with the commitment and he was the one who could continue to date others.

Several months prior to the wedding, he’d changed. He had become overbearing, demanding, argumentative and controlling to the point where he made her life miserable. Whatever love she had felt for him quickly disappeared. She had broken the engagement, put the unfortunate experience behind her and gotten on with her life.

And now the past, in the form of Jared Stevens, had intruded into that neatly organized and smooth-running life.

She wandered into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of iced tea. How in the world could she ever pay off the debt, assuming it was legitimate? She didn’t even know the exact amount. All those years worth of interest on twenty thousand dollars would make the debt even more insurmountable.

She returned to the living room and sank onto the corner of the couch. She took a sip of her iced tea, then set the glass on the end table. Her stress level had already been up due to her father’s death, and now Jared Stevens had pushed it even higher. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. A vivid image of Jared popped onto the screen of her mind—his handsome features, the sexy grin and the intensity of his eyes. She felt the overwhelming magnetic pull of his presence even though he was no longer there. Her heart beat a little faster, and her breathing quickened.

Kim’s eyes snapped open, and she sat up straight. She didn’t like the very disconcerting effect he had on her senses or the idea that there was something about him she found very appealing. Their families had been at odds for three generations. He was the last person on earth she should be having sensual thoughts about and definitely the last person she wanted or needed in her life.

Jared had spent an uneasy two days wrestling with his impression of Kim Donaldson. Thoughts of her had managed to intrude on the date he’d had following their meeting to the point where he had become distracted and couldn’t concentrate on his stunning and willing companion of the evening.

Kim was not at all what he had anticipated and certainly not his type. After what his attorney told him about the meeting with her, he had fully expected to run into a disagreeable female hellcat. But much to his surprise, what he found was a beautiful and desirable woman who had instantly grabbed him in a way no other woman ever had. She set his pulse racing and definitely stirred his libidinous desires. But there was something else about her, something he couldn’t identify. And it was that unknown quality that he felt sure was going to cause trouble of a kind having nothing to do with business.

He had given careful consideration to the fact that the debt might be beyond her means. If Paul Donaldson’s house was any indication of his financial status at the time of his death, then Jared doubted that there was enough money in the estate to satisfy the debt plus several years of accrued interest. The small house was neat and clean, but the structure and its contents did not have much value on the open market. And being a schoolteacher meant Kim Donaldson was not in an income bracket that would allow her to easily assume a debt of that magnitude without having planned for the expense.

With a sigh of resignation and more than a little confusion about how to proceed, he gathered the appropriate paperwork and walked to his car. He had phoned and told her he would be there at 5:00 p.m. He knew he should have had her come to his summer office suite at the Stevens compound. That would have been more businesslike, more appropriate for the situation. But he hadn’t suggested it. He chose to drive to her father’s house even though it put the meeting on her home ground and on a more personal level. And he wasn’t sure exactly why he had made that decision.

A low level of anxiety pushed at him as he drove to the Donaldson home. For the first time in his life he experienced a brief moment when he wanted to turn around and retreat from a problem. But that was not a practical solution to the issue. He toyed with the notion that it was Kim Donaldson who had caused his apprehension rather than the circumstances of the business matter. The possibility made him nervous, something very unusual for the always-confident Jared Stevens.

As he climbed the steps to the porch, Kim opened the door. On more than one occasion over the past couple of days he had visualized the beautiful barefooted woman in the shorts and T-shirt—her slightly mussed hair giving her an earthy look, her full lips revealing a sensuous mouth, a flash of emotion sparkling in her blue eyes even though that emotion had been anger.

A little pang of disappointment jabbed at him when he saw the conservative way she had chosen to dress for their appointment. Unlike the first time he had arrived at her father’s house, she wore a simple white blouse, charcoal gray slacks and low-heeled shoes. His realization of that disappointment said more than he wanted to know. In their one brief meeting she had managed to capture his undivided attention and hold on to it. She was as much of a puzzle as she was a fascinating woman, far more complex than the women he usually associated with.

Kim stepped aside as he entered the house. At that moment he regretted his decision to set the appointment away from his office. This was one business meeting that he wanted to have over as quickly as possible. A little shiver darted up his spine. He had a strange sensation of upheaval, almost like a premonition that his life was about to take a strange detour from his intended course.

He sat on the couch, making a concerted effort to appear casual. He wasn’t as sure about how to proceed as he had been two days ago when he’d confronted Kim Donaldson. He gathered his determination. The debt wasn’t a personal matter, it was a company financial transaction and as such needed to be resolved.

“Has your attorney looked over the documents?”

Kim nervously shifted her weight from one foot to the other, then finally sat down in a chair on the opposite side of the coffee table. For the previous hour she had been rehearsing what she wanted to say when he arrived, but now that he sat across from her, that confidence started to erode. He looked so calm and in control, as if he didn’t have a worry in the world, while in contrast her stomach churned in knots.

“I met with him yesterday.”

“And?”

She forced out the words, her voice barely above a whisper. “He tells me it’s a legal, binding agreement.” She glanced at the floor, unable to meet his steady gaze. It had been the most difficult thing she had ever said, far more so than when she’d told her fiancé the engagement was off and they were through.

“Then I assume you’re prepared to pay the debt.”

Kim squared her shoulders, steeled her determination and forced herself to make eye contact with him. A quick ripple of anxiety darted across her skin. “No…I won’t be paying the debt. This apparent obligation was my father’s business transaction, not mine. You have no legal claim against me or anything I own.”

“You think not?”

A nervous tickle poked at her consciousness as she watched him place the document in his case. He closed the lid and snapped the locks shut. He stood, picked up the attaché case, then turned toward her—every movement, every gesture, slow and deliberate, sending a wave of trepidation through her body.

He cocked his head and shot a curious look in her direction. “Not paying the debt…is that the advice of your attorney?”

“I didn’t consult him beyond his inspection of the documents. It’s simply the way it is.”

“You realize that you’re leaving me with no choice other than to file a claim against your father’s estate, which will tie it up for quite a while and prevent you from selling or otherwise disposing of any of his property, such as this house and its contents.”

Kim’s breath caught in her throat, and a hard knot twisted in the pit of her stomach. Had she heard him correctly? Everything about Jared looked very determined. Her legs trembled to the point where she feared they would no longer support her as the seriousness of what he said sank in. How would she ever be able to fight a multimillion-dollar corporation on a matter that her attorney said was a legal obligation? The anxiety churned through her body as a throbbing headache attacked her temples.

She needed the money the sale of her father’s house would bring to pay off his debts. She couldn’t afford to have his estate tied up in court. A wave of anger threatened to erupt. Jared was nothing more than a predator circling his prey. He had chosen a time when she was most vulnerable and had pounced on the opportunity. He had taken unfair advantage of a situation just like the Stevens family had been doing to the Donaldsons for the past three generations.

She tried to rally her courage while forcing a calm to her anger. “Then I’ll consult my attorney about that.”

“I have legal counsel on staff. You’ll have to hire an attorney, and it will probably end up costing you more than simply paying the debt your father owes.”

At that moment his tone reminded her exactly of her ex-fiancé’s overbearing and controlling manner. She fought the urge to lash out at him for trying to manipulate her life and causing all this trouble. Then a realization hit her. Which him was she talking about? Was it her ex-fiancé or Jared Stevens who had earned her recrimination? She pulled her composure together and tried to look at the situation in a logical and dispassionate manner. He was only trying to collect a debt he believed was owed by her father. She tried to convince herself that it didn’t have anything to do with the Stevens–Donaldson feud. He wasn’t trying to control her life or go out of his way to make trouble for her. It was a straightforward business arrangement, nothing more.

And the enormity of that business nearly overwhelmed her—the amount of money at stake and Gary Parker’s words that it was a legal binding contract and the promissory note was, indeed, long past due. He had told her that Stevens Enterprises had every right to exercise their legal muscle in collecting it. A sinking feeling settled inside her, effectively shoving down whatever fight she had left. She was in a very precarious situation. Being defiant wasn’t going to help matters. She needed to find some sort of cooperative middle ground with Jared Stevens in order to resolve the money situation without putting everything in jeopardy.

Her voice quavered, her words barely above a whisper as despair filled her. “I can’t afford to pay the debt. There’s no way I can raise that kind of money. I need the proceeds from the estate to pay several other obligations of my father’s.”

The strong determination had vanished, and in its place Jared saw a vulnerable woman who didn’t seem to know what to do. He had been prepared for Kim’s strong stance. He could handle her anger. He knew he was more than capable of dealing with any business negotiation. But this touched him on a surprisingly personal level, and he wasn’t at all sure how to handle it.

He allowed his gaze to drift over her features. A tightness pulled across his chest. Yes, indeed—she was an incredibly desirable woman who had definitely heated up his libido.

He turned on the charm that never failed to produce the desired results, but the words were out of his mouth before he could evaluate where they had come from—words that were as much lustful desire as they were serious.

“Perhaps we could reach a compromise. According to my attorney, you’re a high school teacher. I’d be willing to let you, uh…” His words trailed off as his libido shoved at him again. He flashed a smile that was as much pure seduction as it was sincere. “To work off the debt.”

Two

The shock traveled through Kim’s body, followed by a sharp jab of anger, which was compounded by the lascivious gleam in Jared’s eyes and the unmistakable challenge in his face.

“You’d what?” A hard edge surrounded her words, combined with her disbelief at what he had said, but she didn’t care and made no effort to hide it.

“I’d be willing to make arrangements for you to work off the debt this summer while you’re not teaching rather than having to come up with the money from some other source.”

A hint of a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth, a grin he was obviously trying to suppress. Anger welled inside her. He was playing games with her, baiting her…taunting her. She bristled at his suggestion and its implied meaning, a situation fueled by the sexy twinkle in his eyes. She forced her anger down as she carefully measured her words. “That type of ludicrous line might work on the many women who frequent your bedroom, but I’m most certainly not one of them!”

“Whoa! Hold on there. I don’t know what you’re assuming, but what I’m offering is a legitimate way for you to resolve this problem. I need a girl Friday type of person for the summer while I’m here. I usually have one of the secretaries from our corporate offices in San Francisco handle the summer chores, but I’d be willing to allow you to fill that position. And in exchange for that…” His voice trailed off as his gaze slowly drifted across her body, then returned to her face.

The anger crept into her voice. “And in exchange for that, what? You’re going to forgive twenty thousand dollars plus all the accrued interest?” She threw a skeptical look in his direction. “That’s a lot of money for only three months worth of legitimate work.”

He stared at her. She felt as if his green eyes were looking right through her. A shiver of trepidation slowly replaced the anger of a moment earlier. Had she gone too far? Had she been out of line in so quickly jumping to interpret his meaning or, more accurately, to possibly have misinterpreted it? She couldn’t afford to be on the receiving end of a lawsuit. She could not allow the situation to disintegrate to the point where he would file a claim against her father’s estate. Good grief, Kim. Why can’t you learn to keep your big mouth shut and your thoughts to yourself?

“It would be a lot of money if it were actually being paid to someone. I’m looking at the overall picture, the cost to me of bringing someone from the corporate offices. Not only would I need to pay someone a salary while taking them away from their regular duties, I would also need to provide housing for the summer and per diem money since that employee would be away from home on a work assignment. You already have housing here in Otter Crest, and I assume have already made arrangements for whatever money you need to accommodate your bills during the summer.”

It made sense, but did she dare trust what he said? He was a Stevens. For as long as she could remember, her father and Jared’s father had been at odds. And before that it was her grandfather and Jared’s grandfather. The walls seemed to be closing in around her, trapping her in an untenable situation. He had manipulated her to the point where he had taken away any choices she might have had.

She tried to project an assertive, in-control attitude, something far removed from the way she felt. “I would insist that my attorney draw up a document stating the exact parameters of this agreement…that is, if I decide to do it.”

Jared flashed the sexy smile that set her heart fluttering and caused a shortness of breath. “I wouldn’t have it any other way—everything neat and tidy and legal.”

She swallowed hard as several thoughts circulated through her mind. It didn’t have to be all one-sided where she was doing all the giving and he was doing all the taking. There wouldn’t be anything in an agreement that said she had to be pleasant. She could make it the most miserable three months of his life as long as she didn’t step over the line and give him an opportunity to claim she wasn’t living up to her part of the agreement. But was that practical? What she really wanted to do was resolve the debt question, then get as far away from the town of Otter Crest and any connection with the Stevens family as she could.

A brief thought popped into her mind that it might be the sexy magnetism of the troublesome and disconcerting Jared Stevens she wanted to get away from. She tried to dismiss the errant notion as ridiculous, but it continued to linger in the back of her mind, circulating a heated excitement through her veins.

Jared’s smooth voice interrupted her disturbing thoughts.

“Well? What’s your answer?” The triumphant gleam sparkled in his eyes, and the look of victory covered his features. “Are we going to be able to satisfy this debt easily or do I need to have my attorney file that claim against the estate?”

A hard lump formed in her throat, successfully blocking any attempt to speak. He had her backed into a corner. A little shiver of trepidation worked its way through her body, touched by a hint of resentment at the way he had manipulated the situation for his benefit. She reluctantly nodded in agreement. Would it be a decision she would live to regret? One that would come back to haunt her?

“Is that nod your way of accepting my offer?”

She forced the words. “Yes…providing my attorney can draw up an agreement that we both find acceptable.”

Jared opened his attaché case again and removed a writing pad and pen. He seated himself on the couch. “Now, what points do you want to have in the agreement?”

It was another half hour before Jared prepared to leave the Donaldson house. They each had a list of the points they had agreed to. He had offered to have his attorney draw up the letter of agreement, but she had insisted she wanted her attorney to do it. The agreement would take effect on Monday. That would give him four days to devise a work schedule for her and to figure out exactly what he would be having her do.

A little twinge of delight danced inside him as he walked to his car. She could have her attorney draw up the agreement, but as long as it followed the parameters they had agreed to he would be able to give her a whole list of menial tasks and mundane little chores.

Jared climbed into his car, backed out of her driveway, then drove down the street. He had many legitimate projects where he could use the help of a good assistant during the course of the summer, not the least of which was the community center building currently under construction, but could he really trust her to handle confidential business matters for him? To work with his best interests in mind? He wished he could, but he was afraid to take that chance. She had already made it clear the Stevens–Donaldson feud was prominent in her thinking. So he would confine her work to unimportant jobs that did not compromise his business interests or jeopardize any important projects.

He continued to turn the possibilities over in his mind as he drove home. Once again a sense of upheaval in his life burrowed its way into his consciousness, leaving him a little bit uneasy and very uncertain about what the next three months would bring.

Kim stared at the clothes she had brought with her from her apartment in San Francisco. She tried to determine what would be appropriate to wear her first day of work at Jared’s summer office. She glanced at the clock next to the bed—6:30 a.m. A touch of irritation shoved at her, just as it had for the past few days. She had two hours of freedom left, then her contracted work schedule would deprive her of her summer.

She had spent the last three days clearing out some of her father’s belongings—donating his clothes to a homeless shelter, examining his financial records in more detail, then contacting his creditors about his financial obligations. She determined what she wanted to keep and what she would sell, obtained an appraisal of his belongings and listed his house with a real estate agent. The only things she had not inspected were several file folders containing miscellaneous papers. The pressing business matters of her father’s estate had been attended to for the time being. She placed the file folders in a box and set it aside. She would look at the papers some other time.

Her attorney, Gary Parker, had presented her with the letter of agreement according to the points she and Jared had previously established. They had both signed it. And now there was nothing left to do except show up at Jared’s summer office at the Stevens family compound. A jitter of anxiety confirmed that she was far from comfortable about what she had agreed to. She slowly shook her head. It was too late to back out, especially with the huge debt looming over her.

She finally chose a casual outfit of slacks, a simple pullover and sandals. She tried to eat some breakfast, but a nervous energy insisted on twisting her stomach into knots. She settled for some coffee, orange juice and an English muffin, then drove the short distance to the Stevens family compound and Jared’s office.

Kim pulled up to the curb across the street from the large estate. She sat in her car staring at the massive two-story house. A compendium of thoughts and emotions swirled inside her, leaving a very uneasy sensation in its wake. This was the land that Jared’s grandfather, Victor Stevens, had cheated her grandfather, George Donaldson, out of in a dishonest poker game. It was the single incident that had set her grandfather against Jared’s grandfather, which had started the Stevens–Donaldson feud. An intense wave of trepidation left her unsettled.

Kim had never been on the property, never passed through the upright bars of the iron gate that led to the large house behind the high brick wall. The one-hundred-acre land parcel, which fronted the ocean, had been the single most prized possession of her grandfather and the central core of his financial worth. The loss of the land broke him both financially and in spirit. He had made so many plans for the land, plans he knew would end up bringing him a fortune. Instead, Victor Stevens used the ill-gotten land to elevate the already significant Stevens family fortune to new heights.

All her life she had heard about the land swindle and how Victor Stevens had ruined her grandfather, how his son, Ron Stevens, had carried on the Stevens family tradition of trying to cheat the Donaldsons. She never understood why her father had continued to do business with Ron Stevens. Her mother had been noncommittal about it, but her father refused to let the subject drop. Kim had lived with all the anger and resentment her father carried around with him, all the stress his attitudes brought into the house. She had been relieved to escape the tension when she went to college and finally moved to San Francisco when she procured her teaching job.

She stared through the open gates at the large house. The estate covered a mere two acres of the original one-hundred-acre property but had its own private beach and boat dock. The rest of the land had been sold to developers for several million dollars, money that should have been in her family, not the already wealthy Stevens family. And now she was in the uncomfortable position of working for Jared Stevens, helping him propel Stevens Enterprises toward even greater financial success.

She set her jaw in determination. She needed to honor the terms of the letter of agreement and satisfy her father’s financial obligation to Stevens Enterprises, but there was nothing that said she needed to be pleasant or amiable around Jared. She put her car in gear, drove through the gate and up the long driveway.

The closer she got to the imposing structure, the more her confidence drained away until it had been replaced by rampaging anxiety. By the time she had parked in front of the large double door, she needed to force herself out of the car. She took a steadying breath and climbed the three steps to the porch. Her hand trembled slightly as she reached for the doorbell.

A moment later the door swung open and a man in his late fifties dressed in bib overalls and an old plaid shirt, greeted her. “You Miz Donaldson?”

“Yes.”

He stood aside and motioned her in. “I’m Fred Kemper, the estate caretaker. Jared’s expectin’ you.” He started down a long hallway indicating that she should follow him.

She glanced through the archway from the entry foyer into a large, tastefully and expensively decorated living room with a cathedral ceiling, a loft that ran around three sides and a large fireplace. Beyond that was a formal dining room with a crystal chandelier. She quickly counted the chairs around the table—twenty of them. She had never seen a dining table of that size in a private home.

Everything spoke of wealth, elegance and prestige. A jolt of resentment swept through her, followed by a wave of anger. This should have belonged to her family. It should have been her grandfather’s and then her father’s. It would have given her mother an easier life, making the few years she’d had much more comfortable, and would probably have allowed her father to live longer than his fifty-five years. But it had not been so. Victor Stevens had taken that option away from her family when he swindled her grandfather out of the land.

“This way.”

Fred’s voice jerked her out of her thoughts. She followed him down the hallway that ran along the inside of the front wall of the house, then through a door into what was obviously a much newer area than the rest of the house. Suddenly she found herself standing in the middle of an office complex.

“Jared will be right along in a minute.”

Kim watched as Fred headed back the way they had come. As soon as he was out of sight she seated herself on a couch, then took a minute to inspect the office. Everything she saw seemed efficient and streamlined, modern, with all the latest equipment enabling Jared to conduct major business from his house.

His house. She clenched her jaw to ward off the anger that once again threatened to override her attempt at maintaining a calm demeanor. She had never given the land or the Stevens family compound much thought until Jared’s attorney had approached her about the promissory note. Until that moment she had considered the entire land swindle history, something that had a serious impact on her father’s life but did not involve her. Now she found herself reluctantly thrown into the middle of the generations-old feud.

And it all felt very personal.

Her gaze made another sweep of the office area. It was the opinion of most of the people in town that Jared was nothing more than a playboy squandering the fortune he had inherited, that he was merely a figurehead providing a family member as president of the corporation. The real work was undoubtedly done by qualified people who were dedicated to their jobs. So why had he gone to all the trouble and expense of constructing an office wing, and what kind of work could he possibly have for her to do?

A frisson of apprehension darted through her body, an uneasy feeling telling her she might have made a bad bargain for herself in accepting his offer to work off the debt. She closed her eyes, and a mental image of Jared immediately popped into her mind. Once again the intensity of his green eyes and his devilishly sexy smile assailed her senses. A little tremor of excitement told her Jared Stevens was the cause of her apprehension, not the Stevens–Donaldson feud, as she wanted to believe.

“I’m glad to see you’re on time.”

Jared’s smooth voice sliced through her wandering thoughts and startled her to attention. Her eyes snapped open. The sight that greeted her did nothing to dampen her aroused senses or stop her errant musings. He stood framed in the doorway of what appeared to be an inner office beyond the reception area. A shortness of breath caught her by surprise. He might not be the handsomest man in the world, but at that moment she couldn’t imagine who would win out over him. With his head cocked to one side, his arms folded across his chest and his hip leaning against the door jamb, he looked like someone she wanted to get to know much better.

She took a steadying breath, then shoved the disturbing thoughts from her mind. True, she hadn’t been dating anyone lately and had no special person in her life, but Jared Stevens was the last man she needed to be having desirous thoughts about. His family was responsible for the ruination of her grandfather and the bitterness that had controlled her father’s life for as long as she could remember. Jared Stevens was the enemy. She could never let herself forget that.

“I try to always be punctual, Mr. Stevens.” She wanted to kick herself. The words sounded far too strained and definitely way too nervous. That was not the impression she wanted to convey, not the way she wanted to start the first day. She squared her shoulders and stood up. She had to project confidence, an image that said he may have coerced her into this ridiculous situation but he was not going to control her.

He leveled a sharp look at her, briefly making eye contact. “Call me Jared. Mr. Stevens was my father.” He chose to ignore her tone of voice and her blatantly obvious attempt to be disagreeable. If that was the game she wanted to play, she would find that she had more than met her match.

He straightened, slowly crossed the room and perched on the edge of the desk without taking his eyes off her. He had hoped she would have somehow changed since he had seen her so her presence wouldn’t continue to pull at his senses, but no such luck. His pulse jumped and raced as he forced his breathing under control. She was every bit as beautiful as he had pictured her over the past few days, every bit as desirable as he feared she would be and definitely a huge temptation. He took a steadying breath. He had a busy workday ahead of him and needed to keep his mind on business. He didn’t have time for personal thoughts of lust—at least, not at the moment.

He rose from the edge of the desk as he gestured toward the coffeepot sitting on the credenza against the wall. “Grab yourself a cup of coffee if you want, then I’ll give you a quick tour of the office complex before we start work.” Kim poured herself a cup of coffee as Jared waited.

“This—” he walked over and opened a door that went to the outside “—is the entrance to this wing of the house and is used for the business offices. It’s the door you’ll use from now on rather than the front door to the house. As you can see, there’s a driveway from the side street that goes past the garage and there are parking spaces right here by the door.” He handed her a key card. “This will open the side gate.” She stuck her head out the doorway and took a quick look around. He closed the door and headed in the direction he had come from a few minutes earlier, explaining as he walked.

“This room is the reception area where my summer assistant works. This—” he waved his arm as he stepped into a smaller room containing a table and six chairs “—is used as a conference room.” He continued through another door into the innermost room of the office wing with Kim right behind him.

“This is my office.” He reached across the desk, grabbed some papers and quickly shoved them into a file folder. Until—or maybe that would be if—such time as he could trust her with the details of his business dealings he wanted to keep certain papers away from her observation.

Kim surveyed her surroundings. It was a large office with a double set of French doors leading out to a patio, allowing him to come and go without anyone in the conference room or reception area seeing him. She stepped through the French doors. A chain link fence separated a large yard from the rest of the property. A doghouse just off the patio said it was a place where a pet could have lots of outdoor space without interfering with the rest of the property. About twenty feet away were windows that looked into a kitchen and another door into the house.

On the other side of the fence along the back of the house was a large deck next to a swimming pool and a hot tub. Beyond that the property sloped down to the beach and was enclosed by the same type of tall brick wall that surrounded the front of the property. A flower-lined path wound leisurely through the yard and past several trees to a gate leading to a private dock. Moored at the end of the dock was a gleaming white sailboat with bright blue canvas covers over the furled sails. Everything spoke of money and prestige, of a life filled with ease and comfort.

And it had all been stolen from her grandfather by Jared’s grandfather. It should have been in her family.

“This is very nice, certainly quite luxurious.”

“Thank you. I only wish I could spend more time here rather than at my town house in San Francisco, but that’s where the company offices are and where I need to be most of the time.”

She clenched her jaw to keep her negative thoughts from turning into words as she returned to his office. She spotted the file folder on his desk. His furtive attempt to hide the papers had not escaped her notice. Were the papers something personal or business? A little wave of disgust rippled through her. It was probably another of the many shady business deals the Stevens family had been involved in over the years. She tried to muster her determination. One thing was for sure—there was no way she would be party to any of his underhanded dealings. If he thought—

“Do you get along with animals?”

His words grabbed her attention. She had been so absorbed in her thoughts she hadn’t realized he had been talking to her.

“Uh…animals?”

“Yes. That’s the first item on the list of things for you to do today.” He handed the list to her. “I don’t expect you to use your own car to haul Lurch to the groomer. You can use one of my vehicles. The Ford Explorer is the one Lurch is the most comfortable in.”

“Lurch? The groomer?” She wrinkled her brow as she stared at the list without focusing on any of the words. A shrill whistle penetrated her confusion. She looked up just in time to see Jared whistle again, then a large dog with a huge head entered through the open French door and came loping across the office directly toward her. Her first thought was to get out of the huge animal’s way, but she couldn’t move fast enough. She stared, helpless, as the massive animal bore down on her.

Everything happened so quickly Kim wasn’t sure of the exact sequence. The animal stood on its hind legs with its paws on her shoulders. Whether the dog knocked her down or she stumbled and fell, she wasn’t sure. A second later she found herself sprawled on the floor with an energetic Saint Bernard licking her face. She frantically tried to shove the animal away from her, but the more she squirmed the more the dog seemed to think it was a game.

Jared grabbed the dog’s collar and gave it a gentle tug. The unmistakable sound of amusement surrounded his words. “Come on, Lurch. Let Kim up.” He let go of the dog, who gave Kim one more slurp against her cheek, then retreated to the other side of the room.

Jared reached his hand out to help Kim. She hesitated, then accepted his assistance. The moment their hands touched an unmistakable surge of sensuality traveled up her arm and infused itself through her body. He easily pulled her from the floor as if she weighed no more than a feather. She tried to remove her hand from his all-too-tempting touch, but he refused to let go. Instead, he pulled her closer to him until their bodies were almost touching. She looked into his face, and once again the intensity of his green eyes delved into the very core of her existence.

Jared continued to hold on to Kim’s hand. As much as he wanted to kiss that delicious-looking mouth was as much as he knew he didn’t dare make the attempt. His words came out much softer than he had anticipated. Even though he wanted to maintain an impersonal atmosphere, he was finding it difficult.

“Are you all right? Lurch didn’t hurt you, did he?”

She eased her hand out of his grasp, leaving him with a sudden and unexpected sense of loss. He didn’t know what disturbed him more, the loss of physical contact or the desire to have it back.

Kim tried to dismiss the unwelcome surge of desire that swept through her when he pulled her body close to his. For a moment she thought he might try to kiss her, a situation that, to her surprise, wasn’t an unpleasant notion. She tried to brush aside the unacceptable thoughts and cover her errant desires by adjusting her rumpled clothing. She attempted to wipe her face with her hands.

“What in the world was—”

“That was Lurch. Sometimes he gets a little rambunctious. He doesn’t usually take to strangers, but he seems to like you.”

She looked at Jared as a combination of disbelief and outrage welled inside her. “That’s Lurch? You expect me to take that huge beast to the groomer?”

“Watch what you say.” He feigned a worried expression. “Lurch is very sensitive.”

She shot him an angry glare, then stooped and picked up the list the dog had knocked from her hand and began to read. “Take Lurch to groomer. Pick up dry cleaning. Have Porsche detailed.”

The moment of desire that had assailed her senses quickly disappeared to be replaced by suspicion and irritation. She narrowed her eyes as she stared at him. “This is your idea of the type of work you expect from me? I thought you wanted a secretary for the summer, someone to do office work, not someone to run mundane errands for you and do menial little tasks.”

He adopted an attitude that was all business. “I don’t believe there’s anything in our agreement that specifically limits your duties to secretarial work.”

“But I assumed—”

Jared shoved a set of keys into her hand. “Lurch will never be comfortable in that little thing you drive. Take the Explorer. It’s parked just outside the door.”

“Wait a minute!” She bristled at what she saw as his take-charge attitude and controlling nature. “We need to talk—”

“You’d better hurry. They’re expecting Lurch at nine o’clock.” With that, Jared turned and went into his office, leaving Kim standing in the reception room staring at his retreating form. It had never occurred to her to have the letter of agreement specify that her work assignments would be confined to office chores. She clenched her jaw in anger. He had planned this entire scenario just to embarrass her. This is what he had in mind all along. The situation would definitely require a conversation with her attorney about this unexpected turn of events.

She looked at the keys he had given her and glanced at the list again. On the back he had written the name and address of the dog groomer, the dry cleaner and the car detailer. She turned toward the dog, who was sitting next to the desk. Lurch looked at her with big brown eyes, his tail wagging and his muscles tensed as if it was all he could do to sit there quietly.

Some of the stress that had wrapped itself around her stomach started to loosen a bit. Now that she had gotten over the shock of the large Saint Bernard charging toward her, she had to admit to herself that he was a magnificent dog. “Well, Lurch, it looks like we’re going to the groomer. Do you have a leash or something?”

The dog cocked his head and stared at her for a moment, then trotted toward Jared’s office, his powerful wagging tail knocking over a wastepaper basket as he went. She looked at what were now her wrinkled and dirty clothes. If this was the way it was going to be, then jeans and a T-shirt would certainly be appropriate dress for the rest of the summer. It was apparent she wouldn’t need to be concerned about maintaining an image in front of Jared’s clients or business associates or to be presentable for a business office.

A strange sensation washed over her. Half of it was resentment that he had purposely deceived her about her duties and relegated her to such an insignificant position, but the other half was relief. Even though she had been curious about the business holdings of Stevens Enterprises, she really didn’t want to be involved in any of Jared’s business dealings.

She tried to look at it in a logical manner. The thing for her to do was to make the best of a bad situation. Perhaps it was nothing more than a game of one-upmanship, his way of making sure she knew he was in charge. Maybe it was better this way. She would let him think he had the upper hand. If her summer job at Jared’s involved nothing more than running errands, then that’s the way it would be. It would certainly be an easy way to satisfy her father’s debt and resolve the entire problem without involving an attorney or any more legal ramifications. It was a situation she knew she could live with for the three-month duration of the letter of agreement.

Lurch came running into the room with one end of a leash in his mouth and the other end dragging on the floor behind him. The dog sat in front on her, dropped the leash, barked and wagged his tail. He acted more like a playful puppy than a huge animal sitting in front of her anxiously waiting to go somewhere. She picked up the leash and attached it to the dog’s collar. The dog immediately took off toward the door, pulling Kim behind him.

“Whoa! Slow down, Lurch.” She couldn’t stop the laugh that spontaneously erupted in reaction to the dog’s excitement at going somewhere. It took all her strength to control the animal and keep him from dragging her across the floor.

The sound of her laughter carried to Jared’s office. He stood in the doorway watching Kim trying to contain the dog as it hurdled through the door into the parking area and toward the green Explorer.

He liked the sound of her laugh but could not see her face. He wondered what her smile looked like. He had been face-to-face with her three times, and on all three occasions not even a hint of a smile had crossed her otherwise beautiful face. He closed his eyes and pulled up the still-fresh memory of her hand in his as he helped her from the floor, of the sensation of her face close enough to his to have leaned over and kissed her delicious-looking mouth. A tightness pulled across his chest, one that told him just how much Kim Donaldson had intruded into his conscious thoughts and desires.

And he didn’t like it…at least he thought he didn’t like it.

Business or pleasure—each confrontation made him less sure of his intentions where she was concerned. Something told him he should have written off Paul Donaldson’s promissory note as a bad debt and closed the books on it. If only he had listened to that something instead of opening his mouth and letting that foolish plan of her working off the debt become reality. He had wanted to ruffle some Donaldson feathers. It had been an incredibly stupid idea, but it was too late now.

He attempted to calm his nerves. She was intelligent and could definitely be a big help to him during the summer, but could he trust her? Would he ever be able to trust a Donaldson enough to share Stevens Enterprises business matters? Would there ever be an end to the ridiculous Stevens–Donaldson family feud? One thing was for sure. He would have to keep her busy and away from his office if he planned on being able to concentrate on business. It was already more than evident that she was far too distracting to have around.

He forced himself to work but could not wipe the vision of Kim Donaldson from his mind, nor could he erase the sensation of her hand in his. A hint of trepidation told him the days ahead would be anything but normal. And the notion of exactly what that meant caused another twinge of anxiety to assail his senses.

Kim Donaldson spelled trouble with a capital “T” and he had no one to blame but himself.

Three

Kim could not settle the nervous jitter that appeared the moment she slid behind the wheel of Jared’s silver Porsche. It was the same nervousness she experienced earlier when she had driven the expensive sports car to the detailers. It was a beautiful car, sleek and powerful, just like its owner, she reluctantly admitted. She had been surprised when he had handed her the keys with no more fanfare than to ask her if she knew how to drive a manual transmission.

If she owned a car like that there was no way she would ever let anyone else drive it, certainly not someone who might have a motive to damage it. Although she wouldn’t do such a thing. What if it accidentally got scratched or dented? Would he think she had done it on purpose just to spite him? She didn’t know what to think anymore. During the course of the day she had entertained one thought after another about what type of man Jared Stevens really was. She came up with a different answer each time. He had clouded her thoughts from the moment she met him.

She glanced at her watch as she put the car in gear. It was almost five o’clock. All she had to do was return Jared’s car to him, then she could call it a day. All in all, it hadn’t been such a bad day. She had made friends with Lurch, who was definitely just a big, overgrown puppy in spite of the fact that he was three years old.

But the big, overgrown puppy’s owner was a different story. Every time she returned to the office complex, every time she was in the same room with Jared, the electrical energy that filled the air almost overwhelmed her, leaving her with very unsettled thoughts and feelings. It was as if she could reach out and actually touch his sexual magnetism.

He had given her a few office tasks to do—routine letters about one of the corporation’s holdings taking out an ad in a trade periodical, employee participation in a civic fund-raiser, a couple of requests from charitable organizations and some memos to department heads, but it was obvious that he had kept her away from anything someone could use to compromise his business concerns. It was apparent he didn’t trust her, but she had to admit she understood why. If their roles were reversed, she certainly wouldn’t trust him with any confidential business matters.

Most of the office chores were related to personal business rather than company functions. He had given her a list of phone calls to make, changing the day of the week for the pool service to clean the swimming pool, making arrangements for a newly purchased billiard table to be delivered, having the liquor store deliver several cases of wine and scheduling a time for the carpeting to be cleaned. They were all chores she thought Fred Kemper, the estate caretaker, would have handled.

Even when she had her back to Jared she could feel him watching her. It left her uncomfortable and excited all at the same time. What kind of a man was Jared Stevens? So far, in spite of the fact that he had misled her about the nature of the work she would be doing, he didn’t seem to be the same type of jerk as his brother.

Terry Stevens had been cruel with his cutting comments and put-downs. He had lorded his family position over everyone, especially Kim. He had done his best to belittle and humiliate her, and she had never forgiven him for it. Jared, on the other hand, had pretty much left her alone all day, other than to outline what he wanted her to do. She did have to reluctantly admit that every time she had been at the office during the day he had been at his desk and looked busy. It had not been as bad as she’d anticipated.

She drove Jared’s Porsche through the service entrance gate and parked it in the garage, then entered the office complex through the direct outside door. She walked through the reception area into the conference room, then paused at the door of Jared’s office. He was leaning back in his large leather chair with his feet propped on his desk, but he looked far from relaxed. His total attention seemed to be riveted on the document he held. From her vantage point, it appeared to be a contract of some sort. With his knitted brow and an unhappy scowl covering his face, he looked angry about something.

She hesitated, not sure if she should interrupt him. Maybe she could just deposit his car keys on the desk in the outer office and leave without him knowing she was there, but she waited too long. As she was about to turn, he looked up and saw her.

“You brought my car back?” He swung his legs off his desk, rose to his feet and started across the office toward her.

“Yes.” She held his keys out toward him. “I guess I’ll be going home now.”

“Not so fast, Kim.” Their fingers brushed slightly as he took the keys from her hand, causing a ripple of excitement to dart across her skin. “We’re not quite finished for the day.”

She glanced at her watch. “It’s almost five-thirty. I’ve been here since a little after eight o’clock this morning. What is there that can’t wait until tomorrow morning?” A hint of irritation pushed at her. “Is there some other menial little task that you feel should be pushed off on me? Do I need to run out and fetch the newspaper for you? Check the mailbox and bring in the mail? Take the dog for a walk? Rearrange the kitchen pantry so that all the food is in alphabetical order?” She leveled a challenging stare at him. “Well? What is it?”

He captured her look and held it with his unwavering gaze. Her irritation quickly turned to embarrassment. Once again his eyes seemed to be reading her innermost thoughts and feelings. And her thoughts at that moment were certainly less than complimentary toward Jared Stevens, but they were also enveloped in a sensually elevated heartbeat.

His silence made her embarrassment grow until she was forced to break eye contact with him. She attempted to maintain her position and determination, but her confidence crumbled. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat. “Well…” She nervously glanced around the office in a desperate attempt to avoid eye contact. “What is it that I still need to do tonight before I can leave?”

“Fred brought in the mail, I already have a newspaper, the food in the pantry is just where it needs to be and Lurch has a big hunk of two acres in which to run and exercise.”

She bristled at his condescending tone, partly because she knew she deserved it. Perhaps she had gone too far with her inappropriate comments. Even though she had originally planned to make the situation uncomfortable for him, she had not been able to go through with the ill-conceived plan. It was not her nature to initiate confrontation in spite of the fact that there was something about him that seemed to bring out the worst in her. Every time he opened his mouth she became defensive.

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