In Bed with Her Boss
Brenda Jackson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To Gerald Jackson, Sr.—thanks for being

the special man that you are.

To all my readers who enjoy a good love story

that centers on family.

To my Heavenly Father, who shows me each

and every day how much he loves me.

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due,

when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

Proverbs 3:27

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 1

Opal Lockhart glanced around the crowded backyard and smiled at the many family, friends and invited guests she saw. There was nothing like an annual family reunion to bring everyone together. This one seemed even better than the last, because she and her sisters had a lot to celebrate.

First, she had a new job she loved, although things would be better if her boss didn’t have such surly behavior most of the time. Her sister Pearl, who at twenty-five was two years younger than Opal, had sent her new demo tapes to several gospel labels all over the country. And then there was her oldest sister, Ruby, twenty-nine, who had gotten a superior rating on her most recent job performance evaluation. That would definitely keep Ruby first in line for a promotion with her present employer. Everyone knew how important moving up the corporate ladder of success was to Ruby.

But the biggest blessing of all, as far as Opal and her other two sisters were concerned, was that their twenty-one-year-old baby sister, Amber, had finished another year in college, which she was attending part-time, and had set a record by not changing boyfriends more than three times since the last reunion.

She smiled as she glanced over at Amber, but her smile quickly turned to a frown when she saw her youngest sister openly flirting with several of the male guests, most of them from the family’s church. Opal glanced over at Ruby, who met her gaze and nodded, indicating she too was aware of Amber’s outlandish behavior.

Opal was about to go have a word with her sister when her cell phone vibrated in the back pocket of her shorts. She quickly pulled it out, and her frown deepened when she saw the caller was her boss. Why on earth would he be contacting her on a Saturday?

She moved to an area of the patio away from the noise—mainly the heated discussion going on between her sister Pearl and Reverend Wade Kendrick, regarding the woman’s role in a Christian household. Reverend Kendrick, who was only twenty-eight, was their church’s new minister. A former “gangsta,” he had found faith when he had overcome a personal tragedy.

Opal was thoroughly impressed with him and thought he was a dynamic speaker. Already, the congregation had increased tremendously since he’d arrived. And because he was a rather handsome single man, a lot of the unwed female church members were vying for his attention. At least everyone but Pearl was. It seemed she and Reverend Kendrick butted heads on just about every topic.

Opal slipped onto an empty bench and flipped open the phone. “Hello.”

“Ms. Lockhart, this is D’marcus Armstrong. I hate bothering you at home but something of importance has come up and I need you to meet me at the office in thirty minutes.”

Opal glanced at her watch. “Mr. Armstrong, my sisters and I are hosting our family reunion and—”

“I regret the interruption but I do need you at the office, otherwise, I wouldn’t be calling.” His tone indicated there would be no discussion on the matter. “You should be able to return to your family function within the hour.”

Opal sighed. Now was not the time to make waves with her boss. This was her last semester at the university in her quest for a Business Management degree, and her employment at Sports Unlimited was part of her internship. She even planned to stay with the company after graduation and take advantage of the good benefits and the potential for advancement.

Having no choice, she replied, “All right. I’ll be there in thirty minutes.” Disappointed, she clicked off the phone.

“Don’t tell us you’re leaving.”

Opal turned around and saw her sisters Ruby and Pearl standing behind her. At least Pearl was no longer debating issues with the new minister. Before her cell phone had gone off, being the diplomat in the family, Opal had thought about intervening in the heated discussion to smooth a few feathers that appeared to be getting ruffled.

She met Ruby’s gaze and said, “Yes, I’m leaving but just for a little while. Something has come up at the office.”

“And why didn’t you tell that boss of yours that you don’t work on Saturdays?” Ruby said, a little miffed. “I swear, that man is a tyrant.”

Opal couldn’t help but smile as she stood up. “Really, Ruby, D’marcus isn’t that bad. He has a business to run and wants to continue its success. All those extra hours I work are justified. I am his administrative assistant, so he depends on me a lot. Besides, I can certainly use the money if I plan on moving to another apartment complex.”

“The tenants around your apartment are still partying every night?” Pearl asked.

“Yes, and the landlord acts as if there’s nothing he can do. I had hoped the situation would get better, but it hasn’t. My building has become known as the party building.”

Pearl smiled. “Umm, maybe I ought to move in when you move out. There’s nothing like a good party every now and then.”

Opal shook her head. Good at heart, Pearl enjoyed giving the impression that she was a wild-child, but Opal knew better. Her sister’s party-girl ways were just a facade. Opal had a feeling that, in reality, Pearl was someone still trying to find her purpose in life. More than anything, Opal hoped things worked out for Pearl with those demo tapes she had sent out.

“I can handle a good party every now and then,” Opal decided to say. “But there are limits to one’s tolerance and endurance.”

“Things really must be out of hand if you’re complaining,” Pearl said. “Everyone knows you rarely complain about anything. You just roll with the flow.”

Opal couldn’t help but smile. It was a known fact that of the four Lockhart sisters, she was the hopeless optimist. No matter what the problem, she believed the result would end up positive.

She then thought of the problem she had detected before answering her phone. “Did you say anything to Amber about her behavior?” she asked Ruby.

Ruby shook her head. “Are you kidding? And have her not speak to me again for weeks? No, I didn’t say anything to her, but I did ask Luther to say something. She usually listens to him.”

Opal nodded. Luther Biggens, whom they had designated as cook for the day, was a family friend. His father and theirs had been the best of buddies when the two had been alive. A military man, Luther had left the navy SEALs after suffering a disabling leg injury. Now he managed his family’s very profitable chain of mega automobile dealerships.

“I hope she listens to him,” Pearl said glancing out across the yard. “I don’t think Megan Townsend appreciates Amber flirting with her fiancé.”

Opal sighed. “Well, let me go. I won’t have time to go home and change so I’m going to have to wear what I have on,” she said, glancing down at the shorts and T-shirt she was wearing.

“You look fine,” Pearl said. “Besides, it will do D’marcus Armstrong good to see you in something other than a business suit. Maybe now he’ll take a notice to you. You have great-looking legs so you might as well flaunt them.”

Opal rolled her eyes. “I don’t want him to notice me. I just want him to pay me well for the job that I do and give me a good evaluation at the end of my internship.”

“Hey, if I were you I would want him to notice me,” Pearl said chuckling. “The man might be a tyrant but he’s definitely a hunk, and a rich one. Tall, dark and handsome are the things dreams are made of. If I were you—”

“But you aren’t me,” Opal said, laughing. “Just make sure our family and guests continue to have a good time. Let everyone know I had to leave for a while, but I’ll be back in an hour.”

“If you’re not, just make sure Mr. Armstrong knows your sisters plan on coming over there to get you,” Ruby said.

Opal returned her grin. “Okay, I’ll make sure he’s aware of it. I’m sure the last thing he wants is the Lockhart sisters showing up causing problems. I’ll be back later.” She dashed inside the house to get her purse.

D’marcus Armstrong stood at the window of his office on the fifteenth floor and looked down into the parking lot below. His administrative assistant was arriving and she’d made good time. He had asked the ever-efficient Opal Lockhart to be there in thirty minutes and she had arrived in twenty.

He watched as she got out of her car and began walking toward the entrance of the building. He had told her he needed her services right away so the only sensible solution to meet his demand was to come dressed as she was.

And much to his displeasure, he rather liked it.

He didn’t want to admit that he’d often wondered what she looked like in something other than those business suits she liked wearing. It was plain to see she had a very curvy figure in addition to her attractive features. But she was not one to flaunt them. Instead, she kept trying to keep them well hidden. Her shoulder-length hair was usually worn pulled back in a bun and her face, more times than not, was devoid of any makeup. However, there was something about her that always managed to catch his attention, anyway. Even the way she would arch her brow when she questioned him.

He released a deep breath trying to recall at what point he had become attracted to Opal. Lord knows he’d tried not to notice certain things about her, but nothing seemed to work. So he’d tried putting as much distance between them as possible, which wasn’t easy given the nature of her job.

He continued studying her, watching as she tossed her hair back from her face, and he suddenly realized this was only the second time he’d seen her hair worn in any style other than a bun on her head. He didn’t want to admit that even from fifteen stories up, she looked good.

“Hey, I’m tired of waiting for this meeting to begin.”

At first D’marcus refused to turn around to acknowledge the comment that had been made. Dashuan Kennedy was trouble. He’d known it from the first, yet his partners had insisted that they hire him to play for the Detroit Chargers, the professional basketball team of which D’marcus was part owner.

“Armstrong, are you listening to me?”

It was then that D’marcus turned around. Skimming the other two men in the room, his partners in the ownership of the Chargers, his gaze immediately settled on the man reclining in the largest chair as though he owned it. “To be quite honest with you, Kennedy, no, I’m not listening to you. But it will behoove you to listen to what the other owners and I have to say once this meeting is underway. Since you’ve been sidelined by your knee injury, you have done nothing but cause us problems, and, frankly, I’m within an inch of giving you your walking papers.”

Kennedy stared back at him, and a cocky smile touched his lips when he said, “That’s bullshit and you know it. You can’t afford to let me go. Have you forgotten who was the MVP for most of last season? If you have, Armstrong, I’m sure these two men here remember.” He smirked, indicating the team’s other owners, Ronald Williams and Stanley Hennessy.

“That might be true,” D’marcus replied. “But I’m sure, like me, they feel you can take that MVP and shove it, because we’re sick and tired of having to defend your behavior to the media. This time you have gone too far. Drugs and breaking team rules are two things that we won’t tolerate even if you’re Michael Jordan reincarnated.”

The smirk on Dashuan’s face disappeared. “When my ankle heals and I start playing this season, you’ll know that I am the team and, without me, you can kiss the championship goodbye. Like I said, I’m sure these men know my worth, even if you don’t.”

Anger rose in D’marcus’s face. Evidently Kennedy had forgotten that D’marcus owned the controlling interest in the Chargers. He decided he’d heard enough from a player who didn’t know the meaning of team work. He was about to tell him that just as Opal walked into the room. Upon seeing her, an inexplicable calmness settled over him. Not liking the sensation, he shifted his glance to the two men sitting at the table.

“We can start the meeting now,” he said, coming away from the window to stand in the middle of the room. “My administrative assistant has arrived.”

Trying to focus on the meeting to make sure her notes documented the entire proceedings, Opal stared down at her notepad. She hadn’t been surprised when she’d walked in to see bad boy, Dashuan Kennedy, being taken to task by D’marcus. This wasn’t the first time Kennedy had gotten into trouble and she had a feeling it wouldn’t be the last.

She glanced up just as the sun shining through the window hit D’marcus at a angle that highlighted his looks. At the age of thirty he was a self-made millionaire who, in addition to being part owner of the Chargers, was CEO of Sports Unlimited, which was a conglomeration of sport franchises.

As she stared at him, she had to admit that Pearl had been right in what she’d said earlier that day. D’marcus was a hunk. At six foot two, he had medium-brown skin, dark eyes, a clean-shaven face and short-cropped brown hair. Heads turned whenever he walked near women. And she was no exception. For no reason, he could make heated sensations flow through her whenever she was in a room with him.

The majority of the time he barely noticed she was alive, going about the job of making his company successful. Unfortunately, she was always quick to notice him: How well the clothes he wore fitted his body, how muscular and toned that particular body was, how the deep, husky sound of his voice could make her think of things other than business.

Even now, dressed in a polo shirt and a pair of jeans, he looked good, and she noticed as he moved around the room how the denim of his jeans stretched across muscular thighs and a firm butt. He also had a pair of lips that were very expressive. During the three months that she’d been working for him, she’d been able to decipher his mood just from watching his lips. And they were lips that were now moving again, she noted as she turned her concentration back on what he was saying.

“I think that should wrap things up as far as what we’ll say during the press conference,” D’marcus concluded. “And I hope you understand, Kennedy, that, if you cause us any more problems, you run the risk of ending your career with this organization. Understood?”

Opal watched as Kennedy narrowed his eyes. It was plain to see D’marcus had pissed him off.

“Yeah, I understand,” he responded in a clipped tone as he stood.

“Fine. We expect you at each practice session and preseason game regardless of whether you play,” D’marcus added, his expression tight and his tone of voice direct.

“Whatever,” Dashuan angrily threw over his shoulder as he left the room.

It was Opal’s opinion that D’marcus had handled the situation remarkably well, but then she wasn’t surprised. As his administrative assistant, she had seen him in action several times with both domestic and overseas buyers, and it always amazed her how astute he was in his business dealings.

“I appreciate you coming, Ms. Lockhart. I know it was unexpected.”

She blinked, then noticed the other two gentlemen had left, leaving them alone in D’marcus’s office. She stood. “No problem. You said it would take less than an hour and it did.” It then occurred to her that this was the first time her boss had ever shown his appreciation for anything. Usually, although she tried her best, they seemed always to be at odds with each other.

“Do you need me for the press conference later today?” she asked as she inserted her note pad into her desk drawer when she’d type the notes for Monday morning.

He shook his head. “No, I’ll have the task of explaining why one of my key players was charged with possession of an illegal substance. Dashuan, of course, will no doubt be thrilled with the hours of community service he’ll have to do.”

She nodded as she gathered her purse and placed the straps on her shoulder. “All right, then.”

He glanced at her T-shirt. “About your family reunion…”

“Yes?”

“I apologize for having to call you away from it.”

Now he was apologizing. This was another first. She shrugged. “No big deal, I told them I’d be back in an hour and I will be. I’ll see you on Monday.”

She moved to leave and then turned back around. She knew he intended to remain at the office awhile, so she said, “We have plenty of food. Barbecued ribs, baked beans, corn, potato salad, all sorts of desserts. If you’d like, I can drop off a plate for you since I know you’ll be here a while.”

D’marcus, who was about to reach for the phone, stopped abruptly and narrowed his eyes at her. “I don’t need you to do that, Ms. Lockhart,” he said rather harshly. “If I get hungry I can very well order something up or stop what I’m doing and go somewhere for a meal.”

Although she should not have been, Opal found she was taken aback by his tone of voice. She really should be used to it by now. “Excuse me for making the suggestion, Mr. Armstrong.”

As she turned and walked out of the room she wondered why she even bothered trying to be nice to the man.

Chapter 2

“I’m glad you made it back,” Colleen Richards said when Opal stepped out on the patio.

“I told everyone I would,” Opal said, mirroring her smile. She and Colleen were more than first cousins of the same age. Opal considered Colleen her very best friend, as well. And Colleen’s sister, Paige, was Pearl’s best friend and roommate.

Opal glanced around. It seemed the crowd of guests had thinned. “What happened to the church group that was sitting over there?” she asked.

Colleen rolled her eyes. “Thanks to Amber, they left. I think a few of the sisters got disgusted with her brazen behavior. Megan Townsend left first, hauling her fiancé out of here so quick it almost made your head spin. And then when Amber started trying to flirt with a few others, their significant others hauled them away, as well.”

Opal sighed, shaking her head. “I thought Ruby asked Luther to talk to her.”

“From what I understand he tried but it didn’t do any good. He told Ruby that Amber said her flirting was harmless.” She shrugged. “It seems she was determined to get into mischief today.”

Opal glanced around the yard. “And where is she?”

Colleen chuckled. “When most of the single men left and she couldn’t do any more damage, she and that girl she was with left, too. She said they were going clubbing later.”

When Colleen fell silent, Opal released a deep breath. There was no way around it. She, Ruby and Pearl needed to have a serious conversation with their baby sister.

“Oh, and I might as well be the one to tell you that you were the topic of speculation among your sisters after you left,” Colleen said smiling.

Opal lifted a brow. “What sort of speculation?”

Colleen chuckled. “I tried to tell them D’marcus Armstrong wasn’t your type, but Pearl and Amber are convinced you should go after the man. He’s handsome, rich, looks good in his clothes, so they’re convinced he’ll look good out of them, and they think you’re what he needs.”

Opal rolled her eyes when she thought about how she and D’marcus had parted ways just moments ago. “Trust me, I am not what that man needs.”

“That’s what Ruby said. She doesn’t think he’s the type of person you should get involved with. He’s too moody. But Pearl and Amber said with all that money he has, they think you should be able to forget his moodiness.”

Opal shook her head. “Those two would think that way.”

“The three of them did agree on one thing though.”

Opal truly didn’t like the sound of that. “And what would that be?”

“They think you have a crush on the man.”

“What?”

“Just telling you what they said. I didn’t agree with them, of course.”

“Thanks, Colleen, I appreciate that.”

“But now they do have me thinking.”

Opal turned toward her cousin. “Thinking about what?”

“You are the most easygoing, tolerant and optimistic person I know. You always look on the bright side and usually don’t let anything ruffle your feathers. But D’marcus Armstrong has been doing just that.”

“There’s only so much any one person can take, Colleen. I’m not a saint.”

“No, but why is he getting next to you? If he’s that bad, just quit.”

Opal released a groan of frustration. “Mr. Armstrong is not all that bad, really. I think his bark is worse than his bite, and a part of me wants to think he deliberately tries getting on my last nerve.”

Colleen arched a brow. “Why do you think he would do that?”

Opal shrugged. “That’s the way some bosses are, I guess. They like to be in control. He just has a rough-and-gruff demeanor. I’m getting used to it. But trust me when I say that I don’t have a crush on the man. Of course, I think he’s good-looking and all that, but he is not someone I want to get to know personally. I like my space and I’m sure he likes his.”

Colleen nodded. “What do you know about him…personally?”

“Just what the gossip mill around the office says. He was raised by an aunt and uncle after his parents were killed in a car accident when he was six. He was engaged to marry his high-school sweetheart in his last year of college when she was killed in a boating accident two weeks before their wedding.”

“Oh, how awful that must have been for him.”

Opal nodded. She knew that Colleen, who was pursuing a degree in psychology, was probably trying to figure out if D’marcus’s past somehow had had an effect on his present state.

“You’re back,” she heard Pearl say behind them as she came out of the house carrying another bowl of potato salad. “What was so important that The Hunk had to call you away?”

“Nothing important,” she said quickly. Because of the often confidential nature of her job she never divulged any private information. “He just needed me to take a few notes for him.” And to change the subject quickly she glanced around and asked, “Where’s Ruby?”

“She’s inside trying to bring order to the kitchen,” Pearl responded over her shoulder.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” Opal said to Colleen. “I need to talk to Ruby about something.”

As she entered the back door into the kitchen, she paused. Ruby, who had fixed most of the food and gotten the meats ready for Luther to grill, was sitting at the kitchen table while Luther massaged her shoulders. It seemed her sister was taking a much-deserved quiet moment.

Opal smiled. Not for first time, she wondered when her oldest sister would finally open her eyes and realize that, although they claimed to be only friends, she and Luther were meant for each other.

She went back outside. She shook her head when she found Pearl and Reverend Kendrick involved in another debate. As long as this one didn’t turn as heated as the last, then it should be okay.

She noticed the couple who owned the house next door, Keith and La Keita Hayward, had arrived while she was gone, and she decided to go speak to them. As she walked crossed the yard, she glanced back and studied the Tudor-style single-family brick home. Located in inner-city Detroit, it had always been a home filled with love and warmth.

After their father’s death, she and her three sisters had been raised by their widowed mother, and their family had been one of the first African-American families to integrate into the neighborhood. Despite the urban blight that now surrounded the area, they had remained in their majestic family home basically on principal, not to mention their shoestring finances. Now everyone but Ruby had moved out. Opal couldn’t help wondering what would become of their home if Ruby ever decided to go live some place else. Would they sell the house? Rent it out? Or, now that it was paid for, would they leave it as a place they could come back to whenever they felt the need to escape and chill? Whatever decision she and her sisters made would be the right one.

Her thoughts then drifted to D’marcus. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was still at the office and if he had gotten something to eat. She knew how easy it was for him to work through lunch. Then she remembered the chill in his tone when he’d dismissed her offer of food. Well, as far as she was concerned, it was his loss.

She sighed deeply, thinking that she should be used to his curt and unfriendly nature by now. But there wasn’t a day that went by that she didn’t hope his attitude would improve. So far it hadn’t.

As she stopped in front of the Haywards, she smiled and quickly decided that D’marcus Armstrong was the last person she wanted to think about. She refused to let his behavior completely ruin her day.

D’marcus tossed aside a file he’d been working on and glanced over at the clock. It was after five already. Where had the day gone? He heard the growling of his stomach and immediately thought of all that food Opal had named when she’d offered to bring him a plate from her family gathering. Maybe he should have accepted her offer. But a part of him felt he’d done the right thing by not doing so.

He leaned back in his chair as he picked up the framed photograph of the young woman. The woman who was to have been his wife. The pain of that loss was still with him even after six years. Tonya had been the one thing he had wanted in his life, the person he had loved with all his heart, and he’d lost her in one afternoon, two weeks before they were to marry. What really had torn him in two was finding out that at her death she had been a month pregnant with their child. He hadn’t just lost the woman he’d loved but also the baby that would have been theirs.

He placed the photograph back on his desk and walked over to the window. It had been a beautiful day, warm for the first week in October, although the forecasters were predicting a cold front sometime next week.

His gaze swept the empty parking lot where Opal’s car had been parked earlier. A part of him regretted his rude behavior to her. That same part knew there was no excuse for it. But another part, that part of him that had been protecting himself for the past six years, refused to agree. It believed there was an excuse. Opal Lockhart was a woman who could wiggle her way inside a man’s head and heart if he wasn’t careful. She was the first woman since Tonya who had ignited even a spark inside him. What was so sad was that he hadn’t been trying for that spark.

She had worked late one night, her first week with Sports Unlimited, and he had left the office for the day. He had gotten as far as the third floor when he remembered that he had left behind a file he needed to take home to review. He had returned and walked into her office area to find her standing at the window in deep thought. Because of the long day, she had taken off her shoes and jacket, and the fashionable scarf was no longer around her neck. He had stood studying her. Without knowing he was there, she released her bun and ran her hands through her shoulder-length hair. Without the jacket he’d seen her small waist and the delicate curves of her hips. She had looked beguiling, sexy, a total turn-on.

For the first time in six years, he had felt long-buried sensations. Sexual chemistry to a degree he’d never known before had nearly driven him to take her in his arms. Instead, he had regained control of his senses and left. But from that evening forward, he’d made it a point to make sure he placed distance between himself and his administrative assistant, and he took on a gruff demeanor to make sure things stayed distant. The last thing he needed was for the two of them to get too friendly with each other. The only woman he could ever possibly love had died six years ago.

Moving away from the window, he returned to the chair behind his desk. He would work for another hour or so before he called it a day. On the way home he would stop at one of the fast-food places and grab a sandwich. Usually he didn’t stay all day at the office on the weekend, but, after the press conference, he had decided to get a headstart on next week’s work.

He cringed in anger every time he thought about Dashuan Kennedy and his poor attitude. Players like him gave any game a bad name. He definitely wasn’t any kid’s role model. In fact, as far as D’marcus was concerned, whether they won or lost, the Chargers probably would be better off without Dashaun. There was no doubt Kennedy was a gifted young basketball player—but he was one who had some kind of a chip on his shoulder. D’marcus felt whatever issues Kennedy was having extended beyond his bad-ass ego problem. Frankly, D’marcus was ready to trade him, but the other two owners saw Dashuan as their hope for the coming season.

He felt a strange prickling sensation and looked up, surprised to see Opal standing in the doorway of his office. Before he could open his mouth to ask what she was doing there, she entered and placed a take-out box in front of him.

“I know what you said, but I couldn’t see myself letting you starve. If you don’t want to eat it you can trash it,” she said, before turning to leave.

“Why?” he asked before she had reached the door. When she turned around, his eyes flicked over her with a cool expression. “Why did you come back? With the food?”

She tilted her chin and he saw a stubborn glint to it when she said, “Because I refuse to become a grouch like you. Life has been too good to me this year for me to do that.”

“Then, I suggest you count your blessings, Ms. Lockhart.”

To his surprise, she smiled. “Trust me, Mr. Armstrong, I do. Maybe it’s time for you to start counting yours.”

His eyes narrowed at the boldness of her statement and before he could give her a reply, she was gone.

Opal quickly stepped onto the elevator thinking she could probably go ahead and kiss her job goodbye. However, today her boss had gotten on her last nerve. Maybe she was out of line for returning with food, but she had known he wouldn’t take the time to eat anything.

A part of her wondered why she even cared, but she did. Once the crowd at the reunion had begun dwindling, that part of her that was too filled with kindness to let even someone like D’marcus Armstrong not share in such a wonderful meal had decided that, no matter what kind of attitude he had, she would not let him dictate hers. By nature she was not a mean-spirited person and she refused to let him turn her into one.

As she made her way through the parking lot toward her car, she glanced over her shoulder and looked up. D’marcus was standing at the window in his office staring down at her. She sighed, deciding she would report to work on Monday as usual. If he asked for her resignation because of what she’d said, there was nothing she could do about it. But he’d needed to hear what she had said. He of all people should be counting his blessings.

As she got into her car she forced any worries about next week aside. Tomorrow, she would go to church and say a prayer for him. She would also make sure she got all the spiritual preparations she needed for when she saw D’marcus Armstrong again.

On Sunday morning Opal sat in a pew beside Amber and Ruby in the Lakeview Baptist Church. This was Pearl’s Sunday to lead a song, and they were all excited. Reverend Kendrick would be delivering the message after the scripture was read, and Opal felt she needed to hear the Word today, more so than ever.

D’marcus Armstrong might have pissed her off something awful yesterday, but that hadn’t stopped him from invading her dreams last night. Some of her thoughts had been downright corrupt, and a lot of what she had imagined them doing together was shamefully sinful. And, to make matters worse, she didn’t even like the man. Not to mention there was a good chance he would be kicking both her and her job to the curb tomorrow. Her sisters would refuse to believe that she, of all people—someone who never lost her temper—had actually gone off on D’marcus Armstrong.

She cleared her mind of the issues facing her with her boss when Pearl stepped up to the mic to sing. The church was packed—not unusual for the first Sunday of the month. And Opal thought the choir’s new robes looked really nice.

Pearl began singing “What a Mighty God We Serve” in a way that only Pearl could do. Within no time, the church was rocking, people were standing on their feet rejoicing, getting caught up in their own testimonies to the fact that God was truly awesome. Pearl and the choir members were singing out of their souls, but it was Pearl’s beautiful voice that was stirring things up, causing jubilation to spread throughout the congregation.

After Pearl’s song ended and the scripture had been read, Reverend Kendrick stood before a packed and electrified house. “I want to thank Sister Lockhart for that song, because while she was singing I was sitting there thinking about just what a mighty God we do serve.”

He paused to glance over the congregation, and for some reason Opal thought he looked at her a little longer than the others. A guilty conscience will do that to you, she thought, shifting in her seat.

“How many of you ever pause to not only think about how mighty God is,” Reverend Kendrick continued, “but also about all the many blessings he bestows? Most of us just assume we’re at where we are in our lives because we are deserving. Well, that is not the case, because none of us are deserving. We have all sinned at some point in our lives. Some of us are still sinning.”

Opal hoped no one saw her blush when she felt her cheeks get a little warm.

“But God loves us anyway,” Reverend Kendrick continued. “He forgives us, and we have to find it in our hearts to forgive others, even those we may feel don’t deserve our forgiveness.”

D’marcus Armstrong suddenly flashed across Opal’s mind.

“But we have to forgive them, just like our Father constantly forgives us,” Reverend Kendrick went on to say.

Opal shifted in her seat, thinking it was too bad D’marcus wasn’t at church today. If he embraced the concept of forgiving and forgetting, then she wouldn’t have to go to bed tonight worrying about whether she still had a job tomorrow.

Reverend Kendrick interrupted her thoughts by saying, “We should especially forgive those who don’t deserve our forgiveness, and continue to pray for God to work to change their hearts. And I’m standing before you as a living witness that miracles can happen. You just have to believe that they can.”

Chapter 3

Monday morning Opal was seated at her desk when D’marcus arrived. He glanced over at her, gave her a curt nod as he crossed the room to his office.

“Mr. Armstrong, the minutes from Saturday’s meeting are typed and on your desk. I’ve also saved them in an electronic file.”

At her words, he’d slowly turned toward her and now she quickly searched his features for any indication that she was about to be fired. He wasn’t smiling—not that he ever did—but aside from that, she couldn’t gauge his expression. A part of her wanted to believe that he had gotten over what she’d said and that it was water under the bridge. However, she knew some men would consider her words disrespectful.

“Thank you, Ms. Lockhart, and please hold all my calls until noon.”

“Yes, sir,” she added with a quick smile of relief when it appeared he wasn’t going to let her go.

“And, Ms. Lockhart?”

She swallowed, thinking perhaps her relief had been premature. “Yes?”

“Thanks for dinner on Saturday. I enjoyed it very much.”

She blinked. He was thanking her for dinner? Gracious. As Reverend Kendrick had said at church yesterday, miracles could happen if you only believed.

D’marcus tossed his briefcase into the chair and let out a ragged sigh. He wasn’t sure just what he planned to do about Opal Lockhart. Because of her very efficient nature, she had become a vital asset to him, but, as far as he was concerned, just as he’d told Dashuan Kennedy on Saturday, anyone was replaceable.

But, while sitting in this very office on Saturday evening enjoying every mouthful of the food she’d brought him, he kept thinking that Opal Lockhart was a woman who could remind a man each and every time he saw her that there was more to life than work.

When she had shown up with the food, she had still been wearing what she’d had on earlier, a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Although the length of the shorts could be considered decent, they had still shown her lovely legs. For the second time that day, she had stirred his hormones and for a split second as he had stood at the window and watched her leave, he had been tempted to call her on her cell phone and tell her to come back up to his office.

D’marcus grimaced. He was glad he hadn’t made such a move. That would have been the worst thing he could have done. His mind knew that, but, at the moment, his body wasn’t so sure. He counted backward, trying to remember the last time he’d been intimate with a woman, and was surprised to recall it had been well over eight months. It had been just that long since he’d socialized in any way. Lately, he had spent the majority of his time adding more stores to his portfolio, which required a lot of his time and concentration. No wonder he was beginning to notice just how downright horny he was now.

There was one way to fix his problem. Tonight when he got home he would check his address book to see which one of his female acquaintances who knew the score would go out on a date with him that weekend. A date that would eventually end up with them sharing a bed. If getting laid was what he needed, then he would take care of the problem—and soon.

Opal picked up the phone on the first ring. “Sports Unlimited, Mr. Armstrong’s office. Opal Lockhart speaking.”

“Ms. Lockhart, this is Mr. Stone, manager of the Viscera Apartments.”

Opal smiled. “Yes, Mr. Stone?” She hoped he was calling with good news.

“It appears I’ll have a vacancy within a few weeks.”

Opal’s smile widened. “That’s certainly good news.” Once she had made the decision to move, she had decided to check on the Viscera Apartments. They were a lot nicer than her current place and only minutes from the office, which meant a lower gas bill. Of course the rent would be higher, but she was a firm believer in getting what you paid for. And right now, she was tired of paying for sleepless nights in the party building.

“So I take it you’re still interested?” Mr. Stone was saying.

“Yes, most definitely.”

“All right. Then you can come by this afternoon with your deposit. We require two months in advance.”

Her eyebrows raised. Two months rent was a lot and not what she’d assumed. “Two months?”

“Yes. That’s our policy. If you don’t think you can—”

“No, there won’t be a problem,” she said quickly. She would take the money out of her savings, but she would have to replace it quickly if she still intended to get a new car at the beginning of the year.

“Good. I’ll see you this afternoon.”

“Okay, Mr. Stone, I’ll see you then.”

Opal had just returned from lunch when D’marcus buzzed her. “Yes, Mr. Armstrong?”

“Ms. Lockhart, could you step into my office a moment please?”

“Certainly.”

She gathered her notepad. He hadn’t been out of his office since he’d shut himself in there this morning, nor had he called out for her assistance.

She opened the door and walked into his office. He had removed his jacket, and the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows. A ton of files were spread out on his desk.

He glanced up when she walked in. “We might be adding two other stores this week,” he said in a tone of voice that was all business.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you. And, while it’s good news for me, it might not be for you, Ms. Lockhart.”

She swallowed tightly. Maybe she had told Mr. Stone prematurely that she would be taking the apartment. There was no way she could afford it if she didn’t have a job. “Why would you say that?” she asked as she sat down in the chair across from his desk.

“Because it will require you to work longer hours for the next two weeks. Of course I will pay you generously for any overtime.”

Relief spread through Opal. Little did he know, she considered what he was saying as good news. The extra money would help replace what she was taking out of her savings to cover the security on her apartment. And she couldn’t discount the fact that, if she impressed him by doing a good job, it would be a way to move up in the company. She would have her degree in the spring and there were plenty of opportunities for advancement within this company.

“Will you be able to work additional hours, Ms. Lockhart?”

She met his gaze. “That won’t be a problem. When will they start?”

“Tomorrow. Three extra hours every evening this week, except for Friday, should be sufficient. And let’s do the same for next week, although I want to throw Monday night into the mix.”

“That’s no problem.”

“Good. Now, I need to go over the stats for the Savannah store with you. I should have asked you to bring that file in here with you.”

“I’ll go and get it.”

Opal stood and quickly walked out of the office.

As soon as Opal left, D’marcus leaned back in his office chair. Her scent was still in the room. More than once, he had noticed the fragrance and had yet to put a name to it, but he definitely liked it on her.

No, he mustn’t think about how much he liked that particular perfume on her or how good she looked today in her business suit. Professional but still sexy. She never wore anything to call attention to herself but her clothes did it, anyway.

He thought about all that he knew about her from her employment records. Both of her parents were deceased and she was the second oldest of four daughters. She lived in an apartment in a fairly decent area of town and she had turned twenty-seven her last birthday. He gathered she was close to her siblings and enjoyed staying in touch with her family. The family affair she had attended on Saturday attested to that. He also knew there were great cooks in her family, considering the food she had brought to him. What he’d told her was true. He had totally enjoyed every mouthful.

He glanced up when she returned to his office. “All right, I’m ready, Mr. Armstrong.”

Her words stirred something deep within him, something directly below the gut. That part of his body definitely needed help and he intended to get it this weekend.

“Okay,” he said, straightening up in his chair. “Let’s get started.”

“So you have to spend more time with The Hunk?” Pearl smiled at Opal as she sat down at the kitchen table. Ruby and Pearl had dropped by after work as they usually did most Monday afternoons. Amber would join them every once in a while but lately she’d been taking classes at the university on Monday nights. Opal had been excited to tell them the good news about the apartment. Then she told them about the additional money she’d make working extra hours the next two weeks.

Opal rolled her eyes. “I’ll be working overtime but Mr. Armstrong wasn’t specific as to whether he would be staying late or not.”

“Why would you fall for such a tyrant?” Ruby asked, grinning.

Opal shook her head. “First of all, I haven’t fallen for anyone and, to be quite honest, D’marcus Armstrong isn’t a tyrant. He just happens to be a very demanding boss. There is a difference.”

Ruby lifted an arched brow. “And do you have a crush on him?”

“Of course not. Where did the two of you get such an idea from?”

Before either of her sisters could answer her question, her cell phone rang. Standing, she pulled it from her purse and checked the caller ID. It was Colleen. “Yes, Colleen?”

“Did you get the apartment?” her cousin asked excitedly.

Opal smiled. “Yes, I put down the deposit today,” she said, deciding not to mention to anyone how much of a deposit it was. But she did tell Colleen about the overtime since they usually went to prayer meeting together at church on Wednesday nights.

“Maybe you can get Mr. Armstrong to go to prayer meeting with you,” Colleen joked.

“Sure, but don’t hold your breath,” Opal replied, wondering if D’marcus even went to church.

A few minutes later, after ending the call with Colleen, she glanced across the table to find her two sisters staring at her with smug looks on their faces. “What?”

“You do have a crush on him,” Pearl said.

“I do not,” she persisted.

“Yes, you do. You get this funny little smile on your face each time you mention his name. Just like you did just now, while talking to Colleen.”

“You’re imagining things,” Opal said, taking a sip of her tea.

Ruby smiled at her over the rim of her cup. “Okay, keep your secrets, but you can’t fool us. I agree with Pearl. You have a crush on your boss.”

One thing Opal had discovered about her sisters while growing up with them was that, if they truly believed something, trying to convince them they were wrong was nearly impossible, a waste of good time. So she decided not even to try anymore. In time, they would discover their assumption was incorrect.

Later that night, when Opal slipped between the sheets in her bed, she tried drowning out the sound of the loud music playing next door by thinking how nice her new apartment would be. She thought of the time she would spend decorating and how, since the new place was more spacious, she would no longer feel cramped.

She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It was ten o’clock. She wondered if D’marcus was still at the office or if he’d already gone. He had been on an important international conference call when she had left. She breathed in deeply as she recalled how she’d stuck her head in his office to let him know she was leaving, and found him sitting on the corner of his desk talking on the speaker phone.

Once again, she had been struck by just what a good-looking man he was. Even while conducting business, he spoke in a deep, husky voice that actually had made her pulse race. And the way his trousers stretched tight across his firm, muscular thighs had made her heart pound in her chest.

She had silently mouthed the words, “I’m leaving now,” and he had held her gaze and nodded, letting her know he’d understood what she had said. For just a heartbeat, she’d thought their gazes had held for a moment longer than necessary, but now she was sure she had imagined it.

She turned on her side thinking how wrong her sisters were about her feelings for D’marcus. She would be honest and say she was attracted to him, but that was as far as it went. And, as she had told Ruby and Pearl, she wasn’t sure he would be staying late with her over the next two weeks, but if he did, she was determined that things would be kept on a strictly professional basis. She couldn’t imagine him having it any other way.

Chapter 4

D’marcus released a deep breath before taking a sip of coffee as he stood at his office window and watched his ever-efficient administrative assistant walk across the parking lot.

There was a businesslike tilt to her head, and her walk was brisk and measured. He glanced at the clock. She was early. Usually he arrived after she did so he never knew exactly what time she arrived at work each day. He wondered if coming in at least an hour early was the norm for her or if she had done it today because of all the work she would be tackling this week. If coming in early was a habit, she definitely hadn’t been recording it on her time card.

He frowned. He was a person who believed in paying his employees for the work they did and the hours they worked. He would definitely have a discussion with her about it.

He glanced back out the window and watched as another one of his employees, Ted Marshall, from the accounting department, conveniently began walking beside her. D’marcus stiffened inwardly when he noticed Opal smiling at something the man had said. Were the two dating? For some reason the thought irritated him. He knew that Marshall was divorced and, from what D’marcus had heard from his last administrative assistant, Marshall thought himself quite the ladies’ man. Definitely not the type of person Opal needed to become mixed up with. He shook his head, thinking, who was he to determine who his employees should be involved with?

He moved from the window and sat behind his desk, staring at the files spread across it. He had more to do with his time than to be concerned with the love life of Opal Lockhart.

Opal drew in a sharp breath when she sat down at her desk and realized Mr. Armstrong had already arrived at work. Usually she had plenty of time to get settled into her work before he got there.

While her computer booted up she went about watering the plants in her office. There were a number of them and she intended to keep them alive and healthy.

She turned when she heard D’marcus open the door to come out of his office. She flicked a glance in his direction and immediately studied his face, wondering just what sort of day she would have. His expression was unreadable.

“Ms. Lockhart.”

“Good morning, Mr. Armstrong.”

“I have an off-site breakfast meeting this morning with the other two owners of the Chargers. I should be back in a few hours. Then you and I need to get together to discuss the inventory for the two new stores.”

“Yes, sir.” She tried not to notice how nice he looked from the toes of his expensive shoes to his dark suit and white shirt. The man was immaculately well groomed and sexy as sin.

“We may have to work through lunch so I suggest you order us something.”

Opal raised an arched brow. “You want me to order something for lunch? For both of us?”

“Yes, by all means. I need your assistance the better part of the day but I don’t want to rob you of your lunch. And I might as well eat something myself since I plan on working rather late tonight.”

She nodded. He had just answered the question that had been tugging at her mind—whether he would be working late each night, as well. “Is there anything you prefer? Any particular type of sandwich?”

He shook his head. “No, but I prefer they hold the mustard.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And, Ms. Lockhart?”

“Yes?”

“Do you come in early every day?”

“Just about.”

“Then make sure you’re adequately compensated for any extra time you spend here by including it on your time card,” he said curtly, and then he walked away.

D’marcus glanced up when Opal entered his office carrying bags filled with their lunch. He quickly got up and walked around the desk to relieve her of them. It didn’t help matters that he had to stand close enough to her that he got a good whiff of her perfume, the same perfume he’d found to be totally seductive.

She glanced up at him. “Thanks.”

He nodded and took a step back. “No problem.” He placed the bags on his desk. “What do we have?”

She smiled. “Turkey sandwiches, cream of broccoli soup and iced tea.”

“Sounds good. Let me clear an area on my desk so we can pull everything out of the bags.”

Opal lifted a brow. He wanted them to sit in the same room together and eat? She’d assumed they’d be taking a break and she would be going back to her desk to eat.

He must have seen the strange look on her face because he asked, “Is something wrong, Ms. Lockhart?”

“No, but I assumed you would want to eat lunch alone.”

He shrugged. “Normally I do, but I’m expecting a call from Bob Chaney any moment and I’ll need you here to jot down what he says when I place him on the speaker phone.”

He then eyed her for a moment and asked, “Do you have a problem doing that? If so, I can ask Human Resources to send me one of the women from the typing pool.”

“No, I don’t have a problem with it.”

“You sure?”

No, she wasn’t sure, but she wasn’t about to tell him that. “Yes, I’m sure.”

“Good.”

He then proceeded to clear his desk before coming back to sit behind it, leaving Opal to set out the lunch.

“We basically got the same thing,” she said, handing him his sandwich, soup and tea. “I’m not crazy about mustard, either.”

He glanced over at her when she took the chair in front of his desk and scooted it up closer to share the desktop with him. “What else aren’t you crazy about?” he asked.

She started to say “demanding bosses,” but thought better of it. She had said enough on Saturday. Even now, she was surprised he hadn’t given her her walking papers. “In the way of foods, I’ve never developed a fondness for squash.”

“Umm, I like squash.”

She stared at him and watched as he took a big bite out of his sandwich and slowly began chewing it. A strange sensation passed through her stomach when she thought about him opening his mouth that wide over hers, devouring it as greedily as he was the sandwich.

She quickly gave herself a mental shake, wondering where such a thought came from and demanding it never return.

“Is something wrong?”

She blinked when she realized he had asked her a question. “No.”

“Then, why are you staring at me like that?”

She swallowed, not knowing how long she’d been staring. Never before had she been mesmerized by a man’s mouth. So she said the first thing that came into her mind. “You seem hungry.”

He chuckled and she blinked again. This was the first time she’d ever heard him chuckle, and the dimples that came into his cheeks almost made her drop the cup of ice tea she was holding. “If I seem hungry, Ms. Lockhart, it’s because I am. I came into the office early today so I didn’t get a chance to eat breakfast.”

“Oh,” she said. Instead of meeting his gaze she bit into her own sandwich and tried concentrating on just eating it.

“I hope your family isn’t upset about the extra hours you’ll be working.”

She washed down the food she had in her mouth with her ice tea before saying, “Trust me, they understand.”

“What about Ted Marshall?”

She did glance up at him then. “Ted Marshall in the accounting department?”

“Yes. I saw the two of you walk in together this morning and assumed that you were seeing each other.”

She shook her head. “I barely know the man. We just happened to be in the parking lot around the same time and walked in together. No biggie.”

D’marcus stared at her for a moment while she lowered her head and continued eating her sandwich. What on earth had possessed him to bring up Ted Marshall’s name? He was not the type of employer who got into his employees’ personal business. It really wasn’t any concern of his if she and Marshall had been dating. It was their business as long as they conducted themselves decently in the office.

A few moments later, his phone rang. It was Bob Chaney and, as far as D’marcus was concerned, he had received the call right on time. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could have endured being alone in the same office with his very attractive administrative assistant.

Opal glanced at her watch. It was close to eight o’clock and she had just completed filing all the electronic messages. It was time to call it a day, but before she left, she needed to check with D’marcus to make sure there wasn’t anything else he needed her to do. They had been busy in his office with numerous conference calls until around five that afternoon. She wondered where on earth the man got his energy. In addition to his regular business, he had received a couple of media calls regarding Dashuan Kennedy’s incident that past weekend.

Before logging off her computer, she picked up the stack of papers she needed him to sign. The door to his office was slightly ajar so she walked in—and stopped short. He was leaning back in his chair asleep. This was another first. Today at lunch she had seen him smile; now tonight she was watching him have a peaceful moment. The expression on his face was relaxed, unstrained and calm. She walked farther into the room and once again noticed the framed photograph of the woman he usually had sitting on his desk. Earlier, when he’d spread out the files on his desk, he had placed it in a drawer.

Curiosity made her move toward the desk to pick up the photograph and look at it. Something she had never done before. For some reason, he always placed it in the drawer when he left each day.

The woman was simply beautiful and Opal immediately knew she had to be the fiancée he’d lost, the one who had gotten killed in a boating accident two weeks before their wedding. She then wondered if Colleen was right and if D’marcus’s less-than-friendly attitude could be the result of a broken heart.

“What are you doing in here?”

Opal jumped at the sound of the gruff voice, nearly dropping the papers out of her hand as she quickly placed the frame back on his desk. She swallowed against the tightness in her throat and said, “I have papers for you to sign.”

He straightened in his chair. “But that doesn’t give you the right to bother my personal belongings, Ms. Lockhart.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Armstrong, but I was curious.” She then added, “She was beautiful.”

Instead of accepting the compliment he stared at her with ice-cold eyes. “You had no right to touch that photograph.” The anger in his voice almost made Opal’s pulse go still.

“I said I was sorry, sir, and it won’t happen again.” Anger tainted her voice, too. She was a person who respected everyone’s privacy and she hadn’t meant any harm. It wasn’t like she was planning on stealing the darn thing.

“These need your signature,” she said, handing him the papers. He took them from her and the room got extremely quiet. The only sound was the shuffling of papers. He handed them back to her and she turned and quickly walked out of his office, closing the door behind her.

As soon as Opal left, D’marcus stood and shoved his hands in the pockets of his pants. He walked over to the window and glanced up at the sky. Damn, what was wrong with him? It seemed he didn’t miss a beat when it came to chewing out Opal Lockhart about anything. He could understand her being curious about the photograph, especially since he went to great pains to lock it up each night. And she was his administrative assistant. There was nothing on his desk that she shouldn’t be allowed to touch.

He inhaled deeply. What was there about her that seemed to bring out the worst in him without her even trying. In fact, if he was honest with himself, he had to admit she was the most easygoing person he knew.

He heard her shutting down her computer for the day and knew he had to apologize for his behavior. Grabbing his jacket off the rack, he headed for his office door.

“The man is a tyrant, just like Ruby said,” she muttered to herself as she buttoned up her jacket. As predicted, an October cold front had moved in, changing the weather overnight. She’d even heard there was a strong possibility Detroit would be having its first snowstorm by the end of the week.

“Who’s Ruby?”

D’marcus’s question snapped Opal around. He was standing against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, staring at her. “Excuse me?”

“I asked you, who’s Ruby?”

Opal stiffened slightly. Evidently, he’d heard her muttering to herself. She tilted up her chin and said. “Ruby is my oldest sister.”

He nodded. “And she thinks I’m a tyrant?”

Heat flooded her cheeks and she couldn’t look at him any longer. Instead, she looked down at her purse to get her car keys out. “Yes, that’s her opinion,” she said softly.

“And evidently yours, as well.”

She lifted her head and met his gaze again. “Not until tonight. Before now I just assumed you were demanding, like most bosses.”

D’marcus stared at her in silence for a moment and she stared back, refusing to look away. “Okay,” he finally said. “Because of my actions tonight I probably deserve that. I apologize.”

For the second time that day Opal felt her pulse go still. He was actually apologizing to her again. Before she could say anything he continued, “In the future I will try not to be a tyrant as well as not being overly demanding.”

His words surprised Opal and she didn’t know what to say. “If you’re about ready to leave we can walk out together,” he continued. “I’m not sure the parking lot is well lit. Be sure to contact someone in the maintenance department tomorrow about replacing those bulbs with brighter lights.”

“All right.” After taking the keys from her purse, she came from around her desk and waited while he turned off the lights. She should have assured him that she would be safe walking to her car alone, but her head was still whirling from his apology as well as the promise he’d made.

They caught the elevator in silence and walked out of the building without exchanging any conversation. She was surprised he knew exactly where her car was parked and walked her straight to it. He stood back as she opened the door and eased into the driver’s seat.

“And don’t forget what I said, Ms. Armstrong. I want you to be compensated any time you arrive at the office early.”

“Okay,” she said rolling her window down. She couldn’t help but stare at him for a moment. It seemed his gaze was focused on her lips. Heat flowed through her at the thought, and she quickly diverted her gaze from his and started her car.

She glanced back at him to say, “Good night.”

“Good night.” He stepped back as she put her car in gear and pulled away. She couldn’t help looking into her rearview mirror. He was still standing there, staring at her drive off.

Chapter 5

Opal released a sigh of gratitude as she sat at her desk. Ever since Tuesday night D’marcus had kept his word and tried to be a more reasonable boss. He actually used words like please and thank you a lot more often than ever before, and a couple of times he had actually smiled while talking to her. But, then, he had reason to smile. They had gotten word yesterday that two additional stores would be opening in California.

That meant they’d been extremely busy with various conference calls and contracts that had to be readied and faxed out. She and D’marcus spent most of the time either together or with his lawyers. She enjoyed watching how he handled business. He was a self-made millionaire and his sports franchise was growing by leaps and bounds, making him even richer.

“Ms. Lockhart, could you step into my office, please?”

Opal smiled. The courtesy words were beginning to come more naturally for him. At first they’d sounded clipped and forced. “Yes, sir, I’m on my way,” she said, grabbing her notepad.

She walked into his office to find files spread out on his desk, which was becoming a norm. Thank God for her organizational skills or he would never be able to find anything. In fact, a few days ago, he had complimented her on them when he’d looked for a file while she’d been at lunch. Her unique filing system made things a lot easier to find, especially for him.

“Yes, Mr. Armstrong?”

He glanced up and met her gaze, and, as always, she felt a tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach. She wished for once he would come to the office looking any way but desirable. Let his hair grow longer, go unshaven, ac-quire a scar or two, get a broken nose. But she had a feeling, even with those imperfections, he would still be handsome.

“I have to be in San Francisco next week,” he was saying. “With four stores opening in the next couple of months I need to be closer to the action.”

She nodded, understanding completely since all four new stores would be opening in California. She also knew he had satellite offices in several states. “So you won’t need me working overtime for you next week,” she said, stating the obvious and thinking that was the reason he had summoned her to his office.

“Yes, that’s right. However, I will need you to go to California with me.”

She blinked, certain she hadn’t heard him correctly. “You want me to go to California with you?” she asked.

“Yes, San Francisco, California.”

She tried to keep the nervous sigh from escaping her lips. She knew of administrative assistants who traveled with their bosses all the time and loved it and considered it as one of the perks of the job. Even Ruby traveled with her boss occasionally and considered it an opportunity to shine. But Opal had never given any consideration to the thought that Mr. Armstrong would want to take her anyplace with him.

“Will there be a problem, Ms. Lockhart?”

He recaptured her attention and she met his gaze. She’d never tell him the “problem.” “No, there won’t be a problem, sir.”

He nodded. “Good. I plan to fly out first thing Monday morning. You can probably return on Friday. I might stay for a few more days visiting relatives.”

“I’ll be ready to fly out Monday morning.” She told herself it wouldn’t be that bad. They’d be on a crowded plane, then in busy meetings.

He turned back to his files, then looked up as she was about to exit. “Oh, Ms. Lockhart, I forgot to tell you. We’ll be taking my private jet.”

What was wrong?

When he had mentioned her accompanying him on that business trip, although she hadn’t protested or declined, Opal had seemed surprised and even nervous. In fact, when she’d left his office, she had appeared downright rattled. He smiled. And here he’d thought that nothing could ruffle Opal Lockhart…except his tyrannical, demanding behavior.

He chuckled when he remembered what she’d said to him. She had been deadly serious in explaining her feelings. He had seen it in her eyes, the depth of her honesty. That had been one of the rare times he’d conversed with her and hadn’t been studying her lips. There was just something about the shape of her mouth that always tempted him.

She had a way of putting every male hormone he possessed on full alert whenever she entered his office. God knows he had tried to ignore it, avoid it, find ways to become immune to it, but so far nothing worked. Even without trying, she had a sensuality about her that he found totally irresistible. And what he found so astounding was that she was unaware of the depth of her appeal.

The other day, while sipping his soup at lunch, he had found himself glancing across the desk at her, and a part of him had imagined sipping on her instead. He definitely had one hell of a sexual ache and he hoped his date this weekend was what he needed to cure him.

He tossed aside the paper he’d been trying to read. Taking Opal to San Francisco with him wasn’t a smart idea given his attraction to her—an attraction he just couldn’t kick. But he did need her there. In this stage of his business negotiations, he needed someone he could depend on and he’d discovered since she had come to work for him that he could definitely depend on her. Not only was she well versed in the handling of business affairs, she had a good grasp of marketing and advertising, customer service and public relations, as well. She was a natural when it came to people skills. She got along with everyone at the office, and, more than once, he’d received compliments on her behalf from clients and business associates whom she had treated well.

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