Surprise Seduction (2 page)

Chase Aaron epitomized the word hunk.
 
Six-foot two inches of gorgeous male flesh graced with the most intense green eyes she’d ever seen.
 
Thick, brown hair with sun-kissed tips fell in a short, sexy style just long enough for a woman to run her fingers through.
 
His nose crested in a superior male slant, and his cheekbones arched high on his face.
 
The dimples she’d glimpsed deepening at his apparent amusement nearly undid her resolve.

How would she be able to work for him, keep up this act, when just the sight of him took her breath away?

Ability to breathe or not, she needed this job working closely with Chase Aaron, president of Weston Pharmaceuticals.
 
There wasn’t any other way to learn what she needed to know about her father’s company.
 
She swallowed her pain at thoughts of her late father.
 
No, now wasn’t the time for more tears.

She cast a quick, unsteady glance at the curvy redheaded receptionist.
 
The woman’s gaze traveled up and down Adrienne’s sexless attire in barely contained laughter.

Adrienne squinted behind glasses she didn’t really need, and looked down at the gray suit she’d carefully chosen at a second-hand store for this interview.
 
To someone like the well-endowed woman, she imagined she looked like a lumpy sack of rocks.
 
That’s probably how Chase had seen her, too.

Perfect.
 
That’s just what she and Sheila had planned.
 
What they hadn’t planned was her heart racing when her gaze met his, the strong sense of recognition.
 
Which was ridiculous.
 
If she’d met Chase, she’d never have forgotten.

Nor would her plan have had any chance of working.

But she’d spent most of the last few years jet-setting with her mother around the world and volunteering with various charity events.
 
No one at Weston’s would recognize her, save perhaps George Weston himself and he hadn’t seen her in person for at least ten years.

“He’s waiting.”
 
The stand-in secretary’s amused voice directed her to follow God’s gift to women into his office.

The urge to run almost overcame her.

There isn’t any other way to save your father’s business--not unless you want to marry Roger.

Her spine stiffened, and she stood her ground.

She needed to prove her ability as more than a piece of ornamental fluff.
 
Certainly, no one in Chicago would believe her capable of more than shopping till she dropped with various charity events thrown in for good measure.

Maybe that belief had been well founded at one time, but not anymore.

Working with Chase would be her only chance to discover the truth.
 
Although she’d heard her father mention his name with trust and admiration, she’d never met him before today.

Regardless, she didn’t want to go home with her tail tucked between her legs.
 
If keeping her stepfather from controlling her life meant deceiving Chase Aaron, she would.
 
Despite what her father had thought, she didn’t need a man to take care of her--especially not her stepfather who thought her a mindless fool he could manipulate like he did her mother.

She entered Chase’s office with renewed determination and looked around at the aloof décor of the room.
 
Large open windows lined the outer wall, running from floor to ceiling.
 
Plush gray carpet covered the floor.
 
A sleek black monstrosity of a desk commandeered the center of the light gray room.
 
Two black leather over-sized chairs faced the desk.
 
A long, luxurious matching sofa lined one wall, bare except two nouveau paintings that she’d bet authentic.

Modern.
 
That’s what his office screamed.
 
Modern, sophisticated and impersonal.
 
Black, white, and gray.
 
As if he couldn’t commit to anything with color or substance.
 
The room had a new car smell.
 
Expensive and untouchable.

She sat in one of the black chairs while he watched.
 
The desk separating them offered no protection from his powerful presence.

“Sheila Downey highly recommends you.
 
Do you think you can handle the job duties she outlined during your interview?”

Adrienne straightened her skirt and considered his question.
 
Be a frumpy assistant who doesn’t flirt with her boss?
 
Sure, she could pull that off.

She risked a quick look.
 
Despite his phenomenal looks and magnetic sex appeal, Chase didn’t have anything to fear from her.
 
Letting a man get close to her physically, or emotionally, held no allure.
 
Not after Roger.

Still Chase’s utter maleness could make a woman think twice.

“Yes, sir.
 
I’m the right applicant for the job,” she answered, albeit a bit breathily.
 
Sheila believed she could pull this off, and she would find a way.
 
Her friend was risking her own job by helping.

After being grilled by Chase for fifteen minutes, Adrienne fought a sigh when he leaned back in his chair to eye her thoughtfully.

“Do you have any specific job requirements or expectations?”

What did he mean job requirements?
 
Sheila, nor the professional they’d hired to train Adrienne in the basic job requirements of working as Chase’s assistant, hadn’t prepared her for this question.

“None.”
 
She stared at her hands.
 
Had he recognized her?

He nodded and relaxed back against the midnight leather.

“Did Sheila explain the problems I’ve had with assistants in the past?”
 
His tone purred, smooth as silk, but his eyes remained keenly observant.

“Yes, sir, she did mention your history.
 
You won’t have any problems from me.”
 
Her gaze fell back to her clasped hands.

“How can you be so sure?”
 
Apparently her confident words stirred his curiosity because he continued, his voice dropping to a more sultry tone.
 
Almost flirtatious.
 
“Don’t you think you’d enjoy working ‘closely’ with me, Adrienne?”

Adrienne blinked.
 
She’d never imagined her name could sound so exotic.
 
She risked a glance and spotted the glimmer in his eyes.
 
He was testing her, seeing if she’d respond to his carefully chosen words.

Damn his arrogance and all men like him.

She’d endured enough hurt at a man’s hands this week.
 
Not just one, but two.
 
Now Chase Aaron wanted to play games?

Something deep inside snapped.
 
She straightened her spine and, much to her own amazement, played her designated role with the finesse of a Hollywood actress.

“I’m sure most women would enjoy working ‘closely’ with you, Mr. Aaron.
 
I, however, do not fall into that category.
 
I would be here to do my job, not you.”

He chuckled, although she felt certain he hadn’t meant to.

She gazed directly into his to-die-for eyes, feigning total indifference, despite the way her stomach flip-flopped.

“You don’t find yourself wanting to work ‘closely’ with me, at all?”
 
He bordered on incredulity.

“No, sir,” she said and offered what she hoped qualified as a supercilious smile.
 
She resisted the urge to fake a yawn.

“How can you be so sure you won’t change your mind a month from now?
 
Two months from now?”
 
His gaze narrowed on her as if he studied a rare disease under a microscope.
 
His pupils had darkened with pure disbelief.

Chase Aaron had a major ego problem.

He just couldn’t fathom a plain Jane like her not wanting him.
 
He could never learn the truth.
 
Besides, she took feminine pleasure in knowing she would throw this arrogant, self-confident man a major league curve.

“I can be sure, because no
man
attracts me.”

“No man?”
 
His sharp look questioned.
 
He ignored that she’d dropped his play on words and cut straight to the heart of the matter.
 
“You mean you haven’t met Mr. Right yet?”

Adrienne hid a smile and called on every downtrodden female who’d ever walked the face of the earth to give her strength.
 
She reminded herself of the old adage—desperate people do desperate things.

Her father’s will stipulated she had six months to either convince the board of directors she was qualified to run Morrigan’s conglomerate, be married, or her mother would control her inheritance--essentially meaning her step-father would be running her father’s company.

Everyone had something to gain by her failing—the board members, Roger, her step-father.
 
Even Chase.
 
No one was going to willingly teach her the inside ropes of this company unless she took the initiative.

Yes, desperate people did desperate things, and she was about as desperate as desperate got.

“I’m not looking for Mr. Right.”
 
She paused dramatically, letting each of her words roll slowly from her tongue.
 
“Because I prefer Miss. Right.”

CHAPTER TWO

“Did he go for it?” Sheila Downey asked as Adrienne collapsed into a chair across from Sheila’s desk.

“Oh yeah.
 
He went for it.
 
He bought my disguise hook, line, and sinker.”
 
Adrienne shifted in the chair.

“I can’t believe you’re doing this.
 
I’m glad you’re doing it, just a bit blown away.”

“What choice do I have?” Adrienne frowned at her long-time friend.
 
“Drew wouldn’t let me within a hundred miles of a managerial position.
 
When I figure out what’s going on with Weston Pharmaceuticals, I’ll present the information to the board, along with my intent to take my father’s place.
 
They’ll have to take me serious.”

Sheila’s face twisted in concern.
 
“I’m not sure.
 
From what I remember of Drew, this could be dangerous.
 
He isn’t going to give up control of Morrigan’s easily.”

“No,” Adrienne conceded.
 
“He won’t.
 
I’ve thought it out and can’t think of any other way that puts me on the inside.
 
I don’t have time to wait.”