STORY EXCERPT

"Mrs. Williams is here, Mr. Kiersen."

As Karen's voice came through the intercom system, a small smile slipped over his lips.until the door began to open, then he turned so fast, he hit his head on the hanging basket holding the fuchsia-colored blooms, causing it to swing and tip from its bracket and land, blooms down, on his very plush, deep-green carpeting.

"Oh, God, are you okay?"

In the next second, the most beautiful woman in the world had her hands on his forehead, brushing against what was probably an attractive red welt about now. For a full minute, he couldn't get his tongue to work. He looked into those bright aqua eyes, as famous as the woman who owned them, and was lost.

Completely and totally lost.

It helped not in the least when she smiled at him and blushed.

Holy hell, I'm going to fuck her.

It was all he could do to keep his arms from tightening around her waist and pulling every inch of her body against his. He could very easily imagine taking her right there, on the desk, against the wall.the floor was good.

His cock throbbed hard and demanded in no uncertain terms it wanted inside. And heaven help him, he began to justify his actions and formulate a plan for doing so when he heard the very distinct sound of Karen clearing her throat.

He hoped to God his cheeks weren't as pink as Ashley's dress, but feared it a real possibility. He gave her a sheepish smile before stepping away carefully.

"Not a very good first impression, I imagine."

A snort came from the six-foot-four solid mass of muscles that Darius assumed was the bodyguard. He got the impression that was a frequent occurrence.

"Here, have a seat. I'll just get this and be-"

"I'll get it, Mr. Kiersen. You can tend to Mrs. Williams and Mr. Tucker."

Karen Murphy, he was certain, was the best damn assistant a man could have. Darius hadn't missed how she snuck in the name of the bodyguard so he wouldn't be off balanced in the conversation. And she always referred to him as `Mr. Kiersen' when he had clients. If felt awkward to him, considering they were quite good friends, but Karen insisted, saying it made a better impression.

Potted plant in hand, soil all over her lovely manicured fingernails, she smiled. "I can get drinks. Coffee, soda.something harder?"

"Bottled water would be fine." Ashley's soft voice sent Darius' cock quivering and up until that moment, he had no idea the thing held the capacity for such an action.

"Nothin' for me, cupcake."

Darius hid his smirk behind his hand as Karen flayed the bodyguard with a glance, not that he was looking. Darius met Ashley's gaze and felt a rush of surprise to see it just as amused as his own. For a brief moment, it seemed as though they were the only ones there. He felt a weird connection with this woman. A wonderful, strange, and unnerving connection he'd never in his life felt. He raptly drew his attention back to Karen.

"Nothing for me either, cupcake."

He smiled and shot her a wink and watched her literally fume as she left the room with his beat-up impatiens.

"You have great light in here."

Ashley sounded tentative. Nervous, much the way Karen had described her on the phone. Darius found his mind being yanked back to business.

People fascinated him. He loved watching them, figuring out their motives, what drove them. He believed in reading body language and all the other nuances of communication that weren't verbal since people were so rarely open or honest.

Ashley wasn't anything like he'd expected. She sat on the edge of her chair with her hand folded neatly in her lap like a good little schoolgirl. She seemed nervous and unsure, nothing at all like the Ashley Williams portrayed to the world.

Seating himself behind his desk, he waited until she looked directly at him.

"What can I do for you, Mrs. Williams?"

Her cheeks pinked, she drew a breath, and in one sentence, gushed out the last thing he ever expected to hear.

"I want my breast implants removed."

Darius listened in astonishment. "I've already talked to my doctor and he thinks I'll probably need a lift because of the extra skin, but the whole thing can be handled in his office in less than two hours. I want it done now. Immediately. Today, if I can get in. I watched how you handled that Cheryl Whitecroft fiasco with such sensitivity and I want you to handle the PR for my.uh, removal."

Clearly winded and with a raging blush staining her otherwise flawless skin, she flopped back in her chair, and for just a second, Darius saw the girl behind the image. She was shy and sweet and.tired.

"Here's your water, Mrs. Williams."

Karen handed her a cut crystal glass filled with ice water and lemon slices, and he drew a few comparisons between the drink and the drinker. He wondered if beneath the cut crystal, the fancy lemon garnish, and the sparkly rocks of ice, if it were possible Ashley Williams was merely water-plain, pure and simple.

This thought had as powerful an effect on his heart as the woman's scent had on his cock earlier.

Why did the one woman who stirred him in such an elemental way have to be the one woman on earth he didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell with?

There was only one solution for his problem-focus. And cold showers.

"May I ask why?"