Eclipse of the Heart

chapter 12

Amanda spent a week traveling on business. A long, lonely week filled with anonymous hotel rooms and long security lines. She worked hard and was pleased with what she accomplished. Her only potential problem was the Daily Eats deal. The due diligence work there was falling behind schedule. She'd have to look into the delay when she got back to the office.

When she checked her email on the Monday of her return, the first thing she saw was a message from Logan. The lick of pleasure at seeing his name annoyed her. She did not enjoy feeling like a sophomore with a crush on the football captain.

His message commanded her presence in his office as early as possible on Monday morning, which she knew meant before the 9 a.m. staff meeting. She made sure her notes were all in order, and knocked on his door at 8. The sound of his deep voice calling to enter made her shiver.

He was on the phone when she opened the door, but he waved her in. He looked incredibly fresh this morning in a white button-down shirt, red silk tie and his usual precision-cut hairstyle. Even the cold tone of voice he was using on the phone didn't detract from his appeal.

Amanda repressed a sigh. It really was a shame to have to pass up the chance to get down and dirty with a guy like him. As much as she tried not to think about it, she couldn't help wondering what he would be like in bed. Would he focus all that intensity on her pleasure? Or was he more a git 'er done and move on to the next task kind of guy?

She didn't know why, but she was certain he would make some sort of effort to ensure a woman's pleasure. Though she probably was crazy. A guy who paid for sex didn't need to worry about a woman's feelings.

He clicked off the phone. "Good morning." He smiled at her and her heart turned over. Whoa, that was not good.

"I have a couple things I need to discuss with you," he said. "Please have a seat."

Okay, the pleasantries were over quickly with him. She'd need to get used to that. She sat.

"That was Jeremy Savin," he said. "We're going to move forward on buying his software company."

She nodded. It was a deal he'd assigned to her at the beginning of last week. "It's a good opportunity," she said.

"Can you travel to Dallas on Monday and start organizing the due diligence?"

"Are you going, too?"

He raised his eyebrows, as if surprised. "No. Dallas Robotics is a small business. You can handle it."

Okay, so he wasn't that anxious for her company. She tried to hide her chagrin at her egotistical assumption. She wouldn't make that mistake again.

"Good." Her cheeriness sounded fake even to her. "Anything else?"

"Yes." He captured her gaze. "I have to attend the Spensor Museum's annual dinner for the Board of Trustees tomorrow night. I think you should come with me."

Her mouth opened, but no words emerged. Did he spring these surprises on purpose just to keep her off balance?

She found her tongue. "What kind of request is that?"

His brows moved higher. "It wasn't a clear statement?"

"No." She had to be firm on this issue if he was going to make a habit of asking for her company at social events. "You don't date," she said. "So it's not a date. I won't serve as an escort. So it can't be that kind of assignation. So—" She shrugged. "I'm baffled."

"You may consider it one of your job duties."

She stiffened and he immediately raised one hand. "With no sexual obligation attached."

"Why don't you take your mistress?"

"I'm not filling that position right now," he said coolly. "That's why I've added the social duties to your job description."

"You can't just take over my evenings like that. What if I have a date?"

"Do you?"

His keen eyes bored into hers, and she was unable to lie.

"No," she admitted. But she damn well would have one next time he asked. In fact, she had to remember that the acquiring of a boyfriend was her number one priority. Logan would have to back off then.

"Fine." He looked like he was fighting a smile. "We'll consider that settled."

"I'll do it once." She gave him a level gaze. "But I don't want this socializing to be a permanent part of my duties."

"Don't be foolish. You'll make excellent contacts. I don't attend these events for pleasure myself. You could take a lesson from me."

Damn. He was right.

But she didn't trust him.

However, she could plainly see that arguing with him was not going to work. She'd have to handle each "request" as it appeared.

She began to rise.

"Sit down." He waved an impatient hand. "I have a favor to ask."

"Another one?" She perched on the edge of the chair.

He narrowed his eyes. "Don't push me. It's about Rosie."

Rosie? She hadn't expected that.

Logan rubbed the frown mark between his eyes. "I'm stuck with her until my regular assistant recovers from her surgery."

"Stuck with her?" Where was he going with this?

"It's complicated," he said impatiently. "We don't need to go into the details. But the fact is that she's not cut out for the business world."

No, that was obvious.

"Do you know what she really wants to do?" Logan continued.

"Her dream is to design her own fashion line." That wasn't a secret.

"Exactly."

"You want me to help her write a business plan?"

He laughed. "No, that would be an impossible task. What I need is much easier. She needs to develop some more mainstream fashions."

"Why? Many designers have an avant-garde approach like Rosie does. Fashionistas don't want the same old same old."

"Agreed. But she's too far out on the edge. She'll never get financial backing until she tones it down."

"Okay." Amanda shrugged. "How does that affect me?"

"I thought you could let her make you some clothes."

"What?" She jumped out of her chair. "There is nothing wrong with my clothes."

He frowned. "It's not about you, Amanda. This is about Rosie."

She glared at him. A master manipulator. She had to give him credit.

Dropping both hands on his desk, she leaned over it. "Don't treat me like a fool."

He met her gaze. "Are you always this paranoid?"

Damn. Insecurity crept over her. She could feel its insidious poison. She'd never had fancy clothes. The few items she'd purchased since getting this job had been picked specifically because they made her look dowdy.

If she were going to go out with him in the evening to expand her business contacts, she would need new clothes. No question about that. Was she looking a gift horse in the mouth?

"If I agree," she said, "you have to allow Rosie free rein and pay for all her supplies." At a bare minimum, Rosie would benefit from the scheme.

"Done." Rising, he gestured to the door. "Why don't you go on and tell Rosie the terms? I'll cover her bills. The only stipulation is that she has to have something ready for you for the Spensor event tomorrow night."

Amanda huffed out. His easy acquiescence told her she hadn't bargained hard enough.

But her annoyance was swept away in Rosie's exuberance. Rosie ran around her desk and threw herself at Amanda, squealing with delight.

"Thank you. Thank you." She stepped back, beaming. "I didn't know if you'd agree."

"Agree?" Amanda stopped at the corner of the desk. "Did you already know about this idea?"

Rosie nodded. "Logan asked me last week."

"Bastard," Amanda muttered. "He set me up."

Rosie drew a sketch pad out of her desk drawer. "What do you mean?"

"If I hadn't agreed when he asked me, he would have told me how disappointed you'd be."

Rosie's eyes widened. "I would have been disappointed."

"Never mind." Amanda sighed.

"Logan told me you needed a cocktail dress for tomorrow night. I've been thinking it over and I have some ideas."

"Don't go crazy. I have to look professional at all times. The only reason I'm going with him to these evening events is so I can make more contacts."

"Yeah, whatever." Rosie waved a hand tipped with five fingernails each painted a different color, none of them pretty. "But we gotta jazz it up a bit. We need to get rid of your office nickname one way or another."

"I won't be wearing the clothes you make here at the office."

Rosie tilted her head. "Logan said a complete wardrobe. He wants to see as much as possible of what I can do before he starts thinking who might back me."

Amanda groaned. "I don't want an entire custom-made wardrobe."

"Of course not. He made me promise I'd take you shopping. In fact, that's what we'll have to do for tomorrow night. There's no time for me to sew something for you."

"Fiend." But Amanda couldn't be too angry in the face of Rosie's excitement.

"No question." Rosie shot her an unrepentant grin. "But there's no reason why we can't take advantage of his generosity. Meet me here at five this afternoon, and we'll start shopping."

Amanda made her way to the conference room, her thoughts whirling. She really didn't have time for wardrobe building. But she'd be foolish to pass up this opportunity. If she had to attend certain events with Logan, she didn't delude herself about the clothing demands. She would not be comfortable wearing the clothes she already owned. Plus, she couldn't deprive Rosie of this opportunity to showcase her work.

And if those reasons weren't good enough, she only had to think about the moniker 'hump a frump'. One way or another, that had to go.

She squashed the little imp in her brain who tried to tell her that Rosie's funky look would never translate well into sophisticated evening clothes. Or the other imp that whispered that Logan would never invest in a fashion line. Dallas Robotics was more his kind of company.

The conference room was empty, except for Josh. Excellent. A second weapon. Because if she didn't figure out a way to get Logan to back off, her body was going to betray her.

She approached with a smile. "Just the man I wanted to see."

"Sounds good already." Josh grinned and waved to the seat next to him. "What's up?"

"I have tickets to a benefit for the American Lung Association a week from Friday night. Would you care to join me?"

Something flickered in his eyes. Surprise? Wariness?

"I'd love to go with you, Amanda, but–" He paused for a second before meeting her gaze. "The rumor mill says you're, uh, dating Winter."

She started to shake her head, but he continued. "I like you, Amanda, but I don't want to commit career suicide over you."

"I understand. But I want you to know there is no personal relationship between Logan Winter and me." She forced a smile. "Whatever you may have heard, I am definitely not the type of woman he would be interested in."

Was that clear enough? She could hardly state that she was not a prostitute.

Josh took a sip of water. "How about this? Let's go to your event as friends and see what develops. Fair enough?"

Amanda nodded vigorously in relief. That would be perfect. She wouldn't have to be worried about any lover-like moves from him, and he wouldn't have to feel that his job might be in jeopardy.

She was able to focus on the staff meeting with her full attention. Then she had a meeting with the general counsel about some legal issues with one of the deals she was working on. So when she made it back to her office, she almost groaned out load at the sight of Phoebe Cattus standing at the window of her office.

"Excuse me," Amanda said, with more hostility than she'd intended. "Did we have an appointment?"

Phoebe shrugged. As always, she was dressed on the edge of sluttish. Her skirt was a little too high, her neckline a little too low. Her bangs looked as sharp as the spikes of an iron fence.

"Getting a little pretentious, are we?" Phoebe leaned back against the credenza.

"If it's pretentious to expect common courtesy," Amanda shot back, "then yes, I am. I repeat, do we have an appointment?"

"Chill." Phoebe rolled her eyes. "I guess your little plot isn't working out so well, huh?"

"My little plot?" Amanda laughed, hoping it didn't sound forced. "You'll have to fill me in on that."

Phoebe tossed her head. "Everyone knows. You've been more than obvious."

Amanda thumped her iPad down on her desk. "If you don't have any Winter Enterprises business to discuss, please excuse me. I have work to do." She sat down in her chair, noticing that the email to Daily Eats that she'd been working on before the staff meeting was open on her computer. That seemed a long time ago.

The general counsel had advised her to wait before commenting on the delays at Daily Eats. They didn't want to appear to be harassing Mrs. Molloy, given her serious illness.

Phoebe sauntered over to the desk, eying Amanda's desktop. "Logan Winter has only one use for women, you know."

"You could be right." Amanda clicked off her email to forestall Phoebe's nosiness. "He's given me an excellent job here as Director of Entrepreneurial Services. I appreciate it."

"That cover story is not working." Phoebe bared her teeth in what she might have thought was a smile. "Everyone knows why he really hired you."

"Is it personal experience that makes you so bitter, or lack of it?" Amanda could have bitten off her tongue. She knew better than to engage in a catfight.

Phoebe leaned down to hiss in Amanda's face. "You think you're so clever. But you'll come to the same end as all his other whores. See if you don't!"

On that triumphant note, she whirled around and sailed out of the room.

Amanda resisted the urge to throw something after the bitch. She knew Phoebe wanted to make trouble. What she didn't know was why.