Chapter Five
Her reply angered him. How dare she tell him no when he was offering her a ride. For the first time he could ever remember, someone was telling him no, and he found he didn’t like it at all. How could she possibly prefer riding the bus to accepting a ride from him? Was his company so repulsive she couldn’t stand to be in his presence for even a moment longer than she had to?
Not wanting to say something he’d regret later, he decided to say nothing. If she believed he was going to allow her to ride the bus, then she wasn’t as smart as she appeared. She might be stubborn, but he could certainly outdo her in that department.
He was used to people bending over backward for him. It was a bit of a shock, but not all that unpleasant, to find someone willing to argue with him. He found he liked Amy a bit more each time she challenged him, but there was no way the tiny vixen was going to get her own way on the ride situation, not when it was an issue of her safety.
He could see she was getting tired, but he kept piling work on her. For one thing, he was still angry that she refused to ride with him, and second, he just wanted to be in her company.
After his initial anger diminished, he got involved in his own tasks, used to burning the midnight oil as he finished projects. He lost all track of time.
“Mr. Anderson, I don’t want to complain, but it’s eleven o’clock. Can I come in tomorrow if this really needs to get done that badly before Monday?”
she asked with fatigue evident in her voice. He felt guilty that he’d let his temper override his good judgment. He would’ve never normally made her stay so late.
“I didn’t realize the time, sorry. Everything else can be done next week,”
he said.
“Let’s get out of here.”
He put placed his weekend work in his briefcase and walked her to her office. He stood by the door while Amy put her work down and gathered her purse and coat. She glanced up, and he could see she was surprised he was still standing there.
“Okay, Mr. Anderson, I’ll see you Monday.”
She tried to exit quickly by making a beeline to the elevators. He grinned, enjoying the edge to her voice.
He found it comical that she thought he could be so easily dismissed. Usually, women were chasing him. It was refreshing to be the one doing the chasing, and he really liked the cat and mouse game they were now playing.
He very much anticipated his capture of her.
Amy pressed the elevator button, and when the doors opened, they both stepped inside for the long ride down. Neither of them spoke, both lost in their own heads.
When they reached the lobby, he followed her out of the cramped space and walked with her toward the front doors.
“Hi, Amy. You’re sure working late tonight. There aren’t any more buses running. Would you like for me to call you a cab?”
the night guard asked.
“That would be great, Paul,”
she said as she gave him her best smile.
“How’s that beautiful little girl of yours doing? Did she make the basketball team?”
“Yes, she made varsity and has been prancing around the house for two days now. I’ll show you the pictures as soon as my wife gets them developed,”
he said with a big smile.
“Good night, Mr. Anderson. Have a safe ride home,”
he added, as if just realizing Lucas was there with the two of them.
“Paul, Ms. Harper won’t need that cab. I’ll give her a ride home,”
Lucas said, confident his word would be taken with no questions asked. Paul looked from her rigid face to his boss’s unyielding expression and decided he wasn’t getting in the middle of whatever was going on. He was a smart man.
“Okay, then. Enjoy your weekend.”
He turned and walked back to his desk.
Lucas pulled Amy through the front doors, gripping her arm. He knew she wouldn’t want to cause a scene in front of Paul, so she came without a struggle. He was anticipating the explosion he knew was coming as soon as they were out the door.
He’d been holding back for a month, and the built-up tension was at the boiling-over point.
As soon as they were outside, she turned toward him, fire in her eyes, obviously ready to unleash on him. Damn, she was amazing in anger. He wanted to rip the bun loose and sink his fingers into her silky hair.
“Look . . .”
she snapped, but he didn’t give her time to complete her sentence. He couldn’t take it anymore. Reaching out he pulled her into his arms, crushing his lips to hers.
She stood rigid for about three seconds while he sought access into her mouth. He knew the moment of her surrender, when all of the anger, frustration, and building attraction between them gave way with sweet release. Her arms reached around his neck, and her lips opened in invitation, allowing him full access to her mouth.
Once he had her surrender, his lips softened, began coaxing instead of demanding. His arms slid seductively up and down her back, molding her body to his. He couldn’t get close enough to her, their clothing feeling like a wall of separation. He needed more, much, much more.
Lucas was ready to take her right there on the sidewalk. He started reaching below the bottom of her blouse, forgetting they were standing in full view of anyone who cared to walk by. He needed to feel the weight of her full breasts spilling into his hands.
Amy stiffened as she snapped back to reality. Before he could think past the fog of desire in his head, her hand came up and he felt the sting of her fingers as her hand connected with his cheek in a resounding slap, pushing away the last of his lust-filled haze.
She stood before him, breathing heavily, her eyes rounded to twice their normal size. Lucas couldn’t tell if she was stunned from the kissing, slapping him, or both.
She was flushed and disheveled, causing him to take a step back so he wouldn’t grab her again. He somehow managed to regain his control, but only because he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt she’d be his. He had to claim her in order to break the spell she had over him.
“I’ll allow that one for free, but be ready to face the consequences if you slap me again,”
he said, rubbing his jaw. She’d really put her body weight behind the hit. She certainly wasn’t a helpless female who couldn’t hold her own.
“How dare you,”
she spat.
“You don’t just go around kissing anyone you feel like. You may be rich and good-looking, but you don’t own me. I’m your employee, not your whore.”
With those words she spun around and started walking away.
Lucas allowed her about five steps before he grabbed her arm and spun her around.
“I don’t know what kind of a game you’re playing, Amy, but you gave just as much as you took back there,”
he snapped.
His body was still on fire, and her hot and cold was playing havoc with his insides. He wanted to throw her up against the building wall and take her in one swift thrust. His unending desire for her shocked the hell out of him.
“I’m sorry about that,”
she squeezed out, obviously having a hard time apologizing.
“I lost my head for a moment, but if you think I took this position so I could sleep with my boss, then you have another thing coming. Forget this night happened. I know I will. I’ll see you on Monday, Mr. Anderson.”
She looked pointedly at where his fingers were gripping her arm.
Her words were escalating his temper. It was like she’d thrown a cup of ice-cold water in his face. She’d forget about what just happened? Like hell she would! He was close to reminding her of their explosive chemistry. Somehow, he managed to stop himself.
He wouldn’t be forgetting about her anytime soon, and he realized he didn’t want her to forget about him, either. He was sorely tempted to call her bluff, but he knew he didn’t have the strength to stop twice in such a short time period. When they started their next steamy encounter, they’d be somewhere it could be finished.
Instead of kissing her like he wanted, he turned, pulling her along behind him. She fought him each step of the way, but he guessed she knew her words would do no good because she remained silent. He reached his car and swiftly unlocked the doors with his keyless entry. He wasted no time tossing her in the front seat, and then walking around to get into the driver’s side.
He turned the car on and pulled out of the parking lot.
“Where do you live, Amy?”
Amy was so seething mad she had to count silently to ten before she could speak again.
“I told you I didn’t want a ride!”
she finally spat.
“Whether you wanted the ride or not, you got it, so it would be really helpful if you’d just tell me where you live. Of course, if you’d rather come back to my place and finish what we started on the street, I’m okay with that, too,”
he offered.
Once again, she had to count in her head. She felt trapped between a rock and a hard place. The last thing she wanted was for her extravagant boss to see where she lived. She planned on getting out of her current living situation as soon as she had enough money saved. She thought for a few moments before giving him the address of a nearby apartment complex.
She knew if he really wanted to find her place, he was perfectly capable, but on the other hand, she didn’t see him ever having a reason to go looking for her.
They pulled up to the building, and she saw a car turn on its backup lights. She knew she’d have to move quickly, or he’d insist on walking her to the door. He stopped to wait for the car and she took her chance. She jumped out before he could stop her and then dashed around the side of the building.
She said nothing to him, didn’t even glance back to see his expression. She’d assume he was furious with her for getting the upper hand. Once in a while the man surely had to lose a battle, even if she was sure he always won the war.
Amy wasn’t taking any chances and, as soon as he was out of her sight, she went into a full-blown sprint and hid behind some shrubs. She stayed there for much longer than was probably necessary. Finally, when she figured he was gone, she crept out and snuck to the front of the building, peeking around and looking for his car.
The coast was clear. She sighed. She had about a two-mile walk to her place, and the shoes she was wearing weren’t made for it. Oh, well, she thought, I may as well get started.
She said a silent prayer she wouldn’t get mugged on the way. The neighborhood wasn’t exactly family friendly, and she was usually not out so late alone.
An hour passed before Amy reached the rundown, hundred-year-old dump where she rented a room. She sighed in disgust. She’d scrubbed her room from top to bottom for two days straight before ever sleeping there.
She’d just needed to stay long enough to finish her college degree. She worked full-time while going to school but had barely made enough to cover tuition, let alone living expenses. She’d always been willing to do whatever it took to make a better future for herself. She wasn’t afraid of hard work and had proven it to herself, and others, throughout the years.
Her single mother had dragged her from one crack house to the next. Amy had always been hungry, dirty, and had to fight off her mom’s many “friends”
on a daily basis.
Amy was grateful she’d discovered the local libraries as her sanctuaries at a young age and fallen in love with reading. She’d spent hours going through every book imaginable, from opening until closing.
The library had been warm and safe, and it was there she’d figured out she’d go to college and never again live in the dangerous world her mother had forced her into. Amy’s mother died when she was fourteen years old, and she’d been one of the lucky few to be placed in a good foster home. It was there she’d received her first real break in life. Amy had mourned her mother, even though she hadn’t deserved to be mourned. She’d felt guilty at her happiness in finally getting to sleep on a full stomach in a warm bed each night.
She’d gone from a drug-infested apartment to a family-friendly neighborhood with a great school, and she’d even managed to earn a few scholarships. She already knew how to survive on nothing, and once she graduated and then landed the great job with the Anderson Corporation, her dreams were finally coming closer to reality. In one more month, she’d have a real home of her own.
Amy snapped back to reality as she let herself into her shared rental and looked around her dilapidated bedroom. She lifted her head high, though, because she was soon going to be out of the horrible place, and she’d never once look back.
She crawled into her bed, lying in the dark as she thought back over the past month. So much had changed in her life. She’d graduated, landed the dream job, and developed a strong friendship with a great guy.
Lucas.
She couldn’t go a single hour without thinking his name. Even her dreams were filled with her boss. Why did he have to be so stunning? Why did he have to attract her so much? If she were the only one feeling the attraction, it wouldn’t be so bad, but obviously after tonight, she couldn’t even pretend that he wasn’t feeling the same desire.
She wished he didn’t want her. It would make it so much easier to keep her distance. With a new resolve, she vowed to keep it professional, no matter how much her body burned. She had to keep her job; she couldn’t live in crack neighborhoods anymore. She wanted out.
After tossing and turning for hours, Amy finally fell asleep around the time the sun started to rise. She was thankful it was the weekend.
Saturday morning, Tom was getting ready to head out the door and drive to Amy’s when his phone rang.
“Speak to me,”
he said in his usual chirpy voice.
“I’m looking for Tom, please,”
replied the very formal Lucas Anderson. His voice was unmistakable.
“This is Tom. How can I help you, Mr. Anderson?”
Why would the boss be calling him on a Saturday?
“Tom, I’m searching for Amy’s place. The one in her personnel file appears to be wrong. She left her purse in my car last night, and I need to return it.”
Tom almost gave the information to him without thought. The way his boss spoke, it came out much more like a command from a drill sergeant. He felt as if he should be saluting while shouting, “Yes, sir!”
He stopped himself in the nick of time, remembering Amy had a wrong address for a reason.
“I’ll be seeing Amy this weekend, Mr. Anderson. I could take the purse to her. She’s meeting me at the bar later tonight,”
he said. Tom figured this would make all parties happy. He figured wrong, however.
“Tom, I don’t hand over one employee’s belongings to another. I’ll see to it that Amy gets her purse back myself. If you’d be so kind as to give me that address now, then I can get her the purse.”
His voice had been formal before. Now it was cold as ice. Wow, this guy has it bad. If I want to keep my job, I’d better let him know I’m not interested.
“Um, Mr. Anderson, Amy and I are just friends. She’s really, really not my type, if you get my drift. So you don’t have to worry about inter-office dating or anything going on between us.”
He figured Lucas was a smart guy and could put two and two together.
There was a short pause on the end of the line, and then a more pleasant-sounding Lucas spoke again.
“I still need the address.”
Lucas wasn’t happy about having to repeat himself. He was still miffed Amy ran from his vehicle the night before. He didn’t like being ignored, and no one had ever felt the need to run away from him. Now he had two employees who didn’t seem to want to give him what he needed. He was trying not to throttle them both.
“Look, I understand what you’re asking, and why you’re asking, but Amy’s my friend, and I had to promise not to give out the information. If I betrayed her trust, our relationship would be affected. I’d really love to help you, and I know you may decide to fire me, but I can’t give out something that isn’t mine to give.”
Lucas was barely keeping his temper in check. Figuring out she’d lied to him about where she was living had been easy enough. He’d simply called the management company of the apartments and asked them if she lived there.
They told him she wasn’t currently a resident but, at the beginning of the week, she’d put in an application for one of their apartments. They had a unit coming available in three weeks, and she’d reserved it. Her being new to the workforce had been a negative, but they’d spoken to his father earlier in the week and, since Joseph backed her up, they were thrilled to have her for a tenant.
“Sorry, Mr. Anderson, but I have to get going. I know she’s in a crappy house right now, but I’m going to offer her a place to stay for a few weeks until she gets her new apartment,”
Tom spoke quickly before Lucas was able to cut him off.
Lucas was stunned into silence once again, having Tom dismiss him as easily as Amy had done the night before. He was beginning to feel that he was losing his touch.
“I’ll speak with Ms. Harper personally.”
Lucas hung up the phone without bothering to say goodbye. He wasn’t getting anywhere with Amy’s friend. He’d give the guy one thing; he had guts. It seemed Amy inspired deep loyalty from those who came to love her.
Tom was forgotten the second the phone touched its base. All Lucas could think about was the next step in tracking down Amy. After about an hour of speaking to various people, Lucas had the information he wanted. He’d grown up with money, but he’d been taught from a young age not to use it against people. Still, there were times when having money made life simpler, and this was one of those situations.
He felt uneasy as he neared her house. The neighborhood wasn’t anywhere he’d hang out comfortably during the daytime, let alone at night. By the time he saw the actual house she was living in, he was appalled.
What was she doing there? How could she so casually risk her own safety? He wouldn’t wish his worst enemy to reside in the house, or the neighborhood, for that matter. When he saw places like the home she was staying at, it was a humbling experience for him, and he knew he needed to make more time for his volunteer work, because there were so many people who needed help.
He’d been volunteering since he was a young boy, as had his brothers. The busier he got in his day-to-day life, the easier it was for him to forget about people in need, but as he looked upon the sad excuse for a house, he made a vow he’d make the time, no matter what else was going on.
Lucas carefully walked up the steps, afraid he was going to fall through the rotten porch. The door looked no better, and he would’ve been grateful to have some Lysol on hand after placing his hands anywhere near it. He reluctantly raised his fist and knocked loudly so he could be heard above the screeching of animals, which seemed to be coming from every direction.
The distinct smell of urine, which he hoped belonged to animals, drifted up through the rotten porch rails. The longer he stood there, the angrier he became.
Amy had been with their company for a month, too much time for her to still be living in this slum. She brought home a work computer with confidential information on it. If it slipped into the wrong hands, the result could be disastrous.
She should’ve asked for an advance, done something to get out of this place. Even foolish pride had its limits.