Testing The Boss(6)

So there never would be any recovery for the Rowe family. They were in their early forties with two kids about to start schooling when tuition was at record highs with no savings or any type of safety net.

It was families like the Rowes who she had to keep in mind. Even if she didn’t like Luke or want to be alone with him any more than necessary, it was vital that someone look out for the honest folk.

She pulled a piece of tape from the dispenser on her desk and hung the photo on the wall next to her chair. Her little reminder of what she was doing this for. The blonde- and brown-haired family didn’t resemble her at all, but people normally weren’t rude enough to ask. And Evelyn would have a great answer in a flash if anyone got too curious.

Just then, IT knocked on her open doorframe, and she waved them in. An hour later, she had a DevX Tech laptop, phone line, and access to the network and all the printers on the floor. She even got an access badge, which was rather comical considering she’d lifted one off another employee the first time she’d been in the building. She’d be damned if she was going to wait for security to call Michael or Luke every time she wanted to have a private conference.

She set aside the company computer and pulled out her agency one and her own wireless port. She’d made Luke agree to keep his people from peeking in at her activity, but she wasn’t going to take any chances.

Right as she was about to put in her login, Luke appeared in the doorway. “Well, if it isn’t my new star intern.” He winked.

And it begins... “Good morning, Mr. Devereaux.” She used her most starchy and formal tone.

“I love that you can’t even muster fake enthusiasm to be here.”

“Is your brother in today? I can be enthusiastic for him.”

“You’re out of luck 'til Monday, hun. Just you and me.”

She took a deep gulp at the idea of them being alone together. But it wasn’t just them. It was them and the hundreds of other employees of the corporate headquarters of DevX Tech. “I’m sure Cali will protect me.”

“Yeah. She does have a habit of taking in the strays.” As always, his tone always seemed more affectionate when he mentioned his assistant. If she didn’t know better, she’d think they were brother and sister, not employee and employer. Though she was shocked that they weren’t spending more time together after hours. Considering how much of a womanizer Luke was and how drop dead gorgeous Cali was, it seemed like it was just natural that the two beautiful people would, well, merge. Unless they had already done the deed and were one of those rare couples who actually got along afterwards.

“But before she can rush in to save you, can I have a few minutes with you in my office?”

She raised a brow but got up and followed him across the hall and into his office. As soon as they were in, he shut the door behind her and leaned against the polished wood, staring her down.

A shiver raced up her spine. Damn. Now she really was alone with him. Had she ever been in a room with just him before? There had always been Michael or Lori or at least an open door as a buffer. She took a breath and met his eyes. Those crystal blue eyes that no one besides some A-list celebrity should be allowed to have.

“As much as I hated, hated, the idea of you being here, you have good timing.”

Evelyn backed up until she could lean her hip against the small conference table at the far end of the office. “Did Thirteen Stars contact you?”

He nodded. “They scheduled a call for sometime this evening.”

“Nothing exact then?” Why would they make anything simple now?

“Nope. But you’ll be the first person I call after I get off the phone with them.”

She tilted her head as she considered him. “Awww, Luke. Did you really think you could get rid of me that easily? This just means that you and I get to have a dinner date tonight.”





CHAPTER THREE


Luke glanced over at the clock on the bottom of his computer screen. Six thirty. He was normally long gone from the office by now. But he hadn’t gotten the phone call he was waiting for yet, which meant that if he left, Evelyn would probably want to go with him.

He didn’t remember the last time he’d been at the office past five. In this day and age, he would much rather pull the late nights in the comfort of his penthouse apartment instead of at the office. And he sure as hell wasn’t going to be inviting her back to his apartment any time soon. No matter how much certain parts of his anatomy wanted her there.

At the slightest thought of Evelyn being alone with him, in his bedroom, his cock surged to attention. Luke clenched his fists and took a deep breath, urging his body to come back under his control.