“I’m sorry,” she sniffed, managing a feeble smile. “I really don’t know why I fell apart.”

“It’s all right. Here.” He pulled the afghan from the couch and wrapped her in its rainbow-colored tiered folds. “Are you sure that you’re okay?” She nodded, and he rose from the floor, pulling her with him. “Why don’t you go in and get in bed? I’ll bring you some tea.”

“No! Oh, no…I’m fine, honestly.” She was embarrassed by her emotional outburst, and the last thing she wanted was that her boss should wait on her. She hiked the awkward blanket over her shoulders, but it seemed determined to slide to the floor.

“You’re sure?” he asked, cocking a suspicious eyebrow in her direction and buttoning his shirt.

“I’m sure.” Her voice was still husky, but the firm quality and tone that he recognized as control were back in her words.

She could tell that he was reluctant to leave, but after a final kiss to her forehead, and his hastily scribbled hotel phone number, he left her alone.

After he closed the door, she listened to the sound of his shoes clicking down the steps. Silently she counted them. Finally she heard the front door open and close with a thud. A sporty engine roared to life and faded into the night. Erin felt more alone than she had in years.

Five

The morning newspaper was spread before her as Erin sat down to a light breakfast of toast and jam. Her eyes wandered aimlessly over the headlines on the front page, but her mind refused to budge from the intimate moments she had shared with Kane. What had seemed a natural and beautiful lovemaking experience in the darkness had somehow lost its enchantment in the morning light. It wasn’t that she regretted getting to know Kane, not at all. But he was her boss, and she couldn’t let her body control her mind where he was concerned. Professionally it just wasn’t sound judgment to get emotionally involved with an employer. And, although she could still conjure up the enigmatic image of his tanned masculine body and mirthless gray eyes, she wouldn’t let it control her.

She applied a healthy spoonful of raspberry jam to her toast as she turned to the financial section. As her eyes met the black-and-white photograph of Mitchell Cameron, she let the knife fall to the table. The picture was several years old, and Mitch was smiling with his pleasant self-assured grin, but the caption in black boldface print captured her attention. FINANCIAL LAWYER ALLEGED THIEF—and in smaller print—Mitchell Cameron Accused of Embezzling Bank Funds.

“Oh, no!” Erin gasped, and her eyes read and reread the newspaper article several times. “There must be some mistake,” she murmured to herself. “There has to be!” According to the article Mitch had been manipulating bank funds for the better part of two years. When the bank was sold, an audit found him out, and the new president, Kane Webster, had fired Mitch. The police were summoned and Mitch would be arraigned for indictment within the week.