“I’m Cara Hamilton, your new assistant,” I replied with as much confidence as I could muster. When my words failed to rouse any reaction at all, I continued, “Your permanent assistant, Bethany, was put on bed rest due to complications with her pregnancy… high blood pressure or something.” My hands were now involved in this lengthy explanation waving around in front of me like mad. “So, HR brought me on as a temp.”

Bringing my crazy hands back to my sides, I waited for him to respond. To show a shred of something. A blink, a casual nod… anything but this rigid, hostile persona he seemed to be exuding.

Instead, he said nothing. He turned back toward his office and left nearly as quickly as he’d come.

The door slammed, making the thin walls shake and quiver. I sat at my lonely desk, looking around at the various Post-it notes, wondering where exactly Bethany had stashed the one about his lack of personality.

Because, clearly, my new hot boss was an asshole.

Chapter Three

My blood pressure was going through the roof as I stormed back into my office.

I was in charge around here, wasn’t I? Why hadn’t I been made aware of this change? It had taken months to train Bethany to my specific needs and demands.

And, now, she was just gone?

Bed rest? Was that a normal thing with pregnancy? Hell if I knew.

What I did know was it put one hell of a kink in my life. And how HR expected that wide-eyed, pretty young thing outside my door to keep up was beyond me.

Damn it all to hell.

I had resorted to pacing now. I didn’t know how many times I’d watched my father do this same thing—pace this exact path through this office as he’d work through problems and solve crisis after crisis.

This was small compared to some of the issues he’d hashed out within these walls. But I was tired, restless, and irritable. I’d already worked a full week, and it was barely half over.

I needed a break. Otherwise, I was going to snap.

Yes, a break…

Grabbing my coat and a few miscellaneous things, I felt more and more confident in my decision to leave with each step I made. As my hand closed over the door, the normal feeling of guilt that would fall upon me when I exited for the day was instead replaced with exhilaration and excitement.

It was the same feeling I’d felt years ago before this building and everything it represented had completely taken over my life.

Carefree Roman was back, if only for a night.

I guess I’d better make the best of it.