“Yes, thank you.” Sydney scanned the letter. It was carefully worded to disguise the rage and bitterness, but it was a resignation. Effective immediately. Carefully she set the letter aside. It took only a marginal ability to read between the lines to know it wasn’t over. “Janine, I’ll need some personnel files. We’ll want to fill Mr. Bingham’s position, and I want to see if we can do it in-house.”

“Yes, ma’am.” She started toward the door, then stopped. “Sydney, does being your executive assistant mean I can offer advice?”

“It certainly does.”

“Watch your back. There’s a man who would love to stick a knife in it.”

“I know. I don’t intend to let him get behind me.” She rubbed at the pressure at the back of her neck. “Janine, before we deal with the files, how about some coffee? For both of us.”

“Coming right up.” She turned and nearly collided with Mikhail as he strode through the door. “Excuse me.” The man was soaking wet and wore a plain white T-shirt that clung to every ridge of muscle. Janine entertained a brief fantasy of drying him off herself. “I’m sorry, Ms. Hayward is—”

“It’s all right.” Sydney was already coming around the desk. “I’ll see Mr. Stanislaski.”

Noting the look in her boss’s eye, Janine managed to fight back the worst of the envy. “Shall I hold your calls?”

“Hmm?”

Mikhail grinned. “Please. You’re Janine, with the promotion?”

“Why, yes.”

“Sydney tells me you are excellent in your work.”

“Thank you.” Who would have thought the smell of wet male could be so terrific? “Would you like some coffee?”

“No, thank you.”

“Hold mine, too, Janine. And take a break yourself.”

“Yes, ma’am.” With only a small envious sigh, she shut the door.

“Don’t you have an umbrella?” Sydney asked him, and leaned forward for a kiss. He kept his hands to himself.

“I can’t touch you, I’ll mess up your suit. Do you have a towel?”

“Just a minute.” She walked into the adjoining bath. “What are you doing uptown at this time of day?”

“The rain slows things up. I did paperwork and knocked off at four.” He took the towel she offered and rubbed it over his head.

“Is it that late?” She glanced at the clock and saw it was nearly five.

“You’re busy.”

She thought of the resignation on her desk and the files she had to study. “A little.”

“When you’re not busy, maybe you’d like to go with me to the movies.”

“I’d love to.” She took the towel back. “I need an hour.”

“I’ll come back.” He reached out to toy with the pearls at her throat. “There’s something else.”

“What?”

“My family goes to visit my sister this weekend. To have a barbecue. Will you go with me?”