Perhaps he even thought she’d been involved in the fake bomb and the latest incident he’d referenced.

Wow.

The man was much more astute—and far less blinded by attraction—than she’d deduced.

They were on dangerous ground here, and she had to think the situation through.

“Why would you ask me that?” She stared at him, her shock real rather than manufactured, buying herself a few moments to regroup.

His attention remained riveted on her. No eye shifting now. “Because I know you want a chance on radio . . . and you’ve always followed Eve’s career . . . and you were clear in your call on Wednesday that you’d be interested in her slot if the situation the caller created blew up.”

She swallowed past the expletive that popped onto her tongue.

All these months she’d been convinced she had Doug snowed.

But apparently hormones hadn’t disengaged the left side of his brain.

“I was super stressed Wednesday, and I overstepped. I’m sorry for that. However, I make no apologies for being ambitious.”

He saw through her hedge. “I don’t expect you to. Eve was also ambitious. But she got her chance through hard work rather than resorting to subterfuge.”

Despite the sudden churning in her stomach, Carolyn managed to keep her brain firing.

There was only one way to play this unexpected turn of events.

She snatched up her purse, pulled out a twenty, tossed it on the table, and stood. “I expect it’s too late to cancel my order. Take my lunch back to your office for someone to enjoy. I’ve lost my appetite.”

Lifting her chin, she walked away.

Before she got three steps, he spoke. “Carolyn. Wait.”

She paused. Exhaled.

Her bluff had paid off.

After letting him sweat for a few beats, she angled back, shoulders taut. Like anyone’s would be if they’d been accused of orchestrating the kind of coup her mentor had suggested.

Doug had risen, and he circled around the table to join her, keeping his voice low. “I’m sorry if I offended you.”

The words were appropriate—but he looked more uncertain than sorry.

“I can’t believe, after all the months we’ve known each other, that you’d think I could do such a terrible thing.”

“Ambition can be powerful—and temptation can be hard to resist.”

At such close proximity, the creases in his face were more pronounced than usual. Definitely a man past his prime.

The appeal of the plucking option continued to wane.

But in light of that remark about temptation . . . and judging by the hunger in the depths of his eyes . . . she might still have a certain amount of power over him if they could get past this glitch.

And she’d use it if necessary, distasteful though it would be.

She softened her stance—and tone. “What kind of temptation?”