That dippy little girl Lanie he’d hired out of total desperation had not worked out at all. Even the most simplistic of tasks like using the copier had been a struggle for her, and when he’d pointed out ways to increase her efficiency, she had burst into tears on him.

But he could call Jim’s assistant, Terri. She was very maternal and sweet and would know what to do with a potential vomit situation.

“No, no, I’m fine, really. I have to get to this interview. I really need this job for the health insurance.”

Obviously, since she was sick as a dog. Damien tried to remember what she looked like when her light brown hair wasn’t covering her face, but he hadn’t really noticed her when he’d stepped on the elevator. He had been thinking about his nine-o’clock conference call with the Atlanta team and hoping that his eight-o’clock interview would result in an assistant who could actually use Instant Messaging without inserting giggling smiley faces every other word.

Lanie had been fond of those.

Damien cleared his throat and flipped open his phone, trying to remember Terri’s extension.

“Can you hand me your coffee cup?”

“For what?” But he was already leaning down and sticking his coffee cup under her hair in the direction of her hand, figuring it wouldn’t be wise to upset her. The door tried to close again, but he held it with his foot and hip, hoping it wasn’t creasing his suit.

“I’m going to stand up, but I need something to catch it, just in case I get sick.”

Oh, good God. He was sorry he’d asked. And while he’d gotten a grande, he didn’t think the cup was that big. And it was still half full.

A little fist of nausea curled in his own stomach, and he lifted his eyes up from her head to distract himself. Her suit jacket had slid down toward her neck, given the pull of gravity, and he could see her bare back above her waistline. Her flesh was smooth, slightly pink, her waist tapering in above her skirt, in a way that was very…

Damn.

Damien nearly thunked himself on the forehead. What the hell was he doing?

In three years, he’d never once felt the stirrings of attraction for a woman, and now he suddenly found a woman’s bare back sexy. A faceless, flu-striken woman. It was ludicrous.

“Thanks. I really appreciate this. The job I’m interviewing for, I’ve heard the boss is a complete and total ogre. He’s scared off all his other assistants and is completely unreasonable. I don’t mind, because well, I need the job, but I don’t want to cancel last minute with someone like that. So I’ve got to go, hell or high water.”