CEOs Pregnant Lover - (The Denver Men Series #1) - North Leslie

CEO’s Pregnant Lover By Leslie North The Denver Men Series Book 1

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Dedications I dedicate this book to you, my loyal readers. Thank you for all the lovely e-mails, reviews, and support. Without you, this wouldn't be possible. I’d also like to say a special thank you to Leslie’s Lovelies who have had a huge role in making this book – you’re the best! THANK YOU for all your support. If you’d like to join Leslie’s Lovelies and get exclusive advanced review copies of my latest books, please check out the Official Page here: http://leslienorthbooks.com/about/leslies-lovelies/

Contents Dedications Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16

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Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30

Chapter 1 “HR, Janet speaking. How may I he-” “Janet? Trent. I need you to send up a replacement for Pam. Her daughter was injured in an accident and she had to leave. I’ve no idea how long she will be gone, so send me someone that you weren’t planning on firing at the end of the week,” Trent said matter-of-factly. He didn’t really care if she fired twenty people each week; if they couldn’t do the job they could find somewhere else to work. Janet Marshall worked as the head of HR for Coldwell Enterprises. She was not only a friend, she was the toughest woman Trent

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had working for him. She was also his second cousin and married to his best friend from college. While Janet didn’t have to work another day in her life, she enjoyed managing people and understood Trent in a way others didn’t. He was as alpha as they came; she’d never met a more dominating, arrogant man until Trent had come along. “Oh dear! Which one of Pam’s daughters was hurt?” Janet asked with obvious concern in her voice, hoping that her daughter wasn’t too badly hurt. “Susan,” Trent replied, thinly hiding his impatience. Janet knew that the timing couldn’t be worse as Trent was in the process of acquiring a large production company in Europe

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and the contracts that had been drawn up by his European office were in chaos. They were finalizing his corrections when Pam left. He needed these contracts fixed today. “Oh, no. And she just delivered twins a few months back. That poor woman,” Janet commiserated over the phone. “Don’t worry about it; I have just the girl in mind. She’s only been working here for about six months, but her reviews are excellent.” Janet was thinking of the young woman she had hired a little more than six months back. She had interviewed her and been surprised at how mature she seemed for someone only twenty-four years old. Smiling to herself, she tried to envision how Trent would react to the young woman

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who was the complete opposite of any woman he had ever dated. She wore her hair like a fifty year old; her clothes didn’t fit her body, or compliment her natural coloring, and honestly had no idea of just how attractive she could be. On top of all that, she was the most capable woman Janet had hired in months. She hoped that she was strong enough to put up with Trent’s domineering personality. “Whatever - just send her up after lunch. I’m right in the middle of negotiations for that buyout in Germany, and Pam didn’t have time to make the corrections on the contract yet. I need them by three o’clock - if not sooner.”

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“Not to worry. I’ll go tell her now and then send her to lunch. I assume that I can offer her the same benefits and salary that Pam was drawing?” “Of course.” Trent started to hang up the phone when he heard Janet call him back. Sighing, he put the phone back to his ear and answered, “What?” Damn it, he had work to do. He didn’t have time to chitchat. Janet took a breath and thought about keeping this information to herself, but then she decided that Trent would want to know. “Shawn and I went to that symphony fundraiser last night.” Trent waited for her to continue, and when she didn’t, he impatiently replied, “And? I assume it was a smashing success.”

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“It was, but that wasn’t my point.” “Well, get to it. I have work to do and so do you.” “I saw Marco Bresi there.” Janet said in a rush, holding her breath for the explosion she assumed was coming. When nothing happened, she paused, letting Trent digest what she had just told him. Marco Bresi was a very wealthy, and very influential businessman in Europe. He and Trent had a past marked with tragedy and Marco had stayed in Europe for the last three years because of it. Janet had been shocked to see him back in the States, especially in Denver. His appearance could mean only one thing, he was here to follow through personally on his threats against Trent.

Chapter 2 Trent was silent as he let Janet’s words sink in. Serena’s father was back in the states. He immediately tamped down on the emotion that threatened to sideline his focus. He hadn’t thought of her for several months now, and he wanted to keep it that way. Serena Bresi had taken the fashion world by storm at the age of sixteen. Three years later, she had met Trent at a fundraiser in New York City and they had fallen madly in love. At least that’s what he thought. Everything had been going smoothly, or so he thought. Serena had signed a contract

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with a large fashion house in Milan and had temporarily moved to Italy. Four months later, he had flown to Milan to surprise Serena for the weekend. He had gone straight to her flat, flowers in hand, surprised to find her home in the middle of the afternoon. The surprise had been on him, however, as she had answered the door with the arms of her current lover wrapped intimately around her. Trent was furious, he valued honesty and loyalty above all else, and her betrayal had hurt him deeply. When she had called him three weeks later during the middle of the night, he had reached for the phone, unaware that she was on the other end of the line. Having been

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caught off-guard, he had listened as she tearfully apologized and begged for his help. It seemed that she had just found out she was pregnant and expected Trent to come to her rescue despite the fact that the baby wasn’t his. He had been repulsed and hung up the phone without replying. Two days later, he received news that Serena had driven her car off a bridge. Her suicide note made it seem as though he had refused to do the right thing and marry her, and that she couldn’t bear to shame her family by having a child out of wedlock. Marco Bresi, Serena’s heartbroken father, had managed to keep the suicide note out of the media, but he blamed Trent for causing

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her death. True to his word, Marco went after him, keeping their feud to the business world, thus far, but Trent knew that it was only a matter of time before he started to attack him in his personal life. Now that Marco had personally come to Denver, it seemed that time had arrived. “Did you speak with him?” Trent asked. “He didn’t give us a choice. He made a point of cornering us during the intermission. Trent, there was such hatred in his eyes when he asked about you. I know you and Serena broke up before her death…” “Janet, let it go. I told you then, and I’ll tell you the same thing now, what happened between Serena and me was between us. I will not discuss it and as she’s dead, there

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really is no point. Marco believes some things that are not true. I’ve tried to correct his thinking, but he doesn’t want to hear it. That’s on him.” Trent took a breath and then continued, “Now, we both have work to do. Was there anything else you wanted to discuss with me?” Janet wondered if she should just let it go as Trent had commanded, but then pushed forward anyway, “He asked me to deliver a message to you.” Trent clenched his jaw and then looked to the ceiling before asking Janet to continue. Whatever the message was, he assumed it was more threat than anything else was and part of him felt bad that Janet and her

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husband had been put in the middle of their feud. “Tell me.” “He warned me that you were going to get what you deserve and that I should tell you to watch your back very carefully. He also mentioned a company called Global Tech. Does that mean anything to you?” Trent cursed softly and quickly pulled his keyboard towards him and pulled up the information on the company they were currently buying out. When he scrolled down through the list of shareholders, he cursed again. How could he have missed something like that? Marco Bresi’s company owned thirty-two percent of the stock. No wonder he was in

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the States. He must have gotten wind that Coldwell Enterprises was in the process of negotiating a hostile takeover and was already talking with bidders, for when the company split apart. The current shareholders stood to lose a lot of money when that happened. Trent had dealt with Marco trying to derail other business negotiations, and had made a point to stay away from any company attached to the Bresi family name. He had no wish to harm Marco or his family, and didn’t have time for complications with this current negotiation. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he held his breath and then let it go in a rush, “Janet, don’t worry about it. I’ll handle the problem.

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Get me that assistant.” Trent hung up the phone and briefly thought of calling Janet back and making sure that she was sending him someone who knew how to work and wouldn’t burst into tears at the first sign of criticism. Rolling his shoulders in agitation, he went back to reading the contract in front of him, making marks with a red pen as he went. He would deal with Marco later. Right now, he needed to finish these contract papers. Janet shook her head as she said “Goodbye” to a dead line. Trent exasperated her with his ability to be rude without trying. One of these days, she hoped he learned to curb his impatience. Shaking her head, she placed the call that would bring Trent’s stand-in assistant to her office and hoped

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that whatever Marco Bresi was planning would fail before it got off the ground.

Chapter 3 Brianna was in the copy room when she heard Pete Newman call her name. Turning, she watched him enter the room and returned his smile easily. Pete was two years her senior and one of the financial analysts for Coldwell Enterprises. The company was well-known for purchasing failing companies and either selling them off in pieces, or turning them around and making them leaders in their market. They did their job very well. It was Pete’s job to determine whether to keep and expand a new company, or split it into pieces and sell them off to the highest bidder.

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“Hi,” she said with a smile. Brianna was known for her smiles around the office. “Hey, HR just called down and Mrs. Marshall wants to see you up in her office, right away.” Pete smiled as he said this, but then frowned when he saw the look of concern enter Brianna’s eyes. “Did she say what she needed to see me about?” she inquired, trying to figure out what she might have done wrong. Usually when people were called up to HR, they returned to clean out their desks and pick up their final paycheck. “Hey, I wouldn’t worry about it. Maybe she’s going to give you a big promotion,” Pete answered, half-joking.

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Brianna shook her head as she replied, “I haven’t been here long enough for that. Do you think someone told her I was a little late this morning?” Pete looked at her and then realized that she was really concerned. Placing his hand on her arm, he gave her a quick squeeze of encouragement as he said, “Don’t worry about it. You do great work around here, there’s no reason to assume it’s something bad.” Brianna absently nodded as she stacked the copies together and then stapled them. When Pete saw that she was distracted, he attempted to take advantage of the fact, “So, do you want to grab a bite to eat after work tonight? My treat.” He crowded her as he

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noticed that the shirt she wore today was a bit small for her, giving him a great vantage point as he leaned to the side and caught a glimpse of bare skin in the vee where her shirt opened. Pete had been trying to get Brianna to go out with him since she started working for Coldwell Enterprises, but so far, she gave him one excuse after another. She was always friendly and had a smile for him, but that’s where it ended. Every time he asked her out, she gave him the excuse of needing to go see her mother. Brianna was a diamond in the rough, and while Pete absolutely hated her clothing choices, he figured it would keep the bigger sharks away from her. Most of the guys he

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knew wanted a piece of eye-candy to take around town. Not Pete, he had spotted the potential in Brianna on her first day at Coldwell Enterprises and had been slowly softening her up. She kept her hair contained in a matronly bun at the nape of her neck, and what a neck it was. Pete had happened to come upon her one afternoon when she had been twisting her hair back up. It had come partially undone while she sat and ate her lunch outside and he was stunned at the magnificent length of her mane. It reached to the middle of her back and had streaks of brown and copper blended together in a gorgeous mix. The effect was lost when she had it twisted up, and on first glance, most men would see

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only a rather ordinary looking woman with plain brown hair. Pete knew better. He had begun to notice other things about her as well. She always smelled of strawberries, she didn’t wear makeup, and her clothes were thrift store specials. While they covered the necessary parts, they did nothing to highlight the exquisite body hiding beneath. After six months of playing it nice and friendly, he was ready to take their relationship to the next level, if only she would agree. Brianna grabbed her papers and left the copy room, not sure why Pete had been crowding her against the table, but letting it

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go for the moment. She was too worried about why HR wanted to see her. Brianna looked up at Pete as he followed her back to her desk, realizing that she hadn’t answered him yet. Shaking her head she replied, “I can’t. I promised my mom I’d come by and see her after work tonight.” She quickly placed the copies into the appropriate folders, glancing at Pete when he didn’t head back to his own work area. He was getting tired of her excuses. Then it came to him and he nodded; he would work with her excuses and take them off the table, “That’s no problem. We could stop by there before we went to eat.” Brianna knew what he was trying to do, the same thing he had been trying to do for

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the last three months – get her to agree to go on a date with him. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Pete, he was a really nice guy, but her previous relationships had ended badly. Besides, she had enough on her plate taking care of her mom and paying her own bills. She didn’t need the stress of trying to please a guy on top of everything else. Not that she was capable of that particular act if the opinion of her last boyfriend was anything to go by. “Pete, thanks for the offer, but I don’t think so.” “Brianna, come on. You never go out with us on Friday nights. You say you don’t have a boyfriend right now. I don’t understand what the problem is.” Pete sounded exasperated,

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and she hated the fact that he thought she owed him an explanation. She didn’t.

Chapter 4 Brianna stepped back around her desk and headed for the elevator before saying, “Pete, I would prefer we be friends. I don’t have time for anything else. I need to go upstairs, I’ll see you later.” As the elevator door closed, Brianna could see the look of disappointment on his face but knew he would get over it. She had never known Pete to be lonely for long and she figured he was already chatting up the next name on his list. Smiling, she was proud of herself for standing her ground. Just as quickly as her smile had come, it went when she saw the elevator drawing

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closer to her destination. Brianna wasn’t sure why she had been summoned to Mrs. Marshall’s office. To her knowledge, she hadn’t broken any rules in the employee handbook, and she had only been two minutes late this morning. Surely, they wouldn’t fire someone for two minutes? It wasn’t even something she could have prevented. The light rail had arrived on time, but then someone had ridden his bike in front of it. While no one was hurt, by the time the driver had discovered that fact, several minutes had passed and they were behind schedule. The not knowing had her stomach tied up in knots. She couldn’t afford to lose this job, not right now. The next monthly payment for

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her mother’s nursing care was due in two weeks and she would just barely be able to pay that by combining her next check with what she had saved from the previous one. Since her mother’s stroke, seven months ago, Brianna’s life changed considerably as she was forced to quit school and find a better paying job to cover the cost of her mother’s long-term care. While the facility she was staying in agreed to a reduction in fees, it still took every penny she had simply to make ends meet and she wasn’t always successful. Her then boyfriend, Todd, had tried to be understanding, but when all Brianna could do when they finally found time to be together was fall asleep from exhaustion, he called

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it quits. So, Brianna convinced herself that caring for her mother and working to pay the bills was enough for her right now. The secretarial position at Coldwell Enterprises had been like an early Christmas gift and it paid enough to cover her mother’s expenses, the rent on a room at the little rundown motel on the other side of town, and left her with a few dollars for food. When she had interviewed with Mrs. Marshall, she had been told that the chance of promotion was high and that if she performed well, she would receive a ten percent raise upon completing her first ninth months of employment. That ten percent increase would allow Brianna to vary her diet some, make a small monthly payment to the

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hospital, and purchase some little extras for her mother. She couldn’t lose this job! Knocking once upon the office door, she slowly turned the handle upon hearing the request to enter. She quietly entered the office and then closed the door. If she was about to be fired, she didn’t want anyone else lingering in the hallway to hear about it until she had left the building. Janet glanced up and inwardly cringed at the veiled look of terror on the young woman’s face. She thinks she was called in here because she’s being fired. Boy, is she about to get the surprise of her life. “Brianna, thanks for coming up so quickly. Please, have a seat while I get this paperwork sorted out.”

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Brianna took the offered seat and sat primly with her hands in her lap. Mrs. Marshall seemed very happy. Would she be that happy if she were getting ready to fire someone? She hoped not! Janet straightened the last of the file she had in front of her and then looked up at Brianna with a smile. “So, tell me how things have been going here?” “I really like working here, Mrs. Marshall,” answered Brianna timidly. “Please, call me Janet. Mrs. Marshall sounds like my mother.” Janet accompanied that directive with another smile at her and a wink. Brianna gave her a weak smile and a nod in return.

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“So, you’re probably wondering why I called you up here in the middle of the day.” Seeing her nod, Janet continued, “Well, it seems that a family emergency has taken the CEO’s personal assistant away for a while and he needs a replacement immediately. That is where you come in. I have had nothing but good reports from your supervisors, and I’m recommending you for the job.” Brianna swallowed and tried to comprehend what she was being told. She was being given a promotion? “Mrs. Marshall,” she began, but at a raised eyebrow, she started over, “I mean, Janet, is this like a promotion or…” Janet nodded, “Sort of. It’s not a permanent promotion, as I understand that Pam

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plans to return at some point in the future. Her daughter was injured and has newborn twins at home. Pam is going to stay with her until things return to normal.” “So, it’s like filling in for someone when they go on vacation?” Janet nodded, “Yes, and no. Yes, you will be filling in for Pam while she’s gone, but you may be the one who wishes you could go on a vacation after you spend a week working with Trent. He’s a real slave driver and I’ll warn you now, he’s a perfectionist of the worst sort. He’s also extremely arrogant so you’ll want to correct his mistakes very carefully.” Trent Coldwell was the CEO of Coldwell Enterprises. At the age of thirty-one, he was

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one of Denver’s most eligible bachelors, never lacking for female companionship, but never seen with the same woman for more than a few weeks. The fact that he was richer than Croesus didn’t hurt his eligibility either. Inheriting the company from his father upon his retirement, he immediately implemented changes successfully taking it from a small regional firm and turning it into an international mega-company with interests worldwide. He was a perfectionist and expected the same from his employees. He often spoke his mind and had been told by more than one employee that he should take lessons in how to communicate effectively. Trent scoffed at the idea. He communicated fine. He told

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people what to do and they did it. End of story. Janet saw the look of confusion cross Brianna’s face and continued, “Trent is expecting you to start right after lunch today. He is in the middle of contract negotiations and needs the corrections made before three o’clock. Pam had to leave before they could be completed. I know it’s only eleven now, but maybe you could take an early lunch break today and that might give you a few extra minutes to get things sorted out upstairs.” Brianna nodded, “Sure. I can do that. Where exactly is her office?” “Pam’s office is the foyer outside Trent’s office and they take up the entire top floor.”

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Janet smiled at the stunned look on Brianna’s face, and then reached into her desk and pulled out a special key card and handed it to her. Brianna took the offered card, looking at it first and then Janet for an explanation. “The top floor is only accessible with that key card. You’ll see the slot on the panel, just slide it through and it will take you right up. Oh, and I forgot to mention, but I’ll need you to sign these forms for payroll so that they can adjust your salary accordingly.” Brianna took the offered forms and began to read them only to have her hands start to shake at the salary she would be making. It was three times what she was making now, and the idea that she would not have to

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worry about money while filling in brought a huge relief to her. She looked up once at Janet to confirm she was actually reading the numbers correctly and Janet nodded and said, “Keep reading. It’s a great opportunity for you and you definitely deserve it. If you would sign where I’ve indicated, I’ll send them down to Payroll immediately. You should start to see the increase with this Friday’s check.” “This week? Really?” Brianna was in complete shock. She quickly signed her name and then handed the papers back. When Janet just smiled at her, she asked, “Should I go then?” Janet nodded, “Yeah. Hey, and don’t take any guff from Trent. You tell him I said to be

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nice or he’s going to answer to me. And remember, his bark is much worse than his bite, I promise.” Brianna nodded and wondered at the strange statement as she went back to collect her things. She wasn’t sure that she should tell her new boss “to be nice” and would probably just ignore that bit of advice. She also hoped the advice was ill-given and that her new boss wouldn’t need anyone to tell him “to be nice.”

Chapter 5 Brianna collected her purse and lunch, and then made a stop at the ladies room to make sure her hair was still neatly collected at the nape of her neck, and that her attire was presentable. Having little money at her disposal, Brianna brought her lunch each day and usually ate it under one of the shade trees located in front of the building, as she rarely had an opportunity to spend time outside and enjoyed the brief respite from being stuck indoors all day. She gave her appearance a critical look and then shrugged. With no money and suddenly finding herself in a work environment,

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she had to make due with purchasing her clothes from a local thrift store and modest choices for a woman her age were nonexistent. She stared at her khaki skirt, which was full with extra material due to the pleats and almost reached her ankles. Her button down shirt was a size too small for her breasts, but beggars couldn’t be choosers, and she only had five outfits that she deemed appropriate for a work environment. She looked down and made a mental note to buff her shoes this evening, and hoped that she wouldn’t forget. They were a sensible brown leather, with flat-soles that made the trek from the light-rail stop to her small motel room bearable.

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Sighing, she closed her eyes and reminded herself that this was only temporary. Someday in the near future, money wouldn’t be so tight, she wouldn’t have to shop at the local thrift store, or live in the run-down motel across town. Someday things would get better, they just had to; there was nowhere left to go but up. Shaking her head at her foolish wishes, she dabbed a bit of gloss on her lips, squared her shoulders, and headed out of the ladies room. She needed to make a good impression on the CEO and hoped that Mr. Coldwell was a patient man. She thought of heading outside to enjoy some sunshine, but then remembered Janet had mentioned a deadline this afternoon. She could enjoy her lunch outside another time.

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Pulling the key card from her pocket, she slid it through the elevator slot. She wasn’t sure what type of corrections needed made, but she wanted to prove to Janet that she could handle the job and decided that the peanut butter sandwich in her purse could wait. When the elevator doors opened, Brianna slowly exited into a plush reception area complete with couches and chairs in small settings around the room. A large desk, along with several filing cabinets and bookshelves, occupied one corner of the room and she approached it, assuming that was her work area. Seeing the nameplate indicating that Pam Whistler sat there, she realized this was

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where she would be working. She placed her purse beneath the desk and then spied the neatly typed notes waiting on the desk. The office door behind her was slightly ajar and she debated about announcing her arrival, but then decided to peruse the notes first and be acquainted with her work area. Mr. Coldwell wasn’t expecting her until after lunch according to Janet, so she would take a few minutes to make sure she knew how everything worked. She didn’t want to appear incompetent on her first meeting with the CEO. She immediately worked her way through the various passwords and computer program commands that Pam had left for her replacement. Brianna was grateful that the

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woman had been so thorough and found that all of her instructions worked perfectly. Pulling up Mr. Coldwell’s calendar, she saw that he didn’t have any meetings scheduled for the afternoon. She looked at the office door and wondered again if she should knock and announce her presence, or if she should wait for him to exit. Looking around the office, she saw the picture of the stately looking man hanging across the room and admired how nice he looked. She hoped that Mr. Coldwell’s personality was as nice as his picture. The silver haired gentleman had a sparkle in his eyes and a smile on his face that made her feel at home. He reminded her of her grandfather who had passed away when she was eight.

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She looked over the notes again and located the one that discussed how to use the intercom system. Deciding that she would page him, she picked up the phone and pushed the correct series of buttons. She heard the resulting beeping noise come from behind the partially closed door, but instead of someone answering the page, suddenly the door was flung open and she was looking into the face of the most gorgeous man she had ever encountered. A very irritated hunk of man to be precise!

Chapter 6 Trent heard his phone paged from the front office and looked at the clock. Rising, he stormed across his office to confront whoever was trespassing at Pam’s desk. If Chelsea had somehow convinced security to let her up to his office again, heads were going to roll. Chelsea was the latest in a long string of model-thin, high-society women that Trent had been dating. He had cancelled their date to the symphony last night, needing to concentrate on the upcoming acquisition. She had been less than pleased and he fully

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expected a tantrum from her the next time they met. Normally, he would have Pam stop by the jewelry store and pick her up some appropriate bauble that said, “I’m sorry” and “It’s been nice, but it’s over.” Pam always had excellent taste and didn’t mind spending his money. Often, she took great joy in telling him exactly how much she had spent. He had dared to growl at her one time, and she had put him in his place by informing him that if he was going to have affairs and then expect somebody else to do the cleanup for him, he shouldn’t complain about spending ten thousand dollars on what Pam mockingly referred to as their exit package.

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Throwing open the door, he anticipated facing a pouting Chelsea but instead encountered a young woman sitting behind Pam’s desk with the phone to her ear, looking at him with wide eyes and an open mouth. Her brown hair was pulled severely back into a bun at the nape of her neck, and while her skin appeared flawless, it was obvious that cosmetics were not something she was familiar with. Her eyes were almost gray, she had a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose and her mouth looked soft and inviting. Trent took in the entire picture and decided that she was wholly average. Her clothing was very non-descript and her neat button down shirt and khaki skirt

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spoke of thrift store, not Saks Fifth Avenue. She was very unassuming and normal looking. As he approached her, she quietly put the phone down and stood up, stumbling as she bumped up against the chair she hadn’t scooted back far enough. With a small gasp, she caught herself and rubbed a hand over her hip as she stood and moved away from the desk. Trent’s eyes were drawn to where her hand rubbed along her hip, and he changed his opinion as he looked more closely at the young woman standing in front of him. Now that she was standing up, he realized that while her clothing was nothing spectacular, the figure she was hiding beneath the dull clothing certainly was.

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She was a little on the thin side, but Trent could tell her hips flared nicely and the curve of her ass was just visible underneath the folds of material that were masquerading as a piece of clothing. Moving his eyes up, he couldn’t help but notice how her shirt strained to stay closed around her breasts, pulling at the button, which lay right between them threatening to pop if she breathed too hard. Her considerable charms were offset by the tiny waist and slender shoulders cleverly disguised under her ill-suited attire. Looking down at her, he was at least a foot taller than she was, which would make her about five foot, four inches tall, and unlike other women her age, she didn’t have three-

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inch heels on. Instead, she had on the ugliest pair of brown flats he had ever seen. “Who are you?” Trent asked, trying to curb the impatience in his voice. He needed to finish reviewing the contract before lunch so the new secretary could get it fixed before this afternoon. He did not need any interruptions. Clearly, security had misunderstood where this young charity case needed to go. She must have been looking for personnel, hoping to find an entry-level position in his company. Before he could act upon sending her back downstairs, she spoke up and he immediately stopped. The smoky quality of her soft voice had his body responding quicker than ever.

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“Uhm…Janet...I mean Mrs. Marshall sent me up here. She said you needed a replacement for Pam?” Trent watched her as he slowly drew closer. She looked to be very young and unsure of herself. This was the secretary Janet had been telling him about? Had she seen this girl lately? “How old are you?” Brianna swallowed and then drew herself up a little straighter, “I’m twenty-four, Sir.” “Stop with the Sir crap,” Trent demanded. He hated being called Sir. It made him feel old, and having just celebrated his thirty-first birthday, he was not happy with any reminders of his age. Nodding, “Yes, Si…” Brianna stopped, not sure what to call him.

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Trent smiled as she caught herself; she got one point for obedience. “The name’s Trent. Not Mr. Coldwell, just Trent.”

Chapter 7 Brianna nodded. She couldn’t bring herself to say it. It seemed rather informal to call the CEO of such a large company by his first name. Maybe she would just call him Mr. Coldwell anyway. She felt much more comfortable with that title. “I see you found Pam’s instructions?” Trent inquired as he stepped closer to the desk and her location. He immediately caught the scent of… strawberries and was that cinnamon? He took another step closer and it was definitely cinnamon. Not a combination he would normally find appealing,

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but on her, it seemed to fit. Sweet with just a hint of spice hiding underneath. He noticed that the closer he got, the more she seemed to move. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and he wondered if he made her nervous. Or maybe her body was responding to his nearness. His certainly was. Brianna watched him come closer and couldn’t stand still. Her hip was throbbing something terrible from her collision with the chair and she really wanted to rub it, but when she had done that earlier his eyes had been drawn to her hips. The heat that she had seen flare in his eyes had her defenses up.

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“I believe I asked a question that requires an answer Miss…?” Brianna blushed as she realized she had forgotten to introduce herself. Trying to cover her mistake, she took a step towards him and held out her hand, “Sorry. It’s Brianna. Brianna Daughtry, Mr. Coldwell.” This man was not the kind, gentle man whose picture hung across the office. He was a predator and she felt the heat rising in her cheeks as she attempted to hold his stare. Trent took the proffered hand and felt the electrical current rush straight to his core. He had never responded so easily to a woman before. He briefly shook her hand and then let it go. “The name is Trent.” He held

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her stare, until she looked down and away, clearly nervous at his nearness. Brianna was still trying to calm her racing heart when he reprimanded her word choice. Not responding immediately, she stared at him while her body tried to come to terms with the butterflies that had taken residence in her stomach. “Sorry, Mr. Coldwell. I mean…” shaking her head at her inability to form a proper sentence, she looked away and tried once again to formulate his name on her lips. “I’m sorry Mr…uhm… Trent,” the last word coming out as a whisper. “It’s just Trent. No Mister,” he told her, attempting to hide his grin at her discomfort. Why was he finding it so charming?

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Looking up at him, Brianna swallowed before quietly saying, “Trent.” Trent gave her another pointed look, nodded his head, and then proceeded to pick up the sheaf of papers she had found lying on the desk. He flipped through them, noting that Pam had done a remarkable job as always. When Brianna continued to shift her weight from one foot to the other, he placed the papers back on the desk and turned to peruse her once more. He wondered if she was always this quiet, but then decided it didn’t really matter. He didn’t plan to spend that much time talking with her anyway. He was just about to find out what her capabilities were when the phone on her desk began to ring.

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When she just looked at it dumbly, Trent walked around the desk and answered it himself, holding her gaze as he did so, “Trent Coldwell.” “Trent, I spoke with Brianna and she should be coming up soon. She left here about ten minutes ago and I sent her to lunch early so that she could help with your contract issues this afternoon.” Trent nodded, “She’s standing in front of me now.” Brianna blushed and looked away when she realized she was the focus of the conversation. Trent watched the blush rise in her cheeks and briefly wondered at it. He didn’t usually spend time with women who could still blush.

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It was a charming trait and he found himself envisioning all of the things he could do and say that would re-create it. He let his eyes drift down her neck and wondered if she turned that nice pink in other areas when she blushed. Janet continued speaking, “I know she looks young, but she’s twenty-four and the best I’ve ever hired. Try to go easy on her for the first few days, and don’t growl too loud.” Trent growled into the phone in response and then watched as Brianna’s eyes widened and she took a small step away from him. Mentally cursing himself, he tamped down on the urge to reach out and pull her back. He didn’t like the fact that she had moved away from him; especially since it appeared

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that she might be afraid of him. He didn’t like it one bit. Trent grumbled a dismissal into the phone and replaced the receiver. Turning to look at her again, he asked, “I assume you’re here because Janet has every confidence that you can do the job correctly?” Brianna nodded, and then licking her lips, tried for a verbal response, “Yes, Si… Trent. She mentioned that you have a contract that needs some items fixed before three o’clock today?” Trent nodded, bringing his mind back to the task at hand, “Yes. I’ll send it out here shortly. I’m going to lunch, and since you’re already here, I’ll expect to see a finished copy on my desk when I return.”

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Brianna watched him return to his office, not waiting for her to agree to have the document finished while he was at lunch. What if there were a lot of corrections, or she had trouble with the computer? Several moments later, he left his office and found Brianna still standing where he had left her, rubbing her sore hip with her eyes closed and a slight firmness to her mouth. Did she injure herself? Hearing him come back to the reception area, Brianna removed her hand from her hip and opened her eyes. She watched as he approached her with the document. He moved like a panther stalking its prey. He had broad shoulders, and towered over her by at least a foot. As she moved her eyes

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downward, she caught a glimpse of a narrow waist, before she had to raise her eyes back up. Trent had seen her eyes wander over his body, and rather than feel irritated with her, he hoped that she liked what she saw. He certainly was enjoying his appraisal of her. He wasn’t sure how she could stand to wear such hideous clothing, or why she insisted on covering her body with ill-fitting clothes, but seeing her looking at him had his body heating up. His eyes wandered to her mouth and he wanted to taste it wondering if her lips would taste of strawberries too. Looking at where her hair was pulled back so tightly it put tension at the skin on her temples, he tried to

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picture it down. Was it long or short? Would it be as soft as it looked? “Brianna, I need the changes I’ve marked in red fixed, ten copies made and placed on my desk. I shouldn’t be more than an hour. Oh, and do us both a favor, check your work for mistakes. I won’t be happy if we have to correct it again and make more copies.” Brianna swallowed and took the document he held out to her. He gave her another enigmatic look and then left via the elevator. Brianna watched the door for several moments before pulling herself together and returning to her temporary desk. Taking a quick look through the document, she was pleased to see that the corrections were few, and shouldn’t take her more

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than a few minutes to fix. Looking around, she was also happy to see a copy machine, hidden behind a screen and several large potted plants. That meant she wouldn’t have to see Pete again just to make Trent’s copies. After proofreading the contract one last time, she sent it over to the copy machine and then stood up to wait. Stretching her arms over her head, she was about to head towards the copy machine when she felt a button pop off her shirt. Glancing down, she groaned when she saw that the button, which would normally close the shirt between her breasts, was no longer where it should be. She quickly looked around the ground, hoping to spot the clear plastic button.

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She was just about to give up hope when she glanced at the clock and realized that Trent was due back from lunch anytime. Deciding to finish the contract and then find the button, she quickly retrieved the copies from the machine, neatly stacked and stapled them; placing them front and center on his desk.

Chapter 8 Exiting his office, she then began her search for the missing button again. She finally located it under the far corner of the desk. Realizing that the desk was simply too heavy to move, the only way to retrieve the button was to get down on her hands and knees and crawl under the desk until she could reach it. She had just managed to grab the button when she heard the unmistakable sound of the elevator door opening. Cringing, she debated about whether to stay under the desk and hope that he wouldn’t see her, or to get

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out from under the desk as quickly as possible and act as if nothing had happened. Before she could make up her mind, she saw a pair of black, shiny dress shoes from the corner of her eye, standing a foot away from her knees. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” Brianna blushed furiously and wished the floor would swallow her up. When that didn’t happen, she attempted to scoot out from under the desk, but then a new problem presented itself. As she attempted to scoot backwards her body went, but her skirt stayed. She froze in place, not quite sure how she was going to extricate herself from this mess with her dignity intact.

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Trent had expected to see her sitting at her desk, furiously trying to complete his contract when he exited the elevator. The disappointment he had felt when that hadn’t happened had been quickly replaced with a surge of lust as he came around her desk and spotted her ass so neatly presenting itself, while the rest of her body was hidden beneath the desk. He knew that his voice had come out much more aggressively than he had intended, but the way his body responded to hers had him irritable and feeling edgy. When she didn’t answer, but attempted to scoot out from under the desk, he watched as her skirt stayed in place, as if glued to the carpet.

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She had very nice legs, and if she kept moving backwards, he would most likely be treated to a glimpse of her backside as well. That thought was halted when she abruptly froze, having realized that her skirt wasn’t cooperating. Smiling at her predicament, he took a small step back and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting to see what she would do now. He had to admit, he hadn’t had this much fun at work in years. He contained his chuckle as she once again attempted to scoot out from underneath the desk without giving him a private showing of her underwear. Finally taking pity on her, he huffed and told her, “When you see fit to remove yourself from underneath that desk, please join

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me in my office.” Trent turned and left her to it.

Chapter 9 Brianna let her head fall to the carpet thankful that he had left her alone. Quickly removing herself from under the desk, she pulled her skirt down, and attempted to straighten her hair, which had come loose. Finally giving up, she pulled the pins out and quickly finger combed it down so that it fell in soft waves down her back. She pulled some of it over each shoulder, and then grabbed a pen and pad, holding it in front of her shirt where the button should have been. She would find the ladies room and repair her shirt just as soon as she was through in his office.

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She took several deep breaths to calm her racing heart and hoped that the brightness of her cheeks had begun to fade. Realizing that Trent probably expected her to follow him immediately, she walked towards his office, knocking once on the partially closed door before entering. “Sit,” Trent commanded, not lifting his eyes from the contract he was perusing. So far, she had accurately fixed all of the errors he had marked. Brianna quietly took the seat in front of his desk and crossed her legs, attempting to adopt an air of calmness. She mentally counted backwards from twenty, hopeful that by the time she reached zero her heart would

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have stopped racing and her breath would be under control. Trent was impressed with how quickly she had accomplished the task he had given her. Glancing up, he was taken aback at the beauty sitting before him. Her hair was like polished copper, and picked up the sunlight coming in from the wall of windows behind him. With her hair down, she looked even younger, but with an innate sexuality that immediately reminded him of Serena. Once again trying to clear his thoughts of her, he looked at Brianna, no she was nothing like her. For one thing, she clearly had no idea of the effect she had on men. Or at least this man.

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Her cheeks were still pink, probably from her earlier embarrassment, but it only heightened her appeal. The freckles across her nose made more sense when he caught the red highlights in her hair and his mind immediately wondered if her temper matched when she was riled. He was tempted to push her just to find out. He noticed that she had studiously brought a pen and paper along with her, and was holding them against her chest like a shield. Interesting. He brought his eyes back to her and found her watching him. “These are fine. I have two more files, which need to be proofed and then ten copies made of them as well. If you

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have any questions, mark the documents and send them to me. Hand me your pad.” Brianna cringed inwardly at his command. In order to comply, she would have nothing left to help hide the fact that a strategic button was missing from her shirt. She could already feel the color rise in her cheeks. Looking up, she found him staring at her with an outstretched hand. “I’m sorry. Why did you need my pad, Si,” she stopped abruptly as she saw his eyes narrow at her. “Miss Daughtry, is there a problem that I am unaware of?” “No, Sir. I mean… Trent, no problem.” “Then hand that damn pad over so I can write down the link that will let you access the documents I need you to work on.” Trent

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made a come hither motion with his fingertips as he waited for her to hand the notepad over. Seeing no other recourse, Brianna quickly handed him the pad with one hand, keeping the other arm wrapped around herself, trying to make it look as if she was scratching the opposing arm. Trent raised an eyebrow at the strange action coming from his new assistant. She had handed over the notepad, but had taken steps to ensure that her arm remained over her chest. Had she spilled something on her shirt? She was definitely trying to hide from him. He wrote the web address down on her pad, glancing at her as he did so. She now

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had both arms crossed over her chest. Finishing, he started to hand the pad back to her, but made a point of not reaching it far enough, causing her to have to move to retrieve it. As she did so, he immediately saw the reason for her strange arm actions, she had lost a button on her shirt as he was treated to a tantalizing view of soft skin and a pale pink bra trimmed with lace. Seeing the flush rise in her cheeks, he wisely held his tongue and allowed her to grab the pad and use it once again as a shield. “That will be all.” Brianna quickly headed for the door to his office when his voice stopped her, “Leave your hair down from now on. I like it. Oh,

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and you’ll most likely find a sewing kit in Pam’s desk. Be sure to make use of it before leaving this afternoon. You wouldn’t want to give anyone the wrong impression about what goes on up here.” Turning she inquired, “I’m sorry, what did you say?” Trent looked up and repeated himself, “Leave. Your. Hair. Down. Fix. Your. Shirt.” Brianna couldn’t believe he was giving her commands in regards to her personal appearance. Could he do that? She was tempted to refuse, but one look at the hard glint in his eye had her backing out of his office and nodding her head. After returning to her desk, she realized that she should have stood her ground.

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Grabbing her hairpins, she carefully pulled her hair back up into a bun and secured it. He could dictate how she did her work for his company, but no man was going to tell her how to wear her hair. As far as the button, she quickly found the sewing kit and then located the ladies room. Removing her shirt, she reattached the button and got dressed again. The blush was still high in her cheeks, and after splashing some cool water on her face, she felt ready to tackle the rest of the day.

Chapter 10 Several hours later, Trent exited his office only to stop short and glare at her. “I thought I told you to leave your hair down.” Brianna looked up from the computer screen and squared her shoulders, “Mr. Coldwell,” she began, at his scowl, she forged ahead, “I don’t believe it’s appropriate for you to tell me how to wear my hair. I happen to like it pinned up. It doesn’t get in my way and I work better with it this way.” Trent couldn’t believe she was openly arguing with him. When she continued to hold his stare, he glared at her before retreating to his office.

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Brianna let the breath she was holding out and congratulated herself for having stood up to him. She finished the document she was working on and sent it to the printer. After collecting the copies, she took them to Trent’s office. Knocking once on the partially closed door, she pushed it open when no one responded. Seeing him behind his desk on his cell phone, she quietly entered and placed the finished documents on the corner of his desk where they wouldn’t fall off. As she turned to leave, she overheard him talking to someone, “Chelsea, I already told you I’m busy tonight.” After a pause, she heard him call to her, “Brianna, wait a moment.”

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Brianna turned and remained where she was, halfway between his desk and the office door. She patiently waited for him to end his conversation, which he did with, “Fine. Yes, meet me tomorrow for lunch, we need to talk.” Without any further conversation, he hung up the phone and Brianna found herself the subject of his gaze. “On your way up in the morning, stop off at Godfrey’s and talk to George. Tell him that Pam is out of the office and you are replacing her. Pick out something for Chelsea and he’ll box it for you, and then bring it to my office.” Brianna tried to keep her mouth from hanging open, but couldn’t do it. “I’m sorry, I

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don’t quite understand. You want me to pick up a present for someone named Chelsea…?” “Was I not clear enough? Go to Godfrey’s and pick up something for Chelsea and bring it in with you tomorrow.” Trent watched her and was stunned at the change that came over her features as she became more agitated. “Who is Chelsea? If I’m to pick out something appropriate for her, I need more information.” “Chelsea is my soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend. Make sure it’s equal to whatever I gave her for her birthday last month. George should be able to help you with that.” Brianna swallowed and tried to contain her irritation with him, “Don’t you

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remember what you gave her for her birthday?” Trent looked up at her and shook his head, “Why would I? Pam picked it out. If you’re unsure, have George make a recommendation. Chelsea will go quietly with the right gift, and I don’t have time for any female hysterics right now.” Brianna couldn’t believe the audacity of the man sitting behind his desk. His assistant purchased his girlfriend’s gifts, and he thought that an expensive gift would what, “buy her off” and she would just fade into the woodwork without a complaint? What kind of world did he live in? “Sir…,” she began. At his cough, she looked up to find him glaring at her and she

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tried again, “Trent…I really think you might be in a better position to buy your girlfriend such an intimate gift.” “Well, I don’t have time for that, but you do.” Trent stared her down, daring her to argue with him further. Brianna tried to come up with a viable argument. Coming up with nothing, she simply nodded and hoped that George, whoever he was, was working tomorrow and could indeed help her out. Taking a breath, she answered, “Fine. I’ll stop by and see George in the morning. Your contracts are there and as it’s already past five o’clock, I’m going home.”

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Brianna didn’t wait for a reply but hurried out of the office, collected her purse and took the elevator down.

Chapter 11 Three hours later, Brianna dragged herself back to the motel room, thankful that Jack, the motel’s owner, hadn’t been on duty tonight. After dealing with her new boss and his rude behavior and unusual errand requests, she had taken the light rail straight to the nursing facility, only to find her mother asleep and back on oxygen. She had caught a cold the week before and Brianna had been under the impression that she was on the mend, but the infection had taken a turn for the worse, and her mother was back on antibiotics and oxygen as a result.

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She had sat by the bedside and related the events of the day to her mother. Several of the nursing staff had come by and chatted with her briefly, and at eight, she had finally headed back across town and to the small room she currently called home. Yawning, Brianna brushed her hair before climbing into bed and closing her eyes. She was tired beyond belief and knew that the coming days were going to test her abilities, in more ways than one. As she lay there listening to the noise from the highway just beyond the parking lot of the motel, she thought of the increase in salary she was going to bring home and resolved to deal with her new boss in a professional and calm manner. She would have

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preferred to deal with the elder Coldwell, but as she had learned, he had retired and the current CEO was nothing like she had ever experienced before. He was devastatingly handsome and she had already noticed how his eyes lit up when he was amused. She just wished that he would stop directing his amusement at her. It was going to be difficult enough working around someone who had her thinking about things other than work.

Chapter 12 Brianna had been working as Trent’s assistant for five days now, and if she had to run one more of his personal errands she was going to scream. He was the most insufferable man she had ever had the misfortune to meet. He was rude, gave orders and commands without any thought as to whether they inconvenienced someone else, and she had yet to hear the words “Thank You” come from his mouth. To make matters worse, he had the ability to sneak up on her, and was constantly touching her in some way or another. When

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discussing changes to documents, instead of giving her a corrected copy, he would read off her computer screen while leaning over her shoulder. Having gotten used to Pete crowding her, normally she wouldn’t mind except that Trent’s unique smell had become ingrained in her senses and it was all she could do to keep from squirming in her seat. She had to keep reminding herself not to have those kinds of thoughts about her boss. Especially this one. If he wasn’t crowding her workspace, then he was commenting on something about her person. He liked the perfume she wore, little did he know that she didn’t wear any and what he was smelling was the strawberry shampoo she had splurged on at the dollar store; he didn’t like her clothing and

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continued to urge her to leave her hair down. Brianna had made sure to use extra pins to ensure her hair stayed in place. She was currently fuming over his comments about her lunch choice – another peanut butter sandwich. As her small motel room did not offer the convenience of a fridge, she had no way to store other lunch items, and had found that peanut butter and bread was easy to make in the mornings, and provided her with enough calories during the day that she was able to keep working. A breakfast bar, eaten on the forty-five minute light-rail trip into the city each morning served as breakfast, and the administrator at the nursing facility had graciously instructed his kitchen staff to make sure

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Brianna was served dinner with her mother each evening. Brianna took another breath and tried to find a calm response as Trent stood towering over her, scowling at the half-eaten sandwich lying on her desk. “Listen, I don’t think it’s any of your concern what I choose to eat during my lunch break. If my choice of sandwich offends you, I’d be happy to resume eating my lunch under the trees in front of this building, as I was doing before being assigned to work up here, but that will not get these notes typed up and ready for your one o’clock meeting.” Trent hid his smile at the calmness his assistant was striving for, but failing miserably at attaining. He had been steadily pushing

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her buttons over the last several days, wondering what it would take for her to lose her temper. He was dying to see if it rivaled the red highlights in her hair. “Not having those notes ready in time for that meeting is unacceptable and you know it.” Turning away, he headed back to his office. He didn’t understand the young woman sitting out front. While her clothing was always neatly pressed and clean, it was evident that she didn’t own many and they were ill-suited to someone so young. And she brought that infernal peanut butter sandwich for lunch each day, and insisted she must leave the office no later than quarter past five each evening.

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She was a puzzle that he was finding himself drawn to solve. He loved seeing her hair down, but she insisted on wearing it secured tightly at the nape of her neck. The only makeup he had seen her wear was a pale pink lip-gloss, she smelled of strawberries and cinnamon reminding him of fresh baked cookies, and refused to talk about her personal life. After the first day, when he had sent her to buy a parting gift for Chelsea, she had returned the next morning with a neatly boxed tennis bracelet. Setting it down on his desk, she informed him that he should plan on buying future gifts himself, as she would not be doing so again.

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Her color had been high in her cheeks when she had issued that statement, and she hadn’t waited for a reply, just turned and started the work waiting for her at her desk. Not another word had been said about the issue, and when Chelsea had arrived for their lunch date, Brianna had shown her into the office and then vanished. Trent had found her seated at her desk upon his return, studiously working on the files he had left her. Reaching for his phone, he called Janet, anxious to find out more about Brianna Daughtry. “Trent? What’s up? How’s Brianna working out?” “She’s doing fine. What do you know about her?”

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Janet smiled, glad that he couldn’t see the pleased expression on her face and answered, “What do you want to know?” Trent thought for a moment before answering, “Everything. Where’d she come from? Where does she live? Does she have family?” Janet’s smile grew, it sounded as if Brianna was getting to him. He hadn’t shown this much interest in a woman since Serena. Maybe it was time he thought about someone other than himself. “Well, let me pull up her file and see what we have. Let’s see – I don’t recognize the address, but it’s in Federal Heights…” “What?” Trent questioned. Federal Heights was known for its gangs, violence,

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and most people avoided it, especially after dark. Janet understood his concern, but continued, “Yes, Federal Heights. She has a mother listed here, but the emergency contact is a nursing home over in Aurora. Maybe her mother is a nurse? I don’t have anything else. She was a student at UNC, but never finished. Sorry, but I don’t have anything else. Why do you want to know?” Trent was asking himself that same question, “Not for any reason. She’s just a puzzle of sorts.” Janet laughed through the phone, “It sounds like she got under your skin.” Trent snapped, “No one gets under my skin. I was just curious.”

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Janet continued to laugh as she heard Trent hang up the phone. Well, Brianna hadn’t managed to curb his rudeness yet. Placing a call back to his office, she waited for the capable Brianna to answer. “Good afternoon, Mr. Coldwell’s office. How may I help you?” “Brianna? Janet Marshall here. How are things going up there?” “Oh, hi. Things are going well, I think,” Brianna answered. Trent had found plenty to complain about, but none of it had to do with her work. She didn’t think the head of HR wanted to hear about those things. “Good, good. Well, since it’s Friday, I just wanted to make sure that you’re comfortable continuing on next week. I spoke with Pam

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earlier today, and she is going to be gone for at least three weeks, maybe longer. Do you foresee any problems in continuing to fill her position?” Brianna couldn’t believe it, she was going to be able to keep this position for almost a month. Maybe she would finally be able to afford to move out of that crummy motel. Jack, the motel’s owner, was becoming more of a pest, and twice this week alone the police had been called to the motel: first to break up a gang fight, and then to break up a fight between a prostitute and her pimp. Brianna was starting to fear for her safety, but at the moment had no other choice. Maybe this weekend she could look around for something closer to work, or her mother.

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Anything had to be better than where she was currently. “I don’t see any problems, provided Mr. Coldwell is happy with my work?” Brianna hedged, wondering if Trent had complained about something. “Trent is very happy with your work as far as I know. I just wanted to make sure you were happy in this new position.” “Oh, well, I am. I can’t thank you enough for giving me this opportunity, you don’t know how much it means to me,” Brianna wanted to say more, but wasn’t sure how to convey her thankfulness without giving away her current situation. “I’m glad to reward somebody who works as hard as you do. Brianna, if you ever need

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anything, please don’t hesitate to come see me. I know we haven’t gotten a chance to get to know each other, but I would love to correct that. How about I treat you to lunch on Monday?” Brianna was shocked at the invitation, should she accept? She didn’t want to offend the head of HR, but she also wasn’t sure if it was appropriate for her to have lunch with someone in a management position. “Well, I don…” “Brianna, I won’t take ‘No’ for an answer. Let’s plan on going around noon, and if something comes up before then call me and we can go a little later.” “Okay, if you’re sure?” Brianna asked.

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Janet laughed through the phone, “I’m looking forward to it. Hey, have a nice weekend.” Brianna smiled, “I will. You too,” she stated as an after-thought before hanging up. She was still smiling when Trent came out of his office a few minutes later.

Chapter 13 Trent realized as he looked at his new assistant that he was seeing her smile for the first time. It lit up her entire face and he found himself smiling as well. Something had put that look on her face and he wondered what it was, “Care to share what has you smiling?” he inquired as he drew near her desk. Brianna, startled, turned in her chair so quickly she banged her knee on the inside edge of the desk and winced at the same time she exclaimed, “Ouch!” Trent took the last step to her desk and pulled her chair out as he turned her around

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to face him. Kneeling down, he moved her hand, which was currently rubbing her injured knee, out of the way and replaced it with his own. At the first touch of his hand, Brianna froze, unsure what was happening inside her. She felt hot and cold all at the same time, and as Trent rubbed his palm over her knee, she found herself wishing the material of her khaki skirt wasn’t keeping his skin from touching hers. She looked up to find his concerned eyes level with hers and realized that she hadn’t known his eyes were green with little gold flecks in them. His cologne assailed her brain and made forming any coherent thoughts impossible. She could see his mouth moving, but it took

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several seconds for the fog to clear enough to understand what she was being asked, “Brianna, are you okay? Brianna?” Trent stilled his hand on her knee at the confused look on her face. She had only bumped her knee, but she didn’t appear to be hearing him. Worried, he raised a hand to her chin, tipped her head up and looked into her eyes. His gaze drifted over her face and landed on her lips. When she licked her lips, he watched her tongue peek out from between her lips and fought the urge to dip his head and taste her. Brianna watched Trent’s head draw closer and pushed herself away, putting her hands on his chest and using her feet to push the chair away from him. Dropping her eyes, she

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pretended to straighten her skirt as he rose to his feet. “Thank you. Did you need something?” Brianna inquired. Trent looked at her and wondered what she would do if he simply plucked her from her chair and carried her back to his office. Would she scream in outrage, or give in? When he didn’t answer her, Brianna chanced a look up at him and her eyes widened as she saw the fire burning in his gaze. This was not good. Deciding that things needed to be brought back to a professional mode, she cleared her throat, crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair, “Sir?”

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Trent shifted instantly from concerned to angry. Had she deliberately used that term to upset him? He had told her numerous times to use his first name. “Are you intentionally trying to irritate me today?” he asked her. “As if I have to try,” she mumbled beneath her breath. Trent couldn’t believe the audacity of her, “What did you just say?” Brianna sat up straighter and looked him in the eye, “I asked if you needed something.” Trent watched her for another moment, and then snapped at her, “I need you to work for a few hours tomorrow afternoon. The company representatives are flying in Saturday morning from Germany and I’ll

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need you on hand to make any changes to the contracts. Is that going to be a problem?” Brianna quickly swallowed back her sigh of disappointment. She had really been looking forward to finding another place to live, and tomorrow would be the only time she had to look. Deciding that she could handle another week at the crummy motel, she slowly nodded, “I guess not. What time did you want me to come in?” Trent saw the look cross her face and wondered what other plans she had to cancel to accommodate his wishes. She didn’t look thrilled, but had agreed. Maybe he could give her an extra hour or so off next week? Hopefully, this negotiation would be over by then

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and he would only have to sign the final paperwork once he arrived in Frankfurt. “We should be ready to begin by one o’clock. Call the deli downstairs and tell them to have the usual spread delivered around noon. They know how to set things up in the conference room and will have everything ready by the time our guests arrive.” Brianna began taking notes as he continued to outline the other items that needed to be taken care of to accommodate the Saturday meeting. When he wasn’t looking, she rubbed impatiently at her knee. While it no longer hurt, the tingling where he had touched her had yet to go away.

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As Trent headed back into his office, he turned and reminded her, “Be sure to tell security that you will be coming in tomorrow. I don’t know how long things will take, but I think we should be wrapped up by dinnertime.” Brianna nodded; it was going to take the entire day. She had no idea about the lightrail schedule on the weekends, and made a note to check that out on her way to visit her mother this evening. Looking at the clock, she quickly took care of making the necessary calls and finished talking with security at five. Dialing Trent through the intercom, she told him she was leaving and would see him in the morning. Trent tried to find a reason

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to delay her departure, but finding nothing, bid her a goodnight.

Chapter 14 Brianna made the trip to the nursing home, and was pleased to see her mother feeling much better and noted that she had been taken off the oxygen. She spent several hours reading to her again, and then watched a video with her before hugging her and promising to see her tomorrow for dinner. Brianna stepped off the light-rail well after ten that night and began the two-block walk to the motel she currently called home. She normally didn’t arrive so late, not wanting to chance inviting unwanted attention from the neighborhood hoodlums.

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As she walked past the front office, she noticed that Jack was on duty and quickened her step, intent on getting into her room before he saw her. Crossing the parking lot, she had almost made it to her room, when she heard footsteps behind her. Thinking it was Jack, she turned around, prepared to decline his anticipated advances. Instead of Jack, two men were moving quickly toward her. Swallowing hard, Brianna was unprepared for the sudden intense feeling of fear that swept through her as she realized that she wouldn’t make it to her room in time. As she was about to run, she was brutally hit from behind and knocked to the ground.

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Her head hit the concrete and everything went black. When she came back around, she found herself lying on the concrete while two men circled each other, each having a knife trained on the other. Getting her knees underneath her, she crawled towards the building, pulling her purse and other items with her. Looking up, she noted that she was only about eight feet from her room. If she could make it that far, maybe she could get inside and call the police before somebody was killed. As she began to move in that direction, she held back a groan of pain and reached a hand up to wipe the liquid from

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her eyes, only to see her hand return covered in blood. Closing her eyes briefly, she continued her crawl until she reached her room and managed to get the door open and fall inside. Crawling to the phone, she dialed 911, gave them the motel’s address and then collapsed against the side of the bed to wait. She kept her eyes closed, and willed the nausea away. Several minutes later, she heard the welcome sound of police sirens and someone was knocking on her door. She pushed herself to her feet, stumbling as a wave of dizziness assailed her, and opened the door to a uniformed police officer who took one look at her and radioed for an ambulance.

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Brianna tried to tell the officer that she didn’t need medical attention, but then the officer suggested she take a look in the mirror and Brianna had to fight back another wave of nausea. She had never been able to handle the sight of her own blood. The ride to the hospital was uneventful and the emergency personnel had treated her with kindness and offered to call someone to be with her. Not having anyone, other than her mother who was unable to leave the nursing home, she didn’t miss the look of pity the nurse threw her way. When the doctor came in, he pronounced that she had a slight concussion and would need to spend the night in the hospital or call someone who could come collect her at the

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hospital and keep watch over her through the night. Brianna already felt like crying, the pain in her head worse than anything she could remember, and promptly burst into tears. Trent would fire her for sure when she didn’t show up for work tomorrow. Her mother would get kicked out of the nursing home, and she would be homeless when she couldn’t pay the rent on her crummy hotel room. She quickly swirled down into a full out panic mode as she tried to process all of the repercussions from tonight’s little excitement. The attending physician watched her for a moment and then called a nurse to sit with her while he made some calls. She had given

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the paramedics her place of employment; maybe they could locate a family member to come be with her from her personnel records.

Chapter 15 Jason, the security officer on duty at Coldwell Enterprises, assured the doctor that he would have someone look at her personnel records and make the necessary calls. If there were a problem, they would call the hospital and advise them in the next fifteen minutes. Jason called up to Trent’s office as he was the only one still in the building that had the necessary clearance to look into an employee’s personnel records. Trent scowled as his phone rang. Looking at the time, he answered the phone, “Yes?”

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“Mr. Coldwell, Jason down in the security office. Sir, I’m sorry to bother you but we just received a call from Denver General Hospital and they need the emergency contact information on one of our employees. Evidently the person is unable to provide them this information and is in the emergency room.” Trent sat up and wondered what had happened, “Did they give you the employee’s name?” “Yes, Sir, it’s Brianna Daughtry.” Trent nearly dropped the phone, “Thank you, Jason. I’ll take care of it. Denver General did you say?” “Yes, Sir. What should I tell the doctor at the hospital?”

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“Don’t worry about it. I’m headed over there right now.” Trent hung up the phone, grabbed his cell phone and called his driver as he headed for the elevator. He wasn’t sure what had happened to her, but if there was no one else to take care of her, he was not going to leave her alone in the hospital. As he rode down in the elevator, he wondered again, at why he was so concerned about his assistant. In less than a week, she had managed to get completely under his skin and for the first time in his life, he found that he was okay with that.

Chapter 16 The nurse sitting with Brianna tried to calm her down, but she just kept crying, fragments of what was bothering her stumbling out between sobs. If the nurse was getting everything, the young woman was afraid of being fired, her mother was going to be put out of the nursing home, and on top of everything else, she was about to find herself homeless. She patted her shoulder and tried to get her to calm down but the young woman was overwhelmed and her emotions were out of her control. When the doctor walked in some twenty minutes later with a gorgeous man in tow,

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the nurse was relieved that someone close to her had arrived and would see to her needs. She had almost cried herself out and had begun to drift to sleep when she heard the doctor return. Opening her eyes, Brianna found it hard to concentrate on anything other than the pain in her head and the despair, which was consuming her, but as she lifted her eyes, she saw Trent standing behind the doctor and immediately burst into tears again. He hadn’t even waited until Monday to fire her. He had come to the hospital to do it. The doctor had filled Trent in and cautioned him that Brianna was overly upset and that patients suffering from a concussion could often have unnatural emotional

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responses to events happening around them. He had given Trent a prescription painkiller for the headache he was sure she was experiencing, but had declined providing a sedative. She needed to be calmed down, and awakened every hour or so throughout the night to make sure there was no additional injury. Trent had signed the appropriate paperwork, taking full responsibility for her welfare and had advised the hospital to bill the charges to him. The paramedics who had transported Brianna to the hospital were still in the building and had provided him a brief overview of her accident and the resulting arrests associated with the night’s events.

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Trent was furious that she had been in such a neighborhood, but then remembered that Janet had said she lived in Federal Heights. Did she live at the motel where she had been injured? She didn’t strike him as the type of girl who would meet a man in such a place. Seeing her burst into tears at seeing him, he calmly excused the doctor and nurse and then approached the bed slowly. “Brianna, sugar, you need to calm down. You need to stop crying. I know your head hurts, and the doctor gave me some medicine for you to take, but I can’t give it to you until you stop crying. You’re making yourself sick.” Brianna heard him and started to apologize, maybe if she could make him

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understand that she hadn’t meant to get hurt, maybe he wouldn’t fire her. “I’m…sor…sorry…please…don’t…fire…” Trent heard her attempting to apologize to him and it sounded as if she thought he had arrived to fire her from her job. Clenching his teeth to stop from blasting her for thinking such ridiculous thoughts, he decided to take a different approach, “Brianna!” he stated in a no-nonsense voice full of command. Brianna took a breath, and then responded to his command and took another shuttering breath, stopping her crying, even while tears continued to stream down her face.

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“That’s better. Let’s get you dressed, okay?” Brianna took another breath, and briefly thought that she should be upset that he was removing her hospital gown and pulling her shirt over her bandaged shoulder, but she just didn’t have the energy. Why was he at the hospital anyway? He helped her put her arms in the sleeves of her button down shirt and then buttoned it up, telling himself that he shouldn’t be turned on by the sight of her pale pink bra and the hint of her nipples that showed beneath its lace edge. She was injured, hurting, and he mentally gave his libido a lecture to keep it in check.

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Helping her to stand, he kept one hand on her hip as he guided her feet into the waist of her khaki skirt, which thankfully was ripped along the side and would most likely need to be thrown away. Hallelujah, he wouldn’t have to look at that hideous thing hiding her from his view again. After fastening the skirt at her waist, he leaned her against the examination table while he bent down and slid her shoes on. She definitely needed some help in the wardrobe department. Maybe he could get Janet to give her some fashion advice. It couldn’t hurt. “Come along; hold onto me so you don’t fall over. If you feel like passing out, tell me before you do it.”

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Brianna heard the tone in his voice and told herself she could do this. He would take her back to the motel and she’d get a good night’s sleep. Trent stood her up and when she staggered, he pulled her to him and wrapped her in his arms, letting her get her bearings for a minute. When she began to struggle, he released her, and led her out of the hospital and to the waiting car. He gave his driver instructions to take them home, but when the car turned onto the interstate, heading away from Federal Heights, Brianna became agitated and demanded that the car turn around and take her home. Trent attempted to explain that she was going to be his guest for the night,

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but at the horrified look on her face, he decided to humor her and gave her address to the driver. He would see for himself where she was living and if it was not a safe environment, she was coming home with him. Assuming that the paramedics weren’t exaggerating when they described the incident to him, he doubted that they would be staying there for long. In fact, he doubted if he would ever allow her to return.

Chapter 17 As the car pulled into the parking lot of the shabbiest motel Trent had ever seen, he looked around and wondered how she had managed to survive in this environment this long without coming to injury. His longtime driver got out first to ascertain that the area was safe, and then escorted Brianna and Trent to the room she indicated was hers. Trent used her key to open the door and ushered her inside, turning on the light and once again becoming furious that she had found herself living in such conditions. She was working full-time, why couldn’t she afford some place better?

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The room was squalid for lack of a better word. The 1950s print bedspread was threadbare, the orange shag carpeting belonged in another era, and the lighting was minimal. The television, complete with rabbit-ear antennae, which sat precariously on a TV stand ready to topple over, completed the picture. Brianna made her way to the bed and sat down gingerly on the side. Trent looked around the room and located the source of her daily lunches, a loaf of bread and jar of peanut butter still sitting in a grocery bag on the floor near the foot of the bed. Walking towards what he assumed was the bathroom; he saw a small stack of boxes sitting in the corner, her meager wardrobe

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hanging on the rack. As he realized that he was probably looking at everything she owned, he immediately made a decision. Brianna Daughtry was not spending one more minute in these surroundings. Calling to his driver, he instructed the man to begin loading the boxes and her remaining possessions into the trunk of the car. Trent scooped the personal items he found in the bathroom into his arms and then dumped them inside the empty suitcase he found next to the boxes. Next, he scooped up her clothing and deposited it in the suitcase along with the contents of the dresser drawers.

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Brianna watched Trent manhandle her stuff in a detached manner, the pain in her head making any thought of protesting moot. As he gathered up her belongings, Trent kept an eye on Brianna, expecting an explosion any minute, and growing more concerned when she simply sat there watching him with a bemused expression on her face. He needed to get her to bed, with or without him for now, but she definitely needed rest and some pampering. After assuring himself that all of her personal effects had been removed from the room, he instructed his driver to take care of checking her out of this establishment with the front office, and then he picked her up in his arms and carried her back to the car.

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The drive to his home in Highlands Ranch would take close to forty-five minutes and he settled himself into the seat and then pulled her over against him, pleased when she came willingly. He lectured himself again as his body hardened with her nearness. She was injured and clearly not herself tonight. When she slowly relaxed against him, turning into his chest and wrapping an arm around his waist, it took every bit of control he possessed not to lean her back against the seat and explore the warm body snuggled up so nicely against him. Trent had given Brianna two of the painkillers before leaving the hospital and as usually happened when she took anything

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stronger than a Tylenol, she was sleepy and her head was a little fuzzy. When he had urged her to lean against him, the feel of another human body against hers had felt so comforting she had immediately given in. It had been too long. “Hey, no going to sleep now. At least, not until I get you home.” Brianna mumbled something and Trent felt his pulse pick up at the feel of her lips moving against his chest. Tipping her head up so he could look into her face, he watched her eyes flutter open and slowly lowered his head to touch his lips to hers. The first touch of his lips against hers had Brianna’s heart racing and she moaned and softened against him more.

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He gently explored her lips with his own, taking little sips from her lips and coaxing her to let him in. As she eased her mouth open, Trent took advantage and surged in. His tongue taking long sweeps inside her mouth, urging her tongue to tangle with his own. Brianna couldn’t ever remember being kissed like this. It was as if he was making love to her mouth. She had only had two serious relationships in the past, and neither of them had been interested in kissing her. It was like being devoured and cherished all at the same time. When Trent heard the little moan leave her throat, he pulled her tighter against him and let his hand move up to tangle in the

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hair at the nape of her neck. Gathering the long strands together, he transferred them to one hand and let his other roam over her face and down the side of her neck. Tracing the vee of her shirt to where it was buttoned, he played with the button there, waiting for her to protest and tell him to stop. Brianna closed her eyes and reveled in the feeling of Trent’s hands on her. All week he had been touching her; a brush against her shoulder with his arm as he reached for something, leaning against her back while looking over her shoulder, his hand in the small of her back as he ushered her into the elevator. She hadn’t realized how much she had desired his hands on her. Now that they were, she didn’t want him to stop.

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Trent told himself he needed to stop, but it felt so good to hold her in his arms, he just couldn’t do it. His fingers played with the button between her ample breasts, and he wished they were already home. Then his conscience reminded him that she was injured, wasn’t thinking clearly, and how inappropriate it would be for him to continue taking advantage of her in this condition. Moving his hand back up to her neck, he slowly brought the kiss back so that it was a gentle taking and giving of kisses. Finally lifting his mouth from hers, he pushed her head back down against his chest and felt her settle against him with a long sigh. The remainder of the drive was made in silence. Trent continued to run his hand

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through her hair, being careful to avoid the bandage on her temple. Brianna closed her eyes and enjoyed being held and the sure knowledge that she was safe in this moment. How long had it been since she could say she felt safe at night? Five months? Six months? Whatever it was, she was going to live for this moment, who knew how long it would be before she felt this way again.

Chapter 18 Trent instructed his driver to unload Brianna’s belongings and stack them in the back hallway. She wouldn’t need anything tonight, and there’d be time enough to deal with them tomorrow. After settling Brianna in bed, he made a few phone calls and arranged to have his second in command handle the negotiations scheduled for the morning. He briefly pondered at how easy it was to delegate such an important meeting, as he thought about the woman lying injured in his bed. He then called Janet to let her know what had happened and told her that he and Brianna

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would be taking Monday off. Janet offered to come over and stay with her, but he declined, encouraging her to enjoy the rest of her weekend with her husband. After ensuring that everything was in place for tomorrow to go smoothly, he climbed the stairs to check on Brianna. He had put her in his bed, telling himself that he would sleep in one of the guest rooms. But as he watched her sleep, he decided that he needed to be closer to her in the event she needed him during the night. At least that’s what he told himself knowing full well that it was nothing more than an excuse to spend as much time near her as possible. In deference to his houseguest, he donned a pair of pajama pants before climbing into

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bed next to her. He turned the lights down, not wanting her to become fearful if she should wake up during the night and not remember where she was. The doctor had instructed him to wake her up every hour. It was just after midnight and he set the alarm for one, taking his job as her caretaker seriously. ***** It felt like he had just closed his eyes when his alarm went off, reminding him to check on Brianna once again. He had followed the doctor’s instructions, waking her every hour, and this was the last of the recommended checks. He glanced at the clock and tried not to groan when he read seven am; it had been

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a very long night and he felt as if he hadn’t slept at all. Brianna had slept the sleep of one suffering from complete exhaustion, waking only to let him check her eyes, before falling right back to sleep. Performing the last required check, Trent made sure the alarm was in the off position and settled down for some uninterrupted sleep.

Chapter 19 Brianna struggled to open her eyes, groaning as the light sent shards of glass ripping through her brain. Slowly turning her head away from the source of the light, she cracked her eyes open only to find herself face to face with her boss, Trent Coldwell. He was propped up on an elbow, and shirtless. That fact registered, as did the rippling muscles and broad shoulders. Brianna let her eyes open more fully and took in the stubble, which darkened his normally cleanshaven jawline. His hair was tousled and his eyes were looking at her with a warmth she hadn’t seen previously on his face.

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Trent watched Brianna slowly come awake and resisted the urge to brush her hair off her face. The edges of the bandage showed the evidence of a bruise, which had formed around her cut. He watched her eyes widen as she recognized where she was and then saw the beginnings of desire ignite in her warm gaze as she looked at his bare chest and face. “Good morning. How are you feeling?” Brianna watched his mouth move and remembered what it had felt like to have his lips on hers. Had she really made out with her boss in the back of a moving vehicle last night? She started to sit up and then realized that she was wearing nothing beneath the

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sheet. Where were her clothes? Furthermore, who had removed them? Trent watched the emotions cross Brianna’s face as she realized she was naked beneath the bed sheet. Before she could voice her questions, he said, “I figured you would sleep more comfortably if you weren’t fighting your clothing.” Brianna swallowed before letting her thoughts be voiced, “Did you have to remove my bra as well?” Trent hid his grin, he didn’t have to remove her bra, but the desire to look upon her abundance had been overwhelming, and once he’d begun, he found himself unable to stop from removing the remainder of her garments. She was magnificent and he

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couldn’t wait until she was feeling better so that he could show her exactly how magnificent he found her. Answering her question, he reached a hand up to brush the back of his fingers down her cheek, cupping her neck, “Brianna, No – I didn’t have to remove your undergarments. I’m not sorry I did, you’re gorgeous. Every inch of you.” Brianna blushed and wondered if he had hit his head instead of her. Her last boyfriend had only been interested in mauling her breasts and finding his pleasure as quickly as possible. She had only engaged in sex with him a few times and had found each time lacking. After her mother’s stroke, she

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had barely found time to sleep, and sex was the farthest thing from her mind. Todd had been less than patient and blamed her for the growing problems in their relationship. According to him, it was her job as his girlfriend to make time to help him relieve his stress from work. She had been tempted to ask who was supposed to be helping her relieve the stress of caring for a critically ill mother. Instead, she had attempted to meet his needs, but her lack of enthusiasm had been hard to hide. Within a few weeks of her mother’s illness, relationship number two had come to a dismal end for her; something for which she was mostly relieved.

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Her first boyfriend hadn’t been able to think about anyone but himself. She had given in and had sex with him one time, but when he had started calling her dirty names, she had been so turned off; she had refused to repeat the experience. Trent waited for Brianna to speak, and when she didn’t, he quietly inquired, “Is your head still hurting this morning?” Brianna raised her eyes and attempted to nod, only to stop on a groan as the glass shards changed direction in her brain. Closing her eyes, she waited until the stabbing pain stopped before she weakly responded, “Yes.” Trent couldn’t stand to see her hurting, and quickly left the bed and returned with

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two of the painkillers and a glass of water. Trent had never felt this need to care for someone else. Normally, his interaction with women involved being seen at some function with them, providing them with an appropriate token of his affection, and then returning to their place for some meaningless sex, at least on his part. He never brought them home, needing the ability to leave on his time frame, not theirs. Pam had often told him that his idea of a relationship was just shy of hiring a local streetwalker, but Trent argued that the women he chose to date were after the same thing he was and everyone knew the score going in. Nobody got hurt, no harm, no foul.

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Caring for Brianna had sparked a thread of humanity in Trent that he frankly hadn’t known was there. Ever since Serena had played him for the fool and then killed herself, laying the blame on him, he had sworn off serious relationships. He had attempted to let his heart guide his actions once before and had it trampled on. Never again was his motto; at least until Brianna Daughtry had walked into his life. He had this overwhelming urge to take care of her and right all that was wrong in her world. Sitting up to take the tablets seemed to rob Brianna of what strength she had left, and she promptly fell back to sleep.

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When she woke several hours later, it was to find herself alone in a luxurious bedroom with the curtains drawn to keep out the sunlight. Rising from the bed, she pulled the sheet around her body and chanced a glimpse out the window. The backyard was unlike anything she had ever seen, except on TV or in magazines. A brilliant blue pool occupied one side of the yard, complete with a pool house, and the other side of the yard extended to a tennis court. She didn’t know where she was, but it was evident that this was not a cheap hotel. Entering the bathroom, she was surprised to see that she wasn’t in a hotel as she had first assumed, but a private residence. Trent’s private residence; his private bathroom to be exact.

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She opened the medicine cabinet and spied the bottles of cologne and couldn’t resist smelling them until she found the one that he had worn all week. He found her standing at the sink, wrapped in the sheet from the bed, eyes closed with his cologne bottle opened and it appeared that she was smelling it. Was she remembering his smell? Leaning against the doorjamb, he waited for her to open her eyes and discover she had company. Brianna inhaled deeply and then slowly lowered the bottle, closing the lid as she did so. She put the bottle back inside the cabinet and then closed it, gasping as she spied Trent lounging in the doorway.

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Grabbing the sheet with both hands, she turned slowly to face him. “You startled me.” “You look like you’re feeling better.” She started to nod and then stopped herself, her head was just barely throbbing and she didn’t want to chance the drums starting up again. “I do. I was looking for my clothes?” “I gave them to my housekeeper. I’m afraid your skirt was beyond repair and your shirt will most likely be permanently stained from the cut on your head.” Brianna looked down, well that was just great. Not only had she incurred even more medical bills with last night’s events, but she was also down one serviceable outfit, leaving her with only a few shirts and … Suddenly

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she remembered seeing Trent and someone else in that crummy motel room, packing her stuff and hauling it away? Was that a dream, or…? “Did you take my stuff?” she asked. Trent pushed away from the door, but before he could speak, she continued, “What I meant to say was, did you and someone else…” “My driver, Tom,” Trent provided. Brianna looked at him, “Tom… did you and Tom remove my things from that motel room?” Trent looked at her before answering, “Tell you what. You come back into the bedroom and eat the breakfast my housekeeper

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fixed you, and then I’ll tell you what’s going to happen.” Brianna bristled at his high-handedness. Who did he think he was? He didn’t make decisions for her. She walked back into the bedroom and took the seat he pulled out. The delicate omelet on the plate looked fabulous. A glass of orange juice and a perfectly toasted bagel also occupied space on the breakfast tray. Glancing up, she found Trent sitting on the edge of the bed watching her. At his nod, she turned her attention to the breakfast in front of her and was surprised at how hungry she was.

Chapter 20 Trent watched her eat and took a more thorough inventory of his houseguest. She was underweight, had the beginnings of dark circles beneath her eyes, even though she had just slept for nearly twelve hours, and was totally unaware of the effect she was having on his body. After she finished eating, Trent outlined the plans he had made on her behalf, “So, your memory was correct in that Tom and I did remove your possessions from that dive. You will not be returning and Tom made that clear to the motel’s personnel. As far as your belongings, please explain to me how

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someone gets to the age of twenty-four, finds herself living in a place not fit for rats, and the sum of her possessions equals four boxes, one suitcase, and a trash bag full of odds and ends?” Brianna felt like crying as Trent ruthlessly listed her life in terms of her meager possessions. She told herself there was no shame in being where she was today, life had been hard and she was a survivor. She wouldn’t always been in this place, she simply had to keep working hard and eventually she would rise above the circumstances that had brought her here. Who was she kidding? Life had been an excellent teacher and she would be well into her

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thirties by the time she finished paying off her mother’s hospital bills. This was her life. Trent watched the look of despair and acceptance fill her eyes and wanted to yell at her for being so ready to give in. “I spoke to Janet and she said your emergency contact was a nursing home. I spoke with them this morning and they asked me to convey their well wishes for a speedy recovery and wanted me to let you know that your mother is fine and will be very happy to see you when you are feeling a little better.” Brianna closed her mouth before she screamed in frustration. All of those months she had protected her privacy and in the space of hours he had found out everything there was to know about her. How was she

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supposed to find the strength to carry-on each day when she would have to see the looks of pity from her co-workers? “Brianna, it’s over. You are going to stay here and after you’ve healed, I will help you find another place to live, one that is safe.” Brianna felt the tears begin and didn’t have the strength to stop them, “You don’t understand. It takes everything I make just to pay for my mom’s care, and what I had left over barely covered the cost of that motel you called a dive.” She reached up and wiped the tears away. The sight of her tears was tearing him apart; he had never felt so helpless in his life. Trent Coldwell didn’t do helpless well. He made things happen, but whatever was going

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on in Brianna’s mind was beyond him to fix. His “Quit crying” came out harsh and he knew the minute it left his mouth that it was the wrong approach to take with her, but he was frustrated and wanted to fix everything for her. “Quit telling me what to do!” she yelled, wincing. Trent ran his fingers through his hair, “Then quit crying. It doesn’t solve anything.” “How would you know? When was the last time you tried it?” she cried. Trent laughed; Coldwells didn’t cry. There was no need to. Pushing off the bed, he began to pace across the room as he tried to figure out how to talk to her. She needed help, but she was too stubborn to accept it.

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“Brianna,” he began, softening his voice and injecting as much calm into it as he was capable, “Look, it’s obvious that you need a friend and you need someone to help you out. I want to be that friend. Please let me help you.” Brianna gingerly shook her head, “Trent, you’re my boss. Not my friend.” “Who says I can’t be both?” He found himself asking the same question silently, and decided that there wasn’t a valid reason. Brianna could be his friend, serve as his capable assistant during work hours, and spend her free hours as both friend and lover. Not since Serena, had Trent considered having a girlfriend be more than a bed partner. Thoughts of Serena had his mind

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wandering to the meeting, which was currently taking place at Coldwell Enterprises. He had cautioned security to be on the lookout for Marco Bresi, just in case the man was so bold as to show up during the negotiations and try to cause problems. Brianna didn’t have a ready answer for him. He could see the indecision on her face as he pulled her from the chair and led her back to the bed. Tugging her down to sit beside him, he wrapped her in his arms and lightly kissed over the bandage at her temple. Running his hands up her sides, he stopped before his hands reached her breasts. With one hand, he lightly brushed the back of his fingers over the nipple that had hardened with his touch.

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He continued to possess her mouth, taking the kiss deeper as she gave in to his demand for entry. While he continued to brush his fingers over her nipples, his other hand slowly pulled at the sheet she had wrapped around her, finally pulling it down enough that his hand made contact with her warm flesh. Molding first one breast and then the other, he felt her tentatively raise her hands to circle his neck as her body softened and swayed closer to him. Running his free hand up and down her bare back, he felt her shiver in reaction and let his mouth roam from her lips to beneath her ear. Brianna tipped her head back, giving Trent greater access and barely concealed

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her moan of pleasure. Never had a man made her feel so alive. She let her hands play in the hair that curled at the nape of his neck and tugged at his shirt, wanting to feel his skin beneath her hands and against her. She wanted to rub herself against his chest and breathed a sigh of relief when he pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it somewhere over her head. She let her hands wander across the broad expanse of his back and then moved around to his front, letting her hands mold the muscles, stopping to play when her fingers encountered his taut nipples. Trent was so ready to explode, he felt like a green youth again. He let her play for a moment, and then took the reins back, laying

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her down upon the bed and pulling the sheet from around her body. He worshipped her with his eyes as he looked at her, daring her to cover herself as she blushed. “You are so beautiful,” he told her as he joined her on the bed. Not giving her a chance to stop him, his hands and his mouth began their own form of worship as he showed exactly how beautiful she was. Before long, Brianna was panting and he smiled when he saw that she did indeed blush in other places, as her low moan turned into a wail as pleasure overtook her and she came undone under his hands. Not stopping, Trent’s hands continued to roam freely over her body. She opened her eyes and met his gaze and the desire she saw

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in his face took her breath away. She’d never seen someone look at her the way Trent did. He wanted to go slowly with her, as he sensed she had limited experience, but the longing to bury himself deep inside her, making them one, was too much for his control. Rolling her underneath him, he made room for himself between her legs. He closed his eyes in pure pleasure when he realized how wet she was, how so very ready for him. Moving slowly, he pressed his turgid member to her and pushed in slowly, wary about hurting her in any way. He groaned when he was fully embedded in her warmth and held still enjoying the feel of her wrapped around him.

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When Brianna started squirming beneath him, he took that as a signal that she was ready for more and began to thrust in and out, as she clutched wildly at the sheets. It took all of his self-control not to slam into her; the urgency was so great for him as he fought to breathe slowly to match his even thrusts. He shuddered as her inner muscles embraced him with each thrust making it difficult for him to slide in and out as her body began to spasm around him. Trent watched a deep flush creep down her body as he felt her tremble in anticipation. Increasing his pace, his thrusts soon matched her breathing. Dipping his head, he captured her scream of pleasure with his mouth, as his own orgasm shook him to his very core.

Chapter 21 Brianna tried to get control of her emotions as well as her breathing. Beside her, she felt Trent trying to calm himself down. After several minutes, Brianna began to feel self-conscious and reached for the sheet she could see lying next to her on the bed. Pulling it across her body, she was alarmed to feel the wetness between her thighs. Then it hit her, they hadn’t used any protection! Sitting up, she quickly wrapped the sheet around her, glancing at Trent to see him gently smiling at her, completely unaware of what they had just done. She quickly calculated the probability in her head and couldn’t

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contain her moan of despair when she came up with the wrong answer. The timing couldn’t have been worse. Trent watched Brianna and thought it was cute as she tried to hide her nudity from him. He had just spent the last hour worshipping her body, and yet she felt the need to hide from him now. Brianna saw Trent smiling at her and almost burst into tears. Rushing from the bed, she stumbled over the excess bedding material and would have fallen to the floor if he hadn’t sprung from the bed and caught her. “Hey, whoa! Where are you going so quickly?” She needed to get away from him, “Bathroom,” she mumbled.

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Trent helped her get her feet untangled from the sheet and then stepped aside, letting her hide in the bathroom and hopefully compose herself. She looked like she was about to cry again. He was confused at her strange behavior, until he turned back to the bed and saw the evidence of their recent activities clearly displayed on the sheet. He felt his heart drop to the floor as he looked down at the bed and realized he hadn’t protected her. He wasn’t concerned about diseases, but the chance of her becoming pregnant was a very real concern. Surprisingly, the idea of Brianna pregnant from their joining wasn’t all that repugnant. In fact, he wouldn’t mind her carrying his child at all. That concept should have sent him running from the room, but instead, he

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found himself knocking on the bathroom door. He heard the shower going and when she didn’t answer, he pushed the door open, seeing her silhouetted behind the frosted shower door, leaning her head against the shower wall and her shoulders shaking. Damn it! She was crying again and this time it was his fault. Sliding the shower door open silently, he stepped inside and pulled her back against his chest, making sure that the spray of water was not hitting her in the face. “Brianna, honey, I’m sorry. I wouldn’t intentionally put you in danger.” Seeing the look of defeat on her face, he kissed her gently before reaching for a clean cloth.

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Pouring shower gel on it, he began to rub it over her body causing her to moan as he reawakened her earlier passion. Sliding the cloth slowly over her, he worked to wash away her anxieties. Filling the palm of his hand with shampoo, he gently washed her hair as she leaned heavily against him, her eyes closed. Tilting her head forward, he rinsed the shampoo off before adding conditioner and repeating the process. Her groan of appreciation had him smiling as he realized how much he was enjoying himself. Turning the water off, he helped her out of the shower and left her standing on the bath mat as he wrapped a towel around his waist.

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Sitting her down, he dried her off with a plush towel before reaching for her comb and gently combing the tangles from her long hair. He then carried her back to the bed and held her, urging her to sleep and save their discussion for later. Thankfully, she listened to him and he felt her body relax as she turned her mind off and slid into sleep again.

Chapter 22 When Brianna next woke, it was to find a soft robe lying on the foot of the bed with a handwritten note inviting her to join him downstairs once she awoke. After using the bathroom to freshen up, she donned the robe and headed downstairs. She took in her surroundings and wondered what it would be like to live in such luxury every day. She would never want to leave her house. Finding Trent sitting on a couch, aimlessly flipping through the TV channels, she took a seat on the opposite side of the couch, dreading the coming conversation.

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She had given it some thought, and if she somehow became pregnant from today’s activities, she would just have to figure it out. She wouldn’t expect anything from him; after all, she had seen how he treated Chelsea when she had tried to get him to spend more time with her. He had sent his assistant to buy her an expensive bauble and then forgotten about her. Trent eyed her and when he saw the steel in her eyes, he figured their coming discussion was going to be full of energy and he looked forward to convincing her that his ideas were the right ones. “How’s the head?” “It’s fine. Not hurting all that much right now.”

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“You can have more pain medicine whenever you need it.” Brianna nodded, “Great. Uhm…I was wondering if you could call me a taxi.” Leaving was not an option he had considered she would try. Trent quickly thought of his options and then asked, “Was there someplace you wanted to go? I’d be happy to take you wherever it is.” Brianna considered the ramifications of letting him drive her to see her mother, and decided it would be the wisest option. She could save the taxi fare, and it wasn’t like he hadn’t already spoken with the staff there. “Okay. I really need to go see my mom. I…” He nodded and stood up from the couch, “Sure. Let me grab your suitcase so you can

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get dressed and I’ll get the car out and pull it around front. You did want to go right now, correct?” Brianna hid her surprise at his easy acceptance of her wishes. She had only known Trent Coldwell for a week, but he didn’t do anything unless it benefited him. All the way across town to her mother’s nursing home, she tried to figure out how this trip was of benefit to him. She was still wondering that when they arrived at the facility. The nursing staff informed Brianna that they had not told her mother of her accident, not wanting to upset her and that Mr. Coldwell had assured them she was going to be fine. Trent had shooed her away to go visit her mother, while he was given a tour of the

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facility by the night nurse who was clearly attracted to him. Brianna’s mother was happy to see her, and even though she had trouble communicating, she noticed her daughter’s injuries and she had no choice but to tell her mother what had happened. She left out the part about not having a place to go when she left here, but on the drive over, she had come up with a plan and was going to ask Jack if her old room was still available. While she didn’t think she could stomach him leering at her, and the way he always tried to brush up against her, she would at least have a place to sleep until she could figure something else out.

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As her mother tired, Brianna went in search of the facility administrator. After the intimacy she had shared with Trent, there was no way she could continue working with him, nor would he appreciate having to see her every day. There was a small chance that Janet could help her find another position within the company, but Brianna felt she owed it to the facility administrator to discuss her options in the event she was unable to meet her mother’s fees. As Brianna rounded the corner, she saw Trent shaking hands with the administrator and wondered how the man was able to charm everyone around him so easily. The facility administrator had never smiled at her, let alone shaken her hand. Rather, she always felt slightly dirty after dealing with

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him, and more often than not, his gaze was fixed on her chest, rather than her face. As she neared the men, Trent turned and held his arm out, indicating he wanted her by his side. Deciding to ignore his gesture, she walked towards the administrator, inquiring if he had a few minutes to discuss her mother’s care. When he brushed her off and asked her to contact his office about scheduling an appointment Brianna couldn’t believe it. She watched in shock as the man turned and disappeared around the corner. Trent tried to turn Brianna towards the exit only to have her pull her arm away from his touch and wrap her arms around herself. Something was definitely wrong and he intended to figure it out now. “What’s wrong?”

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Brianna shook her head before looking at him, “Everything? Nothing? Life? Pick one.” Not liking the sarcasm in her voice, he inquired, “Is there something wrong with your mother’s care that you needed to discuss with Mr. Abrams? I’m sure he’d be happy to meet with you now if I went and got him.” Brianna shook her head again, “Don’t bother. It won’t make any difference anyhow.” Looking up at him she said, “I’m going to go spend some more time with my mom. Thanks for dropping me off. I’ll come by tomorrow and get my things if it’s okay to leave them there tonight?” “What are you talking about?” Trent demanded, taking her by the arm and pulling her into the nearest vacant room.

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“Well, uhm, you took my things to your house last night. You said you…” “They are at my house. And what did you mean about me having dropped you off? I brought you to visit your mother, and when you are finished, you will be returning to my house, with me.” “But…listen, I appreciate you coming for me yesterday at the hospital, and this morning…I need to find another place to stay, and don’t worry about work, I’ll speak with Janet on Monday, maybe she can find…” Trent had heard enough, “Shut. Up. And. Listen. You,” he emphasized the word by pointing his finger at her chest, “are returning to my house, where you will reside until suitable living accommodations can be

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found. If there is a problem with the care your mother is receiving in this establishment, you will tell me and it will be taken care of. As far as speaking with Janet on Monday, that will not be occurring. You will be taking Monday off, along with me, and recovering from last night’s attack.” “Now wait a…” Brianna began, only to find Trent’s fingers against her lips, stopping her speech. “I have arranged a property manager to show you some available properties on Monday morning, and I assure you they will not be located in Federal Heights.” Shaking her head, “No. I’ll find my own place to stay. I…”

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“Brianna, stop arguing with me. If you think for one minute I’m going to let you stay in another fire trap motel, you don’t know me at all.” “That’s the problem. I don’t know you at all. I’ve worked for you the last week, and you’ve criticized everything about me. That’s…” “...not true. You have done excellent work as my assistant and I will not be looking for another one on Monday. There’s no reason you shouldn’t continue in that capacity.” Brianna watched him and when she remained silent he continued, “I know that what happened between us this morning was fast. I suggest we take a step back and spend some time together outside of work, getting

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to know one another.” When she didn’t offer another suggestion or complaint, he continued, “Now, if there is nothing more you need to handle here, I suggest we say goodbye to your mother and then head home. The bandage on your head needs to be changed and you must be hungry by now.” Brianna was speechless. Trent had neatly taken over her life and arranged everything. She was so unused to anyone lifting a finger to assist her; she wasn’t quite sure what her response should be so she kept silent and simply nodded.

Chapter 23 True to his word, a realtor showed Brianna several apartments that were within her budget and met Trent’s requirement for being safe. Brianna finally settled on one, which was a sublet and came completely furnished. The paperwork was quickly taken care of and she was able to retrieve her belongings from Trent’s house and move in that very night. Trent had spent the last several weeks taking Brianna to dinner, the zoo, and movies, trying to help her feel better about their relationship. Several nights a week, he worked late into the evening and on those nights he

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would call her on his drive home and she would drift off to sleep with the sound of his voice echoing in her ears. On other nights, they would end up back at his house and together they would expand their knowledge of each other – in bed and out of it. Brianna was pleased with the way things were going, and had begun to open up about her feelings. Trent was still arrogant and unnecessarily rude at times, but she was learning to adjust and deal with it. Working for Trent remained an exercise in frustration and there were days when she relished the thought of tearing him apart, piece by piece. This was one of those days. Trent was on the board of directors for several charity foundations and one of the

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biggest fundraisers of the year was taking place tonight. He was required to attend and give a short speech and he decided that Brianna would be accompanying him as his date. The problem - it was black tie and even though Trent had convinced Janet to go shopping with her and she had purchased a few inexpensive wardrobe items, she didn’t have the resources to purchase a formal gown. Trent, in his autocratic way, had taken it upon himself to pick out her gown for the evening and had just finished handing her the bag. Inside the bag, she found a lovely sapphire blue evening gown, matching shoes, and the appropriate undergarments. Trent had also informed her that a beautician

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would be arriving in thirty minutes to see about styling her hair and makeup. Brianna thought about refusing to attend, but Trent had been working such long hours, they hadn’t seen each other outside of work all week. Swallowing down her refusal, she calmly went back to her desk and finished the projection she was working on. After having her hair and makeup professionally styled, she tried on the dress, unsurprised when it fit her perfectly. The color of the dress brought out the red highlights in her hair. The crowning piece was a small jewelry box he presented her with a few minutes before they needed to meet the car downstairs.

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Brianna looked at the sparkling necklace lying on the velvet inside the box. She had never seen anything so beautiful. “Trent, it’s gorgeous.” “Turn around.” He secured the necklace before turning her around and giving her appearance a seal of approval. She was stunning! The moment he had seen the dress, he had envisioned seeing her wearing it. When he had seen the matching undergarments the designer had chosen, all he could think about was helping her out of them. The best of both worlds in his opinion. Brianna blushed at the approval she saw in his eyes. She felt beautiful when he looked at her like that. “Let’s go.”

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Brianna smiled and for the first time in several weeks felt the weight of responsibility lift and true happiness fill her soul. Part of that was due to the amazing man currently escorting her to the elevator. Her remaining happiness came from the knowledge that she was not pregnant. She had always been irregular in her monthly cycle, and had begun to feel the stress of not knowing when she had started spotting yesterday afternoon. She had been so relieved, and was looking forward to telling Trent later that evening. Since that first night at his place, they had used protection religiously, but had refrained from speaking of the possibility that repercussions were forthcoming. It was like a huge

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elephant trying to hide in the room. Trent had been watching her like a hawk lately; what she ate, how tired she was feeling, all of the things that one might look for in a pregnant woman. She was happy to report that her pregnancy was a non-issue. She had been planning on taking a pregnancy test this weekend, but now she would not have the need.

Chapter 24 Brianna was thankful that Trent had taken her to eat at some of the upscale restaurants before thrusting her right in the middle of the muckity-muck Denver social scene. Everywhere she looked she saw beautifully dressed people, sipping champagne and eating small appetizers she couldn’t begin to pronounce. Trent had kept her by his side for most of the evening, introducing her freely to everyone he spoke with and Brianna was pleased to see that he really did have manners when he needed them.

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As it drew near the time for him to give his speech, Brianna found herself standing next to a tall column, slowly sipping a glass of ginger ale. She had never been much of a drinker, and found the taste of most alcoholic beverages downright disgusting. Trent had laughed and promised to corrupt her. She had responded by telling him that he was welcome to try; she looked forward to seeing how he reacted to failure. Thinking about that repartee put a smile on her face, which was still there when the handsome older gentleman stopped next to her. “Mademoiselle, may I say that you look absolutely stunning this evening.” Brianna smiled at the good-looking man and replied, “Thank you.” Her confidence in

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her appearance had been slowly growing, and with Trent’s insistence, she had begun to see herself as he saw her. “So, what brings you to this meeting of the rich and famous?” the man inquired. She looked at him and gave him another smile, “I’m here with Mr. Coldwell.” Brianna was intent on looking for Trent so she could point him out to her companion and therefore missed the look of hatred, which consumed the man’s face. Marco Bresi couldn’t believe his luck. His sources had told him that Trent had a new female interest and that he was taking a different approach with this woman than normal. She had been seen at his residence on numerous occasions, and appeared to work

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for him in some capacity. Running into her at this charity function was like a gift, which had fallen into his lap. “Shame on him for leaving such a beautiful lady to fend for herself. May I get you another drink?” Marco offered. Brianna couldn’t find Trent amidst the crowd of people, but turned her attention back to her companion, “Oh, no, I’m fine. But thank you.” Marco held his hand out in introduction, “My name is Diamante,” using his middle name and intentionally not providing her with his surname. He wasn’t sure how this young woman would play a role in his revenge against Trent, but he would protect his options in the meantime.

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Brianna took the outstretched hand and replied, “Brianna. You have a very unique accent.” Marco gave her a smile one might give a small child, “I’m originally from Italy. I’ve come over to the States to conduct some business and meet with some investors.” Brianna shook his hand blushing when he raised her hand to his lips and brushed the back of it with his lips in an old-world gesture. “It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance.” “So, what does a beautiful young lady like you do with her time?” “I’m a personal assistant to Mr. Coldwell.” “And what business is Mr. Coldwell in? Maybe I should make his acquaintance?”

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Brianna nodded her head, “I’d be happy to introduce you. Trent’s the CEO of Coldwell Enterprises and they are involved in all sorts of industries.” “I would love an introduction. Tell me, is it a normal custom in your country for personal assistants to attend social functions with their employers?” Marco had been told that there was a personal relationship between Trent and this young woman, but would love to have firsthand confirmation of that fact. Brianna blushed, “Well, not exactly. Trent and I are also dating, and…” “Oh, I see. Well, he is a very lucky man.” Brianna’s blush intensified and she looked around for Trent again. Spying him heading

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her way, she was taken aback at the look on his face. He looked furious and was staring right at her. Trent had been searching for Brianna for several minutes when he spied her leaning up against a pillar at the back of the large room. Smiling, he wondered how she was enjoying her first foray into the high society of Denver. Personally, he was bored and ready to leave. As he headed in her direction, she turned as if looking for him, and he saw whom her companion was and his blood ran cold. The rage that consumed him as he realized that Marco Bresi currently had hold of her hand and was kissing the back of it was instant and uncontrollable.

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Trent ignored those wishing to speak with him as he made a direct path towards her. Whatever Marco had up his sleeve, she didn’t deserve to be caught in the middle of it. As he reached the pair, Brianna was watching him with a look of uncertainty on her face and Trent tried to school his features and reassure her that he was not angry with her. Turning to face his nemesis, he stated, “Marco. What are you doing here?” Marco let go of Brianna’s hand as Trent pulled her against his body, shielding her from Marco’s touch. “Good evening, Trent. You have a lovely young woman here.” Trent pulled Brianna tighter against himself, “What do you want Marco?”

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Marco waved a hand, “What do any of us want? Happiness? To see our children grow up and become successful? Grandchildren to bounce upon our knees?” Trent kept his face from revealing to Marco how close his statements hit. He was still blaming him for Serena’s death and the loss of his grandchild. “Well, that’s quite a list. Good luck.” Marco watched Trent and felt his rage swell, “Luck has nothing to do with it. I understand you completed the Global Tech acquisition. Congratulations.” Trent nodded his head, “Say whatever it is you came here to say.” Marco sneered at him, “Don’t brush me off. Unlike Serena, I will not be put aside so

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easily. You owe me and I will collect. Count on it.” Marco gave Trent another hard stare, and then turned and gave Brianna a smile before saying, “My dear, you should really look into the company you keep. I would hate to see you become another casualty. Good evening.” Brianna stared in confusion as Marco, or Diamante – whatever his real name was, turned and walked out of the event. Next to her, she could feel the anger that vibrated through Trent and turned to find him watching the man leave as well. “Trent, I…” she began only to be rudely cut off. “Save it. This isn’t the time or the place.” Seeing the look of hurt on her face, he

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softened his tone and continued, “I promise I’ll explain everything once we leave. Let me get this speech out of the way and then I’ll take you home, okay?” Brianna relaxed as Trent smiled at her, and then dropped his head to nuzzle her ear and whisper words about how beautiful he thought she was in her ear. Relaxing against him, she turned her head and kissed him on the cheek, “Go make your speech. I find I’m tired of playing dress up tonight.” Trent gave her another lingering kiss and then did just that, making sure that Brianna was safely tucked away next to the stage where he could see her the entire time.

Chapter 25 After giving his speech, Trent had taken Brianna to his home and carefully explained his relationship with Serena, her defection, and suicide. Brianna had been very sympathetic and felt saddened that Marco was unable to move forward with his life. Trent had been grateful for Brianna’s unwavering acceptance of the facts as he related them to her and he wanted to apologize for his behavior earlier and he decided to do it the best way he knew how. Of course, it helped that he was deeply interested in personally taking her dress off so that he could see her in her undergarments.

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Taking her hand, they walked upstairs. Or at least that was the intent. Three steps up and Brianna kicked off her shoes. Two more steps and she turned to face him. Reaching out, she pulled his tie loose and reached for the top buttons on his shirt. Exposing his chest, she leaned her head in and kissed him, enjoying the feel of his muscles as they rippled beneath her lips. Another step up and Trent was kicking off his shoes as she pulled the pins in her hair. Thinking that she was going to kiss him again, he was surprised when she lifted her skirt and ran the rest of the way up, laughing as she did. Smiling, he easily vaulted the stairs after her.

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Striding into the bedroom, he found her standing in front of the bed, her back to him. The overhead lights made her hair sparkle like precious metals. Turning her head, she lifted her hair, “Help a girl with her zipper?” she asked, as she wiggled her hips enticingly. His mouth suddenly dry, he only nodded as he stepped forward. Drawing the zipper down, he watched as the dress pooled around her like shimmering water. Stepping away from it, she turned to face him, the pale blue lace bra and matching panties looking fantastic against her skin as she smiled at him. Moving to join him, she reached her hands out and began unbuttoning his shirt as he pulled his cufflinks off and released the

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buttons at his wrists. Sweeping his shirt open, she rubbed her hands across his chest as he closed his eyes, enjoying the sensuous feel of her touch against his skin. Trailing her fingers down to his abdomen, she slid her fingers along his waistband before reaching for the clasp on his trousers. Her fingers fumbled and he silently helped her sliding the zipper down. He had to close his eyes again at the imagine of her kneeling in front of him as she pulled his pants down and waited while he stepped out of them. Her feather-light touch as she ran her hands up the inside of his legs almost finished him off as her innocent touch awoke feelings in him that he never knew he had.

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Bending down, he scooped her up and turned to the bed, tossing her into the middle of it as he pulled his shirt off and quickly removed his briefs. Joining her on the bed, he kissed her as his hands explored her body. Sucking on her lower lip, he slid his tongue in her mouth to intertwine with hers before breaking the kiss to follow his hands across her body, kissing and licking her everywhere he touched her. Shifting between her legs, he reached his hand down to find out that she was more than ready for him as his erection bumped impatiently against her leg. Grabbing a packet off the nightstand, he tore the wrapper off, sliding the condom over his waiting cock. Lifting her hips, he drove up through her folds, gasping as her muscles eagerly

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welcomed him. Thrusting deep, he buried himself to the hilt as she arched up, moaning his name as spikes of pleasure struck him to the core wiping away any memory of Marco’s recent appearance. Picking up the pace, he thrust into her, each stroke becoming more chaotic as her muscles clung to him with each outward pull. With a cry, Brianna was coming as her body twitched and spasmed beneath him. One, two, three more thrusts and his own orgasm rolled through him as he held her tightly to him.

Chapter 26 The next week flew by and Trent left for a three-week trip to Frankfurt to finalize the acquisition of Global Tech. While he was gone, Pam returned to work and Brianna found herself moved into an assistant position working under Janet. She was happy working in HR, and as Janet’s assistant, her salary had remained the same. Janet had quickly become a friend and since they both seemed to care for Trent, she felt that she finally had someone she could talk to about life. Marco Bresi had contacted her several times while at work, trying to lure her away

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from Coldwell Enterprises by offering her a job as his personal assistant in his Rome office. The salary he had offered her was staggering, but Brianna had no interest in working for him. He had invited her to lunch several times and she had finally met him at the deli in the lower part of the building, thinking she might be instrumental in helping him see the truth about his daughter’s tragic death. Unfortunately, he was firmly convinced that Trent had lied to her, and increased his attempts at luring her away from her current employment. After several days of being bombarded with his phone calls and messages, she had told him that she didn’t think Trent would

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approve of her speaking with him and asked him not to contact her again. She had been pleasantly surprised when he complied. Things were going very smoothly until she woke up one morning and rushed for the bathroom. After losing everything in her stomach, she had felt better and headed off to work. Unfortunately, the nausea had remained with her most of the day and she finally told Janet that she needed to go home. Brianna continued to be sick, usually in the early mornings and then again in the evenings, and after the third day, she was beginning to get concerned that she had some terrible disease. Trent had only called once during his extended trip, although he had been able to

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send daily emails to her. With her illness keeping her from the office, she had been unable to retrieve the most recent messages and went to bed hoping to feel well enough to return to work the next morning. ***** Trent was growing increasingly frustrated with Brianna’s lack of communication. He had heard from Janet that Pam had returned and had wholeheartedly agreed that she be given a position working with Janet in HR. She had been corresponding with him regularly until five days ago, when all communication had stopped. He finally called Janet to find out what was going on and was

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shaken to hear that Brianna had been out ill for the entire week. Janet had promised to check up on her after work that evening and then call him with an update. When Janet knocked on Brianna’s door, she wasn’t prepared for the sight that greeted her when the door was opened. Brianna heard the knock on the door and cringed at having to move. The nausea had been the worst today, and she found that if she laid very still on the couch, she could make it almost an hour without rushing for the bathroom. Having to move and open the door had her stomach churning again, and she barely released the latch when the urge to vomit

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overwhelmed her and she rushed for the bathroom again. Janet heard the door unlatch and saw it start to open, only to hear the occupant on the other side of the door quickly run away. Pushing open the door, she followed the sounds of someone being sick and arrived at the bathroom just as Brianna was rinsing her mouth out over the toilet. “Brianna, girl, you need to see a doctor.” Brianna turned and looked at her visitor and was never so happy to see anyone in her life. “Janet, I don’t know what I’ve got, but you shouldn’t come too close. I can’t keep from throwing up and it’s getting worse.” Janet ignored Brianna’s plea for her to stay away, and helped her stand up and

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brush her teeth. After helping her back into the living room, she called a friend who also happened to be a physician and made arrangements to bring Brianna over for a last minute appointment.

Chapter 27 “What?!” Brianna asked the doctor. She couldn’t have heard the doctor correctly. They had been so careful, all except that first time and that was more than three months ago. She had spotted a little each month since then. There was no way she could be pregnant. “I ran the test myself, Miss Daughtry. You are pregnant. It isn’t uncommon for women to spot especially during the early stages of their pregnancy.” Brianna’s heart was beating so fast. A baby? She was going to have a baby?

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“I’m writing you a prescription for some vitamins and an anti-nausea medication to help with the morning sickness. I advise you to contact an obstetrician and set up an appointment for regular checkups. Congratulations.” The kind doctor handed her the prescriptions and then left her to get dressed. Brianna got dressed in a fog. She was pregnant! Janet was waiting for her when she came out several minutes later. “So, are you going to live?” Brianna looked at her and attempted a smile, but then promptly burst into tears. Janet couldn’t imagine what news the doctor could have given her that would cause this response, unless it was really bad news.

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Pulling her over to a chair, Janet wrapped an arm around her shoulders and asked for an explanation. “I’m…I’m pregnant.” Janet was in shock. Brianna was pregnant? That meant that Trent was going to be a father. This was wonderful news and maybe just the thing to get these two off dead-center. “Honey, that’s wonderful news. I can’t wait until you tell Trent. He’s going to be thrilled.” Brianna stopped crying and began to shake her head frantically, “No. You can’t tell Trent. He has that big business deal in Germany, and then he’s supposed to go to Amsterdam to look at another facility before he

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comes home. If you tell him, he’ll come home right away and then it will be my fault if things with either deal fall through. Promise me you won’t tell him.” “Brianna, be reasonable. Trent would want to know, especially since you’ve been so sick. Honey, you have to tell him.” “No, I can tell him when he gets back and things aren’t so crazy. Maybe by then, the morning sickness won’t be so bad and…” “Brianna, listen to me. I’ve known Trent for most of my life and believe me, you don’t want to keep this from him. Tell him now.” Janet tried to convince Brianna to tell Trent, but she refused to burden him with it while he was overseas. Rather than Janet calling Trent with an update, Brianna made

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the call herself and whatever she said must have pacified him because Janet didn’t hear from him again.

Chapter 28 The negotiations overseas went smoothly and Trent returned to the States three weeks later to find an exhausted looking Brianna working at her desk in HR. He observed her from across the room and wondered why no one had told him she was ill. She had dark circles under her eyes, and from what Trent could see of her face, she had lost weight as well. Janet spied him first and gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. It was forced and Trent immediately knew that something wasn’t quite right.

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Reaching Brianna’s work area, he wrapped his arms around her from behind and nuzzled her ear as he whispered, “Miss me?” Brianna felt the arms wrap around her at the same time she smelled his cologne. Closing her eyes, she relaxed into his hold and tried to keep the tears at bay. Losing the battle, they spilled over the edges and ran down her cheeks. How she wished they weren’t at work and he could just hold her for the next year. The last three weeks had been torture and she still had to explain to him that he was going to be a father. Janet was sure he would be happy with the news, but they hadn’t even discussed a long-term future together and

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she didn’t want to make him stay with her if that’s not what he wanted. Trent turned her around and was stunned to see the tears running down her face. Clasping her head between his hands, he gingerly kissed her lips and then her eyes, feeling his heart break at the look of sadness in her eyes. Had something happened while he was gone? Was it her mother? Pulling her from her chair, he picked her up and made a beeline for the elevator. After reaching the top floor, he sent Pam home early, wanting to have some privacy with Brianna. He sat down on the couch and kept her in his lap. Something was bothering his woman and he intended to fix it now. “Brianna, tell

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me what’s wrong.” She almost laughed at the arrogance behind his words. How like Trent to demand she tell him what was bothering her, as if it would all magically fix itself. She pushed herself off his lap and avoided the hands that tried to keep her there. She needed some distance from him, just in case Janet was wrong and Trent wasn’t interested in being a father right away. She needed the distance to steel herself from the hurt that would follow his rejection. Taking a breath, she turned and faced him and watched as his eyes took in her appearance. She knew she had lost weight in her face, but there was no denying the effect of her pregnancy on her breasts and waistline. The buttons on her shirt were stressed

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around her breasts and the fullness in her waist was obvious where the shirt tapered down. She was almost four months pregnant, but her small stature and slim build had made the baby bump visible much earlier than on other women. Anyone looking at her would immediately assume she was pregnant. Brianna watched as her condition became apparent to Trent. His eyes were fixated on her stomach and couldn’t seem to look away. When he continued to sit there, not moving or saying anything, she finally broke the silence, “Well, say something. Please?” she hated that her voice sounded so needy on the last word.

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Trent looked up into eyes that were full of doubt and a slow smile spread across his face. “I was just thinking about the first time I met you. You were wearing a shirt that was so snug, you popped a button.” Tilting her head, Brianna looked at him, unsure what to think. “So does this mean that you…” She didn’t get a chance to finish as he took the steps that brought him to her. Reverently, he placed his hand upon her stomach, while grabbing her behind the neck with the other and kissing her as if she held the last bit of oxygen on earth. Brianna was so relieved, and all of the nights of worry about Trent’s reaction faded away with his kiss. She returned his kiss and many minutes later, she found herself back

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in his lap on the couch. She related finding out she was pregnant, and when he got angry that she hadn’t called him about her illness, she explained why. While he understood her reasoning, he made her promise never to keep something this important from him again.

Chapter 29 The next several weeks flew by as preparations were made for the wedding of the year. Trent had insisted that they get married immediately so the baby would have his name upon being born, and so that Brianna would not have any other reasons to avoid moving in with him. Brianna was so happy, she readily agreed to everything Trent suggested. He made her cut back her work hours, and hired a personal driver for her. He even moved her mother into a room in his house and hired a private nursing company to provide round-the-clock supervision and care for her. Brianna had

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once again cried at his generosity, something she seemed to be doing a lot of lately. News of their marriage made the national headlines, and when she received the strange bouquet at work, she really didn’t think anything of it. It was an arrangement of calla lilies and miniature red roses, and the card had an inscription in a foreign language. Brianna showed it to Trent that afternoon when he came to walk her out and he had demanded to know how long she had been making nice with Marco Bresi. Brianna hadn’t realized that the card was written in Italian, but Trent had. The flower arrangement was significant as well. He told her later that evening that he had sent a similar arrangement to Serena’s funeral.

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Brianna had been so repulsed at the significance of the gift that she had immediately thrown the beautiful flowers in the trash. She didn’t understand Marco’s obsession with revenge, and Trent admitted he didn’t understand it either. Serena had been dead for almost three years. Brianna felt sorry for Marco and hoped that somehow he would be able to find peace and accept his daughter’s death for what it was. As the time drew nearer for Brianna to give birth, she quit working and found satisfaction in helping out with some of the local charities. The local Children’s Hospital became the focus of her attention and she attended numerous fundraisers, with and without Trent by her side.

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Trent was so proud of his wife. She had struggled with her self-image and trying to figure out how she would fit into his social circle when he had first met her. Now, she was setting the trends and people were following in her footsteps. With proper therapy, her mother had begun to get some use of her left side back and was able to carry on a conversation now without stumbling over the words. Brianna had never been so happy. As part of a campaign being promoted by the hospital, she agreed to a photo shoot in their home, particularly focused on the nursery and childproofing a playroom. She was featured, sitting in the professionally decorated nursery, on the cover of 5280, a local

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Denver magazine and received numerous messages and well wishes for a quick delivery and healthy baby. The week before her delivery date, she was visiting Janet at the office when a phone call came in for her. Since she was there, she took the call and was stunned to hear Marco Bresi on the other end. “Brianna, how nice to hear your voice. I was under the impression that you had quit working in light of your delicate condition.” “Marco. Yes, I have cut back my hours. Was there something you needed? “ “I’ve been meaning to call and ask if you received my flower arrangement. The one I had sent over to congratulate you on your marriage. I realize it’s been several months,

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but time flies when one is conducting business worldwide.” Brianna wasn’t sure what game he was playing, but found that she didn’t like being in the middle of it, “Marco, I did receive your flowers and then promptly threw them in the trash. Did you think that Trent wouldn’t realize it was like the flowers he sent to your daughter’s funeral?” Marco laughed, “Good. I was hoping he would see the significance. He took my daughter and grandchild from me and I’m never going to let him forget that.” The hatred in his voice was unmistakable, even across the phone line. “Marco, I don’t think we have anything else to say. You are wrong in your

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understanding of how your daughter died. Trent had nothing to do with that. I’m sorry for your loss, but I really would like you to leave us alone. Leave me alone.” Brianna didn’t wait for a reply, but quickly replaced the receiver. Sensing someone behind her, she turned to see Trent lounging in the doorway, “Are you okay?” Brianna nodded, “I just feel so sorry for him. He’s wasting his life trying to revenge his daughter’s death. How did you know I was talking to him?” “Janet called me. She was concerned that he would upset you and with you so close to delivering…I have to admit that I really don’t like that he persists in contacting you.” Trent

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told her. After Marco had started calling her, Trent tried to find out if he had any legal options to stop him but given that the majority of the calls had been generated from overseas and so far, he had yet to make any threatening comments or gestures toward her, he was powerless to do anything. Brianna pushed herself up from the chair and placed a hand on her aching back. She had been having Braxton-Hicks contractions all morning, and now her back was hurting something fierce. Rubbing one hand on her lower back, she gave Trent a smile, “I think I’m ready to go home.” “Good. So am I.” Trent kept a watchful eye on his wife as he led her out of the building. He was secretly timing her contractions,

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amazed that she hadn’t yet realized she was in the beginning stages of labor. Having given the driver instructions to take them to the hospital, he smiled at Brianna and rubbed her back on the short drive. Hopefully, by this time tomorrow he would be holding his new daughter. Ultrasound had confirmed the sex of the baby several weeks ago and he envisioned a miniature replica of Brianna.

Chapter 30 Upon arriving at the hospital, Brianna smiled, not surprised that her husband had known she was in labor before her. He always seemed to be one-step ahead of the rest. Her doctor was already waiting for her and after a quick check, immediately took Brianna into the delivery room. Because of the size of the baby, a C-section had already been deemed necessary, and several hours after arriving at the hospital, Trent was looking through the nursery window at a very healthy baby girl.

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Brianna had been taken to her room and had yet to see their daughter. Walking down the hallway, he looked again at the snapshot he had taken of their daughter with his phone. Brianna had gotten a quick glimpse of their daughter right after the delivery, but had yet to hold her child. As soon as she was settled, the nurses had promised to bring their daughter down to the room. Trent couldn’t wait to see his wife holding their child for the first time. Entering her room, he was happy to see her looking relaxed and pain free. “Hey, momma, how’re you doing?” Brianna gave him a tired smile, “Good. Can I see her? Is she okay?”

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Trent leaned down and kissed the mother of his new child, “She’s perfect, just like you. The nurses are going to bring her down in a few minutes.” Brianna smiled, “I can’t wait to see her.” Trent pulled his phone from his pocket, “I took a picture of her a few minutes ago, look.” He handed his phone over and watched as she got a look on her face of pure love. There was nothing more beautiful than a mother looking at her child. When several minutes passed and the nurses didn’t arrive with their daughter, Trent pushed the call button. The nurse entered, expecting to see the happy couple cuddling their newborn

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daughter and was shocked to find them still waiting on her arrival. “Hi, Darcy is it,” Trent asked, reading the nurse’s name from her tag, “I was wondering if you could check on our daughter. I was told they would be bringing her down and my wife hasn’t had a chance to hold her yet. C-section.” Darcy swallowed and quickly replied, “Just let me go check on that for you. I’ll be right back.” The nurse ran to the nursery window. Tapping on the glass, she got the head nurse to exit, “Where is the Coldwell baby? They’re asking for her to be brought down to the mother’s room.”

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“The grandfather took her fifteen minutes ago.” “No, he didn’t,” Darcy emphasized that with a shake of her head. “I just came from that room and they don’t have their baby, and there’s no one else in the room.” “Call security immediately and ask for a Code Pink. They’ll lock down the hospital and seal the exits until the baby can be found.” “Who’s going to tell the parents that their child is missing?” Darcy asked, silently praying it wasn’t going to be her. “I’ll go. Ask security to pull the surveillance tapes and bring them up immediately. I’m hoping that the parents can help identify whoever is posing as the child’s grandfather.”

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Darcy nodded and ran back to the nurse’s station to make the call. Stephanie Belkins had worked as the head nurse for the newborn nursery for fifteen years and had never had a child abducted. It just didn’t happen. As she approached the mother’s room, she saw a security team approaching with a laptop loaded with recent surveillance footage. “Stephanie, I understand we have a missing newborn.” “I’m afraid so. I need you to pull the tape from the last thirty minutes of the hallway outside the nursery. The man is posing as the child’s grandfather.” Taking a deep breath, she released it when the tape appeared on the screen. “The parents are in this room, but

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they don’t know what has happened yet. I’m going to explain the situation and ask them to identify the man. As soon as they do, I need you to find him and the child.” The security team was nodding their heads as Stephanie pushed open the door and entered - laptop in hand. Trent looked up, expecting to see a nurse carrying his newborn daughter. Instead, he was greeted by the sight of a nurse carrying a laptop with several security personnel following in her wake. “Mr. and Mrs. Coldwell? My name is Stephanie Belkins and I’m the head nurse for the infant nursery. It seems there’s been some confusion and someone posing as your

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child’s grandfather took your baby from the nursery.” Brianna gasped and looked to Trent. He always fixed things when they were broken. “Trent?” Trent stood to his feet, ready to take on the entire hospital if it meant finding his daughter, “Who took her?” “Well, that’s what I need you to tell us. I have a feed of the security camera right here. I need to know who this man is. He’s the one who has your daughter.” Trent impatiently grabbed the laptop and held it so that Brianna could see as well. “Push the space bar to start the video playback, Sir,” offered one of the security officers.

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Trent pushed the button and the computer screen started to play the video. Brianna watched in horror as Marco Bresi’s image appeared on the screen. When her daughter was placed into his hands, she covered her face and began to cry. Trent clenched his teeth together to keep from roaring in rage. He would kill the man with his bare hands if he caught him before the authorities did. “Sir, do you know who that man is?” Trent nodded, unable to speak for the rage pulsing through his veins. He had wondered how Marco would eventually get his revenge; well, now he knew. Marco had stolen his child. Trent felt Brianna grab his hand and squeeze it.

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Looking at the nurse and security personnel, Trent answered, “His name is Marco Bresi, from Italy. He has a personal vendetta against me.” Staring them down, he commanded, “Find him before I do, or I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

END OF BOOK ONE Book Two Available Now: The Marine’s Virgin Lover Reader review for The Marine’s Virgin Lover “I purchased this book with the intent of reading it for about half an hour while dozing off to sleep. Amazingly, I couldn't put it down, and I finished the book before falling asleep!” – J. Allen

Thank You! Thank you so much for purchasing, downloading and reading my book. It’s hard for me to put into words how much I appreciate my readers. If you enjoyed it, please remember to leave a review for it. I love hearing from my readers! I want to keep you guys happy :). For all books by Leslie North go to: Leslie North’s Amazon Page OR Visit Her Website: LeslieNorthBooks.com Get FIVE full-length, highly-rated Leslie North Novellas FREE! Sign-up to her mailing list and start reading them within minutes: Get Your FREE books Here

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