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Chapter One
Renee Guillot balanced one high heel on the chair and one knee on the counter while reaching up and digging through the top cabinet looking for a box of manila folders. She clutched a cordless phone in one hand as she precariously reached up higher with the other. Her calf muscles flexed and strained as the heel of her shoe came off the chair as she lifted onto her tiptoes.
As soon as her ninety-day trial period was over, she swore the first thing she was going to do was reorganize the whole office. The filing system was backwards, the ordering process was antiquated, and the damn storage system was ridiculous. Mrs. Argenot was extremely kind-hearted, but she was getting very old.
"Get off that damn chair before you kill yourself." Renee heard the bark and grabbed the cabinet door. Her nerves shot to hell when she recognized the voice. She didn't even know he was in the city, let alone the building. Damn it! He was supposed to be in New Orleans all week.
There was ferocious intensity in his command and Renee decided not to antagonize him further. She tossed the box down and carefully placed her other foot on the chair. Great. Now she was leaning over with her butt in the air pointed toward him. She continued down and off the chair as gracefully as she could with four-inch heels and a pencil skirt that ended five inches above her knees. It was one of her favorite outfits, but she had only worn it because he was not supposed to be in Baton Rouge this week.
Robert Thibodeaux savagely controlled the primal emotions gripping him. Renee Guillot was a serious mistake and he had realized it the first time he met her five weeks before. Her physical perfection was bad enough, but the earthiness that pulsed from her body had a provocative effect on him that wouldn't let up. The woman was sexy, no question about it. Sexy in a way that was giving him no respite, day or night.
As Renee slowly turned to face him, she admonished herself for letting him get to her. He was like any other man. Any other boss. She absolutely refused to think about his astounding good looks. He had no impact on her. Absolutely none. She wouldn't allow it.
She was just about to speak when the phone in her hand started ringing. Thank God. She needed something to occupy her for a few moments while she tried to regain control. She pressed the talk button and lifted the phone to her ear. "Thibodeaux Construction. Renee speaking."
"This is Jane Thibodeaux. I need to speak to my husband, please." The voice on the other end of the line was breathy and held not a trace of Louisiana accent. Renee knew she was talking to East Coast upper crust.
Renee forced good cheer into her voice. "Just one moment please, Mrs. Thibodeaux. I'll get him for you."
She looked back at her boss, standing quietly watching her with displeasure on his face. She cleared her throat and looked away. "Your wife needs to speak to you." She lifted the phone in his direction.
His face darkened with irritation. He crossed his arms over his chest and made no move to pick up the phone. "My ex-wife. I'm not married. I haven't been married for five years." The words were both accusing and menacing.
Renee suddenly heard a roaring sound in her ears and she started to shake. Both relief and distress consumed her.
