Terri picked up the lotion and squirted a mound of the cream into her palm to begin the rubdown.
But when she started to work the lotion into his skin, her hands froze.
Dear God. This man wasnât Richard!
The burnished, hard-muscled leg did not belong to her ex-husband!
Terri began to tremble. Without hesitation she rushed to his side and bent over him so she could peer into his eyes.
A pain-filled gray gaze stared back at her between dark lashes. There was a frantic urgency in his look she could feel to her bones.
âYou poor man,â she whispered in a shaky voice. âAll this time everyone has thought you were my ex-husband. No wonder youâve been so upset.â
The man let out a moan, which she took for a yes.
From boardroomâ¦to bride and groom!
A secret romance, a forbidden affair, a thrilling attraction?
Working side by side, nine to fiveâand beyond⦠No matter how hard these couples try to keep their relationships strictly professional, romance is definitely on the agenda!
But will a date in the office diary lead to an appointment at the altar? Find out in this exciting new miniseries from Harlequin Romance>®.
Look out for Rebeccaâs next book,
Bride Fit for a Prince (#3740)
âARENâT you going to invite me in?â
Matt Watkins was a nice-looking divorced guy whoâd recently moved to Lead, South Dakota, to manage a busy service station.
Tonight had been their first official date, but already Terri Jeppson knew she could never be interested in him. She sensed he was looking for a wife. It would be better to dash his hopes now.
âIâm sorry, Matt. I start work early in the morning andââ
âYouâre still in love with your ex,â he broke in before she could finish, sounding more hurt than angry.
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him her love for Richard had died an early death during their six-year marriage. But she caught herself in time.
âMaybe I am, and it took going out with someone else to realize it,â she said. It was an excuse she felt he could live with. âPlease forgive me. I really did have a wonderful time with you tonight. Thank you for dinner and the movie.â
He stared hard at her. âWhen you think youâre over him, let me know.â
She nodded before shutting her apartment door. Glad the evening had come to an end so she could stop feeling guilty, she walked into the kitchen and automatically turned on her answering machine.
Her job as assistant head of the chamber of commerce meant she received a lot of calls transferred to her apartment after hours. Summer was the busiest time. July was the worst in terms of the swarms of tourists wanting to see Mount Rushmore and vacation in the Black Hills.
While she waited to hear what problems needed troubleshooting tonight, she sifted through the mail she hadnât bothered to look at earlier.
The first two calls were from her mother and sister Beth who lived in Lead with her husband Tom. Unfortunately Beth had discovered Terri was going out on a date. Her family was so eager for her to meet a man who was âworthyâ of her, their interest in her nonexistent love life was transparent. They werenât going to like it when she told them she wouldnât be seeing Matt again.
Another message played. âMrs. Jeppson?â it began, letting her know it had to do with business. She tossed her junk mail in the wastebasket while she listened.
âMy name is Martha Shaw. Iâm calling from Creighton Herrickâs office at the Herrick Corporation Headquarters in Houston, Texas. Your husband, Richard, was injured in an accident where heâs been working. Weâve been told you should come as quickly as possible. A special family emergency visa has been arranged for you to enter the country.â
Country?
âSince this wonât require you going into the jungle, you wonât need any immunizations. The company will pay for your transportation and hotel. After you hear this message, please phone me at the following number day or night so I can book your flight and make hotel accommodations for you.â
Terri stood there in shock.
She and Richard had been divorced for almost a year, and had been separated six months before that. Thereâd been no communication between them since their divorce had become final. Sheâd thought he was out of her life forever.
Why would he have lied about his marital status when she knew he was happy to be a free man with no ties?
As for working outside the U.S., she couldnât imagine it unless a glazier could make a lot more money somewhere else.
The whole thing was a complete mystery to her, but whatever the explanation, it appeared his condition was very serious, otherwise the company wouldnât have gotten in touch with her.
After playing back the message so she could write down the phone number, she made the call. It only rang twice before someone picked up.
âMartha Shaw speaking.â