Free The Way They Were by Mary Campisi

man.
    “Yes.” She licked her bottom lip. “Seven-thirty?”
    He nodded, but he was thinking of those lips and what they could do to him. Delicious, wicked, wonderful things.
    “Thank you. Nice meeting you, Maxine.” Her gaze shifted back to Rourke and she said in a half shy, uncertain voice, “I’ll see you tonight.”
    He watched her leave, the sway of her hips pulling him back years to hot nights of unfulfilled passion and desperate promises.
    “Would you like me to organize that file?”
    Maxine stripped his fantasies with her clipped efficiency. “What? Oh, sure. Get this in order and then let me see it.”
    Kate had the softest skin he’d ever felt. He wanted to touch her again, worship her naked body…
    “Mr. Flannigan?”
    Bury himself deep inside her …
    “Sir?”
    Make her forget there was ever anybody else…
    “Sir!”
    He swung around to find Maxine staring at him, a confused look pinching her face. “What is it? You look like you’re about to be sick.”
    She held the file out to him. “This—this—”
    “Yes?”
    “This is you.” She pointed to the name of his holding company.
    “Kate doesn’t know that.”
    “You’re going to give her advice on how to go about suing you?”
    “I’m going to look over the documents and see what the lawyer has told her,” he corrected. “Then, I’m going to advise her to settle.”
    “But Mr. Flannigan—”
    “It was an accident, Maxine. The lawyer is probably some ambulance chaser looking to take advantage of a widow with a child. I won’t let that happen,” he paused, then added, “to Kate, or to me.”
    Her small mouth pinched together like a crepe.
    “You disapprove.” Maxine had a way of making her opinion known without saying a word.
    “It’s not my business to approve or disapprove, sir.” She slid into the secretary chair and swiveled around to face the computer.
    “I’m not going to take advantage of her.” He scratched the back of his neck and spoke to her ramrod tweed back. Hadn’t he told her to dress casual? “We knew each other years ago.” What a pathetic understatement.
    She opened the folder and began perusing its contents. “I gathered that, sir.”
    “You did?” He moved to the side of the desk so he could see her face. “How?”
    She turned her bird-like neck toward him and said matter-of-factly, “It was the way you said her name.”
    “Kate? What did I say?”
    She shifted in her chair, clearly uncomfortable with the line of questioning. “Your voice shifted a few decibels lower. Soft. Gentle.” She shot him a quick look. “There’s nothing soft or gentle about you, Mr. Flannigan.”
    “So, I didn’t bellow. That doesn’t mean anything.”
    “No sir.”
    “There’s nothing wrong with being civil and concerned, especially with a woman who’s skittish to begin with.”
    “Of course, sir.”
    “I was being a gentleman.”
    “You were.”
    “And I saw no need to establish my usual aggressive demeanor when the woman posed no threat.” Except to my peace of mind. And possibly, my heart.
    “Exactly.” She powered up the computer, clicked on the mouse and waited.
    “Right.” Rourke shoved his hands in his pockets and studied his assistant. Maxine was a strange character but she was an honest one. “You’re thinking I’m full of it, aren’t you?”
    Her fingers faltered on the keyboard. “It’s not for me to say.”
    “Truth, Maxine.”
    She nodded her grayish-brown head. “I’m sorry, sir.”
    “For what? Being right?”
    “For telling you what you don’t want to admit to yourself.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 10
    “ You think they’ll wear a big G for Guilty on their foreheads?”—Rourke Flannigan
     
    “For God’s sake, Rourke, why is Maxine there?”
    “She’s a very capable assistant, Diana. I depend on her.”
    “Why would you need an assistant?” And then, “Exactly how long do you plan to stay?”
    He hesitated, just an extra breath, but he knew his aunt