Free Island Affair (Escape Into Romance) by Kathrine Emrick Page B

that she was in trouble.
    "I thought that it was perfectly obvious what it is." Her momentary bravado dissipated as his face darkened even further.
    "Don't try and be funny. This is serious. Why would you want to leave?" Lacey panicked. She didn't have a reasonable excuse for wanting to leave. She couldn't very well tell him the truth.
    "I need a change." It was the best she could come up with on short notice. He scowled at her.
    "You need a change? Really?" He hadn't raised his voice once. She knew that was a bad sign. She had seen it time and again in negotiations and usually the other person came off worse.
    Trying to stay calm she said, "Yes, a change. I have been working with you for two years now and it can be quite intense. I need to do something a bit more sedate."
    She was startled when he laughed out loud at that. "Oh come on, you can do better than that. Make up a better excuse. You would be bored stiff within a day doing something a bit more sedate. You thrive on the excitement."
    She couldn't argue with that. It was true. But she also couldn't tell him the real reason she wanted to leave. She decided to go for the jugular. "Okay, you're right. It was an excuse, and a pretty poor one at that. The truth is I need to get away from you. I don't like working for you. I don't particularly like you very much."
    The grin fell from his face and the thunderous look was back. "Since when?"
    "Since...well, for a long time." Was that her voice all squeaky and timid? That wouldn't do. She stood up straighter and glared at him. He stared right back at her for a long few minutes. Her nerves were taut and just as she couldn't stand the tension any longer he looked back at the letter. He then proceeded to violently rip it to shreds and the pieces fell to the floor.
    "You aren't leaving me. I won't let you." He crossed his arms over his chest and stood tall.
    Lacey's heart was pounding. This wasn't going the way it should have. She was supposed to resign and he was supposed to accept it. "Yes I am. I have given you four weeks notice. I will find someone competent to replace me. Someone just like me. You don't need to worry. I'll take care of it. You won't be inconvenienced at all."
    "Are you crazy? There is no one else like you. No one will be able to replace you. You know exactly how I like things done. You won't find someone who can do what you do." He moved in closer to her and her breath hitched. His blue eyes narrowed and she watched in fascination as they darkened. "There is only one of you. You're irreplaceable."
    "I'm leaving and there's not a damn thing you can do about it." She lifted her head in defiance, staring deep into his eyes.
    "You should know me well enough by now, Lacey. I always get what I want. And what I want is for you to stay. So you will."
    She wanted to wipe the smug look right off his face. "And you should know me well enough by now to know that when I say I'm going to do something, I do it. I will be leaving." She could feel the anger welling up inside of her as her voice got louder.
    He backed away from her abruptly and slammed his hands down onto his desk. "I don't think so." He turned to look at her and she was surprised to see hurt in his eyes. Why would he be hurt? What did it matter to him whether she stayed or went?
    "I think you will stay here with me. I don't really think you will leave."
    Jonathan saw her sag as the fight went out of her and she said very quietly, "I will be leaving Jonathan. Make no mistake about it. Nothing you can say will make me change my mind."
    He was surprised by the seriousness with which she spoke. For the first time he was worried that he was really going to lose her. He had been sure that he was going to be able to talk her around.
    Panicked, as she turned to leave, he grabbed her arm and whirled her around to face him. They ended up chest to chest, so close he could feel the heat of her body radiating off her and penetrating the thin fabric of his shirt. They were