Free Entwine (Billionaire Series) by Evelyn Harper

that?”
     
    “You just seem
really good at understanding which people will work together the best based on
their strengths and weaknesses.” Jennifer was a little puzzled by the reaction.
“I just thought you may have taken some psychology classes in school or
something.”
     
    “Oh, no,” he shook
his head. “I guess I just read people well.” He turned his attention back to
the papers on his desk. “I think that's all for this morning. We'll pick up
after lunch with some of the other types of duties that managers are obligated
to fulfill.”
     
    It wasn't until
Jennifer was heading down for lunch that a reason dawned on her for Philip's
odd response. Maybe it wasn't psychology classes that he'd taken, but maybe
he'd been in counseling of some kind. It didn't hold the stigma it once had,
but a lot of powerful men still felt like it was something they couldn't talk
about. Then again, she countered, he could have just been self-taught and
surprised by her question. Philip was the type of ambitious person who would
read up on anything that would help him run his business better.
     
    That ambition was
one of those attractive qualities that she hadn't really considered before, she
realized. She'd always prided herself on not being superficial and caring about
things like money and position. In fact, she'd kind of looked down on people
who placed so much importance on things like that and she'd always considered
ambition to go hand-in-hand with those types of things. Now, in Philip, she
could see that her previous opinion had been wrong. Philip wasn't ambitious
because he cared more about money than about people. He enjoyed his work, but
the people were a vital part of it. In some ways, he paid more attention to
people than some who claimed that it was their job to love mankind.
     
    With that newfound
appreciation, Jennifer went back to the office after lunch ready to learn.
Philip was already at his desk and he glanced up as she sat down. Without any
preamble, he began. “There are certain positions in the hotel industry that
managers don't hire people to fill but businesses. But, since a business is
only as good as its people, you have to consider what you're looking for when
you make those decisions. Let's start with the linen service...”
     
    ***
     
    By the time the day
was over, Jennifer felt like her head was going to explode, but in a good way,
not like it had been the day before. Philip had been all business, but he'd
been teaching so she felt like there was still some sort of connection there.
Granted, it wasn't emotional, but it was something.
     
    Jennifer packed up
her things, excused herself for the day, and made her way to the elevators. She
was just about to press the elevator button to head down to the ground floor
when a hand darted between the closing metal doors. To her surprise, Philip
stepped through the doors and pressed the down button.
     
    Jennifer gave him a
puzzled look but didn't say anything. If he wanted to talk to her, she'd let
him initiate. Things were all right between them at the moment and she didn't
want to strain anything by asking a question he didn't want to answer.
     
    Philip didn't say a
word as the elevator beeped down two floors, didn't even look at her. Then,
just as they were halfway between the first and second floors, he reached out
in front of her and hit the stop button. As the elevator jerked to a stop, and
before Jennifer could react, Philip was right next to her, looking down at her
with an unreadable expression on his face.
     
    He stepped around
her without a word and then reached his arm around the front of her waist and
pulled her back against him. Jennifer let out a surprised squeak, but didn't
say anything else. Philip yanked her shirt out of her skirt and shoved his hand
under the waistband. His intent became crystal clear as his fingers danced over
the cotton material and down to the rapidly dampening crotch of her panties.
Jennifer's breathing