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Chapter One
Normally calm, cool and professional Angie Jordan-more
generically known in the office as A.J.-stared out the
wide expanse of plate-glass window to the woman staring
back at her. Her heart raced in her chest and she rubbed
sweat-dampened hands across her smoky gray suit skirt.
What had she been thinking? Though she had to admit,
no one would ever guess the woman stretched out on the
snow-white billboard wearing sizzling-hot red satin
was advertising executive, yours truly. No one saw behind
the subtle gray suits and sensible plastic-framed glasses
to the desirable woman beneath the wool-blend fabric.
Hell, A.J. hadn't seen herself beneath the layers of
dull clothing until Bryce, her best friend and miracle-working-artist-photographer,
convinced her to pull this stunt.
Sure she and Daniel had been tasked-no, threatened
was the correct term-to come up with an ad for the agency
to bring in more business during the most critical of
holiday seasons, Christmas. As Rob Davison, vice president
of Tate and Westerfield Advertising, had so bluntly
put it, "Get more business or I'll get new staff."
But to put herself on the billboard? A.J. grimaced
at the five-foot-by-six-foot face staring back at her
through the window. She glanced down to the street four
stories below where people stopped to stare and point
at her picture.
She should be overjoyed the billboard was getting all
the attention, but she just wasn't sure what Daniel's
reaction would be when he came in. Bryce and his makeup
artists had certainly made a silk purse out of this
sow's ear. A.J. barely recognized herself in the gorgeous
red gown, exposing more skin than she'd ever dared without
being in a swimsuit on a beach.
Bryce sailed through Daniel's door and grabbed A.J.'s
arm. "Here he comes. You sure I can't stay and
see his reaction? I'd give my favorite lens to be here."
"You can't," A.J. said, her voice squeaking
like a teenager's. "He'll suspect something. I'm
not even going to be here."
Bryce tsked. "I'd love to see his face when he
sees your...ahem...assets." With a smirk, Bryce
left. A minute later, Bryce could be heard halfway down
the hall saying, "Oh, hello Daniel. Fabulous day,
isn't it? Almost feels like Christmas."
Fear fluttered in A.J.'s belly like a swarm of honeybees.
What would he think? Would he know? Wasn't that the
point? Didn't she want him to see her, not just the
suit?
At the last minute, A.J. got cold feet and closed the
blinds. Better to break it to him gently. Or better
yet, not at all. Too late, she was trapped in Daniel's
office. One way or another, the cat would escape the
bag.
"Bryce," Daniel nodded to the photographer,
in passing. Fabulous day? He'd yet to come up with a
decent campaign to pull Tate and Westerfield Advertising
out of the red. He and A.J. were supposed to talk this
morning about an idea she'd had. Maybe she'd come through
and both their butts would be saved from starting the
New Year with pink slips.
Vince Mueller stepped out of his office two doors down
from Daniel's. "Dan, my man. I see you and A.J.
have been hard at work. I love the new campaign. It's
freakin' fantastic." He clapped his hand against
Daniel's back, grinning ear to ear. "Old Westerfield
will be giving you two a raise by the end of the week."
He pulled Daniel close. "What I want to know is
where'd you find her? I want her full statistics and
a phone number to go with it. Better yet, can you fit
her in my Christmas stocking?"
Daniel sniffed his friend's breath. "Did you pull
another all-nighter? Are you still high? What the hell
are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb with me. You and A.J. struck
gold on this one. Mark my words. I'm just jealous I
didn't find her first."
"Find who?" Daniel continued on to his office
and tossed his briefcase onto his desk.
With a frown, Vince followed Daniel into the dark office
and spotted A.J. standing in the corner by the windows.
"Oh, there you are. Daniel's been playing dumb
with me. What's the scoop?"
A.J. blinked, her gaze shooting from Daniel back to
Vince like a shiny orb in a pinball machine.
Daniel's eyes narrowed. "What's Vince talking about?"
Had she done something without running it by him first?
Her rosy cheeks screamed guilt and she reached up to
push her glasses back up her nose. That was the thing
Daniel liked most about A.J. She was a terrible liar,
and she knew it. Okay, so that wasn't all he liked about
A.J. The trim curve of her hips encased in pencil straight
skirts, the full swell of her breasts beneath her business
suit jackets and the long smooth line of her neck had
him panting in sales meetings.
But he'd made a rule a long time ago never to mix business
with pleasure. Although, on more than one occasion in
the past two years, he'd been very tempted to break
a few rules with A.J.. "Did you need me?"
Okay, so that didn't quite come out right.
"I see you and Vince have things to discuss. What
I had to say can wait." She ducked her head and
scurried out of the room. If Daniel wasn't mistaken,
A.J. was hiding something. Something big enough to make
the self-determined young account executive leave the
room as if her tail was on fire.
Vince whistled. "Damn she's got great legs."
"Leave A.J.'s legs alone," Daniel muttered,
his attention on those firm, fabulous calves peeking
from beneath her skirt, the incredibly tiny ankles and
the arch of her feet in the low-heeled pumps.
"What do you want, Vince?"
For a moment Vince didn't answer, his head tipping
thoughtfully to one side. "You've got a thing for
her, don't you?" His focus shifted from the doorway
back to Daniel.
"No, we just work together." His rule. He
lived by it.
"You know if she was to lose the ugly glasses
and let her hair down, I bet she'd be a knockout."
Daniel had no doubt about it. He'd wondered himself
and had dreams about removing the glasses, business
jacket and skirt. Fantasy. Pure fantasy. They lived
and worked in the reality of this office. He dragged
his gaze away from A.J.'s disappearing skirt to his
friend. "What were you talking about when we came
into my office?"
"Don't tell me she didn't tell you." Vince
pounded Daniel's back. "Does our A.J. have a devilish
side hidden beneath that prim and proper business act?"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Vince marched straight to the window and tugged at
the cord on the blinds lifting them all the way up.
The cool winter sun shone into Daniel's office. "Her."
Vince poked his finger toward the glass. "I want
her number."
Daniel moved around Vince and stared at a woman staring
back at him from a billboard-a billboard three times
the size of a tour bus, stretching a full city block
on the side of the huge warehouse building directly
across from the Tate and Westerfield Advertising building.
Her slinky red dress displayed more skin than it covered,
the front dipping almost to her belly button, showing
enough cleavage to cause a wreck.
Five stories below, tires shrieked and metal slammed
against metal.
"Damn, did you see that?" Vince stared down
at the street. "That car just stopped in the middle
of the road and the one behind him rear-ended him."
Daniel hadn't seen it. He'd been too busy staring at
her. Despite the cleavage, it was the eyes that had
captured Daniel's interest. Eyes as fathomless as the
galaxy stared back at him, a misty hazel with flecks
of gold, green and blue lending mystery to her overwhelming
beauty. Auburn hair hung over one shoulder in shiny
sleek waves, brushing the sides of her breast. She was
every man's wet dream.
"You feel it, too, don't you?" Vince said,
his voice barely above a whisper. "She makes me
hard just looking at her. And I couldn't have come up
with a better slogan."
For the first time since he'd seen her gazing back
at him, Daniel focused on the words below the beautiful
reclining figure. "GOT YOUR ATTENTION?"
Boy did she, and then some. Not only did she have his
attention, she had his cock very nearly standing at
attention. He moved around his desk before his friend
had a chance to notice and rib him about it.
Vince cleared his throat and blatantly adjusted his
package. "I'm all over her. I just need her number."
He turned a pointed gaze at Daniel. "So, who is
she?"
He sat behind his desk and raised his eyebrows at his
friend. "Guess you'll have to wait and find out
like everyone else." Including me.
A frown formed on Vince's brow before his usual good
humor resurfaced. "Oh, I get it. It's all part
of the radio and television campaign. Brilliant tactic.
Brilliant." He shook his head as he headed for
the door. "Wish I'd have thought of it myself."
His laughter followed him down the hallway.
Radio and television? From his desk, Daniel pulled
the tiny portable radio he kept for the rare times he
got down to the corporate workout center. He plugged
an earpiece into his ear and adjusted the dial to a
local station.
"Tate and Westerfield Advertising have outdone
themselves this time. The entire downtown Dallas area
is crammed with traffic stopping to stare at the billboard
babe plastered across a full city block. Thanks Tate
and Westerfield for helping to beautify the city, and
put us in the holiday mood, one old warehouse at a time.
We've had calls from our viewers demanding to know who
she is. If you're listening, Tate and Westerfield Advertising,
we'll give you season tickets to the concert hall of
your choice if you'll just tell us who she is."
Daniel yanked the earbud from his ear, wincing at the
sudden pain. What the fuck? What had A.J. done without
telling him?
With another lingering glance at the babe on the billboard,
he left his office, pausing long enough to adjust his
straining cock before stepping through A.J.'s office
door.
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