Her hand shaking, she reached to turn off her desk lamp, but it tilted to the side. His hand reached out and steadied it before it fell.

“I got it.”

Was there a shade deeper than beet-red? She clung to her purse as if it were a shield as she hurried around the desk. She barely came up to his chin. Not that she wasn’t used to being short; it was just that he made her aware of how small she was compared to him.

“So how long have you been working here?” he asked as they started to walk.

“About a month now.”

Reaching around her, he flicked off the light for the hallway they’d just left. Her nose filled with his subtle cologne, spicy and rich, tantalizing. She wanted to lean into him and… Whoa.

“Do you like working for us?” He didn’t seem to notice her distraction.

“Yes, it’s a great opportunity.”

They stopped at the door to the outside. Before he could reach across her again, she flicked off the switch and smiled uncertainly.

The only light came from the emergency backup in the corner. His hand gripped the doorknob, and he stopped. His eyes gazed down into hers, and the air was sucked out of the room.

His mouth opened as if to say something but then shut again. Her heart hammered against her chest. Finally he smiled and turned the knob.

“Sorry, I’m a bit jet-lagged.” He held the door open while she passed through. He closed the door and locked it. “I had to get through some files on my desk. If I’d been at home, I’d already be in bed.”

An image of him on black satin sheets raced through her mind. She swallowed hard. “Well, I won’t keep you. My car’s right there. Good night, Mr. Booker.” She started to walk away.

“Chase. Good night, Natalie.”

She could feel his eyes on her back as she walked. Almost dropping her keys, she finally got the car door unlocked and slipped inside. She glanced back to where he stood in the streetlight.