He stood to walk her out and almost slammed into Carina. Her ruby red lips made a small O and gave him dirty images of what other things she could do with that mouth. He jumped a step back and cursed under his breath. “You scared the hell out of me.”
She tilted her head. “Jumpy today, huh? Oh, hello. I’m Carina Conte.”
Laura smiled and they shook hands. A sense of pleasure washed over him. Finally, he’d show her he was serious about his companions and treated them perfectly. He made the introductions. “Laura will be my date for Walter’s party.”
Carina’s smile never dimmed. “How lovely. You really should come to dinner one night at my brother’s house. Guests of Max are always welcome.”
Uneasiness shot through him. Laura looked a bit too eager. He shuffled his feet and tried to feign enthusiasm. “Um, of course. I’ll get back to you on some dates.”
“Friday nights,” Carina chirped.
“I’d love to. Thanks so much.”
He cleared his throat. What was she doing? He wasn’t ready for Laura to attend family events. Max frowned. “Did you need something?”
Carina held out a stack of papers. “Here are the reports. The Yankees won. The second floor had the game on, and Wayne got nailed in a photo.”
“You’ll need to reprimand him.”
“I’ll speak with him tomorrow.”
“Next time you allow a sick day, check the baseball schedule. And make sure they’re not hungover.”
“Understood.”
Her efficiency surprised him as much as her cool control. No matter what he gave her, she took it and never complained. In a matter of weeks she’d charmed the staff with her heart and humor. “Heard you let Tom go early today, too. I needed those sales figures. What was his excuse?”
“He didn’t want to miss his son’s spring concert.” She didn’t even wince. “I contacted Edward, and he’s going to help me get them to you within the hour.”
“Fine. I’ll need you to work late tonight again.”
“Of course.”
The door opened again and Edward came in. Max’s office suddenly resembled Grand Central Station. “Hey, boss. Heard you need sales reports this afternoon.”
“I needed them hours ago.”
“Carina and I will work on them now.” Edward smiled at Laura, and Carina jumped in to make introductions. They chatted as if at an intimate tea party instead of the office. “I guess we’ll see you at the party then. Let’s try to sit together,” Edward said.
Max lifted a brow. “Sit together? Are you going?”
Edward grinned. “Sure. I’m taking Carina with me.”
He watched as his assistant shot his salesperson an intimate smile. As if she also intended to combine business with pleasure at this party. Irritation scratched through him at the image of Carina sleeping with Edward. For God’s sake, didn’t she listen anymore? He curbed his temper. Time to have another little chat. And be a bit more forceful this time. Max ushered Laura and Edward out, and motioned for Carina to stay in his office.
“Laura seems very nice.”
His gaze tried to strip off her polite veneer but came up empty. “She is. I’m surprised you’re attending a work party with a business associate.”
“Many office employees attend these parties together.”
Her bland tone challenged him to take it up a notch. “You made it clear I should stay out of your private business. But I’m concerned about your reputation at La Dolce Maggie.”
“How so?”
Hmm. A slight tremble in her hands finally steadied. Her new ability to rein in her emotions intrigued his dominant instincts to push. “You are a founding member of this company. You don’t want it leaked around the office that you’re easy.”
A flush hit her cheeks but she remained still. “Easy? One date and you have me whoring around the office, huh?”
He almost jerked back but caught himself. “Rumors are easy to start. I already saw the way Ethan in accounting was following you around like a trained puppy. Are you dating him, too?”
The slow smile threw him off. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
He stared at this woman he didn’t know anymore. “I’m looking out for your career. I told you many times American men are different. I want you to be careful. Capisce?”
“You disrespect me more than any man wanting to get me into bed, Max.” Tiny puffs of breath escaped her lips, but she remained in control. Not one stray curl escaped her ruthless chignon. Her almond eyes simmered with a banked heat he itched to play with. “Men with physical needs are quite simple. But you use that masterful brain of yours to play head games. Setting up women for the kill. You like to control all the elements on the playing field so no one gets hurt, don’t you? But poor Laura is already falling for you, and you won’t even invite her to dinner.”
Merda, when had she gotten so sarcastic? “Laura knows the rules. You do not.”
She gave a humorless laugh and moved in. Her cherry red fingernails snapped at his tie in pure dismissal. “I’m making my own rules now. And I’m more honest than you.” Her scent wrapped around him and made him want to run in circles like a dog trying to catch his tail. “You couldn’t have a real relationship if your life depended on it, so you’ve focused your attention on me. Nice diversion, but it’s not going to work this time.”
“You know nothing about me and my relationships. All I’m trying to do is guide a young girl through her training. Just like Michael asked me.”
His final shot caught its mark. Anger steamed from her pores. She teetered on the edge of her famous temper, and he prepared for the ensuing drama—almost welcomed it. This Carina he knew and could handle.
Instead, she brought herself back from the edge and shot him an almost pitying stare. Took a few steps back. The severe cut of her black jacket only emphasized the earthy curves of her hips and breasts, a delicious contradiction that hardened his dick and screwed with his head. “If that’s what you need to believe to sleep at night, so be it. But while you’re comfortable with your illusions, know this. I don’t care what you do anymore, Max. Your relationships don’t concern me, but mine do. And if I want to boink Tom, Dick, and Harry in my own private time, stay out of it. Because I don’t want to sleep comfortably at night.” She smiled. “Not anymore.”
Her heels clicked on the polished wood. “I’ll be in accounting if you need me.”
He stared at the closed door for a while. This was no longer a girl he faced. This was a full-blown Eve, and he was in more trouble than he thought. He raked back his control and wondered what the emptiness in his gut meant. Since he didn’t know how to get rid of it, Max guzzled some water and moved on.
Just like he always did.
Chapter Four
Carina walked around the tiny loft apartment. Boxes littered the gunmetal carpet and the kitchen barely had enough room to fit a person with generous hips. The canary yellow futon splashed color and mixed with the array of crazed watercolors hung on the wall. Definitely not an artist worthy of a showing, but at least they were cheery and interesting to look at. The large windows opened to view an array of towering trees, as if she lived in a modern tree house from one of those fantasy movies.