Susan Kearney - Bordering on Obsession (Harlequin Blaze Series #96)

SUSANKEARNEY

TORONTO NEW YORK LONDON
AMSTERDAM PARIS SYDNEY HAMBURG
STOCKHOLM ATHENS TOKYO MILAN MADRID
PRAGUE WARSAW BUDAPEST AUCKLAND

Contents

Youreobsessed with me, he said, looking up from the scriptin his hand.

Yes,I am. More than you know.

ButMaggie Miller suppressed the thought, and instead dutifully recitedher line. And you can read my mind. Shekept her eyes lowered to the bound pages on her desk so that herboss, legendary movie writer-director-producer Quinn Scott, wouldntread more in her expression than she wanted him to see.

Likethe fact that she found Quinns mouth more tempting than a hotfudge sundae with whipped cream and a lush cherry on top. Like thefact that her heart battered her ribs like a sledgehammer. Or that ifshe hadnt been sitting behind her desk, her legs might nothave supported her.

Itwas all Quinns fault for providing a show she couldntignore. In his excitement over the script, he may have forgotten hedbeen on the way to his shower, but she hadnt. His sweatpantshung low on his hips and, bare from the waist up, his shoulders andchest glistened with moisture. His angular frame made her mouth wateras he strode into the office after his daily workout. A script in hishand, a white towel around his neck and yards of bronzed skinbeckoning, he could have been half Greek statue and half movie star.

Totallyyummy. And off-limits. Maggie Miller wasnt some newbiesecretary enamored by just any man. Oh, no. Shed been workingherself up into a lusty lather over her oh-so-handsome, oh-so-sexyboss for a good four years now. Playing the good administrativeassistant, shed tried to keep her tongue from hanging out ofher mouth, but, damn it, when Quinn asked her to read hot lines fromhis latest script, the fantasy seemed too real.

Itwas bad enough that Maggie dreamed of him all night and woke up withthoughts of him every morning, but reading love lines back to himbordered on insanity. Especially when Quinn didnt have theslightest idea of Maggies feelings.

Unfortunatelyfor her, Quinn regularly dated voluptuous blondes, internationalbeauty queens and Hollywoods leading ladiesnot theefficient secretary hed inherited from the man hedreplaced.

Maggiedrummed her fingers on her desk. Quinn would never suspect herfeelings because he never even really looked at her. How could hewhen she hid the real Maggie behind her businesslike clothes? To keepher position as Quinns oh-so-capable assistant, Maggie hadburied her real self. Well, she was done watching Quinn go from onelucky woman to another.

Quinnscell phone rang before he could read his next line. He checked callerID, and tossed his script onto Maggies desk. Wellfinish reading the scene later. I need to take this call. Thenhe disappeared into his office.

Maggiestacked the scripts on top of a towering pile and sighed. Doingsomething, anything, to get over her uncontrollable preoccupationwith the man had become not only necessary, but absolutelyimperative. However, since her goal of becoming a casting agent mightvery well depend on Quinns goodwill, she didnt want torisk their working relationship by making a move in his direction.

Andafter this mornings phone call, Maggie had the chance to lureher boss into bed. Maggie had answered the phone to hear LaineLamondes harried agent explain, Laines jet hadengine trouble. Shes landed safely in London, but Imafraid she wont cross the Atlantic in time for her date withMr. Scott.

Ofcourse the French film star wouldnt be caught dead travelingon a commercial airline. And since Laine was stuck in London, Maggiehad the opportunity to take the actresss placeif shedared to seize the moment.

Maggiewanted much more than to arrange Quinns daynow sheintended to rearrange his night. She wanted her turn. Just oneluscious night. A wild fling.

Thistime, instead of some vapid starlet, Quinn was going to escort thewoman he depended on to keep his extraordinary life in perfectworking order. If Maggies plan succeeded, and her plansusually did, Quinn would never know his secretary had taken Lainesplace for the evenings masquerade party. She would get hernight of passionand without risking the loss of her job, herfuture as a casting agent, or the friendly rapport she shared withher brilliant boss. With Laines cancellation, Maggie had adoozy of an opportunity. And she intended to make the most of it.

Knock.Knock.

Maggielooked up from her desk to see Kimberly Hayward, Quinnsprotg and Maggies friend walking into heroffice, carrying spools of film under her right arm and the dressthat she had picked up from Laines hotel room in her left.Acting like a thief afraid of being caught, instead of Quinnsfavorite production assistant, Kimberly glanced right, left, and backover her shoulder. She even checked Quinns closed office door,before holding up the dress and whispering, What do youthink?

Maggiehad no trouble imagining herself dressed in the cerulean satinstrapless gown with bead-encrusted bodice, and despite thebutterflies swarming in her stomach, she grinned. Itsperfect.

Kimberlyreached into her pocket and handed her an envelope with a receiptattached. The concierge signed for these babies then sent themup to Laines hotel room.

Withher hand only trembling slightly, Maggie opened the envelope. Asapphire-and-diamond necklace with matching dangling earrings pouredinto her hand. Nice.

Ifyoure still going through with your plan

Ofcourse I am. The image of wearing that dress for Quinn excitedher almost as much as the idea of taking it off for him. Shednever been an exhibitionist, but nowher lust for Quinn wascausing her nipples to harden and stand out enough that she wrapped asweater around her shoulders and let the sleeves dangle down toconceal her arousal.

Youllneed this, too. From her leather bag that hung from a thinshoulder strap, Kimberly pulled out a mask that matched the gown andthat would cover the wearers face from eyebrow to upper lip.

Athrill of anticipation chased away most of Maggies lingeringdoubts. Never mind that Quinn had never noticed her body. Never mindthat in the last four years hed never once so much as flirtedwith her. With the mask and the dress to hide Maggiesidentity, she could be her real self. Slightly breathless at theboldness of her plan, Maggie stroked the blue feathers along theedges. Thanks. I couldnt pull off my little deceptionwithout your help.

Kimberlyhad even taken the gown to wardrobe for a refit, and shedrequested a studio limo to take Maggie to her hairdresser and makeupartist before dropping her off at the hotel, where, disguised asLaine Lamonde, she would meet Quinn.

Kimberlyset down the film and carefully hid the dress in a white garment bag,then hooked the hanger over the file cabinet handle. Youhavent changed your mind, have you?

Maggiehad a major case of the hots for her boss and she was tired of tryingto ignore it. Such a silly infatuation had never happened to herbefore. She had no idea what the hell was wrong with her, but backingdown was out of the question.

Shewas fed up with sharing a bed with her cats. Tired of putting herpersonal life on hold for the sake of her career. Tonight opportunitybeckoned. She had a chance to lure Quinn into bed.

Butthe slightest gesture or intonation could give her away and, despiteher determination, she hesitated. What if Quinn figures outwho I am?

Hewont. Dont worry. Youll have fun,Kimberly urged her on.

Easyfor Kimberly to say. She wasnt the one taking the risk. Maggiewas. Yet at age thirty-two, Maggie needed a change from leading hersmart, sensible life, ruled by clothes that deemphasized her curvesand a take-charge attitude that scared away most men. While she washardly the mousy librarian type, she wasnt the kind of womanwho swished into a morning meeting with Jennifer Aniston hair wearinga tight sweater and swinging a Prada handbag from a diamond-Rolexedwrist, either. In other words, she was a professional assistantvalued for her efficiency and brains. Quinn would never consider heras a ready and available womannot unless Maggie took drasticaction.