Corporate Fire: Corporate Romance Book 1 by Evelyn Aster Read Free Book Online Page A

a crazy programmer. At least his company had gotten her through the worst of it.
    The medicine wouldn't allow her mood to bottom out completely, but she definitely heaped on the self-pity until she heard a knock at the door. Thinking it was the doctor, she said, “Come in.”
    Royce opened the door.
    She sighed in relief. “It's sooo good to see you.”
    Royce grinned, closed the door and sat down next to her. He said, “You know, you were my first target to ever tell me it was good to meet me. I kept playing those words over and over in my mind on the drive here.”
    “Well, I had nooo idea why you were there. I just knew you were the most handsome man I'd ever seen.” She slapped her hand over her mouth
    “Really?” He folded his arms across his chest and smiled. “I thought you hated me. Tell me more.”
    She lowered her hand and said, “You're trying to take advantage of me being all drugged up.”
    “Naturally. I take what I can in this job.” He leaned over and took her hand again. “Tell me what you were thinking when you walked into work early and we couldn't stop staring at each other?”
    He paused, and Grace widened her eyes. Even on drugs she didn't think she could open up about that.
    He continued, “Because what I was thinking was, 'Please don't let that beautiful, determined woman be in my files. Please let her be somebody who will come skiing with me this weekend.'”
    Grace drew in a raspy breath. She blurted out, “I was hoping you were a skier too and would come skiing with me this weekend. I was really stretching rule number one to make you fit.”
    “Ah, the rules. Time to tell me about them so I don't break them.”
    She wrinkled her nose at him. She should never have brought them up. “You don't want to know those. It'll make me seem freaky.”
    “I think it will make you adorable.”
    She giggled. “Welllll, okay. I only date people who know people I know. I don't like touching, even sometimes on the second date. I don't kiss until the third date, and I don't have sex for ten point five dates.”
    “So precise.”
    “I'm a programmer.”
    He looked down at their hands and said, “I'm afraid I'm touching you. Should I withdraw my hands?”
    She shook her head slowly. “No. I don't know why it doesn't bother me when you do it.”
    Before Royce could reply the doctor came in and introduced herself. “Hi, I'm Dr. Young.” She held out her hand to shake, and Grace had to let go of Royce.
    She shook the doctor's hand and said, “Hi, I'm Grace Arden. And this is the most handsome man who will ever fire you, Royce, whose last name I forgot.”
    The doctor tried to hide a smile and shook Royce's hand. “Hendrix,” he said.
    The doctor said, “Sounds like the drugs are doing their job. I have some for you to take tonight and tomorrow until you can get home and fill a prescription. Your leg is definitely broken, but the good news is it's only in one place.” She put the X-ray up on a lit board and showed them. She used a lot of technical terms that Grace was too drugged to follow. Royce asked some questions like he was her husband. She should've found it strange, but mostly she was relieved to have someone paying attention for her.
    She heard the doctor say, “So I'll wrap it to keep you from moving it, but you should make an appointment at home with an orthopedist to set it in about three days. Are you her ride home, Royce?”
    The question jolted Grace, and she said, “No,” just as Royce said, “Yes.”
    “I can't impose on you like that,” said Grace. “I've got friends and family I can call.” She thought of Jill and the unanswered texts. She really needed to call her.
    “And what?” said Royce. “Make them drive all the way up here to get you? What are you going to do with your car? I can drive you home in your car, and Ted can follow in the rental. It's really the best solution. I'm a safe driver. You can call all the places I've rented from if you need references.