Chapter One

January

Tessa Lockwood couldn’t suppress the shiver of anticipation that rippled up her spine as she checked the time yet again. According to the very detailed schedule that her supervisor Andrew Doherty had left for her, he should be walking down the hallway towards his office any minute now. And one thing that she had learned from working here at the regional headquarters of the Gregson Hotel Group over the past two plus years was that Ian Gregson stuck to his regimented schedule faithfully. That plus the undeniable fact that he was the most gorgeous, compelling man she had ever seen. A man that she would be working with very closely for the next week, a circumstance that filled her with both delight and anxiety - the former because she’d developed quite a crush on her handsome boss over the last two years, and the latter because she was terrified he’d figure that out for himself sooner than later.

When Andrew had rather matter-of-factly informed her that she would be filling in for him during his vacation, acting as Mr. Gregson’s Personal Assistant for an entire week, Tessa had stared at him in disbelief.

“Excuse me. You want me to do what?” she’d asked in bewilderment.

Andrew had sighed with barely concealed impatience. “You heard me. I’ll be out of the office the first week of January, and it’s been decided that you’ll be filling in for me during that time.”

She had still not quite believed what she was hearing. “But you’ve never had me fill in for you before. It’s always been Marisol or Gina or sometimes Alicia. Even Kevin once or twice,” she’d pointed out, naming the other members of the management support team who worked alongside her.

Andrew hadn’t been in an especially good mood that day, and had dismissed her concerns brusquely. “Well, consider this your turn. I assume you have no objections to the assignment?”

“Oh, no. Of course not. I’d be honored to fill in for you, help out while you’re away. I just hope I don’t screw something up,” she’d confessed nervously.

Andrew had given a roll of his eyes, which usually meant his patience was wearing extremely thin. “You’ll be fine. It’s not brain surgery, after all. And of course you’ll need to spend several days learning my routine and what will be expected of you.”

That had been the understatement of the year. Tessa had been wide-eyed and slack-jawed, not to mention exhausted and emotionally drained, at the end of her week- long training session with Andrew. But at least spending so much time with him had greatly allayed her fears about working for Mr. Gregson, for she had realized that nothing about Andrew’s job was really all that difficult or complicated. And of course she’d took copious notes on top of the multi-paged and extremely detailed list of information Andrew had left for her. He had also warned her about not bothering Mr. Gregson with questions unless it was absolutely necessary.

“Do not,” he’d warned her ominously, “ask him how his evening was, or what he had for lunch, or anything at all that doesn’t have to do with work. He’s not one for idle chatter, and sticks to his schedule religiously.”

Mr. Gregson had still been away for the holidays, visiting his family in England, during her training period. In a way that had been a relief, for she’d been able to learn the ropes without the added pressure of his presence. But that state of affairs was about to end any minute now, and Tessa offered up a silent prayer that she wouldn’t make a fool of herself within the first hour. Or answer his phone with the wrong greeting. Or stare at him like some love-struck teenager whenever she was in his presence.

But stare was exactly what she did as she glanced up and saw Mr. Gregson striding down the long hallway towards his office. His expansive office suite, complete with its own bathroom, was located somewhat apart from the rest of the offices on this floor, offering him a great deal of privacy. Andrew’s desk and attached computer workstation, the one that Tessa was currently occupying, was set up just outside of the wide double doors that led to Mr. Gregson’s inner sanctum, and offered up an unobstructed view of anyone who might be walking down the hallway.

She thought distractedly that perhaps she ought to stand up to greet Mr. Gregson as he arrived, but quickly dismissed that idea when she realized how badly her legs were shaking. Instead, she fixed a bright, welcoming smile on her face as he drew nearer, and willed herself not to drool at the sight of the truly - well, swoonworthy - male specimen who strode down the hallway in his usual brisk, authoritative manner. He’d been out of the office for two full weeks, and somehow seemed a little bit taller to her, his shoulders a bit broader, and his features even more handsome. He was wearing one of his many suits, all of them impeccably tailored to fit his powerful body, and each one undoubtedly costing the earth. Today’s was a navy pinstripe, paired with a conservatively patterned silk tie of blues and grays, and the dark color flattered his midnight hair and lightly tanned skin.

And despite her resolve not to drool, Tessa was very much afraid that she was about to do just that - especially when Mr. Gregson stopped in his tracks a few feet in front of her desk and smiled at her in a way that he’d never, ever done before. Tessa could only stare up at him, dumbfounded and definitely spellbound by the expression in his hazel eyes.

“Now this,” said Ian in a lightly teasing voice, “is definitely a sight I could get used to starting my day with. Forgive me for saying so, Tessa, but you look far more appealing sitting behind that desk than Andrew ever has. Though,” he added with a wink, “you have to promise never to tell him I said so.”

She couldn’t help herself from returning his smile, even giggling a bit as she assured him, “It will be our secret, sir. And, um, good - good morning. Welcome back.”

His smile deepened. “Thank you, Tessa. And I have a feeling that it’s going to be a very good morning. A whole week of good mornings, in fact. I just hope that Andrew hasn’t put the fear of God in you about making a mistake or two along the way. In spite of what he might have told you, I don’t eat PA’s for breakfast.”

This time her giggle turned into a full blown laugh. “He was, ah, very thorough in his training, Mr. Gregson. And I promise I’ll try very, very hard to live up to all of his expectations.”

Ian rolled his eyes. “That might be an impossible task, Tessa. I’m not at all sure that I live up to his expectations half the time. Relax, hmm?” he added in a gentle voice. “You’re going to do a fine job, I just know it. I have a feeling that you and I are going to work together very, very well.”