If He Only Knew...

Debbi Rawlins

She seemed like the perfect lady! As far as New York City attorney Cody Shea could see, Sara Wells was a model temp. She had brains and beauty–in fact, if he hadn't been her boss, there were a few highly improper things he would have asked the very proper Southern belle to do…Living in Manhattan under an assumed name for a year was Sara's brief flirtation with freedom. Now back in her natural habitat, she's prepared to marry a gentleman whose pedigree and fortune match her own. She's even accepted that she'll probably spend a lifetime fantasizing about the exquisite pleasure of being a tigress in her boss's bed.Imagine if he only knew! Well, Cody is about to find out. His trip to Atlanta to seduce her causes bedlam as Sara tries to keep her faux identity and her lustful feelings intact… And fails!

If he Only Knew…

Debbi Rawlins

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Epilogue

Prologue

H EADS TURNED toward the door of Mist, the chic Manhattan bar where high-priced attorneys hung out after work and didn’t mind paying twenty bucks for a peach martini. Brisk early-spring air rushed into the cozy burgundy-accented room, but that wasn’t what commanded the attention of the tony crowd.

Sara Wells’s heart started a slow, torturous pounding. She didn’t have to look to know who’d just walked in. The last person she’d expect to come to her going-away party. Why would he? After all, she’d been a lowly temporary worker. Showing up wouldn’t help his career or get him in tomorrow’s society pages. And that was about all Cody Shea seemed to live for.

Even so, she’d foolishly wished with all her heart he’d show up. That she’d see him just one more time before she got on that plane tomorrow. God, but she wanted to look. Of course she wouldn’t stoop to even the tiniest peek.

“I want you to know that if you change your mind, the job is still yours.” Dakota, who’d been her boss until an hour ago, slid into a seat across from Sara at the small table.

“What? Oh, um, thanks.” With incredible willpower, she kept her eyes away from the door and stared at the huge green concoction Dakota had set in front of her. Chunks of salt clung to the rim of the glass. “A margarita?”

“You haven’t had a margarita until you’ve had one here.”

Not that she’d tell Dakota, but in truth, she hadn’t had a margarita. She stuck with wine. White, mostly. A glass with dinner since she was seventeen. But not during the last ten months she’d been living in New York. With rent being what it was, she hadn’t been able to afford wine. Not the good stuff, anyway. And she’d rather drink tap water than cheap wine.

Dakota touched her hand, and Sara met her eyes. “I hope Cody isn’t the reason you’re leaving New York.”

“No,” she said truthfully. Her year of “dangerous” living was up. It was time to go home. She sighed. “Does everyone in the office know about my silly crush?”

“No, not even my idiotic brother.” Her smile turned into a slight frown. “Although Cody has been acting pretty strange for the past couple of months.” She gave a small shake of her head. “I told him some of us were coming here for a farewell drink, but I wouldn’t count on him showing up.”

Sara couldn’t help it then. She turned her head slightly, enough to see Cody in his navy blue Alexander McQueen suit, standing at the black polished bar, listening to another attorney from the firm. Staring at her.

Their gazes collided. He didn’t smile. Didn’t look away. Just stared.

Dakota’s gaze followed. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

Sara swung back around to face Dakota, her breathing obstructed by the growing lump in her throat. God, she didn’t understand him one bit. Staring at her like that in front of everyone.

“Won’t this be the topic of conversation in the office on Monday?” Dakota said, her gaze moving between Sara and her brother.

“Glad I won’t be there.”