The Bachelor Boss. Julianna Morris

with amusement at his discomfort, so Neil gave up and slumped against the cushions. “Never mind,” he muttered.

      Normally he enjoyed family gatherings, but tonight was an exception. It was little wonder, between his matchmaking mom and the edgy tension gripping him.

      He was restless.

      Charged up.

      Ready to dive into running his division of the company and getting things set up the way he wanted them. He couldn’t afford to be distracted, and Libby was turning into one hell of a distraction.

      Even when she wasn’t anywhere around.

      By the time Neil reached work on Monday he was convinced he’d gotten everything out of his system. All the questions and confusion and mixed feelings. And the temptation.

      He and Libby weren’t lover material.

      Any interest in changing that condition probably stemmed from his ego. Basically, he was a man who thrived on challenges, and Libby was a challenge from the word go. Working with her would be another challenge, but he could do it. The best plan was to get the project off and running so they could focus on other duties that didn’t involve such close contact.

      Stopping in front of Libby’s office, Neil watched for a moment unobserved.

      She was outside in the secretary’s cubicle, Dunk’s gaze glued to her as she explained something. Dunk was a tall towhead, with hands and limbs that seemed too big for the rest of him. Though Neil expected to see something break or fly apart at any minute, nothing happened. Dunk even managed to safely pour himself a cup of coffee.

      It was only when he turned around that he got nervous, and only when he spotted Neil.

      “Mr. O’Rourke, h-hello.”

      Mr. O’Rourke?

      Libby was right, that did sound stuffy.

      “Hi, Duncan. Please call me Neil.”

      Dunk’s face was dubious. “Yes, sir. Thank you. I will…yes.” He edged away and hurried down the corridor.

      Sir?

      Great, that was certainly an improvement.

      Neil looked at Libby in time to see her wipe a smile from her lips. “Good morning,” she said cheerfully.

      At least she hadn’t called him Mr. O’Rourke, as well.

      “Good morning. Did you enjoy your plans on Friday?”

      She looked at him blankly. “Plans?”

      “The reason you couldn’t attend my nieces’ birthday party.”

      “Oh, fine.” Libby thought about her quiet Friday evening. She’d spent it scribbling down notes for the bed-and-breakfast proposal. Real exciting stuff. The biggest adrenaline rush of the entire weekend was when she’d dreamed something utterly inappropriate about Neil, but she couldn’t mention that. “How is your mother and Dylan and everyone?”