The Bachelor Boss. Julianna Morris

highway loaded with helpful items like up-to-date phone numbers? He must have dug these out of a back cabinet somebody had forgotten.

      A bubble of laughter struggled for release in her throat.

      He had to be totally rattled, beyond thinking clearly. They hadn’t even talked about what towns to start in, but his first course of action was to bring in some ancient phone books and randomly start contacting real estate agents?

      “Start calling,” Neil said. “That’s a separate phone line over by the couch.”

      Within seconds he was talking to an agent, crisply barking out his “needs” and asking that a list of suitable properties be faxed immediately.

      She followed suit, glancing at him from time to time, and realizing that maybe his plan wasn’t daft after all. It could be more organized, but at least it had a personal touch.

      At one point Neil smiled so warmly that Libby was startled. Then her gaze narrowed. From the bits of conversation she could catch, he was obviously talking to a woman who was doing her best to flirt.

      What about his precious professionalism?

      Why did she care?

      Libby hastily looked back at her own phone book. It didn’t sound like he was flirting back with “Sue,” but he was such a stickler for being cool and professional she’d have expected him to end the conversation with the first calculated giggle.

      “How many agents have you talked to?” he asked after another hour.

      She counted. “Eight who promised to fax something today.”

      “I’ve got fifteen. Let’s see if anything has come in, and we can decide which properties we’re going to look at first.” He picked up the phone. “Margie? Yes, I know a lot is coming in on the machine. Bring it in.”

      Margie sidled into the office like a frightened rabbit and handed Neil a stack of paper. Libby gave her an encouraging smile before she left, recognizing the sign of fresh tears on the other woman’s face.

      Neil didn’t even look up and Libby wanted to kick him. Granted, Margie was new to working in an executive suite, but she’d been with the company for a long while and she was going through a tough time with a sick daughter. A little sensitivity from her equally new boss would help.

      “Looks like some good stuff to start with,” Neil muttered, sitting next to Libby on the couch, and flipping through the faxed sheets.

      He recognized the ones from the agents he’d talked with. They were adequate, but Libby’s faxes were much longer, provided more material, and the cover sheets contained hand-written notes saying things like “enjoyed talking with you,” “anything we can do to help,” and “sounds like a great project, love to be a part of it.”

      The only personal note to him was a message from Susan Weston, who asked if he wanted to have dinner the next time he was in Olympia.

      “Olympia?” Libby asked, looking over his shoulder at the boldly scrawled invitation. “It’s a beautiful city, but I thought the idea was to look for places in small towns, especially towns needing revitalization.”

      “It is.” Neil crumpled the sheet and tossed it on the floor, unaccountably embarrassed. He hadn’t encouraged Sue to flirt. He’d dealt with her before on land deals in the south Puget sound area, so had naturally called her to see if she had any likely listings for a bed-and-breakfast inn. “Susan has a big agency. She lists property from Lacey to Aberdeen.”

      “Oh. Personal friend?”

      “No.” The denial came out more sharply than he’d intend. “We’ve done business before, that’s all.”

      Libby squirmed on the soft leather cushions, trying to sit up straight, and her leg brushed his thigh.

      Damn. He should never have thought about her curves, her perfume, or anything else so personal. They worked together, for pity’s sake. She was his vice president. And if she was the reason he was so fierce about not dating someone in the company, then so what?

      They’d had one date, eleven years ago. A date that ended with him taking a cold shower.

      “Er…Libby,” Neil murmured, hoping she’d sit still and quit turning him on. Hell, he was in charge here.

      “What?”

      “About this morning—I meant you were attractive. Not that I was interested in starting something.”

      “I see.” Her eyes darkened stormily. “Well, let me be clear. I’m not interested in starting something, either.”

      Great.

      They were both on the same page.

      Of course, he’d ticked her off again, but hadn’t he decided a little conflict would be good for business?

      Libby squirmed again, only this time she got to her feet. She tugged at her skirt that had ridden up and made an obvious attempt to compose herself.

      “I’ll do some Internet research on these listings,” she said, color flags high in her cheeks. “Then I’ll prepare a preliminary report and you can decide which sites you’re going to visit next week.”

      “The sites we’re going to visit,” Neil reminded. “We’re supposed to do this together so we can build teamwork. So we’ll drive ourselves rather than take a chauffeur,” he said, deciding it would be a good idea to have one of them occupied with driving. Besides, he didn’t care for limousines, no matter how convenient.

      “Fine. I’ll e-mail the report to you later,” Libby said, and hurried out.

      His private phone rang and he hauled himself off the couch to answer it.

      “How is your first day as president going?” asked Kane.

      Neil thought about Libby’s flashing eyes and the angry color in her cheeks, and decided he shouldn’t mention either one. “It’s great.”

      “Good. You remember the party is tonight, right?” Their twin nieces’ fourth birthday party was that evening, and they both planned to leave work early.

      “Yup. I’m coming.”

      “Don’t forget you’re supposed to bring the ice cream.”

      “Yeah. Strawberry, or something.” Neil deliberately sounded vague.

      Kane’s sigh was exasperated, even over the phone line. “No. Chocolate for Peggy, and vanilla for Amy. Stop by the grocery store on the way. And get lots, you know how they love ice cream.”

      Neil grinned. After their father’s death, Kane had done his best to fill his shoes, quitting college and managing to make a fortune at the same time he was supporting the family. He enjoyed playing big-brother-turned-father-figure so much, they still indulged him every now and then. Of course, he’d probably have his fill of being “daddy” once his wife gave birth to their first baby and he experienced 2:00 a.m. feedings for himself.

      “That’s right. Thanks for the reminder.”

      Neil chuckled as he replaced the receiver. He’d enjoyed running O’Rourke Enterprises when Kane was courting and on his honeymoon, but he hadn’t expected it to last. Having Kane decide to establish new internal corporate divisions was a boon.

      Now with Libby as his vice president…he rubbed the side of his jaw. It was going to be interesting. She had some intriguing qualities he hadn’t expected, though whether they would help or hinder him, he didn’t know.

      The phone rang again and he picked it up, still deep in thought. “O’Rourke, here.”

      “That sounds so cold, darlin’.”

      It was his mother.

      “Are you calling to remind me about the ice cream? Kane already took care of that.”

      “Actually