"I, uh, I'd like to take you to lunch. Please?"

She shut the file drawer and walked over to him. "I don't think that's a goodidea. I enjoyed the trip and appreciate your giving me the opportunity to get awayfrom the cold weather for a few days. Now that we're back at work, I believe itwould be better if we return to our regular routine."

"I don't see what's wrong with having lunch together."

"At the moment the office staff is under the impression I decided to take off aweek while you were gone. Once they see us together and notice our tans, they'llfigure out we were together."

"Do you care?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't want to become the stereotypical secretary who's seeing her bosssocially."

"I'm not suggesting we date. It's no big deal to have lunch at the same time, isit?"

"You're being deliberately obtuse."

"No, I'm not. I prefer to think of myself as unconsciously obtuse."

"I'd rather not go out today," she said politely. "I plan to study over my lunchhour. I brought a sandwich."

He nodded slowly. "You're probably right," he said.

She picked up some papers and turned away to the filing cabinet.

Jodie waited until he'd returned to his desk and then rested her forehead againstthe filing cabinet. She hoped he hadn't noticed that she was trembling. Hisattitude had caught her off guard.

If she consistently turned him down, he would soon give up and get on with hislife, which was just the way she wanted things. She knew his dating patterns. Thelast thing she needed or wanted was to become involved with him.

And...if she repeated that often enough, she might be able to convince herself.

Dean sat down at his desk and looked at the work awaiting him. Most of it was toapprove what had been done in his absence and to sign off on it. He leaned back inhis chair and swung around to face the windows.

Jodie was right. Of course she was. Just because he'd enjoyed her company thispast week didn't give him the right to expect their relationship to continue in thesame way here in Chicago.

She was his secretary. That's all. The thought reminded him that he needed to callFrank. He'd leave her alone. They'd probably get back to their routine all right ifhe could forget how much he'd enjoyed kissing her and seeing her in a swimsuit. Howmuch he'd enjoyed their conversations.

He shook his head to clear it. Getting emotional about the trip was ridiculous.Dean turned back to his desk and reached for his private address book. Now that hewas no longer seeing Rachel, he knew of several women he could call. He only had to pick one.He reached for the phone.

That night at Dean's home phone rang close to eleven o'clock. He glanced at thecaller ID and shook his head.

"Hello, Rachel," he said when he picked up the phone.

"Oh! There you are. I've been looking for you all week. Your office said you wereout of town, and when I asked to speak to Jodie, I was told she'd taken a week off,so there was no way I could think of to reach you."

"Well, now you've found me. Did you find something else of mine that I left atyour place?"

"Oh, honey, I am so sorry for the way I treated you. I don't blame you for notreturning my calls. I don't usually behave so atrociously. It was just a really badday for me."

"I noticed."

"Please forgive me. I miss you so much." She lowered her voice. "I've missedmaking love to you."

He thought about the relationship he'd had with Rachel and realized that he'd puther completely out of his mind. That told him what he needed to know where she wasconcerned. Whatever they'd had, it was over.

"Did you remember that this is the weekend we were going up to Wisconsin to visitWinnie and Fred?"

"Rachel, I figured that when you broke up with me, we wouldn't be seeing eachother again, much less Winnie and Fred."

"I was awful and I know I was. But I didn't mean any of it. I was just angry and I

took it out on you."

"As I recall, I was the reason you were angry."

"Well...but that doesn't matter in the larger scheme of things. Let's face it, all

couples quarrel. That's the first one we've had in the three months we've beenseeing each other."

He didn't say anything.

"Dean?"

"I'm sorry, Rachel, but I've already made plans for the weekend."

"What sort of plans?" she asked suspiciously.

"Nothing you'd be interested in."

"Try me," she said flatly.

"I have a date Saturday evening with someone I've known for a long while. Youdon't know her."

"You're seeing someone else!" Her voice lost its rounded tones.

"You made it quite clear you never wanted to see me again. I took you at yourword."

"I said I was sorry," she wailed. "Please don't do this to me!"

"Rachel, listen to me. There's no reason to continue seeing each other. The pointsyou made were valid. If it took your getting angry to tell me, then so be it. I'mnot going to change, you know. You were right. I am married to my work. I forgetsocial events. I'm bad about escorting you to everything you want to attend. Whybother to continue to see me? There are lots of men who would be eager to spendtime with you."

She didn't reply right away. When she did, she sounded as if she might be crying."I screwed up. I know that. I know your work is important to you. I was way out ofline that night and I know it. I just want to see you once in a while."

"I'll call you when I can, but I picked up a new client last week and I'll beputting in long hours coming up with the right combination of security devices toprotect his company." He thought about their situation for a moment.

"I'll give you a call in the next week or two. Have fun with Fred and Winnie."

He hung up the phone and wandered over to the windows. His condo had a great viewof Lake Michigan. As a rule he found the sight relaxing. Tonight he felt lonely,which was most unusual.

He went into his bedroom, undressed and stretched out on the bed.

He was doing what needed to be done. He'd see Susan Saturday night and catch up onher news. They'd lost touch after he'd moved his mother into the nursing home.Susan had been her live-in caregiver and a sweet woman. He'd been surprised thatshe hadn't remarried by this time. She'd been a widow for six years or more.

As for Rachel...he'd have to think about whether he wanted to spend much time withher. He discovered that although he was lonely, Rachel wasn't the answer. Herefused to consider who might be.

Jodie's phone was ringing when she walked into her office the next morning. Shedropped her purse on the desk and reached for the phone.

"This is Jodie."

"Hi, Jodie. It's me...Rachel."

"Oh. Good morning. I'm not sure if Dean's here yet. Do you want me to have himcall you?"

"Oh, no! No. I, uh, I called to talk to you."

"Really?"

"Yes. You know, Jodie, I admire you a great deal and I know that Dean couldn't getalong without you."

When Rachel paused, Jodie didn't know what to say. What was this phone call about?

Finally Rachel said, "I mean, I know you're discreet and I'd rather you not tellDean that I called."

"All right."

"The thing is that Dean and I had a spat a week or so ago and I think he's still alittle angry with me. He didn't return my calls last week, and when I spoke to himlast night, he said he was seeing someone else."

Well, of course he was. Dean Logan didn't waste time. He must have found someonewho would have lunch with him or was available for whatever else he wanted. Good.

"I see.""He's just trying to make me jealous and he wouldn't tell me who he was seeing. Do you know?"