going to betray her.
She approached with a smile. "Just the man I wanted to see."
"Sounds good already." Josh grinned and waved to the seat next to him. "What's up?"
"I have tickets to a benefit for the American Lung Association a week from Friday night. Would you care to join me?"
Something flickered in his eyes. Surprise? Wariness?
"I'd love to go with you, Amanda, but–" He paused for a second before meeting her gaze. "The rumor mill says you're, uh, dating Winter."
She started to shake her head, but he continued. "I like you, Amanda, but I don't want to commit career suicide over you."
"I understand. But I want you to know there is no personal relationship between Logan Winter and me." She forced a smile. "Whatever you may have heard, I am definitely not the type of woman he would be interested in."
Was that clear enough? She could hardly state that she was not a prostitute.
Josh took a sip of water. "How about this? Let's go to your event as friends and see what develops. Fair enough?"
Amanda nodded vigorously in relief. That would be perfect. She wouldn't have to be worried about any lover-like moves from him, and he wouldn't have to feel that his job might be in jeopardy.
She was able to focus on the staff meeting with her full attention. Then she had a meeting with the general counsel about some legal issues with one of the deals she was working on. So when she made it back to her office, she almost groaned out load at the sight of Phoebe Cattus standing at the window of her office.
"Excuse me," Amanda said, with more hostility than she'd intended. "Did we have an appointment?"
Phoebe shrugged. As always, she was dressed on the edge of sluttish. Her skirt was a little too high, her neckline a little too low. Her bangs looked as sharp as the spikes of an iron fence.
"Getting a little pretentious, are we?" Phoebe leaned back against the credenza.
"If it's pretentious to expect common courtesy," Amanda shot back, "then yes, I am. I repeat, do we have an appointment?"
"Chill." Phoebe rolled her eyes. "I guess your little plot isn't working out so well, huh?"
"My little plot?" Amanda laughed, hoping it didn't sound forced. "You'll have to fill me in on that."
Phoebe tossed her head. "Everyone knows. You've been more than obvious."
Amanda thumped her iPad down on her desk. "If you don't have any Winter Enterprises business to discuss, please excuse me. I have work to do." She sat down in her chair, noticing that the email to Daily Eats that she'd been working on before the staff meeting was open on her computer. That seemed a long time ago.
The general counsel had advised her to wait before commenting on the delays at Daily Eats. They didn't want to appear to be harassing Mrs. Molloy, given her serious illness.
Phoebe sauntered over to the desk, eying Amanda's desktop. "Logan Winter has only one use for women, you know."
"You could be right." Amanda clicked off her email to forestall Phoebe's nosiness. "He's given me an excellent job here as Director of Entrepreneurial Services. I appreciate it."
"That cover story is not working." Phoebe bared her teeth in what she might have thought was a smile. "Everyone knows why he really hired you."
"Is it personal experience that makes you so bitter, or lack of it?" Amanda could have bitten off her tongue. She knew better than to engage in a catfight.
Phoebe leaned down to hiss in Amanda's face. "You think you're so clever. But you'll come to the same end as all his other whores. See if you don't!"
On that triumphant note, she whirled around and sailed out of the room.
Amanda resisted the urge to throw something after the bitch. She knew Phoebe wanted to make trouble. What she didn't know was why.
Chapter 13
Logan tried to relax in the back of the limousine as he rode downtown to Amanda's apartment on the night of the museum benefit. The excitement buzzing through him was surprising, as he had no intention of sleeping with her tonight. He did have every expectation of frustration as he denied himself the opportunity to try to get her in his bed. He still needed to maintain his hands-off policy tonight.
Sighing, he punched the elevator button in the lobby of her building. He was determined to reel her in slowly. He saw the wariness in her eyes every time she looked at him, but also the interest. She wanted to accept