Denying Bjorn Read Free Page A

stay up and head into the office early to pick up the flash drives and other items needed for the presentation.
    He winced at his lack of organization and responsibility. Perhaps he’d take her up on the personal assistant offer after all. It just seemed as if he had the world on his shoulders at the moment, and letting his personal needs and wants interfere with business was so unlike him.
    However, things were different now. Angus was the governing force of Draguun Inc. They always strategically planned their meetings, what would be said to clients during them. Together, he and Angus made it a habit tag-teaming clients like the professionals they were. With Julia gone, Bjorn was also responsible for helping to come up with the marketing campaigns.
    Unfortunately, Bjorn felt as though he was sinking. The secretaries were of great help to him, but they didn’t have the strong business knowledge Angus possessed. He had become so used to Lydia preparing his expense reports, but he didn’t want to overwhelm her with any more tasks than she had already volunteered for.
    He ran his hands through his hair. What he needed to do was ask the woman out and get it over with. She’d probably turn him down flat now, after the way he treated her, but it was worth a try.
    Suddenly, his phone rang, and he noticed it was Lydia’s extension. With a lurch of his heart and heated anticipation, he picked up the line.
    “Bjorn Jensen.”
    “Bjorn, Tommy Miru is here to meet with you.”
    His hand connected with his forehead, but he was smooth in what he had to say. “I’ll be out to get him in a few minutes. Thanks, Lydia.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    Bjorn’s hard-on ebbed away, and he released a silent breath. How could he have forgotten about his meeting with Tommy Miru? Tommy was one of Draguun’s most lucrative accounts.
    Quickly he looked at his watch. He had to finesse his way through this one for sure, and right now he was running on empty. Heavy eyes from staying up all night and a fuzzy brain from so much wine weren’t helping, either. Not a good way for a vice president to start his day.
    After this damned meeting, and once she returned from lunch, he’d ask her out on a date—tonight. They’d go to the little Italian restaurant around the corner on the waterfront. He knew she loved Italian and couldn’t wait for the day to pass.
    * * * *
    Lydia buried herself in her work in an effort to get Bjorn out of her head. Why the hell was he acting so damned crazy toward her? She knew the man had pressures, but damn! She was in the middle of ordering office supplies when her cousin’s annoying voice broke her concentration.
    “Lydia!”
    She cringed. Dawn was ready to go out to lunch, but Lydia had decided she was staying in today. There was just so much to do, and she needed to keep her thoughts private. She was actually trying to find work to make the day go by faster. After that, she’d go home to soak in a relaxing bubble bath and maybe indulge in a large sundae with cookies-and-cream ice cream, fudge, and peanut butter sauce to melt her disappointments away.
    “Hey, woman. You ready?” Dawn plopped her overly large designer purse down on the ledge of her desk and looked around the office. “Where’s Carla? She usually relieves you for lunch.”
    “I’m not going out to lunch today.”
    “Aw, come on, baby girl. I need to talk to you.”
    “About what, Dawn?” Lydia rolled her eyes. Her cousin always had a way of making a mountain out of a molehill.
    “It’s about you know who.” She nodded her head and arched her eyebrows. “You know, cutie blondie boy.”
    “Oh?” The pet name Dawn had given Bjorn was appalling to her. He wasn’t a boy, he was a man. “What about Bjorn?”
    Dawn studied her French manicure and smiled. “You know your boy asked me out to dinner tonight, right?”
    Something twisted in Lydia’s gut, and bile formed in her throat. There was no way in hell. She couldn’t believe it. Dawn