Executive Seduction

by Kristi Gold

• ISBN13: 9780373767687
• ISBN10: 0373767684
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-12-05
• Publisher: Silhouette

Summary

When her sham engagement finally ended, celebrity chef Corri Harris was free to indulge in a steamy affair. Sexy studio executive Aidan O'Brien seemed to be just the remedy for her bruised ego. The problem? Aidan was her boss!

With their illicit af

Excerpts

What a cowardly way to say goodbye. In total disbelief, Corinna Harris stared at the Dear Jane letter resting on the pink marble vanity in her dressing room, a nice little missive that had been couriered to her only minutes ago. She shouldn't be surprised that her erstwhile fianceacute; had chosen this method to break it off. After all, Kevin O'Brien was a journalist, well-versed with the written word, although this particular correspondence was simple, and to the point. Thanks for everything, Corri, but it's time to end it. Feel free to keep the ring. It's been fun. Fun? After an eight-month sham of an engagement, one would think he might actually have had enough courtesy to tell her in person that it was over. Not that she was at all surprised. Not that she wasn't angry. Corri yanked the one-carat diamond off her finger and hurled it across the room like a missile, where it hit the wall and landed somewhere in the thick blue carpet. If it happened to get sucked up in a vacuum by the cleaning staff, then too bad. She wanted absolutely no souvenirs of a relationship that had basically been a lie. The rap at the door jolted Corri back into the reality of what she had to do--her job. "Five minutes," one of the crew called. "Okay. I'm ready." Was she really ready? Could she actually step in front of an audience and pretend nothing had happened? And today of all days, during her first live performance, a show centered on preparing the perfect holiday meal for lovers. Six days before Christmas. Of course she could do this. Kevin might have temporarily screwed up her life, but she refused to let his careless disregard screw up her career. After slipping on her favorite white chef's smock, the one covered with tiny wooden spoons, Corri did another quick check of her makeup and tightened her ponytail. A few tears threatened behind her carefully painted eyes, but she wouldn't allow them to fall. Instead, she got mad. Clung to the anger as tightly as a bank robber clutching his pilfered booty. That alone sent her out to face the crowd, a fake smile carefully in place. She glanced toward the control booth and immediately spotted Aidan O'Brien, AOB Productions'owner, and Kevin's older brother. Since the day she'd taped her first show, Aidan had always been there, serving as her champion and friend. And at a good six foot three, he wasn't easy to miss. But it wasn't only his imposing height that earned attention. He had his Armenian mother's thick brown hair and olive complexion, his Irish father's incredible green eyes, and an air of concrete confidence that made some men cower-- as well as an undeniable sense of mystery that made women long to know his secrets. Speaking of secrets, Corri briefly wondered if Aidan had known about Kevin's plan. Of course not. He would have told her. At least she thought he would. He'd served as her confidante on more than one occasion, and they'd had more than their fair share of conversations, even if she'd done most the talking. Even if she hadn't been totally honest with him about her relationship with his brother. Corri had the strongest urge to run toAidan, cry on his broad shoulder and curse Kevin's bad timing. Not a banner idea. She had to weather this storm alone, and the first step entailed going out and giving her best to her fans. "Thirty seconds," the stage manager called, and when he reached ten, counted down the seconds one by one, keeping time with Corri's erratic heart. "Ladies and gentleman. Please welcome Houston's sweetheart of the stove, Corinna Harris, the star ofHot Cooking with Corri!" Corri strode to the evergreen-bedecked stage on legs as stiff as wooden spoons, trying to take comfort from the rousing applause. But she felt only numbness, until, she considered that every time she'd walked onto this set for the past few months, she'd talked about Kevin. Then the anger returned. She'd pretended th