She sipped her tea, staring at the report in front of her and told herself she was going to have to put Rand Alastair out of her head once and for all. And the most efficient way of doing that was by throwing herself back into her work. She should be worrying about the cocktail party she was giving that evening, not dwelling on the exhausted features of the man she had left sleeping in the house by the lake. Determinedly Kalinda brought her well-developed powers of concentration to bear on the company’s recent audit report She wanted the numbers clear in her head when she met with the members of the board later that week.

She was well into the matter at hand when the intercom chimed softly on her desk.

„Yes, George?“ she said absently into the speaker, her eyes still on the figures in front of her.

„There’s a call from Mr. David Hutton, Miss Brady. Will you take it?“ George Barrett’s calm, efficient manner was laced with just a hint of his own feelings on the subject George, to the astonishment of almost everyone, had turned out to be the perfect secretary. He saw himself as breaking the sexual discrimination barriers in reverse and strove tirelessly for professionalism and competency. He never allowed a hint of his personal thoughts to interfere in the conduct of business unless he sensed something crucial was at stake.

Over the past few months, ever since Kalinda had hired him for the permanent position after he’d been sent as a temporary by an agency, Kalinda had come to respect George’s instincts. He knew she was routinely refusing calls from David Hutton. He must have a reason for bothering to check with her now to see if she had suddenly changed her mind.

„What’s wrong, George?“ she asked quietly, switching her attention completely to the little intercom. „You know I have no wish to accept his calls.“

George hesitated. She could visualize him in the outer office wearing his three-piece suit and dominating the entrance to the inner sanctum. He was a young man, about twenty-five, pleasant looking and serenely competent The other office workers had eyed him skeptically from the start but he was now a well-accepted figure in their day-to-day world. In fact, Kalinda knew, he had recently had to set down some very strict visiting rules. Not for Kalinda’s sake, but for his own. George had become quite popular with the women on the staff.

„I don’t believe this call is of a personal nature, Miss Brady,“ he finally announced formally. „He won’t explain the reason but there’s something else involved. I can tell.“

Kalinda gritted her teeth and then sighed in resignation. „Okay, put him through. If you’re wrong about this, George…“

„I know,“ George interrupted, unbending slightly at the mild threat in her words, „I’ll be the one who has to explain why you hung up on him.“

Kalinda grinned and took the call.

„What is it, David?“ she asked without preamble, her voice turning cold and crisp.

„It’s about rime you took my call,“ he drawled. „That damn secretary of yours has been putting me off for two days!“

– „On my instructions. Now that you’re through, will you please state your business and get off the line? We really don’t have anything to say to each other.“ Kalinda realized vaguely that her only feeling toward David Hutton now was one of impatience. The thirst for revenge that had driven her into the mountains last weekend had been well and truly eradicated. Another reason why it would be difficult to stop thinking about Rand Alastair.

„Business is exactly why I’m calling, darling,“ he murmured, and something in his tone chilled her. „You should have met me at that motel, Kalinda. Things could have been handled a lot more pleasantly if you had.“

„What in the world are you talking about?“

„A merger, Kalinda. You’ve done some astonishing things with Brady Data Processing. Two years ago everyone said it had no choice but to go under. You’ve created a total turnaround situation and your company, my love, has become one very enticing little pigeon. 1 want it“

Kalinda swallowed in shock and outrage. It was several seconds before she could control her anger into an icy refusal. „Out of the question. Brady Data Processing is not interested in merging with anyone, David, and quite definitely not your firm!“

„You aren’t going to have any choice. I’m filing forms with the Securities and Exchange Commission this week.“

„What!“ Kalinda stared at the phone. Filing forms with the SEC? There could be only one reason for that…

„That’s right, love,“ he taunted with pleased satisfaction. „I'm going to force the merger on you since you weren’t willing to discuss it under more amicable conditions.“

„You mean since I wasn’t willing to give you an opportunity of trying to seduce me into surrendering the company without a fight!“

„Precisely,“ he agreed smoothly. „I would have preferred a ‘friendly’ sort of takeover but since you’ve proven obstinate, you may as well know I don’t mind a fight It will cost more this way, of course, because I shall have to offer a premium price for your stock, but it will be worth it in the end.“

„How much of the outstanding stock have you picked up already?“ Kalinda forced herself to ask bravely.

„Just under the five percent limit,“ he acknowledged easily.

She winced. Anyone going after more than five percent of a publicly held stock had to register that intention with the SEC. Hence the papers David claimed to be filing. He could now start hunting down vast quantities of the shares on the open market. All he needed were enough to give him control of the firm. Kalinda felt the panic begin to rise in her. After all her work in getting Brady Data Processing back on its feet! She couldn’t bear the thought of having it forcibly taken from her. What about all the people who worked for her? Company morale would go to hell when word of this leaked out. Nothing sent shivers of fear through a firm faster than rumors of an intended hostile takeover move. And there were so few defenses for a company in Brady’s position.

„Why are you doing this, David?“ she asked coldly, trying desperately to think of defense tactics. She knew so little of this sort of thing. She’d never faced it before.

„The usual reasons,“ he retorted bluntly. „My firm is heavy in cash right now and we need some acquisitions. I’ve seen your balance sheet, darling, and you are ripe.“

„You’re telling me there’s nothing personal in this, right? Just business?“ she scoffed angrily.

„Oh, no, I wouldn’t say that,“ he chuckled arrogantly. „It will give me great personal satisfaction to take Brady Data Processing. It should have been mine two years ago.“

„You didn’t want it two years ago!“ she flung back.

„I’ve changed my mind. Thanks to you, Kalinda. No one thought you could pull it off, you know. Everyone was sure that firm was headed for the bottom. But now that you’ve done all the hard work…“

„You think you can just step in and help yourself? I’ve got news for you, David. We’ll fight“

„They all say that in the beginning. Go ahead, love. It will only make the process that much more interesting. Perhaps somewhere along the tine you’ll even consider that little mountain rendezvous we planned. Now that would be amusing, wouldn’t it? I wonder how many chief executive officers of firms facing a hostile merger have tried to buy off the raiding company with their bodies? Interesting thought, isn’t it…?“

Kalinda slammed the phone down, his confident, knowing laughter ringing in her ears.

She sat in stunned silence for several minutes, gazing with unseeing eyes at the framed mirror on the opposite wall. It reflected her well-tailored white business suit with its narrow skirt and close-fitting jacket.

Her hair was up, as usual,, and the yellow silk blouse she wore was open at the neck with a rakish air.