Both bent down to pick up the pages and videos from JP's file. "Thanks," she said, then stood and replaced her glasses. Edging past him in the suddenly small hallway, she dismissed him with a cheerful, "Have a nice day."

But his fingers cupped her elbow. "We need to talk."

Her heart thumped erratically. Couldn't he at least give her twenty-four hours? But this was her father's office, and she had no choice but to listen to his superstar clients.

"Follow me," she said, leading Dominic into the biggest conference room in the agency, one that could hold all forty board members. Unlike the smaller conference rooms, which had glass walls that looked into the main office floor, this one was paneled in glossy mahogany. Now if he would just sit at the far end of the enormous table, she might be able to get through part deux of their postscrew chat in one piece.

He pulled out the chair next to hers and her body reacted to his nearness against her will. "What can I help you with?" she asked impersonally.

He handed her a thick sheaf of papers. "Here's our new contract." His eyes were dark and hungry— but still guilty. "I'm yours."

Her nipples peaked and she knew her sweater did nothing to disguise her arousal. How badly she wanted his words to be true. But not like this—not because he thought he owed her for having sex with her.

Shaking her head, she slid the papers back to him. "I've already got my first client," she said, thankful that it was true. "I don't need your charity."

He looked taken aback. "Your father changed his mind?"

She lifted her chin. "He did." She'd never admit to anyone in a million billion years that her mother had been behind it.

He smiled at her and butterflies did 360s in her stomach. "I'm glad." He looked at the thick folder. "Who'd he give you?"

She pressed her lips together. "JP Jesse. A free agent wide receiver."

Dominic frowned. "Tom is setting you up to fail."

She couldn't let Dominic know that she'd thought the very same thing. "JP is undervalued."

"He's undisciplined."

"He's uncultivated," she countered.

"He's a troublemaker."

He stood up and walked to the window. "You're smart, Melissa," he said, "and I've been consistently impressed with the work you've done for the agency."

"But?"

He rubbed his smooth chin, carefully weighing his words. "You're green. There's no way you can handle a player like JP the first time out. I'm offering you my help." His eyes bored a hole into her. "Take it."

She stared at him, the way the sunlight surrounded him like a halo. As much as she wanted to deny his statements, he was right. The odds of her failing were enormous. Especially if her first—and only—client was a playboy with a tenuous future. And yet, she couldn't accept Dominic's offer. Not when he was switching agents for all the wrong reasons.

"I told you this morning and I'll tell you again— I'm not angry," she said in a soft voice. "So please don't feel guilty anymore."

He took a step toward her. "I owe you."

She shook her head. "No, Dominic. Not like this."

He moved closer and she fought the urge to back up. She couldn't think straight when he was near.

Not budging an inch, he said, "Working together is the perfect solution."

"You just said it yourself," she insisted. "I'm green. Why would you put your career in the hands of someone you think can't handle it?"

He closed the distance between them, pulling her hard against him, just as he had in the photo studio. Then his mouth was on hers and he was kissing her like he did in all her dreams, as if he were dying of thirst and she was the only water for miles. At last he pulled away.

"One more time," he murmured as she tried to catch her breath. "You're an amazing woman, Melissa. You can handle anything thrown your way. Even me."

She pressed her fingertips to her mouth. Was that why he'd just kissed her? To see how she'd handle it? The past twenty-four hours had been the most confusing of her life. She could barely think straight now that he'd kissed her again, and she knew that she shouldn't make such a big decision so quickly anyway.

She edged toward the door, picking up JP's folder. "I need some time to think about it."

She could have sworn he was about to smile, that he thought he'd already won. Instead he said, "Fair enough. I'll pick you up at seven."

"What are you talking about?"

Again he closed the distance between them. "I'm taking you to dinner tonight. And we're going to talk. About your career." His eyes fell to her lips, still buzzing from his kiss and utterly desperate lor another. His gaze returned to her eyes. "And mine."

Melissa felt dazed. Was this supposed to be a date? Or was this purely business?

Or, worst of all, was it round two of his apology for impulsively having sex with her?

It took every mind game Dominic knew to shake off the vision of Melissa in that tight purple sweater. Like one of Pavlov's dogs, he'd been salivating at the thought of tonguing her nipples again, of sucking her sweet flesh into his mouth. Jesus. He needed to get a grip.

He'd cornered her to make amends, not to fuck her senseless in the McKnight Agency boardroom. He still couldn't believe how calm she'd been this morning. She hadn't even wanted him to apologize for his out-of-line behavior. But his gut had told him he'd screwed up, and he had to fix it. Even if she didn't want him to.

Then he'd lost control again and kissed her. Shit, he hadn't been able to think straight, hadn't been able to concentrate on anything but her luscious curves and her sweet mouth. But the too-short kiss hadn't gotten her out of his system. Instead, he wanted her more than ever, wanted to continue where that kiss had left off.

For twenty years, he'd honed his control on and off the football field. Now was no time to lose it. It was time to put his mistakes behind him and move forward, just like he'd always done.

Bypassing Angie with a kiss on her cheek, he knocked once before walking into Tom's office. As they shook hands and said hello, Dominic studied the successful businessman. He would go ballistic if he found out his daughter was sleeping with a man he trusted. Any man would.

Ever since he'd fucked up big time in high school, he'd made it a point to stay out of the doghouse. No illegitimate children. No bar brawls. No trash talk. Until last night, with Melissa, when he hadn't been able to stop touching her, to keep his dick out of her slick heat.

Not wasting any time on pleasantries, he said, "I hear you gave JP to Melissa."

A flash of surprise crossed Tom's face. "Word travels fast in this business."

Dominic sat across from Tom on the leather couch. He remembered when Tom had been named agent of the year at the Sports Business Awards dinner. That was the year Dominic's endorsement offers had shot through the roof. And Tom had negotiated the hell out of them, making Dominic a very, very rich man.

"JP's gonna be a tough one."

Tom shrugged. "If she drowns in the deep end, it'll be her own damn fault for swimming out too far."

Dominic didn't like Tom's attitude, and his resolve to work with Melissa strengthened. "Move me. Melissa can have both of us."

Tom frowned. "Are you shitting me? Why the hell would you want her to represent you?"

"She's got potential. You're her boss; I'm sure you see it," Dominic added, even though he knew damn well that Tom saw nothing of the sort. "Someone's got to give her a chance. I've been in this business a long time, and I've watched her grow into a hell of a businesswoman. I'm happy to help out."