Nine Months

She tried to smile, but the effort failed. “You certainly found a very effective way to get my mind off my claustrophobia.”

He reached out to touch her and she moved out of his reach. “Unfortunately, I’ve never made love with a stranger before and I find the situation rather awkward.”

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, this is a first for me, too.” He grinned, then explained. “I’ve never made love to a stranger in an elevator, either.”

Nodding her understanding, Paige smiled weakly. “I—I don’t suppose many people have.”

Jared tucked in his shirt and zipped up his jeans. Now what? he wondered. Despite how awkward things were between them, they were stuck with each other for the time being.

He picked up his Stetson and set it on his head. “I suppose you live here in Grand Springs, don’t you? I’m from Texas. Just got into town today and—”

“Stop it, will you?” Crossing her arms over her chest, Paige leaned against the back of the elevator. “I don’t want to talk to you. Do you understand? I want to pretend that what happened didn’t happen. We’re strangers who will never see each other again once we leave this elevator, so let’s keep it that way.”

“You’re right,” he said. “We’re both better off not knowing anything about each other. Just a couple of ships that passed in the night.”

Jared slumped down on the floor, leaned back his head and drew his Stetson down over his eyes. Paige rummaged in her purse, pulled out a paperback book and began to read.

They ignored each other for quite a while. After checking her watch for the dozenth time, Paige wondered if they were going to be trapped in the elevator all night. The power had gone off around seven o’clock, more than four hours ago.

A rather loud banging caught their attention. The elevator vibrated ever so slightly.

“Hey down there!” a masculine voice called out. “How many of you are there?”

Jared glanced up and saw a man at the mezzanine level of the shaft. “Only two of us. Are you maintenance?”

“No, sir. I’m Troy Dodd with the fire department. We’d have been here sooner, but we didn’t know anyone was still in the building when the power went out.”

“Can you tell us what happened?” Jared asked as he stood.

“Well, the whole town’s in the dark. Seems the heavy rainstorms caused a mud slide that buried Grand Springs’s only source of electricity.”

“Will you stop talking and get us out of here!” Paige said impatiently.

“Is your name Paige?” Troy Dodd asked.

“Yes. Why?”

“Your parents called and told us that you were probably trapped in the Wellman Building.”

She glanced at Jared, who smiled at her. That devastating killer smile.

“I was supposed to have dinner with them tonight,” she explained.

“Hey, folks,” Troy Dodd said, “we’re going to send down a lift chair and bring you two up, one at a time.”

“Jared, about what happened,” Paige whispered as they waited for the chair, “I want you to know—”

“You don’t have to say it, honey. What happened was a mistake. We lost our heads and went a little crazy.”

“Yes, we did.”

“The best thing we can do is forget about it. Right? Pretend it never happened.”

“Yes, of course. You’re right. It never happened.”

Fifteen minutes later, Paige and Jared stood on the mezzanine level of the Wellman Building and shook hands with the firemen. After thanking them for coming to the rescue, Paige said goodbye to Jared. They stared at each other for one, long, sweet moment, then Paige walked downstairs and into her mother’s open arms.

* * *

After thirty-six hours without electricity, thanks to the massive rainstorm and mudslides that destroyed everything in its path, Grand Springs was a flurry of activity on Monday morning. Jared arrived at his new office in the Wellman Building before any of the office staff. He had planned to be in town for a week before he turned the entire Grand Springs operation over to his manager, Greg Addison. As this Colorado branch of Montgomery Real Estate and Land Development expanded, it would be necessary for Jared to make trips more frequently and stay longer, so he’d told Greg to hire a secretary for him, someone capable of doubling as his assistant.

But the thirty-six-hour blackout upon his arrival had set the tone for the entire weekend, and Jared had decided to cut his visit short. It had been one wild, unexpected event after another. He’d said his goodbyes to Paige, telling himself he’d forget all about her, and left the Wellman Building with the firemen who had rescued them. Discovering how desperately volunteers were needed during the local emergency, he had offered his services. He hadn’t gotten a bath or a hot meal until Sunday morning when electricity had been restored and he’d checked into a local motel.

And he had dreamed about Paige. About touching her. Making love to her. For the past two days, he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind.

Since Grand Springs wasn’t a big town, the longer he stayed, the greater the odds were that he and Paige would run into each other. He didn’t want that, and he suspected neither did she. What had happened between them had been a chance happening, a one-night stand to end all one-night stands.

“Trying to make the rest of us look bad?” Tall, lanky Greg Addison sauntered into Jared’s private office and sat down on the side of his desk. “I didn’t expect you until later in the day.”

“Since I’m going to be here only a couple of days, I want to make the most of my stay,” Jared said. “I need to meet your assistant and break in my new administrative assistant. You did hire someone for me, didn’t you?”

“Never fear. I hired a highly recommended woman on Friday afternoon.” Scooting off the desk, Greg stood and pointed toward the outer office. “As a matter of fact, Ms. Summers has just arrived. She’s outside talking to Kay.”

“Kay?”

“My assistant, Kay Thompson.”

“Well, I might as well meet them now. I want to brief my assistant on her duties and—”

“What’s the hurry? I thought you planned to spend the week.”

“My plans have changed,” Jared said.

“Blonde, brunette or redhead?” Greg asked.

Jared caught himself before he blurted out “redhead.” “I left some loose ends back in Texas I need to tie up, and I have to run down to Florida. Besides, we all can’t be playboys like you.”

Greg laughed heartily. “Yeah, sure. Tell that to someone who doesn’t know you the way I do.”

“Introduce me to the people you’ve hired.” Jared quickly changed the subject. “I’m especially eager to meet my administrative assistant. We have a lot to do before I leave town.”

“Right this way.”

Greg swung open the door and the two men exited Jared’s private office.

“Well, here they are,” Greg said. “Ms. Thompson, my assistant, and Ms. Summers, your assistant.”

“Ms. Thompson.” Smiling at the tall, slender brunette, Jared shook her hand, then turned to the other woman. “And this must be—” He stared at the curvaceous redhead who looked at him as if he had suddenly sprung a second head. Dear God, it couldn’t be. His assistant was Paige. His Paige…from the elevator!