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phone buzzed and Vanessa twirled around and snatched it up, thankfully not jarring anything else off the desk.
    "Nicholas Powers’ office," she said in her most impressive, administrative tone. "Yes, Mr. Cavender, I’ll put you right through." She held the phone out to him. "John Cavender wants to speak to you. It’s probably about your ten o’clock meeting with Swan Corporation so I assume you want to take it."
    Mr. Cavender’s name had appeared in Mr. Powers’ calendar as one of the meeting participants giving her a legitimate reason for passing the call on. She would have anyway to break the tension that had been growing between them. Her action seemed to be paying off, though, as he raised his brows in appreciation and nodded his head. He stepped past her to pull a file out of his drawer and she drew in a relieved breath, then hurried out of his office. As she pulled the door closed, his voice stopped her.
    "Vanessa."
    She turned, seeing him holding his hand over the mouthpiece of the receiver. Her heart started to pound. "Yes?" she asked, keeping the tremor out of her voice, certain he had finally remembered her.
    "Arrange to have flowers sent to Rachel. Something nice." His lips curved up in an intensely sensuous smile. "Tell her we’ll miss her," he said.
    Nicholas Powers settled into his chair and dealt quickly with the phone call, while he contemplated the door that had just closed behind his lovely new secretary. This had to be a record. He hadn't felt a strong interest in any female for months and now he found himself captivated by two women in two days.
    As soon as he’d walked into the office, he’d felt a definite attraction to Vanessa. It had been strong, bordering on overwhelming, but he knew nothing could compete with the powerful physical response he’d felt for the mystery woman who’d crashed his party. Unfortunately, Vanessa, as his secretary, was completely out of bounds and Cinderella, his mystery woman, had completely disappeared.
    He leaned his head back against his folded hands and smiled. Cinderella at the ball. She’d taken him totally by surprise.
    The plan had been for Amy to wear the Cinderella costume, to match his Prince Charming. Amy had suggested the theme herself. Everyone at the party wore masks, except Nick, since he felt that, as host, he should not hide his identity. A brochure with pictures of the costumes had arrived with the bill from the shop, and he’d studied it so he’d recognize Amy’s. Naturally, when he saw a woman in that costume, he’d assumed it was Amy.
    But holding her in his arms had been more exhilarating than he had expected. When she had surprised him by responding to his kiss with a wild, abandoned passion, he’d been unnerved. Suddenly, his libido had kicked in and he’d desperately wanted her. He knew instantly that it had to be someone else, because Amy would never be so responsive. But who could this mystery woman be?
    The question kept swirling through his brain, demanding an answer. She had run off so fast he hadn’t even gotten her name. Why had she run away? Had he been too forward? But she’d kissed him back with a passion that matched his own.
    That passion had dug itself into his memory and wouldn’t be shaken loose. He remembered the feel of her against his body, her breasts crushed against his chest, the arch of her back as she pressed herself closer during their kiss, her hungry tongue tangling with his own. In his dreams their passion had gone further, revealing the body beneath the ball gown. Perfect breasts accentuated by a slender waist. Curvaceous hips topping deliciously long legs. And luminous eyes that had insinuated their way into his heart.
    But no face.
    Even now, sitting in his office, he could feel his body respond to the memory of her--and of his dreams. He wanted her. Desperately. Completely. Without restraint.
    He’d never reacted to a woman as he had to her. He couldn’t just let her run out of his life. He