A LITTLE SURPRISE FOR THE BOSS – Elizabeth Lane
Harlequin Desire #2457
ISBN: 978-0-373-73470-2
July 2016
Contemporary Series Romance

Porter Hollow, Utah – Present Day

Terri Hammond has known resort tycoon Buck Morgan a long time, and as his assistant, she is his “right hand woman.” One day when he's not answering his phone, Terri goes to his house to check on him and discovers him a bit delirious in his bed. In his not-quite-there status he comes on to her and they end up having sex in his bed. Terri realizes Buck probably doesn't remember their encounter, so doesn't mention it later when he shows up at the office. For as long as Terri has known Buck, she has secretly been attracted to him, but he never looks in her direction. But why is he now suddenly wanting to be around her?

Buck has a faint memory of the sexual encounter with Terri, but knows she's probably embarrassed by it. Yet, he now discovers that he's attracted to her and wants to see where it leads. With his daughter in town for summer visitation, Buck uses the opportunity (and Terri's affection for the child) to his advantage in spending time with her. But Buck is blindsided when Terri unexpectedly announces she's quitting. He needs her, even more than he first thought, and manipulates her into staying for two weeks, and then accompanying him on a guided rafting trip his resort is doing for a group of sheikhs. Will being around each other constantly allow him to convince Terri to stay as his assistant? But Buck feels he can't offer Terri more, because he has a secret that would destroy their friendship.

Buck was friends with Terri's late brother, Steve, and he promised his friend that he'd look after her. Buck has provided her with a job and a shoulder to cry on, but has kept it from going any further because of what he feels is his responsibility in Steve's death. For the past ten years after Steve has died, Terri has poured her love and attention into caring for her ninety something grandmother, who is currently experiencing dementia and living in a care facility. Terri acknowledges to herself that she is attracted to Buck, but he never looks her way. But that morning she went looking for him and he grabbed her hand to place it on his…umm…assets, she felt it was time to take what was hers for the offering. Yet things appeared unchanged between them after he recovered and now she is embarrassed about the incident. But it also makes her realize that maybe it is time to move on from being under Buck's protection, so she quits.

In A LITTLE SURPRISE FOR THE BOSS by Elizabeth Lane, readers are in for bit of a treat with a different location for a story and a well-rounded tale that starts with the encounter between Buck and Terri. Buck has created a resort empire in southern Utah and he feels all powerful with Terri by his side. But after one failed marriage and guilt riding his shoulder, he can't offer Terri more than friendship. But her resignation prompts him to do just about anything to keep her in his life. Will Buck realize that maybe it's more than a longtime friendship that spurs his actions? What will happen when a little surprise as the result of their sexual encounter may just tie them together…for a lifetime?

With plenty of sass and sizzle between Buck and Terri, readers will enjoy the battle for love in A LITTLE SURPRISE FOR THE BOSS

Patti Fischer