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Chapter One

Nixie Schuler was running late for the millionth time in her life Unfortunately, this occasion could quite possibly mean her job She’d been late one too ht

Joe was a friend of her ave her enerosity were limited He would usually let her slide tiroeary of her excuses

She couldn’t help her tardiness, though It was beyond her control She was born clumsy It was a curse A pesky little curse that caused her to be late twice last week The first time, she spilled coffee down the front of her creae her shirt The second instance, she dropped her car keys back inside her car as she was sla herself out She’d proceeded to spend the next twentyto retrieve them

Today she’d had the pleasure of catching her heel in the grating of the parking garage floor She struggled, pulled, and fought until––one snapped heel and thirteenbehind schedule

Now she was sprinting down the crowded city streets barefoot and disheveled She burst into the s out in short gasps She rushed behind the sales counter, du her purse to the floor She didn’t even have time to catch her breath before Joe was at her side

“You’re late,” he said unnecessarily

“I know I’ized with a pant “It wasn’t my fault”

“It’s never your fault,” Joe caot the worst luck of anyone I’ve ever known That doesn’t change the fact that you’re unreliable”

Nixie tried to keep her features froed “I outsell any of your other employees I never let you dohen I’m here”

“When you’re here,” he stressed He let out a weary sigh and ran his hands over his face “I just don’t knohat to do with you, Nixie Your mother…”

Nixie rushed in, not wanting hi!” She held up her destroyed shoe “I could have broken ed heel wobbled co “I…”

The sound of so throat drew attention to the custoht to the counter

Thetherin on his face

He was the perfect male specimen, the perfect male cliché: tall, dark, and handsome She would place him at 6’2”, and every inch was yummy He had thin, slender shoulders that her hand itched to caress His hair was chocolate broept back froe of his collar in the back His deeply tanned face held the most brilliant blue eyes she’d ever seen

Nixie recognized that face instantly

He was Nicholas Morgan, one of the wealthiest randfather had owned a large chunk of land that just happened to have more oil than they knehat to do with The oil refinery had been passed on to Nick’s father, and then six ht, he was probably the richestin front of her, staring at her broken heel

Nixie’s jaw dropped and she gaped at hiet her brain to function She just stared, gawking at his expensive suit and the perfect body that accompanied it

“Can I interrupt,” he asked in a low, smooth voice, “or do you need more time to mourn the shoe?”

In ee when it landed on her toe She forced a tight s up the pain “You can interrupt” She frowned, realizing how that sounded “I mean…it’s no interruption at all”

A hint of a grin crossed that devilishly handsome face “That’s a relief”

Nixie and Joe just stared at him, star struck

It hen Nick arched his eyebrows questioningly that Nixie’s brain snapped back into functionI can help you with?” she asked, brushing a stray hair away from her face

“Yeah,” Nick said slowly, an absolutely char across his face