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CHAPTER ONE

IT WAS sweltering No one, but no one, married in Manhattan in the middle of July No one but Winnie Graham that is

The organist paused and the packed congregation in St Paul's Cathedral seemed to rise in unison and all four hundred and fifty heads turned to stare at Winnie where she stood at the back of the church in her twenty thousand-dollar silk bridal gown

White silk gown

Just like her white garter, white silk hose, white flowers, white carpet, white, white, white for a virgin bride

For a twenty-five-year-old virgin bride who knew so little about life and men, that she was about to walk down the aisle without ever being kissed

Well, she had been kissed once, badly kissed, back in seventh grade when Rufus Jones practically stuck his tongue down her throat at a junior high birthday party She'd been so disgusted by the kiss that she'd nearly thrown up afterward, so that kiss didn't count

And now she was about to marry the love of her life except he didn't love her and he'd never kissed her and she'd actually signed a contract agreeing to this horrible public society wedding which ? What in God's na? How could she be a wife before she'd ever had a date?

Winnie closed her eyes, drew a deep breath and tried to cal it She was shaking so hard now she could barely keep her teeth fro Funny how your teeth could chatter when you're burning up Perspiration covered her skin Her heart raced She couldn't get enough air

What a fool she was What a perfect idiot

Yes, she loved Morgan Grady Yes, she was an Grady, but how could she sell herself like this? How could she sign away her life?

A contract

She'd signed a contract to become his wife

How could she love herself so little and him so much?

The organist struck the keys with fervor Bars of music filled the cathedral, four hundred and fifty people see for her to take the first step forward

Winnie's head swam The people became a blur of white noise and heat It was so hot in here There were too h she were suffocating She couldn't breathe Couldn't think And they were all waiting for her tofor her to take that first step

So she did She took a step, she turned around, she ran

Winnie dropped her bouquet of white lilies, roses and orchids in the cool foyer, dashed through the cathedral's paneled doors, down the widetaxicab

CHAPTER TWO

"WHERE to?" the cabdriver asked, sweating profusely and craning his head to get a look at her in the back seat, the stiff petticoats in her wedding gown hteenth century schooner

The cabbie needed a shower The inside of the car stank of old sweat Winnie cranked her n, dangerously close to throwing up

"Anywhere," she choked, needing air, but the hot y air outside only made her more nauseous

The driver shot her another glance "You got to go somewhere, lady"

Where to go, where to go after leaving her faan and four hundred and fifty people behind in the church?

She had to go someplace that no one would find her Someplace where no one would be "The Tower, on Wall Street," she said, sinking against the seat, na It was Saturday, the office would be deserted, and not even Morgan would think to look for her there

Closing her eyes, Winnie sagged against the sticky vinyl seat and tried to forget that she'd just run away froan Grady, New York's Sexiest Bachelor, standing at the altar

But eyes closed, she saw it all, sa it happened She even knew the day-the hour-the ed

June sixteenth His office Her insecurity

"You called me Willa"

He didn't look up His attention never wavered fro copious notes "Yes "

"Willa, I need copies of these i a sheath of papers across the desk without looking up, "and the top two sets faxed to the client noted on the cover page"

Winnie's heart fell Five and a halffor him Five and a half months and he still didn't know her name

"It's Winnie," she corrected faintly, groarm as color crept into her cheeks

"What's that?"

She balled one hand and pressed her thumb across her knuckles She'd never liked her name, never understood how her parents could look into her face as a newborn and think, Winnie, yes, you with the little puffy eyes and tiny mouth, you're our Winnie But if Winnie was bad, Willa was far worse

She'd corrected him before, several times actually, but he'd always been on his way in or out, or in the ave the slips, and made up excuses for him

But after five and a half months, the excuses had worn thin Her patience had worn down And her outer skin had worn off She couldn't do this any invisible It was definitely time to move on

Winnie's lungs ached and she exhaled, feeling the elastic of her panty hose pinch her waist She'd gained soht over the winter, her usual extra five or ten pounds and she'd been slow to lose the weight this year Her panty hose was killing her She couldn't remember when she felt so frumpy or dull And worst of all, it wounded her pride that Mr Grady was completely oblivious to her existence, while she knew-and was expected to know-everything about him

Morgan Louis Grady Born August first, Boston, Massachusetts A Leo, he took four newspapers daily, but didn't start reading until he'd hit his tread workout He read all the important business sections of the paper between six and seven in thewhich he drank exactly two and a half cups of very strong, very black coffee He had nothing until lunch - light salad and chicken from a caterer that delivered every day-and worked without interruption until three when she brought him a shot of espresso from the coffee cart downstairs

Shirt size: sixteen and a half Shoe size: eleven Height: six foot three Weight: two hundred and five ht

Impeccable dresser

His hair was another lossy and nearly black, he had a cowlick at his teer than the rest He could cut it all short but he never did

She knew all this, anda deep breath she blurted, "Mr Grady, my name is Winnie, not Willa I'm Winnie Graham and I've worked here since January second"

His dark head lifted "Oh"

She stood a bit straighter, pulled back her shoulder blades, trying to project that she was taller, ht "I replaced Miss Dirkle And Miss Dirkle replaced Miss Hunts And Miss Hunts, I believe, took over for Mrs Amadio"

'Yes Miss Dirkle, Miss Hunts, I remember"

They were nized so Good Noas the time to mention Friday

Friday, four days from now, she had a final intervieith a company in Charleston for a position much like the one she held now, executive assistant to the CEO of a major Fortune 500 firm The job responsibilities and salary were equitable hat she had now, except that the cost

of living in Charleston wasfor a kind, grandfather-like gentlean Grady, Wall Street's Most Eligible Bachelor

"About Friday, Mr Grady-"

"What about Friday?"

"I sent you a memo"

"I don't recall"