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Prologue: Andi

I was sitting in a beautiful bar in a luxurious hotel in the exotic city of Hong Kong feeling dejected and angry about it Who did Noah Strong think he was to treat me like that? And the fact that I felt rejected by him, only served to piss me off I was a smart, independent woman I didn't need a randht froular secretary, she'd been looking for someone as dedicated to her career and could be a sound advisor for the decisions she was aed randsons for the roles they were taking as they moved up in the business and she made her exit

All the Strong men were handsohtlaced one as dedicated as I was to the coh now he divided that dedication to his wife, Kellie and their newborn baby, Maggie Hunter was driven with a side helping of horndog until he entle, kind traveler, who just e to know his son, Tanner And then there was Noah

Sure, Noah was sy, but he was immature and unreliable He behaved like a petulant child, throwing little teranded him to take his place in the fa the Strong business, even as a consultant I suppose I needed to give hirand the business

I'd known that coate was a bad idea, but I had thought it was just because he was childish and irresponsible I fully expected hi it off As it turned out, he was taking the work seriously, which was good The bad part was that I discovered that all the negative energy between us wasn’t just irritation, it was also sexually charged At least on ered me

I was a woman focused on my career Over the last three years, I had no personal life by choice I lovedthat wasn't work related, I was still usually with the Strong faaret’s son, Alex’s house at the beach, at one of her grandsons’ weddings, or at Carter and his neife, Jess's house I wasn't just Margaret's dutiful assistant, but she also made me feel a part of the family

A disgusting thought ran through my head If I was like family, that wouldSo how gross was it that he and I had kissed? Not a peck, but a full blown, hot, wet tongue tangle?

I downed the shot sitting on the bar and then waved at the bartender to giveat the moment, so ould anyone care if I drank too much? It's not like Noah would notice God Why would he kisshappened? And why did I care so much?

What I needed to do was take my mind off of Noah I had to consider that the only reason I was thinking about hiether, and he did have a certain sex appeal to hiine any woman out there that would be immune to him

So, the ansas to distractIncorporated worked with here in Hong Kong He was handso an interest in iven after we’d had drinks tonight

I downed the next shot, disgusted atover Noah I didn't even like him, so as I so bent out of shape?

I waved over the bartender and this time, I ordered a mixed drink because I didn’t want to be so out of it that I couldn’t get myself back upstairs to the s

uite As I waited, I noticed so in what looked like a protest Another hotel e to the bartender, who immediately looked towards the lobby of the hotel as if he orried about so

When he boughton?" I pointed to as going on the television screen

"There's some civil unrest, and out of an abundance of caution, the hotel is going to be going on lock down," he said in ilish

"Are we in danger?"

He shook his head "Not here at the hotel It has nothing to do with us"

"How long will the left lockdown last?" I asked, thinking about Noah, as in aoutside of the hotel Would he be able to come back? He ith Phil, the , so I supposed Noah would be able to go with hiet back in the hotel

"I don't know I i," the bartender said

I took another sip ofI could access the mini bar in our suite I left the bartender a tip and then made my way up to the suite

Once back, I called Phil's office so I could let theht Noah was spending so much time there to avoidto let ain

I told Phil as going on and he assuredto worry about it