Chapter One

Ashleigh Malone

What the hell had I been thinking? There was no way I could be both the manager and accountant for a growing luxury resort. Yet, every time I thought about handing over the finances to someone else, I broke out in a cold sweat. Mark had done a number on me financially, and after two years I still wasn’t over it.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t my call anymore. The owner and my boss, Richard Blake, had decided to hire a professional accountant, and I’d all but begged him to let me hire Meghan MaCayan—my best friend from college who ran her own successful accounting firm. It hadn’t flown. I was told that it was a conflict of interest to have a friend working in the accounting department. I remembered laughing at him. Not my proudest moment, but the absurdity of his statement had shocked me. Letting a respectable accounting firm take over the finances was a conflict of interest, but allowing me—the resort manager—to handle the finances had been fine. I’d learned that the decision had been made yesterday. Richard had hired an accountant to take over, and they would send him to see me. I guess I had no choice but to deal with it.

“Excuse me, Miss Malone? There’s a Mr. Blake here to see you. He claims he’s the new accountant,” my secretary, Claire, said from where she stood in the door.

I rolled my eyes. “Send him in.” Richard wasn’t wasting any time, was he? I moved stacks of paper from one side of my desk to the other in a feeble attempt to make it appear neat and organized. It was more than just a nervous habit. I thrived on order and organization and schedules. I knew that and did nothing to quell it. In fact I was so preoccupied that I hadn’t noticed him walk in. But when I finally did notice…boy did I notice. I’ll be the first to admit that my social life leaves a lot to be desired, but I do like to read. A lot. Mostly romance, and even though I’d read about it hundreds of times, I still wasn’t prepared for my reaction to him. My jaw hung slack, and my throat went dry.

He was tall, well over six feet, with brown, wavy hair that just barely grazed his broad shoulders, and he had naturally tanned skin. Black pin-striped Dolce and Gabbana slacks hugged his hips. A black silk tie hung down the front of his white button-up shirt that was pulled taut across his muscular chest. There was no denying the stir I felt south of my waist. He was a gorgeous man—a man who belonged in a place like this. And I knew that there was no way he could be the new accountant. Accountants didn’t look like that. Accountants were weak looking, geeky, and wore glasses. Didn’t they?

Deep brown eyes stared at me intently as a self-assured smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. I hated smirking men. But what I hated even more was that he looked damn sexy doing it. Confidence, arrogance, and the hint of being a smooth operator oozed from his pores. He reminded me too much of Mark. I disliked him immediately.

“Are you Ashleigh Malone?” he asked.

I cleared my throat. “Yes, and you are?”

“Ryan Blake,” he said, stepping farther into my office.

I stood, and an involuntary grimace contorted my face as I shook his hand. An accountant with rough, calloused hands? I couldn’t help but wonder what he did in his free time to make his hands so rough. A shiver worked up my spine, and I pulled my hand from his. “Please, sit,” I said, nodding at the chair across from me as I sat.

Once he sat, I studied him for a moment. Ryan Blake. And then it hit me. Richard Blake. Ryan Blake. I couldn’t believe Richard had hired his own damn son! “So, Mr. Blake, tell me a little about yourself.”

He grinned. “What is this? An interview? I was assured that I had the job, Miss Malone.”

I gritted my teeth. “Yes, I’m sure you were.” There was a sneer to my voice that I hadn’t intended. “And I’m sure you were told that I would be your direct supervisor.”

He nodded.

“I like to know who is working for me. Now if you don’t mind,” I said as I began to move papers around on my desk again.

“Well,” he said, folding his hands in his lap. “I attended Harvard Business School where I received my doctorate in accounting and finance. Upon graduating, I worked for Congressman Bouchard and then took a position with the University of Hawaii.”

“Why did you decide to leave the university and come here?” I met his gaze and noticed he was watching me shuffle papers. I stopped and folded my hands on top of my desk. He shouldn’t make me so nervous.

“It was time for a change. I don’t like being cooped up in an office. I prefer to be outside. The Aurora Island Resort just seemed like a good fit,” Ryan said.

“If you like the outdoors so much, why did you devote your life to a career that requires you to be cooped up inside?” I asked with a smile.

“Because numbers don’t lie. They are simple and constant.”

He had a point that I couldn’t argue. “As I’m sure you know we are very customer oriented, and even though you won’t have any direct contact with our guests, you are officially an employee and therefore eligible for a bungalow rental on the other side of the island. Shall I set you up with one?”

“Is that where you stay?”

His question caught me off guard, and I blinked several times. “Uh, yeah. Why?”

“Then yes, I’d like one.”

My heart rate accelerated, and I had no idea why. Sure, he was sexier than any man I’d seen in a long time, but so what? He wasn’t a piece of meat, and I wasn’t looking to get involved anyway. Besides, he was my employee. And the boss’ son.

“You’ve been handling the books thus far, correct?”

I nodded.

“Then it looks like for the next few days we’ll be spending a lot of time together.”

I stared at him. “Excuse me?” Why did the idea of spending time with him excite me so much?

“You’ll have to bring me up to speed on the books and how things work around here,” he said.

I sighed. “Right, of course.” I hoped my disappointment wasn’t too obvious. Then an idea struck me. It was something I knew I shouldn’t have said, but I just couldn’t stop myself. “It’s company policy that bungalows are for employee’s only. Spouses, children, and pets are not allowed.” Okay so that was an outright lie, but what were the chances he knew that?

Ryan smiled at me. A full, wide, bright-toothed smile that touched his eyes, making them lighten a shade, and sparkle. It was breathtaking. “Good to know,” he said.

I stood. “Shall I show you to your bungalow or will you be making other arrangements?”

When he stood, he towered over me. It should’ve been intimidating, but it was oddly comforting.

“Lead the way.”

“You first,” I said. He walked in front of me, and my gaze drifted to his ass. It was firm and very well showcased by his slacks. He’s my employee and the boss’ son. He’s my employee and the boss’ son. Those words would quickly become my mantra.