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Alta this Saturday." He named his ranch. "You'll be going along."
    For the first time, Alex looked suspicious. "Who exactly is going and why do I have to go?" This in itself was odd since she had never questioned his orders before.
    Jared turned away an d walked back to his desk. "Ra shid will be there. Since he insists on his bodyguards going along, I will do likewise. Just pack casual clothes, you know, jeans and such. Also take some boots if you care to do some riding. All of our time won't be taken up with meetings. Oh, on your way out, would you let Chris know I need to see him." Now she was being dismissed.
    If Alex hadn't had such a good hold on her emotions, her mouth might have dropped open in a very unladylike pose. Jared was acting very strangely today. First the ardent lover, now the distant cold-hearted man she was used to dealing with. Nothing was making any sense. She wondered if there was a full moon out. She nodded stiffly, then let herself out of the office and returned to her own.
    Once alone in the quiet confines of her office, Alex's mind recalled the force of Jared's kiss. She wasn't sur prised by her action. She had been aware of his interest in her from the very beginning, but it hadn't deterred her from taking the job. If anything, Jared presented a chal lenge of his own. A challenge she wasn't going to deny, but one she wouldn't dare accept either. Her only surprise was her whole-hearted response to his kiss and that worried her.
    Alex remembered all too well the few years she had been married and the tragic aftermath. Memories she pre ferred to keep buried deeply so that they wouldn't inter fere with the life she had made for herself. Funny, she hadn't thought of Dennis for a long time now. Not that she had anything against her ex-husband or that she still loved him. There might not have been any fireworks or displays of grand passion during their marriage, but there hadn't been any misery either. At least there had been no real damage to her heart. She leaned forward, massaging her temples with the tips of her fingers as if working hard to banish the headache that was beginning to appear.
    "You haven't been wearing your glasses again when you read," Dena scolded, setting two aspirin and a glass of water in front of her.
    "Yes, Mother," she replied wryly, picking up the pills.
    "Hey, I'm only doing this to protect my own skin. You're a real terror when you get these headaches," she informed her boss.
    Alex grimaced as she swallowed the two white tablets. "Mr. Templeton has decided to hold the rest of the meet ings with the sheikhs at his ranch, so I'll be leaving the end of this week."
    "That means no budget meeting with your favorite per son in Accounting," Dena guessed.
    "You've got it. I know the man will just be broken hearted to hear the news," she said dryly. "You may as well call him and give him the glad tidings. I'll do some homework while I'm up there and really give him both barrels when I return. I can send my notes down to you with Mr. Templeton's messenger. I don't know how long I'll be gone."
    Dena nodded and turned to walk out of the office. "I'll call Mr. St. Clair's office now and give him the bad news."
    "At least someone's day will be made," Alex muttered, staring down at the top of her desk. She refused to admit that her confrontation with Jared had affected her in a very strange way. There was a tingling sensation in her lips that recalled the hard pressure of his mouth and she thought she could still taste the acrid tang of the cheroots he smoked. Picking up a memo, she resolutely pushed him from her mind and returned to her work.
    Friday evening, Alex was more than tired when she headed for the elevator that would take her down to the parking garage. When the elevator slowed at the appropri ate level and the doors silently slid open, she stepped out and frowned when she noticed some of the lights were out, giving the interior a dim, tomblike appearance.
    Switching her