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Sam.”
    Maddy deflated. That was what he wanted to talk about? How... depressing. “What about Sam?” she forced herself to say.
    Reaching out, Chet ran a finger over the rim of his coffee cup. Had that finger been inside her last night? No, no! Concentrate! Maddy forced herself to notice that while he had ordered coffee he hadn't drunk any of it yet. Glowering seemed to be his chief occupation.
    “I've known Sam a long time,” he said. “I wanted to speak to you before he does. Has he contacted you yet?”
    Maddy blinked, confused. “I don't... I mean, yes, but... We're going out for lunch later... wait, that's not any of your business!”
    His icy blue eyes flickered to hers. “Sam is my closest friend,” he told her. “I know him better than anyone else.”
    “So?”
    “So I knew he would contact you again. He will want to... go out with you. And more.”
    Her spine stiffened. She knew exactly what was going to come next. “Are you warning me away from your friend?” she said. “Going to let me know he doesn't need to be seen with a fat girl? That it'd be bad for his reputation?” She'd heard it. She'd heard it several times.
    Hurt every time, too.
    To his credit, Chet looked shocked. “What?” he said. “No! Of course not... I mean, yes, but not because...” His eyes swept over her, but this time instead of feeling sexy, Maddy felt embarrassed. She wanted to cover herself up with her hands, but she forced herself to grip her coffee instead. High in her nose she felt the traitorous sting of tears. Clenching her jaw, she closed her eyes and pushed them back. When she opened them, Chet was staring at her again, but this time his eyes were full of pity, which was even worse.
    “ Maddy ,” he murmured, “ have people said that to you?”
    “What do you care?” she snapped. “You just want me to stay away from Sam so he won't end up in the tabloids.”
    Chet shook his head. “No, that's not it. Although,” he said, almost as an afterthought, “it's probably very, very bad for the CEO to date an employee like that. We could get in big trouble.”
    Maddy hadn't had a date—a real date—in almost a year. If Sam wanted to take her out on a date, she was going to pounce on that opportunity. She would just bet he knew some great restaurants. “Then we'll just have to be quiet about it,” she said. “ If he actually wants to date me and not just fuck me.” She wouldn't mind that either, though it would be harder to guard herself against getting hurt if that were the case.
    Chet pressed his lips together, clearly unhappy. “ Maddy ,” he said, “I swear, I'm not trying to warn you off from Sam because of appearances. Sam is not...” He appeared to search for the word. “Good relationship material,” he finally said. He looked faintly embarrassed, as he should have, because that was the lamest excuse in the world.
    “So what?” Maddy asked. “What makes you think I want a relationship with him?”
    Chet scowled at her. “Nothing!” he said. “Nothing makes me think that, I just... wait, why am I on the defensive, here?”
    “I don't know,” Maddy said primly. “Maybe you have something to be defensive about.”
    He leaned across the table, the full force of his icy glare turned on her. Maddy could see why he intimidated just about everyone in the business world. Too bad it didn't prevent her from having the same reaction. She tried to shrink into her chair.
    “I have nothing to be defensive about,” he said, his voice so low she could barely make it out. “I am merely trying to keep you from getting hurt. You don't know Sam. He's a man who enjoys women. He makes people love him without even thinking about it, sometimes without them even knowing they're falling for him. He will draw you in and break your heart, and god fucking forbid I actually like you enough to tell you that.”
    Her heart tripped a little at that, which was pretty pathetic. Maddy hated feeling pathetic, and she