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needed some air. The room was warm, and I suddenly felt claustrophobic,” she whispered, dropping her gaze to the floor. She couldn’t believe Mr. Christensen was standing right there, so close to her, overwhelming her mind and violating her sanity.
    “I see. Would you prefer that I don’t attend these meetings?”
    Terror flooded her heart. He knows! He knows I like him. “This isn’t about you.” She lied to him, her voice cracking and eyes moistening. Desperate to divert his suspicions, she added, “My leaving has nothing to do with you, Mr. Christensen.”
    Wrinkled lines formed across Axel’s forehead, his eyes widened, and he jerked his head back, obviously surprised and insulted. Did he actually expect her to admit her attraction to him—that he had affected her to the point of necessary escape?
    “I thought the pressure of the boss in the room might be too intimidating for you,” he said. She wondered if his explanation had been camouflage, to disguise his hurt over her indifference toward him.
    “That might be part of the problem,” she conceded.
    He smiled. Oh God! She couldn’t avoid the lure of his perfectly chiseled face when he grinned liked that. Caught in his snare, she tilted her head and her eyes locked on his. She closed her eyes again and swallowed hard, quailing as her head dropped. Mortified. She had never been in a position like this before. If he had any idea about what she had been feeling and thinking, he didn’t let on. Perhaps he wanted to save her from embarrassment.
    He moved his left hand to her arm, holding her tenderly. She raised her head and opened her eyes, jarred by the intensity of his touch. When their flesh met, a tingling sensation swept through her, but she concealed her rea ction. His impassive expression didn’t hide the sensual heat behind his eyes.
    “Kerrigan, I’m sorry. I know I can be intense. I’ll stop attending these meetings. I’ve only come for you.” She couldn’t believe his brazenness. He winced, as though admonishing himself for the directness of his words. “I want to support you. You’re the newest member of a very close, tight-knit team, and they can be resistant to change. From the beginning, I told Marie that you had management potential. Your work in the last six months is proof. I’m promoting you to an account manager position, and I want to make sure the team knows I support your promotion. Understand?”
    She cringed inwardly and then frowned. “Yes, I understand,” she said quietly. “I appreciate your support and confidence in me, and offer for the promotion, but I don’t want the job.” Shocked disappointment plastered his face—his raised brow and parted lips were poised to speak, but then closed in silence. She looked down to escape his fiery gaze.
    “Look at me Kerrigan.” She lifted her eyes at his command. He stared down at her so intensely that she trembled. She hoped he didn’t notice. “Why don’t you want this? You’ve worked so hard. You deserve the position. In less than six months, you’ve repaired a damaged relationship with two of our largest clients , and you’ve brought in four new accounts. I won’t let you turn me down.”
    She swallowed hard again. “I, I can’t Mr. Christensen. I came here looking for a new start. I want a slower pace. I don’t want the responsibility. If you want to fire me, I understand.”
    He said nothing for a few seconds, and then the corner of his mouth slanted upward into a smirk. “Why would I fire you? You’re the best account rep here, the best rep who has ever worked with me, period. At least give the job some consideration. You and I would be working closely together on several projects. I think we’d make an excellent team. I can be intense, and you’ll balance me out.” He placed his right hand on his chest over his heart, offering his pledge. “The work will challenge you, but I promise the job won’t be overwhelming. I’d never do that to you. The