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he glared wryly down into her tense face.
    "So we go back to the 'on-guard' position, hmmm? I was right. The only outcome you'll recognize is surrender. We'll see how gracefully you can lose tomorrow night."
    He reached down to button her blouse, ignoring her efforts to do it herself. A slow, promising smile quirked his mouth.
    And as he walked her out to the car, Kelly wondered if there was something unnatural or perverted about enjoying the kiss of the man who held the power to ruin her fine career at Forrester Stereo. What sane woman would willingly court disaster?

CHAPTER THREE
    "Is Mrs. Forrester free for a minute or two, Carol?"
    Kelly smiled down at the efficient, almost frighteningly organized woman who guarded Helen Forrester's office. Carol Winters nodded briskly, her dark eyes frowning a warning.

    "Go on in, Miss Winfield. She's got a few minutes before her next meeting." Forty-three years old and with a wealth of experience at Forrester Stereo under her belt, Carol had no compunction at all about taking a superior attitude toward every member of the staff except Helen. No one dared walk into the president's office without checking first with the trim dark-haired woman at the outer desk.
    "Good morning, Kelly, come on in. Coffee? It's okay to drink it this morning. Carol made it."
    "Sounds terrific." Kelly grinned. "Don't get up, for heaven's sake, I'll get it." She helped herself to a cup from the pot and stirred cream into the brew. "You've got to break this habit of playing hostess in your own office, Helen. It just isn't done!"
    Helen sighed, her gray eyes laughing up at Kelly as the younger woman walked forward to take a seat. She was an attractive woman in her mid-fifties, with short, styled blond hair that was silvering rapidly. On Helen it created an interesting effect, making the vivid gray eyes seem even more vibrant. A hint of matronly plumpness gave her a comfortable look that belied the astute mind and dynamic energy underneath.
    "The result of too many years spent playing the role of the president's wife, I suppose!"
    "Maybe you should find a nice, domesticated male and install him in your kitchen at home. If you had a househusband you might learn to feel more like a company president!" Kelly chuckled.
    "Good idea but easier said than done. Unfortunately our society simply hasn't learned to train men properly for that sort of role. Pity, isn't it? I mean, when they're obviously so well suited for it temperamentally."
    "Speaking of temperamental men," Kelly began, sampling her coffee with due caution, "I had dinner with the computer-security consultant last night."
    "So I heard." Helen smiled. "Office grapevine," she added by way of explanation when Kelly lifted one brow interrogatingly.
    "Of course," Kelly responded dryly.
    "Now, there's a man who might not be temperamentally suited to housework," Helen opined thoughtfully, sipping her own coffee from a mug labeled boss, which Brett had given to his mother as a joke.
    "I'm inclined to agree with you," Kelly began, about to launch into a description of Locke's findings so far.
    "In fact," Helen interrupted with a rueful little smile, "I'm not sure what poor Locke would have done in life if he hadn't been lucky enough to be born in the computer era. Were you terribly bored last night, Kelly?"
    "Bored!" Kelly stared at her boss a little blankly. "Well, no, not really, I mean we talked about the investigation.
    "What else? From what I understand, computers are the only thing Locke discusses. Nearly drove his ex-fiancée crazy from all accounts!"
    "Ex-fiancée?" Kelly waited with unexpected breathless-ness for an explanation.
    "Amanda Bailey. Her family are old friends of ours, which is how I happen to know the juicy details," Helen confessed with relish. Helen believed in maintaining a well-rounded interest in life. Being company president of Forrester Stereo hadn't destroyed her appreciation for good gossip, although Kelly had never known her to be