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show him a way out. And for a second, he wanted nothing more than to talk to her and to let her do her best.
    He shook his head.
    He had to kick her out. He couldn’t afford to do anything else.
    She stared at him for a second, sighed. “You don’t believe me, and I don’t blame you.”
    â€œYou don’t blame me.” This made him pause. Then he leaned back in his chair. “But you’re not going to stop pestering me about this, are you?”
    She smiled. “Now…what kind of person would you think I was, if I drove all this way just to give up that easily?”
    He couldn’t help it. He laughed, before choking it down to a quick, throat-clearing cough. “Well, as you can see, I’m pretty busy today…”
    He shouldn’t have said it. She glanced around and quickly saw the last presentation slide he’d left up after his mock “investor presentation” with Ken. She was out of the chair in a flash, going to his pile of slides.
    â€œHey!” He got up to stop her, but it was too late—she was plowing through them.
    â€œThis? This is what you’re going to present to a group of investors?”
    â€œGive me those.” He tugged the slides out of her hands, not needing to feign annoyance at her tactics. His voice turned sharp. “Like I said, I’m busy. Which means you’re leaving.”
    â€œYou realize, of course, that you’re burying them in information,” she said with a sweet smile. “Nobody’s going to cough up money at the end of something like that. You’ll be lucky if they’re still awake at the end of something like that.”
    â€œWhat, you want a check for that brilliant piece of advice?” he snarled, then winced.
    â€œWell, I don’t think it’s worth one hundred grand,but…” She stopped, her green eyes going wide. “You know, that’s it.”
    â€œWhat’s it?” Talking with the woman was like watching television with a bored teenager armed with the remote.
    â€œI’ve got an idea on how I can help you. And how the firm can earn that hundred grand.” She bit her lip thoughtfully, something that made her look devilish…and cute, although women like her usually hated being called cute. Sexy, exotic, dangerous, perhaps, but never cute.
    â€œWhat are you doing tonight?” The question was offhand, and she wasn’t even looking at him. Still, the rough-husky sound of her voice tugged at him.
    â€œGuess it depends on what you have in mind,” he replied reflexively. “No. Forget I said that. I didn’t mean that.”
    She didn’t, and wouldn’t. He’d bet his car on it. Her grin was pure mischief.
    â€œI’m working late,” he said, his justification sounding lame to his own ears.
    â€œYou’ll still be working,” she said. “Working with me. Can I borrow those slides?”
    â€œNo, you can’t,” he said, putting them behind his back. “What the hell are you talking about?”
    â€œMichaels and Associates does P.R., naturally…but we also do coaching, for sales, media, presentations,” she said, her voice growing more excited. “It’s a perfect plan. I’ll go into it more tonight. Just give me a few hours. We could have dinner. Business dinner, nothing funny,” she said firmly. “I don’t want any more crap about how I ‘take care of’ my clients. I run strictly by the book.”
    He looked at her again, this time making sure shenoticed his slow perusal of her form. “You don’t look like the by-the-book type.”
    â€œLook all you like,” she said, her voice smug. “By the time I’m done with you, you’re going to be so busy you won’t even be able to see straight. I’m hard on my clients, but it’s worth it. And you’re going to be one of my clients, Drew Robson.”
    â€œWhether