In the near empty cafeteria, a heavy dissatisfied sigh eased out of Laine as she moved the food around on her plate with her fork. She scowled and turned her gaze to her friend. Amy was lovely, tall and blonde, and not for the first time, Laine silently wished she could have some of what her friend had plus her vibrant, friendly nature. With a slight shake of her head, she gave a quick grimace and shoved the thought away.

"Richard is becoming impossible. Every time I go to break up with him, he starts crying." She blurted out in a rush.

Amy shook her head in disgust. "How long has it been now?"

Laine shrugged. "Six or eight weeks now. I've lost count. And I'm not looking forward to the dreary evening he has planned tonight. I know I'm not the most exciting person out there but jeeze, Richard is a dead bore."

Smothering a soft chuckle, Amy could only agree; especially after meeting Richard.

"It's not fair you know? Before I go out, I have to wash my hair, pluck my eyebrows, wax my legs and shave under my arms." Laine snorted. "At least a man doesn't have to do a thing except put on his clothes. It doesn't matter if he doesn't shave and has a hairy chest, legs and butt."

Amy burst out laughing.

Ford, about to step into the senior staff lunchroom, stopped just before the open doorway and listened to his personal assistant complain. His brow arched in mockery, wondering if the lady had ever seen a man's hairy butt in her life.

The woman might be excellent at her job, but she didn't have a smidgeon of personality and reminded him of a frumpy old maid. Her speaking about the man she dated even confirmed it. Christ, the guy must be a wimp, crying for pete sake. He blocked his thoughts when she started talking again.

Unaware that her conversation was being overheard by anyone but her friend, Laine continued. "You know Amy, I'm due some leave and the boss will be away all next week. So, I can't see any reason why I can't take some time off. I think I might lash out and go somewhere tropical. And besides I need to make a clean break with Richard before he suffocates me."

"Oh that sounds great. Have you any idea where you would go?" Amy thought it's just what her quiet, shy friend needed.

From beneath her lashes, she gave a swift peek around the near empty room and leaned forward. "Yes I have. There's this island that is strictly for singles." She gave her small shoulders a shrug and tried to keep the blush from her face. "Maybe I could find a man and have some hot sex. Lord knows everyone else is doing it."

Shocked, Amy choked on her drink and stared at her friend incredulously. "You...you mean you're willing to go to this place and have sex with the first guy you see? A...stranger?"

Laine shot her friend a disgruntled glare. "Of course not silly. I would have to find him attractive at least. I've been considering it for a while now, and I think it will be fun and exciting. Over the last few months I've been buying just the right clothes that would entice a man. Well, I hope they will."

"Oh Lord sweetie, you really can't be serious?" Amy still couldn't even consider that her friend would do such a crazy thing, or realize the danger she would be putting herself in.

In the corridor Ford rolled his eyes. Was the woman demented? Going to an island to have sex with a perfect stranger? Never had he ever heard anything so utterly ridiculous. For an exceedingly smart woman, she obviously has some damn stupid ideas.

He couldn't let it happen, she was too important to him and who knew what state she would be in when she came back. She would probably be a blithering wreck and useless at her job. No, he would have to prevent her going and causing him untold problems. Filled with determination, Ford stepped into the bright room and eyed the back of her head with firm resolve. "In my office Ms. Rogers."

When she jumped and turned around to face him, he gave her a curt nod, spun around and headed back to his office. He intended to squash this nonsense before it was too late. No bloody way would he lose the best assistant he's managed to keep in a good long while.

"Oh dear, he doesn't look very happy?" Amy whispered when the boss left.

Laine scrambled out of her seat and wrinkled her nose. "When does he ever look happy except when he has one of his women hanging off his arm?" Quickly disposing of her lunch, she smoothed down her ankle length skirt and scurried to her boss's office wondering what he wanted now.

Warily, Laine gave a light tap on the partially open door, and stepped into the ultra modern room with one of its wall a bank of windows letting in the bright sunlight and spectacular view of Houston. She moved over to stand a few feet in front of his desk. Waiting for him to speak, she studied him from beneath her lashes. It irked her that he always made her nervous. But what woman wouldn't feel uneasy around this gorgeous hunk of a man?

He oozed sex appeal like an overflowing dam, and women lapped it up. She started to feel antsy when he just sat there gazing at her with hooded eyes, and she shifted from one foot to the other when her nerves grew even more tightly strung.

The second his personal assistant stepped into the room, Ford allowed himself the time to really study her for the first time in two years. Usually, he only gave her a hasty passing glance, but now he openly observed her. Small probably a little over five feet, delicately boned. His eyes flared slightly when he zoned in on her generous breasts beneath her high buttoned white blouse.