Love Unmasked: Good With Numbers, #1

By Rose Bak

What happens when Little Red Riding Hood meets the Big Bad Wolf?

Maya meets the man of her dreams at her friend's Halloween masquerade party. But when the masks come off she realizes her dream guy is actually her nightmare boss! How can the guy who terrorizes her at work be the same person who makes her forget everything around her with just the touch of his lips?

Anthony wants to pursue her, but Maya refuses to jeopardize her career with an office romance. She has worked too hard to get where she is.  But when the two enemies are thrown together on a business trip, their resolve to keep things professional is sorely tested.

 

Will love be their holiday treat? Or is it all a trick?

"Love Unmasked" is the first book in the Good with Numbers Workplace Romance series.  Each book is a steamy standalone featuring strong women and alpha males finding love in midlife, meddling matchmaker friends, a little bit of humor, and a sweet happily-ever-after.  Download the entire series today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rose Bak
• Release date: Jun 28, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201713867

Rose Bak

Rose Bak has been obsessed with books since she got her first library card at age five. She is a passionate reader with an e-reader bursting with thousands of beloved books.  Rose's contemporary romance books focus on strong female characters over age 35 and the alpha males who love them. Expect a lot of steam, a little bit of snark, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Book preview

About This Book

What happens when Little Red Riding Hood meets the Big Bad Wolf?

Maya meets the man of her dreams at her friend's Halloween masquerade party. But when the masks come off she realizes her dream guy is actually her nightmare boss! How can the guy who terrorizes her at work be the same person who makes her forget everything around her with just the touch of his lips?

Anthony wants to pursue her, but Maya refuses to jeopardize her career with an office romance. She has worked too hard to get where she is.  But when the two enemies are thrown together on a business trip, their resolve to keep things professional is sorely tested.

Will love be their holiday treat? Or is it all a trick?

Love Unmasked, the first book in the Good with Numbers Workplace Romance series.  Each book is a steamy standalone featuring strong women and alpha males finding love in midlife, meddling matchmaker friends, a little bit of humor, and a sweet happily-ever-after.  Download the entire series today.

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This book includes a special except from Until You Came Along, book one of the Oliver Boys Rockstar Romance series, available now on select retailers.

Chapter One

Maya! My office! Now!

I sighed as I heard my boss growl at me from the doorway of his office.  I had just been on my way to the ladies’ room and made the mistake of walking past Anthony’s office. Clearly, I should have gone the long way around.

He waved me inside impatiently, his handsome face set in a deep frown.  It was too bad that a frown was his normal expression – at least around me—because he really was quite good looking.

He was average height, somewhere around six feet, with the lean body of a swimmer. He had thick dark hair, a neatly groomed beard and light brown eyes that shone with intelligence against olive skin.  His eyes crinkled a little when he smiled.  Not that I had noticed.

Anthony stood midway between the desk and the doorway, as if he were on his way out when I walked past.

He was dressed professionally, as we all did in the office. Our accounting office was pretty casual in many ways, but our clients expected a certain level of professionalism. I spied Anthony’s navy suit jacket draped over the back of his desk chair. His white shirt was rolled up to his forearms and his blue and red striped tie was loosened, as if he had been tugging on it while he worked. 

I often heard women in the office comment on Anthony’s good looks and if I was totally honest, I was not immune to his looks myself. His personality, on the other hand, was a total turn-off.

What did you need? I asked, hovering a foot in the doorway, willing myself to keep my expression neutral.  I let my eyes roam around the room to avoid looking directly at him.  His office was neat, with tasteful prints on the walls and a couple of strategically placed awards and sports memorabilia scattered throughout.

I need the numbers for the Raleigh project, he barked, his tone clearly conveying I should have known intuitively why he had summoned me into his office.

I struggled against the desire to roll my eyes. They’re in your email, I said calmly.  I sent them an hour ago.  I kept the word asshole to myself, but I know it was implied in my tone.

Anthony’s eyes narrowed as if he did not believe me, which irritated me given that I was an excellent employee.  I had years of positive performance evaluations to prove it.

He strode to his desk, dropping into his fancy black leather chair and moving the mouse to bring his monitor back to life.  I leaned against the door frame with my eyebrows raised, waiting. A couple of clicks and his forehead wrinkled into a deeper frown, telling me that he had found it. 

OK then, he said, without a hint of apology.  I got it. Thanks. He continued to type away on his computer without looking up again, clearly dismissing me. 

I sighed deeply and turned to continue my journey to the rest room. Locking myself in the handicapped stall at the end of the row, I rested my head in my hands and rubbed my temples. Why does Anthony hate me? I asked myself for the millionth time.

I had been working at the accounting firm for