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The Garrisons #1
The CEO's Scandalous Affair
A PLEASURE DOING BUSINESS
Miami millionaire Parker Garrison had dated his way through most every eligible woman in the city. So when
he needed a last-minute escort he turned to his ever efficient assistant. Who knew unpretentious Anna Cross would turn into such a beauty and make the business mogul rethink his policy on intraoffice affairs.—
No strings. No emotions. Both agreed they would
keep their liaison simple. But when Parker discovered someone within the company was leaking information to the competition, he knew he had to discover more about his new lover. And that meant breaking down all Anna's barriers, the way only he could.
Miami millionaire Parker Garrison had dated his way through most every eligible woman in the city. So when
he needed a last-minute escort he turned to his ever efficient assistant. Who knew unpretentious Anna Cross would turn into such a beauty and make the business mogul rethink his policy on intraoffice affairs.—
No strings. No emotions. Both agreed they would
keep their liaison simple. But when Parker discovered someone within the company was leaking information to the competition, he knew he had to discover more about his new lover. And that meant breaking down all Anna's barriers, the way only he could.
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2007
26 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
About the author
Roxanne St. Claire
268 books1,835 followersI don’t know about you, but when I check out an author's bio, it’s usually because I’ve read a book I liked and wondered about the person behind it. Let's skip the formal bio and I'll give you the inside scoop on who Roxanne St. Claire really is.
First of all, call me Rocki. Everyone does. Evidently, when my mother brought me home from the hospital I seemed too scrawny and small to pull off “Roxanne” (she’d read Cyrano de Bergerac while pregnant or I would have been Judy) so they called me Rocki.
I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, the youngest of five (overachievers, every one), and fell in love with words and stories the summer I read Gone With The Wind. That year, for my twelfth birthday, my parents gave me a typewriter (with italic font – it was the coolest thing) and from that day on, I’ve had my fingers on a keyboard, pounding out love stories for fun. My AP English teacher taught me the two most important lessons an aspiring author ever needs: 1) verbs are the key to life and 2) a writer should get a real job. After attending UCLA and graduating with a degree in communications, I tried acting and television broadcasting. Oh, they aren’t real jobs? I learned that the hard way. I changed my last name from Zink to St. Claire because a news producer told me Roxanne Zink had too many harsh consonants for a TV personality – apparently Katie Couric didn’t get the memo. I got some fun gigs, and even met Tom Hanks when I did a guest appearance on Bosom Buddies. I liked on camera work, but wasn’t too crazy about starvation, so I moved to Boston and got that “real” job. In fact, I placed my foot on the bottom rung of the corporate ladder and didn’t look down until I’d climbed all the way up to the level of Senior Vice President at the world’s largest public relations firm. On the way up, I met the man of my dreams in an elevator. Two years later – in the same elevator! – he asked me to marry him and I wisely said yes.
I stayed in PR, moved to Miami, had a few babies, lost my home in a hurricane, built another one a few hours north and all along, I kept writing my “stories” for fun. One night, I read a particularly fabulous romance novel that changed my life for good. That night, I decided I wanted to make someone else feel as whole and happy as that author made me feel. (Everyone asks! It was Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.) With two small children and one big “real” job, writing my first novel wasn’t easy, but I did finish a manuscript that managed to get the attention of a literary agent. She told me to do one thing and one thing fast: write another book. (The first one is usually a “learner” book, honestly.) That second manuscript sold to Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books and was released in 2003 as Tropical Getaway. Since then, I’ve written almost thirty more, in multiple genres, and long ago replaced the corporate ladder with the rollercoaster of publishing as a full-time novelist. Finally, writing is my real job.
Today, I live in a small beach community in Florida with my husband and two dogs. Our kids are off to college and law school, which means my nest is empty! I spend my time writing, working with the kids at my church, enjoying my husband's gourmet cooking, and hanging with my many writer friends. Of course, I love to read. I’m still crazy about words and stories and hope to write at least a hundred books in my lifetime. And, yes, verbs are the key to life. My favorites? Love. Work. Believe.
xoxo
Rocki
First of all, call me Rocki. Everyone does. Evidently, when my mother brought me home from the hospital I seemed too scrawny and small to pull off “Roxanne” (she’d read Cyrano de Bergerac while pregnant or I would have been Judy) so they called me Rocki.
I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, the youngest of five (overachievers, every one), and fell in love with words and stories the summer I read Gone With The Wind. That year, for my twelfth birthday, my parents gave me a typewriter (with italic font – it was the coolest thing) and from that day on, I’ve had my fingers on a keyboard, pounding out love stories for fun. My AP English teacher taught me the two most important lessons an aspiring author ever needs: 1) verbs are the key to life and 2) a writer should get a real job. After attending UCLA and graduating with a degree in communications, I tried acting and television broadcasting. Oh, they aren’t real jobs? I learned that the hard way. I changed my last name from Zink to St. Claire because a news producer told me Roxanne Zink had too many harsh consonants for a TV personality – apparently Katie Couric didn’t get the memo. I got some fun gigs, and even met Tom Hanks when I did a guest appearance on Bosom Buddies. I liked on camera work, but wasn’t too crazy about starvation, so I moved to Boston and got that “real” job. In fact, I placed my foot on the bottom rung of the corporate ladder and didn’t look down until I’d climbed all the way up to the level of Senior Vice President at the world’s largest public relations firm. On the way up, I met the man of my dreams in an elevator. Two years later – in the same elevator! – he asked me to marry him and I wisely said yes.
I stayed in PR, moved to Miami, had a few babies, lost my home in a hurricane, built another one a few hours north and all along, I kept writing my “stories” for fun. One night, I read a particularly fabulous romance novel that changed my life for good. That night, I decided I wanted to make someone else feel as whole and happy as that author made me feel. (Everyone asks! It was Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.) With two small children and one big “real” job, writing my first novel wasn’t easy, but I did finish a manuscript that managed to get the attention of a literary agent. She told me to do one thing and one thing fast: write another book. (The first one is usually a “learner” book, honestly.) That second manuscript sold to Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books and was released in 2003 as Tropical Getaway. Since then, I’ve written almost thirty more, in multiple genres, and long ago replaced the corporate ladder with the rollercoaster of publishing as a full-time novelist. Finally, writing is my real job.
Today, I live in a small beach community in Florida with my husband and two dogs. Our kids are off to college and law school, which means my nest is empty! I spend my time writing, working with the kids at my church, enjoying my husband's gourmet cooking, and hanging with my many writer friends. Of course, I love to read. I’m still crazy about words and stories and hope to write at least a hundred books in my lifetime. And, yes, verbs are the key to life. My favorites? Love. Work. Believe.
xoxo
Rocki
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 5, 2012
It was nice getting back to my romance books after a long absence from them. It amazes me what a fulfilling story that these authors can tell in under 200 pages.
Parker Garrison never gave his administrative assistant, Anna Cross a second thought when it came to her catching his eye. He realized her efficiency in the office and since promoting her to his assistant 3 months ago, he’s realized how invaluable she is to the company.
It’s when he catches her using his office shower that he sees the beautiful woman she’s been hiding. Now he can’t get his mind off her. Adding to that is his father’s bombshell in his will. The Garrison siblings have a half-sister they never knew about. Topping that off is the fact he’s giving her and Parker both 20 percent shares of the company Parker has been running for the past five years.
In a move to look good for the company on his part, Parker needs to make a banquet in London. Newly discovering Anna’s beauty, he creates a story of needing her to go with him to help with work and can also double as his date.
Hoping to seduce her on the plane, Anna keeps it strictly professional.
What he doesn’t know, or fully that is, is the past Anna is trying to keep quiet. Four years ago she was the assistant of another CEO and was fired under allegations of giving out information to the competition who happened to be her boyfriend. Framed, Anna’s name was tarnished even after her ‘boyfriend’ admitted to stealing her password and the charges dropped. The press never issued an update on the event and Anna was forced to flee in shame.
As it becomes clear, Parker has a mole in the company as more and more assets are being taken away by the competition, Anna begins worrying Parker will discover her past. She was innocent the last time too, so who is to say he’d believe her.
They have a fabulous time at the banquet and almost go all the way, but when he can’t promise her job won’t be effective, she calls it off and returns to her room. It’s while trying to keep himself from barging into her room that the possibility that she may be the mole bursts into his mind. He remembers her always trying to keep their talk to business and changing the subject when he mentioned there possibly being a mole in the company. Angry she tried to play him, he’s determined to beat her at her own game.
Once back in town and the office, he keeps her close and spills false information to her. When that doesn’t work, she meets him for dinner wanting to only be friends and let things go back to normal. Saying she can’t be with him and work in the office. Offering to help her find a new job so they can continue is tempting, but she can’t, stating she’s learning a lot.
Despite his best tries, he hasn’t caught her and he slowly realizes she’s gotten to him. Yet when another asset is taken, he voices his suspect to his brother despite his growing feelings and puts a key stroke tracker on his computer before giving her a late night assignment on his computer and leaving her alone.
Conscious getting to him, he goes back to the office a couple house later to confront her about the mole when he discovers her in the shower and the computer untouched. Feeling that’s proof enough, he joins her in the shower and finally they act on their burning attraction.
Returning to the office the next day, Parker and his brother Stephen discover the fake assignment had been taken and emailed to the competition. Not believing in her innocence, Stephen convinces him to hire a P.I.
Who finally spills the beans about her questionable past. Knowing when she heard he was hiring a P.I. that her past would be found, she tries to find the real mole, but is caught on his computer by Parker. Not giving her the chance to explain he fires her.
Anna doesn’t mope for long before she’s angry she’s let these false accusations run her life. Making herself stunning in her best dress, she hunts him down to the local hang out and calmly and professionally explains the situation and walks out of his life.
Not two minutes later, her old boss calls him and backs up the story she just spit at him. Already regretting his decision, hearing she was telling the truth only enforces the fact he’s lost the best thing in his life.
He discovers apologizing and offering her job back alone won’t be enough to make up for what he’s done. The only way is to show her he loves her with actions since the words are too late to say.
Just as she’s packing to go clear her name, she discovers the newspaper with the headline story stating her name has been cleared and many official apologies. Looking up, she sees Parker leaning by his car.
Never being able to deny the man anything, she melts in his arms. Never letting her go again, he has many plans with her by his side.
Parker Garrison never gave his administrative assistant, Anna Cross a second thought when it came to her catching his eye. He realized her efficiency in the office and since promoting her to his assistant 3 months ago, he’s realized how invaluable she is to the company.
It’s when he catches her using his office shower that he sees the beautiful woman she’s been hiding. Now he can’t get his mind off her. Adding to that is his father’s bombshell in his will. The Garrison siblings have a half-sister they never knew about. Topping that off is the fact he’s giving her and Parker both 20 percent shares of the company Parker has been running for the past five years.
In a move to look good for the company on his part, Parker needs to make a banquet in London. Newly discovering Anna’s beauty, he creates a story of needing her to go with him to help with work and can also double as his date.
Hoping to seduce her on the plane, Anna keeps it strictly professional.
What he doesn’t know, or fully that is, is the past Anna is trying to keep quiet. Four years ago she was the assistant of another CEO and was fired under allegations of giving out information to the competition who happened to be her boyfriend. Framed, Anna’s name was tarnished even after her ‘boyfriend’ admitted to stealing her password and the charges dropped. The press never issued an update on the event and Anna was forced to flee in shame.
As it becomes clear, Parker has a mole in the company as more and more assets are being taken away by the competition, Anna begins worrying Parker will discover her past. She was innocent the last time too, so who is to say he’d believe her.
They have a fabulous time at the banquet and almost go all the way, but when he can’t promise her job won’t be effective, she calls it off and returns to her room. It’s while trying to keep himself from barging into her room that the possibility that she may be the mole bursts into his mind. He remembers her always trying to keep their talk to business and changing the subject when he mentioned there possibly being a mole in the company. Angry she tried to play him, he’s determined to beat her at her own game.
Once back in town and the office, he keeps her close and spills false information to her. When that doesn’t work, she meets him for dinner wanting to only be friends and let things go back to normal. Saying she can’t be with him and work in the office. Offering to help her find a new job so they can continue is tempting, but she can’t, stating she’s learning a lot.
Despite his best tries, he hasn’t caught her and he slowly realizes she’s gotten to him. Yet when another asset is taken, he voices his suspect to his brother despite his growing feelings and puts a key stroke tracker on his computer before giving her a late night assignment on his computer and leaving her alone.
Conscious getting to him, he goes back to the office a couple house later to confront her about the mole when he discovers her in the shower and the computer untouched. Feeling that’s proof enough, he joins her in the shower and finally they act on their burning attraction.
Returning to the office the next day, Parker and his brother Stephen discover the fake assignment had been taken and emailed to the competition. Not believing in her innocence, Stephen convinces him to hire a P.I.
Who finally spills the beans about her questionable past. Knowing when she heard he was hiring a P.I. that her past would be found, she tries to find the real mole, but is caught on his computer by Parker. Not giving her the chance to explain he fires her.
Anna doesn’t mope for long before she’s angry she’s let these false accusations run her life. Making herself stunning in her best dress, she hunts him down to the local hang out and calmly and professionally explains the situation and walks out of his life.
Not two minutes later, her old boss calls him and backs up the story she just spit at him. Already regretting his decision, hearing she was telling the truth only enforces the fact he’s lost the best thing in his life.
He discovers apologizing and offering her job back alone won’t be enough to make up for what he’s done. The only way is to show her he loves her with actions since the words are too late to say.
Just as she’s packing to go clear her name, she discovers the newspaper with the headline story stating her name has been cleared and many official apologies. Looking up, she sees Parker leaning by his car.
Never being able to deny the man anything, she melts in his arms. Never letting her go again, he has many plans with her by his side.
September 15, 2023
I didn't like it. Not a fan of him not at all being interested in her until he saw her undressed in his bathroom and then how full speed he went in trying to seduce her. He was sleeping with lots of other women during 3 months she was his assistant, heroine even recalled sparks flying between him and another woman a few weeks before start of book.
It was off putting for me that he didn't even think about the consequences of sleeping with his assistant.
By him not being resistant to sleeping with someone he worked so closely with and not thinking of consequences it made it feel like he was controlled by his hormones and he would have slept with any other assistant that he was attracted to, that heroine wasn't so special that he was breaking his own rules to be with her. Np.
It was off putting for me that he didn't even think about the consequences of sleeping with his assistant.
By him not being resistant to sleeping with someone he worked so closely with and not thinking of consequences it made it feel like he was controlled by his hormones and he would have slept with any other assistant that he was attracted to, that heroine wasn't so special that he was breaking his own rules to be with her. Np.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2017
Spies, lies, and love
Anna his her secret as long as she could from Parker. She did everything to keep their relationship strictly on a professional level. Parker, determines too find the mole, went head over heels for his Admin Assistant. Great story!
Anna his her secret as long as she could from Parker. She did everything to keep their relationship strictly on a professional level. Parker, determines too find the mole, went head over heels for his Admin Assistant. Great story!
May 3, 2019
This was just all over the place for me.
December 27, 2013
It was a very short quite thrilling sexy read. My first ever try of St. Claire's works and I liked it. I love the way she makes the other characters: the hero's siblings (which I think will be having their own stories) known. I love the heroine esp. in the last part (bar scene). I think I've shed a tear or two with her trust speech. It was just so touching. Like reading it makes me really deeply understand and sympathize with her. The hero.. hm. I can proudly say that I wasn't lusting over a hero for the first time. God. That was a first. I like him but that was it. No deep-aching-need, lustful craving towards him. In this one, the heroine stand-out. Woman power. Aja. xoxo
The plot was good but it was very short that the spy was not even caught. I think it was the most important thing. Or was it to be revealed in the next book of this series? Too bad it will not be written by St.Claire anymore. Whyy? HAHA. Anyway, I think culprit was the receptionist or the hero's sister Brooke. Lol. Since I've cheated and read the synopsis of the other books of this collab series and Brooke will be paired up with one of the Jefferies brothers (which is their archenemy). I just don't think I'll like one of the Garrison women will be paired up with eithe rof them since I don't like the way the Jefferies was described in this book. They look monsters to me. Wahaha. Not a hero material. Or maybe I just wasn't able to focus on their description. I'll re-read that part to change my first impression of them. Lol.
But all in all, like what I've said earlier, I liked it. I might read some of St. Claire's books. xo
The plot was good but it was very short that the spy was not even caught. I think it was the most important thing. Or was it to be revealed in the next book of this series? Too bad it will not be written by St.Claire anymore. Whyy? HAHA. Anyway, I think culprit was the receptionist or the hero's sister Brooke. Lol. Since I've cheated and read the synopsis of the other books of this collab series and Brooke will be paired up with one of the Jefferies brothers (which is their archenemy). I just don't think I'll like one of the Garrison women will be paired up with eithe rof them since I don't like the way the Jefferies was described in this book. They look monsters to me. Wahaha. Not a hero material. Or maybe I just wasn't able to focus on their description. I'll re-read that part to change my first impression of them. Lol.
But all in all, like what I've said earlier, I liked it. I might read some of St. Claire's books. xo
April 20, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. As always, Roxanne St. Claire has written a page turner that hooks you right at the beginning. There's never a dull moment from the time Parker catches Anna taking a shower to meeting business rivals.
My only problem with it was that while we got our happily ever after, we didn't get the spy. My guess is that it's one of the sisters, but it would've been nice to see if I was right.
The book, I think, is part of a series and hints at a past relationship between Parker's brother and Anna's friend, who is badly in need of her happily ever after as well.
My only problem with it was that while we got our happily ever after, we didn't get the spy. My guess is that it's one of the sisters, but it would've been nice to see if I was right.
The book, I think, is part of a series and hints at a past relationship between Parker's brother and Anna's friend, who is badly in need of her happily ever after as well.
August 1, 2014
This is the first in a 5 book series. It is about Anna and Parker. Parker is the CEO of his family's company and Anna is his administrative assistant. She has had a crush on him for years, while he has just noticed her. There is a spy amongst them and Anna is being framed for it. He is trying to prove she's innocent but her past is proving otherwise
January 7, 2008
I couldn't read if fast enough. Great sexual tension. It's the first in a mini-series. Now I have to read the others to find out what happens.
July 5, 2010
Nyah it was okay.
September 9, 2014
The CEO has a scandalous affair. I'm sure everyone is extremely surprised to hear that this was not good. I have only myself to blame.
July 9, 2016
Nice quick read. Typical CEO and assistant love affair. Not a favorite theme but this was well written. I like the Garrison series I have read another.
December 17, 2014
sweet lol the mighty have fallen
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews