"Fun, fast-paced interracial romance between an African-American legal assistant and a French attorney"
Reviewed by Patricia Woodside
Posted October 29, 2010
Romance Contemporary
Tia Edwards, executive assistant to a high-powered attorney,
dreams of going to law school and landing on the other side
of the office door. Her supportive boss agrees to help her
if she'll handle one unusual request...help newcomer
Christophe Jensen, a French attorney, get acclimated to the
office and the city of Detroit. A standalone title, YOU'RE ALL I NEED borrows characters
from 2009's I Can Make You Love Me in which Tia's
boss, Adam Carlyle, found his true love. Upon meeting
Chris, Tia is immediately attracted to him, but she is
concerned that his temporary assignment could end at any
time and he'll be off to the next one, likely in some other
country. Besides that, Tia is already in a relationship,
albeit an unfulfilling one. But after she discovers her man
has been unfaithful and ends their relationship, Tia decides
to take a chance and see where her attraction to the foreign
legal practitioner might take her. YOU'RE ALL I NEED is another fun, fast-paced read from Karen
White-Owens. Infused with places and things that make the
city of Detroit come alive, this novel explores interracial
dating, the prejudices of African-Americans against other
cultures and the tug of family obligations versus personal
happiness. With just the right amount of heat, YOU'RE ALL I
NEED offers a sexy, satisfying read.
SUMMARY
Karen White-Owens-s compelling tale of love, loyalty, and
the law, spans the continents as an irresistible Frenchman
turns the life of an ambitious young woman upside down- Making it as a hotshot legal eagle takes smarts, savvy-and
acceptance to a prestigious law school. That-s exactly what
independent beauty Tia Edwards has when she-s hit with a
thunderbolt on her way up the professional ladder-a request
from her boss to help Christophe Jensen, a charismatic new
attorney from France, feel right at home- Sparks fly when the two first meet, yet both are wary of
taking things to the next level. But when Tia catches her
man with someone else, she lets her connection with
Christophe heat up. Happier than she-s ever been,
complications arise when Christophe is summoned back to
France. Suddenly, the best time of Tia-s life starts falling
apart, as she-s forced to choose between her family and her
future-with a man whose home is on the other side of the
ocean...
ExcerptCHAPTER ONEMonday morning at 7:45, Adam Carlyle stepped out of his
Renaissance Center office and stood next to Tia Edwards’s
workstation. With a laptop in one hand and his chocolate
suit jacket in the other, Tia’s boss placed his computer on
the edge of her desk before sliding his arms into the suit
jacket. “I’ve got a meeting at eight with Reynolds. After we’re
done, I’m holding a staff meeting with the legal department
in the fifteenth-floor conference room.” “Do I need to be there?” Tia brushed a wayward curl from her
eyes. Silently, she hoped Adam would say no. She had plenty
to keep her occupied until he returned from his meetings. Her boss folded his arms across his chest, considering her
question. “No.” He glanced at his wristwatch. “I should be
back around noon.” Tia nodded. “I’ll need drafts of the Swinson, Jamison, and DeVry’s
briefs when I return.” He straightened his tie and smoothed
the front of his shirt. “Got it.” She tapped her to-do list with the point of her
pen, “It’s on my agenda for this morning.” Adam picked up the laptop and tucked it under his arm. “Hold
down the legal department. I’ve got my cell phone, and the
computer will be on if you need to contact me. See you
around twelve.” He hurried down the hallway, then turned and disappeared
down another corridor. Tia smiled. After two years of
working for the vice president of Legal Services, at Gautier
International Motors, she still believed she worked for a
great guy. When Adam offered her the position, Tia hesitated
in accepting it. He seemed so demanding and forceful that
she questioned whether she’d be able to meet his requirements. It was never an issue. There were days Adam expected
everyone on his team to go full force, kick butt, and work
as hard as he did. On other occasions, if he knew she had a
school project due, he sometimes gave her the afternoon off.
He was a kind, considerate boss who understood her busy
school schedule and offered compassion and support for her
educational pursuits. Since Adam would be away for a while, Tia settled back in
her chair and finished her cup of coffee before tackling her
work. She spent the next few minutes tracking a freight ship
slowly cruising down the Detroit River toward Grosse Pointe
while sipping a mug of caffeine elixir. Once she swallowed
the last mouthful of coffee, Tia started her daily routine
of returning phone calls, retrieving voice mail, making
appointments, and sorting incoming mail. After those tasks
were completed, she concentrated on the legal documents Adam
requested. A little before noon, Tia placed Adam’s briefs, mail, and
messages on his desk. Head down, she made her way to the
door, focused on the remaining tasks on her to-do list. “Whoo! Watch out,” Adam called, barely missing a head-on
collision with Tia. He sidestepped her lithe frame with a
guiding hand on her arm. “Sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going.” “Obviously.” He grinned, taking the sting out of his
observation as he crossed the floor to set his laptop on his
desk. He turned to her as he removed his jacket and placed
his cell phone on the charger. Tia asked, “How did the meeting go?” “Very well.” Adam hunched his shoulders and then stretched.
He pinched his chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Some
information came out of my meeting with Reynolds that I need
to share. Let me grab a cup of coffee while you get your
stuff.” He reached for his mug. “I’ll be right back.” Tia watched him leave the office. Something’s up, she
thought. Adam’s body language revealed important
information. She’d seen him like this before. Something
important happened at the meeting. Heart fluttering in her chest, Tia swiftly returned to her
desk, grabbed her computer, and switched on voicemail. Adam
always returned from his meetings with Reynolds with a
boatload of work to do. Work didn’t worry him, so this had
to be something different. By the time Adam made it back from the executive lounge with
his cup of coffee, Tia had settled in a chair in his office
with her computer opened to a new document, ready for
whatever new assignments he was about to share. “Let’s get started.” He shut his office door and took his
place behind the desk. “The legal department is going to
expand.” Oh, man! This is huge, she thought, typing this into her
document. Since opening his U.S. office in the GM
Renaissance Center two years ago, Reynolds had been very
cautious about his hiring practices. The president of
Gautier International Motors lectured his staff on erring on
the side of fewer, instead of more, employees. But why was
Adam concerned? Her boss hit the power switch on his laptop and opened a
file. Glancing at the screen, his forehead crinkled as he
reviewed his notes. “Reynolds wants me to cross-train an
attorney from the home office in France. He’ll be working
here for a while.” That doesn’t sound so bad, Tia thought. “How long is a while?” “Umm.” Adam shrugged. “That hasn’t been determined. I do
know that he’ll be in this office for at least six to eight
months. What happens after that is Reynolds’s decision.” “When will he start?” “He’s here already.” “Oh!” Tia sat up straighter in her chair. “That was quick.
Where is he?” “In Reynolds’s office. He’ll be down here in a bit.” Adam
pointed to the door. “We’re going to put him in the office
on the other side of your workstation.” Okay. She didn’t have a problem with that. “What about
staff? Is he bringing anyone with him?” Amazed, Tia watched Adam shift uncomfortably in his chair.
That wasn’t like him. What was going on? “This is where things get a bit dicey,” he announced. “Oh?” Tia uttered cautiously. What’s going on, Adam? she
wondered. Nodding, Adam answered, “Mmm-hmm.” He leaned forward in his
chair. “Look, I hate to do this but I don’t have a choice. I
need your help.” “For what?” “I need you to help acclimate Christophe to the office.” Not liking the sound of this request, she asked, “What does
that mean, exactly?” “You’ll be his admin like you are mine. We’ll increase your
salary. Don’t worry about that,” he added hurriedly. “Tyler
Hudson’s admin will be your backup.” Tia brushed a curly lock from her forehead and then held
Adam’s gaze with her own. “You haven’t answered my question.
I’m stuck on the word acclimate. What exactly do you expect
from me?”
Adam sighed. “Christophe Jensen is from France. He’s going
to need a little help beyond the office.” “Am I going to be dealing with a language issue? Problems
with English?” He shook his head. “No, not at all. Chris is very fluent in
English.” “Then what’s the catch?” Tia asked. Her eyebrows lifted
questioningly, and her voice dropped to a suspicious purr
“What does ‘outside the office’ really mean?” “Okay, you got me.” Adam held up his hands in a gesture of
surrender. “I’m sorry about this. But Christophe is going to
need a little direction in finding an apartment, getting
around for the first few weeks, and learning the office
routine. You’ll have to go over his briefs and show him how
we structure things here. It wouldn’t surprise me if you end
up in court with him. There’s just so much that he’s not
going to know and will need help learning. Think of him as a
first-year attorney.” He offered Tia his most engaging
smile. “Please. I truly need you on this one.” “Adam!” she whined, gearing up for a major rant. The last
thing she wanted to do was play nursemaid to a company
transplant. He halted her tirade with a slice of his hand through the
air. “Tia, help me out.” Unmoved by his pleading, Tia crossed her arms over her
chest, and sat back in her chair, considering all of the
options and implications of Adam’s request. “What do I get
out of this?” Adam swung into negotiation mode. “I know you just finishing
your Bachelors degree and that you want to make a move in a
different direction. That makes sense. You didn’t go to
school to be an executive assistant for the rest of your
career. I’ll tell you what. Do this for me and I’ll move you
into a law clerk position once you’re admitted into law school.” Lips pursed, Tia considered Adam’s offer. He’ll give me this
promotion for showing some French guy around town? she
thought. There’s got to be more to it. She examined Adam’s
poker face but found nothing. There were times when Adam
played his cards close to his chest until he found the best
possible moment to reveal them. She had to keep in mind that
there might be more to this deal than she already knew. Was
she willing to do whatever it took to get that promotion?
Short of going to jail for killing someone or taking Mr.
Frenchie to bed, she could handle this assignment. She did a mental debate while her hopes soared. This may
well be the opportunity she needed. But she didn’t want any
gray area. Tia needed the offer to be clear as possible to
avoid any misunderstandings or mistakes later. “I know
you’ll keep your word. If something happens to you, I want
everything clear and tight. Here’s the deal. Bear with me.
I’m going over our agreement one more time. If I get into
law school, you’ll find me a law clerk position at
Gautier’s.” She reached out her hand. “Agreed?” Adam leaned back in his chair and mentally reviewed the
offer for loopholes from Tia’s point of view. His lips
pursed, and then he lifted his hand, taking hers. “Deal.” On cue, there was a knock on the door. “That should be him.” Adam rose and strolled across the
office. He opened the door and greeted the newcomer, “Hey,
come on in.” The man entered the office and shook hands with Adam. Tia rose, allowing her professional smile to drop into
place. She straightened her skirt and jacket and ran a hand
through her wavy hair, waiting for her first glimpse of the
French attorney. Adam led the man toward the desk. Christophe had the well-toned physique of a man who worked
out regularly. His oval face and blemish-free skin would
have been considered pretty on a woman, yet he wore them
well. It made him appear more alluring and attractive. Golden locks lightly brushed his shoulders. For a moment,
Tia had a flashback to one of the romance novels she’d read
during her high school years. The hero stood tall, blond,
and handsome on the book cover, just like this man. Adam touched her arm and drew her closer. “This is my
executive assistant, Tia Edwards.” Fascinated by the sheer beauty of the man, Tia stared,
tongue-tied. As tall as Adam, Christophe moved forward.
Casually dressed in a blue and white striped poplin shirt
with the cuffs rolled back, he revealed a set of long,
muscular arms sparkled with blond hair. The man completed
his outfit with a pair of tan Dockers and sandalwood-colored
snakeskin boots. Tia gazed into a pair of pale blue eyes that twinkled with
humor and intelligence. She nodded at the man. Adam made introductions. “Christophe Jensen. Tia Edwards.” “Nice to meet you,” he stated in an accented, musical voice.
The deep tone resonated within her. He captured Tia’s hand
and shook it. A spark of something sizzled between them.
Christophe’s eyes widened and his gaze settled on their
intertwined fingers. “You too.” Flustered by the contact, Tia pulled her hand
free and rubbed them together. “I’m going to leave you in Tia’s very capable hands,” Adam
said. “She’ll take you to your new office and get you
settled. If you need anything, Tia will be your contact person.” Christophe’s eyebrows rose, questioning. “Oh? With anything?” “Work related,” Tia clarified swiftly, wanting to make her
role as clear as possible. She waved a hand toward the door
and then retrieved her computer. “Let me show you your office.” Christophe hesitated in the doorway. “Adam?”
Back at his desk, Adam glanced at the pair, shifting through
a dozen or so pink message slips. “I’ve got a few things to
sort out. Let’s meet back here after lunch, around two-thirty?” Nodding, Christophe replied, “That sounds good.” “See you then.” Adam picked up the telephone and began to
dial. “Tia, did my wife call?” “Yes. Wynn called around nine-fifteen.” “Thanks.” He focused on his phone call. “Good morning,
Helen. Can I speak to Wynn?” “Your office is this way.” Tia shut Adam’s door as she led
the way with Christophe on her heels. She stopped to deposit
her computer on her desk, and grabbed a pen and notebook and
a set of keys from the drawer before continuing to a dark
door on the opposite side of her workstation. “We’ve had
this office as part of our suite but never had a need for
it. It’s yours now.” She unlocked and threw open the door,
reaching for the light switch on the wall. Instantly, light
bathed the room. Tia waved him inside. Christophe slowly strolled around, examining the workspace,
touching the desktop, opening empty file drawers, and
peeking into the closets. After a moment, he stopped at the
floor-to-ceiling windows, taking a look at downtown
Windsor’s shoreline. Nodding approvingly, he gazed directly
at her. “This is nice.” “Good. I’m glad you like it.” She moved closer to the man,
drawn by the combined scent of his tangy aftershave and
unique scent. “There’s an attached restroom,” she explained,
crossing the floor and turning on the light to the washroom.
“Let me know if you’d like anything changed. We can have
maintenance move the furniture or add anything that you
believe you’ll need.” “A log-in and password so that I can access Gautier’s
databases would help.” Nodding, Tia said, “I’ll take care of that immediately.
Anything else?” Christophe tapped a long, tapered finger against his lips.
“Supplies - pens notepads? Telephone? I have my laptop, but
I do need Internet access.” “Internet, phone. They’ll get taken care of when I get back
to my desk. Until you’re up and running, you can use my
computer for the Internet.” “Thanks. I appreciate that.” Tia jotted a few notes on her pad. “For supplies, there are
a couple of ways we can go. We have an office-supply closet
down the hall on this floor. You can raid it and find most
of what you need.” “Or?” He raised an eyebrow. “I have a catalog at my desk.” She jabbed her thumb at the
door. “Anything that you don’t find in the supply closet can
be ordered from that book.” “Merveilleux!” “Let me show you a few other things, like the executive
dining room. Then I’ll introduce you to the rest of the
legal department.” “I appreciate that.” “Where are you staying?” Tia asked. “The hotel.” Eyebrows raised, she pointed a finger toward the floor. “Here?” “Yes. I believe it’s called the Marriott.” “That’s the one. What about a car? Will you need a parking
card?” “I don’t have a car yet, but I do want to get out and away.
I want to see more than downtown Detroit and the Detroit
River. Can you arrange for me to have a car spot?” “Certainly. Parking space and card for you.” Tia added this
to his growing list of requests. An hour later, Tia returned to her desk and sank into the
chair. Together, after she and Christophe raided the
office-supply closet, they returned to his office and set up
his desk. She took him on a tour of the Gautier executive
branch and introduced him to his colleagues. Christophe’s
pleasant personality was a huge hit with the legal
department. The attorneys welcomed him enthusiastically.
That wasn’t all. Tia suspected it was his good looks that
also won over the female staff. Tickled, Tia turned aside, hiding her smile when several of
the executive assistants began to giggle like tweens when
Christophe flirted lightly with them. She couldn’t blame
them. From the moment that charming and handsome hunk of
male perfection had entered Adam’s office and turned his
pale blue eyes on her, Tia’s heart had thumped wildly in her
chest while her body quivered in response. Her immediate reaction and attraction to Christophe was a
major surprise. She had never before reacted to a white man
or a colleague in this fashion. There was definitely a spark
of something she hadn’t felt since high school. The
sensation was stronger than any she had felt after meeting
Darnell. Calm down, she warned herself silently. That white boy is
not for you. Remember, you’re in a relationship. Smiling, she swiveled her chair from side to side. I think
I’ve made a good deal with Adam. I’ll get my promotion and a
chance to work as a law clerk. This Christophe assignment
doesn’t seem like it will be difficult at all. Tia grabbed her purse from the bottom drawer of her desk and
rose. The next few months would be interesting. She hoped
that she would not regret agreeing to this deal.
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