Here is a taste of my current WIP Noble Surrender. The first encounter between Ian and Giselle (It's not sweet like Isaiah and Tessa's was...)


**Unedited, Subject to Change**

Giselle arrived at Noble Naturals early Monday morning. That was nothing new lately with the company prepping to roll out the first round of new products to test groups soon in the upcoming weeks. She wasn't naive enough to believe that all of the products would be a hit on the first go around but that didn't mean she wasn't going to try.
And she wanted to prove to Isaiah that she deserved the head of production promotion.
Another reason she was up early was the thoughts of Isaiah's brother that had plagued her all night. She'd barely gotten any sleep over the last couple of nights.
She'd already been off kilter since her lunch with Thomas when he'd shown her the video of Ian's fight and she'd been strangely turned on; but then to find out that Ian had been at Joie de Burlesque and watched her perform and enjoyed it...
Giselle got off of the elevator on her floor and walked down the quiet hall to the lab. Her eye raised when she noticed the hook where Thomas usually kept his coat was empty. After grabbing her own, she slid her arms into the coat as she entered the lab.
"Thomas," she said, cheerfully as she buttoned her lab coat. "You're here early."
She was ready to get to work and hopefully get the irrational crush on a man she'd never even met out of her mind.
She was still walking toward him when he stood to his full height, causing Giselle to freeze.
Thomas wasn't that tall.
Who in the world...
The air rushed from her lungs when the man turned around and locked eyes with hers.
Ian Noble.
"Who's been screwing with my formula?"
Giselle blinked coming out of her trance.
"Excuse me?"
Ian turned and picked up a piece of paper.
"My formula," he repeated. "Somebody changed some of the components to it."
"Oh...uh...I did," she said.
"And who are you?"
"I'm Giselle Warren."
Ian's head tilted to the side and he studied her for a moment. 
"You're Giselle Warren?"
Giselle's eyes widened. Her braids were pulled up on the top of her head in a bun to avoid and mishaps in the lab, she had a tiny diamond stud in her nose and the balls of her tongue ring were blue today.
She stood up straight and squared her shoulders as she glared at him. That crush she'd had a minute ago, was quickly dissipating.
"Yes," she said, through clenched teeth. "I'm Giselle Warren, and I don't think I like your tone right now, Mr. Noble."
"So you know who I am."
"You're reputation precedes you."
That seemed to be like a slap in the face, because his face morphed quickly. He cleared his throat and looked away.
"Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it. You're just...my brother didn't describe you."
"What did he tell you about me?" she asked.
He looked at her again. "Just that you were good at job."
"And that's all that matters," she said with a curt nod. She brushed past him and couldn't help but notice his masculine scent. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get to work."
"Wait a second," Ian said. "Earlier you said you changed this formula."
"Yes," she said, trying to ignore how close he was to her.
"Why?"
"There were too many ingredients."
"What?"
Giselle swallowed a sigh and turned to face him again. He was too damn close.
"There were too many ingredients," she repeated.
He looked down at the paper again and studied it. She watched, trying to be intrigued by the way he pulled his lip between his teeth and his brow furrowed.
"I'll be damned," he finally said. "I guess you're right."
"I know I'm right," Giselle said, confidently as she turned back around.
"I suppose I'll have to reevaluate some of my old notes," he murmured to her back.
"That might be wise."
"You're mad at me." There was a sense of wonder in his voice.
"I'm not mad, Mr. Noble." She was kinda mad.
"Please, call me Ian."
"Ian..." Damn that sounded too good. "I'm not mad."
"Giselle..."
She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from moan at the sound of Ian saying her name. She didn't like him...she didn't like him...she didn't like him...
"I'd like for us to get along while I'm running things here."
Giselle whirled back around, her eyebrows shooting up.
"Running what?" she asked.
"Running the production department, of course. My brother hasn't officially announced it yet, but I'm here to help get these new products created and launched."
Giselle felt the heat rise up body and she felt like fire was going to shoot out of her ears.
"I don't think so," she said, storming past Ian.

*********************


Ian sat on the sofa watching as Giselle paced the length of Isaiah's office. The woman was livid. He decided it was best not to say anything more until Isaiah arrived. She looked like she would haul off and smack him.
He studied her four inch closed-toe booties she was stomping around in. Long gorgeous legs spilled from beneath her lab coat. Her dress or skirt was obviously shorter than the coat, so it made him imagine her with nothing on underneath.
Ian shook his head.
He was too horny for his own good. First the woman at Joie de Burlesque, now Giselle, who's legs reminded him of Gypsy's.
Speaking of Gypsy...
He'd spent the weekend scouring the internet for her with no success. It was like the woman was a damn ghost. His unfruitful search was also the reason for his sleepless night. When morning dawned he decided he may as well come in early and get a peek at what the production team was working on and take notes so he could give his input.
He hadn't expected to run into Giselle Warren. And he definitely didn't expect her to be so damn...hot!
He figured she'd be an older woman, not...this.
His eyes roamed her body from head to toe. Her hair was up in those black and purple braids and a small portion of the sides and back of her head were shaved with intricate designs.
She had a piercing in that adorable nose of hers, and the balls of her barbell tongue ring were blue.
Yours are gonna be blue too if you don't get some soon.
He ran his hands down his face and stifled a groan.
"This is ridiculous."
Ian looked over his fingers and noticed Giselle was still pacing and now she was murmuring to herself. Suddenly, she turned to face him shooting daggers at him with her eyes.
"What is the problem, Giselle?"
He'd been confused as to why she'd taken off in a rage, but for some reason he couldn't stop himself from following her. She'd marched to the elevator, jabbed the up button and stood there tapping her foot impatiently until the doors slid open. She must have not realized he was following her until she entered the elevator and turned around. Her eyes and grown wide before narrowing. She'd huffed, pushed the button the floor the executive suites were on then pressed her body into the corner of the elevator as far from him as possible.
"The 'problem' is you."
"Me?" Ian said. "How am I a problem?"
"You are a problem, popping up here, thinking you're going to be running things."
Ian chuckled and shook his head. "You did see the name on the building when you walked in this morning didn't you?"
"I don't give a flying fuck whose name is on this building," she spat out.
The smile on Ian's face faded away and he stood.
"Who the hell do you think you're talking to?" he asked, moving toward her. "You do realize I could have you fired."
She didn't even flinch. "You're here a whole two minutes and you think you can throw your weight around. Let me tell you something, Ian Noble. Your last name may be on the building, but I've made my mark in this company. You haven't been here, working your ass off night and day, I have. That head of production position is mine. I don't care who you are."
"I see you two have met already."
Both Ian and Giselle turned their heads to find Isaiah standing in the doorway. Ian locked eyes with his brother who had an amused grin on his face. He turned and looked at Giselle and that's when he realized their bodies were practically pressed against one another.
Giselle was the first to back away. She turned to Isaiah, pointed at Ian and without preamble asked, "Is he the new head of production?"
Ian turned to face his brother as well, smug look on his face as he waited on Isaiah's response.
Isaiah blew out a breath, a look of remorse on his face.
He's going to break it to her gentl–
"No."