Hot Boss, Boardroom Mistress

‘Well, you could always get your grandfather to buy the company.’

‘Jared?’ She spun so fast that three of the chocolates flew from the box like renegade bullets.

‘I was talking to Bronwyn on my mobile.’ Jared casually picked up a chocolate that had landed on Danielle’s desk beside him. ‘Guess she hadn’t had the time to tell you I was here yet.’

‘I…’ Amanda glanced over his shoulder and saw Bronwyn’s face—the anxiety as she mouthed ‘sorry’.

‘Let’s just make it a quick meeting now, shall we? I don’t want to take up too much of your valuable time.’ He looked at the chocolate in his hand and then sent the box of chocolates an equally ironic glance.

‘Um. OK.’ Amanda shoved the box behind her and swallowed, certain she was all chocolate teeth.

He stepped closer, still holding the stray truffle. ‘Is there somewhere we could go? A meeting room perhaps?’

‘Um—’ But as she went to answer he put the chocolate in her mouth. Startled, she gaped, chocolate and all.

Laughing, he licked the small bit of melted chocolate from his finger and then shut her mouth with a nudge under her chin. ‘I was always good at the clown game at the fair.’

Unable to do anything else in front of their current audience, Amanda chewed—viciously.

‘Now I know how to get you to be a little sweeter to me.’ The devil glinted in his eyes. ‘Lead on, Amanda.’

Ignoring the gaping stares of Danielle and Sean and the sky-high brows of Bronwyn, Amanda stalked round the corner to the small meeting room. She paused outside the door.

His smile was about as trustworthy as a crocodile’s. ‘After you.’

She walked in, conscious of him shutting the door behind him. Far too conscious of how small the room was, how tall he was, how she still wasn’t used to seeing him in a suit—certainly not one as devastating as this. Even more magnificent than the one he had on at the pitch yesterday, this one was black with the thinnest of pinstripes and set off by a deep red tie. She stared at him. Lost, for a long moment, in the sheer infuriating attraction of him.

Then came the pep talk. Be professional. Ignore the chocolate moment and the way he’s looking at you. Just do the job and do it well.

She took in a deep breath. ‘Thank you very much for putting your faith in Synergy. We’re looking forward to working on your campaign and making it a successful one.’

‘Of course.’

His bored-sounding air unnerved her.

‘Are you sure you don’t want Bronwyn to join us?’ She glanced to the door. ‘Not even to take notes?’

‘No.’ Lazily he walked towards her.

She stepped back.

‘Are you afraid of being alone with me?’ He kept walking towards her.

In this small meeting room there wasn’t anywhere to go. Three more steps in reverse and the backs of her legs were up against something. ‘Of course not. I’m not afraid of you.’

He put his hands on her shoulders and pressed down on them. She sat. It was one of the chairs in the row against the wall.

‘But I thought I was the big bad wolf.’ He sat on the chair next to hers and smiled that smile again.

Crocodile? Snake? Wolf? Whichever, it didn’t inspire faith, courage or hope. It inspired…other things.

‘That was just a joke.’ Her voice wavered.

‘You know what they say—spark of truth in every one.’ He was deliberately baiting her, deliberately sitting too close.

‘I can’t work with you being like this.’ She jumped up.

‘Like what?’

‘You know what.’

He rose and prowled, positively prowled towards her. ‘Technically, you’ll be working for me.’

Oh, like that helped? She moved to the door but he stopped her with a hand on her arm.

‘Come and sit down, Amanda, and stop acting like a spoilt child,’ he said softly. ‘You need to put aside your personal feelings and get on with the job.’

That got her. Her personal feelings? He was the one hand-feeding her chocolates in front of people and then sitting too close. ‘I have no personal feelings. Not for you.’

‘Is that right?’ His hand dropped and his face held no memory of a smile. ‘Prove it.’

‘Pardon?’

He stepped closer. ‘Prove there are no personal feelings.’

‘H-how—?’

‘Kiss me.’

‘What?’

‘You can show me there’s no desire.’

‘You arrogant—’

‘It’s that impossible, huh?’ His eyes glittered.

She met their intensity with a deep look of her own. The challenge was back and he’d brought it this time. And Amanda couldn’t walk away. This wasn’t about the contract any more, this was about closing the door on the past. That long-ago night hung between them. It was the first thing she thought of every time she saw him. It was the big old elephant in the room and it needed banishing.