schooling his expression into one of polite welcome, masking the raging desperation to touch her every time he laid eyes on her.
‘The Japanese investors should be here shortly.’
‘Paperwork ready?’
She laughed, strutted across the room in that flamboyant style he loved, her feathery layered skirt swishing about her shapely calves, her nimble, supple dancer’s body an enticing part of her allure.
‘Of course. Have you ever found me anything but efficient?’
‘Good point.’
‘Anything else you’d like me to do? Last-minute jobs?’
He could think of a few, but none that wouldn’t earn him a hard slap.
‘Relax, you’ve earned it.’
She propped herself on the end of his desk, kinked her hip out, fixed him with a provocative stare that could have tempted a monk.
‘I’ve been pretty indispensable, huh?’
‘No one’s indispensable.’
He’d learned that the hard way too, being thrust into the CEO position at Cartwright Corporation way too early, replacing the legendary Archie Cartwright whom everyone had thought irreplaceable.
‘Come on, can’t you humour a girl?’
Matching her flirtatious wink, he stood, strode around the desk until they were toe to toe.
‘I can think of other things I’d rather be doing with this girl.’
She held up her hands, as if that would stop him, her laugh husky.
‘Think of your reputation, Mr Cartwright. This is a place of business.’
Ducking his head for a snatched kiss, he murmured, ‘It’s also a very hot tropical island, and I want you wearing less clothes by the time I get back to the bungalow.’
Batting her eyelashes, she said, ‘Is that an order?’
‘You bet.’
‘In that case I’d better do as I’m told.’
She slid off the desk, slipped her arms around him. ‘Wouldn’t want to get the boss offside.’
She was joking, teasing him as she usually did, but the closer they got, the more he hated being her boss. They had such an unconventional relationship—had moved from a one-night stand to work colleagues to lovers.
It all seemed skewed, somehow, and for someone who liked everything clear-cut he didn’t like feeling this bamboozled.
‘What’s wrong?’
She released him, stepped back, confusion creasing her brow.
‘I’m just tense about this upcoming meeting.’
Her eyes narrowed, her mouth pursed in a cute scoff.
‘There’s more to it.’
Damn right there was more. More confusion, more delusion, more headaches the longer he contemplated where they went from here.
Could they sustain a serious relationship once they returned to Melbourne?
It would be his first, the first time he’d let a woman get close, and if that wasn’t hard enough she wasn’t his type.
She was too feisty, too fiery, too vibrant—the type of woman to make his life hell. If he ever settled down it should be with someone malleable, agreeable, biddable. Someone who wouldn’t oppose him, confound him, confuse him.
He liked his life orderly.
He liked his life calm and structured and controlled.
But what if he liked Starr more?
The thought jarred, jolted, unnerved him. And he did the only thing possible when confronted by feelings he’d rather not have, let alone acknowledge.
He reverted to what he knew best: business.
‘I have to get back to work.’
She snorted, her familiar sass evident in the flash of fire in her blue eyes, the toss of her hair.
‘Of course you do.’
He deliberately glanced at his watch. ‘I’ll see you back at the bungalow later.’
Her eyes narrowed, sparked, shot him down.
She was magnificent.
‘Only if you’re lucky.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
She pinned him with an exasperated glare.
‘Just finish your work. We’ll catch up later.’
He should let her go, let her walk out of here just as he wanted, but the faintest flicker of hurt in her eyes had him snagging her hand, splaying it against his chest.
‘Sorry for being a bore.’
Her fingers flexed against his chest, gripping his shirt
‘The Japanese investors should be here shortly.’
‘Paperwork ready?’
She laughed, strutted across the room in that flamboyant style he loved, her feathery layered skirt swishing about her shapely calves, her nimble, supple dancer’s body an enticing part of her allure.
‘Of course. Have you ever found me anything but efficient?’
‘Good point.’
‘Anything else you’d like me to do? Last-minute jobs?’
He could think of a few, but none that wouldn’t earn him a hard slap.
‘Relax, you’ve earned it.’
She propped herself on the end of his desk, kinked her hip out, fixed him with a provocative stare that could have tempted a monk.
‘I’ve been pretty indispensable, huh?’
‘No one’s indispensable.’
He’d learned that the hard way too, being thrust into the CEO position at Cartwright Corporation way too early, replacing the legendary Archie Cartwright whom everyone had thought irreplaceable.
‘Come on, can’t you humour a girl?’
Matching her flirtatious wink, he stood, strode around the desk until they were toe to toe.
‘I can think of other things I’d rather be doing with this girl.’
She held up her hands, as if that would stop him, her laugh husky.
‘Think of your reputation, Mr Cartwright. This is a place of business.’
Ducking his head for a snatched kiss, he murmured, ‘It’s also a very hot tropical island, and I want you wearing less clothes by the time I get back to the bungalow.’
Batting her eyelashes, she said, ‘Is that an order?’
‘You bet.’
‘In that case I’d better do as I’m told.’
She slid off the desk, slipped her arms around him. ‘Wouldn’t want to get the boss offside.’
She was joking, teasing him as she usually did, but the closer they got, the more he hated being her boss. They had such an unconventional relationship—had moved from a one-night stand to work colleagues to lovers.
It all seemed skewed, somehow, and for someone who liked everything clear-cut he didn’t like feeling this bamboozled.
‘What’s wrong?’
She released him, stepped back, confusion creasing her brow.
‘I’m just tense about this upcoming meeting.’
Her eyes narrowed, her mouth pursed in a cute scoff.
‘There’s more to it.’
Damn right there was more. More confusion, more delusion, more headaches the longer he contemplated where they went from here.
Could they sustain a serious relationship once they returned to Melbourne?
It would be his first, the first time he’d let a woman get close, and if that wasn’t hard enough she wasn’t his type.
She was too feisty, too fiery, too vibrant—the type of woman to make his life hell. If he ever settled down it should be with someone malleable, agreeable, biddable. Someone who wouldn’t oppose him, confound him, confuse him.
He liked his life orderly.
He liked his life calm and structured and controlled.
But what if he liked Starr more?
The thought jarred, jolted, unnerved him. And he did the only thing possible when confronted by feelings he’d rather not have, let alone acknowledge.
He reverted to what he knew best: business.
‘I have to get back to work.’
She snorted, her familiar sass evident in the flash of fire in her blue eyes, the toss of her hair.
‘Of course you do.’
He deliberately glanced at his watch. ‘I’ll see you back at the bungalow later.’
Her eyes narrowed, sparked, shot him down.
She was magnificent.
‘Only if you’re lucky.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
She pinned him with an exasperated glare.
‘Just finish your work. We’ll catch up later.’
He should let her go, let her walk out of here just as he wanted, but the faintest flicker of hurt in her eyes had him snagging her hand, splaying it against his chest.
‘Sorry for being a bore.’
Her fingers flexed against his chest, gripping his shirt
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