‘May I have a word with you, Mr Conway?’
‘Yes, sure.’ He frowned at her. ‘What’s the problem?’
She glanced at the driver and then at Liam. ‘I don’t think I can come on this trip.’
Liam’s frown deepened. ‘But you’re all ready to go.’
How obtuse could the man be? ‘Can we discuss this inside?’
With a stiff nod he followed her back through the sliding doors and into his office.
As soon as they were safely out of earshot she challenged him. ‘You lied.’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘Why did you tell me that Shana wasn’t available?’
Liam closed his eyes and let out a low groan of exasperation. Then his eyes flashed open again. ‘You’re convinced I’ve rigged this so I can get you back into bed, aren’t you?’
Alice gasped. Get you back into bed… The words were like missiles. Damn him. How could he use their intimate encounter as a weapon? How could he turn it against her, as if she was the one in the wrong? Was he trying to distract her?
‘I—I just want to know why you lied to me,’ she cried.
‘Listen, Alice, if you think that one night we spent together gives you the right to question every business decision I make you’re going to come a cropper.’
She wanted to throw something at him. Was this the same man who’d made such exquisite love to her? Were all men toads? She almost cried at the thought. ‘So,’ she said, letting her bitterness show, ‘first you lie to me and now you threaten me.’
His jaw clenched stubbornly. ‘Don’t forget you’re on probation like any employee here. As far as this trip is concerned, I’ve decided that you’re the most suitable person for the exercise and that’s my sole reason for selecting you. How many times do you want me to tell you you’re perfectly safe from me?’
She was so angered by his high-handed manner she couldn’t respond.
‘I won’t come near you unless you ask me to, Ms Madigan.’
Her chin snapped high. ‘Well, that won’t happen in this lifetime.’
‘Good,’ he said. ‘That’s settled, then. Now let’s get going. The charter pilot’s ready and waiting at the airport.’
Chapter Four
WHEN the small charter plane took off it climbed to the east, taking Alice and Liam out over the shimmering, aquamarine waters of the Coral Sea before arching back towards the curving rim of the coastline. From their eagle-eye view, the sandy beaches below formed scalloped yellow trims on a string of pretty blue bays. Then the suburbs of Cairns spread out below them, reaching into an imposing hinterland of mountains clad in a thousand lush shades of green.
Liam, sitting on the far side of the narrow aisle, seemed to be entranced. He strained forward against his seat belt, eager to catch every detail of the spectacle below.
Alice had seen this view many times, but she never tired of it. She liked to imagine how it must look to international tourists used to the softer, more subtle landscapes of the northern hemisphere. Small wonder they found the vibrant colours and luxuriant vegetation of tropical Queensland exotic and exciting.
But as the small craft continued to climb she sank back into her seat and took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a minute or two. She had a faint headache which the confrontation in Liam’s office hadn’t helped. And last night she’d slept badly—thinking about this trip, and worrying about the strain of spending three whole days in her boss’s exclusive company.
I won’t come near you unless you ask me to.
Huh. In his dreams.
Problem was, if she was honest she had to admit that she hadn’t slept well since the night of her birthday. Their birthday.
Darn it. She was still finding it impossible to put that night behind her. By the end of three days her nerves would be in shreds. How dared Liam trick her into this no-choice position?
Keeping her eyes closed, she tried to relax, deliberately loosening her shoulders, her stomach, her hands. She wasn’t going to let Liam Conway upset her. After her divorce she’d vowed never to let another man undermine her confidence the way her husband had. She’d learned her lesson.
The important thing to remember was that her boss recognised how good she was at her job and, more importantly, he understood how significant the outback was to the company. It would be a real coup to bring the outback tours back on board.
Opening her eyes again, she sent a sleepy glance around the small cabin.
Liam was still intent on the scenery below. She watched the pilot, Joe Banyo, flick one of the many buttons on his complicated control panel, and saw him reach into a pack beside him for a roll of antacid tablets. From beneath heavy eyelids she watched him tear the foil and pop one into his mouth.
Joe turned, caught her watching him and sent her a quick, reassuring grin.
The monotonous, throaty roar of the plane’s motor filled the cabin. She’d always found the surroundsound hum of small planes rather hypnotic and she let her eyes drift closed again. They were heading for Redhead Downs, about an hour and a half inland. Why not take a nap? It would kill two birds with one stone. She could get rid of her headache, and she could avoid the embarrassment of having Liam ignore her.
Turning sideways, she nestled more comfortably into the padded upholstery.
‘Alice!’
Liam was shouting at her, shaking her shoulder roughly. ‘Wake up!’
She blinked. And then her eyes flicked wide. Liam had already moved on past her and was at the front of the plane. He was crouching over Joe, the pilot, who was—oh, good heavens—slumped sideways in his harness.
Oh, my God, who was flying the plane? A blast of panic brought her fully awake.
‘What’s happened?’ she shouted.
‘He’s collapsed.’
She stared in horror at Liam’s shocked expression and the pilot’s pale form. Oh, God. Flicking open her seat belt, she jumped to her feet. ‘Have you tried to wake him?’
‘Of course. He won’t respond.’
‘Is—is he breathing?’
‘Hard to tell. I don’t think so.’
They were going to crash! She struggled beneath another slam of panic. ‘Is there a pulse?’
Liam flashed her a quick, worried frown and then touched his fingers to Joe’s neck. ‘I—I can’t feel anything, but I’m not sure if I’m on the right spot.’
She tried to remember what she’d learned in various first-aid courses. ‘Feel to the left of his Adam’s apple.’ Please, Joe, have a heartbeat! Her own heart was a sledgehammer.
Liam tried and shook his head. ‘I’m not getting anything.’ He struggled with Joe’s harness. ‘I’ll have to get him out of this seat.’
Alice sent a hasty, terrified glance out of the nearest porthole to the grassy paddocks and bush below. Miles and miles below. At least the plane wasn’t doing anything dreadful like spiralling downwards the way they did in war movies.
‘Do you think he’s had a heart attack?’ She knew she sounded panicky.
‘How the hell would I know?’
She remembered seeing the antacid Joe had taken earlier. Had he taken it because he’d felt chest pain and thought he had indigestion? If he’d had