Todd had hated her green collection. ‘We’re not Irish,’ he’d yelled at her and in one of his bad moods he’d smashed her favourite piece. For the past five years she’d kept the collection locked away. Now it was free again.
Liam picked up a green and white bowl fashioned like a field of clover with delicately scalloped edges, and he turned it over and examined the maker’s name on the base. ‘This is great. It has personality and it sure beats the plain white minimalist stuff you get in restaurants.’ He set it back carefully.
As she selected napkins from an overhead cupboard, she framed a question in her head about his new business, but she hesitated to ask because he could have already told her if he’d wanted to. But then she decided to dive in anyway.
‘What business have you bought?’
‘A travel company.’
No. Alice stiffened and felt cold all over. She stared at him. ‘Which travel company?’
He stared back at her, warily, without answering.
‘Please tell me you haven’t bought Kanga Tours?’
A muscle in his jaw jerked and he continued to frown at her as he very deliberately straightened his shoulders and folded his arms over his chest. ‘Would it matter if I had?’
‘No…well, yes—it would.’
‘I beg your pardon?’
She felt a slam of panic. ‘I can’t believe this.’
‘Can’t believe what?’ His eyes narrowed and, if it were possible, his expression was even more cautious. ‘Why? What’s the problem?’
She switched her gaze to the glass-fronted door of her oven. The croissants were already turning golden.
‘What do you know about Kanga Tours?’ Liam demanded. ‘I had the company checked out thoroughly. I got the best advice. I know the growth in the north hasn’t been as strong as expected, but that’s why I’m here. To turn it around. I believe in hands-on management. Overall the company seemed to be a damn good business proposition.’
‘Oh, it’s a good business,’ she said while her heart hammered. ‘If you’re a good manager, you’ll make plenty of money here.’
‘So, why are you looking like it’s really bad news?’
She bit her lip. He wasn’t going to like this.
‘For God’s sake, Alice. You look like I confessed I was a terrorist.’
‘I—I work there. At Kanga Tours.’
His jaw dropped. Fast. He stared at her and, as her words really sank in, he glanced away sharply. Cursing, he raked angry fingers through his hair.
Alice knew what he was thinking—that if word leaked out that the new boss had slept with one of the staff on his very first night in town, there could be all sorts of unpleasant ramifications. He could be branded as a sleaze, a predator, and she would be the tart, the wild divorcee, sleeping her way into the new boss’s favour.
Office affairs made ripples that very often became waves, waves that could swamp the boat. It could be just awful. For both of them.
She remembered the stir among the staff last week when Dennis Ericson first told them that a new boss was arriving from Sydney.
And then she was struck by a light-bulb moment. ‘Conway! For heaven’s sake. Now I remember why your name sounded familiar last night.’ Clasping her hands to the sides of her face, she let out a groan. ‘If only I’d thought of it earlier, but I didn’t make the connection. When I went to the Hippo Bar the last thing on my mind was my work or a new boss.’
‘Quite.’
The single, carefully clipped monosyllable seemed to cut through her. Neither she nor Liam had been thinking about work last night. They’d been totally distracted. Just thinking about how very distracted they’d been made her blush.
The oven pinged and she was grateful for a different kind of distraction. Shoving her hands into padded gloves, she pulled the croissants from the oven and avoided Liam’s gaze as she popped them onto the plates she’d already set on a tray, along with the coffee and cutlery and a pot of strawberry jam.
In one bound Liam was across the room and taking the tray from her. ‘Let me carry that.’
‘Thanks.’ At least he wasn’t so angry that he forgot his manners.
Their hands brushed as Alice handed him the tray and she made the mistake of looking up. His eyes were so close to her now. Too close. A look passed between them, a look that spoke of intimate secrets, of everything they’d shared last night—of Liam’s caresses, his whispered endearments, and her wild response to the satiny heat of him thrusting deep inside her.
It had been bad enough trying to carry on at work through the mess of the divorce. But how could she cope now, while her boss was a walking reminder of more things she needed to forget? The memories of their intimacy would stay with her. Every day.
A mask seemed to slip over Liam’s features and he turned to carry their breakfast things onto her back deck, which was cleverly designed to give privacy while offering a view of the tropical courtyard below. For the next few minutes their conversation was confined to the coffee and croissants and whether Liam would like milk or sugar or jam. But Alice was bursting with the need to talk about their predicament.
‘We were supposed to be going our separate ways this morning,’ she said.
He sent her a sharp, searching look. ‘Is that what you wanted?’
Her heart gave a startled leap. ‘Well, yes, of course. It’s what you wanted, too.’ The stern expression in his eyes prompted her to add, ‘Isn’t it?’
To her dismay he didn’t answer. Instead, he took another sip of coffee and put the cup down slowly. ‘Let’s sort this work issue out. What’s your role at Kanga Tours?’
He was changing the subject. Why? Was he upset with her? Had she read him incorrectly? Surely he hadn’t hoped for more than last night?
The thought that Liam might have wanted to continue their relationship set Alice suddenly adrift, swept away without warning by a flash flood. She struggled to remember his question.
‘I—I’m one of the specialist consultants,’ she said at last. ‘I look after the customers who want specialised tours in tune with particular interests.’
Liam nodded. ‘Do you cover everything? The reef, the rainforest and the outback?’
‘Sure.’ Pride set her chin at a tilt. ‘Everything from snorkelling or diving on the reef, to night-time spotlighting in the rainforest and outback cattle musters. They want it, I package it for them—even speciality restaurant tours.’
A smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. ‘I’m sure you’re very good at it.’
‘I really enjoy my job. Since my divorce it’s been my life saver.’
He didn’t respond immediately.
‘Look,’ she said. ‘I know it’s going to be awkward for you to have me at work, but I won’t let on that I—I’ve met you. I can be discreet and professional.’
‘Yes, you’re a bright girl.’
A bright girl. It was rather a comedown from a very special woman, which was what he’d called her half an hour ago.
‘I think that’s the best way to play it,’ he said as his long fingers broke off a piece of croissant. ‘From now on our relationship will be entirely professional.’
‘Yes.’
‘There’s no need to compromise either