She hesitated. Her gaze locked on her nearly empty plate before braving another glance at him. “So you haven’t discussed this with her?”
He shook his head, waves of dark blond hair caressing the masculine angles of his face. “I don’t plan to clue her in anytime soon.” He leaned forward. “Do you?”
She leaned forward, too. “Let’s get one thing straight. Whatever actions I take are for the good of the company. Convince me of the merits of your plan, and you won’t have to worry about where my loyalties lie.”
He stood, prowling around the sunny kitchen. His cool good looks blended with the greens and golds, the blue accents a reflection of his eyes, the pine cabinets just a touch lighter than his hair. He looked as if he belonged in this room.
He was testing her, but instead of resentment, an excited rush sizzled inside.
“This place isn’t anything like I’d imagined,” he said out of the blue.
As he took in the kitchen and her in one sweep, she wished for the ability to snap her fingers and be wearing a business suit instead of her relax-and-cook gear.
In an attempt to repress more personal discussions, she said, “I can’t think why you’d wonder about it at all.”
He stalked across the room and reached out to touch a strand of her loose hair that had fallen forward over her shoulder. “Who knew you had so much to hide.”
Her quick intake of breath was her only outward response, but inside she mentally retreated. She couldn’t afford to let him in on her secrets if she wanted to remain a respectable part of his business. Knowing would change everything. It always did. The few she’d told her deepest feelings to had turned their backs on her in an instant, and then she’d learned the golden rule of silence.
Standing, she stalked back down the hall and pulled the door open, not so discreetly inviting him to leave.
He followed, the soft-soled boots he wore silent on the wood floor, his face unreadable. Pulling a card from his wallet, he scribbled on the back. “Here’s my cell phone number in case you need to contact me.”
She stared blankly at the card in his hand. “Aren’t you coming into the office on Monday?”
“No,” he said. “And neither are you.”
“Why not?”
That sexy grin was back. “Pack your bags. We’re going to Vegas.”
Sloan arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare. He eased through security, then settled in to wait. Ziara seemed the type to arrive early, but after last night he realized he didn’t know a thing about her. Not the real Ziara. Underneath that cool, businesslike exterior lurked a woman he suspected burned as hot as her paella. That intrigued him. What intrigued him more was the why.
Why was she so different at work? This wasn’t a case of the same woman just acting on a more professional level. No, this was two totally different women.
The rich, resonant colors in the living room—burgundy, flaming oranges and yellows, deep purple accented with gold—seemed such a natural setting for her dark beauty. Why would she dress down in drab grays, browns and navies?
That hair, soft around her face, a silky waterfall draping her chest and shoulders, made him want to spread it across a pillow or, better yet, across his chest. Of course, if she was hoping to disguise her thick, satin glory, she’d failed. Pulling it up to the crown of her head as she did at work only emphasized the exotic slant of her eyes and the exquisite lines of her cheekbones.
Did she get her spicy, riveting beauty from her mother? In all the simple elegance of her home, Sloan hadn’t seen one personal photograph on display—not one of Ziara or any family, which struck him as odd.
He glanced over to see her standing in line for security. Looking at his watch, he realized she’d waited until the last moment to arrive. He smiled. Now that he knew what was inside, he wouldn’t let her revert back to “all business.”
A familiar ache built throughout his body as he watched her progress across the waiting area. The whoosh of adrenaline was similar to the rush of creativity, only a thousand times stronger. He no longer just wanted this woman—he had to have her. Which was a problem, because he was technically her boss. Temporarily. Although, if she was also his lover, then he’d know exactly where her loyalties lay. He could live with that...couldn’t he?
“Good morning, Sloan,” she said, settling into a seat across the aisle from him.
He frowned as she pulled out her mobile phone and searched for a number. “Don’t you know it’s rude to ignore someone to talk on the phone?”
“Not when it’s business.”
“What’s business?”
She motioned between the two of them. “This trip.” Waving the phone for a minute, she continued, “And this call.”
Oh, no she didn’t. “What kind of business call could you possibly be making on a Saturday morning?”
“I’m calling Vivian. It was too late to call her last night and I should let her know where we’ll be. You didn’t give me nearly enough time pack and get ready and call her this morning.”
And I’m not about to give you a chance now, either. He eyed her stiff shoulders and the haughty tilt to her chin as she studied the screen. She wore her defiance like a uniform—one he wanted to remove inch by inch. “Don’t, Ziara.”
“Why not?”
“Seriously? What good is it going to do?”
“It just might preserve my job when all this is over,” she said, those chocolate eyes finally meeting his head-on. “Or did you forget that someone else has a stake in this besides you?”
Ouch. He knew it, even when he wished he didn’t. Not everyone needs a high salary and trust fund to be successful. She needed her job. If everything didn’t work out, he’d help her find a new one.
Standing, he loomed over her, hearing the call to board blast from the speakers around them. “Still, I’m in charge on this trip. Remember?”
With a quick snatch, he grabbed her phone and stored it deep in the pocket of his khakis. Still within reach...barely.
“Give that back,” she demanded, her voice shaking.
“No. But you are welcome to come get it, if you want.”
The anger that exploded over her face didn’t hide the hint of interest that surfaced. Enjoying a touch of satisfaction, he grabbed his carry-on and strolled across the waiting area to board the flight. The whole time he could feel her glare directly between his shoulder blades.
This would be a fun flight.
On the plane, she lowered into the seat next to him with exquisite care, her tense jaw signaling extreme displeasure. He really shouldn’t be enjoying this so much.
“Give back my phone.”
“No,” he said, giving a little jiggle of his pocket. “Look at it this way—at least you’ll have an excuse when she asks why you didn’t call.”
If he had to guess, he’d say he was seeing his assistant go supernova. Not a sound was made, but the air almost shook around her before she closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. As they started to taxi, she took out a paperback and began to read. Clearly all avoidance tactics were in full effect now, probably for his own safety. He grinned. Biding his time was a talent he’d long ago acquired.
He allowed her to avoid him until they’d reached cruising altitude. Then his nimble fingers plucked the book