‘So Jill wasn’t any good?’ Kate asked hopefully. Her mission to dazzle would be easier if she wasn’t replacing someone with a pristine reputation.
‘That—and she was always coming on to Mr Boudreaux in the office.’
Kate blinked. Fabulous. So the man already had a history of sleeping with his PAs. Why was she not surprised? ‘They had a relationship?’ she asked dully.
Kelly looked round, making a quick check on the two other secretaries who were handling some filing on the other side of the office. She perched herself next to Kate’s chair and said in a conspiratorial whisper, ‘Jill always made out like they did to me. She went on and on about the trip to California, even booked them into the same cottage at the resort. Course, she knew we were all pea-green with envy.’ Kelly sighed. ‘He’s such a hottie, who wouldn’t want to spend two weeks alone with him in a hotel?’
Who indeed? Kate thought huffily. So much for Zack’s strict rule about sleeping with his employees. It was lowering to realise she wasn’t the first of his underlings to be charmed out of her knickers.
‘But you know what?’ Kelly continued, standing up. ‘I think Jill was full of you-know-what. I never once saw him respond to any of her flirting. If anything it seemed to annoy him. I think she quit because she’d finally figured out he was never gonna be interested in her.’
Or she’d discovered Zack was replacing her with a newer model. The man was obviously a serial seducer of his staff.
‘I see,’Kate said, giving Kelly a sympathetic nod and trying not to feel hurt. What had she expected? He’d talked her into bed in less than a day. And she could hardly pretend she hadn’t enjoyed every minute of it. ‘Thanks for telling me all this. It’s always good to know the lay of the land on a new job.’
‘No problem,’ said Kelly. ‘My advice would be, do your job the best you can and don’t flirt with Mr Boudreaux. But then I can tell you’re a lot classier than Jill. That must be why he hired you.’
Not quite, thought Kate, feeling more compromised than ever as she watched Kelly walk back to her own desk. She opened the file Kelly had handed her, but the words and figures blurred as she considered her position and exactly how impulsive she’d been up to now.
She hadn’t exactly been very classy either, but she was going to do her best to be classy from here on in. Which meant no more recreational sex with the boss whenever he clicked his fingers. She was not about to become another notch on his bedpost.
Kelly was right about one thing. Until Kate knew how to handle Zack, and her overpowering attraction to him, there could be no more flirting.
‘MONTY SAYS YOU SPENT yesterday getting up to speed on The Grange deal,’ Zack said, unfastening his seat belt.
‘That’s right,’ Kate replied. She smoothed her skirt down, noticed the way his eyes followed the movement. She cleared her throat, ignoring the dancing butterflies in her stomach. Surely the weightless feeling was only because Zack’s private jet had just reached its cruising altitude.
Luckily, Zack had been all business since meeting her at the airport, which was handy, because her resolve not to flirt with him had already taken a few hard knocks. He looked tall, dark and delicious freshly showered and shaved and wearing a navy-blue perfectly tailored Hugo Boss suit and white shirt. Her heart had been beating double time ever since they’d entered the jet, the subtle scent of his aftershave making the luxury tan leather interior unbearably intimate. She hadn’t bargained on being alone with him so soon, but he’d dismissed the cabin attendant right after take off.
What she needed to do now was keep the conversation as businesslike as possible or she’d be totally sunk. Heated looks like the one he’d just flicked down her legs would be ignored at all costs.
She pulled the report she’d been working on the previous evening out of her carry-on bag. ‘I’ve typed up my notes on the history of the negotiations,’ she said in her most forthright, no-nonsense voice. ‘Monty said it would be useful for you to have it all in writing. All the aspects you’ve already agreed with Westchester and anything that’s still to be decided before the signing.’
His eyebrow lifted but he took the file. She jerked when his fingers touched hers on the document and prayed he hadn’t noticed her reaction.
‘You’ve been busy,’ he said at last, leafing through the pages. ‘This looks very thorough.’
‘That’s what you’re paying me for, remember,’ she said tartly, and instantly regretted it.
His lips curved. ‘So you got my note?’
‘Yes, I got your note,’ she replied, flustered. This was the last thing she should be talking about. ‘I thought it was completely inappropriate,’ she said, aiming for outrage and getting breathless instead.
He dumped her report on the coffee-table and, crossing one leg over the other, tapped his open palm on his ankle. ‘As I recall,’ he said, ‘appropriate behaviour isn’t your strong suit.’
‘It is now,’ she said, trying to convince herself.
‘There’s no need to change your ways on my account,’ he said, a devilish glint in his eyes. ‘I’m a big fan of your inappropriate behaviour.’
‘I don’t have time for that any more,’ she said recklessly, layering as much simpering subservience into her voice as she could muster. ‘I’ll be too busy working.’
He flashed her a laser-sharp grin. ‘Well, hell, Kate. I thought a good PA knew how to multitask.’
‘I’m superb at multitasking,’ she said, determined to ignore the innuendo. ‘My shorthand and typing are exemplary, as are my communication skills.’ Businesslike and abrupt ought to shut him up.
He gave her a deliberate once-over. ‘As you know, I’m more interested in your other skills.’ A shiver of awareness shot up Kate’s spine.
The man had no shame. Why wasn’t she outraged?
‘Yes, but you’re not paying me for those, remember?’
‘I know I’m not.’ He reached across the table and brushed a knuckle across her cheekbone. ‘I was thinking more in the region of a free trade.’
The soft touch and suggestive comment had images of their one night together blasting into Kate’s mind.
‘I don’t think so,’ she said. Could he sense the fireball of need searing her insides? She saw the challenging grin and decided retreat was her only option.
Fumbling with her seat belt, she leapt up and walked to the aeroplane’s window with as much poise as she could manage. Staring at the candyfloss clouds, she tried to even out her breathing. Well, her attempt at classy and businesslike hadn’t exactly been a roaring success.
‘Look at me, Kate.’
She turned to find him standing close. Too close.
‘Why are you sulking?’ he asked, amused and indulgent.
And so much for her grand plan to put him in his place. ‘I’m not.’
‘Sure you are.’ He slid his finger under her chin, lifting her face, then stroked his thumb across her lower lip. ‘The pout’s sexy as hell, you know.’
‘I’m not pouting,