If she’d learned one thing it was never to slander her boss with anyone other than Emma and Tahlia, and especially not with strangers. However, with his innocuous touch burning a hole through her cool wool jacket, Keely lost all rational thought for a moment.
Concentrate, girl. She needed the promotion to Director of Graphic Design, and babbling in front of her boss and her newest project was not the way to go about it.
‘Raquel is very busy,’ she said, eagerly pushing open the door to escape the intimacy that seemed to envelop them in the deserted corridor.
‘I don’t speak to prospective clients like that when I’m busy,’ he muttered as they entered the airy office, a slight frown marring his brow.
The Rottie bared her teeth in an attempt at smiling and shook his hand. ‘Good morning, Mr Brant. Take a seat and let’s get started.’
So much for pleasantries. Raquel picked up a folder and slid it across her desk.
‘Call me Lachlan. And surely all this paperwork is a mere formality?’ He gestured to the folder he’d barely flicked through. ‘I’ve already done my research, and it looks like WWW Designs will suit my needs, so let’s dispense with the sales pitch. I’m eager to get started straight away.’
Raquel’s eyes gleamed behind her rimless glasses. She was obviously pleased at landing a big client with seemingly little effort. ‘Well, that was relatively painless. Glad to see you’re a decisive man, Lachlan, and I’m pleased that you’ve chosen our firm to handle your Internet needs. Why don’t you take these documents with you, leave them with Chrystal once they’re signed, and let Keely show you where she works her magic?’
Magic? The Rottie must really want to land the Brant account, badly.
‘I’m looking forward to it.’
And, just like that, Keely had the sudden urge to bolt, promotion or not. Lachlan stared at her with a hint of speculation in his eyes and, with her imagination working overtime, she could’ve sworn she read more than an interest in her design skills there.
He continued, giving her valuable breathing space. ‘Your company seems to offer exactly what I’m looking for.’
She tried to break eye contact with him and failed, suddenly knowing how a cobra felt, trapped under the hypnotising stare of a mongoose.
Besides, she was obviously reading more into his words. How could a man like him be remotely interested in her?
Clearing her throat, she finally managed to speak. ‘If you’ll follow me, we can get started now.’
The corners of his mouth twitched again, as if he was having difficulty keeping a straight face, and she could’ve bitten her tongue. Obviously, he had a different idea to what getting started meant.
Rather than making some wisecrack, as she had half-expected, he inclined his head and said, ‘Lead the way.’
She was expecting a parting shot from Raquel, and her boss didn’t disappoint. ‘Make this your best work, Keely.’
Keely smiled through gritted teeth and nodded. As if she ever produced anything less! Though the way her mind kept wandering, from the way Lachlan’s suit seemed tailormade for his broad-shouldered frame to the way he smiled with his eyes as well as his mouth, maybe the Rottie had a point in reminding her to keep focused on the job at hand?
As she closed the door Lachlan asked, ‘Is she always like that?’
Keely resisted the urge to growl and make like a possessive dog over a bone, the way she did with the girls when one of them had a gripe with their boss.
‘Raquel is very driven. It’s what keeps this company at the top,’ she said, hoping that the good Lord would reward her for being so professional—with the big fat promotion she’d coveted for ages.
‘Good to hear. I only work with the best.’ He smiled and she noticed the fine lines fanning out from the corners of his eyes, lending a tiny flaw to the otherwise model-handsome face. He leaned towards her and for one insane moment she thought he was going to kiss her. ‘And it looks like I’ve got it here.’
‘Are you flirting with me?’
Oops! The words had popped out before she could stop them and to her horror, his smile broadened into a fully fledged grin, like that of a starving cat toying with an itty-bitty mouse.
‘What if I am?’
That would mean you’re interested in me as a woman and it’s my lucky day!
Mentally slapping herself for her wayward and wishful thoughts, she said, ‘That wouldn’t be very professional. We have a lot of work to do and I’d rather not be distracted.’
True to her cat analogy, he pounced. ‘You think I’m a distraction, huh?’
Who was the man trying to kid? In the last half-hour she’d thought about his body, eyes, smile and butt—in that order. Well, maybe the latter had been higher on the list, but it wouldn’t help to think about that now, when she could hardly string two coherent words together as it was.
‘Don’t flatter yourself.’ I’m doing enough for the both of us. Even if it was only in her mind. ‘I merely meant that word games aren’t my style. I’d rather focus on the job at hand.’
He’d fallen into step beside her and thankfully she didn’t have to look at him, preferring to concentrate on the suddenly onerous task of putting one foot in front of the other and not falling flat on her face. She had an embarrassing habit of clumsiness around men who grabbed her interest and she had no intention of adding to his obvious amusement by sprawling at his feet.
‘Mmm … interesting. Does that apply to all areas of your life?’
What was with this guy? He might be irresistible but didn’t he ever switch off the charm?
‘That’s none of your business.’ She pushed open the door to her office and waved him in. ‘Speaking of which, I think it’s time we got down to some.’
‘After you.’
She brushed past him, catching a faint waft of aftershave. She usually hated the stuff, but this was a tantalizing blend of fresh citrus that seemed to wrap around her and add to the heady sensation of being in a confined space with the hottest man to enter her sphere in a long time.
Grateful to have a seat before she made a complete fool of herself, she gestured to the one next to her. ‘Let’s get started.’
His knee touched hers as he folded his long legs beneath the desk, sending heat sizzling through her body and hot-wiring her dormant hormones.
Great. Not only had her mind entered meltdown mode, her body had followed suit.
‘I’m all yours,’ he said, sitting back and folding his arms, his confident grin setting her heart hammering in her chest.
And as she reached forward to angle the computer screen towards him and knocked over her credenza, sending pens, paperclips and rulers in all directions, she could only think of one response.
I wish.
Lachlan managed to appear interested as Keely prattled on about search engines, uploading pages, hosting companies and web space. However, the sultry brunette’s non-verbal cues intrigued him more than anything she was saying.
From her rigid posture and fiddling fingers to her tapping foot, she seemed nervous.
And so she should be.
The sophisticated woman doing her best to impress him with her knowledge had a secret and, though he hadn’t said anything yet, he was on to her.
Cops never forgot a face, and in his profession, after three years on the radio, he never forgot a voice. Though his late-night caller last week had sounded intoxicated, he remembered