The Greek Boss's Bride. Chantelle Shaw

only be for a couple of days, while I try to trace his owners,’ Kezia muttered. ‘I could hardly leave him out in the cold. See how thin he is.’

      ‘Kezia’s always been the same,’ Anna explained to Nik. ‘At school she kept a collection of rescued wildlife in the caretaker’s shed. Do you remember the time you cared for that injured fox, Kez?’

      ‘Kezia obviously has hidden depths,’ Nik murmured, with a curious expression in his eyes that made her blush self-consciously—although she couldn’t imagine what he thought those hidden depths were.

      ‘I’m sure you’re not interested in reminiscences about our schooldays,’ she said stiffly.

      He seemed to dominate the small kitchen, and she wished she didn’t find him so unsettling. She couldn’t relax, and she envied the way Anna was able to chat so unselfconsciously with him. With a sigh, she left her flatmate to make the coffee and headed for the sanctuary of her bedroom. It was a relief to change out of the borrowed skirt and shoes. Her feet would never be the same again, she thought wryly as she wriggled her toes. Her scalp felt tight with tension, and she freed her hair from its tight knot so that it rippled down her back, all the while trying to ignore the sounds of laughter from the kitchen.

      It was ridiculous to feel jealous of Anna, she told herself crossly as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was lucky to have good friends, a comfortable flat and a dream job that offered the opportunity to travel the world. It was nobody’s fault but her own that she had become fixated with a man who was out of her league. And if she wanted to carry on working for Nik she would have to overcome her fascination for him.

      CHAPTER THREE

      THE RUMBLE OF NIK’S DEEP VOICE, followed by Anna’s laughter, sounded from the kitchen. Listening to them, Kezia was tempted to leave them to it. They appeared to have struck up an instant accord, she noted sourly. But it had been good of Nik to bring her home and, much as she longed to fall into bed, it would be impolite not to join him for coffee.

      Wearily she tugged on jeans and a sweatshirt, pulled a comb through her hair and padded barefoot down the hall. The kitchen was empty, and when she pushed open the living room door she found Nik alone, sitting in an armchair with his long legs stretched out in front of him.

      ‘Anna’s gone to the flat upstairs,’ he explained. ‘Apparently your neighbour’s suffering some sort of emotional crisis.’

      ‘Vicky must have broken up with her boyfriend—again,’ Kezia murmured awkwardly, feeling strangely disconcerted at being alone in her flat with Nik.

      It was ridiculous. They spent hours in each other’s company—either in his study at Otterbourne or travelling aboard his private jet—but this was her private space, and his presence unsettled her more than she cared to admit. She was aware of his silent scrutiny and hastily reached for her coffee, burying her nose in the mug and inhaling the tantalising aroma. The caffeine boost eased her nerves, but there would be hell to pay later when it prevented her from sleeping, she acknowledged ruefully.

      ‘Run through the agenda for tomorrow.’ His voice cut through the silence, and she gave herself a mental shake.

      ‘I’ve booked us into the Belvedere Hall Health Spa for the day. There’s an excellent golf course—if it’s not too wet—plus a gymnasium, and sports facilities for those who want them. We’ll have lunch at one, and I’ve arranged for you to use one of the private conference rooms to continue discussions with the business consortium while I remain with the wives.’

      The spa offered numerous relaxation therapies and beauty treatments—although to Kezia the idea of spending the day encased in a mud pack held little appeal, and she was dreading having to strip down to her functional black swimsuit to use the pool. She didn’t feel comfortable displaying her generous curves at the best of times, and parading semi-naked in front of Nik was something she’d hoped to avoid at all costs.

      Tomorrow promised to be a long day. Today, she amended, glancing at her watch and discovering that it was now one-thirty in the morning. ‘Would you like more coffee?’ she asked politely, stifling a yawn.

      ‘Thanks, but I think I’d better let you get to bed.’ He stood up, and Kezia jumped to her feet, her pulse rate accelerating as he strolled towards her. ‘You have beautiful hair,’ he murmured, taking her by surprise as he reached out to coil a strand of her long hair around his finger. ‘Why do you never wear it down?’

      ‘I can hardly swan around the office like Lady Godiva,’ she replied stiffly, finding it impossible to drag her gaze from the chiselled beauty of his face. Nik’s puzzled frown cleared as she explained. ‘Legend has it that she was a noblewoman who, hundreds of years ago, rode naked through the streets with only her long hair to protect her modesty.’

      His brows quirked, and his sudden grin made her heart flip. ‘That must have been…chilly,’ he drawled. ‘But I assure you I wouldn’t object, should you want to follow her example.’

      She knew he was teasing her, but the knowledge did nothing to ease her tension or lessen her fierce awareness of him. With a determined effort she sidled away from him and headed towards the door. ‘I’m sorry, Nik, but I’m dead on my feet and we’ve another busy day ahead tomorrow.’