‘You honestly want to hear my ideas?’ she said, sounding somewhat sceptical.
Not really, he conceded privately. They were a waste of time. But it was part of his plan.
‘But of course,’ he said.
Her face lit up and, yes, so did her eyes. Guilt threatened, but he pushed it firmly aside. Guilt, Ben conceded, was no match for lust.
‘Okay. Well, for starters there’s its name. “Fab Fashions” implies it caters for the young where in fact most of the stock in Fab Fashions is targeted towards the more mature woman. Either change the name or change the stock. I would suggest change the name; there are enough clothes around for teenagers.
‘Then you should change your buyers. Get people in who aren’t just buying to price. Someone who knows what’s in fashion and what is comfortable to wear. The more mature lady wants comfort as well as style. Also, it might be a good idea to stock more of the most common sizes instead of just buying across the board. Most women over forty are not size eight! And of course you should have an online store too. To fall behind the times is stupid.’
Ben was surprised and impressed. All her suggestions made sense. They might even work. ‘You really know your stuff, don’t you?’
‘I told you…fashion is a genuine passion with me. On top of that, I hate to think of all those people losing their jobs. If every owner shut their stores during a down-turn in the economy, the country would go to the wall. Surely it’s not always about profit, is it, Ben? I mean…everyone has to take the bad times with the good, especially big companies like yours.’
‘It’s not always quite as simple as that, Jess.’
She bristled. ‘I knew you’d say that.’
‘I didn’t say I wasn’t prepared to do what you suggested. What say we have a think over the weekend and see if we can find a fab new name which would lend itself to a successful marketing campaign?’
Jess’s frown was instant. ‘But we don’t have any spare time this weekend. You have to go to a stag party tonight and the wedding’s tomorrow. I suppose we could talk on the drive home.’
‘We could,’ he said. ‘But when I’m excited about something, I like to get straight to it,’ he added with considerable irony and another tweak to his conscience. ‘How about I give Andy a ring and organise for you to stay at the winery over the weekend instead of some motel in Mudgee? They have a small cottage on the property away from the main house which is very comfy. We could stay there together.’
‘Together!’
‘There’s two bedrooms, Jess. Of course, there won’t be much time for talking tonight, since I’ll be at Andy’s bachelor party. But the wedding’s not till four the next afternoon. That should give us plenty of time to talk. And, speaking of the wedding, I’m sure I could wangle you an invitation.’ If she didn’t have a suitable dress, he would take her into Mudgee and buy her one.
Wariness warred with temptation in her eyes. ‘Won’t Andy think it odd, you asking him to invite a virtual stranger to his wedding?’
‘But you’re not a stranger, Jess. I already know more about you than most of my past girlfriends. On top of that, we’re now business colleagues. I’ll tell Andy you’re a marketing consultant I’ve hired to help me with Fab Fashions and who kindly offered to drive me up here after I had that unfortunate car accident. There’s no need to mention anything about you working for a hire car company, is there?’
Jess shook her head. Did he honestly think she didn’t know what he was doing? She wasn’t a fool. But there was simply no saying no to him.
‘You do like to take over, Ben, don’t you?’
His smile was both charming and sexy at the same time. ‘What can I say? People tell me I’m bossy and controlling.’
Jess laughed. He was a clever devil. But totally irresistible.
‘I’m sure Andy’s folks will still think it odd, you asking for us to stay together in that cottage.’
‘In that case, I’ll say we’re dating.’
‘But we’re not!’
‘We will be, come Sunday. I have every intention of asking you out once we get back to the coast.’
‘I might say no.’
‘Will you?’
‘No.’
He grinned at her. ‘Great. No problems, then. I’ll tell Andy you’re my new girlfriend.’
Jess sighed. ‘You are incorrigible.’
‘I’m smitten, that’s what I am.’
She just stared at him. She was the one who was smitten. He just wanted to get into her pants.
‘I think you should know in advance, Ben, that I don’t sleep with a guy on a first date.’ Or she hadn’t, till he’d come along.
There was that hint of a smile again. ‘Who said anything about sleeping?’
‘Very funny. You know what I mean.’
‘Yes, of course I do. Let me assure you, Jess, that I would always be respectful of your wishes.’
Mmm…meaning he was very confident that he could seduce her in no time flat. Which he could, of course. But she had to make some kind of stand. Her pride demanded it.
‘Fine,’ she said. ‘Just so you understand my feelings in advance. I don’t want to have to fight you off at the end of the night.’
‘I appreciate you being straight with me, Jess. I admire honesty.’
Oh, dear. She hoped she didn’t look too guilty. Because of course she was probably going to sleep with him. How could she possibly say no? He was the sexiest man she’d ever met.
‘Soon as I finish this coffee, I’ll ring Andy,’ Ben said, looking very pleased with himself.
He made the call out of earshot, walking around the garden as he talked. Jess wondered what he was telling his friend. She hated to think it was one of those ‘nudge-nudge, wink-wink, say no more’ conversations where Ben and his best friend were becoming co-conspirators in her supposed seduction. She would hate that. Still, Andy had already to know that Ben hadn’t been out here in Australia for long. So how could she possibly be a proper girlfriend? She was just someone he’d met and fancied, but who would be quickly forgotten once he flew back to America.
Now that she was thinking straight, Jess also doubted Ben would really do anything about Fab Fashions. His interest in her ideas was just a ploy to keep her sweet. It also crossed Jess’s mind as she watched Ben chatting away to his friend that she wouldn’t be the first girl he’d installed in that cottage for the weekend. He was the sort of guy who would always have a willing girl on his arm. And in his bed. Jess would just be one in a long line of conquests.
She didn’t like that thought, or the other thoughts she’d been having since he’d left her at the table.
Feeling decidedly disgruntled, Jess stood up, thanked the lady who ran the café and marched back to her four-wheel drive.
AFTER BEN FINISHED his call to Andy, he went back to the table on the veranda, only to find