Vivienne was totally rattled; this was the second time that day that Jack had somehow turned her on. Not consciously, of course. Or deliberately. He would have no idea what mad thoughts he’d been evoking.
She pulled her eyes away, then did what she always did when life threatened to overwhelm her. She concentrated on the matter at hand.
‘So, Jack,’ she said, looking back at him with her business face on, ‘tell me exactly what the terms of my employment will be.’
Jack frowned. ‘If you come with me tomorrow you can inspect Francesco’s Folly for yourself and tell me how long you think the job will take to complete. At the same time, given that you would be doing me a special favour by taking this job, I am prepared to be generous.’
Vivienne’s eyebrows lifted. Jack Stone was not known for his generosity. He was a fair businessman, but tough.
‘How generous?’ she asked.
‘Very generous.’
‘But why? I’m sure you could get any number of up-and-coming young designers to do the job for next to nothing.’
‘I don’t want any other up-and-coming designer, Vivienne. I want you.’
MIRANDA LEE is Australian, and lives near Sydney. Born and raised in the bush, she was boarding-school-educated, and briefly pursued a career in classical music before moving to Sydney and embracing the world of computers. Happily married, with three daughters, she began writing when family commitments kept her at home. She likes to create stories that are believable, modern, fast-paced and sexy. Her interests include meaty sagas, doing word puzzles, gambling and going to the movies.
Recent titles by the same author:
MASTER OF HER VIRTUE
CONTRACT WITH CONSEQUENCES
THE MAN EVERY WOMAN WANTS
NOT A MARRYING MAN
Did you know these are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk
A Man Without Mercy
Miranda Lee
MILLS & BOON
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Contents
CHAPTER ONE
‘WHAT DO YOU mean, I can’t have Vivienne?’ Jack said. ‘I always have Vivienne.’
Nigel suppressed a sigh. He didn’t like disappointing his best client but there was nothing he could do about it.
‘Sorry, Jack, but as of yesterday Miss Swan doesn’t work for Classic Design any longer.’
Jack’s head jerked back with shock. ‘You fired her?’
Now it was Nigel’s turn to look startled. ‘Hardly. Vivienne was one of my best designers. No,’ he added, with true regret in his voice. ‘She quit.’
Jack could not contain his surprise at this second piece of news. Admittedly, he didn’t know Vivienne all that well, despite her having worked for him on his last three building projects. She was an extremely self-contained young woman who didn’t engage in idle chitchat. When on a job, her focus was always on her work, which was simply brilliant. He had asked her not long ago why she didn’t open her own interior design firm, and she’d replied that she didn’t want that kind of stress, especially now that she was engaged to be married. She’d said she didn’t want to live just for work any longer, a sentiment which Jack had not appreciated—till yesterday.
He’d been driving around the Port Stephens area, looking for suitable land for another retirement village, when he’d come across a small acreage for sale which had totally blown him away. It wasn’t what he was looking for, not even remotely. Not the right kind of land, for starters; not flat enough. There’d also been a huge house smack dab