meeting. The largest project belongs to a man who can be difficult. I don’t want him to have a reason to criticise my company.’
In other words, Lily had better not let Zach down! She focussed on breathing deeply in and out. ‘I understand.’
He must have believed the act, because he gave a short, satisfied nod. ‘I’ll leave you to it. I trust I’ll have the proposals very soon.’ He walked into his office and shut the door.
Please let me get these things done in time. Lily re-read her notes. Fortunately, they made sense. Then she scribbled the meeting details onto the wall chart and into her diary, sticky-noted the need to find, type and collate the proposals, and dived for the phone book.
Thankfully she could cajole people when needed. That is, people other than the unshakeable Zachary Swift. Minutes later, with the meal agreed upon and delivery promised by 12.15 for a 12.30 start, she began to type.
The proposals were out, copied and onto Zach’s desk with just minutes to spare. A convincing summation of several of Swift Enterprises’ recent success stories, and individual offers to each company or business.
If his guests weren’t duly impressed, well, Lily was. He dealt in big business. The knowledge of his prowess was quite…stimulating. Intellectually.
Even as she thought it, she studied his down-bent head from her vantage point in front of his desk, and acknowledged that no other male had appealed to her as much or as quickly as he had. What was wrong with her? Since moving to Sydney she had avoided even the slightest interest in men. It hadn’t been difficult to make that choice until now.
‘Good work.’ Zach skimmed the final page of the last copy, and rose to his feet. ‘Very accurate. Your typing speed must be as fast as your short—eh, note—taking.’
So he had noticed already that her code wasn’t the usual shorthand script. If he asked, she would explain it as a newly developed recording style, which was nothing but the truth. Sort of. But it worried her that he had picked up on that so quickly. What else might he see and wonder about?
When he stretched to relax his shoulders, she tried not to let her gaze be drawn to him. But she failed dismally. The man appeared to have some rather nice muscles under that suit, and something in her feminine make-up was attracted by that knowledge. In defence against her own thoughts, she crossed her arms.
‘I’m glad you’re happy with my work, although I know Deborah would have done just as well.’ She had to get that in, the first building block towards her own imminent exit. ‘These offers will mean a lot of new work, if they’re all accepted.’
His gaze tracked over her hair, then her shoulders, before taking a leisurely path downward, and back up again. It was cold comfort to her to know that in this case, unlike when they’d discussed the Rochelle debacle, the attraction appeared to be mutual. She didn’t want to want him, whether it was reciprocated or not.
He seemed to catch himself, and his glance shifted to the windows. ‘Yes, but we’re geared to handle that sort of influx. It’s what my finance and planning gurus thrive on.’
His forehead creased in thought. ‘This lot are an interesting mix of people. It’s not always those in financial trouble who need a partner or to sell out. Two of them, for example, are estate inheritances.’
‘Estate inheritances.’ She repeated it while her fingers itched foolishly to smooth the attractive wrinkles from his brow. ‘Stuck suddenly with a monstrosity they’re not prepared to take on? Yes. I can understand why some people would simply want out. And you can make all these businesses profitable?’
He turned, his eyes lit with interest. ‘I’ve already suggested other avenues for the ones that wouldn’t have been.’ Her temporary boss smiled, moved to sit on the edge of the desk, and leaned back just enough that she had a breathtaking view of the cleft of his chin and the long, tanned neck. ‘You think like a businesswoman. I can see you’re going to be even more of an asset than I’d hoped.’
‘Well.’ She tried to ignore the view, the elevation of her pulse. The warm feeling it gave her to receive his praise, however prosaic. She didn’t plan on being here long enough for him to appreciate her very much! ‘We’d best make our way to the conference room.’
‘Let’s hope they’re all on time for the meeting. What did you choose for the food?’ He rose, scooped up the pile of meeting notes and handed them to her.
Their fingers touched. Warmth. The slightest sandpapery feeling as his skin grazed hers. She experienced a swift, sharp wish to feel those fingers stroke her forehead, her jaw, her neck.
His gaze locked on her face, roved it, touched her eyes, nose, and lingered on her lips. ‘Lily…’
‘We…ah…’ Her mouth dried. This was not anticipation, and he was not about to kiss her. For heaven’s sake. When had she developed such an overactive imagination? She hurried into her office. Anything to gain a moment’s reprieve.
And he had asked a question. The food! He had asked about the menu. The food…
Something good that would keep people happy.
That was all she could recall. So innovate, Lily! ‘You’ll like what I’ve chosen. Just wait and see.’ There. Good enough, but she should have written the choices down as she’d agreed to them. ‘I just need to get a couple of things and I’ll be ready.’
‘Good afternoon. It’s a pleasure to meet you.’ Lily’s mellow words sounded calm. Unfazed. She looked completely relaxed as she worked to put their visitors at ease.
But Zach stood at her side at the entrance to the conference room and felt the tension that radiated from her. He nodded, smiled, shared a few words with each delegate, but he wasn’t relaxed either. Wasn’t calm. He hadn’t been since that accidental touch as he’d handed her the approved proposals for this meeting, when a flood of heated response had rushed his system.
Indeed, he had wanted her from the moment they’d met, and he would be a fool to pretend otherwise. He might not like the knowledge, but he prided himself on facing the truth. Now he just had to find some way to overcome this unwelcome interest in her.
Since Lara had showed him five years ago what his life had to be, he had dated women casually. No friendships, no commitments, no compulsions driving his interest. He wasn’t about to alter that credo. He couldn’t.
But he and Lily stood so close now that they breathed the same air. And all he wanted was to snatch her up and get answers to the questions that pounded through his bloodstream. If he kissed her, would the lips that drew his gaze press in passion against his?
If he drew her close, would their bodies fit as though meant to be together? Would it feel right? Would desire flame in an instant, or ignite slowly? It was ridiculous. Too much. They had only just met, yet he couldn’t seem to stop the distracting thoughts.
‘Wallace. Please make yourself comfortable with the others.’ He gestured towards the oval table laid for the upcoming meal, but part of his thoughts remained with the woman at his side.
She smelled of lily of the valley. Had she always worn her signature scent? He wanted to search out every pulse point and hidden place that carried it.
He suppressed a groan, and
