have meetings,” he said. “Look, Holly. About last night.”
And here it comes. Holly shook her head, hot embarrassment flooding her cheeks as the doors slid open. Quickly she strode out, escaping the warm intimacy that reminded her of last night. He followed closely. “You don’t need to—”
“It was—”
The both paused awkwardly as Holly unlocked the glass door until she blurted out, “It doesn’t matter. Really.”
His eyes narrowed, darkening. “Doesn’t it?” he challenged. “I think it matters more than you want to admit.”
“How would you know?” She tried for nonchalance as she walked in and placed her coffee carefully on the desk.
“Because I know how to read people. You were an eager participant in that kiss.”
She flushed. “Is that how you win—by figuring out what people want then turning it against them?”
“I present them with an offer they can’t refuse.”
On another man, the arrogance would have forced a sharp, scornful rebuttal from her lips. On Jake, there was no egotism or conceit. It was simply a statement of truth.
She tipped her head. “So there’s nothing you’ve wanted that you couldn’t have.”
Danger. She sensed it the very moment Jake’s eyes darkened. The air seemed to thicken, and the seconds ticked by on the clock so loudly they echoed the beat of her heart as it upped tempo.
“I still have…things I want to achieve.”
She finally dragged her eyes away, unable to bear the intensity in his any longer. It was like a promise, a weird prediction of the future, of her and him together. Completely.
“What about a wife? A child to leave all your wealth to?”
“Eventually.” A stab of emotion, totally unexpected, tightened his jaw for one brief second. Then he blinked and his signature expression of cool blankness took over.
So he had thought about that. And letting her know irritated him, for some reason. Why? Did he view it as some kind of weakness? Or… She swallowed a small guilty breath. Did Mia’s betrayal still affect the unfeeling Mr Midas Touch?
After he closed his office door, Holly suddenly realised they’d both avoided discussing the implications of last night. And that non-closure worried her.
Five
Any normal girl would be out on a date Saturday night, Holly muttered to herself as she walked into Blackstone’s, bravado propelling her forward. Not at work, spying on her boss. Not sneaking around, trying to uncover Jake’s big plot to bring down Blackstone’s.
As the elevator sped up to the top floor, Holly recalled the past hour. Kimberley had offered her two tickets to the Alex Perry fashion show at the Powerhouse Museum as compensation for pulling her from the preparations. Sitting through the traditional bridal theme closing with gorgeous women strutting about in stunning white gowns wasn’t exactly what Holly had in mind to occupy her thoughts. Then she’d spotted Jake in the front row and her evening had suddenly ratcheted up in the interesting column.
He was seated next to one of Blackstone’s prominent shareholders, engaged in deep conversation, when some sixth sense must have told him he was being watched. He glanced up and pinned her with his dark gaze.
Her clothes had suddenly felt constrictive. She may as well have been naked sitting there, the off-the-shoulder wraparound designer blouse providing absolutely no coverage whatsoever.
He had no right to stare at her like that. And less right to make her feel…hot. Bothered.
Aroused.
She rose quickly, murmured something about fresh air to Miko, her surprised flatmate, and made her way to the exit. Strobe lights flashed behind her, loud music throbbed low and sensual, but she kept right on walking—even when she realised that Jake had a perfect view of her backside clad in skintight black velvet hipsters. Another brilliant decision gone horribly wrong.
She was waiting in line at the open-air bar, eyeing the congregation of smokers on her left, when a man broke free from the group and strode over.
Max.
A wave of cigarette smoke reached her before he did and burnt her nostrils. She barely suppressed a cough of distaste as he crossed his arms on the bar next to her, bumping his shoulder into hers.
“What are you doing here?” she said and angled away.
“Socializing. Having a few drinks. Keeping an eye on you. You’ve been avoiding me.”
Ignoring his oh-so-charming smirk, she reached for her glass but quickly recoiled when Max reached it first.
He frowned. “Holls, don’t be like that.”
She just scowled and pulled the glass back, wine slopping over the rim as she resisted the overwhelming desire to clock him with it.
“Jake’s getting to you, huh?”
She gritted her teeth, praying for control. “Haven’t you got someone else to blackmail, Max?”
Max laughed an unpleasant bark. “Watch it, Holls. It’s not just me who’s got something to lose here.”
“You were the one sleeping around. You were the one who offered me up as Jake’s assistant. And you—”
“And you were the one who didn’t say no to sex on my desk. We had a good time, Holly. Admit it—you got off on the whole ‘secret and forbidden’ thing.”
Disbelief rendered her speechless. She didn’t know what was worse, her raging stupidity for ignoring Blackstone’s morality clause, or her naivety for thinking she’d be any different from the rest of Max’s women.
It was those innocent choirboy looks, complete with a mop of golden curls that made Max Carlton such a hit. The men liked him for his after-hours drinks and blokey talk about football and women. The women were flattered by his charm and good looks. And to her surprise, there’d been a spark of interest despite the unofficial gossip. He was an attractive smooth-talker and everyone knew it, especially Max Carlton.
So you fell for it and now he’s got you over a barrel. Way to go, Holly.
“What do you want?” Before she could blink, he took her arm and steered her across the courtyard to a dark corner.
She wrenched from his grip, her breath coming quick and angry. Thank goodness for public places. Past him, she noticed the caterer’s tables, the half-dozen people setting up for the hungry masses.
“What have you found out?”
“Nothing,” she said, disgust clogging her voice. “Jake Vance is above board on this one.”
Max smiled thinly. “We’re talking about the same guy, right? Men like Vance don’t just waltz into a company with good intentions. They destroy
