broke up. Ahead of her loomed a twenty-minute drive through the dark country lanes to her flat, where she hoped to snatch a few hours’ sleep before returning to Otterbourne tomorrow.
Sighing wearily, she searched through her handbag for her car keys. They seemed to have disappeared and, muttering an oath, she tipped the contents of her bag onto the coffee table.
‘I take it you’re looking for these?’
The familiar drawl brought her head up, and she stiffened, each of her senses on high alert, as Nik strolled into the room. He had discarded his tie and exchanged his dinner jacket for one of black leather. She noted the faint stubble visible on his jaw and hastily dropped her gaze. He exuded a brooding sexuality that made her nerves tingle, and she swallowed convulsively, desperate to hide the effect he had on her.
Taking a deep breath, she scooped her belongings back into her bag and walked towards him, her hand outstretched. ‘There they are. Where did you find them?’ she queried, striving to remain composed when he made no attempt to return the bunch of keys.
‘In your bag,’ Nik replied calmly, watching the array of emotions that crossed her face—surprise, confusion, and lastly a flash of anger as the implication of his words hit home.
‘How dare you? What do you suppose gives you the right to rummage through my personal belongings?’
‘They were on the top,’ he informed her hardily. ‘And, as to the question of rights, you’re my employee, my responsibility, and I have no intention of allowing you to drive home alone this late at night—especially as you were injured earlier this evening.’
‘I’m fine.’ If she discounted being tired and stressed. She certainly didn’t possess the energy to deal with Nik any more tonight. ‘It’s been a long day and I want to go home.’ She glanced pointedly at her watch as she spoke, but Nik continued to study her speculatively while retaining hold of her keys. ‘This is ridiculous. You can’t hold me here against my will.’
‘You should know by now that I can do anything I like,’ he said, with his usual breathtaking arrogance. ‘It would be better if you stayed the night so that I can keep an eye on you. I still think you should be checked over by a doctor.’
The idea of Nik keeping an eye on her throughout the night was so mind-boggling that Kezia was temporarily speechless. ‘There are no rooms spare,’ she said quickly. ‘And I don’t have anything to wear tomorrow—unless you want me to spend the day looking like a lap dancer,’ she added tartly, as she recalled his comments on her appearance at the start of the evening. ‘One night of humiliation is enough, surely?’
‘There was no reason for you to feel embarrassed tonight,’ he told her seriously. ‘I was impressed with the way you organised dinner. Especially as I understand you had less than twenty-four hours’ notice from the catering company announcing that they were pulling out. The presentation went well, and I’m already putting together a consortium of investors interested in backing the project.’
‘I was just doing my job,’ Kezia muttered, unable to control a surge of pleasure at Nik’s approval.
His earlier bad mood seemed to have disappeared, but as far as she was concerned a friendly Nik posed a serious threat to her equilibrium. He was too close for comfort, and despite her best intentions she was unable to drag her gaze from the sensual curve of his mouth. It was definitely time to leave, she thought frantically as she wetted her dry lips with her tongue. The air was heavy with an unspoken tension that was surely the workings of her imagination—but she noted the way Nik’s eyes narrowed as he studied her nervous gesture. Her mind ran riot as she envisaged him lowering his head to brush his lips over hers in a slow exploration, and without conscious thought she swayed towards him.
‘Are you ready to go?’ His voice shattered the sensual haze, and Kezia stepped back abruptly, her face burning.
‘I don’t need a chauffeur,’ she argued stubbornly. ‘I’m perfectly capable of driving myself home. Besides, you can’t leave your guests.’
‘They’ve all gone to bed,’ he said cheerfully, his eyes gleaming with sudden amusement as he studied her pink cheeks.
Had Tania also retired for the night? Kezia wondered. Was Nik’s mistress waiting impatiently in the master bedroom, sprawled across the vast bed that she had once glimpsed when Mrs Jessop had given her a tour of the house? And, if so, surely he was keen to join her?
‘I refuse to allow you to drive your car until I’ve arranged for a mechanic to check it over,’ he told her, in a tone that brooked no argument. ‘We’ll take the Porsche.’
‘What about Max? He’ll have to come too.’
‘Max?’ Nik frowned. ‘Who the hell’s Max?’
‘The dog that I almost ran over. I’m going to take him back to my flat.’
‘How do you know that’s his name?’
‘I don’t. But I have to call him something until I can return him to his owners. Mrs Jessop thinks he was abandoned, so maybe no one will claim him,’ Kezia added, unaware of the wistful note in her voice. She couldn’t bear the idea that the dog had been deliberately left by the roadside. ‘I’ll just run downstairs and collect him,’ she said, hurrying out of the room before Nik could argue.
She knew what it was like to feel unwanted, she acknowledged as she scooped the scruffy terrier into her arms. Her heart leapt with pleasure when he burrowed against her, and she was filled with a fierce determination to take care of him. Her mother had always freely admitted she’d never wanted children, and that Kezia’s unexpected arrival had been a shock. It wasn’t that her parents didn’t love her, she conceded, but they had been a professional couple in their forties when she was born, and had expected her to fit into their busy lifestyle. She had spent her childhood feeling that she needed to apologise for her existence, and her years at boarding school, although not unhappy, had reinforced her belief that she was a nuisance her parents didn’t quite know how to deal with.
The entrance hall was empty when she carried Max upstairs, but she spied her car keys on the table and for a moment contemplated making her escape. Not a good idea, she accepted ruefully, imagining Nik’s fury if she disobeyed him. From experience she knew it was pointless arguing with him when he had his mind set on something. He had made it clear that he intended to drive her home.
But as she waited for him she overheard voices from his study.
‘Why do you have to take her home?’ Tania’s petulant tones were clearly audible through the closed door. ‘For God’s sake, Nik, I haven’t seen you for a month. Why this sudden concern for your secretary? If it weren’t so laughable I’d almost believe you’ve got something going with her. I saw the way you kept looking at her tonight, but I can’t imagine what you see in her.’
‘Theos! Don’t be so ridiculous,’ came the terse reply. ‘She’s not my type. But Kezia’s an excellent assistant, she’s worked hard all night, and it’s my duty to see she gets home safely.’
Hastily Kezia stepped away from the door, swamped with misery and humiliation. She already knew she was far from Nik’s ideal woman, but to hear him state the fact quite so forcefully was agony. Never in a million years would she allow him to guess how she felt about him, she vowed fiercely. Her cheeks flamed as she recalled the stark disbelief in his voice that he could possibly find his PA attractive. It was obvious he regarded her as part of the furniture, as
