stared at her for a long moment, his mouth turning grim. ‘I fancied myself in love once, but when things got tough the girl in question couldn’t hack it. She left. Next time I fall in love it’ll be with a woman who can cope with the rough as well as the smooth.’
His nostrils flared, his eyes darkening, and Mia wondered if he’d gone back to that time when the girl in question had broken his heart. She wanted to reach out and touch his hand, pull him back to the present.
She dragged her hands into her lap. ‘I’m sorry, Dylan.’
He shook himself. ‘It’s true that I’m attracted to you, but you’ve just pointed out how very differently we want to live our lives—high-profile, low-profile. In the real world, that continual push and pull would make us miserable.’
Mia had to look away, but she nodded to let him know that she agreed. It didn’t stop her heart from shrivelling to the size of a gum nut.
‘Your no-dating rule obviously rules out a fling?’
‘It does.’ Anything else would be a disaster.
‘So these are our ground rules. With those firmly in place we shouldn’t have any misunderstandings or false hopes, right? We just need to remember the reasons why we’re not dating at the moment, why we’re not looking for a relationship, and that’ll keep us safe.’
She guessed so.
He drummed his fingers on the picnic table. ‘It occurs to me that I haven’t given you much incentive to help me out. I’m a selfish brute.’
His consideration for Carla proved that was a lie.
‘I’ve no intention of taking advantage of you. I’m fully prepared to pay you for your time.’
She flinched at his words, throwing an arm up to ward them off. ‘I don’t want your money, Dylan.’
What kind of person did he think she was?
A thief!
She dragged in a breath. ‘I went to jail for fraud. Do you think I’d accept money under dubious circumstances again?’
He swore at whatever he saw in her face. ‘I’m sorry—that was incredibly insensitive. I didn’t mean I thought you could be bought. I just meant it’s perfectly reasonable for you to be financially compensated for your time.’
‘No.’
‘It doesn’t have to be dubious. I’d have a contract drawn up so there wasn’t a hint of illegality about it.’
His earnestness made the earlier sting fade, but... ‘Tell that to the judge.’
He looked stricken for a moment—until he realised she was joking.
‘No money changes hands between us,’ she said.
He looked as if he wanted to keep arguing with her, but finally he nodded. ‘Okay.’
She let out a pent-up breath.
‘So, Mia, what I need to know is...what do you want? You help me. I help you.’
He’d already saved her job. She hated to admit it, but that made her beholden to him. She rubbed her forehead. Besides, if Carla was in danger of being controlled, dominated, bullied... She swallowed, remembering Johnnie Peters and all he’d convinced her to do. She remembered how she’d sold her soul to a man who’d used her for his own ends and then thrown her away. If Carla were in danger, this would be a way for Mia to start making amends—finding redemption—for the mistakes of the past.
The thought made her stomach churn. She didn’t want to do this.
What? You think redemption is easy? You think it’s supposed to be a picnic? It should be hard. You should suffer.
She brushed a hand across her eyes, utterly weary with herself.
‘What do you want, Mia.’
She wanted to keep her job. Yesterday she’d have trusted him with that piece of information. Today— She glanced across at him. Today she wasn’t convinced that he wouldn’t use it against her as a weapon to force her co-operation.
Who are you kidding? You already know you’re going to help him. No force necessary.
But it would be unwise of her to forget that beneath the smiling charm Dylan had a warrior’s heart. And warriors could be utterly ruthless.
She forced her mind off Dylan and to her own situation. He’d ensured her job was safe for the moment...and for the next nine months until Carla’s wedding took place. She’d have less than six months left on her traineeship then. Surely she could avoid Gordon’s notice in that time? Hopefully he’d be busy with council elections.
If Carla’s wedding takes place.
‘There has to be something you want,’ Dylan persisted, pushing a chocolate bar across to her.
What did she want? One thing came immediately to mind.
She picked up the bar of chocolate and twirled it around. ‘Carla’s wedding is going to be a big deal, right?’
‘A huge deal. If it goes ahead.’
She glanced at him. ‘If Thierry does turn out to be your worst nightmare, but Carla still insists on marrying him, will you still go ahead and give her the wedding she’s always dreamed of?’
A muscle worked in his jaw. ‘Yes.’
She couldn’t explain why, but that eased some of the tightness in her shoulders. She stared down at the chocolate bar. ‘So—considering this low profile of mine—when you and your people start distributing press releases and giving media interviews about the wedding, I’d like you to give the credit to Plum Pines and Nora and FWE without mentioning my name at all.’
His brows drew down over his eyes. ‘But that’s unfair! Credit should go where it’s due. Being associated with Carla’s wedding could open doors for you.’
Or it could bring her past and the scandal to the front pages of the gossip rags. ‘You asked me what I wanted. I’m simply telling you.’
He swung back to scowl at the lily pond. ‘I don’t like it. It goes against the grain. But if it’s what you really want, then consider it done.’
She closed her eyes. ‘Thank you.’
‘But now you have to tell me something else that you want, because I truly feel as if I’m taking utter advantage of you.’
She glanced up to find him glaring at her. For some reason his outrage made her want to smile.
‘What do I want?’ she shrugged. ‘I want to be out on the eastern boundary, helping with the weed eradication programme.’
* * *
Dylan stared at Mia and his heart thumped at the wistful expression that flitted across her face. He had a feeling that she didn’t have a
