Alice squirmed beneath Dennis’s scrutiny of her bone-coloured stretch Capri trousers and plain white scoop-neck T-shirt.
‘I’m heading to the bush today,’ she said, nodding to the small backpack on the floor beside her desk. ‘Just for a quick tour of the Gulf Country to try to recoup some of the market share.’
‘On your own?’
‘With…the boss.’
‘Oh? I see.’ Dennis’s voice added layers of innuendo to those simple words.
‘So the boss’s taking you out west? Just the two of you?’ This came from Mary-Ann, who’d just come into the room.
Alice suppressed a sigh. ‘Yes.’
These awkward questions could have been avoided if she’d been able to meet Liam at the airport, but he’d insisted on leaving from the office in full view of the staff. ‘I don’t want to skulk away as if we have something to hide,’ he’d said.
‘Shana won’t be too happy,’ said Mary-Ann.
Alice frowned at her. ‘I thought Shana didn’t want to go.’
‘She didn’t at first, because of Toby. But apparently the boss seemed really keen to take her and Shana went all jammy. I think she’s developed a crush on him. Anyway, she ran around madly until she found a babysitter Toby really likes and she was all hot to trot.’
‘When was this?’ Alice tried to ignore nasty niggles of jealousy.
‘Day before yesterday.’
Before yesterday…Goose-pimples broke out on Alice’s arms. ‘Did Shana tell Liam—I mean, Mr Conway—that she’d found someone to mind Toby?’
Mary-Ann nodded. ‘First thing yesterday morning. But he said he’d already made alternative arrangements.’
Dennis made a show of rolling his eyes. ‘Alternative arrangements aka Our Sweet Alice.’
Alice felt her face grow hot. Liam had spoken to her late yesterday morning, which meant he’d lied when he told her that Shana wasn’t available.
How dared he lie? After the lofty way he’d talked about giving her his word, he’d been dishonest. She couldn’t bear it.
Bending to hide her bright red face, she retrieved her backpack and hooked it over one shoulder. ‘Maybe not,’ she muttered and marched out of the office and into the foyer.
Through the sliding glass doors she saw a limousine waiting outside on the semicircular drive. Liam, dressed in jeans and a casual light blue shirt, was standing on the footpath, chatting with the driver as if they were old friends.
A limo. Yikes.
The automatic doors opened for her, and the men looked in her direction.
‘Ah, Ms Madigan,’ said Liam, directing a courteous, almost remote smile her way.
‘May I have a word with you, Mr Conway?’
‘Yes, sure.’ He frowned at her. ‘What’s the problem?’
She glanced at the driver and then at Liam. ‘I don’t think I can come on this trip.’
Liam’s frown deepened. ‘But you’re all ready to go.’
How obtuse could the man be? ‘Can we discuss this inside?’
With a stiff nod he followed her back through the sliding doors and into his office.
As soon as they were safely out of earshot she challenged him. ‘You lied.’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘Why did you tell me that Shana wasn’t available?’
Liam closed his eyes and let out a low groan of exasperation. Then his eyes flashed open again. ‘You’re convinced I’ve rigged this so I can get you back into bed, aren’t you?’
Alice gasped. Get you back into bed… The words were like missiles. Damn him. How could he use their intimate encounter as a weapon? How could he turn it against her, as if she was the one in the wrong? Was he trying to distract her?
‘I—I just want to know why you lied to me,’ she cried.
‘Listen, Alice, if you think that one night we spent together gives you the right to question every business decision I make you’re going to come a cropper.’
She wanted to throw something at him. Was this the same man who’d made such exquisite love to her? Were all men toads? She almost cried at the thought. ‘So,’ she said, letting her bitterness show, ‘first you lie to me and now you threaten me.’
His jaw clenched stubbornly. ‘Don’t forget you’re on probation like any employee here. As far as this trip is concerned, I’ve decided that you’re the most suitable person for the exercise and that’s my sole reason for selecting you. How many times do you want me to tell you you’re perfectly safe from me?’
She was so angered by his high-handed manner she couldn’t respond.
‘I won’t come near you unless you ask me to, Ms Madigan.’
Her chin snapped high. ‘Well, that won’t happen in this lifetime.’
‘Good,’ he said. ‘That’s settled, then. Now let’s get going. The charter pilot’s ready and waiting at the airport.’
Chapter Four
WHEN the small charter plane took off it climbed to the east, taking Alice and Liam out over the shimmering, aquamarine waters of the Coral Sea before arching back towards the curving rim of the coastline. From their eagle-eye view, the sandy beaches below formed scalloped yellow trims on a string of pretty blue bays. Then the suburbs of Cairns spread out below them, reaching into an imposing hinterland of mountains clad in a thousand lush shades of green.
Liam, sitting on the far side of the narrow aisle, seemed to be entranced. He strained forward against his seat belt, eager to catch every detail of the spectacle below.
Alice had seen this view many times, but she never tired of it. She liked to imagine how it must look to international tourists used to the softer, more subtle landscapes of the northern hemisphere. Small wonder they found the vibrant colours and luxuriant vegetation of tropical Queensland exotic and exciting.
But as the small craft continued to climb she sank back into her seat and took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a minute or two. She had a faint headache which the confrontation in Liam’s office hadn’t helped. And last night she’d slept badly—thinking about this trip, and worrying about the strain of spending three whole days in her boss’s exclusive company.
I won’t come near you unless you ask me to.
Huh. In his dreams.
Problem was, if she
