Despite the enchantment of those hot, tropical nights in the South Pacific, I should have known better than to give in to temptation—however enticing it may have seemed at the time. Unfortunately, I can now see that our brief...er...affair was a very unfortunate mistake.’
‘A mistake...?’
‘I’m not blaming you—it’s entirely my own stupid fault,’ he admitted with a heavy sigh, brushing long, tanned fingers through his dark hair. ‘Nevertheless, rules are rules. And they apply as much to me as to my colleagues,’ he added quickly over her strangled gasp of protest. ‘So, while I obviously don’t want to lose you, I’m afraid that I’m going to have to terminate your employment with this firm.’
‘You must be kidding!’ she gasped, scarcely able to believe her ears.
‘No—I’m perfectly serious.’
Suddenly feeling as though she’d been hit very hard on the back of the head by a heavy sandbag, Laura stared blankly at his hawk-like profile.
‘OK, Jack—let’s get this right out in the open,’ she said at last, striving to sound as calm and objective as possible. ‘Are you seriously trying to tell me that just because we spent last weekend alone together—and Craig somehow found out about it—you’re now prepared to allow that...that slimeball to dictate who can and cannot be employed by this agency?’
‘No, of course I’m not.’ He drummed his long fingers impatiently on the arm of his chair. ‘It’s far more complicated than that. Craig merely drew my attention to a problem of which I was already well aware.’
‘Oops—my mistake! We mustn’t forget the hefty amount of commission on all those film deals—right?’ she ground out sarcastically.
‘That remark is completely uncalled for—and totally out of order!’ he ground out, his steely grey eyes glinting with anger as he spun around to face her. ‘I would never put money before the welfare of those who work for me. So any commission which Craig may bring into this firm has absolutely nothing to do with the problem. Do I make myself clear?’
‘OK, OK,’ she muttered, her defiance wilting beneath the hard, taut expression on his tanned features. ‘But...but I don’t understand why there’s a “problem”. After all, we’re both single; we haven’t hurt anyone, or done anything morally wrong. Besides, it was your idea to whisk us both off to that small island for the weekend,’ she added defiantly. ‘You definitely made the first move, Jack—and don’t you forget it!’
‘Yes, I know I did,’ he retorted tersely. ‘But that’s not the point.’
‘Well, what is the point? Why this sudden decision to give me the sack?’
‘I didn’t decide anything suddenly,’ he told her firmly, before once more turning to gaze out of the window. ‘I have, in fact, given the matter a great deal of thought. Unfortunately, there’s no way I can see us being able to work together in future. What happened in Tahiti was, I’ll admit, a very unfortunate error on my part. And it’s one for which I must take full blame.’
‘Blame for what?’ she demanded bleakly. ‘After all, I’m twenty-six years of age and no longer a nervous virgin. So why don’t you tell me, in words of one syllable, exactly what you mean?’ she added grimly as he remained silent. ‘Are you trying to say that you were lying through your teeth? That everything you said and did that weekend was totally false? That, in fact, you merely felt like going to bed with someone and...and I just happened to be available?’
‘No! I’m not saying anything of the sort,’ he retorted curtly, before falling silent once more. ‘Quite frankly, I’m not at all sure that I can explain what happened,’ he said at last, with a heavy sigh. ‘On our trip to the South Pacific, I had absolutely no intention of doing anything which would jeopardise our normal, good working relationship.
‘On the other hand...’ he hesitated for a moment ‘...I have to confess that during the past year I’ve been finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate on work when you’re around. The truth is, Laura, I find you far too...er...far too distracting. Which is precisely why I’m going to have to let you go. I am very sorry about the situation, of course, but—’
‘You’re sorry? How the hell do you think I feel?’ she cried, still not really able to believe that this was happening to her. ‘Incidentally, if you’re going to fire me, kindly have the courtesy to do it to my face!’ she demanded furiously, incensed at the way he was continuing to avoid looking at her.
‘This isn’t a decision which I’ve taken lightly,’ he said as he swung his chair back from the window, his hooded lids hiding all expression as he gazed at the flushed cheeks and glitteringly angry emerald-green eyes of the beautiful girl in front of him.
‘I’ve been in this business for some time. So I know what I’m talking about when I say that mixing business and pleasure is a certain recipe for disaster,’ he told her quietly. ‘When two people who happen to work closely together also begin sleeping with one another it always ends in tears and bitter recriminations. Believe me, I’m far too fond of you to let that happen.’
‘Oh, really...?’ she drawled caustically. ‘So how come you waited until I came into the office this morning before giving me the sack? If that’s your idea of fondness I hate to think how you’d behave if you really cared for someone!’
‘I wouldn’t be telling you this now, in the office, if I’d been able to contact you at home,’ he retorted grimly. ‘But for some reason you’d taken the phone off the hook.’
‘I just wanted a good night’s sleep,’ she snapped. ‘After coping with that foul man Craig Jordan I reckoned I deserved it!’
‘You did a very good job under extremely difficult circumstances,’ he agreed smoothly. ‘In fact, I’ll freely admit that it’s going to be difficult to find someone to take your place.’
‘You can cut out that patronising tone, you bastard!’ she ground out through gritted teeth. ‘Because it obviously doesn’t seem to matter how successful I’ve been—you’re still going to sling me out onto the rubbish heap. Right?’
‘Wrong!’ he snapped, only a muscle beating in his clenched jaw, and the high spots of colour on his cheekbones, betraying evidence of the fact that her caustic barbs were beginning to hit home. ‘You know very well that there are any number of agencies who’d give their eye-teeth to have you working for them.’
‘But I’ve built up a career in this firm,’ she pointed out forcibly. ‘There are several clients I spotted when they were fresh out of drama school and who are now doing really well. Not to mention a lot more depending on me because they know I’ll move heaven and earth to get them good parts in films or the theatre,’ she added, struggling to control her temper as she desperately tried to get him to see reason.
A tense, brooding silence seemed to fill the room for a few moments, before he gave a slow shake of his dark head. ‘While I agree that you’ve always been a valued, highly successful member of this agency, I’m not prepared to reconsider my decision. However, I will, of course, give you a handsome settlement in lieu of the proper notice, as well as a glowing reference.’
‘Oh, gee—thanks!’ Laura glowered at the handsome man sitting behind his desk. ‘So, what happens when, halfway through an interview for a new job, someone asks, “And just why did you leave your last firm, Miss Parker?” What am I supposed to say? That my boss
