jaw. The words You’re fired hung in the air and Kezia quickly tore her eyes from his furious face.
She was half tempted to walk out and leave him to it. Let him entertain the group of Bulgarian businessmen and their wives—particularly the wives, she thought sourly, noting the way every woman in the room was openly staring at Nik. It wasn’t surprising, she conceded bleakly. Despite the fact that all the men present were wealthy and successful—uniform in their formal dinner suits—Nik’s height and sheer magnetic presence commanded attention. He teamed sophistication with a raw, masculine sensuality that made him irresistible, and she knew she wasn’t the only woman in the room to be fascinated by the idea of taming him.
Another of her fantasies, she reminded herself sharply. Beneath his urbane façade he possessed a wildness that no woman would ever control. Nikos Niarchou answered to no one, and she doubted his glorious arrogance would ever be subdued.
With a sigh, she swung round and came face to face with Tania Harvey, whose late arrival ensured that she was the focal point of attention. In a stunning gold sheath, her blonde hair piled on top of her head, Tania had mastered the art of looking both elegant and sexy, and she smiled confidently as she strolled across the room.
‘What on earth has happened to the caterers?’ she queried loudly. ‘There appears to be a group of teenage girls serving drinks. I would have expected better organisation than this, Kezia.’
‘The catering company pulled out at the last minute,’ Kezia replied stiffly. ‘Becky and her friends kindly offered to help out, and I’m just about to join them in handing round canapés.’
‘You?’ Nik demanded with a frown, and Kezia felt a flash of impatience.
As he had so often pointed out, it was her job to see that his life ran like clockwork, and if that meant playing the role of waitress at his damn dinner party, so be it.
‘Yes—unless you have another suggestion? Mrs Jessop is rushed off her feet, and Becky and the girls can’t manage by themselves.’ She knew she sounded snappy, but she was tired, her head ached, and she was sure Nik was comparing her appearance in the too-tight skirt with Tania’s cool beauty.
He was looking at her now as if she had taken leave of her senses. He wasn’t used to being spoken to in that tone of voice, and the hardness of his stare warned her to expect the full force of his anger once they were out of earshot of his guests.
Stifling a groan, she marched over to Becky and her friends, praying they hadn’t overheard Tania’s tactless remarks. Mrs Jessop had prepared canapés with smoked salmon and caviar to accompany the champagne. Smiling encouragingly at the girls, she picked up a tray and moved among the guests, unaware that Nik’s dark gaze followed her.
‘Darling, we’ll really have to think about hiring more permanent staff,’ Tania murmured in Nik’s ear, and he stiffened, fighting to control his irritation. ‘It’s silly to have to rely on the housekeeper and a gaggle of spotty teenagers your secretary has dredged up from the village every time we entertain. And God knows where Kezia gets her dress sense from,’ she added disparagingly. ‘The skirt she’s wearing is indecently tight. Perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad thing if she spent the evening in the kitchen, out of sight.’
‘Tread carefully, agape mou,’ Nik warned softly, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed her. ‘I’m quite happy with my domestic arrangements. I’m sure Kezia is doing her best, in a situation that I understand was out of her control, but if you would prefer not to stay I’ll have my driver take you home.’
‘I didn’t mean—’ Tania broke off nervously, her composure slipping. ‘You can be so brutal sometimes, Nik. Of course I want to stay.’
‘Especially after you went to such lengths to engineer an invitation,’ he agreed coolly, feeling nothing but indifference at the tremulous wobble of her mouth. ‘You know the rules, Tania. Don’t overstep the mark.’
Without awarding his soon to be ex-mistress another glance, he moved to mingle with his guests, playing the role of genial host while his eyes scanned the room for Kezia.
She had intrigued him from the start, he acknowledged as he watched her work the room, chatting to the guests while serving flutes of champagne. Her intelligence and unflappable nature had made her the ideal choice as personal assistant. Her willingness to put in long hours and travel at a moment’s notice were an additional bonus; he had neither the time nor the patience to deal with staff who led complicated private lives.
Kezia Trevellyn had slipped into her role with seamless ease, but he was aware of the sexual chemistry that hovered like a spectre between them. From the moment they’d met at the London office he had been plagued by a burning desire that was as fierce as it was unexpected. Her lush curves were a distraction he could do without, he conceded derisively as his eyes focused on the delightful sway of her bottom beneath its covering of tight satin. The most sensible course of action would be to forget the increasingly erotic fantasies Kezia evoked and concentrate on her excellent organisational skills. One of his unwritten rules was to keep his work and private lives separate, but the physical attraction he felt for her was proving difficult to ignore.
Sensible had never held much appeal, he accepted honestly. He was a man who liked to live dangerously.
As if alerted by some sixth sense, she looked up at that moment and met his gaze. He noted with interest the flush of colour that stained her cheeks as their eyes clashed, and lifted his glass in salute. It was satisfying to realise that the attraction was mutual.
It had been the evening from hell, Kezia decided several hours later as she glanced at the array of dirty glasses that littered the sitting room. Her calf muscles were throbbing almost as much as her head, and with a sigh she sank down onto the sofa.
Fortunately dinner had been a success, thanks to the excellent meal Mrs Jessop had provided and the hard work of Becky and her friends as they’d waited table. Kezia had been kept busy organising the girls, who had been plainly overawed by the elegant formality of the dining room and the number of guests seated around the table. She had taken one look at Nik’s glowering expression when he realised she would not be joining the dinner party, and had kept out of his way as much as possible. Luckily the wines she had selected to accompany each dish had seemed to meet with his approval. She’d moved endlessly around the table, refilling glasses, and by the time the party had moved into the sitting room for coffee and liqueurs her feet had been aching and she had longed for her comfortable flat shoes.
Even then there had been no reprieve. Nik had planned a detailed presentation of his ideas for a hotel and leisure complex, a short film and a speech, followed by an opportunity for questions and discussion. There had been no time for Kezia to relax as she had once more assumed the role of hostess, serving drinks to the increasingly raucous group of businessmen, and it had been past midnight before the party finally 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
