not to let him snub me, and I wait until he looks up at me again and flash him a coy smile.
‘No. Thank you.’ The expression in his eyes is hard, but I swear I see a twinkle of something wicked behind his nonchalance.
‘This is a nice desk you have here. Sturdy.’ I give it a gentle tap with my fingertips. ‘I meant to say that the last time I was in here,’ I add, with a provocative raise of my eyebrows.
A muscle twitches in his jaw and his eyes widen infinitesimally, as if he’s thinking about what happened here too. ‘I’m glad you think so, Maya. I chose it myself.’
‘You have good taste.’
‘Thank you.’ He steeples his fingers and rests his chin on the apex of them, whilst maintaining his penetrating stare.
I think about the way he used those fingers on me—in me—and I feel echoes of the sensory memory of it all the way inside, which only increases the inescapable erotic hum of arousal I’ve been suffering ever since that day.
‘I hear you’re getting on well with the tasks you’ve been given,’ he says.
I experience a sting of annoyance at his change in subject, but front it out.
‘Yeah, well, I pride myself on doing a good job.’
He nods, then asks, ‘And are you finding being here stimulating?’
There’s a definite twinkle in his eye now.
He’s flirting with me. Finally!
I move closer to the desk and perch one bum cheek on the edge of it, looking down at him, holding his gaze. The air is thick with tension and desire crackles through me. There’s unquestionably something still going on between us. I can feel it. I long for him to reach out and pull me towards him. Kiss me like he’d stop breathing if he didn’t. To prove he’s as desperate for my touch as I am for his.
‘Some days more so than others,’ I murmur. ‘It really depends on who’s around.’ I lean in closer to him, holding his intense gaze with my own.
My whole body is humming with awareness, as if I can feel every nerve-ending in my skin. My leg and buttock feel ultra-sensitive where they’re pressed against the hard wood of the desk.
Does he know what he’s doing to me?
Will he touch me again?
I want him to. So much I ache with it. In fact I’m having enormous trouble keeping my seat and not jumping into his lap.
But I need to be cool about this. Benedict Chivers is clearly not a man to tolerate lascivious behaviour. Unless he’s the one perpetrating it, of course.
My breath is thick and shallow, and I have to swallow hard past the dryness in my throat as I wait for his next move.
‘Well, I’m glad you’re getting on well,’ he says abruptly, sitting back in his chair as if he’s suddenly bored with the conversation and keen to get back to work. ‘Your father will be pleased.’
I stare at him in confusion. Why the hell is he bringing my father into the room with us? Is he mad? It’s the ultimate bucket of cold water on my lust and I drag in a sharp breath as if I’ve just been slapped in the face.
‘Anyway, Maya, thanks again for the coffee. I have a meeting with the head of marketing now, so if you could show her in when you leave I’d appreciate it.’
He’s looking back at his computer as he says this, all businesslike again.
If it weren’t for the cold tone in his voice I’d suspect he was still playing the scene, but as he glances up at me I see with a lurch of sickening disappointment that he’s not joking. He’s deadly serious. He’s calling a halt to this scenario.
My skin rushes with icy mortification.
I stand up shakily and brush down my skirt to give my trembling fingers something to do.
‘Yes, sir,’ I manage to force through my gritted teeth, and I turn and walk away from him, acutely aware of how stiffly I’m moving but not able to do a damn thing about it.
The distance from his desk to the door feels like acres, and I breathe a sigh of relief as I’m finally able to grab the handle and let myself out.
He’s not just going to let me have what I want when I want it. I get that now.
‘He’s ready for you,’ I mutter to the marketing manager as I pass her, striding back towards my desk with my mind racing.
This thing between us isn’t over yet, though.
Not even close.
I shake out the tension in my shoulders.
To be honest, I’m actually pleased he’s making it hard for me. It’ll be much more satisfying if I have to work for it—I like a challenge.
But this particular situation, I realise, calls for some seriously creative thinking.
Friday night I end up working late at the office, chasing confirmation for a conference call with clients in the US, and I’m just about to pack up for the night when Rosie, one of the other PAs, comes tripping across to my desk in a flap, her normally porcelain-pale cheeks flushed with colour.
‘Oh, God, Maya, I need your help!’ she pants at me. ‘I’m so late for my dinner with Nico and I’m supposed to drop this package round to Benedict’s house. Apparently he’s been waiting for it for ages and wants it right away.’
‘What is it?’ I ask, intrigued, eying the large padded envelope in her hand.
She shrugs. ‘I’m not sure. Laura didn’t say when she thrust it at me and ordered me to take it to him. The bitch. She thinks her position here trumps mine because she’s slightly more senior, so I always end up saddled with the after-hours errands.’ She wrinkles her nose in disgust. ‘From the size and weight of it, I’d guess it’s a new mobile phone or something.’
I give her a supportive eye-roll. Laura is a bitch, and she takes the piss with everyone, though she seems to particularly pick on Rosie—perhaps because Rosie seems so happy and settled with her boyfriend who, as she excitedly whispered to me at lunchtime a couple of days ago, may be about to pop the question. Perhaps even tonight.
I hold out my hand. ‘Give it to me. I’ll take it to him. You shouldn’t have to be late for your dinner date just so he can have his new toy to play with.’
‘Don’t you have somewhere you need to be too?’ she asks with a guilty look in her eye.
‘Nah. I’m free as a bird tonight,’ I reply, flashing her a reassuring smile.
I’m actually genuinely happy to help her out. She’s the only PA here who’s treated me like a person rather than Maxim Darlington-Hume’s nepotistically advantaged daughter. She’s also saved my arse a couple of times, catching silly mistakes I made in my first few days here, and has since taken me under her wing, giving up time during her lunch breaks to show me exactly how our perfectionist boss
