He shook his head, showering her in a fine spray of seawater droplets, a welcome relief of cool against her fiery cheeks. Whatever made her think she could match wits with this man, trade quips with him like an experienced flirt?
Though she prided herself on being a savvy city girl, she was still an inexperienced amateur when it came to the male sex.
‘You’re an intriguing woman, Keely Rhodes. One I’d like to get to know a whole lot better.’ He tilted her chin up and brushed his thumb along her bottom lip, his gaze locked on hers.
‘We’re here to work, not socialise,’ she blurted out, eager to say anything to distract herself from the hypnotic intensity of his stare or the way her lips still tingled after his brief contact. ‘Isn’t that what you had in mind when we initially discussed this?’
She expected him to break eye contact, look guilty and lie through his teeth.
Instead, he surprised her.
‘Why can’t we do both? I thought you’d gain valuable knowledge for the website by spending time with me. You know, give it a personal touch.’ He captured her hand in his, intertwining fingers in a possessive gesture that quietly thrilled her. ‘However, I admit to wanting more from the weekend.’
‘I’m not going to sleep with you.’ She pronounced it more as a statement to convince herself rather than a warning to him.
Instead of dropping her hand, he tightened his hold. ‘Wow, some guy really did a number on you, didn’t he?’
To her annoyance, she blushed. Now wasn’t the time or place to talk about her disastrous history with men, her self-esteem problem and the ensuing damage it had caused. If she got started, he’d be compelled to charge her by the hour! Besides, psychologists hadn’t been her favourite people following long and tiresome hours spent in counselling and, though her hormones were clouding her judgement when it came to this guy, she had no intention of losing her wits completely and trusting him.
‘I’d rather not talk about it.’
To her relief, he nodded. ‘Fine, then I’ll talk and you listen. I’m not one of your slick city guys. Sure, I like Melbourne and its vibe, but I’m a country boy at heart. I love the fresh air, the bush, the ocean.’ He gestured to the vista behind him as if reinforcing his words. ‘I’m not into lies or pretence. I value honesty above all else, and when I like something I acknowledge it.’
Rather than soothing her, his words sliced into her heart. Honesty? Great. What would he say if she revealed her secret to him?
Which one? a tiny voice in her head prompted—the fact that you heckled him and slandered his professional character or the one you use to push away every man who tries to get close to you?
‘And I like you. That’s what this is all about.’
She swallowed, buoyed by his refreshing attitude and terrified beyond belief. No man had ever been that up-front with her. And it scared her. A lot.
Searching for the right words to deflect his attention—which she liked way too much—she bumbled along in predictable fashion. ‘I’m flattered, but right now I need to focus on my career. I haven’t got time for anything else in my life. I’m thinking business and you’re—’
‘Thinking pleasure?’ he interrupted, raising her hand to his mouth and nibbling on her fingertips with small, precise nips.
‘Mmm …’ She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, instantly forgetting all the reasons why she shouldn’t be doing this.
‘Stop analysing and just feel,’ he murmured, the soft touch of his mouth against her palm sending bolts of electricity shooting up her arm.
Suddenly her voice of reason gave her a big, loud wake-up call—so much for business—and she pulled her hand away before he could undermine her stance to keep things between them strictly professional any more than he already had. ‘That’s rich coming from you, the king of analysis.’
He shrugged. ‘Work’s work. You and me, that’s something else entirely.’
She took a deep breath, hoping a lungful of sea air would clear her mind, for the longer he stared at her as if she was the only woman in the world for him, the harder it was for her to respond.
‘I’m not sure what you want from me,’ she said, making a lightning-quick decision to tell him exactly how she was feeling. He wanted honesty? She’d give it to him, at least for the moment.
‘I want a website.’ He smiled, obviously trying to lighten the mood.
‘And?’ she persisted, unable to shake the feeling that they’d reached an important crossroad in their brief relationship. Working relationship, that is.
She didn’t have time for mix-ups or games. If he wanted more from her than a fabulous website, now was the time for him to speak up. And for her to run for the hills as she usually did.
His grip on her hand tightened. ‘I want to get to know you better. Nothing more, nothing less. Think you can handle that?’
‘As long as we don’t lose sight of the real reason I’m here. And that’s to work.’
Despite her false bravado, a small part of her was scared out of its wits.
She could listen to her self-talk about He’s work, he’s a means to an end, he’s the best opportunity for that promotion you’ve ever had.
However, what would happen if she switched off the rational, clear-thinking voice inside her head and followed her heart for once?
While spending the weekend away, with him in her face all the time, it didn’t bear thinking about.
CHAPTER SIX
‘Is a sensitive, considerate man: a) a myth, b) an oxymoron, c) a moron?’
Lucy, looking for Mr Right in all the wrong places.
LACHLAN flipped the steaks on the barbecue and watched Keely rustle up a salad through the kitchen window. Even with a slight frown marring her brow as she concentrated on getting the right mix of olive oil, lemon and balsamic vinegar, she looked beautiful.
He’d had a hard time concentrating on riding the waves earlier that afternoon, his mind wandering to the woman sitting on the pristine sand, watching him. He’d almost been wiped out several times but had rallied at the last moment, only to be wiped out in earnest when he’d finished surfing and seen the look in her eyes as he jogged up the beach towards her.
She’d looked at him like a woman starved, with her eye on the entrée, main course and dessert all rolled into one. He’d been flattered. Hell, he’d been ready to rip off his wetsuit and take her right then and there in the sand, discomfort be damned.
However, Keely had secrets, and not just the one about her being his late-night heckler. He’d glimpsed vulnerability, uncertainty, and what he could almost label fear in her eyes whenever he mentioned his interest in her.
Not that he’d pushed too hard yet. He wasn’t a complete
