pair of hands flattened on the desk in front of her, stilling her. “That was someone from the airline, wasn’t it?”
She drew a shaky breath and looked up into blue eyes that were riveted on her face. The caress of his warm breath on her cheeks stirred her senses. “Yes.”
“So you’re not on the same flight as Phillip?” he demanded, shooting each word at her with the precision of gunfire.
“No.”
“Are you catching another flight?”
“Yes.” To Adelaide.
“To Queensland?”
She lifted her chin in the air and decided she’d had enough of this. “I’m not going to Queensland. I’m spending Christmas with my family in Adelaide.”
He leaned in that little bit closer. “So you’re not spending Christmas with your new fiancé?”
She resisted shrinking back in her chair. “Not this year, no.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean why?”
Anger flared in his eyes as he pushed himself back from the desk and straightened. “It’s usual for an engaged couple to spend Christmas together.”
“We’re not a usual couple.” She realized what she said too late. “I’d already made other arrangements,” she pointed out as she slowly began to breathe again.
An odd glint appeared in his eyes. “I’d have thought you wouldn’t want to let him out of your sight.”
“I trust Phillip,” she said, slightly puzzled by his question. It wasn’t as though Phillip would be out nightclubbing every night. Now if it was Brant who was her fiancé …
“But do you trust Lynette Kelly?” he purred.
Shock ran through her. Had he guessed that Lynette still had feelings for Phillip? Did he know things hadn’t really been settled between them?
“Lynette and Phillip are no longer an item,” she said coolly, and before he could say anything further she handed him a piece of paper. “I believe this belongs to you, Mr. Matthews.”
His face hardened. “Kia, I swear if you call me Mr. Matthews one more time …” He trailed off as he opened the slip of paper. His head shot up. “What’s this?”
“A check for my security alarm.” She’d rung the man who’d come to her home only to find out the bill had already been paid.
Cynicism entered his eyes. “Forget it. You paid for it by coming to the art exhibition, remember?”
Yes, so why did she deserve that mocking look in his eyes? “I’m sorry, I don’t see it that way. Not even as Phillip’s fiancée.”
“My offer was non-negotiable.” He ripped it in two.
She got to her feet and walked to a cabinet too close to Brant to get her purse. “Fine. I’ll write another one and give it to Phillip.”
“No need for drama, Kia. Let it go.”
“Mr. Matthews, if you think you can do what you like—”
He captured her arm with his warm hand, sending a slew of shivers racing over her spine. “Listen, if I did what I’d really like—”
“Is everything all right in here?”
Kia drew a ragged breath before she looked up to see Phillip had wheeled to the office door and was looking at them in concern. She stepped sideways and Brant dropped his hand.
Somehow she planted a stiff smile on her lips. “Yes, everything’s fine. I was just reminding Mr. Matthews that you’re going to Queensland tomorrow.”
“The name’s Brant,” Brant snapped and stormed out of the office.
Phillip raised his brows as he looked at Kia. “Sure you don’t want to come with me tomorrow? It might be safer.”
Kia shook her head. There was no place on earth safe for her. Not another state. Not another country. No, she’d just have to polish her armor and pray that Brant had better things to do on Christmas Eve than harass her.
And if she believed that, then maybe Santa Claus really did exist.
Five
Kia saw Phillip off at Darwin airport the next morning, then returned to the office to finish up some work before doing some last-minute Christmas shopping. She found Brant in Phillip’s office, riffling through some papers on his desk.
He looked up when she appeared in the doorway, and his eyes darkened when he saw her. “You’re back,” he said as if she’d returned just for him.
And suddenly she knew she had. Despite all the attraction she didn’t want to feel for this man, she still felt it. Her armor was paper-thin at best.
“Yes,” she murmured, willing him to come to her. To pull her into his arms. To make love to her. Long moments crept by, and she saw the struggle on his face to resist doing that very thing.
He cleared his throat. “Phil’s plane get off okay?”
Phillip. Her so-called fiancé wasn’t gone half an hour and she was ready to fall into bed with Brant. Dear God, why did this man have such a hold over her? She hated it. She would fight against it … with every fiber of her being.
Her gaze dropped to the paperwork in his hands. “Can I help you?” she asked, injecting cool disapproval in her tone.
His face closed up. “I was looking for the Robertson file.” He went back to searching through the papers. “Phil was supposed to do some work on it.”
“He did. I just have to finish typing some notes, then you can have it. Give me an hour and I’ll get it to you.”
“Fine.” He strode around the desk and came toward her, all business now. “I’ll be in my office.”
She stepped back and moved to her desk before he could come anywhere near her. He sent her a mocking smile as he passed by. Well, he could mock, she told herself as she sat down and opened up the file. It wouldn’t get her into his bed any faster.
Or at all.
An hour later she hurried down the hallway to his office, determined to leave the paperwork with his PA, only Evelyn was nowhere to be seen. He must have heard her in the outer office, because a few seconds later he called out to bring it in to him.
She swallowed hard, not wanting to go into his inner sanctum when no one else seemed to be around.
“Kia?”
She straightened her shoulders and walked forward. For all its luxury, she may as well have been walking into a prison cell.
“How did
