beginning to feel as if she were some sort of puppet to be manipulated. “I never was good at doing what I was told.”
“Shame.” His eyes hardened. “But I bet you know how to get your own way now.”
“Doesn’t everyone?” she quipped, not sure where this was heading.
“Every woman, you mean.”
Ah, so the womanizer had a low opinion of women. Color her surprised.
“Actually, I meant every person. Man. Woman. Child. Even animals—”
“I hear you’ve got a new car,” he cut across her. “A Porsche.”
Her mind reeled in confusion, not only at what he’d said but at the hint of accusation in his tone, though what she was being accused of she had no idea.
“Yes, I do have a new car.”
His lips twisted with a touch of cynicism. “We must be paying you well.”
His animosity was growing in leaps and bounds. “You get what you pay for,” she pointed out coolly.
“I’m sure we do.” He leaned closer so that his lips were practically pressed to her ear. “Or should I say Phil gets what he paid for.”
She stiffly drew back. “What do you mean by that?”
The corners of his mouth curved in a smooth smile that didn’t match the piercing glint in his eyes. “Merely that you’re a top-notch PA. I’m sure Phil believes he’s lucky to have you.”
“That sounds like a backhanded compliment.”
“Does it?” He pulled her slightly closer again, making her feel his heat.
Well, if he could be hot, she would be cold. Let him think she couldn’t care less about his little games.
“Serena seems nice,” she said, pasting on a cool smile.
He appeared casually amused by the change in subject. “I’m enjoying her company.”
“Naturally,” she said somewhat sourly. No one was safe from a womanizer like Brant.
The amusement left his face and he scowled. “What does that mean?”
“What do you think it means?” Two could play at this.
“Are you going to answer all my questions with a question?” he said, the scowl still in place.
“Is that what I’m doing?”
His glance sharpened. “You thought I’d ignore her, didn’t you?”
The thought had briefly crossed her mind, but she knew he would never miss an opportunity to charm a woman, whether young or old, beautiful or plain.
But she had to admit she was still annoyed with Phillip. “Actually, I know Phillip meant well, but I wish he hadn’t put her in this predicament. Believe me, I know what it’s like being an ugly duckling.”
His head went back in shock. “You? Never!”
“It’s true. I was always very plain-looking.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“I’m not. Ask my father. He was very good at telling me how plain I was.” She smiled grimly, remembering all the hurt. How many times had she looked into the mirror and wished she was beautiful? “Naturally he was delighted when I suddenly started to blossom into something resembling a female.”
Brant’s eyes probed far too deeply. “Shouldn’t a father’s love be unconditional?”
“Not my father,” she said, on some level surprised she was telling him so much. “He only likes being with women who are beautiful.”
“Women?”
She pretended not to care. “My parents are divorced. Luckily my mother settled down to a life of bliss with a man who truly loves her. Dad’s on his third marriage, to a model half his age.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“I’m thrilled my mother found happiness.”
“And your father?”
She’d suddenly had enough. Already she’d told him more than she should have about herself.
She glanced back at the table to where the others were talking. “We were talking about Serena.”
His eyes said she wasn’t fooling him but he’d accept the change in subject anyway. “Serena’s a nice kid.”
“She wouldn’t appreciate being called a kid. She’s not much younger than me.”
“But you’re so much more—”
“Cynical?”
He broke into a sexy half smile. “I was going to say mature.”
Before she could stop it, she found herself smiling back at him.
“You should smile at me more often, Kia.”
As Serena had, she stumbled—just a little—then recovered. “But if I smile, you might think I like you,” she said with false sweetness.
As if he realized he’d let down his guard, the smile froze on his lips. “We wouldn’t want that to happen, now would we?” he said, but his voice sounded flat and he’d withdrawn into himself.
Thankfully the song ended. She cleared her throat and went to move away. “Thank you for the dance, Brant.”
But he surprised her by holding on to her arm. “Say it again, Kia.”
She blinked. “What?”
“Say my name again.”
In a way, she was grateful the womanizer was back. “Brant Matthews,” she said defiantly.
Looking satisfied, he dropped her arm the way he’d drop her heart if she dared let him near it.
Not that she would, she told herself on the way back to the table, then forced her face to maintain a calm expression when Phillip gave her an odd look. Phillip didn’t know it, but he’d taken on the role of a buffer between her and the man who was her principal employer.
She spent the next hour listening to a couple of speeches, then talking to the other guests at the table and to the staff who stopped by to pay their respects to the top table.
“Hello, Phillip.”
Kia blinked as a wave of apprehension swept over her. She’d seen a picture of this woman hidden in Phillip’s desk. Lynette Kelly. Phillip’s ex-girlfriend.
Phillip smiled
