CHAPTER THREE

      WHILE Chrissy gathered her travel mug, notebook, large shoulder bag and the canvas holdall that held the latest potted plants she had rescued from the last-ditch discount table at the supermarket, Nate exited the car. His gaze lingered on the bag of plants, his expression quizzical.

      So she tried to save lost plants. Was that a crime? Defensiveness made her sharp. ‘Is something wrong?’

      ‘Not at all.’ He glanced from her to the paraphernalia and back, almost smiled, then shook his head. ‘Would you like some help?’

      ‘I can manage.’ She locked her car door. ‘I always have this much stuff with me.’ Which made her sound like a pack-horse.

      ‘Just give me the holdall, then.’ He stretched out his hand, clearly expecting her to yield up some of her bounty for him to carry.

      Admit it. You’d like to yield in other ways.

      Bah! She really could do without these conflicting feelings. Yet he had such a nice hand. Lean, with long, straight fingers. The same fingers that had stroked her face earlier. That had covered her hand so comfortingly. Not that she was fixated about his hands or anything.

      ‘Chrissy? The holdall?’ he prompted.

      ‘Oh, fine. If you insist on helping, here you go.’ She allowed him to take the bag from her. After all, she had nothing to prove.

      He offered a wry smile as he took the bag. ‘Thank you.’

      When their hands touched, that zing happened again. It made her imagine all sorts of hand-related things she shouldn’t. Heat swarmed up her chest and into her face, because she had just proved something she really didn’t want to prove.

      Ergo, that she hadn’t been able to distance herself from this very sensual man one iota.

      ‘Something tells me it’s going to be a very long day.’ She made the pronouncement as they travelled into the building via the key-coded lift. Travel by stairs would have been preferable, but those were inaccessible from outside the building.

      Their reflections stared back solemnly from the steel-plated doors. She and Nate Barrett, side by side and looking far too right that way for her comfort. ‘I mean, the day will be busy and demanding.’

      ‘I imagine it will.’ His gaze skimmed the coil of hair on top of her head, moved to her mouth and returned to her eyes. She saw it all in the reflection of polished doors. Yet it felt as though he had touched her. Caressed her.

      ‘What’s on the agenda today?’ He barked it out. ‘Any big problems looming?’

      Any big problems? How about the problem of this unwanted attraction? She had thought he no longer felt it, but now realised he still did.

      ‘There are several things that will need attention today.’ Not one specific matter would surface in her brain. ‘I’ll be happy to debrief you when we get upstairs.’ Her face heated again. ‘I mean, I’ll brief you. I mean—’

      ‘I get the picture.’

      At the roughness of his tone, a part of her rejoiced. She told herself that was simply because she saw no reason why she should suffer the attraction alone.

      When the lift eased to a stop she stepped out gratefully. Perhaps the distraction of work would overrule the responses he drew from her. ‘Here we are. The hub of Montbank Shipping. As you worked here before you made your move overseas, I guess it’ll be quite familiar to you.’

      Despite all the years you’ve stayed away.

      She would remember to keep him in the place of the deserting grandson yet. At the thought she sobered, because in truth he was that person, and she could never reconcile herself to that. No matter how much he made her want him, or how much she thought he might want her.

      One abandonment in her lifetime was enough.

      Nate nodded to several ancillary staff who obviously knew him. They all showed their shock at seeing him. He seemed a little unsettled, too.

      ‘How does it feel to come back after so long? Does it make you melancholy?’

      ‘There is a world outside these doors, you know.’ His retort labelled her as unadventurous and insular.

      Chrissy gritted her teeth.

      When they were alone again, he asked, with a hint of disbelief, ‘Are you the only new staff member since I left? I knew the firm was close-knit, but—’

      ‘On this floor, I am, yes.’ So what if they liked to build an atmosphere of family among the employees?

      She had been welcomed when she’d started here. He had no idea how much she had needed that. ‘I got the job as Henry’s PA straight out of school when his previous PA retired to the Gold Coast. All the company members were sad to see her go.’

      Unlike the PA, Nate had returned, albeit only for the duration of Henry’s recovery. She hoped people would understand the temporary nature of his visit.

      On that surprisingly depressing thought, she flung open the door to Henry’s suite of offices and stepped inside. ‘I’ll just be one minute.’

      This was her territory. Among her ceiling chimes and experimental wall art and, of course, potted plants, she felt secure. At home. In charge.

      After quickly disposing of the killed-off plants in the corner stand—it was always a bit sad—she replaced them with the new ones. From now, she had only one choice. She must think business and nothing but business for the duration of Nate Barrett’s stay.

      Given the mixed emotions he brought out in her, it was the only hope she had of holding on to her sanity. ‘The UK imports first, I think.’

      ‘By all means.’ His agreement smacked of condescension.

      She ignored it and launched into a list of problematical import issues.

      He was swift to pick things up. He had a sharp mind and a decisive attitude, and he knew the business.

      ‘There’s also this lot of stuff.’ She brought in a pile of files.

      They worked almost seamlessly then broke for lunch. Aside from the odd distraction, such as when she noticed he had a tiny birthmark high on his forehead and wanted to trace it with a fingertip, she managed to remain acceptably aloof.

      It was early afternoon by the time they had cleared through the bulk of the most urgent work.

      He sat back in his chair and rolled his shoulders. ‘Now that the worst is taken care of, I want a meeting with all the department heads. I need to let them know about Henry’s stroke, and get a verbal status on each of their areas.

      ‘Hopefully one of them will fit…’ He turned his head to glance out the window at the fog-shrouded cityscape. ‘You mentioned a difficulty with the stevedore company?’

      ‘They’re usually very good, so I don’t know what the problem can be, but yes, a memo came through earlier.’ She gathered their used coffee mugs and headed toward the kitchenette just off their offices.

      Instead of remaining at his desk, Nate rose and followed. Immediately her awareness of him cranked up, and she had been doing so well, too.

      You mean you’d managed to live in denial for a few moments.

      ‘I’ll phone the company right after I organise the meeting with the department heads.’

      ‘No need.’ He prowled behind her. ‘I’ll speak to the stevedore people while you arrange the meeting.’

      She considered protesting, then changed her mind. Why waste her breath? If he wanted to micromanage the matter, let him. ‘As you wish.’