Her Enemy With Benefits. Nicola Marsh
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dedication to Fourde explained why they’d missed his first footy game—missed the whole season—why they’d never shown up at his school presentations, why he’d thought eating dinner alone was the norm until one of his school buddies had invited him around to his place one night.
It had sucked at the time, fending for himself, and their neglect had fed his antipathy. But working alongside them in Paris had shown him it wasn’t personal. They didn’t have time for anyone unless it involved Fourde’s.
Were they selfish and self-absorbed? Hell, yeah.
Malicious? No.
And his tense relationship with his folks had more to do with people co-existing but not really knowing each other than any residual bitterness on his behalf.
That didn’t stop him wanting to prove how damn good he was, and that was exactly what he’d do with Sapphire’s help.
‘Done.’ She slid her phone back into her handbag. ‘Ruby’s hyped. She’s on the Net as we speak, researching the general feel of old Hollywood glamour, and she’ll start doing some virtual mock-ups for you to take a look at by tomorrow.’
‘Wow, no grass growing under her feet.’
He watched her walk towards him, gorgeous in designer mulberry and high heels, and all that self talk about not going there was gone in the few seconds it took for a hard-on of mammoth proportions to return.
Gritting his teeth against his apparent lack of self-control, he turned away to look out of the window.
He had to hand it to his folks. Nothing but the best for Fourde Fashion, with this sky-high office on the top floor of one of Melbourne’s newest developments. Though he knew his fancy office had more to do with maintaining the image behind the Fourde name than any caring for him on their part.
Fourde Fashion needed a presence in Australia. He was it. They didn’t expect soaring profit margins or breakout collections. They’d be happy with same-old, same-old and a steady cashflow from a market they deemed insignificant at best.
Lucky for them he never settled for anything but the best. Ever. He would never accept failure again, and he intended on proving that to everyone—including the woman now standing by his side.
Her subtle cinnamon fragrance teased his senses and he curled his fingers into his palms to stop himself reaching for her.
Maybe he should sleep with her and be done with it?
‘Some view.’
He grunted in response, surprised when she laid a tentative hand on his arm. Yeah, that was helping.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘You really want to know?’
‘Wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.’
He dragged in a breath, another, staring at the iconic city landmarks so many floors down. Flinders Street Station, Federation Square, St Patrick’s Cathedral—buildings he’d explored as a kid on school excursions, usually with this woman by his side.
What the hell was he doing, contemplating telling her the truth? It wouldn’t end well.
But he knew one thing for sure. He couldn’t go on like this.
It had been two measly days since he’d marched back into her life, and this relentless, driving urge to have her wasn’t going away any time soon. In fact it would probably intensify the more time they spent together working.
Probably best to get it out of his system? Then focus one hundred percent on blowing the competitors away?
But how did he tell her without sounding like an ass?
Hey, Saph, the reason I keep kissing you—can’t keep my hands off you. Want into your pants. Now.
Yeah, that would go down a treat.
‘Not like you to be at a loss for words.’ She removed her hand and he instantly wished he’d grabbed it and held on. ‘Maybe working with you is going to be tolerable after all?’
A reluctant chuckle spilled from his lips and he turned to face her.
And that was when he knew he couldn’t tell her about his driving need to ravish every inch of her body.
Staring into her guileless eyes, seeing concern clouding their perfect blue, he couldn’t do it.
Ten years had passed, but how well did he really know her? If she’d freaked out back then, what was to say she wouldn’t do it now and jeopardise the entire showing?
He needed this Hollywood glamour idea to fly. He needed to wow audiences and critics and guarantee that orders flooded in. He needed to show everyone he wasn’t the wealthy flake they wrongly assumed.
And that meant focussing on the goal and not on his rampant libido.
‘We have to make this work. It’s important to me.’
Her eyes widened in surprise, as if she’d doubted his sincerity before but didn’t now.
‘Me too,’ she said, her nod brisk and businesslike. ‘You meet with your designers, I’ll put the PR machine in motion, and we’ll reconvene later today.’
‘Sounds like a plan.’
He liked plans. Plans were orderly and well thought out and logical. The opposite of the uncertainty rioting through him.
‘We should do dinner.’
It was a vast improvement on what he really wanted to say: We should do each other.
A tiny crease reappeared between her brows. ‘A working dinner, you mean?’
He’d prefer something along the lines of cosy and candlelit, with the two of them naked, but he’d settle for working. It was the one thing to keep him focussed away from wanting her, right?
‘We’ll be working long into the evening—stands to reason we need to eat.’
‘Okay, then.’
She’d reverted to brusque and he mentally kicked himself for wanting what he couldn’t have.
‘Meet back here at five?’
He glanced around the room, at the contemporary sterility, and made a rash decision he’d probably live to regret.
‘How about we meet at Seaborns? That way you can show me what Ruby has in mind for some of the major pieces?’
‘Sure, that’s doable.’
There he went again. One word—doable—and he could see the two of them doing each other.
‘Better get cracking.’
He mentally cringed at how abrupt he sounded, not surprised when she shot him a sideways glance.
But in true Sapphire form she didn’t push the issue or demand answers. She picked up her portfolio, hoisted her handbag onto her shoulder, and headed towards the door.
With her hand on the doorknob, she paused. ‘Want to hear something crazy?’
Crazier than how badly he wanted her?
‘Yeah?’
‘I’m actually looking forward to this.’
Her impish grin as she eased through the door made him want to stride across the office and haul her back in.
She wasn’t the only one looking forward to the month ahead.
Who said he couldn’t mix a little pleasure with business?
RUBY AND OPAL had a plate of double-coated Tim Tams waiting for Sapphie when she got back.