The Millionaire's Agenda

Watching her, Steven couldn’t help wondering if passion would figure anywhere on her list. He had a feeling that under the sensible, businesslike exterior she liked to portray she would have an extremely passionate side. His eyes drifted slowly down over her clothing. For one thing, he suspected that beneath those suits there was a very delectable body hidden away.

Aware that he was watching her with close attention, Chloe felt suddenly flustered and wondered why on earth she had told him all that! ‘Anyway, that’s enough about me,’ she said awkwardly. ‘Where’s Helen tonight?’ she asked, swiftly moving the conversation.

‘She’s been working on a very big case down at the crown court all week. Verdict came in today and her client has been acquitted. So I think the whole team are out celebrating.’

‘Must be a bit difficult juggling your social life sometimes,’ she considered. ‘What with Helen being such a high-flying barrister and you running Cavendish.’

‘It takes a bit of effort to co-ordinate our schedules,’ he agreed wryly.

Outside in the hallway the grandfather clock struck two, its chimes echoing through the silence of the house.

‘I didn’t realise it was that time,’ Chloe said in surprise.

‘No, neither did I.’ Steven grinned. ‘For two people who don’t usually talk about our personal lives, we’ve certainly made up on some lost ground.’

‘Yes.’ She smiled at him.

‘And it’s been very enjoyable.’

As she sipped her wine she thought how Steven was right—it was pleasurable sitting here with him like this. He was a nice guy. And there was almost something romantic about the half-light of the fire, the snow falling silently and thickly outside the patio doors. Trouble was, they were the wrong two people. He should be with Helen, she should be with Nile, she reminded herself sternly.

Her eyes moved over him contemplatively. He looked incredibly sexy in that casual attire. She wondered suddenly what it would be like to curl her fingers through the thick darkness of his hair and be kissed by him. She recoiled in shock from the thought. He was her boss! The man who barked orders and threw paperwork at her. The man who unnerved her with that dark, steady gaze. Had she taken leave of her senses?

He looked over and met her eyes and smiled. It was such a warm, attractive smile that it made her feel even more confused. Steven Cavendish was simply gorgeous, she thought hazily. But if he knew what she had just been thinking he’d be horrified, she told herself.

‘I’d better get to bed.’ Chloe finished her glass of wine.

‘We haven’t finished the bottle of wine,’ he said. ‘Stay and have another drink.’

‘I’d better not.’ She stood up and Steven also got politely to his feet.

‘Well, goodnight.’ She smiled at him a little self-consciously.

‘Goodnight.’ His gaze seemed to move from her eyes towards her lips as he spoke.

Chloe didn’t move away; something held her rooted to the spot.

He reached out and smoothed a stray strand of hair away from her eyes. It was a strangely intimate gesture and the touch of his fingers against her skin made her feel hot inside.

‘You look lovely with your hair loose like that,’ he murmured. ‘You should wear it like that more often.’

‘It…it gets in the way.’ As she stared into his eyes she felt her heart thundering against her chest.

‘You are so practical about everything,’ he said gently. ‘The way you dress…even the way you think about relationships.’ His lips slanted into a wryly teasing smile. ‘I bet you even alphabetically index your CD collection, don’t you?’

‘No…’ She smiled. ‘But it’s a very good idea…’ Her voice trailed off as he leaned closer and she realised suddenly that he was going to kiss her.

She could have moved away from him, but she didn’t want to. Some kind of madness seemed to take hold of her and she leaned forward, meeting him halfway and then responding to the soft pressure of his mouth with a rising feeling of hunger.

Being folded into his arms was the most amazing feeling. His lips were sensually provocative as they moved over hers, gently at first and then with a fiercer heat that set her on fire. She felt his body pressed hard against hers and it sent a thrill of excitement flooding through her. Chloe wanted to be closer; she wanted him to caress her body. When she felt his hands stroking up over her back she wanted to melt into him, feel his hands against her skin.

She wound her arms up and around his neck and the kiss deepened further, Steven exploring her mouth with a sensual mastery that sent her control spinning wildly. The sudden touch of his hands against the bare skin of her waist made her realise that her blouse had been pulled from the waistband of her skirt. The sensation of his hands against her naked skin made her tingle all over, her thoughts incoherent with a desire that was totally overwhelming.

She wanted him to unbutton her blouse, wanted to feel his hands moving and caressing over her breasts, which were now tight and aching with the weight of her desire.

He kissed the side of her face and found the soft, sensitive skin at her neck in a way that sent even more darts of pleasure through her.

If he continued like this she was going to want to make love totally and completely, and this was all wrong.

The knowledge hit her like a seed of sanity in a storm of desire.

CHAPTER THREE

AS SHE stepped back from him she felt dazed and disorientated. No one had ever kissed her like that before; no one had ever turned her on so easily in such a wildly exhilarating way. Her loss of control had been scary.

‘I don’t suppose I should have done that,’ Steven murmured huskily.

‘Not the most sensible of moves,’ she agreed, her voice uneven with the raggedness of her breathing. ‘We’ve got to work together…’

His eyes lingered on her mouth again and she found herself forgetting what she was saying…where she was, even.

With the utmost difficulty she forced herself to move away. ‘We’ll forget it and put it down to the wine…and…and…’ She couldn’t think straight and her heart rate was wild, drumming chaotically with a need that was so intense it was shocking.

‘And a moment of madness at a late hour,’ he finished for her. In contrast to her, Steven sounded very much in control.

Sharply she tried to pull herself together. ‘Yes, it was definitely madness. We’ll just forget it.’ It was a relief to hear her voice sounding so cool. She couldn’t let him know how deeply that kiss had affected her…especially as it had just been a light-hearted, meaningless gesture to him.

Chloe turned away from him and tried surreptitiously to tuck her blouse neatly back into her skirt. She cringed as she remembered how she had wound her arms around his neck, openly inviting his caresses. How could she have behaved so shamelessly, and with her boss, of all people?

She picked up her glasses from the coffee table. As she put them back on it was as if she was slipping back behind her mask. ‘Would you like me to take these dishes back into the kitchen before I turn in?’ She tried to pretend that her mind had now moved away from what had happened, that she was now concentrating on practicalities.

‘No, I’ll see to them. I’m going to stay down here a while, finish my wine.’

‘OK, well, I’ll say goodnight, then.’ She forced herself to turn and face him. Then remembered his response when she had said goodnight last time and wished she had just left without saying anything.

She was aware that he was watching her closely but she couldn’t bear to meet his eyes. What was he thinking? she wondered… Was he just amused by what had happened? Or maybe amused by the effect it seemed to have had on her—one kiss and Chloe’s thrown totally out of kilter?

‘Goodnight, Chloe; sleep well.’

‘Yes, I’m sure I will…I’m exhausted, actually…probably fall asleep the moment my head touches the pillow.’ She wasn’t going to let him think she would lose any sleep over one silly kiss.

It was a blessed relief to escape to the sanctuary of her room. She sank down on the bed and sat there for a moment, trying to steady her breathing and gather her thoughts.

Why had he kissed her like that?

A moment’s madness, he had said…probably all there was to it. One thing was for certain: if they were to work as easily and comfortably together as they had in the past, she was going to have to just forget it.

She got up and went into the en suite bathroom to strip off and stand for a long time under the refreshing force of the power shower. Then, having no nightdress to put on, she had to slip naked between the sheets of the double bed. They were cool and refreshing against her heated skin. She reached out and switched off the bedside light, then lay staring up into the darkness.