Snowbound Seduction: A Night of No Return / To Claim His Heir by Christmas / I'll Be Yours for Christmas

Emma gaped at her. ‘I could never pick sex over job security. You don’t understand—’

‘I’m the child of a single mother. A strong single mother, so believe me I do understand about the importance of job security. And I’m not really suggesting that you throw in a job just for sex, but it seems to me that this isn’t the job for you anyway. You need to find something closer to home so that you can have a life. Maybe this is the trigger you need to make you do that. You’ve had far too much responsibility and not enough fun but we’re going to fix that.’

A job closer to home? ‘Even if I were prepared to look for another job it wouldn’t make a difference. He isn’t interested in a relationship. And I made a total fool of myself last night because when he invited me to dinner, just for a moment I thought he meant dinner, if you know what I mean.’ She thumped her forehead with her fist and Avery looked amused.

‘Yes, I know exactly what you mean. So the first thing you have to do is find out whether or not Lucas is interested. Wear a really knockout dress tonight.’

‘He’ll think I’m trying to seduce him.’

‘Not if you don’t try to seduce him. Wear the dress but be businesslike.’ Avery narrowed her eyes. ‘If you dance, you dance with other people. If you talk, you talk to other people. Any connection with him should be brief and businesslike. If he really doesn’t want you then he’ll be fine with that. If he does—well, we’ll see.’

‘No, we won’t see! He’s my boss. He pays well and he’s a good employer.’

‘I pay well and I’m a good employer. You could always work for me and I don’t care where you’re based as long as the work gets done. Now let’s get started on these clothes.’

Unable to summon up any enthusiasm, Emma slipped off her shoes. ‘I thought after his reaction to the red, we’d better go for something a bit more muted. Maybe beige?’

‘Sure. Let’s just put you in a canvas sack and have done with it, shall we?’ Avery shuddered. ‘Emma, you are never wearing beige again. Your beige days are totally behind you. I’ve earmarked a nice boring navy dress for you to wear in your meetings this afternoon because it will make the contrast all the more startling when you dress up tonight, but your days of dressing like a nun are over. They’re fetching me a selection of dresses and while we’re waiting you can tell me something about Lucas, apart from the fact he rocked your world. What’s going on behind that handsome face?’

‘He’s a clever man. Very talented. I’m really lucky to work for him.’

‘I love a bit of moody, cerebral introspection as much as the next girl, but that isn’t exactly what I was asking. I want to know why the man has never settled down. You do realise that of all the women he’s ever been with, his longest relationship is with you?’

‘I’m not a relationship. I’m his PA.’

‘And before you he was getting through a PA every six weeks. But you’ve stayed the course. That has got to mean something.’

‘It means I need the job too badly to resign.’

‘Or that you’ve become important to him.’

Her heart skipped. ‘Only in the sense that I make his work life run smoothly.’

‘Really? So why did he bring you here?’

‘Because he and Tara broke up and he needed someone with him.’

Avery gave a womanly smile. ‘And you don’t think Lucas Jackson has a million replacements waiting in the wings? Come on, Emma. He wanted you. And I’m so pleased he finally dumped that awful Tara.’ She poured two glasses of water and handed one to Emma. ‘Tara got horribly drunk at one of my parties a year ago and we had to tactfully remove her before she stripped on the dance floor. I’ve been wishing her bad karma ever since.’ She frowned as the personal shopper in the exclusive store arrived with a selection of clothes. Within seconds she’d dismissed them all. ‘I saw this bright blue dress at one of the shows in fashion week that would be perfect.’ She named the designer and described it and the girl hurried off while Emma looked on in amazement.

‘Do you know every dress in every designer’s collection?’

‘No. Only the ones that catch my eye. The others I forget—’ Avery drank the water and looked longingly at the bowl of fresh dates that had been put on the table. ‘I am starving, but if I eat that I’ll never get into my dress for tonight. Ah—’ She sprang to her feet as the girl returned carrying a sheath of midnight-blue silk. Avery took the dress from her with a crow of triumph. ‘This is the one. I would have bought it myself if I hadn’t already picked one out for the party. It’s going to look perfect on you.’

‘How much is it?’

Avery rolled her eyes. ‘Who cares? Just try it on. Every woman should own at least one dress like this. It is going to turn you from a sensible, professional woman into a wanton sex goddess.’

‘Firstly, Lucas wants sensible and professional and secondly I’m not remotely wanton sex goddess material.’

‘You will be by the time I’ve finished. Now shut up and try the dress, Emma. You’re old before your time and we’re going to fix that.’ Avery thrust it at her and waved away the saleswoman with a winning smile. ‘We’re fine here. Thanks. But some more water would be great. That’s another thing I have to do before a big party. Hydrate. Go and change, and while you’re undressing tell me how you concentrate while you’re working with Lucas. I’d be lying on his desk panting hopefully every morning saying “Take me, take me”.’

Giggling, Emma slipped behind the curtain and slid her skirt off. ‘You wouldn’t really. He’s horribly moody in the mornings. I try not to speak to him before he’s had at least two cups of coffee.’

‘I’m good with moody men. Are you dressed yet?’

‘Nearly.’ Surprised by how much chatting to Avery had lightened her mood, Emma slid the dress over her head. ‘I think it might be a bit tight.’

The curtain was whisked back and Avery stared at her. ‘Oh Lucas, Lucas,’ she purred, ‘you are in so much trouble. I almost feel sorry for you.’

Emma gave a nervous laugh. ‘You don’t think it’s too tight?’

‘That’s not tight. It’s called a perfect fit. Have you even looked in the mirror?’

‘Not yet, but—’

‘Then look.’ Avery spun her round and Emma stared at her reflection.

‘Oh my God.’

‘Yes. My thoughts exactly. And the back of it is—’

‘Non-existent.’ Emma felt a lurch of excitement and terror. ‘I don’t look like me.’

‘Yes, you do. But it’s you as you’ve never seen yourself before.’ Eyes narrowed, Avery reached forward and twisted Emma’s hair into a loose knot. ‘Hair up, hair down... Up, I think. Then he’ll fantasize about letting it down over your beautiful, bare back.’

‘I don’t want him to fantasize about me! We’re trying to get things back to normal, not make them worse! Avery, you have to stop this.’ And she had to stop it too. She had to stop thinking about that night. She had to stop thinking of him as anything other than her boss. She had to—

Her eyes met Avery’s in the mirror.

‘The man is delicious and it’s time he got together with someone decent instead of choosing shallow, brainless women who are only interested in his money and contacts. I’m going to arrange for you to have hair and make-up in your suite—’ Avery whipped her phone out and sent a string of emails. ‘Do you own any diamonds?’

‘Of course not. Nor do I go anywhere that I could wear any.’

‘Well, tonight you are. That dress needs diamonds,’ Avery murmured without looking up. ‘I’m going to arrange for one of the jewellery companies to loan you something for the evening. Smile—’ She snapped a photograph with her phone and then proceeded to email it to someone. ‘They will be able to decide what will look best with that colour and neckline.’

‘OK, stop! Now you’re going over the top.’ Emma backed away. ‘Tonight is about work. I’m supposed to be mingling and networking, not parading around in diamonds.’

‘I’ve never understood why a woman can’t look her best while she’s mingling and networking,’ Avery murmured. ‘I suspect Lucas Jackson hasn’t been so interested in a woman for a long time—maybe never. We should make the most of that.’

Emma found herself trapped. She couldn’t tell Avery that the only reason Lucas had slept with her was to get through a truly terrible night. So now Avery had totally the wrong impression and this whole situation was spiralling horribly out of control and all she could do was mutter a lame, ‘He’s not interested.’

‘He’s interested. He noticed the red dress. Men only notice what a woman is wearing when it makes them think of sex.’

‘Avery!’

‘What?’ She looked up from her phone. ‘You are very, very pretty. You deserve diamonds.’

‘I do not want to be wearing anything valuable. What if someone steals it from around my neck?’