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She felt a slam of panic. ‘I can’t believe this.’
‘Can’t believe what?’ His eyes narrowed and, if it were possible, his expression was even more cautious. ‘Why? What’s the problem?’
She switched her gaze to the glass-fronted door of her oven. The croissants were already turning golden.
‘What do you know about Kanga Tours?’ Liam demanded. ‘I had the company checked out thoroughly. I got the best advice. I know the growth in the north hasn’t been as strong as expected, but that’s why I’m here. To turn it around. I believe in hands-on management. Overall the company seemed to be a damn good business proposition.’
‘Oh, it’s a good business,’ she said while her heart hammered. ‘If you’re a good manager, you’ll make plenty of money here.’
‘So, why are you looking like it’s really bad news?’
She bit her lip. He wasn’t going to like this.
‘For God’s sake, Alice. You look like I confessed I was a terrorist.’
‘I—I work there. At Kanga Tours.’
His jaw dropped. Fast. He stared at her and, as her words really sank in, he glanced away sharply. Cursing, he raked angry fingers through his hair.
Alice knew what he was thinking—that if word leaked out that the new boss had slept with one of the staff on his very first night in town, there could be all sorts of unpleasant ramifications. He could be branded as a sleaze, a predator, and she would be the tart, the wild divorcee, sleeping her way into the new boss’s favour.
Office affairs made ripples that very often became waves, waves that could swamp the boat. It could be just awful. For both of them.
She remembered the stir among the staff last week when Dennis Ericson first told them that a new boss was arriving from Sydney.
And then she was struck by a light-bulb moment. ‘Conway! For heaven’s sake. Now I remember why your name sounded familiar last night.’ Clasping her hands to the sides of her face, she let out a groan. ‘If only I’d thought of it earlier, but I didn’t make the connection. When I went to the Hippo Bar the last thing on my mind was my work or a new boss.’
‘Quite.’
The single, carefully clipped monosyllable seemed to cut through her. Neither she nor Liam had been thinking about work last night. They’d been totally distracted. Just thinking about how very distracted they’d been made her blush.
The oven pinged and she was grateful for a different kind of distraction. Shoving her hands into padded gloves, she pulled the croissants from the oven and avoided Liam’s gaze as she popped them onto the plates she’d already set on a tray, along with the coffee and cutlery and a pot of strawberry jam.
In one bound Liam was across the room and taking the tray from her. ‘Let me carry that.’
‘Thanks.’ At least he wasn’t so angry that he forgot his manners.
Their hands brushed as Alice handed him the tray and she made the mistake of looking up. His eyes were so close to her now. Too close. A look passed between them, a look that spoke of intimate secrets, of everything they’d shared last night—of Liam’s caresses, his whispered endearments, and her wild response to the satiny heat of him thrusting deep inside her.
It had been bad enough trying to carry on at work through the mess of the divorce. But how could she cope now, while her boss was a walking reminder of more things she needed to forget? The memories of their intimacy would stay with her. Every day.
A mask seemed to slip over Liam’s features and he turned to carry their breakfast things onto her back deck, which was cleverly designed to give privacy while offering a view of the tropical courtyard below. For the next few minutes their conversation was confined to the coffee and croissants and whether Liam would like milk or sugar or jam. But Alice was bursting with the need to talk about their predicament.
‘We were supposed to be going our separate ways this morning,’ she said.
He sent her a sharp, searching look. ‘Is that what you wanted?’
Her heart gave a startled leap. ‘Well, yes, of course. It’s what you wanted, too.’ The stern expression in his eyes prompted her to add, ‘Isn’t it?’
To her dismay he didn’t answer. Instead, he took another sip of coffee and put the cup down slowly. ‘Let’s sort this work issue out. What’s your role at Kanga Tours?’
He was changing the subject. Why? Was he upset with her? Had she read him incorrectly? Surely he hadn’t hoped for more than last night?
The thought that Liam might have wanted to continue their relationship set Alice suddenly adrift, swept away without warning by a flash flood. She struggled to remember his question.
‘I—I’m one of the specialist consultants,’ she said at last. ‘I look after the customers who want specialised tours in tune with particular interests.’
Liam nodded. ‘Do you cover everything? The reef, the rainforest and the outback?’
‘Sure.’ Pride set her chin at a tilt. ‘Everything from snorkelling or diving on the reef, to night-time spotlighting in the rainforest and outback cattle musters. They want it, I package it for them—even speciality restaurant tours.’
A smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. ‘I’m sure you’re very good at it.’
‘I really enjoy my job. Since my divorce it’s been my life saver.’
He didn’t respond immediately.
‘Look,’ she said. ‘I know it’s going to be awkward for you to have me at work, but I won’t let on that I—I’ve met you. I can be discreet and professional.’
‘Yes, you’re a bright girl.’
A bright girl. It was rather a comedown from a very special woman, which was what he’d called her half an hour ago.
‘I think that’s the best way to play it,’ he said as his long fingers broke off a piece of croissant. ‘From now on our relationship will be entirely professional.’
‘Yes.’
‘There’s no need to compromise either of us. We’re mature adults. We can give each other space and get on with our jobs.’
‘Yes,’ she agreed again. ‘There are at least ten employees at Kanga Tours, so we won’t be falling all over each other.’
But…there would be almost daily contact.
‘I imagine I’ll be out of the office a great deal,’ Liam added, as if he was reading her mind. ‘Especially at first. There’s a lot to do to ensure the company’s viability, so I’ll be out and about. I want to find new premises.’
‘So our old building in the backstreets isn’t good enough for…?’ Alice saw the warning spark in Liam’s eyes and broke off in mid-sentence.
‘I need a prime location,’ he said crisply. ‘Something where all the action is—on the Esplanade with mountain and ocean views perhaps, right on the tourist and backpacker thoroughfare.’
She drained her coffee-cup. ‘I’m sure you’ll want to put your own stamp on the company.’
He didn’t answer. He helped himself to the strawberry jam and then ate his croissant slowly and seemed to pay close attention to a cluster of Golden Cane palms in the courtyard beneath them.
When he finished, he said, ‘Thanks, Alice, that was excellent, but now I should leave you to get on with your weekend.’
She forced a smile and hoped it was broad enough to give the impression that she had so many exciting things lined up for this weekend she didn’t know where to start.
Liam began to gather up their breakfast things. ‘Leave them,’ she insisted. After all, she had two whole days to carry them inside and wash them.
What else was she going to do?
Weekends had always come as a bonus at the end of a busy working week, but suddenly this one loomed emptily before her. She was already focusing on Monday morning, and seeing Liam again. But she was worried too. Darn it. Why did he have to be her boss?
‘Would you like me to call a taxi?’ she offered.
‘No, thanks, I’ll walk. It’s a great morning for having a look around and getting to know my new home-town.’
Her bare feet padded on the timber floor and she knotted her bathrobe more tightly at the waist as she followed him to her front door. A lump jammed her throat as he opened the door and turned to her.
Oh, heavens, last night had been so wonderful. The most beautiful night ever. It made up for all the hurt…
She suddenly wanted to cry. Crazy! No. She mustn’t.
But what should she do now? Kiss Liam on the cheek? Wave him goodbye?
She forced another smile and held out her hand. ‘See you at the office, Mr Conway.’
‘Alice, don’t.’ Dark colour stained his face as he clasped her hand. ‘Don’t be like that.’
Like what? she wanted to ask.
But he was staring at her hand in his. And then suddenly his shoulder nudged the door closed again and, to her amazement, he pulled her roughly to him and his mouth came down hard on hers.
The passionate force of his kiss stunned her. Backing against the door, he pulled her to him, his mouth possessive, uncompromising, bruising. Her heart pounded in answer. Her body softened in instant surrender.
After just one night the smell and the taste and the feel of him were wonderfully familiar. A sweet sense of recognition overwhelmed her—the strong feeling that she belonged in these arms, with this man. She was tinder to his fire, ablaze at the first contact.
Her lips welcomed him. Her hands hungrily explored the muscly wonder of his shoulders; they twined in his hair. Her breasts strained for his touch.
And then, too soon, way too soon, he lifted his head and set her a little apart from him. His eyes glittered with an unreadable emotion.
‘Damn,’ he said, making the word sound both soft and harsh at once. ‘That wasn’t the way I’d planned to say goodbye.’ He touched his lips gently to her forehead. ‘I’m sorry, Alice. It won’t happen again. From now on I’ll be on my best behaviour.’
Too overcome and breathless to answer, she pressed her fingers to her lips to hold back a protest. Once more he opened the door and this time he stepped outside. He sent her one brief, scorching glance, and then he turned and strode swiftly away without looking back.
She watched him go with her fingers still pressed against her lips. Lips that were tender from the imprint of his kiss.
CHAPTER THREE
LIAM spent most of the weekend at the office, working his way through the company’s files and planning his business strategies. He was determined to lift the Cairns branch’s performance to match what he’d recently achieved in Sydney. As a self-made man, he’d worked impossibly hard over the past decade and he’d developed his own formula for revitalising a business.
New premises and a big investment in promotion and marketing were high on his agenda. And a staff performance appraisal. Several years ago he’d been forced to replace many of the inherited staff with a new team.
Could he do that again?
What about Alice? God help him. Could he be hard-headed and impartial enough to sack her if it was necessary?
All weekend his mind was constantly flooded by memories of her, of her heart-stopping, gut-wrenching loveliness, of the way she’d looked with her dark hair spread across the pillow, her rosy lips parted, inviting him to kiss her. She was so sweet and yet so wildly sensual. How could her husband ever have left her?
Liam had been consumed by an insane desire for her.
But office romances often led to trouble and trouble in business could reach atomic proportions. Staking a claim on Alice Madigan would place his goal, the success of his new business enterprise, in jeopardy. He couldn’t take that risk, not when dark, insistent shadows from his past still haunted him.
He had a debt to pay, which left him with no choice but to put his business goals first. Always.
At the sound of a knock on his door on Monday morning Liam looked up to find Dennis Ericson, the branch office manager, lounging a casual hip against the door frame and wearing a supercilious smile.
‘Good morning, Dennis.’ Liam rose and held out his hand. The men had met before when Liam was making his pre-purchase investigations, but not as employer and employee. Dennis was in his mid-to-late forties, a family man, going thin on top and soft around the middle.
He accepted Liam’s handshake, but the wry grimace on his face somewhat marred the sincerity of the gesture.
‘You’ve settled in quickly, then,’ he said, casting an openly curious glance around the office, checking the few small changes the new boss had made to its layout.
Liam nodded. ‘Spent the weekend in here, going through files.’
The silly grin returned. ‘And have you claimed your prize?’
‘What prize?’
For answer, Dennis shot him a sideways, narrow-eyed glance.
Liam sensed that he was being set up. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘Saturday’s Cairns Post,’ Dennis said ominously. ‘Page three.’
Liam shook his head. ‘I didn’t check the weekend papers. Is it something important? Some corporate offer?’
At that Dennis laughed. From his hip pocket he extracted what looked like a newspaper cutting and he flipped it onto the desk.
Annoyed by the smugness of the fellow, Liam refused to rise to the bait. He knew from experience that there was always someone wanting to get the upper hand with the new boss on the first day. He gave the folded cutting a cursory glance, and then stood very still and perfectly silent. Watching Dennis. Waiting.
Dennis’s smile slipped. His Adam’s apple slid up and down and, when Liam refused to move, he pouted. Finally, he picked up the clipping and unfolded it. ‘Take a gander at this.’
Liam scanned it. Bloody hell.
‘Aren’t you lucky, sir? You’re this week’s Mystery Winner.’ Dennis seemed to take pleasure from his boss’s obvious surprise. His cockiness revived. ‘Dinner for two at The Beach House,’ he said. ‘All you have to do is give the local newspaper office a call.’
It was a photo of Liam leaving the Hippo Bar. With Alice. Clipped and enlarged, no doubt, from a shot the photographer had taken of three girls whose faces were rather out of focus in the foreground. He and Alice looked blissfully happy. Intimate. They were holding hands and her head was dipping towards him as if she was listening intently to something he said.
A white ring circled his head and the caption above the photo read: Who is this man? The text below explained, as Dennis had, that this mystery winner could claim his prize of a dinner for two.
‘Do these mystery prizes happen often?’ he asked.
‘Every week,’ replied Dennis smugly.
So much for keeping that night under wraps.
‘Nice work, boss.’ The edge to Dennis’s voice was sharp enough to cut chain wire. ‘I suppose we can skip the lecture on management probity and staff relations?’
