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‘I was wondering if you’d like to come out to the station tonight and take a look at where I work. You know, get a feel for what I do, maybe incorporate a few ideas into the site?’ His voice dropped lower, the deep tone sending an unexpected thrill up her spine. ‘Perhaps grab a coffee afterwards?’
He’d asked her out! He’d actually taken the matter of approaching him out of her hands and she couldn’t be happier.
‘Bring along my file and we can work on it while we have that caffeine fix.’
And, just like that, her hopes, which had soared to the heavens a moment ago, plummeted back to earth with a resounding thud.
He didn’t want to stare into her eyes over the rim of a coffee mug, flirt with her over an espresso or moon over a muffin.
Uh-uh. He’d asked her to have coffee with him to work.
She should be rapt he’d given her an easy way to start her assignment without having to come up with some lame excuse herself. Then why was she disappointed that his invitation had been about business and not a teensy-eensy bit of pleasure?
Instilling the right amount of enthusiasm into her voice, she replied, ‘Sounds good. What time should I meet you?’
‘Why don’t I pick you up? The security at the station can be a bit tough on strangers, particularly for the night shift. There’s a lot of crackpots out there who have nothing better to do than heckle me.’
She choked on the sip of water she’d been having, coughing and spluttering while trying to contort her arm to pat herself on the back.
‘Are you okay?’
She could’ve sworn she heard amusement in his voice but dismissed it. What was so funny about the fact that she’d almost choked to death?
‘Surely my suggestion to pick you up hasn’t got you that choked up?’
‘Depends on your version of picking up,’ she said, wondering where that had come from.
Darn it, he’d think she was flirting with him—which she was, but why couldn’t she be a whole lot more subtle about it?
‘Let’s start with the standard garden-variety pick-up from your place and see if we can work on the other pick-up over coffee.’ He chuckled, the sound of his rich, deep laughter enveloping her in its intimate cocoon, drawing her further under his spell.
And, just like that, he took up where they’d left off in her office, flirting like a pro.
She really shouldn’t encourage him.
He was business.
He was a psychologist who could spend a lifetime psychoanalysing her.
He was way out of her league.
‘I take your silence as agreement?’
Managing to shake herself out of her fantasy world, she said, ‘It’s an improvement on the choking, don’t you think?’
‘Nothing about you needs improving, Keely.’
She loved the way he said her name, drawing out the ee sound in its correct pronunciation. Many people called her Kelly and she hated it.
‘Thanks. What time tonight?’ She knew his show started at seven, which wouldn’t give her much time to get home from work and do the usual pre-date routine.
It’s not a date, her voice of reason screamed. And she happily ignored it.
‘Is six too early?’
Heck, yes! She wouldn’t have time to blow-dry her hair, pick out an outfit designed to impress and do a quick tidy up just in case he popped in afterwards.
‘No problem. I live in Beacon Cove, Port Melbourne. Apartment 8/24 on the Esplanade.’
‘Great. I’ll see you at six.’ He suddenly sounded brisk and businesslike and she wondered if she’d just imagined the whole conversation and its undertones.
‘Keely?’
‘Mmm?’
‘I’m looking forward to it.’
He disconnected before she had a chance to respond, which was rather fortunate as it would’ve been hard to answer him while grinning like a loon.
Keely barely raised her head as Lucy entered her office. She didn’t have a moment to waste and, apart from having to head home and get ready, she needed to have something down on paper for Lachlan’s file. Otherwise he’d know she was a total phoney. About the only ideas she’d hashed to date were about the two of them getting up close and personal, and she didn’t think that would be appropriate to have on his web page, displayed for the world to see.
Lucy perched on the end of her desk, took off her rose-coloured glasses and wiped them with the end of her funky lime-green top.
‘What’s got you in a tizz?’
Keely placed the Brant file in her tote bag and zipped it shut. ‘I have to leave. Now.’
‘Hot date, huh?’
She shook her head. ‘No.’ And, despite her best intentions to stay cool about the evening ahead and not read anything into it, she blushed.
Predictably, her astute assistant pounced. ‘You have got a date! And I bet I know who it’s with. Would the initials LB mean anything to you?’
‘It’s part of my research for his website,’ Keely responded, trying not to encourage Lucy. That was all she needed—for Lucy to rev her up even more than she already was.
‘Oh, right.’ Lucy’s eyes narrowed and she pursed her lips, as if pondering a particularly difficult puzzle. ‘So that’s what they’re calling it these days. Research.’
‘Luce, I haven’t got time for this.’ Keely picked up her bag and headed for the door. ‘Besides, shouldn’t you be working on the Flirt account?’ She clicked her fingers as if remembering something. ‘Speaking of Accounts, have you been down there today? I heard Aidan popped in to oversee some discrepancies.’
Keely scored a direct hit as Lucy flushed a deep crimson. ‘I may have seen him briefly.’
‘Why don’t you ask him out? He’s perfect for you.’
Lucy slid off the desk and smoothed her skirt down. ‘I really must get back to work.’ She stopped at the door and wiggled her fingers. ‘Have fun tonight.’
‘It’s work.’
‘Whatever. I’ll expect an e-mail with the details of your research first thing in the morning. Bye.’
‘It is just work,’ Keely muttered under her breath as she followed Lucy out the door, wishing she could believe it.
The doorbell rang as Keely slicked gloss over her lips and took a final look in the mirror.
Not bad—black bootleg pants, burgundy fitted top, hair blow-dried to perfection and just a hint of make-up to make the most of what the good Lord had given her.
Not great, but not bad. Hopefully, Lachlan would be impressed.
As she opened the front door and his eyes lit up she had her answer.
‘Hi,’ was all she could manage.
If she thought he’d looked impressive at the office that morning, in suit and tie, it was nothing compared with his casual look. The combination of jeans, white T-shirt and black leather jacket had never looked so sexy on a man—and this was no ordinary man.
‘You look great. Ready to go?’
She nodded, finally managing to tear her gaze away from the way the white cotton moulded to what looked like rock-hard pecs beneath.
‘Just let me grab my bag,’ she said, hoping that the bag was all she managed to grab in the next sixty seconds.
As if she hadn’t had a hard enough time convincing herself that tonight was only about business, he had to turn up here looking like that.
‘Nice apartment.’ He stood at the door looking in and she suddenly realised that the minute she’d caught sight of him all rational thought—along with her manners—had flown out the window.
‘Come in,’ she said, getting more flustered by the minute as she picked up her bag and his file slid to the floor.
Great—she must’ve forgotten to zip it up earlier, when she’d slid a brush and lippy for touch-ups alongside the all-important folder.
‘Here, let me help.’ He bent down and reached for the scattered papers at the same time she did, their heads colliding in a sickening crunch.
‘Ouch!’ She sank back on to the floor and rubbed her forehead, silently cursing. It looked as if her clumsy curse around cute guys had reared its ugly head again.
Thankfully, he laughed and reached out a hand to help her off the floor. ‘Do I make you uncomfortable or are you always this graceful?’
‘It’s you,’ she said, and joined in with a rueful chuckle.
‘Mmm…first you up-end half your desk when I sit next to you, now you drop your bag when I get within two feet and give me a concussion in the process. It must be me.’
He pulled her up as she placed her hand in his and true to form, she stumbled against him. Totally unintentional, of course.
As she braced herself against his chest—yep, those pecs felt every bit as good as they looked—and he gazed down on her with a tender glint in his eyes, she suddenly didn’t mind being such a klutz.
And when he rested his hands on her hips and smiled in that special way he had, as if she was the only woman in the world, she could’ve quite happily caused havoc by stumbling, upending bags and messing up desks every day of the week.
‘If I’m the problem, what’s the remedy?’
‘You’re the doc, why don’t you tell me?’ Her voice came out all soft and breathy while her pulse raced double-time as his hands tightened their grip, sending bolts of electricity shooting through her body.
So much for playing it cool. They hadn’t even made it out of her apartment and the evening had taken on an intimate feel.
‘Take two kisses and call me in the morning.’
O-kay. Think quick. Respond with something light-hearted and witty.
However, all she could do was stand there and stare at him while his gaze stayed riveted to her lips, as if he’d like to follow up on the first part of his advice. As he leaned forward her heart jolted at the clear intent in his eyes and she was sure the air crackled with tension around them.
Work…assignment…client…
The words filtered through her dazed mind and acted like an instant dampener and she reluctantly looked away.
‘If that’s one of your cures, I’m not surprised you’re so popular,’ she murmured, managing a weak smile as her gaze fixed on his chest.
What would he think of her almost letting him kiss her? Totally unprofessional for starters, and as for the rest…
He tipped her chin up, gently forcing her to meet his stare. ‘Don’t second-guess yourself.’
How did he do that? She’d begun to doubt herself the minute she’d averted their near-kiss and he knew it. Despite her intoxicated ranting over the airwaves last week, he did know his stuff. And wouldn’t he have a field-day if he found out why she’d been so riled about his advice to the overweight teenager that night she’d given him a verbal blast?
She opened her mouth to respond and he placed a silencing finger against it. ‘And, no, I don’t dish out that remedy to just anyone.’
‘That’s reassuring.’ She aimed for brevity but her comment came out sarcastic as she pulled away from him completely, needing to establish physical distance between them to gather her thoughts.
Rather than pushing her for an explanation for her erratic behaviour—welcoming his attention one minute, freezing him out the next—as she half-expected him to do, he fixed her with a curious stare before turning away.
‘As much as I’d like to cure your clumsiness, we’d better get to the station. I need to be on the air in less than an hour.’ He picked up her bag and handed it to her as if nothing had happened. ‘All set?’
She managed to nod, follow him out and lock up without further mishap. However, amidst her confused state at what had just occurred, one thought penetrated.
If kisses were part of his cure, she suddenly had a distinct hankering for treatment.
CHAPTER THREE
‘Where men are concerned, always adhere to the “try before you buy” policy.’
Lucy, personal assistant extraordinaire.
LACHLAN gave the console a quick once-over to make sure he was off the air, removed his headphones and waved Keely into the booth.
He’d just spent the last three hours watching her through the glass partition, thoroughly distracted and, though he’d managed to present a professional front over the airwaves, he’d had enough. It was time to switch off and relax in the company of a woman who sparked his interest on many levels.
He’d thought by bringing her here to the station she might come clean about her call to him. However, despite ample opportunity, she hadn’t confessed and it surprised him. He valued honesty above all else, thanks to his lying, cheating mother, who had left his father with a broken heart after leaching every last ounce of devotion out of him. And he’d vowed to never end up like his dad, a sad old man obsessed with the one woman he couldn’t have, pining away for that so-called love of a lifetime.
Though the call hadn’t been a big deal in itself, he wondered why Keely would keep it a secret, especially after the way they’d clicked.
Standing up and stretching, he knew one thing. He wanted to give this woman a chance. Apart from the sizzling attraction that arced between them whenever they got within two feet of each other, he genuinely liked her and would like to get to know her better.
Starting now.
Opening the door to the sound booth, he beckoned her in. ‘What do you think? Pick up any ideas for my website?’
