‘There’s nothing to resolve,’ she said, tight-lipped. ‘As for unfinished, as of now, what just happened here didn’t happen. And I’d like my hair clasp back, please.’
He withdrew the tortoiseshell clasp from his pocket, handed it to her. ‘Your idea’s not going to work, you know.’
She shot him a look while she twisted her hair into a rope, jammed it haphazardly into the clasp. ‘It will. I’m your employee. Everything changes. We’ve acknowledged…the whatever it is. Now we can ignore it and—’
‘It’ll go away?’
‘Exactly.’
They exited the lift. The front doors opened and they stepped out into a muggy evening swamped with humidity and the brzzz of night insects.
‘You really think so?’
‘I know so.’
‘I like your optimism.’
She turned left and headed for her car, her heels clicking a brisk rhythm on the pavement. ‘What’s more, I have every confidence in your ability to do the same.’ She keyed the remote and a dark-coloured hatch’s lights winked. ‘We’re both professionals.’
Professional. With the star-spattered sky stretched over a calm ocean and a woman he’d just been enjoying getting up close and personal with beside him, professional was as far from Jared’s mind as that distant Pacific horizon.
She came to an abrupt stop beside her car, yanked open the door and tossed her bag across the seat all in rapid succession. ‘Goodnight.’
Strands of hair she hadn’t managed to contain in her clasp moved in the breeze. She still had that just kissed look. Plump lips, overbright eyes, breathing a little too fast.
The salty tropical evening was made for loving and for once he didn’t want professional. If she’d been a date, he’d have been working that top buttonhole in her blouse right now. Hell no, he’d have had her naked already and moaning for more—after all, he knew what she liked, didn’t he?
He fisted his hands in his pockets. Cool it. ‘Okay. We’ll try it your way.’ He schooled his voice to neutral. ‘So goodnight, Sophie, and thanks for working back, I appreciate it. Is that friendly-formal enough for you?’
She nodded once. It amused him to note that she actually looked disappointed he hadn’t pushed his luck and kissed her again. Not that she’d want him to know he’d noticed. Her slim dark brows pulled down as she climbed into the car. ‘You’re welcome. Goodnight.’
‘See you in the morning.’ He shut her car door and watched till she pulled out of the car park. He let her go because she was still stinging with the knowledge that he’d read her dream. But he didn’t care how determined she was to deny their attraction, tomorrow after hours they were going to talk about it. And then he’d inform her that his business plans for Noosa next week were already set and they included his PA.
Sophie checked the rear-vision mirror to ensure Jared wasn’t following her, then pulled over to the side of the road. She switched off the ignition, let her head fall back on the seat and closed her eyes. Oh. My. God.
She blew out a shuddering breath. She’d managed to keep it together, but now that she could fall apart in private her whole body trembled. Darts of what felt like electric shocks tingled through her limbs and over her skin.
He’d made love to her hands exactly the way she’d told him to in her dream. The only difference with tonight’s scenario was that they hadn’t used her Secret Sensation moisturiser or done it naked and horizontal on some fluffy mat that didn’t exist—at least it didn’t in her house.
And he’d know that too.
She slammed her palms over and over against her temples. He’d read her diary entry. He’d known, damn him, and he’d said nothing all day. He’d probably watched her when she wasn’t looking and imagined all the things she’d written… She could quite easily kill him and with no conscience at all. In fact, when she pulled herself together again she still might.
He kissed like a dream.
And, oh, that was so-o-o not funny. She sighed, remembering the luscious feel of his lips on hers, how she’d lost all willpower, wound her arms around his neck and practically sucked his face off.
He’d let her make a complete fool of herself. No, she’d done that on her own by sending the wrong email. She should have come clean with him first thing this morning and got it out of the way. Instead of hoping he hadn’t read it. Of course he’d have read it. What normal red-blooded guy in his sexual prime would stop at the first couple of lines?
Since he’d asked her to stay on and she’d agreed, changing her mind and phoning the office in the morning wasn’t an option. Her pride wouldn’t allow it and an extra week’s pay would be more than welcome. She considered herself a responsible employee. She didn’t let people down, particularly Pam, the one person who’d been there for Sophie when she’d needed support.