It was and now he had to sell it to Jude. But, if he’d read his friend’s expression correctly whenever Addison was mentioned, it wouldn’t be a difficult negotiation.
He just wished he could do something for Lex. He could write her a cheque but knew she’d never, in a million years, accept his charity. No, she needed to drive to earn money, and a germ of an idea started to percolate and bubble. If she drove him to Rhodes, where his ski-lodge was situated, she would earn a packet, far more than she usually would. And he’d be able to give her that road trip she seemed to want so much.
Cole stood up, his mind running a million miles a minute. He’d been planning to fly into Rhodes, in and out, but he could spare a few days out of his crazy schedule. He’d been running fast and hard for months, and a road trip would be as good for him as it would be for her. He felt a tingle on the back of his neck, a warm heat invading his veins. Was that excitement he felt? It had been so long, he didn’t recognise it any more.
Lex looked down at his half-eaten croissant and he saw the longing on her face. He pushed the packet in her direction. ‘Help yourself.’
‘I shouldn’t, I had a slice of pizza at the airport, but I will,’ she replied, ripping off a piece and putting it into her mouth. Even when eating she was sexy.
Taking his seat again, he placed his elbows on the desk and looked at her. ‘I need to get to Rhodes in the Eastern Cape. I’d need two days to get there, right?’
To her credit, Lex didn’t blink at his change of subject. Neither did she demand to know why he’d kissed her or feel the need to analyse their encounter. ‘Yeah. It’s too long a drive to do it in one stretch. I mean, you could, but it would be crazy long.’
‘Where would I stay the first night?’
‘Colesberg, I guess.’ Lex looked puzzled. ‘But why drive if you can fly? It’s so much quicker.’
‘I’m not crazy about small planes or helicopters,’ he lied. And it was a whopper. He adored anything with an engine and, one day, he intended to get his helicopter licence. But if he flew into Rhodes to see the ski-lodge he wouldn’t have the excuse to take Lex along for the ride.
Cole asked himself what he was doing, what on earth was he thinking? Was he really going to take four, five days out of his schedule to drive to this ski-lodge so that he could give this emerald-eyed, tired, sometimes sad, sometimes feisty woman the road trip she so wanted? But suddenly he couldn’t think of anything more he wanted to do.
Yes, he wanted to give her the break she needed, the road trip she’d said she wanted, to take her away from Cape Town and the demands of her busy life. It wasn’t a Mediterranean beach holiday, but she would be getting away, doing something different. It was shocking to realise how much he wanted to whisk her away from real life.
But long hours in the car, being in close proximity, would either ratchet up their attraction or make them want to kill each other. If the latter happened, and he knew it wouldn’t, he had the means to hire a helicopter to fly them back to Cape Town.
But what if they landed up in bed? The chances of that happening were sky-high because she was as physically attracted to him as he was to her. They were dry kindling meeting a spark...and with one kiss they could set Table Mountain on fire. But sex was sex, work was work, and he’d never let his personal feelings colour his views, so Lex’s job would never be in jeopardy because of what they did outside of work hours. He knew that, but did she?
Strangely, he wanted her more than he could remember ever wanting anyone ever—he wanted to spend a long, lazy time exploring her body, running his hands through her hair and sliding inside her to know how she felt from the inside out. And he desperately wanted to take her away from her responsibilities and give her time to breathe, to relax.
Man, he sounded like a saint, and he wasn’t. He didn’t even come close. He wasn’t being uncharacteristically unselfish. The thought of peace, quiet and hours without talking was deeply alluring. He craved the silence of saying nothing, of allowing his mind to wander, to slow down, to be less than pinprick-focused.
But would she say yes? Would she even agree to his crazy proposition?
No. Maybe. He could only ask. Thank goodness they were alone so that, if Lex shot him down in flames, no one would notice the fireball.
‘So, you asked to see me and here I am,’ Lex said, crossing her slim leg over her knee. ‘Do you need a ride somewhere?’
It was a perfect opening. ‘Yes, I do.’
‘I wondered how long you would last driving yourself. Cape Town traffic is hellish and, being spread out between the mountains and the sea, it’s fairly hard to navigate.’
He’d driven in some of the most dangerous cities in the world and Cape Town was a doddle compared to Manila, Seoul or Mumbai. But he’d allow her to keep thinking he needed her help, especially if he ended up getting his own way. Sometimes, the end justified the means.
‘Are you about to tell me that you need me to drive you this weekend?’ Lex asked, and he heard the note of excitement in her voice. Then she flushed and looked away. ‘You should know my rates triple if I work Saturday afternoon, or on Sundays.’
Cole was pretty sure he could afford whatever she charged. ‘Noted.’ He wondered what she’d spend the extra money on. He hoped she would buy a new set of tyres for her car and get her brake pads fixed. He heard his phone buzz and saw a notification from Petra, his temporary assistant.
I have booked two nights for you at the famous Aquila Game Reserve, they are expecting you this afternoon.
Right. Damn. He swiped his finger across the screen, punched four on his speed dial and put his phone on loudspeaker. Petra answered immediately. ‘Are you happy to go to Aquila Game Reserve, Mr Thorpe? It’s one of the best in the country, with incredible amenities. I’ve booked you a suite—’
‘Please cancel the booking.’
He heard her gasp and didn’t blame her. He was acting like a spoiled billionaire who couldn’t make up his mind. ‘My fault, not yours—my plans changed unexpectedly.’
He heard the breath she sucked in. ‘Right, okay. But I cancelled your current hotel booking, they’ve packed up your clothes and they are waiting for you to collect your luggage. The SUV you rented is also waiting for you at the hotel.’
Being picky about his cars, he’d wanted something with a little more grunt, so he’d instructed Petra to find him something hot and exciting to drive.