LITMIR.BIZ

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always those in financial trouble who need a partner or to sell out. Two of them, for example, are estate inheritances.’

      ‘Estate inheritances.’ She repeated it while her fingers itched foolishly to smooth the attractive wrinkles from his brow. ‘Stuck suddenly with a monstrosity they’re not prepared to take on? Yes. I can understand why some people would simply want out. And you can make all these businesses profitable?’

      He turned, his eyes lit with interest. ‘I’ve already suggested other avenues for the ones that wouldn’t have been.’ Her temporary boss smiled, moved to sit on the edge of the desk, and leaned back just enough that she had a breathtaking view of the cleft of his chin and the long, tanned neck. ‘You think like a businesswoman. I can see you’re going to be even more of an asset than I’d hoped.’

      ‘Well.’ She tried to ignore the view, the elevation of her pulse. The warm feeling it gave her to receive his praise, however prosaic. She didn’t plan on being here long enough for him to appreciate her very much! ‘We’d best make our way to the conference room.’

      ‘Let’s hope they’re all on time for the meeting. What did you choose for the food?’ He rose, scooped up the pile of meeting notes and handed them to her.

      Their fingers touched. Warmth. The slightest sandpapery feeling as his skin grazed hers. She experienced a swift, sharp wish to feel those fingers stroke her forehead, her jaw, her neck.

      His gaze locked on her face, roved it, touched her eyes, nose, and lingered on her lips. ‘Lily…’

      ‘We…ah…’ Her mouth dried. This was not anticipation, and he was not about to kiss her. For heaven’s sake. When had she developed such an overactive imagination? She hurried into her office. Anything to gain a moment’s reprieve.

      And he had asked a question. The food! He had asked about the menu. The food…

      Something good that would keep people happy.

      That was all she could recall. So innovate, Lily! ‘You’ll like what I’ve chosen. Just wait and see.’ There. Good enough, but she should have written the choices down as she’d agreed to them. ‘I just need to get a couple of things and I’ll be ready.’

      

      ‘Good afternoon. It’s a pleasure to meet you.’ Lily’s mellow words sounded calm. Unfazed. She looked completely relaxed as she worked to put their visitors at ease.

      But Zach stood at her side at the entrance to the conference room and felt the tension that radiated from her. He nodded, smiled, shared a few words with each delegate, but he wasn’t relaxed either. Wasn’t calm. He hadn’t been since that accidental touch as he’d handed her the approved proposals for this meeting, when a flood of heated response had rushed his system.

      Indeed, he had wanted her from the moment they’d met, and he would be a fool to pretend otherwise. He might not like the knowledge, but he prided himself on facing the truth. Now he just had to find some way to overcome this unwelcome interest in her.

      Since Lara had showed him five years ago what his life had to be, he had dated women casually. No friendships, no commitments, no compulsions driving his interest. He wasn’t about to alter that credo. He couldn’t.

      But he and Lily stood so close now that they breathed the same air. And all he wanted was to snatch her up and get answers to the questions that pounded through his bloodstream. If he kissed her, would the lips that drew his gaze press in passion against his?

      If he drew her close, would their bodies fit as though meant to be together? Would it feel right? Would desire flame in an instant, or ignite slowly? It was ridiculous. Too much. They had only just met, yet he couldn’t seem to stop the distracting thoughts.

      ‘Wallace. Please make yourself comfortable with the others.’ He gestured towards the oval table laid for the upcoming meal, but part of his thoughts remained with the woman at his side.

      She smelled of lily of the valley. Had she always worn her signature scent? He wanted to search out every pulse point and hidden place that carried it.

      He suppressed a groan, and stuck out his hand as the final delegate arrived. ‘Hardy. Welcome.’

      ‘Am I?’ Hardy gripped his hand with more force than was necessary. ‘We’ll soon see when I read the proposal you’ve concocted.’ The man puffed out his ample girth. ‘It had better impress me, or you can forget any chance of a sale. I’m only considering this move. Haven’t decided yet.’

      ‘Whatever decision you make will be respected.’ But they both knew Hardy’s trophy wife had run the company into the ground since he’d bought it for her.

      ‘Hmph.’ Andrew Hardy’s gaze narrowed. ‘Fashion can be a fickle business, might well turn around of its own accord before too long.’

      ‘Anything’s possible.’ Zach tried not to show his disbelief.

      When Hardy spotted Lily, his demeanour changed. Predatory interest rose in the florid face. ‘And who might this beauty be?’

      Mine. The thought was instantaneous. Unsettling. Possessive. Outrageous, because he and Lily had met only hours ago. ‘Hardy, this is Lily Kellaway, my assistant. Lily, meet Andrew Hardy.’

      The words fell from his mouth with bland disinterest. But his body growled, a rumble of warning deep within, and his gaze communicated that warning to Hardy. The man’s eyes widened, then narrowed as he absorbed the silent message.

      ‘Nice to meet you. I hope you enjoy your time with us today.’ Lily’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. With her free hand, she pushed a folder towards the man’s mid section.

      The aggressive heat in Zach eddied away. She hadn’t been taken in by Hardy’s façade, had recognised something in the known womaniser that made her cautious.

      ‘You’ll find the proposal for your business in there.’ Lily waggled the folder. ‘You might care to take your seat and peruse it while lunch is being served.’

      She was as cool as green salad. Zach suppressed a grin as Hardy stepped back to clasp the folder. A moment later, he had moved on.

      They took their seats at the table. Lily sat at his right, and it felt as though she belonged there.

      ‘Now that they’re all seated, can you name them again for me, please?’ She turned her face to his. ‘Start with the person on my left and work your way around the table. Don’t leave anyone out.’ Her notebook rested on her knee, her pencil at the ready once again.

      If he hadn’t seen her hand clenched around that notebook, he wouldn’t have known she was anything less than utterly confident. The knowledge that she was uneasy, a little uncertain, only made her more human in his eyes, more appealing.

      Zach lowered his head to murmur the name and a short description of the business of each person. She scribbled it all into her notebook, and nodded now and then to show she was keeping up.

      He could brush her ear with his lips, and he doubted anyone would notice. His breath soughed across the object of his thoughts. She shivered, gave a soft gasp and looked up into his eyes.

      So responsive. His gaze moved over the honey-gold hair, then shifted to her mouth, to kissable lips and a short, straight nose. To blue eyes the colour of deep tropical seas beneath a hot sun. Without conscious thought, he supplied the final name and relevant details.

      She noted the information in her book, released her breath on a choppy sigh and leaned back. ‘Thank you. That will make it easier to match up any comments I need to record.’

      Did she know that her eyes took on a dreamy hue when she looked at him? Not avaricious or predatory, like Rochelle’s, but something soft, almost vulnerable, and definitely sexy.

      ‘Now, you wanted to know about the menu.’ Lily’s lashes fluttered as she whipped out a hand-written sheet of paper Zach had watched her garner from one of the waiting staff when she’d first entered

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