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the conference next week, letting you know about a last-minute change of lecturer. I thought you might like to have a look at it but I forgot to give it to you earlier. Sorry.’

      He picked up the envelope and tossed it straight into the waste-paper basket in the corner. ‘I’ve decided not to go to that,’ he said brusquely.

      The movement of light and shadow across his face showed dark rings of exhaustion under his beautiful blue eyes, and despite knowing that it was all self-inflicted Abby felt marginally sorry for him.

      ‘What a pity,’ she said, deciding to do her bit to get the damned fool to go. Love him or hate him, he was a good doctor and he really did need a break. ‘They’ve been able to get Dr Philip Ballistrat in place of one of the lesser lights,’ she said encouragingly. ‘I would have thought you’d like to hear him talk. He’s very famous, isn’t he?’

      Abby was taken aback by Ethan’s response to her news. He remained frozen in his seat for several seconds, his normally phlegmatic blue eyes betraying... what? Surprise? Astonishment? Surely not shock! What was so shocking about what she’d just told him?

      Abby was even more taken aback when any surprise was swiftly replaced by an icy smile which sent an oddly erotic shiver running down her spine.

      ‘Well, well, well,’ he drawled. ‘Who would have believed that? You’re quite right, Miss Richmond. I certainly wouldn’t like to miss the opportunity of hearing such a renowned surgeon.’

      He swivelled round in his black leather chair, slid over to the corner, lifted the envelope back out of the basket then slid back again. ‘Thank you for bringing it to my attention. You’ve no idea how disappointed I would have been to have found out afterwards he’d been there and I’d missed him.’

      ‘So you’re going after all?’ she asked hopefully, thinking how happy Sylvia would be.

      ‘Wouldn’t miss it for the world.’

      Abby almost clapped her pleasure.

      ‘Thafs some smile, Miss Richmond. I take it you won’t mind my being absent next Friday?’

      Was it his sardonic remark, or the intensity of his gaze on her mouth which rattled her? Whatever, her smile faded immediately, although her heart began pounding behind her ribs and she found herself staring back at his mouth and wondering how it would feel upon hers.

      Abby could hardly believe her train of thought. Lord, she didn’t even like the man. Yet here she was, fantasising about his making love to her.

      Self-disgust made her stiffen inside. She straightened to her full five feet nine inches and delivered a cool look across the desk. ‘It makes no difference to me, Dr Grant, whether you’re here or not.’

      His laugh was as cold as his eyes. ‘No. I can see that. Which is just as well, I suppose. That way you’ll be able to give the proposition I’m about to make a totally unbiased consideration.’

      ‘P-proposition? What proposition?’

      ‘Don’t look so alarmed, Miss Richmond. I’m not about to ask you to do anything immoral or criminal. I am, however, in an awkward situation where this conference-cum-holiday is concerned. It’s for couples, you see, and the ladyfriend I was going to take can’t make it.’

      Abby was taken aback by the smooth delivery of the lie. Funny. As much as she didn’t like Ethan Grant, she’d never thought of him as a liar. It just showed that one should never underestimate the deviousness of the male sex.

      ‘That was the main reason I’d decided not to go,’ he continued coolly. ‘Because it would be embarrassing and awkward to show up alone. Actually, my sweet sister suggested I hire a professional escort instead, but I’m sure you can appreciate that’s not to my taste. However, it occurred to me just now that perhaps I could persuade you to accompany me.

      ‘For a price, of course,’ he added, before Abby could do more than blink her shock. ‘I don’t expect you to do it for nothing. Sylvia mentioned once that you work as a waitress on the weekend. I would naturally compensate you for any lost wages, with quite a bonus thrown in. So what do you say, Miss Richmond? Do you think you might be interested?’

      What do I say?

      Abby stared at him while she battled to control her simmering fury. I’d say not for all the tea in China, you presumptuous, patronising bastard. I’d say stick it in your ear. I’d say up yours. I wouldn’t spend one hour alone with you, let alone three days and three nights!

      ‘I’m sorry, I can’t,’ was what she actually said, congratulating herself on her silkily smooth voice.

      ‘The boyfriend would object, I take it?’

      ‘No. I don’t have a boyfriend,’ she said.

      ‘Surprising,’ he drawled. ‘Why, then?’

      ‘I wasn’t able to work last weekend because of a tummy bug. If I let my employer at the café down again this weekend I’ll lose my job there, and I simply can’t afford that.’ She couldn’t afford to lose this job either, which was why she was being so diplomatic. She’d have just loved to tell the dear doctor exactly what he could do with his proposition.

      ‘How much do you earn in one weekend?’

      ‘Why?’

      He sighed. ‘Just answer the question, please, Miss Richmond.’

      ‘One hundred and twenty dollars, plus tips.’

      ‘I see. How long would it take for you to get another similar job, if you lost that one?’

      ‘What? Oh, I...I couldn’t say exactly. Sometimes you can be lucky, but it could take weeks and weeks.’

      ‘Three months tops, would you say?’

      ‘Y-yes.’ What was he getting at? Why didn’t he just let the matter drop? She wasn’t going to say yes, no matter how much he offered her.

      He picked up a small calculator lying on his desk. ‘Thirteen weeks times one-twenty equals one thousand, five hundred and sixty dollars,’ he calculated aloud. ‘I would assume a girl like you would get plenty of tips, so I’ll up it to two thousand dollars—up front and in advance. What do you say to that, Abby? Not bad pay for three days’ work. More than enough to make ends meet till you get another job.’

      His use of her first name did not escape Abby, and it sealed his fate even more than his demeaning offer. ‘I’m sorry, but I must refuse again, Dr Grant. I’m simply not a good enough actress for the part. I think Sylvia’s right. I think you should hire yourself a professional.’

      ‘But I don’t want a professional, Abby,’ he returned coolly. ‘I want you.’

      She just stared at him, her mouth going dry. My God, if she didn’t know him better, she might think that he really meant that.

      ‘Maybe I should clarify that last statement,’ he went on drily, a single eyebrow lifting at her obvious surprise. ‘The reason I said I wanted you specifically is because I know that underneath your oh, so cool politeness you can’t stand a bar of me. I have no wish to have to fire you afterwards because you’ve stupidly fallen in love with me. On top of that, I would imagine that in the right clothes you could be quite lovely. Yes...’ His eyes drifted down from her face to the swell of her breasts. ‘Quite lovely.’

      Abby didn’t know which part of his speech infuriated her the most. Certainly the condescending and lukewarm ‘quite lovely’ kept going round and round in her head. My God, if she set her mind to it, she could knock this supercilious devil’s eyes out!

      ‘Aren’t you afraid my underlying dislike might show through?’ she asked through gritted teeth.

      ‘No. I have great faith in the acting ability of women. Besides, I never take out females who fawn all over me. Of course, under the circumstances, I will only expect you to pretend to be a friend, not my live-in lover. Consequently I will

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