LITMIR.BIZ

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      ‘It’s lovely. Very private. Bigger than I expected.’

      ‘I told you there was plenty of room. South wing’s yours,’ he said and, heading left, proceeded to show her the guest wing, complete with luxury spa, sitting room, breakfast nook, and four bedrooms. ‘Take your pick,’ he said. ‘It’s all guest accommodation.’

      He led her downstairs next, to the pool area and gym, tennis court, boat shed, boat ramp, and dock.

      ‘Yours?’ she said, glancing towards the yacht moored at the end of the dock, and Lex nodded.

      ‘Sienna meet Mercy Jane. There’s also a speedboat called Angelina in the boat shed for getting places in a hurry,’ he told her. ‘Rudy maintains both boats and, when I say maintain, I mean he’s fanatical about their function and their finish.’

      ‘So…no getting to know the girls,’ she said.

      ‘Wrong. Befriend the girls by all means. Just cut your nails, take all your jewellery off first and don’t lead them astray. Should you want to go somewhere and should Rudy decide that you’re suitably attired, he’ll have the speedboat in the water before you can say wouldn’t it be easier to take the Porsche.’

      ‘How protective is Rudy of the Porsche?’

      ‘You can have a set of keys to the Porsche,’ he told her with a grin. ‘Rudy doesn’t give a fig about the Porsche.’

      He took her back upstairs and showed her the middle section of the house next, otherwise known as the west wing. ‘Kitchen,’ he said, and opened the door onto a spotless stainless-steel wonder. ‘Library,’ he said next, and showed her a room containing dark leather lounges, the odd desk or four, and floor-to-ceiling bookcases covering three walls. ‘The billiards room,’ he said, opening another door and affording Sienna a brief glance of yet another manly entertainment area.

      ‘Is Rudy precious about his felt?’ she asked him sweetly.

      ‘You have no idea.’ He ushered her through to the formal dining area with its floor-to-ceiling windows and multimillion dollar view of the harbour, the bridge, and the skyscrapers of the city proper. Adjacent to that was the west-wing drawing room where Rudy had set out the food. This room had been furnished with comfort in mind rather than to impress, even though it boasted floor-to-ceiling windows and that panoramic harbour view. There was more in it, for starters. Deep, comfortable chairs, a settee for lounging on, footrests and reading lamps, table and chairs for two, a couple of sideboards…

      ‘Nice,’ said Sienna, wistfully eyeing the food. ‘Where’s the business hub?’

      ‘Third floor. The staircase to the left of the atrium just inside the front door will take you straight there.’

      Sienna nodded. Inched her way a little closer to the food. ‘Where do you sleep?’

      ‘Same floor as this, north wing.’ Lex beat her to the food, poured two glasses of iced tea and handed her one. He picked up a chicken and cucumber sandwich triangle—no crusts—and ate it in a couple of bites before washing it down with tea. He had another, then another, then reached for a chocolate with a pistachio nestling on top of it. Would she stay? Would he be able to keep their relationship platonic if she did stay?

      He didn’t know.

      He still wanted to protect her. Some things never changed. He wanted her to confide in him so that he could fix whatever financial difficulty she was in. She shouldn’t have to give up the curator’s position she loved for an all-hours job where she’d be constantly at someone’s beck and call, even if the pay was better. He couldn’t stand the thought of it.

      The only person whose beck and call he wanted her to be at, he realised grimly, was his.

      ‘Rudy will ask you what you thought of the chocolate, you know,’ he murmured. ‘Try one.’

      ‘You’re trying to win me over with food,’ she said.

      ‘Not at all,’ he replied, selecting a dark chocolate truffle and letting the taste of it explode in his mouth. ‘These are good.’

      He’d keep.

      Sienna ignored the chocolate and reached for a sandwich instead. There was something very virtuous about selecting a chicken and cucumber sandwich in the face of crème brûlée and handmade chocolates. Besides, if she was going to stay here she needed to start building her resistance to items of extreme temptation. Like tempting truffles and ruthless rogues in sexy suits. She needed to start building it now.

      ‘Rudy knows I’m not much of one for chocolate,’ she said. ‘He won’t mind if I don’t have any. I think it’s good to come to an early understanding about such things, don’t you?’

      ‘Only if you’re bent on declaring war.’ Lex smiled in a way she was fast coming to learn was his ruthless pirate’s smile. ‘Rule number two for all successful personal assistants is to try and get on with the rest of the staff.’

      ‘I’ll do my best,’ she murmured. ‘What’s rule number one?’

      ‘Don’t annoy the boss.’

      Ah. Rule number one was the kicker. ‘I’ll work on that too. Speaking of which, when do you want to start work?’

      ‘That depends on whether you still want to find alternative accommodation. If you do, then we’d better sort something out today.’ He looked at her, his expression watchful, more old Lex than new. It didn’t change her awareness of him one little bit, though. Her awareness was here to stay. All the appearance of the old Lex did was increase her confusion and add mightily to the overall appeal of the new. ‘It’s up to you, Sienna,’ he said quietly. ‘Nothing you don’t want.’

      Why-oh-why did he have to play the man of honour now? Why couldn’t he have stayed the raider of hearts and made her decision on whether or not to stay here an easy one? Sienna looked at the food on tap and that glorious view. She thought of that fifty metre commute to work and the money she’d save by not having to pay rent. She thought of how blissfully easy life would be for the next month if only she and Lex could stick to work and friendship and forget all about the sexual curiosity kicking around between them. They’d managed friendship well enough for the past twenty years, hadn’t they? They’d managed it without any romantic inclinations whatsoever, for the most part.

      Nothing you don’t want.

      Well, she didn’t want to become his latest conquest and that was that. Lex would honour her wishes in that regard; she knew he would. He was honouring them now.

      ‘I’m prepared to give this place a chance,’ she said awkwardly, and immediately wished she didn’t sound quite so ungrateful. Lex was helping her out by taking her on as his PA. He didn’t have to. He could afford to employ the best, but instead he’d agreed to train her, and he was paying her triple her old wage for the inconvenience. She tried again. ‘You have a beautiful house, Lex, with an amazing guest wing and I appreciate the convenience. I’d like to stay.’

      ‘Good.’ Lex loaded up a plate with sandwiches, and topped up his tea. ‘Get unpacked. Settle in. Go for a walk. Take a look around the bay. I want you in my office, ready to work, at two o’clock.’

      ‘Yessir!’

      Lex shot her a dark glance.

      ‘Yessir, Mr Wentworth?’

      ‘God give me strength,’ he muttered.

      ‘Well, what do your PAs usually call you?’ she asked him.

      ‘Lex.’

      ‘I’ll be there,’ she said. ‘Two o’clock sharp. Ready and willing to learn. You’ll see.’

      Sienna went straight to the south wing after Lex headed north with his plate of bounty in hand. She found her luggage in the largest bedroom and, mindful of rule number two, figured she might as well stay there.

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