Memo: Marry Me? (3 page)

Now she owed it to her girls to fix this problem. And she admitted she needed to do this for herself, too. What would she have left if her agency went under? ‘I’ll do whatever I need to, in order to regain your good will.’

‘No. I’m sorry.’ He got to his feet. ‘I appreciate the offer, but I can’t accept it.’

He couldn’t end the interview. Not yet.

‘I’ll raise the added free service to a month.’ Lily stood, too. How her budget would stretch to such a commitment, she had no idea, but she had to convince him.

‘You’re certainly determined.’ His gaze bored into hers with shrewd evaluation, and again with that hint of not entirely concealed male interest. ‘And probably worried sick that I’ll sue your company.’

Her heart fluttered in response to that look, but the flutter stopped abruptly as she absorbed his words. She feigned a calm she didn’t feel. Shook her head. ‘Not at all. I — ’

She had considered it. Indeed, she had almost made herself ill thinking about it on the way here. If he took legal action, her agency could be deemed culpable of all sorts of awful things and might sink in a sea of murky corporate waters, never to be seen again.

If he denigrated her agency to his business colleagues, that alone would bring about the same result. Neither option was acceptable. ‘Is that what you have in mind?’

‘No.’

Just that. Flat. Unequivocal. Decided, she suspected, before he even brought the matter up.

He went on, a considering look in the backs of his eyes. ‘But I’m impressed by your commitment to your agency, and by your resourcefulness. I’ve decided there
is
a way you can placate me.’

‘Anything.’ Words poured out. ‘A line of dedication to you on my tombstone. Jemima’s firstborn kitten — if I don’t manage to get her spayed before that happens. All Betty’s eggs for a year.’

She sounded too desperate, managed at least to stop herself before she admitted to her eBay addiction, too. Heat stung her cheeks. ‘Well, naturally you wouldn’t care about any of that, but what did you have in mind? If it’s within my power to do so, I’ll make it happen.’

‘Jemima? Betty?’ He murmured the names, and for a brief moment warm humour lit his eyes.

There was something so appealing about a man who could smile…

Then he shook his head, and the expression vanished. ‘Initially, all I thought I wanted — needed — was someone to keep things in basic good order while my regular secretary took her long-service leave.’

‘Yes.’ Her vigorous nod made her hair swing against her cheeks. ‘I understood those were your requirements when you first contacted us.’

He took a step forward. Reached one hand towards her cheek, stopped, shoved both hands into his pockets. ‘Things have changed.’

‘I’m afraid I don’t quite understand.’ She tightened her grip on the red and black pencil. Had he really been about to stroke her face? Her skin begged her to make it happen.

‘A woman in your position would have to be well-versed in all aspects of office skills?’ he prompted.

‘Well, yes, I am.’ Her pencil traversed the page at warp speed, making her odd-looking squiggles. Why make this personal — about her, specifically? Fresh unease built up.

‘You’d have worked on a number of temporary jobs, Ms Kellaway?’ A muscle in his jaw tightened, and his dark gaze shifted just once to her mouth before moving away. ‘Do you still do that?’

It took all her effort not to raise a hand to her lips. To touch them, as though, by simply looking at them, he had changed their texture or shape and she needed to feel that change for herself. ‘I keep my hand in, yes, with short assignments that don’t take too much away from my other responsibilities.’

Assignments that allowed her to appear in a good light to those business people she chose for the purposes of keeping her skills fresh. ‘My commitment to the agency doesn’t allow for more than that.’

That was true, too, if not all of the truth.

‘If circumstances demanded it, you could do more. You would adapt. I suspect you would be good at that.’ His words held a husky timbre that made her wonder just what sort of adaptation he was thinking about.

Then he gave a brief nod. ‘So here’s
my
proposition. I want you in this office, to sort out my problems and deal with my backlog.’

With each statement, her eyes widened. A mixture of anxiety, incredulity and fear stormed through her. He wanted
her
? She could stay here for a couple of weeks, but even that wasn’t in her plan. ‘I can’t leave my work — ’

‘You’d be surprised what you can do, Lily Kellaway, if the need and the motivation are there.’ Unshakeable demand in each word, he continued. ‘I want you to make my office run the way it has done for the past eleven years, with barely a hiccup to disturb me. When Maddie comes back, I want things to be so shipshape, she won’t even know she’s been gone.’

‘Really. I’m sorry.’ Lily had wanted a second chance, but not like this. She would make a fool of herself, would reveal her weaknesses in front of him. No. It was out of the question. As was explaining her reluctance to take up what he must see as a reasonable challenge. ‘But I couldn’t — ’

‘Yes, you could, and you will. You’re the right person to take it on, because you care enough about the outcome that you’ll make sure it all works out.’

He didn’t move, but she sensed the mental dusting of hands as he presented her with what he must view as a
fait accompli
. If he had any lingering concerns about feeling attracted to her, they were well buried.

Perhaps he had simply shut that attraction off? Not that she couldn’t do the same. The stress of this situation had blurred her ability to act decisively, that was all.

He went on, his voice deepening with each word. ‘I’m sure your organisational skills will be more than up to the task, and it’s only a few months when all’s said and done.’

‘Only a f-few months.’ He really wanted her to do this work herself. Had made his mind up and would refuse to accept anything else. As for her organisational skills, she choked back a bitter laugh. Lily organised her life to death, and it still wasn’t enough.

The inescapability hit her. The notebook slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor. Pages fanned out like a startled lizard’s ruffle. Her carefully controlled world fell on its ear at the same time.

With the addition of the month she had stupidly tossed in, it would be three months and three weeks. She couldn’t afford to be here anywhere near that long.

She would have to prevaricate. Would have to accept his ultimatum for now, and convince him later to take Deb in her place.

‘You don’t have any choice, you know.’ He retrieved her notebook and gently passed it to her.

The book was a symbol of her weakness, if he had but known it. Within its pages she attempted to maintain control of her life. Everything from shopping lists, to appointments, to work demands, to names of people she might need to call again.

‘I’ve quite made up my mind, you see. So put your wonderful Deborah in charge of your agency. Let her do whatever it is you usually do.’ His tone lowered to calm, focussed intent and he went on. ‘And you, Lily Kellaway, give yourself to me.’

Z
ACHARY
Swift had given Lily fifteen minutes to organise her agency matters. Lily’s small electronic timer counted down the seconds even now. As a result, her phone conversation with Deborah was limited. It would help if she wasn’t so aware of Zachary, seated in his office with the door open, working through twin mountains of paperwork with a determined diligence. She even liked that about him — drat the apparently hard-working man!

‘I’ll look after everything, Lily. Don’t worry.’ Deb’s words barely registered.

It was difficult to notice anything but the man in her peripheral vision.

He glanced up as though sensing her gaze on him, and she felt heat warm her cheeks as she quickly looked away.

‘Thanks, Deb.’ Lily couldn’t afford
not
to take notice of this conversation. She jotted Deb’s agreement to take over until further notice into her diary. ‘You have the key to my office and the tapes…’

Where had Lily left the tapes? She couldn’t visualise them. ‘They should be beside the computer. If they’re not, I might have left them in the top drawer of the desk. Re-direct the phone to your place. I’ll call you tonight to catch up properly.’

The moment Lily ended the call, she scribbled self-help instructions on several sticky notes and slapped them into place above the phone, on the filing cabinet, over the dictation machine. She wished she could put up ‘Don’t be Aware of the Boss’ notices, too.

And she was wasting mental energy when her fifteen minutes were almost up! She needed to take stock. Put steps in place to ensure she could emulate the operation here and seem reasonably competent during the standard ‘unfamiliar territory’ phase. But surely once things settled down a bit Zachary would be ready to take Deborah in her place?

‘Do you have everything organised with your assistant, so you can focus solely on your work here from now on?’ He stood in his office doorway, shirt sleeves rolled up, tie loosened.

What if she couldn’t turn off the way she noticed him? What if this awareness of him didn’t go away? Just kept increasing and deepening, as it was even now? ‘Yes. It’s all organised, although it involved a certain amount of reshuffling.’

She wished he would comb his ruffled, unruly hair. And, while he was at it, don the jacket he had removed the moment she’d agreed to his demand.

‘I’m glad you’re organised, because you’ll need to be to do a good job here.’ His mouth lifted at the corners as though to soften the challenging statement.

Why did he have to attract her, anyway? He was
so
not her type. If she ever took another man into her life — which was highly doubtful — he would be gentle, perhaps scholarly or poetic.

A man who would dress in twill trousers and misshapen pullover sweaters, not power business-suits of darkest grey that emphasised every muscle and sinew.

‘I’ll do the very best for you that I can, Mr Swift.’ She deliberately avoided mentioning duration of time, and tried not to let anxiety get the better of her. She should be able to fool him long enough.

Her mentor at the institute might have said she should be open about her limitations, should tell people up front. But he didn’t know what it was like to see the change in their faces, to read the pity, and worse, in their eyes.

And she would get over this mild, unexpected reaction to Zachary Swift. She would! She flipped her diary open and put it in a prominent place where she would be sure to see it at frequent intervals. ‘I’ll go through all this clutter, sort it out, and get to work on the most urgent of it.’

‘Zach will do.’ His hands rested loosely at his sides. ‘And the clutter will have to wait a bit longer, I’m afraid.’

‘If not this muddle…’ She waved a hand. ‘What do you want me to tackle first, exactly?’

‘There’s a group of proposals on tape on the desk somewhere that should have been done Friday.’ He lifted a pile of papers as though to search for the tape, seemed to think better of it, and replaced them. ‘Standard beginning for each one, but individualised for the last couple of pages. And a meeting scheduled for 12.30 today in the conference room for ten people, plus us.’

‘No problem.’ Just a heap of overdue proposals and a lunch meeting to prepare for all in the space of, oh, what — an hour and a half? Panic snapped at her heels, scrambled up her ankles and sank its claws into her calves. She swallowed hard, and forced a calm tone she didn’t feel. ‘I’ll attend to typing the proposals. What’s required for the meeting?’

‘I’ll want a copy of the proposals for each guest, plus one of each for myself. You’ll also organise the meal, and take notes of anything pertinent said while we meet. Is that all clear?’ He glanced up in time to catch her scribbling furiously into her notebook, and his face softened a little. ‘You’re certainly diligent, taking notes of everything…’

‘It’s the way I work.’ She tipped her chin up and hoped he wouldn’t question her about it. ‘I’ll get started straight away. If that’s all for the moment?’

As soon as Lily said the words, she wanted to hyperventilate because she’d gone blank. She couldn’t remember any of his instructions. Not a one. They’d fallen into one of those holes inside her head, and disappeared. If her notes didn’t make sense once he turned his back, she was toast.

‘That’s all.’ He started to turn away, and then stopped. For a moment he watched her, as though he wanted to puzzle her out. ‘There are millions of dollars tied up in today’s meeting. The largest project belongs to a man who can be difficult. I don’t want him to have a reason to criticise my company.’

In other words, Lily had better not let Zach down! She focussed on breathing deeply in and out. ‘I understand.’

He must have believed the act, because he gave a short, satisfied nod. ‘I’ll leave you to it. I trust I’ll have the proposals very soon.’ He walked into his office and shut the door.

Please let me get these things done in time.
Lily re-read her notes. Fortunately, they made sense. Then she scribbled the meeting details onto the wall chart and into her diary, sticky-noted the need to find, type and collate the proposals, and dived for the phone book.

Thankfully she could cajole people when needed. That is, people other than the unshakeable Zachary Swift. Minutes later, with the meal agreed upon and delivery promised by 12.15 for a 12.30 start, she began to type.

The proposals were out, copied and onto Zach’s desk with just minutes to spare. A convincing summation of several of Swift Enterprises’ recent success stories, and individual offers to each company or business.

If his guests weren’t duly impressed, well, Lily was. He dealt in
big
business. The knowledge of his prowess was quite…stimulating.
Intellectually.

Even as she thought it, she studied his down-bent head from her vantage point in front of his desk, and acknowledged that no other male had appealed to her as much or as quickly as he had. What was wrong with her? Since moving to Sydney she had avoided even the slightest interest in men. It hadn’t been difficult to make that choice until now.

‘Good work.’ Zach skimmed the final page of the last copy, and rose to his feet. ‘Very accurate. Your typing speed must be as fast as your short — eh, note — taking.’

So he had noticed already that her code wasn’t the usual shorthand script. If he asked, she would explain it as a newly developed recording style, which was nothing but the truth. Sort of. But it worried her that he had picked up on that so quickly. What else might he see and wonder about?

When he stretched to relax his shoulders, she tried not to let her gaze be drawn to him. But she failed dismally. The man appeared to have some rather nice muscles under that suit, and something in her feminine make-up was attracted by that knowledge. In defence against her own thoughts, she crossed her arms.

‘I’m glad you’re happy with my work, although I know Deborah would have done just as well.’ She had to get that in, the first building block towards her own imminent exit. ‘These offers will mean a lot of new work, if they’re all accepted.’

His gaze tracked over her hair, then her shoulders, before taking a leisurely path downward, and back up again. It was cold comfort to her to know that in this case, unlike when they’d discussed the Rochelle debacle, the attraction appeared to be mutual. She didn’t
want
to want him, whether it was reciprocated or not.

He seemed to catch himself, and his glance shifted to the windows. ‘Yes, but we’re geared to handle that sort of influx. It’s what my finance and planning gurus thrive on.’

His forehead creased in thought. ‘This lot are an interesting mix of people. It’s not 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.