An Impossible Attraction

by Elsa Winckler

  He felt her presence before he saw her. And he smelled her before he turned around. And then he forgot to breathe. She was dressed in neat charcoal pants, a frilly kind of white blouse neatly tucked into the waistband, and over it she wore a light pink jacket. Her hair was neatly twisted and pinned up, leaving her long neck bare. Sunglasses hid her eyes. A laptop case was slung over her one shoulder, a handbag over the other.

  It was a very neat outfit for work, but if she was hoping to look businesslike, she was not succeeding. She looked sexy as hell. All he could think of was taking down her hair and getting her naked. He knew exactly how soft her skin felt, how neatly her breast fit into his hand.

  He wanted to tell her he had a room upstairs with a huge bed covered in black satin sheets where they could spend the rest of the day. He wanted to describe to her in detail what he wanted to do to her, with her.

  “You’re late,” he snarled instead.

  This was business, damn it. After this meeting he was going to get on his bike and cycle until he’d be too tired to think about having sex with this woman.

  And then he was going to phone one of the very willing women listed in his little black book. Hell, he didn’t have to spend his nights taking cold showers. He was thirty-one, not fifteen, for crying out loud.

  She pressed her lips together and nodded.

  “The traffic—” she began, but he turned his back on her and started towards the lift.

  “You know traffic is bad, you should’ve left earlier.” He growled and pressed the button.

  *

  Zoe inhaled slowly while she followed Dale into the lift. The doors closed silently and the two of them were alone while they travelled upwards.

  It was clear Dale was in a bad mood and she wasn’t going to dignify his last comment with an answer. Lack of sleep had left her feeling grumpy, and she was using all her control to try and behave civilly. Add to that the ridiculous effect the man had on her and she shouldn’t talk about anything else but work today.

  She had promised herself she would behave like the professional she was supposed to be and not let him affect her again like he’d done last night.

  Although they were both facing the doors, she was aware of everything about him—his scent, his breathing, the heat of his body. And she recalled every stroke of his hand over her skin the previous evening.

  Just when she thought she was going to do something foolish, the lift stopped and the doors opened.

  “This way,” Dale said in a clipped voice and pointed towards a big room opposite them.

  He waited for her to step out and, as they walked towards the office, he put his hand to her back. She had to swallow the sudden lump in her throat. She loved seeing a man touching a woman like this, loved seeing how he instinctively tried to protect the woman he was with even though she didn’t need it.

  “I have the plans for the hotel near the Kruger Park here,” Dale said and walked towards a big table in the middle of the office. “I thought we could start by looking at them first. The layout is slightly different to what we’ve done so far. Then, afterwards, I’ll show you around this hotel. If you have time, I would also like to show you the one near the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden today.”

  He bent over the plans that were spread out on the table. “You can see on this plan that the hotel has been built around a big marula tree. We didn’t want to chop that down and it also brings the bush closer to the guests, we argued.”

  “I remember seeing it, yes,” Zoe murmured and looked to where Dale’s tanned hand was pointing.

  She tried to focus on the plans and not his hand, but it was such a struggle, and after a few minutes, she gave up.

  “Can I take these with me?” she asked and put out a hand to pick them up.

  “Certainly not.” Dale growled and quickly folded the plans. “If you want to look at them, we look at them together. I don’t trust anyone with my work.”

  Confused, Zoe stared at him. “But how am I supposed to—”

  “If you want to look at the plans, you come to me.”

  This, she’d never had to deal with before. She’d try something else.

  “Do you have something specific in mind?” she asked, trying her best to sound cool and collected. She touched her laptop. “Because I have some ideas I could—”

  “Not before you’ve seen all the hotels,” he interrupted her. “I thought I made that clear. You can put your laptop back in your car.”

  He turned to leave the room and for one moment Zoe considered sticking her tongue out. But she bit her lip and followed him. There was a contract; this was going to be good for her business. Maybe if she kept repeating these words, she might be able to concentrate on what she was supposed to do.

  *

  “And this is one of the bedrooms…” Dale said and opened the door.

  Zoe entered the lovely room, trying not to look at the huge bed. Hopefully she could leave after this. They had spent most of the morning looking around in the first hotel before setting off for this one opposite the botanical gardens. She had insisted on driving herself here and couldn’t wait to leave.

  Like the hotel she’d been in yesterday, this one also had glass all around, but it was a much smaller, more intimate hotel than the big one in the city. The interior reflected what she’d now come to realize was Dale’s preference—understated, quiet, with a splash of colour here and there.

  Her shoulder muscles were stiff from trying to keep herself together. She hadn’t eaten this morning, had refused tea when he’d offered it earlier and now her blood sugar was low, her hormones driving her crazy, and she just wanted to go home.

  “You’ll see—” Dale said again but his phone rang. He looked at the number and his face lit up. “Just a sec.” He turned his back on her.

  Zoe walked towards the bathroom but could hear every word of Dale’s side of the conversation.

  “Cybil, darling!” he gushed. “I’ve just been thinking about you this morning,” he said in his velvety voice.

  Zoe walked into the spa-like bathroom but could still hear what Dale was saying. It was obvious he was talking to a woman and equally obvious he was very happy to hear from her.

  “Tomorrow night? That sounds great. I’ll pick you up at seven?”

  He finish the conversation and she walked back into the room, making notes and trying to ignore the sharp pain that had lodged itself close to her heart.

  Irritated with herself and with him, she put her notebook back in her handbag. “I have to leave,” she said. “Thanks for showing me around. But surely you have enough to do and don’t have time for this? I could even visit the rest of the hotels on my own. I know now what you want me to look at.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “You’ve agreed to my terms, nothing changes that,” he said coolly.

  “Fine,” she said and walked past him as quickly as she could. “According to the schedule I got from your secretary, we’re going to your hotel in Stellenbosch tomorrow, I’ll meet you there,” she said without stopping.

  “I’ll pick you up—”

  “No, thank you. I’ll meet you there,” she said and before he could say another word, she walked out of the door.

  *

  She was hungry, tired, and upset. She took the stairs, not wanting to be cooped up again in such a close space with Dale.

  Her phone rang. It was Hannah.

  “Are you free tomorrow night?” Hannah asked.

  “Yes, I am,” Zoe said fervently. “Where?”

  “Sea Point?”

  “La Perla?”

  “Seven?”

  “Yes!” Zoe called out, smiling for the first time today.

  “I’ll pick you up,” Hannah sang and rang off.

  Zoe pulled the pins out of her hair, shook it loose, and got into her car. At least she had something nice to look forward to.

  *

  When Dale reached the window of the room he’d just shown Zoe and looked down to the parking
lot, he was just in time to see her hair tumbling down over her shoulders. A need so fierce that it robbed him of his breath seared through his body.

  She had her phone to her ear and was smiling.

  Something he hadn’t seen her doing today.

  He turned away. Tomorrow night he was taking out another woman and he was going to enjoy every second. He was going to have sex with her as soon as was decently possible because, damn it, he had to get Zoe Sutherland out of his system.

  The only reason she’d agreed to do this job was because it would be good for her business. She was like all the other women he’d met—not really interested in him as a person but more in what he had and what they could get through him.

  At least she didn’t pretend to like his company; today she’d been all business and cool. The way he’d wanted it, the way he’d made sure it stayed all day.

  So why the hell did he keep thinking about her wrapped around him, her body pressed close to him, her lips underneath his? Damn it, he had to get laid tomorrow night or he might do something he’d regret.

  At least he’d left the damn panties at home this morning. Not that it was helping. He could still picture her wearing them.

  Swearing, he stormed down the chairs. His phone rang. It was Darryn.

  “Yes,” he answered shortly.

  “I have a date tomorrow night,” Darryn said grumpily.

  “So have I,” Dale said and couldn’t help smiling at his brother’s tone. “But at least I don’t sound so unhappy about it.”

  “Join us, please? I’ll pick you up.”

  Dale frowned. Darryn sounded weird. “Is everything okay?” he asked.

  “I’m fine. Just want everyone off my back for a change, Mom especially. I’m taking a woman on a date. Are you joining us or not?” Darryn asked irritably.

  Dale just laughed. Normally Darryn was a nice guy, but over the last few months, he’d been impossible to have around. Maybe spending time with him after work was a good idea.

  Chapter Nine

  It was a beautiful autumn day. There wouldn’t be many more of these gentle days. According to the newspaper, the first cold front was making its way towards Cape Town. That normally meant winds, storms, and rain.

  Zoe parked behind the hotel. The setting of the place was ideal, right in the heart of the town. She didn’t see Dale’s car. It would seem he was the one who was late today. She’d left Cape Town early to make sure she would be on time and already had a cup of coffee in one of the many coffee shops Stellenbosch had to offer.

  Her phone rang. It was her mother. Zoe was wondering when she’d phone. Caitlin would have told her about their talk at the Cavallo hotel already.

  “Hi, Mom,” she said and held her breath.

  “Zoe, sweetheart, I’m still trying to catch my breath! I’ve heard that you’ve kissed that delectable young man!” her mother gushed. “Good for you.”

  Zoe smiled. Her mother was incorrigible. She was over sixty but always talked in exclamation marks. And when the subject was kissing, she was over the moon.

  “It really was just a one-time thing, Mom,” she said, crossing her fingers. There was no way she was going to tell her mother about the second round of kissing. “How are you doing?”

  “I’m fine, my dear. As always. But you’re not going to get me sidetracked. I want to know every last detail.”

  Zoe got out of the car. “I have a meeting, Mom. I’ll phone you later this week, okay? But there really isn’t anything to tell.”

  It was quiet for a few seconds.

  “Oh, come on, Zoe, I’m your mother. Tell me something, I’m looking for inspiration for my new book.”

  Zoe giggled. “Oh, Mom, you’re hopeless. What do you want me to say?”

  “Well, how was it? Just a quick touching of the lips? Were tongues involved? Did you like it?”

  “Mother!” Zoe called out, flushing. A good thing her mother couldn’t see her now. “I’m not going to tell you that!”

  “Oh, all right,” her mother grumbled. “I’ll use my imagination on the specifics. But on a scale from one to ten, how would you rate his effort?”

  Zoe was silent for a moment. “You only have a ten-point scale?” she teased.

  Her mother inhaled audibly. “That good?” she whispered in awe.

  “That good.”

  Her mother sighed. “Oh, lovely. Just lovely. Okay, sweetie, I have to go and work,” she said hurriedly and rang off.

  Grinning, Zoe grabbed her tablet and bag and walked towards the hotel. The tablet is easier to use than her laptop when walking around all day. Her mother was happy. She was going to write about kissing.

  Zoe fanned herself. Just talking about kissing Dale had her all flustered. She inhaled the fresh air and tried to calm down. Stellenbosch was only about an hour’s drive from Cape Town.

  It was a beautiful and busy student town. The town was well-known for its huge oak trees, some of which had been planted in 1683 by the Dutch East India Company governor of the time, Simon van der Stel. Fortunately, those in charge had managed to save some of the historical buildings that had been standing there since the founding of the town. She didn’t often get a chance to visit but had always loved the vibe of the town.

  Zoe looked up at the hotel as she approached it and couldn’t help an appreciative sigh. She had wondered whether this hotel would also have a glass exterior like the others. Situated here, she’d thought the modern glass look Dale preferred would look out of place. But he’d somehow succeeded in combining glass with the typical Dutch-styled houses one could still find around the town.

  She stepped inside the hotel and couldn’t help another sigh, this one of relief. There wasn’t any sign of Dale yet. She took a seat on one of the couches and looked around her. The inside of the hotel had the same understated elegance she’d seen in the others. Here white had been combined with beiges in different textures and shades.

  She found herself fidgeting and willed her shoulders to relax. Just the thought that Dale would be there any minute had her restless, unsure of herself, and she hated to feel like that. Why would she be this way around him?

  Yes, he was attractive and sexy as sin—all the Cavallo men were. Why then was it only when she was with him that her hormones went haywire? And how could she understand his behavior?

  Two nights ago, he’d turned up at her flat, told her he didn’t want her kissing other men. He’d kissed her, had her just about naked in front of him, took her panties with him, and yesterday she could’ve been chopped liver for all the attention he gave her.

  At the thought of the panties he’d taken, her face suffused with heat and her heart started doing cartwheels. She should give her mother that tidbit at some point—she would love to use it in one of her stories.

  This—whatever it was going on between her and Dale—was also just make-believe, it wasn’t real. As she knew all too well, in the real world men didn’t stay around forever, not like in her mother’s stories where the heroine always got to marry the hero. She had to stop dreaming and thinking about this guy.

  It wasn’t that she didn’t like men. She enjoyed their company, she’d even had sex on two occasions. Experiences that had left her frustrated and disappointed. She’d probably expected something of the fireworks her mother always wrote about in her romances but, as she should have known, those were fairy tales, not real.

  She’d definitely never met anyone who’d led her to believe in the happily-ever-afters her mother described.

  And it wasn’t as if Zoe’s home life had been a good example of marital bliss. Yet, her parents seemed to be quite happy being divorced. Her mother had a very full life; her dad always had a different woman on his arm.

  Okay, Caitlin seemed to be quite happy at the moment. But what was going to happen once the baby was born and Don had to leave for business? Would he still be faithful? Would she be happy staying home?

  Relationships were just so complicated and, from what she’d see
n so far, they mostly ended where one or both parties were angry or hurting. And, anyway, with a father like hers, she was plain wary of men.

  It would be much better to remain professional when Dale was around. She was going to tell him about her ideas for the hotel this morning. Hopefully, he’d give her a chance to at least explain what she had in mind. And that would mean they wouldn’t have to spend quite so much time together.

  She frowned. Somehow, she would have to get hold of the plans of the hotel, though. How Dale thought she could work without them, she had no idea. And there was no way she was going to contact him every time she wanted to check something on the plan. She’d ask again nicely and if he still refused, she’d have to make another arrangement.

  She felt him behind her before he spoke.

  Shaking her head at her own foolishness, she got up.

  “Dale.” She nodded in his direction without looking at him.

  “Zoe,” he said, sounding businesslike.

  Good. Now if she could only keep this up for the rest of the visit.

  *

  Dale quickly turned away from Zoe and looked around for the manager. If he didn’t talk to someone else quickly, he might just do something crazy like taking Zoe to one of the suites in the hotel and locking the door behind them.

  Today she was wearing a tan jacket over a coral-coloured dress that ended demurely just above her knees. But the flesh-coloured high heels she wore showed off her gorgeous legs, and all he could think about was gliding his hands up and up—

  “Mr. Cavallo, sir.”

  Dale looked around gratefully. The manager was approaching from behind him.

  “Henry.” Dale greeted him and introduced Zoe without looking at her.

  How the hell was he going to keep his hands to himself? By insisting on being with Zoe when she visited the hotels, he was punishing himself. As if it wasn’t enough that her damn black panties had him dreaming X-rated dreams for the last few nights. Also his own bloody fault.

  He could get someone else to show her around. Hell, he should get someone to show her around. Maybe he should excuse himself and let Henry take her around.