by Aimee Duffy
‘Relax. There’s no rush. Sit down.’
The teasing tone slipped and though he spoke softly, the words were laced with command. Temptation to pull her arm free and storm out of the restaurant was strong, but then she’d lose everything – not just her pride. What was that worth when the alternative meant moving back to Cumbria?
She settled back into her chair. ‘I don’t appreciate being strung along.’
He released her and held up both his palms, the serious expression making him look older than his twenty-eight years. It was odd, she’d never thought of him as someone who could be what he needed to be, only someone who might be able to fool his fans and sponsors for short intervals. Now …
‘Blondie, if I was leading you on it wouldn’t be to sign a deal, if you catch my drift.’
The wink, followed by a decadent grin, stole her hope. At least Darrell had pretended to be a decent man. He even took the time to make promises he would never keep. Sebastian couldn’t even use her name!
But she shouldn’t be comparing him to her ex, and she certainly shouldn’t let him affect her mood this much. After their meals were served, she decided to ignore the teasing and get back to business, giving him a more in-depth rundown of what she had planned, all the while he shovelled his chicken and salad between lips she couldn’t stop peeking at.
Halfway through his lunch, he interrupted her plan of attack. ‘You’re hungry, you should eat.’
Alicia looked down at the healthy, unappetising fish and boring rice with a wrinkled nose. ‘I don’t really like this. I just guessed what a sportsman might need.’
He grinned. ‘I thought you didn’t care about me?’
‘I care about your image – something you don’t seem to have much interest in – because that’s my job.’
The easy-going smile slipped and he skewered another slice of chicken with his fork. ‘I care.’
His shoulders seemed rigid and the teasing glint had disappeared from his eyes. Fearing she’d offended him, Alicia scrambled for something to say. ‘Why don’t you show it?’
She bit her tongue. Crap, she was just making this worse.
But his smile reappeared and he wiped the corners with a napkin, then left it on his empty plate. ‘I’m not about to disclose the whys when you won’t.’
Frowning, she said, ‘Fair enough. I’ll get the bill.’
Collins caught her wrist again before she turned to wave over the waitress. His thumb rubbed lazy circles, making her tingle in places she shouldn’t. She was about to tell him off, but got caught up in his eyes. His concern was highlighted by the slight line between his brows.
‘We should get you something else if you didn’t like it,’ he said.
She snapped out of whatever spell he had her under and gently wrestled her hand back, instantly missing the connection. This was bad, she had to get out of there.
‘I have a sandwich in my drawer and a client to see soon,’ she lied.
Collins didn’t call her out or push for anything else. Instead, he picked up the contract.
She’d done it.
She’d gotten him to sign.
Excitement zipped through her, making her even more jittery.
Until he folded the papers in half.
‘What are you doing?’ she asked.
Collins grinned. ‘You didn’t think I’d sign before having it looked over properly, did you, Blondie?’
The disappointment clogging her throat was so great she didn’t take offense at the nickname. He could still say no. Alicia pushed the thought away. He would not say no. She hadn’t gone through a week of sleepless nights and two hours of torture for nothing. If he didn’t appear at Maine with a signed contract soon, she’d just have to track him down.
‘Of course.’ Alicia left the pen on the table. ‘It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr Collins. I hope we’ll get to work together soon.’
He laughed, probably at the false sweetness she’d forced into her voice, then rose too, throwing a few notes onto the table. After swiping up the mints, he led her out of Baxter’s with one hand on the small of her back, resurrecting those inappropriate tingles.
Outside, Collins handed her a mint. Then, in a move too quick she didn’t see it coming, he kissed her cheek – so close to her lips she could inhale his breath. Her skin sizzled, and her stomach melted. All she needed was for her knees to get all wobbly and she’d be a walking cliché.
‘I’ll come by tomorrow with the contract. It was lovely having lunch with you too, Ms Simpson.’
Alicia couldn’t help but smile at the formal way he addressed her, and felt hopeful that she’d scored the client of her career, so much so that she let the inappropriate kiss slide for the moment. After all, it was chaste. Not his fault that she reacted the way she did. ‘See you tomorrow, Sebastian.’
His eyes darkened when she said his name for the first time. Alicia knew her voice was a bit too suggestive for a business deal. It resembled the tone her little sister, Sylvia, used to get more wine in her glass.
As long as it got him to sign on the dotted line, that was the main thing. It had nothing to do with how his lips felt against her skin.
Before he could say anything else, she turned and headed toward the Maine building, with a grin she couldn’t seem to wipe off her face.
Chapter Three
So close, so bloody close, was Alicia’s thoughts when Mr Maine called the next day demanding an immediate meeting. The rage in his voice had her stumbling on shaky legs all the way down the long, grey corridor. It felt like more like walking on death row, not the building she’d known for years. The sides seemed to close in around her.
Since she’d seen the front page of the newspapers on her way to work this morning, she knew this was coming. She’d briefly considered calling in sick, but that wouldn’t make any of this better. She was done with wallflower Alicia, and going into the office proved that, if nothing else, she was growing a backbone.
Still, she’d rather dip her toe into a pool filled with piranhas than face Mr Maine’s wrath.
She knocked his door once, then entered when he grumbled something. His elderly face was raw, contrasting with what was left of his salt-and-pepper hair. Air puffed his chest out and she couldn’t look at him without trembling. There were newspapers scattered across his desk, all with various pictures of her … and Collins. She’d glimpsed the captions earlier. Saw what the media had come up with.
Alicia clasped her shaking hands together.
‘What’s going on here, Alicia? The truth.’ His voice was low and laced with steel. Just like her father’s had been the first time he’d given her a lecture. The first time she’d really made him angry by coming close to dragging his family’s reputation through the mud. A cool sweat broke out across her forehead.
‘I’ve no idea, sir. I didn’t know there were photographers there. We had lunch, discussed my pitch in more detail, and as I told you yesterday, Collins took the contract away to have his people look at it.’
Far from mollified, Mr Maine scowled at her. ‘You do realise there’s no way in hell he’ll sign now. His manager at AIG has already been on the phone chewing my ear off. He recognised you from the picture on our website – which I’ve had to remove. The last thing Collins needs is to be linked to another woman, even if you are the daughter of an earl.’ He ran a hand over his jaw with a sigh. ‘Not to mention our strict rule about getting involved with clients.’
Alicia gasped. ‘We’re not involved!’
His brows furrowed and his jaw tightened. He tapped his finger against the picture of Collins kissing her. She moved closer. It was like looking at a different woman. Her eyes were big and bright. She remembered only too well the shiver that went through her when he’d leaned in. Remembered the fiery scorch of skin on skin that smouldered right down to her bones.
With her face burning, she was about to launch into another denial but it was pointless. Wasn’t she the one who said people believed what the
y wanted? Mr Maine was obviously no different. Tears pricked her eyes as she imagined what came next, but she wouldn’t break down here. That could wait until later.
‘I’m going to have a think about what to do with you, Alicia. You’ve never given us problems before, but this crosses lines I’ve put in place for a reason. You’ve risked our reputation.’
He shook his head, and she could almost believe he didn’t want to do what was clearly coming. She’d be sacked. Without a chance to prove the pictures were not what they seemed.
Collins signing would be the only thing that could save her job now, but if his manager was angry at Maine, there was no doubt he would be too. As she walked back to her office, her shoulders stooped with defeat and the corridor seemed more claustrophobic than before.
A flurry of noise down the hall caught her attention. She kept going until she got to the reception desk. A large man, tall and wide, was causing the fuss. Making angry demands, if the way Sarah shied away from him was any indication. His voice was growling words so fast they were difficult to understand.
She was about to turn and look for security when she noticed who the big guy was with. Her breath stilled.
The man who could have cost Alicia her career before it even really got started lounged in one of the chairs, his arms folded across his chest while he looked at the bigger man with an amused glint in his eyes.
What on earth was he doing here?
Collins turned to her and his grin made her heart pound. Before she could give into the urge to run, he said, ‘Told you I’d be back, didn’t I, Blondie?’
Watching the colour drain from Alicia’s face made him feel like a first class-shit.
Seeing Tony turn on her like an angry pit bull made the feeling worse. Sebastian hopped out of the chair and was at his manager’s side before he could say a word. With one hand on the guy’s arm, he muttered, ‘Let’s wait until Maine comes down, then we can all air our grievances.’
He understood the questioning look Tony threw him, the suspicion glinting in his manager’s eyes. Since Tony gave him a wake-up call the grim reaper would have feared, he’d stuck with denial all the way. Besides, this time the media had it so wrong it was almost funny, but it had given him an idea. Which is why he’d insisted coming to Maine PR with Tony instead of letting him thunder on alone.
Nothing to do with the fact he wanted to see Blondie’s eyes flare up. Though at the moment she was all wide eyes and pale skin. That was his fault for being careless, and there was no doubt her boss had already given her hell. Unleashing Tony’s fury on her was the last thing any of them needed.
He mouthed ‘go’ and she backed away.
But then footsteps sounded down the hall. Before she could disappear, Maine was at her side. Sebastian cursed under his breath. He didn’t want her anywhere near this meeting. Tony and Maine erupting could get messy, and she looked scared enough without having them throw insults her way or talk about her like she wasn’t there. He’d known from the nightmare that had been his life since the split how horrible slander could be, and he wouldn’t even wish it on his ex. Though after Mai’s latest bullshit kiss-and-tell, it was tempting.
‘Perhaps we should do this somewhere private? Alicia, ready the meeting room,’ Maine instructed.
She disappeared in a flash and he had to lock his knees to keep from running after her to offer help. Or at the very least give her the massive apology he owed. That said something. He wasn’t the kind of person who had regrets until Mai came along, so apologies didn’t come easy.
At Tony’s grunt of an agreement, they were led through the building at a slower pace. Sebastian didn’t pay much attention to the plaques on the walls or potted greenery every few feet. He was focused on how he was going to save Blondie’s pretty little self from losing her job, all because he couldn’t resist kissing her.
When they got to the conference room they’d visited the day before, his attention zeroed in on Alicia. Her hands shook as she put a fresh filter in the coffee machine. He took a step towards her but Tony gripped his arm. He caught his manager’s scowl and decided against arguing. Tony was on the verge of dropping him as a client after Melbourne, and he didn’t want to push his luck.
They both slid into chairs across from Maine, but his gaze was on Alicia fussing with mugs in the corner.
Maine didn’t waste any time. ‘I apologise for the turn of events on behalf of Maine PR and Ms Simpson. The pictures are unfortunate, and I assure you we will do everything we can to prove the allegations are false and that Ms Simpson is not dating you, Mr Collins.’
‘Too little, too late,’ Tony snapped. ‘The evidence is already out there, and my client hardly has the best reputation.’
Alicia dropped a mug. It clattered on the counter then rolled over the side. She made a grab for it, but missed. The porcelain smashed when it hit the floor.
‘Leave it,’ Sebastian said. ‘We’ve already had coffee.’
His blood simmered at the thought of her being treated like the help. She was too smart, too good at what she did to play servant to the sharks.
She made her way to the table, her eyes never meeting his. She looked everywhere except directly at him. He gritted his teeth, his frustration growing. He liked her gaze on him, especially when it was fiery and scolding.
As she slid into a chair across the table, she focused on Tony and visibly wilted. Turning, he caught the look of bloody murder on his manager’s face and elbowed him. With a grunt, the man dialled the rage down a notch.
‘I’m … sorry. Of course nothing is going on between Mr Collins and I. Disproving the allegations is the first thing I’ll do when –’
‘You think we’re signing now? Are you insane?’ Tony boomed.
Mr Maine cleared his throat. ‘Miss Simpson’s indiscretion was unfortunate, and we have both apologised.’
His manager and Alicia’s boss argued until their rage just about replaced oxygen in the room. Sebastian tuned them out and instead focused on Alicia. Moisture made her eyes shimmery and that hit him in the chest harder than a wayward serve. This was his fault. She’d been more than professional, had sold him on her pitch, and hadn’t taken any of his shit at the restaurant. There wasn’t anyone else he wanted to hire. How was he going to convince Tony?
Lots of words, insinuations, and insults were volleyed back and forth between the two hotshots at the table. Alicia kept her chin dipped, hoping to appear remorseful when in truth her hackles were rising with every verbal slap she took from Collins’ manager.
It wasn’t her fault his client couldn’t keep his lips to himself. It certainly wasn’t her fault they’d been snapped in such an unfortunate pose. And if Collins didn’t sign, then surely that couldn’t be pinned on her?
If only the slither of guilt in her gut would believe the logic.
Something tapped against her foot and she jerked her head up. Collins had that look of concern again, and she tried to convince herself the leap in her pulse was rage. If anyone should be on trial here, it was him.
Don’t worry, he mouthed. I’ll think of something.
She’d passed worry the second she’d stepped into Maine PR. Now she was running on terrified.
Don’t, you’ll make it worse, she mouthed back. The traitorous sting in her eyes highlighted the fact she’d lost all hope. He hadn’t said a word since she’d sat down. If he really wanted to help, why wasn’t he jumping to her defence?
Because even though Collins wasn’t Darrell, they had more than one thing in common. Neither of them could man up when she needed them to.
‘Of course, she’ll be disciplined.’ Mr Maine’s words shocked her out of her thoughts. She closed her eyes to hide the tears collecting there. ‘I can’t promise more. Until now, her performance and behaviour have been exemplary.’
Seconds, minutes, maybe hours passed, and the hurt overcame the anger. She’d been disciplined as a child and a teen, but never as an adult. Certainly not since she’d left Cumbria.
‘You’re both missing the obvious.’ Collins’ voice had her snapping out of her pity party. She stared at him, along with the others. He couldn’t actually be coming through for her, could he?
‘Which is?’ Tony asked.
Sebastian gave Tony a run-down of Alicia’s plan to help save his career, and though his manager’s face paled to a healthier shade of pink, he shifted in his seat like hot coals lined the chair’s padding. Her heart raced with hope, but the terror Collins would screw this up dampened her forehead.
Tony frowned. ‘So the girl has good ideas. Doesn’t explain why you felt her up on the street.’
Oh, so now it was his fault? She was tempted to ask why he’d put her first in line to be shot at.
‘Alicia doesn’t only have good ideas, but she’s from a well-respected English family.’
Both Mr Maine’s and his manager’s expressions were blank, expectant. Alicia wondered where he’d dug up that information. He threw her a look that said ‘go with the flow’. Her expression froze and so did her spine. She had a bad feeling about this.
‘Dating an earl’s daughter is one way of showing I’m getting my act together, and the press don’t know she works here. They assumed we were on a date when really it was a meeting.’
She gasped and all eyes were on her. Collins’ foot connected with hers beneath the table and she swallowed back the insta-refusal. Under the scrutiny of her boss and the huge, rosy-faced man next to Collins, she ran the idea over in her head.
Denial was pointless. The papers had what they considered ‘proof’ along with several spins. All she could do now was give them a positive angle to work with. That was her job.
But at this cost? Alicia didn’t know. Using her family’s reputation meant her father would … Acid bubbled in her stomach and she rubbed a hand over her waist, trying to soothe the discomfort there. She couldn’t think about what her father would do. It was clear Tony had come for blood and wasn’t leaving until she was out on her backside or he was satisfied with their new plan. Her job was the priority, wasn’t it?
When it all came down to it, she didn’t really have a choice.
