This time the silence didn’t feel quite so peaceful. He was tense beside her, the light-heartedness of a moment ago now gone. She racked her brains for a way to bring it back.
‘You think this is a bad idea, don’t you?’
They’d reached a stile and he climbed over first, his movements agile and economical. ‘Walking with you in the sun, across the cliffs?’ He held out his hand to help her down.
‘Not exactly.’ She felt the zing from his brief touch hum all through her body. ‘More taking the company out of the office for three days.’
‘Ah.’ He rubbed at the back of his neck as they set off again, and her eyes were drawn to the flex of his bicep. God, she was turning into a Ryan Black groupie. ‘We need to have a new app out yesterday, and we’re swanning about in Cornwall. Guess you could say I’m confused, but what do I know?’
‘You know more than you think. In fact, broadly speaking, this was your idea.’
‘Whoa, hold on.’ He held up his hand. ‘Where did you get that from?’
‘You told me we needed to go one better, and you were right. Tomorrow’s brainstorming session is going to give us that.’ It had to. She was betting everything she had on it.
‘A bunch of hungover people with sunburn are going to come up with the next big idea for your app?’
‘I can’t be responsible for whether you’ve all put sunscreen on today, but I can restrict the alcohol tonight.’ She grinned over at him. ‘Should have kept your big mouth shut, Black.’
He caught her eye and, though he didn’t laugh, amusement glinted in those dark pools, and humour relaxed the harshness of his face. Set against the rugged coastline, with the sun bringing out his tan, he was gorgeous enough to make her breath catch.
It was with a mixture of relief and disappointment that she saw they were catching up with the group ahead of them.
‘Did you ever consider only bringing a few of us here?’ he asked.
‘Which few? How can we know where the next idea will come from? Besides, how motivated would you feel if half of the company were, what did you call it, swanning off in Cornwall, and you were left behind?’ She hated the thought of anyone believing there was a them and us.
‘As long as you kept paying me, I’d keep working.’
‘That’s what Damien used to say. You tech guys must have no heart.’
She felt him stiffen. ‘Lump me in the same category as your lying, cheating ex. Nice.’
‘I didn’t mean it like that.’
‘Sure.’ He gave her a sidelong look. ‘Have you heard from him since last week?’
She hesitated. ‘No.’ When he carried on staring at her, she huffed. ‘Okay, he did send me a bunch of apology roses.’
‘And they’re different from I want to get back in your pants again roses?’
‘Of course. Apology roses have a card with them saying sorry.’ A single word followed by his name. Since she didn’t much like flowers – something Damien would have known, if he’d ever listened to her – Sam had given them to Kerry to take to her mum, who was recovering from a knee operation.
Ryan shook his head. ‘Roses are roses. They always say I want to get into your pants.’
‘Send a lot of them, do you?’
He smirked. ‘I prefer the direct approach.’
In a flash she was back in that bar, being propositioned by a dark, sexy stranger. All I care about is whether your bedroom is less of a shithole than mine.
Ryan Black hadn’t needed roses to seduce her. Just a smouldering glance from his magnetic dark eyes. And a terrible chat-up line. She’d been that easy.
Perhaps it wasn’t surprising then that she was finding the man she knew now, the one who’d been charming to her parents, who’d held and comforted her even after she’d raged at him, after she’d thumped him, increasingly hard to resist.
Chapter 18
Ryan found himself sitting between Becky and Alice at dinner. How he’d managed to cock that up so badly, he didn’t know. Of everyone here – and of course Sunshine Sam had invited the whole company, why not? Can’t have anyone feeling left out – of everyone here, Becky and Alice would have been bottom of his list of desirable dinner companions.
Becky, because he was pretty certain she didn’t like him. The concept wasn’t new but being liked by the friend of the woman you had a thing for seemed quite important.
As for Alice, he didn’t want to sit next to her because she kept looking at him with wary eyes, as if she was expecting him to tear her off a strip at any moment.
Christ, he needed a drink.
‘Is there any beer?’ He directed the question at Alice without thinking.
She immediately leapt to her feet, all desperate to please. ‘I’ll go and find out.’
‘No.’ Her eyes widened, like a startled deer, and he cursed inwardly before making a determined effort to gentle his voice. ‘No need. I’ll have some red.’ He reached for the wine bottle in front of him and was about to pour himself some when he belatedly remembered his manners. ‘Do you want some?’
‘Please.’ A cautious smile. ‘Thank you.’
He tried to smile back, though he probably came off as only marginally less sinister than Hannibal Lecter.
Having poured out their wine he sat back and took in his surroundings. They were sitting on the terrace outside her parents’ house. Fairy lights were strung around the nearby trees and solar lights shone from the various flower-pots lining the patio area. The long table was littered with tea lights, bottles of wine, chunks of fresh bread, dishes of olives and plates of various meats. It had a real continental feel, yet here they were, in Cornwall.
Her parents had put in a brief appearance, just long enough to say a general hello – not long enough for either of them to catch his eye – before they drove off in their Range Rover, leaving Sam and the caterers to it.
‘Still think coming out here is a bad idea?’
He turned to find Becky giving him a curious look. ‘I never said it was.’
‘You didn’t have to. The expression on your face when Sam announced it said it for you.’
He let out a huff of annoyance. ‘Can we cut out the needling for one night, huh? It’s tiresome.’
She pursed her lips. ‘It wasn’t a dig. More an observation. You looked like you were taking everything in. I wondered what you were thinking.’
‘I’m thinking her parents have taste. It’s a nice place.’
Becky seemed to relax at that. ‘Yeah, it is, isn’t it? They moved here five years ago, along with Sam’s grandparents, who lived in the barn you’re staying in. Sadly, they’ve both passed away.’
‘Is that Grumps?’
Surprise flickered crossed her face. ‘Yes. Sam’s grandma died two years ago. Grumps was never the same after that.’ Becky glanced towards the end of the table where Sam was talking animatedly with Kerry. ‘It was tough on Sam. She doted on him.’
‘Yeah. I know.’
‘You do?’
‘Why so shocked?’
She gave him a long, cool study. ‘Because you’re not exactly Mr Conversation.’
‘We’re talking now, aren’t we?’
She looked like she wanted to scowl, but her innate sense of fun won over and she laughed. ‘Fair point. So, in the spirit of talking, have you still got the hots for Sam?’
The wine in the glass he was holding sloshed alarmingly up the sides as Ryan lurched back on his seat. ‘None of your business.’
‘True, but you can’t blame a girl for being interested. Especially considering how you two met.’
It was his turn to scowl. ‘Keep your voice down. Nobody else knows about that.’
‘Sorry.’ Becky sighed, playing with the stem of her glass. ‘Look, I just wanted to tell you not to mess her about. Damien’s betrayal hit her really hard.’
The implied comparison to her ex set his teeth on edge. ‘I’m not that kind of guy. Besides, she’s my boss. Pissing her off is hardly a smart
move.’
There was a beat of silence as Becky’s heavily outlined dark eyes flicked over his face. Then she surprised him by smiling. ‘It must be really awkward for you, huh? I hadn’t really thought about it until now. I’d been more focused on how weird it must be for Sam.’
‘Tell me about it,’ he returned heavily. Awkward didn’t even begin to describe the feeling of being hugely attracted to a woman who not only outclassed him but was the boss of him. Yet when he was with her, like on the walk this afternoon, he forgot all that. She simply became a woman he desperately wanted to get to know more. A woman he wanted to taste again, to touch, to feel beneath him, on top of him. All around him.
Becky turned to answer a question from the guy sitting to her right, and Ryan allowed himself a peek at Sam. She looked especially hot tonight in cropped white trousers and a blue shirt that matched the colour of her incredible eyes. Despite the pressure she was under with the company, tonight she looked … energised. Buzzing. Totally in her element as she bestowed a smile here, a funny comment there. She didn’t pay lip service to the whole team philosophy, she lived and breathed it.
She chose that moment to glance up and catch his eye. He raised his glass, toasting her, and she smiled before continuing her conversation with the lucky sod she was sitting next to.
His study of her was interrupted as a plate piled high with seafood pasta was placed in front of him. Welcoming the excuse to eat rather than talk, Ryan tucked in.
It was only after he’d finished that he realised he probably should do the conversation thing with Alice, so he turned to her. She was staring down at her phone, tears in her eyes.
Crap. He should leave her to it. Yeah, that was best. He wasn’t like Sam. He didn’t have a natural warmth, or empathy. Ignoring would be less embarrassing for both of them.
He snuck another look at her, saw a tear roll down her cheek and swore silently. ‘Alice?’ She jerked her head up and he could see she’d been so engrossed in whatever she’d been reading, she’d forgotten where she was. ‘Everything okay?’
Her cheeks flushed and she clattered the phone onto the table. ‘Yes, fine.’ Her hands trembled as she put them in her lap. ‘It’s just my boyfriend.’
Upset, he could ignore. Scared, he couldn’t. ‘Let me reword that. What’s wrong?’
She shook her head, rubbing a hand over her wet cheeks. ‘Nothing.’
‘Well, you’re crying for some reason.’ He gave her a wry smile. ‘I hope it’s not that you’re stuck with me to talk to.’
‘What? Oh, no … I mean sitting next to you is fine.’
He figured ‘fine’ was about what he deserved. ‘What made you cry then?’ He made her hold his gaze. ‘And don’t fob me off. I know a scared look when I see one.’ When she still didn’t say anything, he inhaled, let the breath out slowly and then admitted something he hadn’t told anyone. ‘You know how I can spot when a woman’s scared? My mum had that look on her face for a lot of my childhood. Until my dad did the decent thing and left.’
Alice jerked her eyes away from his. ‘I don’t know why you’re telling me this. What does it have to do with me?’
He searched her face, wondering how he’d missed it up till now. Her eagerness to please. The way she flinched when he raised his voice. ‘He didn’t hit my mum, but he liked to bully her. Probably because he was a bad-tempered, small-minded, insecure bastard who bossed her around at home to hide the fact he was a failure outside it.’ The memories made his blood boil and he had to take a moment to unclench his fist. Soften his voice. ‘What’s your boyfriend’s excuse?’
She bit into her lip, and her eyes welled again. ‘I don’t know,’ she whispered. ‘I don’t know why he does it.’
Sam caught herself staring at Ryan. Again. Only this time he wasn’t looking at her. Instead he seemed to be in a heavy conversation with Alice. And Alice appeared to be upset.
Excusing herself, Sam slipped off her chair and walked round the table. As she neared Ryan and Alice, she glanced at Becky, who shot her an I don’t know what’s going on look.
‘You need to get out.’ Ryan’s head was angled towards Alice, his expression fierce. She was avoiding his eyes.
Whatever was wrong, Ryan was clearly trying to help, but either he was going about it the wrong way, or Alice wasn’t ready to receive it.
‘Hey.’ They both turned to face her, Alice now looking embarrassed as well as upset. Ryan’s expression was more one of relief. ‘Is there anything I can help with?’
Ryan looked at Alice, who shook her head before lurching to her feet. ‘Excuse me. I need the toilet.’
‘Would you like me to show you where they are?’ Sam asked softly. Alice was one shaken-up young lady.
‘I went earlier. I’m fine. Thank you.’
Sam was filled with concern as she watched her dash off. ‘What’s wrong?’
Ryan sighed, pulling his chair out so he could rest his elbows on his thighs. ‘It’s her business.’ He glanced up. ‘But she could do with talking to someone who’s better at this stuff than I am.’
‘She looks really upset.’
‘She is.’ Suddenly Ryan sat bolt upright. ‘Hey, wait a minute. You think I upset her?’
‘Of course not. At least not deliberately.’
He let out a crack of unamused laughter. ‘Thanks for the vote of confidence.’
She slid onto the chair Alice had vacated, anxious to make sure he understood where she was coming from. ‘She’s young and sensitive, Ryan. Even more so now she believes Privacy Solutions is in trouble because of what she said to Damien. It would be easy for anyone to upset her.’
‘Yeah.’ His expression sharpened. ‘Tell me this. If it had been Lucas or Becky talking to her instead of me, would you have come over?’
He had her there. ‘No,’ she admitted reluctantly.
‘Thought not.’ He climbed stiffly to his feet. ‘Give Alice my apologies when she comes back. I need to be somewhere that’s not here.’
‘Now wait a minute.’ Sam shot out her arm to hold him back. ‘Don’t just stalk off like a highly strung teenager. Stay and discuss this like an adult.’
‘Discuss what? How you think I’m some sort of bully?’ Though his voice was low and controlled enough not to catch the attention of the others round the table, it vibrated with anger.
‘No. Of course not.’ How had he twisted her meaning so badly?
She opened her mouth to say more, to plead with him to stop being ridiculous, but he was already striding off. Unless she was prepared to embarrass them both by running after him, she had to let him go.
‘I think you’ve poked the bear.’ Becky, who’d clearly been listening to everything but pretending she hadn’t, shifted to face her.
‘Apparently,’ Sam said glumly. ‘For a big hulking bruiser of a man, he’s stupidly easy to hurt.’
‘Funny, I thought the same. Maybe the badass attitude he’s so keen to show us isn’t the real him at all.’
Sam eyed her friend. ‘Since when did you become so perceptive?’
Becky grinned. ‘I’ve hung around with you for nearly twenty years. It was probably time something useful rubbed off. Do you want me to go and find Alice? Or Ryan for that matter.’
‘No. I think both of them would rather be left alone right now. Hopefully they’ll come down to the beach for the rounders game.’ Sam rose dejectedly to her feet. Half an hour ago she’d been flying high. Having the team around her, her company, her family, seeing them all round the table, laughing and having fun. It had been invigorating. More than that, for the first time in months she’d had a real feeling of optimism. A belief that they could turn everything round.
Now the doubts were creeping in. Was bringing everyone out here just a vain indulgence on her behalf? A bit of sea air, a game of rounders on the beach … was Ryan right? Would it really help?
Maybe she should have stuck to doing the thinking in the office, where Alice could have licked her wounds in private
. And she and Ryan would have been able to avoid each other.
An hour later, they gathered on the beach in the fading light for the rounders game. Alice had made it and was talking to Kerry. Though her sparkle was missing, Sam was pleased to see her looking more composed.
‘I don’t have to be Einstein to guess who you’re looking for,’ Becky remarked dryly.
Embarrassed at being caught out, Sam tore her eyes away from the cliff path. ‘He’s not going to show.’
‘Yes, he is.’ Becky nudged her and pointed in the opposite direction to the one she’d been looking. A tall man, athletic build, hands in his pockets, baseball cap on his head, was walking along the beach towards them.
The knot of tension slowly loosened in her stomach.
After asking Becky to sort everyone into two teams, Sam walked slowly over to him. ‘It’s good to see you.’
Beneath the peak of his black cap, his eyes narrowed. ‘Worried I wouldn’t show?’
Honesty was what he valued, so honesty is what she gave him. ‘Yes.’
He tutted. ‘Thought you knew me better than that.’
She didn’t, though she was learning, she thought as she watched him jog over to where Lucas was waving. An introverted, blunt-speaking loner at times, but an honest, principled one. And a man more in tune with the feelings of others than he liked to let on.
The rounders game was fun, with everyone in good spirits. Even Ryan, who surprised her by taking it on himself to captain their team. Perhaps his competitive streak was stronger than his desire to remain on the periphery.
‘Go on, you big popsicle,’ Ryan yelled to Lucas from third base. ‘Give it your best shot.’
Lucas, wearing red, blue and green shorts with wide horizontal stripes, topped with a yellow and red striped T-shirt, shot Ryan the middle finger as he stepped up to bat.
One giant swing later and the ball rocketed up into the air. Sam, fielding deep behind Ryan, called for the catch but Ryan darted past her. ‘Mine. You’ll catch like a girl.’
The ball started to fall from its high trajectory and Ryan splashed through the waves to get beneath it. Seeing her moment, Sam barged into him, sending him crashing into the sea.
The New Guy Page 14
