by Kwan, Coleen
Searching for a bland comment, he said, “A good night’s sleep will help you.” But that immediately brought up an image of Anna lying in bed wearing nothing but a skimpy black nightgown. God help him, he was regressing to a randy teenager.
Anna didn’t seem to notice his struggles as she straightened her clothes and smoothed back her hair. “Trouble is, I won’t be able to sleep for ages. Whenever I work late, I need at least an hour or more to unwind before I can fall asleep.”
Giles turned to her and spoke without thinking. “I’m the same. Why don’t we go and have a drink together?”
She started, halfway through piling things into her handbag. Wariness flickered across her face but was quickly replaced by another emotion, something hotter and impulsive.
“Sure, why not?” She stepped into her high-heeled shoes, looking assured and determined, as if she’d made up her mind about something and wouldn’t let her better judgement dissuade her. “Just a drink, right?”
“Yes,” he said quickly before she could change her mind. He slipped on his shoes and socks, suddenly wishing he wasn’t so grubby and work-stained. “I’m going to clean myself up before we go out. Why don’t we meet at the lifts?”
She nodded, and he left the office. In the men’s room he splashed cold water over his face, washed his hands, and combed his hair. He tucked in his shirt but left his tie and cufflinks off. He wanted to appear relaxed even if he wasn’t inside. Inside, he was bubbling with anticipation even though he didn’t expect anything more from Anna besides her company. No, he was pleased just for the chance to be alone with her away from the office.
She was waiting for him in the lift lobby. He paused as he saw her hair was loose, falling in shiny curtains of dark mahogany about her shoulders, and she’d added a dab of ruby lipstick to her mouth. Giles pulled in a breath to steady himself. Just a drink, he told himself. Nothing more.
“Where should we go?” Anna asked as the lift carried them down to the ground floor.
“How about the Opera Bar?” he suggested.
It proved to be an inspired choice. The summer night was balmy, and the light breeze off the harbour was refreshing after the stuffy office. There were people on the streets, theatre-goers and Sydney festival-goers, lending an air of conviviality to a Monday evening, but not so many that the popular Opera Bar was crowded out.
They snared a table near the water’s edge, and Anna ordered white wine, while Giles settled for a light beer.
“I still can’t believe the mess Oscar’s left behind,” Anna said, her mouth pulling into a moue. “I could never live with myself if I did something like that.”
She wasn’t being over-dramatic, he knew, because he felt the same. He and Anna shared the same high standards and sense of pride in their work.
She began to talk about a particular bug, and Giles offered his opinions. For a while they had a spirited discussion about the latest programming methodologies, and Giles discovered she was almost as geeky as he, and to him that made her even hotter.
After a few minutes, Anna nodded at the sails of the Opera House soaring above them.
“Have you been in there?” she asked.
“No. I haven’t had the chance yet.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “I assumed your family would be right into that kind of thing. You know, opera, ballet, concerts.”
She was teasing him, he knew, but there was also an undercurrent of testing him. Giles lifted his shoulders. “My family’s more the sporty type. My parents are into horses and sailing, and my two brothers are mad keen about rugby and golf.”
“And you?”
“I’m not so into sports. Makes me a sort of grey sheep in my family.”
“Oh.” She seemed surprised, and then she nodded sympathetically. “That’s too bad.”
“My parents don’t understand why I went into IT.” He found himself confessing even further. “Law is the family business, but I found that incredibly boring. Even though I’m succeeding in my field, my father still hopes I might change my mind and become a lawyer. So I’m glad I came out to Sydney. I can breathe here.”
Plus, from where he was sitting, the view was spectacular.
Anna glanced down at her wine glass, then back at him, a peculiar expression wrinkling her nose.
“What is it?” he asked, wondering if he’d revealed too much of himself.
She bit her lip, seeming conflicted, before she spoke in a low voice. “I had you plugged as some rich toff who had everything handed to you on a silver platter, but you’ve had your share of knocks, haven’t you?”
Warmth blossomed in him as he realised how much he appreciated the friendly rapport building between them. Resting his arms on the table, he leaned towards her. “We got off on the wrong foot, but I’m glad we’re in synch now.”
Her eyes widened, sweet pools of honey brown, and the atmosphere between them crackled as desire, always lurking beneath the surface, surged up again. She arched her back as if wanting to draw closer to him, but a second later hesitation ruffled her eyes, and she drew back with a small sigh and took a sip of wine.
“You know, I’ve played at the Opera House,” she said in a bright tone.
“You have?” Instinct told him not to push this ‘thing’ between them; that it would develop in its own good time, even if he was chafing at the bit.
“I was ten, and I played a recorder along with about three hundred other schoolkids.” Anna grinned self-deprecatingly. “I was so nervous about playing a dud note. As if anyone would’ve noticed! Can you believe it?”
“I can, actually.” He smiled at the image of a schoolkid Anna anxiously blowing into her recorder, thinking her mistakes might be heard above three hundred other recorders. “You’re a perfectionist. You don’t like doing a mediocre job. I can relate to that.”
He was hard on himself, too, and always strove to be the best, whatever he attempted. That was why he could command the consulting fees he did these days. He and Anna had a lot in common even if they did come from very different backgrounds.
Anna leaned back in her chair, the night breeze playing with her hair, drifting strands about her pretty face. She had more colour in her cheeks now, and she looked relaxed and soft and ravishing. Giles’ gut tensed against the onslaught of desire. As much as he enjoyed this easy, friendly mood between them, he knew it wasn’t enough for him. He wanted more, and the longer he sat here staring at her and not being able to touch her, the more likely the chance of him doing something rash.
He downed the dregs of his beer and set down his glass. “Well, that was nice. Shall we go and find a couple of taxis?”
Her mouth opened in total surprise, and he experienced a stab of satisfaction that she’d obviously expected them to hang around for longer. But she quickly recovered and pushed to her feet.
“Sure. I’ll get the first round next time,” she said as if to make a point that she wasn’t going to let him buy her drinks.
He grinned at her. “Glad to hear there’ll be a next time.”
“Well, sure.” She tossed her gleaming hair over one shoulder. “We’ll have drinks to celebrate when our project gets through user acceptance testing.”
That could be weeks from now. He didn’t want to wait that long.
He followed her out of the bar, his gaze glued to the swing of her hair, the sway of her hips, and the long, sexy length of her legs. God, he really didn’t want to wait. But he had to.
At the rear of the Opera House snaked a long line of people queuing for a taxi. They decided to head up a few blocks towards a quieter part of town. Giles slung his jacket over one shoulder and shortened his stride to accommodate Anna’s high heels.
Walking through the darkened streets with her, he felt hyper-aware of her, of her exact size and proportions next to him, of each breath she took, each movement of her hands, each look she darted in his direction. Her presence filled him like an indelible scent, and he felt as if he could walk by her side all night, a qu
iet, appreciative companion.
They were strolling across a section of cobblestones in a tree-lined mall when she stumbled, and Giles, acting instinctively, caught her by the arm, pulling her to safety towards him. As their bodies bumped together, his jacket slid to the ground, but he barely noticed that as her nearness consumed him.
“Th-thanks,” she stuttered, sounding far more breathless than she should have been from a minor stumble.
His fingers remained curled around her upper arm, and he seemed to have great difficulty in letting her go. In fact, his other arm curved around her, drawing her closer to his chest.
“You’re welcome,” he said and heard his own voice was far from steady, too.
He forced his fingers to relax but didn’t—couldn’t—let go of her, instead rubbing his palms slowly up and down her arms. She could have pulled back any time she wanted, but she didn’t, and that made his heart pound even faster.
She pressed her hand against his chest right where his heart was, and he didn’t mind that she could detect the racing of his pulses. When she looked up at him, her eyes were shimmering, and he sensed her own heartbeat accelerating in rhythm with his.
“We’re not in the stationery closet,” she murmured.
“No.” For once he had no witty reply ready, not when all his attention was riveted on her lips.
Her hands slid tentatively up his chest, and he shuddered, desperate for her hands to glide all over him, preferably with no clothes between them.
“This...” She gulped audibly. “This place is much nicer, don’t you think?”
“Much.” Damn. What had happened to all his smooth lines? He was all at sea here with Anna. She had launched him into uncharted waters.
Her hands moved up to cup his face, and her expression grew serious as she studied him. The trees overhead dimmed the street lights, casting shifting shadows over her, but nonetheless her face was clear to him, and the intent in her, the fierce hunger in her eyes, took his breath away.
Fortunately his instincts still worked fine, if not his tongue. He bent closer to her, and her fingers shifted through his hair, triggering delightful tingles over his scalp and neck. And then, unable to resist temptation any longer, he lowered his mouth to hers.
At last, his body sang out.
They both sighed simultaneously, in relief that the moment had finally arrived. Then, sensation took over as he moved his lips against hers, her heat and softness surprising and arousing him. His arms locked around her, pulling her up on her toes as he kissed her harder, wilder, his hunger running amok.
She responded by twining her fingers through his hair to bring him closer. She tasted of wine and summer and heady nights. Her delicate perfume wrapped around him like a silken mist, obliterating the outside world. Her lips parted, and when he deepened the kiss, a husky moan purred in her throat, setting Giles on fire. Blood thrummed in his groin as he stroked his tongue into her mouth, seeking her moist heat, and by the time they had to break apart for air, he was impossibly hard.
“W-well—” She licked her lips, the tip of her wet tongue causing his erection to swell painfully against his zipper. “Well...”
It seemed she was short of words this time.
“Worth waiting for, hmm?” he managed to get out.
He waited for her to nod before claiming her mouth again. Their kiss was blistering hot and quickly ran out of control. He sucked greedily on her lower lip, and she moaned her approval before returning the favour, her gentle nips on his flesh giving him molten brain flashes. He ran his hands down her back, around her hips, feverish to learn every dip and curve. She was just as busy, her fingers sliding over his shoulders and neck, riffling through the short hairs at his nape, causing tiny thrills to chase down his spine.
The night was filled with magic. Shadows pressed around them, the salty scent of the sea sharpening the senses. Her kisses fed a hunger hidden deep within him, a hunger he’d never fully recognised until tonight. His head spun as he kissed her over and over, dizzy with the scent and taste and touch of her. It might have been oxygen deprivation, but even when they came up for air, he was sure it was something more.
He caught his breath as he sifted his fingers through her liquid hair, relishing its cool weight. Deep appreciation shuddered through him. “God, you’re beautiful!” he gasped out.
Her eyelashes fluttered up as she aimed a startled look at him. “You think so?” she whispered.
“Of course. Christ, even a blind man can see you’re beautiful.”
A rare blush stole across her cheeks as she fiddled with the top button of his shirt.
He frowned, slightly puzzled. “Anna, you don’t mean to tell me no man’s ever told you how gorgeous you are. I can’t believe Australian men could be that dense.”
“Oh, yeah, I’ve heard it before, but...” She toyed with his button again. “But not from someone like you.”
He inhaled a breath, filled with an incomparable feeling of satisfaction. God, she could puff up his ego with a mere blush. The skin of his chest warmed where her fingers brushed against his shirt.
“Have you made up your mind about that button?” he asked, emboldened by what she’d confessed to him.
“This button?” She sounded puzzled as her hand stilled against his shirt.
“Are you undoing it? Because I’d like to be somewhere more appropriate than this street when you do.”
“When?” Her gaze flew up to clash with his. The blushing Anna was gone, and the prickly, wary one was back.
He slid his hands slowly down her back, following the curve of her spine, and finally settled his palms around her hips. She felt perfect in his grip. For a second he allowed himself to imagine how she would feel moving beneath him, naked and svelte, skin against skin.
“We both know one little kiss isn’t enough to satisfy us.” He forced a calm tone to conceal his raging need.
“I see.” Her head tilted up. “Is that your considered, thousand-dollar-an-hour consultant’s view?”
“Precisely.” He kneaded her hips, and was rewarded by a full body tremor she couldn’t hide. “In this consultant’s view, there’s only one solution to our problem.”
Chapter Four
Anna found it difficult to breathe. Where was all her self-composure, her common sense? It was so hard to think when Giles had his hands wrapped around her hips, caressing her and sending hot waves of lust through her. Those hands of his promised her strength, virility, and decadent delights.
In the shifting shadows he stood tall over her, his naked desire clear despite the dimness. He wanted her, plain as day. But he wouldn’t press her if she refused. This was something she instinctively knew without having to wonder. Giles would allow her to make up her own mind, and he’d abide by her decision.
But what decision was that? What was she to do with this highly inconvenient urge to rip his clothes off and wrestle him to the nearest bed?
“Anna?” Giles traced a finger across her cheek. “We don’t have to do anything, you know.”
She became aware that she’d been lost in thought for some while and that Giles must have taken her silence for refusal.
Not do anything? She pondered this option and quickly shook her head.
“Ignoring it won’t make the problem go away,” she said. She inhaled as Giles’ finger slid slowly down her neck, spreading exquisite pleasure across her skin. Lord, how could she make the right decision when she was being so thoroughly turned on? With a deep breath, she pulled away, dropping her arms to her sides, and regret flashed in Giles’s eyes as the gap between them widened.
“What, then?” he asked, tension threading through his voice as he pushed his hands into the pockets of his pants. “You want me off your project?”
“Of course not!” she burst out. “I could never get everything done without your help.” That fact was crystal clear. She rubbed her upper arms, nervous about telling him the truth but knowing there was no other solution. “But even with
both of us working together, the truth is, I—we—aren’t likely to meet our deadline because this—this thing between us is messing with our concentration and interfering with our ability to focus on work.” She halted and chewed on her lower lip. “Well, maybe it’s just me that’s affected. You probably—”
“No,” he interrupted with a quick shake of his head. “It’s me, too.”
She swallowed. Good to know she wasn’t the only one suffering from the most serious bout of inconvenient and unresolved sexual tension she’d ever experienced.
“Okay. Well. So I have a proposal to put to you.” She hesitated, and Giles stiffened, tension radiating off him. His was such a large presence, and she was intimately aware of his body vibrating with anticipation just inches away from her. Awareness dried her throat, causing her to lick her lips anxiously. “One night,” she said, surprised at how steady her voice sounded. “One night together. No names, no pack drill.”
He sucked in an audible breath, making her aware of his rising chest. “Only one night?”
“To get it out of our systems so we can focus on work.”
“Are you sure one night is enough for that?”
She flushed briefly. “One night is all I can offer you. And after that we never speak of it again. Not to anyone, not even ourselves. It will be as if it never happened. I can’t stress that enough.” She fixed her gaze on Giles’s face. “No one must ever find out about this, do you understand?”
“Loud and clear.”
They both knew she was taking a bigger share of the risk than he. If the managers at FrogLeap discovered she’d slept with their highly paid consultant, it would be her reputation that would suffer, not his. Giles would move on to other assignments and other companies, whereas she could be left with a permanent stain on her professional reputation.
But in the short term it was worth the risk, wasn’t it? Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. God, she’d never had to make such a tough decision. But then again, she’d never been so sorely tempted by a man.
