by Kay Thorpe
He inclined his head. ‘Port Douglas?’
‘Beachfront,’ Lianne said without hesitation. ‘Land is at a premium. Existing homes and cottages are being bought and demolished. Low-rise holiday apartments are in demand to cater to the tourist industry.’
‘It would be advantageous to have your personal input onsite.’ Tyler turned towards Michael senior. ‘I trust you’d have no objection?’
Hang on a minute…personal input onsite?
‘Not at all. When do you envisage this taking place?’
‘It’ll require two days. Friday? I’ll arrange an early morning departure.’
Michael senior appeared to hesitate. ‘I had hoped Lianne would join senior members of the firm at a legal soirée held in the city Friday evening.’
‘Sounds interesting.’
‘Each member is invited to bring a guest. We’d be honoured to have you attend.’
‘Thank you.’
Lianne barely refrained from gritting her teeth.
‘In that case, the weekend?’ Tyler posed. ‘Naturally Lianne will be financially compensated for giving up her free time,’ he continued steadily.
Michael senior turned towards Lianne. ‘Is this convenient?’
As if she didn’t have a life! ‘I have plans to spend the day with my family on Sunday.’
Tyler’s gaze sharpened, although his voice retained its calm drawling tone. ‘I can ensure you’re in Melbourne early Sunday afternoon.’
Michael senior beamed. ‘Lianne?’
Oh, Lord. ‘I’m sure an agent familiar with each area will be able to provide adequate assistance.’ It was a last-ditch effort and she knew it.
‘I don’t want professional opinion based on the size of an agent’s commission,’ Tyler responded smoothly.
Michael senior’s expression hardened slightly in a visual reminder of her recent promotion and expected duties. Which presumably were meant to cater to the eminent client’s wishes.
She offered a faint smile in capitulation. ‘In that case I’ll await confirmation of your departure time.’
‘I’ve also selected two properties here. One in Toorak, the other at Mount Eliza, both of which require a woman’s opinion. Shall we say Tuesday morning?’
‘Of course.’ Michael senior beamed. ‘Lianne will be at your disposal for the morning.’
Would she, indeed? Maybe she’d call in sick!
‘Lianne?’ Tyler’s voice was a silky drawl.
‘Naturally.’ Did either man detect her use of subtle cynicism? Apparently not.
There wasn’t anything else she could add within Michael senior’s hearing. However, give her some private time with Tyler, and sparks would fly!
It was almost five when the meeting concluded and, given Michael senior’s parting words…‘Lianne will accompany you to Reception,’ she had no other recourse but to do just that.
Polite…she could do polite. People skills formed an integral part of client relations.
‘It appears your trip was successful.’
Tyler shot her a faintly amused glance. ‘Indeed.’
‘One imagines your Australian sojourn will be relatively short?’
‘Not necessarily. In today’s electronic age distance has little relevance.’
‘Of course.’ They reached Reception, where she noticed the practised smiles of the girls manning the front desk reached a brilliance previously unseen.
It didn’t help that Michael junior came into view as she extended client courtesy and summoned a lift.
Within a matter of seconds the doors opened, and Tyler did the unexpected by extending his hand. ‘Until later.’
Reflex action was responsible for her placing her hand in his. The contact was brief, but electric, then he stepped into the cubicle and hit the ground level button.
Lianne’s relief was palpable as she turned and reentered Reception, although it was short-lived as she caught a glimpse of Michael junior’s hurt expression before it was quickly masked.
There was a short debriefing in Michael senior’s office, then she returned to her own, shut down the laptop, scooped up the flowers her assistant had thoughtfully wrapped in protective cellophane, caught up her bag and went out to summon the lift.
The hope that she’d be the sole occupant went unfounded, for just as the doors began to close an arm shot through and stalled the action just as she hit the appropriate button.
‘Phew. Just made it.’
Michael junior. Coincidence or design?
He indicated the flowers. ‘A token atonement to add to my apology. I was way out of line.’
Lianne spared him a direct look. ‘Yes, you were.’
‘Truce?’
The lift paused and two people joined them, making it easy for her to lapse into silence. They emerged at ground level, while Lianne hit the button for basement level two where her car was parked.
‘Truce,’ she agreed with a friendly smile.
She moved swiftly towards the row where she’d parked her car, de-sensitised the alarm and felt a hand close over her upper arm.
‘Please.’
Lianne stilled and forced her voice into calm, rational tones as she held his gaze. ‘Michael. Don’t—’
He released her arm and held up both hands palm upwards in a defensive gesture. ‘OK. Got it. You don’t like anyone invading your personal space.’
‘Thank you.’ Without a further word she moved towards her car, unlocked the door and slid in behind the wheel, then she fired the engine.
It was almost seven when she entered the apartment, and it took only seconds to realise she wasn’t alone.
Food, she could smell food. And there was background music on low, filtering through the speaker system.
The dining room table was set for two. An opened bottle of red wine sat breathing, there was a salad ready to be tossed and the smell of warm bread heating in the oven.
‘You’re home.’
Tyler appeared in the aperture, looking the antithesis of the high-powered businessman of a few hours ago. The suit was gone, and in its place were hip-hugging jeans and a black fitted T-shirt that hugged every muscle. A tea towel was draped over one shoulder, and he looked…incredible.
Sexy, she admitted. The quintessential sensual male.
‘I won’t even ask what you’re doing,’ Lianne said quietly as she stepped out of her stilettos. ‘Just give me five minutes to change and pour me a glass of wine.’
His eyes sharpened beneath the indolent smile. ‘That bad, huh?’
‘In spades,’ she acknowledged simply, and bent down to retrieve her shoes. Without a further word she turned and walked down to her bedroom, removed her suit, tights, cleansed her face of make-up and loosened her hair. Then she stepped into jeans, added a T-shirt, and went out to the kitchen.
She looked about sixteen, Tyler observed, and way too pale for his liking.
‘Tough day?’ he queried lightly as he handed her a glass of wine. ‘Missed lunch?’
‘Yes, and no.’
‘So…’ he drawled. ‘Want to share?’
She gave him a direct look. ‘Not particularly.’ She took an appreciative sip of wine, savoured it, and watched as he set two peppered steaks into a sizzling pan.
‘Who nominated you as cook?’
‘I collected a few provisions, figured you’d soon be home, and decided to make enough for two.’
She reached out, plucked up a potato wedge and popped it into her mouth.
He turned the steaks, waited a bit, then placed one on each plate. ‘Go sit down.’
Lianne took her wine, collected the bowl of wedges and crossed to the table, added dressing to the salad and tossed it.
‘I’m trying hard to be angry with you.’
He set down each plate. ‘Because?’
She threw him an exasperated look. ‘Don’t toy with me, Tyler. The weekend jaunt,’ she elaborated as she took a chair opposite him.
‘Ah.’ He took a seat
and proceeded to serve her a portion of salad before taking a liberal serving for himself.
‘Is that all you can say?’
His gaze held a measured quality as he studied her features. ‘Let’s agree to postpone the argument until after we’ve eaten.’
Lianne bit into a slice of peppered steak and almost sighed as it melted in her mouth. He fixed a mean steak, and the salad was crisp, the heated bread crunchy. She hadn’t realised the extent of her hunger, or the pleasure in having a meal prepared and waiting for her at the end of a fraught day.
‘Just as long as you understand it’s definitely on the agenda.’
‘I wouldn’t expect any different.’
She caught the faint edge of amusement evident, shot him a dark look, and opted for silence.
‘Perhaps you could enlighten me as to what Friday evening’s legal affair involves?’
Lianne forked the last morsel of salad, replaced the cutlery on to her plate and looked at him carefully, noting the strength evident in his compelling features. ‘I haven’t been apprised of the details. This afternoon was the first I heard my presence would be required.’
‘SMS me with a time.’
She finished her wine, declined a second glass, and began gathering china and flatware together, waving him aside as he rose from the table.
‘You cook, I get to clean.’
‘We’ll do it together.’
There was a familiarity in their synchronicity that brought past incidents to mind when they’d chosen to eat at home and shared kitchen duty. Then they’d laughed, teased each other, shared a kiss or three and made love. Sometimes they reached the bedroom, occasionally not.
It had been wild, all heat and passion…and wonderfully evocative. She’d thought nothing could come between them.
Except Mette had been there, an intrusive, manipulative force with no integrity whatsoever…just self-motivated need.
Unresolved issues, Lianne reflected. Tyler’s loyalty to Mette because of family connections. His avowal there was nothing between them except friendship. Lianne’s doubt and confusion, making it difficult to separate truth from fabrication.
Now it wrought the question as to whether she should have stayed and toughed it out. Fought for the love of her life, her marriage…herself.
‘All done,’ Lianne announced lightly when Tyler had stacked china into the dishwasher and she’d dealt with the skillet and saucepan.
His close proximity unnerved her, and she held back the sudden need to lean in against him, have his arms close round her, and just be. Absorb his strength, confide the day, share.
For heaven’s sake…what was the matter with her? Where was all the banked up anger when she needed it?
Tyler dispensed with the tea towel and turned towards her. ‘Now might be a good time to clear the air.’
She possessed expressive features, and he wondered if she knew how easily he could read her. Or how badly she needed a diversion from whatever had caused the pensive introspection evident when she had walked in the door?
‘The weekend thing?’ Lianne pinpointed at once. ‘Just what in hell were you thinking?’
‘A preference for your personal opinion?’
She cast him a cynical look. ‘Uh-huh. Like that’s a valid reason.’
He leaned one hip against the servery and settled in to enjoy their verbal exchange. ‘You’re a woman, you have knowledge of each location, and I can depend on your total honesty.’
‘Flattery won’t work.’
‘No?’ A slow smile curved his mouth. ‘And I thought I was doing so well.’
‘I don’t trust you!’
‘We’ve already spent a few nights together,’ he qualified reasonably.
She opened her mouth, then closed it again. ‘That’s not the same.’
One eyebrow slanted. ‘How so?’
Because it isn’t sounded so…juvenile. ‘It’s not going to work.’ She lifted a hand, then let it fall helplessly to her side.
His voice took on the quality of silk. ‘Perhaps we should each accept the challenge to prove the other wrong.’
The air between them simmered with something Lianne didn’t care to define. She was suddenly supremely conscious of every breath she took and the deep thudding pulse that seemed to reverberate through her body.
Her eyes locked with his. ‘Why?’
Tyler waited a few beats. ‘You know the answer as well as I do,’ he offered gently. He lifted a hand and cupped her cheek, let his thumb trace her lips, felt them tremble, then he lowered his head and touched his mouth fleetingly against her forehead.
‘One down.’ He lifted his head and his eyes held hers. ‘You want to try for anything else?’
She wasn’t capable of uttering a word for a few long seconds. ‘It’ll keep,’ she managed, and saw his lips curve into a musing smile.
‘I’m counting on it.’
CHAPTER SEVEN
THERE was a small degree of apprehension existent as Lianne rode the lift to Sloane, Everton, Shell and Associates’ suite of offices.
She hadn’t slept well. The prospect of that evening’s legal soirée, Tyler, played on her mind. Top of the list was the weekend ahead.
Almost a fortnight ago her life had seemed relatively serene. She had gone to work, led a very lowprofile social existence, kept in touch with family and friends.
Now it felt as if she’d been caught up in a whirlwind, tossed around and thrown way out of her depth.
OK, she would deal with it. A swift plea for celestial assistance might help with the day, the evening…why not try for the entire weekend? Surely she was due for a break!
The morning went by without a hitch. She elicited the time and venue for the evening, and SMSd the information through to Tyler, after which she completed a comprehensive check of the properties Tyler intended her to view on the Gold Coast and Port Douglas, then she marked in order her location preferences, subject to personal inspection.
It was after five when Lianne left the office. Traffic was heavy, providing a few snarls and delays which hampered her arrival home. 98
An hour was adequate time in which to shower, tend to her make-up, her hair and dress.
The door to the spare room was slightly ajar and she heard the shower running as she continued down to her bedroom.
Tyler. It gave her a jolt to admit she was becoming accustomed to his presence in the apartment, and she silently damned the swirling sensation making itself felt in her belly at the thought of his water-drenched naked body, the flex of muscle and sinew as he soaped and rinsed…and she tamped down the image of times past when she would have discarded her own clothes and joined him there.
Instead she took a solitary shower, washed her hair, then towelled dry. She used the hair-drier, tended to her make-up, then dressed with care, choosing a gown in jade silk chiffon with a delicately beaded bodice, spaghetti straps and a gently draped skirt.
Jewellery was confined to a diamond pendant, ear-studs and bracelet, and she slid her feet into elegant stilettos, caught up her evening purse and emerged from her room just as Tyler stepped into the hallway.
‘Well-timed.’ His eyes swept her slender frame with approval. ‘Looking gorgeous as usual.’
Lianne returned the appraisal and inclined her head. ‘You’ll pass.’
‘Thank you…I think.’
His soft laughter did strange things to her equilibrium, and she was about to make a snappy comment when her cellphone rang.
Except when she activated it, the connection was cut.
Tyler caught her faint frown. ‘Problem?’
When she didn’t answer, he caught hold of her chin between thumb and forefinger and forced her to meet his gaze. ‘Don’t hold back.’
‘Why the third degree?’
‘Is Michael Sloane’s son bothering you?’
He didn’t miss a trick. ‘Why would you think that?’
A muscle tightened at the edge of his jaw. ‘I’ve seen the
way he looks at you.’
While I endured more than a year of Mette looking at you, she accorded silently.
Lianne held his gaze. ‘Isn’t that interesting.’
‘Don’t go there,’ Tyler warned softly, and she offered him a singularly sweet smile.
‘Wouldn’t dream of it.’ She waited a second. ‘We should leave if we don’t want to be late.’
Something shifted in the depth of those dark grey eyes, then he released her.
The venue was an exclusive inner city club where guests mingled and elegantly attired waiters served canapés and champagne.
Senior partners of noted repute vied with barristers and their peers who commanded a reverence second to none. Then there were the younger set intent on making a mark for themselves.
An eclectic mix, Lianne perceived, comprising the city’s legal echelon. Add wives, girlfriends and lovers, and the full complement of guests had to number several hundred.
‘Your inclusion is quite a coup,’ Tyler noted quietly, and she summoned a polite smile.
‘Due entirely to you.’ At his raised eyebrow she added, ‘I was merely one of a dozen young lawyers until Michael senior lifted me out of obscurity and promoted me at your request. I could cry foul.’
‘But you won’t.’
‘Lianne. Tyler.’ Michael senior’s greeting resembled that of a benign host. ‘I hope you enjoy the evening.’
Appearances were everything, politeness essential, and Lianne acknowledged Michael senior and his wife, Michael junior and the stunning brunette at his side, whom Michael junior introduced as Janine, the daughter of an eminent judge.
‘The favoured employee coupled with wonder-boy…again,’ Michael junior offered minutes later as he positioned himself at Lianne’s side. ‘Janine is weaving her spell as we speak,’ he mocked quietly.
She summoned a winsome smile. ‘Is that why you brought her along?’
‘I needed a partner. Are you jealous?’ His expression belied the lightness of his tone.
‘No,’ she said gently, aware she was treading on eggshells.
‘Shame. We could be good together.’
It was fortunate that a fellow colleague joined them and the conversation took a less personal turn.
Tyler’s introductory tour eventually concluded as he reached Lianne’s side, and within minutes the guests were asked to take their seats in the banquet room.
