by Alexia Adams
“You haven’t forgotten,” he said with such confidence, she wanted to grind her teeth. “And I won’t forget the most amazing night of my life.” His voice was soft and seductive.
Lalita’s mouth went dry. She dug her fake fingernails into her palm to bring herself back to reality.
“I very much doubt it was the most amazing night of your life. A little drunken fumbling in the backseat of your car hardly counts as memorable. And I’ve watched you charm every woman in the room tonight. I highly suspect you have exaggerated your recollection of the occasion. It must be clouded by numerous other nights of passion.”
“Jealous, my love?” Jeremy slid his hand up her arm and caressed her cheek, a self-assured smile on his full lips.
“Observant,” Lalita replied, hoping he couldn’t feel her rapid heartbeat. “Now, I must ask you to move, I have an important business call to make.” What she really needed was to escape the man’s presence before she made a fool of herself again. She could already feel her resistance starting to melt where his hand had lowered to hold her shoulder.
“Of course.” He released her and stood aside. “Nothing must stand in the way of your career.”
Lalita shot him another glacial glare before all but running from the building. Her father’s car waited at the curb and she jumped in, instructing the driver to take her to her parents’ home. An expletive escaped her lips as her fingers shook when she dialled the client’s number.
***
Jeremy watched Lalita flee from the building. He pocketed the earring; however, his fingers lingered on the hard stone. He’d waited five years for Lalita Evans to come back into his life. The Thames would dry to a trickle before he’d let her run out on him again.
It had to be the mystery of the one who got away that kept him thinking of her. He was determined, this time, to bed Lalita Evans properly, to purge her from his system once and for all. Then he could get on with his life and stop comparing every woman he kissed to the raven-haired beauty.
***
Lalita stopped outside the door of her father’s corner office the next day. Perched on the thirty-sixth floor of one of Docklands’ newest buildings, the luxurious offices of Evans International were more than a status symbol. They were a sign of hard work and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and new markets. And her father’s vision that lots of money could be made from selling corporate promotional products. They’d started out with pens and key chains and now sold everything from aluminium bottles to zip pouches.
Lalita took a moment to enjoy a frisson of pleasure when she imagined her name instead of his, on the door above the title Chief Executive Officer. She ignored the accompanying feeling it was a shallow gratification.
Taking a deep breath, she strode through the open doorway. Her father held up his index finger indicating he’d be a minute as he jotted down a note, phone jammed between his ear and shoulder.
Lalita stared out the window at the meandering Thames far below. The ribbon of brown water was as distant as her love life. She paused to convince herself that all the personal sacrifices she’d made to get where she was now were worth it. Last evening’s run-in with Jeremy had rippled her normally calm nature. Her musings came to an abrupt end when her father put the phone down with a clunk.
“Lalita, you left last night before I had time to introduce you to our new Director of Marketing.” A chill ran up her spine and should have given her warning. Her father’s face was impassive, as though he was introducing her to a new neighbour. “Jeremy Lakewood, I’d like to introduce you to the Director of Asian Operations, my daughter, Lalita.”
“We’ve met,” Jeremy said, moving out from behind the partition where her father kept his drinks cabinet. “I’m pleased to see you again, Lalita.”
“Really?” John Evans turned questioning eyes on his middle child.
She forced a smile on her face. “Yes, a long time ago. I didn’t know you were still with Evans International, Mr. Lakewood.” She held out her hand, bracing herself for Jeremy’s touch, calling on every ounce of willpower to remain unaffected in front of her father.
Jeremy took her hand in a firm shake, his fingers lingering for a second longer than customary. Every inch of her skin tingled, begging to be touched next. His blue eyes bore into hers, promising something she couldn’t quite understand.
“Jeremy,” he reminded her. “Surely we’re on first name terms. I left the company soon after we met but re-joined Evans about eight weeks ago.”
“And he’s proved to be an incredible asset. His marketing strategies have increased company profits in Europe by six percent in the last month alone.” John’s voice broke the trance induced by Jeremy’s sensual gaze.
Lalita forced herself to stop staring at the new marketing director’s handsome face. His high cheekbones, deep blue eyes framed by thick, black lashes and his full lips had haunted her nights for months after Jane’s engagement party. Even with her father watching her every move, her tongue peeked out from between her lips, wanting to explore the dimple which appeared in his left cheek when he smiled. As if able to discern her thoughts, Jeremy grinned, and it showed up on cue.
Giving herself a mental shake, she turned toward her father. “Impressive. But John, I thought we were to discuss all senior appointments.”
“Come on, Lalita, you’ve never let your pride get in the way of company business before. Jeremy is perfect for the position. He’ll be flying to Singapore with you next week to get acquainted with our Asian operations on a personal basis.”
It wasn’t pride getting in the way, it was self-preservation. Jeremy was a potent distraction and she needed to stay focused, needed to remember who she was—or rather, who she was supposed to be.
“Yes, I’m looking forward to getting to know the Asian operations on a very personal basis,” Jeremy’s last words were so low only Lalita could hear. The expectation in his eyes left no doubt he wasn’t speaking entirely about business.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have a conference call scheduled with some suppliers in Indonesia,” Lalita explained, heading for the door. The call wasn’t for another twenty minutes; however, she had to get out of her father’s office before she screamed. How could John appoint the one man who could get under her skin, and then send him back to Asia with her?
Five years was a long time, but not long enough to erase the feel of Jeremy’s lips on hers—and on other parts of her body. Their encounter may have been brief, a shared drink, some dancing that had resulted in spontaneous combustion which had led them outside to his car where the flame had blazed into an inferno. Momentary aberration, but the effect had been long-lasting.
Not even glancing at her father, she hurried from the room.
***
Jeremy stared at the closed door for a moment. Lalita might pretend indifference to him but he could feel the tension in her body, even from a distance.
“I may be sending you to Asia with my daughter, however, I expect you to stay out of her bed,” John said.
“Sorry, sir?” Jeremy turned toward Lalita’s father. He could feel the blood drain from his face and his stomach took up residence in his left kneecap.
“I know about your little escapade with Lalita five years ago. I sent her to Asia to stop her making a colossal mistake. If she’s going to run this company one day, she needs to concentrate on business, not get distracted by … some guy. I believe she is more experienced now and able to resist your somewhat dubious charms.”
Shock waves coursed through Jeremy’s body. His new boss knew about his previous involvement with Lalita? By going to Asia with her, was he being set up for a fall?
He’d returned to work at Evans International because it would give him great exposure to the right people. When he started his own marketing company, he wanted his name known. Networking … and the fact that he’d never been able to forget Lalita had prompted him to take the head hunters call when he’d heard the client was Evans International. No
w it seemed it may not have been the wisest decision.
“What makes you think I’ll try to romance your daughter? Five years is a long time. I’ve moved on.” Jeremy chose his words with care. What he and Lalita had shared all those years ago could hardly be described as romance, more like mind-blowing passion.
“I saw the way you gawked at her a moment ago. I hired you because you are the best there is at what you do. But I will fire you in a heartbeat if you make a move on my daughter. The company has a strict no-fraternization policy. I suggest you memorize it before you get on the airplane with her. If I find out you have seduced Lalita, I won’t hesitate to let all my competitors and colleagues know that you’ve been terminated for improper conduct. You’d find it difficult to get any decent job in Europe after that.”
Suddenly, the expression between a rock and a hard place made perfect sense.
***
Lalita paced up and down in her temporary office. First task: get her breathing under control. Second task: Google “anti-charm potions” and see if there was some kind of concoction she could consume to give her a chance of resisting Jeremy. Third task: figure out how she was going to cope being in close confines with him for weeks without jumping his bones.
Time may have moved the memories to the dark recesses of her mind, but it hadn’t dulled them. Even she wasn’t fool enough to believe she was immune to him. Maybe she should talk to her father. No, she was a grown woman, Director of Asian Operations at Evans International. She could handle one man for a few weeks.
It was just lust after all. What else could it be? If her brain stayed in control and she shut off her body’s response to him, it would be fine.
Back to task one.
Chapter 2
“When will you be back, Jeremy?” His mother’s plaintive tone made him pause in the middle of washing up.
“What’s up, Mum? I’ve gone away on business before and you’ve never been concerned.” He rinsed off the last plate and dried his hands. If his mother would agree to move to a bigger house that would accommodate a dishwasher in the kitchen, he wouldn’t have to do this every time he visited. Although it did give them time to talk as everyone else scarpered after dinner. But Eliza Lakewood insisted on staying in the family home as she called it, full of memories, good and bad.
“Most of your other trips were to Europe or America. Asia is so far away. They have natural disasters, terrorists, and uprisings there.”
“I’ll pack a life vest and I promise to stay away from any uprisings, no matter how fun they may appear.” Jeremy took his mother’s small hand in his and led her out of the tiny kitchen and into the sitting room. A bunch of toys were piled haphazardly in the corner. He dislodged a sleeping tabby cat so they could both sit on the sofa.
“Okay, Mum. What’s the real story? You invite me over for dinner then get all upset when I tell you about my travel schedule. This isn’t like you.” Jeremy scrutinized his mother, seeing the lines on her face for almost the first time. When had she started looking old? His mother had been strong all his life and it hurt to see her fragile.
“It’s just that, well, Jeremy, I don’t think you realize how much we all rely on you. If something were to happen…” She put a clenched fist against her lips and he was shocked to see they were quivering.
“Nothing is going to happen. And you know I’ll always provide for the family. I promised you wouldn’t have to worry about money anymore.”
The familiar stab of guilt sliced through him. When he was fourteen and had avenged his father’s death, he’d cost his mother six months’ salary. She’d had to take an extra job, cleaning the local grocery store at night, to pay for the damage he’d done to the house and car of the drunk driver who had killed his father. Jeremy had learned his lesson, though. Since that adolescent aberration, he’d been the man of the house and done everything possible to ensure his mother’s well-being.
“I know, it’s just that with Susan and the children moving in … and Brian called yesterday to say he’d lost his job and could I lend him a couple months’ rent while he searches for another career. You’re the only one working at the moment. You can’t support all of us.”
“Why not? You supported all of us after Dad died. And I’ve done it before. Don’t worry, Mum. I make good money now, I have a great job. I can provide for the family. This trip to Asia is part of that. In fact, if I play my cards right, this could lead to a nice bonus.”
His mother heaved a huge sigh. “You should be looking for a nice woman and having your own family, not providing for your siblings.”
“I’ve no interest in getting married. I’m enjoying the single life.”
His mother shook her head sadly. “You just haven’t met the right woman yet. When you do, you’ll want to tie her to you with every promise and piece of paper possible.”
An image of Lalita Evans came unbidden into his mind at his mother’s words. He shut down the flood of heat that invaded his blood. She was fling material, far too career-focused to devote time to a relationship.
“I doubt it,” he said. “However, my single state is not the issue. If I had a wife, she wouldn’t want me spending all my money on my family. So you should be happy that I’m not in a hurry to get married.” His siblings’ free ride would come to an end shortly, but he wasn’t going to upset his mother with that news tonight.
“Why should he get married when he has women queuing up to sleep with him?” Susan’s shrill voice interrupted the quiet conversation.
Jeremy glanced over at his middle sister and his stomach lurched. She was wearing torn black tights, a denim skirt that looked more like a belt and a top so low-cut he could almost see her navel. He let her comment on his love life pass. Susan had recently broken up with her common-law husband and was bitter and nasty. Not that she’d been much better when she was with the deadbeat. For his mother’s sake, however, he wasn’t going to argue with his sister.
“You’re going out, dear? When will you be back?” Eliza’s grip tightened on Jeremy’s hand.
Jeremy’s eyes searched his mother’s face. Disappointment warred with compassion in his mother’s blue eyes.
“Depends on whether I find someone to have a sleep-over with.” Susan shrugged, and one shoulder of her shirt slid down her arm, revealing a grubby bra strap.
“Please get home before Ashton has to go to school. Daisy’s not well and I don’t want to have to take her out in the morning to do the school run and—”
The doorbell cut off the rest of his mum’s sentence.
“I’ll try,” Susan called out before slamming the door behind her.
A small child’s wail filled the air before the plates on the sideboard stopped rattling. Eliza pushed herself to her feet.
“I’ll go, Mum. You relax a minute.”
Jeremy took the stairs two at a time, reaching his niece Tara’s cot as the crying reached police siren decibel levels. His heart constricted when the tiny girl held out her pudgy arms to him. He might be annoyed with his sister’s attitude, but her children were innocent and beautiful. He glanced at his nephew’s bed next to the cot. Ashton slept, unfazed by his sister’s distress. Jeremy envied the little boy’s carefree sleep.
Singing the Beatles’ classic, “Here Comes the Sun”, Jeremy rocked the baby back into dreamland. His mother used to sing that song for hours while holding his youngest sister, Daisy, who often suffered with chest infections and other complications from her Down’s syndrome.
When he returned to the sitting room twenty minutes later, his mother bolted upright in the chair. She wiped her cheeks with her knuckles. However, Jeremy could still see the traces of wetness on her face. She shook her head and raised worried eyes to Jeremy.
“Where did I go wrong with them? Why are you the only one with any work ethic?”
“You did nothing wrong. You worked hard so we could have clothes, food, and a roof over our head. I’ll have a talk with Brian and Susan.” In other words, give them a k
ick up the backside. “At least Natasha is doing okay.”
“I’m not so sure. She and Doug have been fighting a lot lately. I asked her what they argued about, but she wouldn’t tell me.”
“They’re married. Married people fight. It’s part of the game.”
“Your dad and I never fought. We were a team.” Eliza’s voice hitched.
“I remember, Mum.” He hugged his mother until she relaxed.
***
The small metal key was hard and unforgiving in Lalita’s clenched fist. She stared at the locked file drawer in her father’s home office desk. Her mother and sisters were out shopping, and her father was playing golf. This was the only time she’d been home alone since discovering that Jeremy was to accompany her back to Singapore. Her heart pounded. Did she dare?
Guilt and curiosity played a close-fought game of tug-of-war in her mind. Curiosity won and Lalita slipped the key into the lock. The click as the bolt released sounded like a gunshot in the panelled room. She held her breath, half expecting her father to walk in, demanding to know what she was doing in his personal papers. The only sound was her great-grandfather’s clock on the mantel, ticking as if it were counting down to destruction.
The desk drawer slid open with an ominous screech. Lalita scanned the file folders. The labels were written in her father’s scrawl. But years of experience reading his writing allowed her to decipher the near-illegible scribble. Her fingers lingered for a second on the file marked Jane, but she had no right looking at her sister’s personal information. The next folder, much, much fatter, had her name on it. Lalita eased the file out of the drawer. Her hand trembled as she placed it on the desk.
She stared at the closed folder. She stood on the edge of a precipice. Jeremy Lakewood’s handsome face floated in front of her vision. Squeezing her eyes shut, she opened the file. After taking a deep, fortifying breath, she looked.
The first thing she saw was a picture of her and Damian Lindstrom. Her ex-boyfriend was kissing her on the cheek. From the date-stamp she realized it was taken a few weeks after they started going out together. Behind the photo was a typed report with the header Background Check—D. Lindstrom. Lalita flipped through the rest of the file. Photos and reports on men she’d dated, records of school and university marks, a reference from one of her professors and other papers on her performance filled the file. She double-checked. There was no mention of Jeremy or her past involvement with the new Director of Marketing. Of more significance, there was also no indication of any abnormal circumstances surrounding her birth.