‘But that’s impossible, so...?’ He glanced at his watch then looked back at her. ‘I hate to hurry you but I am expecting someone.’
How did she just know it was a woman? Not that it should be any surprise because O’Rourke was anything but a monk and must attract women by the score. So why did Natalie feel her temper give a sudden little surge at the idea? It was very odd.
She glowered at him, black eyes sparkling with anger as they met the cool green ones. ‘Excuse me! I wouldn’t want to disrupt your social life any more than is strictly necessary.’
‘You aren’t. There’s some business I need to sort out.’ There was a faint edge to his voice, a sharpness to the look he gave her which piqued her curiosity.
‘I thought you told Damian that you were on holiday?’
‘I did, but that doesn’t mean I can completely disregard any problems which arise and need my attention.’
‘What exactly do you do? You said that you were a business associate of Marcus’s so are you a lawyer too?’ She studied him closely, watching the faintly ironic tilt to his lips when he replied.
‘No, I’m afraid not.’ He glanced at his watch again, making no attempt to disguise the action. It was a less than subtle hint that time was passing and that he wanted her to leave and Natalie realised she couldn’t put off telling him why she’d come much longer, no matter how much she might long to.
‘Last night, when you and Guy discussed the promotion, were you serious about being interested in working on it?’
He shrugged, watching her through half-closed eyes. ‘I might have been.’
‘But how would it fit in with your work if there are problems you need to deal with?’
‘Oh, I think you can leave me to sort them out, Natalie. These things have a way of working themselves out all in good time.’ There it was again, that faint edge to his voice, but before Natalie could start wondering about it again he continued, ‘So what are you saying, Natalie? That you want me to accept the job as one of the models on this promotion?’
She nodded, feeling a sudden rush of nerves locking her throat. She’d run through all the pros and they outweighed the cons, but was she still making a huge mistake by letting O’Rourke get even further involved in her life?
‘And if I do accept, you want me to continue with the role I played last night?’ His voice dropped a note, deliberately seductive now, and she glared back at him.
‘Yes! Believe me, if there had been any other way...! But you made such a good job of convincing Damian that you and I... Well, I’m sure you remember what happened as well as I do!’
‘Of course. And I understand your predicament, Natalie. To suddenly produce another lover would do little for your reputation, wouldn’t it? No woman likes to be thought of as someone who hops from one bed to another at the drop of a hat.’
‘How perfectly you put things, O’Rourke! So how do you feel about the idea?’
‘I’m always open to offers, honey, if the terms are right. So what exactly are you offering?’
That was better. She could handle this businesslike approach far easier than that suggestive hint of intimacy. Maybe the plan wasn’t quite so risky after all. ‘Well, for a start you’ll get a free, all-expenses-paid trip to Egypt, staying in one of the best hotels. Then there will be your fee, which I can assure you will be generous.’
‘Mmm. I see. What else?’ His voice was a deep purr, like the rumble of a big cat lulling its prey into a false sense of security before it sprang. But, no matter how she tried, Natalie couldn’t sense any danger now.
‘Well, the photo session should only take a week to complete. After it’s over then I’m sure I can stretch the budget so that you can stay on in Egypt for a while so that you can have that holiday you planned.’
‘And you really imagine that Renshaw will agree to it, my taking over the role in the advertisement?’ He sounded sceptical, not that Natalie could blame him after last night’s less than friendly meeting between the two men. But she’d gone over it all and she was certain it would work out.
‘Yes. Naturally Damian wouldn’t agree to your being there just to keep me company, but if you have a legitimate reason then I’m sure it will work out. And after all,’ she added pointedly, ‘I can tell him with all honesty that it was Guy who suggested you for the role.’
‘You seem to have it all thought out but...’ He gave a slight shrug, his wide shoulders straining the thin cotton shirt as he smiled ruefully at her. Natalie bit her lip; she didn’t want to ask the question but what choice did she have after all?
‘But... what?’ she asked as calmly as she could manage.
‘But I’ve been to Egypt before, several times actually. I can’t say that I’d been planning on going back again right at this moment when I’ve just spent the past couple of months out of the country.’ He picked up his cooling coffee and sipped it slowly then set the cup down again.
‘Surely the fee would be some compensation,’ she retorted, a shade more sharply than perhaps she should have in the circumstances. After all, she was asking him to do her a favour yet she couldn’t help feeling that he was playing with her.
‘I don’t really need the money, sweetheart. I earn more than enough, believe me.’
If he thought she was going to play mouse to his cat much longer he was sadly mistaken! ‘Then what do you want, O’Rourke? From what Guy told me you were keen on the idea last night, so what’s the matter today? Why don’t you tell me what you’re after and stop wasting our time?’
‘Well, if you insist.’ He smiled, his eyes sweeping over her in a look she could feel, his voice dropping to a husky level which stirred her senses. ‘You’ve told me about the free trip, the generous fee, even the possibility of extending the holiday, but ultimately all those are coming from Renshaw. So what are you prepared to offer me, Natalie, as an extra little incentive?’
She had thought in her innocence that she’d covered it all, every single possible flaw. Yet the biggest flaw of all was sitting there right in front of her: six feet of gloriously handsome, unpredictably dangerous male. Exactly what sort of ‘incentive’ was Flynn O’Rourke expecting?
Natalie jumped to her feet and glared at him. ‘Precisely what do you mean?’
He stood up too, coming close enough that she could feel the warmth of his body and smell the clean freshness of his skin. ‘I’d have thought that was obvious. So tell me what kind of particularly juicy carrot you’re prepared to dangle in front of me, Natalie, just to tempt me to help you out.’
Oh, if she were a man she would hit him! How dared he try to proposition her this way? But before she actually told him what she thought she would let him dig himself in a bit deeper. ‘What sort of carrot would you like me to offer you, Flynn?’ she asked softly as she stared seductively into his eyes and gave an inviting little smile. ‘I imagine it all depends what you call an... incentive.’
He seemed to hesitate, possibly because he couldn’t believe his luck that it was so simple! Then his sea-green eyes dropped deliberately to the full curve of her mouth and lingered there. ‘A kiss.’
Disturbed by the sensations that that lingering look was arousing, Natalie took a moment to react to what he’d said. ‘Pardon? A kiss? Is that what you really said?’
‘Yes.’ He smiled into her startled face, mockery dancing now in the depths of his eyes and curving the chiselled perfection of his lips. ‘You seem shocked, Natalie. But why? What were you expecting me to ask for? Surely not what springs immediately to mind. Tut, tut, but you do me an injustice, sweet.’
‘No one could do you that, O’Rourke! You must be the most scheming, conniving, low-down—’ She broke off and swallowed a gulp of air so that she could continue. ‘You really expect me to believe that a kiss is all you want from me?’
‘Yes. You can even have it in writing if you want, a proper contract all signed and sealed.’ He walked over to the desk and picked up a pen then handed her the sheet of paper. ‘There y
ou are—a guarantee that I won’t make any other demands on you apart from one kiss. I’d call it a bargain really.’
Natalie studied the bold black letters, not quite able to believe that it was all he was asking for. But if he did suddenly decide to try to milk the situation then at least she had this to back her up.
She folded the paper and carefully slipped it into her bag then glanced over at him. ‘All right, then, you have a deal. I accept the terms.’ She dropped her bag on to the chair and walked towards him with an expression of resignation on her face which wasn’t reflected by the tumultuous thumping of her heart. ‘I suppose we may as well get it over with.’
Flynn held his hand up, smiling eloquently at her. ‘Not yet. I didn’t make that clear, did I? I shall take my “fee” when and where I decide. That’s part of the deal.’ He glanced around the immaculate room dismissively then looked back at Natalie. ‘Here doesn’t seem to be quite the place I had in mind.’
Natalie turned away without a word and picked up her bag, telling herself that it was ridiculous to feel alarmed. A kiss was a kiss no matter where it was taken or when. ‘As you choose. I’ll be in touch with you tomorrow. Naturally there are a few things which will need sorting out, not least of which is whether you’re photogenic or not. I shall arrange for you to have a portfolio done and then we’ll go from there.’
‘Fine.’ Flynn walked with her to the door but made no attempt to open it as he looked down at her with a faint lift of his brows. ‘Have you ever been to Egypt before, Natalie?’
She shook her head, the long black curls dancing around her shoulders. A few strands caught on Flynn’s white shirt but before she could free them he smoothed them into place, his fingers lingering for a heartbeat before his hand dropped to his side.
‘It’s an unforgettable experience even in these days of commercialism.’
Natalie’s pulse was hopping up and down, reacting crazily to the intimacy of the gesture so that she sounded almost curt. ‘I’m not going there to enjoy myself. I have a job to do.’
‘Of course. But wait until you see the moonlight on the desert.’ His gaze slid to her mouth and stayed there as he continued in a tone which made her burn with a sudden rush of heat along her veins, ‘Up above the sky is black velvet, so deep and dark that it feels as though you could reach up and bury your hands in its folds, while down below the sands shimmer like silver dust. It will be a magical moment when you first see it, Natalie. I can guarantee that you won’t forget it... ever.’
Natalie opened the door, forcing a strained goodbye from lips which felt feverishly hot. She summoned the lift, closing her eyes in relief as it slid down to the ground floor, and knew at once that that was a mistake. Suddenly all she could see in her mind’s eye was the vivid picture Flynn had painted—that desert scene: the velvet sky, the silver sparkle of moonlight on the sand, and, in the centre of the picture, herself enfolded in Flynn O’Rourke’s arms as he took his dues...and kissed her!
CHAPTER FOUR
CAIRO wasn’t how Natalie had imagined. She stared out of the taxi, mesmerised by a skyline of soaring skyscrapers interspersed with the graceful minarets of the many mosques.
‘Not quite what you expected, Natalie?’
Her heart leapt at the sound of Flynn’s voice. She turned to look at him, trying hard to dismiss the strange little shiver which ran disturbingly down her spine when he smiled at her. She had always compared other men to Marcus and invariably found them wanting, his dark good looks making them pale into insignificance. So why did her heartbeat quicken and her blood seem to flow a degree more warmly when she looked at Flynn now? It was very odd.
She pushed the question from her mind and kept her voice as level as she could. ‘I guess not. I thought it would be like you see in films—all dusty bazaars and alleys with pedlars pushing their wares at you, not full of modern buildings.’
Flynn laughed deeply, stretching his long legs as best he could in the cluttered confines of the taxi. The party plus their luggage had been just too large to fit into the two taxis booked to collect them from the airport. Natalie had volunteered to stay behind and take the bulk of the heavy equipment with her and Flynn had immediately announced that he would stay with her. He had ignored her protests, calmly commandeering another vehicle and helping the driver stow the cases inside.
Natalie had been only too aware of the speculative looks being cast their way when Flynn had taken charge but there had been little she could do about it. She couldn’t tell the others the truth and risk it getting back to Damian. She’d had to content herself with the thought that what she was doing was for everyone’s benefit. This account would keep them all in jobs for some while to come!
‘Oh, you’ll see plenty of those. Beneath all that modern façade Cairo is little changed from how it has been for centuries. It must be one of the most fascinating cities in the world, but that’s to be expected when you consider its history and the fact that it’s been at the centre of trade between East and West for centuries.’
Despite herself, Natalie was intrigued. ‘I never thought about that. You seem to know an awful lot about the city. Have you been here just for holidays or have you had business here?’ she queried curiously.
He glanced away, his eyes faintly hooded as they focused on the passing scene. Natalie had the sudden feeling that he didn’t want to discuss his previous visits to the city—but why? What was the mystery? Yet when he answered there was no hint of anything in his tone to back up her suspicions.
‘A bit of both actually. But no matter how many times I’ve been here I’m still stirred by that sight.’ He indicated a spot over Natalie’s shoulder. She looked round, gasping as she saw the gigantic peaks of the three Pyramids of Giza rising in the distance. She’d seen photographs of them so many times that they’d become a tourist cliché, but nothing could detract from the sense of awe she felt on actually seeing them for the first time.
‘I never dreamed they’d be so huge!’ she admitted breathlessly.
‘Wait until you stand at the base of the Great Pyramid.’ Flynn turned his gaze back to Natalie, studying her rapt expression with a disturbingly intent light in his eyes. ‘It’s unforgettable by day but the best time to see it is at night. Then the magic really gets to work.’
Natalie felt her pulse skip wildly. It was the way Flynn was looking at her, those aqua eyes filled with a warmth which made her feel light-headed. But she had to remember why they were here!
She flicked another quick glance at the Pyramids then forced herself to smile coolly and not betray her inner turmoil. ‘Don’t get too carried away, O’Rourke. You’re here to do a job. Is that clear?’
He rested his blond head back against the hard seat, his mouth quirking ruefully. ‘As crystal. And part of that job entails my acting as your pretend lover, isn’t that right, Natalie? By the way, you never did tell me how Renshaw took the news that I’m to be in the advert. Was he pleased?’
Natalie ground her teeth. O’Rourke made an art-form out of finding things to say to ruffle her. Pretend lover indeed! ‘Damian doesn’t know yet, as it happens. He had to fly to New York and he’ll be coming on from there. However, I did clear it with Renshaw’s marketing director. She was...happy enough.’
It was a blatant understatement but Natalie would be damned if she’d tell him how the elegant middle-aged woman had positively drooled when she’d shown her the pictures of O’Rourke! She had to admit that they had been remarkably good, even though he’d made no obvious effort to dress up when they’d been taken. Yet the casual shirt and jeans, the slightly mussed hair falling over his forehead, had made him look undeniably sexy!
‘So it doesn’t look as though there’ll be any problems on that score. Good. You seem to have tied up all the loose ends, Natalie.’
All except one, and that had given her a few sleepless nights! ‘More or less.’
‘Is there something worrying you?’ There was an edge to Flynn’s voice as he asked the question
, a sharpening of interest in his eyes as they rested on her, and Natalie looked away.
Of course there was something worrying her! Six feet of blond Adonis going by the name of Flynn O’Rourke, not to mention that kiss he intended to take as payment. Yet thumbscrews and boiling oil wouldn’t have made her admit it!
‘No! Everything’s fine. Why shouldn’t it be?’ she snapped.
‘So there’s been no problem with Marcus?’
‘Marcus? What do you mean?’
He eased himself more comfortably in the cramped space, smiling understandingly. ‘Well, it occurred to me that he might not like the idea of you and me pulling off this stunt. Of course we know that it’s all an act but some people might get the wrong idea. What did he say when you told him, or haven’t you done so yet?’
‘No, I haven’t!’ Natalie took a deep breath, running her hand through her hair, almost glad when her fingers tangled in the curls and tugged painfully on the roots because it steadied her. Once again, Flynn had touched a raw nerve, although she couldn’t in all honesty believe that he knew he’d done so. It would be wonderful to think that Marcus would care but she wasn’t foolish enough to hope for too much! Although once he got back and they had that promised talk then maybe things would change...
‘Perhaps it was wiser to be discreet, Natalie.’ Flynn gave a low laugh. ‘Naturally I can appreciate that Marcus might be jealous at the thought of you and me heading off into the desert.’
The mocking words cut short her musings and she glared at him. ‘Don’t be ridiculous! Of course Marcus wouldn’t be jealous! He...he knows he has no need to be,’ she amended quickly when Flynn raised his brows at her vehemence.
She looked down, plucking nervously at the edge of her sweatshirt, afraid that she might have said too much already. Flynn obviously believed that she and Marcus had some sort of intimate relationship and she didn’t want to disabuse him of that idea. It provided her with a barrier she could hide behind, yet why should she feel she needed its protection? It should be enough that she loved Marcus. She shouldn’t need anything else to keep her safe from Flynn’s undoubted charm!
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