The Irresistible Tycoon

by Helen Brooks

  She wished she’d never taken this job. In spite of the fabulous salary, the car, everything, she did so wish she’d never set foot in Kane Electrical. She had known where she was with Bob Curtis. He had been a slave-driver, and quite shameless about using people to his own advantage, but he had been fat and balding and middle-aged and hadn’t had the interest to ask her one personal question in the two years she had worked for him. And he’d driven a family saloon that was as exciting as a jam sandwich.

  Lucas shifted slightly in the black leather seat and she felt her nerves tighten.

  And Bob’s suits had been off the peg and more often than not creased into the bargain, and he would no more have worn a silk shirt than the man in the moon. Whereas Lucas… Even in bathing trunks he would still have that air of unlimited wealth about him.

  The thought of Lucas in bathing trunks was enough to cause her cheeks to flush hotly, and she hoped he would assume it was the warmth of the car after the bitter chill outside if he noticed.

  Lucas did notice, and the feeling he had experienced in the lift swept over him again with renewed vigour before he forced himself to relax. Okay, so she was as nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof, he told himself with silent savagery, but the devil alone only knew what had gone on in her marriage. At least the creep was dead. He breathed out slowly, narrowing his eyes at the wintry vista ahead as he forced himself to concentrate on the road conditions. She was his secretary. That was all she was. Her past only affected him in as much as it might interfere with the job she did for him. That was all.

  The rest of the journey to the restaurant was conducted in a silence that wasn’t at all comfortable, and by the time the Aston Martin nosed into the immaculate car park at the rear of Fontella’s, Kim’s nerves were stretched to breaking point. Lucas was out of the car and opening her door before Kim had a chance to move, and as she swung her legs on to the gravelled drive she took a long, deep, silent breath.

  She knew of Fontella’s but had never ventured within its hallowed walls. The prices began at unaffordable and rose skywards.

  ‘Chin up.’

  She hadn’t been aware of Lucas’s eyes on her as they had begun to walk towards the gracious wooden doors leading into the building, but now as she glanced at him he continued, ‘Jim is a wily old bird but as down-to-earth a guy as you could wish to meet and his son is from the same mould. You’ll like them.’

  Probably, but it wasn’t the thought of meeting the kingpins of Clarkson International that was bothering her. It was the big dark man at the side of her. For some reason he caused a chemical reaction in her mind and body that she didn’t seem able to control with logic or will-power, and it was getting worse as time progressed, not better.

  Kim did like Jim Clarkson and his son, Robert. They were astute businessmen and as single-minded as Lucas when it came to any issues linked with commerce, but she sensed immediately the three men had had dealings in the past and liked each other.

  To her surprise the conversation, although heated at times, was not without humour, and in spite of it being two against one Lucas more than held his own and manipulated events skilfully and quietly until he had obtained most of what he had been after.

  That this wasn’t lost on Jim Clarkson became evident as the four made their goodbyes in the car park. ‘He’s a wily operator, your Mr Kane,’ Jim told her as he shook her hand in farewell. ‘But of course you know that.’

  ‘That was exactly what he said about you, Mr Clarkson.’ Kim dimpled at the grey-haired, elderly man as she spoke and he laughed out loud, his blue eyes frankly appreciative of the beautiful woman in front of him.

  ‘Flattery will get you everywhere, my dear.’

  Lucas had been standing to one side, surveying them from eyes that reflected the winter sky overhead, and now he moved forward, cupping Kim’s elbow as he said, ‘I’ll phone you tomorrow, Jim, once my accountant has looked into a couple of matters.’

  ‘Goodbye, Mrs Allen.’ Robert Clarkson had put out his hand as he spoke, forcing Lucas to delay his departure. ‘It was nice meeting you,’ he said softly, his eyes warm.

  ‘Likewise.’

  Robert opened his mouth to say more but Kim found herself whisked across the car park, which had been swept clean of even the faintest trace of snow, before the younger man could speak and then she was in the Aston Martin with the door firmly shut.

  That had bordered on rudeness. She watched her boss walk round the bonnet of the car but could read nothing from the bland expression on the craggy face. But perhaps he was in a hurry to return to the office for some reason?

  ‘That went well.’

  They had just drawn out of the car park and she had acknowledged Robert’s wave—the younger Clarkson standing by a superb dark-blue Mercedes—with a smile and an inclination of her head before she turned to answer Lucas. In spite of the positive content of his words, the tone had suggested something different.

  ‘Yes, I thought so,’ she agreed politely.

  ‘You seemed to hit it off well with the Clarksons,’ Lucas said expressionlessly.

  ‘You were right—they’re nice people.’

  Lucas nodded sagely but made no comment.

  Kim stared at the cool hard profile for a moment longer, feeling there was something here she had missed, but at a loss to know exactly what.

  It was the same when they got back to the offices. Lucas disappeared into his after some curt instructions regarding the notes she had taken during lunch, but he seemed distracted somehow—irritated, even.

  Kim found she didn’t care. The roller-coaster of emotions she had been riding all day had taken its toll and she was physically and mentally exhausted, needing every scrap of concentration she had left to transcribe her notes into neatly printed pages. The excellent lunch didn’t help the feeling of tiredness either; for the first time since she didn’t know when she would have loved an afternoon nap, her stomach replete and her brain frazzled.

  At half-past four she took a pile of paperwork into Lucas and placed it on his desk.

  ‘Thank you.’ He didn’t look up.

  ‘I’ll come back in ten minutes when you’ve had a chance to sign the letters; they’re on the top,’ Kim said evenly.

  ‘Fine.’ His voice was distracted and he still didn’t raise his head.

  She was halfway to the door when she remembered she hadn’t mentioned a report the financial director’s secretary had just delivered and which she’d placed in the pile, and she turned swiftly, the words on her lips, only to have them freeze as she found him watching her.

  Their eyes met and held for an eternity, glittering silver on dark brown, and then his gaze wandered to a tendril of hair which had escaped the neat braid at the back of her head. ‘Your colouring is very unusual,’ he said almost absently. ‘Blonde hair with such dark eyes.’

  ‘My hair is natural.’ It was a touch defensive.

  ‘I know; I can tell,’ he said softly.

  Of course he would be able to tell, with all the blondes—natural and otherwise—he must have known in his time. The fact that her mind had registered the thought, rather than the thought itself, disturbed Kim, and to cover her confusion she found herself babbling, ‘Melody has the same blonde hair and dark eyes, actually.’

  He nodded slowly. ‘Genetic. Perhaps one of your parents had the same colouring?’ His voice was very deep and very soft.

  Kim wanted to gulp, her throat seemed to be closing up, but she breathed out through her nose and said calmly, ‘My mother. I don’t remember her but I have a photograph. My father was blonde too but he had blue eyes.’

  ‘Right.’

  He hadn’t moved a muscle and there was no need to feel threatened but that was exactly what she did feel. Get a hold of yourself, she warned herself silently. This is a perfectly respectable conversation and you’re acting like an idiot.

  ‘I…I’ll come back in a few minutes for the letters, then.’

  ‘What?’ Her ruthlessly focused, c
oldly intelligent boss stared at her vacantly for a moment and then nodded abruptly. ‘Yes, do that, Kim.’

  He lowered his head and she was off the hook, but it wasn’t until she was in her own office again that Kim realised she hadn’t told him about the financial report he had been waiting for. Well, she wasn’t going in there again—he’d find it, she told herself shakily.

  It was another ten minutes before he buzzed her, and as she took the papers he held out to her her eyes sprang to meet his as Lucas said quietly, ‘Sit down a moment, Kim. There’s something I need to say to you.’

  What now? She sat demurely on the edge of the chair in front of the desk, her knees tightly together and her expression reserved.

  ‘As my secretary you are privy to all sorts of confidential information that the rest of my employees are not.’

  Lucas’s voice was even and steady and Kim wasn’t sure if he required an answer to what had seemed like a statement, but she said, ‘Yes, of course.’

  ‘You will find that people try to get to me through you for various reasons, some important and some not so important. There will also be instances when you will be approached on a personal level, but June found it was more circumspect to keep herself to herself at work and reserve her friendships for those individuals unconnected with Kane Electrical.’

  What was he getting at? ‘But I thought her future husband was a supplier for Kane Electrical?’ Kim asked in surprise.

  Granite eyes flickered briefly. ‘The exception that proved the rule,’ Lucas said crisply.

  Right. Kim stared at him bewilderedly. Was that all?

  ‘The thing is, Kim…’ Lucas paused, his eyes tight on hers, and as she had many times before Kim felt as though his mind was looking straight into hers, probing, dissecting her secret thoughts and fears.

  ‘Yes?’ So what was the thing?

  ‘I think you might be having a telephone call from Robert Clarkson,’ Lucas said coolly.

  ‘Robert Clarkson?’ Kim stared at him as if he was mad. ‘Why would Robert Clarkson call me?’

  ‘Isn’t it obvious?’ His voice was harsher and he must have realised this because it was back to its normal even tone when he said, ‘He likes you. When you were in the ladies’ cloakroom at lunch he was asking about you.’

  Kim was totally taken aback and her honest bewilderment was written all over her face. ‘But…but I didn’t… I mean…’

  ‘You didn’t notice.’ It was a statement and spoken with mild exasperation.

  ‘No, I didn’t.’ Kim sensed criticism and her hackles rose accordingly. ‘I was there in the capacity of your secretary and doing a job, that’s all.’ And who would notice another man with Lucas Kane in the vicinity? The dangerousness of the thought shocked her and brought a flood of hot colour into her face.

  ‘Very commendable.’ It was dry and did nothing to soothe her ruffled feathers. ‘Well, take it from me, Robert will contact you in the near future and suggest lunch or dinner—a date, anyway. Of course with Kane Electrical and Clarkson International being involved in delicate negotiations at the moment…’

  ‘You think he would try and use me to gain an advantage?’ she asked stiffly. More to the point, he thought she would be stupid enough to discuss confidential matters with every Tom, Dick and Harry! How dared he? How dared he treat her as though she had so little sense or respect for her position that she would allow herself to be so indiscreet?

  ‘Not necessarily.’

  ‘Then what?’ Her voice had risen but she couldn’t help it. She was so mad.

  ‘I was merely pointing out certain factors, that’s all.’ His eyes were hard chips of narrowed ice now but Kim was too incensed to take heed.

  ‘I work for you, and you have the right to demand my absolute loyalty and discretion with all matters connected to that work, but you do not have the right to tell me who I can and can’t date outside of these four walls,’ Kim bit out tightly, her face chalk-white except for two red patches of colour on her cheekbones.

  She had no intention of dating Robert Clarkson—she had no intention of dating anyone ever again—but if Lucas Kane thought he owned her, body and soul, he had another think coming. The arrogance—the sheer unadulterated arrogance of the man!

  ‘Neither would I try,’ he grated angrily.

  ‘Oh, come on, that’s exactly what you’ve just tried,’ she flung back furiously.

  There was an electric silence which vibrated the air-waves but for all his inward rage Lucas Kane’s face was as unrevealing as a bare canvas. He had sat there all through that damned lunch and watched Rob fall over himself to impress her; it had been pathetic, he told himself savagely. And she’d smiled back at Rob in a way she had never looked at him; she hadn’t flinched when Rob had touched her arm or helped her on with her coat, damn it.

  He had battled with his feelings all afternoon, feelings new to him and acutely disturbing. He’d always prided himself on being a logical man first and foremost, a man who kept his life free and uncluttered and who liked his relationships to follow suit.

  Human triangles, sentiment, jealousy—he had always found such matters irritating and non-productive and avoided them like the plague. He liked women who thought like men in the emotional sense—or like him, at least. Non-clinging, independent, able to let go when the affair ended with no tears and no messy entanglements.

  And he still thought like that, damn it. Nothing had changed. Nothing.

  ‘There’s no need for hysterics.’ His voice was as cold as ice and his arctic eyes drilled into her like unrelenting steel. ‘I was simply putting you on your guard, that’s all. You have worked for me for three months and nothing of this nature has cropped up before.’

  He rose as he finished speaking, walking across to the door and opening it as he said, ‘Perhaps you would make sure those letters are in the post tonight.’

  He was dismissing her. Like a headmaster with an errant child! Kim rose to her feet, her clenched fists crumpling the papers in her grasp and forcing her to relax her fingers slightly.

  She had intended to sail past him with haughty indifference, her head held high, but the anger that still had her in its grip made her careless. Whether it was the thin heel of her court shoes catching in the carpet or the fact that her legs were shaking so badly, she didn’t know, but to her horror she found herself in danger of sprawling at his feet as she felt herself begin to fall just as she reached the doorway.

  The letters flew out of her fingers in a whirling arc as she grappled vainly at thin air in an effort to right herself, and then strong arms caught her and brought her thudding against a muscled male chest.

  Kim was so dazed and disorientated that she made no sort of move to free herself, and Lucas seemed to have frozen. And then he moved her an inch or so away in order to look down into her face. ‘Have you hurt yourself?’ His voice was deep and edged with huskiness.

  Hurt herself? She didn’t know what she had done, held in his arms like this. She could have a broken leg and it wouldn’t register.

  She knew she had to say something—she couldn’t continue staring up into his dark face—but all the half-remembered, forbidden dreams that had haunted her sleep for the last months had come together and it was surreal.

  Her hands had landed against the broad wall of his chest and she could feel the thud, thud of his heart beneath her fingertips, the smooth blue silk of his shirt not quite disguising the roughness of body hair beneath it.

  Her own heart was pounding, racing the blood through her veins and echoing its thunder in her throat so that it stifled any words she needed to speak to finish this thing quickly and without further embarrassment. She was aware of his harnessed strength, of the power in the bunched muscles of his arms and the magnificent ribcage beneath her palms, but instead of driving her to jerk away—as it should have done—it increased the strange inability to move.

  ‘Kim?’ It was a soft murmur, almost a whisper, and then he bent his dark head and nuzzled the gol
den silk of her hair as he moved her into him again, his voice restrained as he said, ‘It’s all right; you’re okay.’

  He had known she was expecting him to kiss her, wanting him to kiss her. And he hadn’t.

  It was like a deluge of cold water and she pulled free in the next moment, utterly mortified as she bent and quickly gathered up the scattered papers, snapping—when Lucas made a move to help—‘I can manage perfectly well, thank you.’

  He froze immediately, his voice quiet but with a distinct edge to it when he said, ‘Of course you can.’

  She had never, not even when Graham had been at his worst, felt such burning humiliation as she was feeling now. The papers retrieved, Kim rose jerkily to her feet, her face flushed and her eyes brilliant with the shame that was making her rigid.

  ‘I’ll see that these go off tonight,’ she muttered painfully, without looking at Lucas.

  He had moved slightly away from the door and now she walked through it quickly, hearing it close behind her with a further stiffening of her already taut limbs.

  All she wanted to do was to escape.

  Kim stuffed the letters into their envelopes with a feverish haste that took no account of precise folding or anything else. Then, rather than following normal procedure and ringing through to Accounts to inform the junior there that Mr Kane’s post was ready for collection, she took it down herself, lingering for a few moments to talk to the financial director’s secretary before she returned to the top floor, although afterwards she had no recollection of what they had talked about.

  Lucas was speaking on his private line when she walked into her office and she fairly flew round, collecting her coat and turning off the word processor, checking everything was in order, and then scurrying out to the lift as though the devil himself was at her heels.

  She had never gone without saying goodnight before—neither had she left before five o’clock, and it was still only five to—but none of that mattered. If she had to face Lucas tonight, look into those mocking silver eyes and see the knowledge of her own weakness in his face, she would crumple. She knew it.