He observed Pam moving around the room with the quiet efficiency she had displayed at the rehearsal dinner and the wedding. This was the reason he had listened to Luc and hired her. At least she was doing that part of her job. She stopped and chatted briefly to a couple of the older gentlemen, laying a hand on one man’s arm. Her action surprised and increased his anger. Was she now trying to see if she could hook her teeth into an older man? Had he been completely wrong about her? Had Luc and Jasmine been fooled by her as well?
Nick stopped those thoughts immediately. He was starting to let the paranoia of what happened between his father and his father’s assistant cloud his thought processes. Pam was only doing her job. Easing the clients’ concerns, as he’d asked her to do when they’d travelled to the meeting.
He went to stand when he saw another, younger man approach her. Nick could see the look of admiration and desire in his eyes. Ethan Webster. Ethan was the leading lawyer for the company they were negotiating to purchase, and he was a player. Not to mention a cutthroat lawyer looking for a weakness, and Ethan had found the weakness in his former assistant, flirting with her and enticing information out of her. Nick had been considering getting rid of her because of her forward action towards him, but giving the enemy information just because Nick wouldn’t fall for her seductions had been the last straw. Her actions had come close to destroying the deal, and now Nick was working furiously to get the deal back in their favour.
Somehow, Nick knew Ethan’s attention to Pam was completely different. Ethan wasn’t treating Pam in the same way he had his previous assistant. He wasn’t going to flirt with Pam to use her. Ethan wasn’t stupid enough to try the same trick again. Nick had a pretty good feeling this time Ethan’s motives were purely desire-based and for his own personal gain, not for the betterment of the deal.
Nick gripped his glass a little tighter as he watched Ethan slip an arm around Pam’s waist. It was a forward move and he allowed himself a small smile when Pam discreetly moved a step so Ethan wasn’t touching her so intimately.
He couldn’t hear what the other man said, but the blush and laughter coming from Pam told him Ethan hadn’t asked about the weather.
Nick pushed back his chair, allowing instinct and emotion to take over him when Pam relaxed and leaned slightly towards Ethan. He had studied body language to give him the upper hand in his negotiating skills. Now his knowledge was coming into play. Pam was getting interested and he wasn’t going to allow it. Ethan Webster would chew her up and spit her out. Nick had brought her to New York and New York was full of sharks. He wanted to protect her. He would make Ethan regret making a move on Pamela.
As he strode towards them, a small, rational part of him yelled at him, telling him he wasn’t thinking, he was reacting in a manner that was out of character. Nick squashed the voice down. He didn’t care what his mind was telling him. All he knew and felt was — no one touched his Pam.
To anyone watching, his approach towards Pam and Ethan appeared to be very relaxed and casual. Those who knew Nick would know he was anything but relaxed. Pam’s laughter touched his ears again. His jaw tensed when he saw Pam had closed the distance between her and Ethan. She was getting more and more interested in the smooth-talking lawyer and he was having none of it.
He laid a proprietary hand on her arm and stood next to her. Their shoulders brushed and he was very much in her personal space. ‘Everything okay here, Pam?’
‘Everything is fine, Mr Rhodes.’ With the same sort of discreet movement he’d admired from her previously, Pam took a little step away from him. This time he wasn’t pleased. He was annoyed because the movement put her even closer to Ethan.
Nick nodded towards the other man, sending him a ‘back off’ look. Ethan raised his eyebrow, but didn’t back down as Nick had expected. Instead, he inclined his head towards Pam.
‘I was just getting acquainted with your lovely, new assistant. She’s different from your other ones. I like her and find myself quite taken by her lyrical accent. In fact,’ Ethan winked at Pam; the flirtatious move ignited the already simmering anger in Nick into a full-on five-alarm fire, ‘I was trying to entice her to come out with me tonight. Introduce her to the exciting sights and sounds of New York.’
‘Oh, Ethan, that would be wonderful. I only got a glimpse of the city yesterday when we arrived, but I’d love to walk around and experience it all. I can’t wait to visit Times Square.’
‘I’m afraid that’s impossible.’ Nick cut in. He wasn’t going to let Ethan Webster get his hands on Pam. No way in the world. Pam was here to do a job and that job wasn’t going on dates with the first man she spoke to. ‘Tonight I have a function which I require Pamela to attend with me.’
He glimpsed the look of confusion on Pam’s face. He’d gone over the day’s schedule with her and he hadn’t mentioned this evening’s function. He had received an invitation to attend a charity event being held at the Empire State Building. He had planned on not attending. Now he would, if it meant he could prevent Pam and Ethan from going out on a date.’
‘Are you sure, I don’t rec — ’
‘Yes,’ he interrupted her before she could say anything else. He glanced over at Ethan, who was looking at the two of them, watching the exchange with interest. He could see the speculation going through the other man’s mind. Nick needed to get the situation under control and the meeting back on track. ‘Our break is over. Webster, let’s get back to sorting through the list of requirements your client is asking for and deleting most of them.’
‘You can try, but my client is pretty firm on what they want,’ Ethan paused and directed his regard to Pam, infuriating Nick even further. ‘And I usually get what I want.’
Nick recognised a challenge when he heard one. Ethan Webster had just crossed a line and Nick would make sure he and his client paid for it.
‘So do I,’ Nick returned accepting the unspoken challenge Ethan had issued. ‘Now if you will excuse me, I have to speak to my assistant.’
Nick waited until Ethan had walked away and then he looked at Pam. ‘I trust you know the duties I require of you, Pamela?’
Hurt flared in Pam’s eyes. He steeled himself from feeling any remorse. It was bad enough his previous assistants had decided to fall for him. He didn’t want Pam falling for the first New Yorker who showed some interest in her. She had an air of innocence surrounding her. He put it down to her not having travelled the world.
Yes, sir, I know exactly what is required of me.’ Pam’s tone could’ve frozen the lake in Central Park. ‘And I know what is in your schedule. I studied it this morning and I know there is no function you have to attend this evening.’
‘That’s where you’re wrong. I’m always making last minute additions to it. Don’t assume what you review first thing in the morning will be the same a couple of hours later. I suggest we discuss this later on. We have a roomful of people and I don’t appreciate having my assistant question me in front of them. May I remind you that you are here to work and not to flirt with the opposition.’
Nick turned and walked back towards his seat. He hadn’t really handled that well, but being reasonable had died the moment he’d seen Ethan’s hand on Pam. If anyone was going to touch her it was going to be him. And only him.
Pam sat back down at her desk and flicked through the notes she’d made on her tablet. She had no idea how she achieved it, but she’d made it through the rest of the meeting without falling apart and crying a bucket load of tears.
In the quiet of the office she examined what happened, trying to understand the way Nick acted. A couple of days ago he’d been determined to get her to work for him. She should’ve recognised his determination as arrogance. She could leave and go back to Perth. But after half a day on the new job she was enjoying the challenge of her new position. Plus the money would help her a lot.
Still, Nick’s words had cut so deeply. He had embarrassed her in front of Ethan. She had been flattered by Ethan’s advances. S
he’d never had an attractive man seek her out to talk to; it had felt strange but exhilarating at the same time. She had found Ethan interesting and thought he might fit the bill for a brief no-strings-attached fling during her stay in New York. She may be a virgin but even she could tell Ethan had ‘player’ written all over him and wouldn’t be looking for something long-term. He could educate her and then she’d move on. She had tried flexing her flirting muscles and, until Nick arrived with a thundercloud surrounding him, was feeling pretty confident she had been succeeding. Part of her was at first flattered she had two men seeming to want her, but then she worked out Nick wasn’t angry at Ethan for flirting with her. Oh no, Nick was angry with her for flirting with Ethan. How ironic was that? If only he knew just how inexperienced she really was in the art of dealing with men.
‘I need you to make sure all the points we discussed today are covered in the contract.’ Nick’s brusque tone brought her back to the present. He had still been talking to a couple of people when she’d slipped past him. She had hoped he’d be a little longer so she could get her emotions back under control.
With him standing in front of her, she had no plans to let him see how much his words had hurt.
‘I’m reviewing my notes now. I’ll list them out and run them past you and if you need to add anything more to them you can.’
‘Come into my office and we’ll review them together. I want that contract to the lawyers this afternoon. I know it will come back. That’s the way Webster works and it’s why this deal is taking longer than it should. He’s nitpicking when there’s no need, using confidential information he shouldn’t have, thanks to my last assistant, to draw out contract negotiations. I’m tired of it. I want this deal done.’
He didn’t give her a chance to respond to his outburst. He walked into his office, the expectation that she follow him clear. She knew she should, but she needed a few minutes to get herself composed. A yawn wracked her body. Exhaustion pummelled her tired bones. What she wouldn’t give to lie down for a few minutes. Not only was she physically tired; she was emotionally raw from what Nick had said to her. Perhaps her tiredness was making her super sensitive to what had happened between them in the meeting.
Pam closed her eyes for a few seconds, wishing she could lay her head on the desk and have a power nap. That wasn’t an option. If she didn’t get her butt into his office he’d probably come thundering out and bodily lift her up and deposit her on a chair in his office. At least she’d remember what it felt like to be held in his arms.
With a sigh, she collected up her notepad and pen. She reached out to open the door when it was opened for her. With her forward momentum she lost her balance and stumbled, immediately captured by a pair of strong arms.
Her skin burned from his touch, the thin silky fabric of her dress no barrier against the heat emanating from Nick. Pam took a deep breath and was immediately transported back to the wedding and being wrapped up in Nick’s jacket. Her mind quickly drifted to the kiss they’d shared. She chanced a look up at him and immediately wished she hadn’t. Fire burned within the depths of Nick’s eyes and she didn’t know whether it was from anger or something else. Dare she hope he found their embrace as disturbing to his equilibrium as it was to hers? His fingers tightened their hold, before loosening and his thumbs moved in a circular motion, hypnotising her.
She should step back, push her hands against his chest. If she followed through on her actions, she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t clutch the lapels of his jacket to keep him close.
The decision was taken from her when Nick dropped his arms and abruptly turned and walked back to his desk. Confusion coursed through her about his actions towards her, running hot and cold with how he spoke and treated her.
‘Are you planning on standing there all day?’
Pam had had enough. ‘Are you planning on being a jerk to me the whole time I’m working for you?’
The look of surprise on Nick’s face was priceless; if she wasn’t so annoyed with him, she’d almost laugh at it. Clearly he hadn’t expected her to talk like that to him. He probably wasn’t used to an assistant speaking to him that way. He was probably used to them sending him a sexy smile and asking if they could massage the tension out of his shoulders. Well, not her.
Nick took two steps toward her, his voice deadly quiet when he spoke. ‘I don’t think I heard you correctly there, Pamela. I didn’t just hear you calling me a jerk, did I?’
Pam knew she should back down. It was the sensible thing to do. But, for once, she was going to stand her ground.
‘You heard what I said, Nick. Yes, I called you a jerk because that’s what you’re being and I don’t deserve to be treated or spoken to the way you have. You may be used to assistants falling at your feet but you’re not going to get that from me. Wasn’t that the main reason for employing me? I’m not your usual type of assistant. If you don’t want me to speak my mind then you shouldn’t have asked me to join you here.’
A small smile broke out over his face. Pam ignored the warmth starting to build in her belly. She’d said her piece. Shown him she was more than willing to stand up to him. Now it was her turn to get them back to the reason she’d walked into his office. To sort through the notes from the meeting and get this deal finalised.
‘Shall we go over these notes?’ Without waiting for an answer, she brushed passed Nick and took a seat in a chair on the opposite side of his desk. The chair was a welcome relief as her legs were shaking with adrenaline from her outburst. She’d never spoken to Jasmine the way she’d just spoken to Nick. Then again, Jasmine had been so easy to work for.
‘I think I’m going to enjoy working beside you.’ Pam jumped at the sound of Nick’s voice. The words were whispered so closely to her ear, she knew if she turned her head she would connect with either Nick’s cheek or lips.
Do it. Turn your head and take what you want for a change. Don’t be a mouse. You asserted yourself once, keep doing it, a little voice inside of her head taunted her.
She started to turn her head but was too slow, Nick had already moved towards his desk. The moment lost and it was probably just as well, she could imagine what Nick would’ve done if she had turned her head. He’d have probably moved back quicker than a jackrabbit.
‘Right, let’s get started.’ The impatient Nick had returned. She must remember she was here to do a job and her job didn’t include her flirting with the man. No matter how tempting or sexy she found him.
Chapter 6
The next couple of hours passed in a blur for Pam. She’d been impressed with the way Nick handled the meeting. As they went through the process of deciphering her notes and what he wanted to add to the contract, her respect for him grew. The man was dynamic. She could understand why his other assistants focused on him and not on their work. She found her attention straying to his fingers as they moved over the keyboard and she had to give herself a mental shake when her thoughts drifted to him moving his fingers over her body. Stroking down her side and then cupping her breasts. It was never going to happen so she shouldn’t even let the thoughts take hold.
Now she sat at her desk, finalising the document and wondering if Nick would mention anything to her about the so-called function they were attending that evening. She clicked save and printed out the document for Nick to go over again.
‘Are you done yet?’
It took everything in her not to roll her eyes at Nick. Really, she’d walked out of his office a half hour ago. Yes, it was done and she would take great pleasure in handing the document to him, passing the test she suspected he was giving her.
Pam stretched across to the printer and pulled the papers off the machine. She gave it a quick snap on the desk to get it in line and, with an efficient click of the stapler, handed it to him.
‘Yes, it’s right here.’
She had the pleasure of seeing the shock on Nick’s face.
‘This is,’ Nick paused as he flicked through the papers and hitched a h
ip on her desk, ‘impressive.’
‘Of course, it is. Now about tonight.’
‘What about tonight?’ So engrossed in reading through the document, he wasn’t fully paying attention to her.
‘The function you’re, I mean, we’re supposed to be attending?’ She waited a few moments and when he still hadn’t answered her, she reached over and pulled the papers down, out of his line of vision.
‘Do you mind?’ Irritation laced his voice and he pulled the papers away from her hold.
‘Yes, Nick, I do mind. I asked you about this evening’s function. You know, the one that’s not in your diary, but the one you assured me exists. Are we still attending and what sort of function is it?’
‘The function is a charity event at the Empire State Building. It will be a formal affair and a car will come and get us around seven this evening. If that will be all, I’d like to finalise this contract.’
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked back into his office. Pam wanted to scream in frustration. The man may be an excellent businessman, but when it came to giving details that would help her, he royally sucked.
She hadn’t brought anything formal with her because she certainly hadn’t expected to be attending any events. The clothes she’d bought the previous evening weren’t suitable either. They were more geared for the office, and the one evening-type dress she had bought was more for a cocktail party or dinner at a nice restaurant than a formal affair. She wished she’d thought about packing her bridesmaid dress. It wouldn’t matter that Nick had seen her in it before. At least she knew she looked good when she wore it.
Pam pushed away from her desk and moved towards Nick’s door. She rapped quickly and then opened it.
‘What now?’ he asked, without looking up from the contract he was making notes on.
Bound By His Desire Page 6