It was the first time he’d ever allowed lust to dictate a business decision. And it would be the last, he thought grimly, glancing once again at the tersely written email she had sent him that morning. He gritted his teeth. If Ms Nola Mason was expecting him to pay more, she could damn well sing for it.
Nola swallowed, shifting in her seat. Her heart was pounding, and she was struggling to stay calm beneath the battleship-grey of Ram’s scrutiny. Most CEOs were exacting and autocratic, but cyber security was typically an area in which the boss was almost always willing to hand over leadership to an expert.
Only Ram was not a typical boss.
Right from that first interview it had been clear that not only was his reputation as the enfant terrible of the tech industry fully justified, but that, unusually, he could also demonstrate considerably more than a working knowledge of the latest big data technologies.
Truthfully, however, Ram’s intelligence wasn’t the only reason she found it so hard to confront him. His beauty, his innate self-confidence, and that still focus—the sense that he was watching her and only her—made her heart flip-flop against her ribs.
Her blue eyes flickered across the boardroom table to where he sat, lounging opposite her. It might be shallow, but who wouldn’t be affected by such blatant perfection? And it didn’t help that he appealed on so many different levels.
With grey eyes that seemed to lighten and darken in harmony with his moods, messy black hair, a straight nose, and a jaw permanently darkened with stubble, he might just as easily be a poet or a revolutionary as a CEO. And the hard definition of muscle beneath his gleaming white shirt only seemed to emphasise that contradiction even more.
Dragging her gaze back up to his face, Nola felt her nerves ball painfully. The tension in his jaw told her that she was balancing on eggshells. Concentrate, she told herself—surely she hadn’t meant to imply that he was naive or complacent?
‘No, that’s not what I’m saying,’ she said quickly, ignoring the faint sigh of relief that echoed round the table as she did so. She drew in a deep breath. ‘What you’re actually being is arrogant, and unreasonable.’
Somebody—she wasn’t sure who—gave a small whimper.
For a fraction of a second Ram thought he might have misheard her. Nobody called him arrogant or unreasonable. But, glancing across at Nola, he knew immediately that he’d heard her correctly.
Her cheeks were flushed, but she was eyeing him steadily, and he felt a flicker of anger and something like admiration. She was brave—he’d give her that. And determined. He knew his reputation, and it had been well and truly earned. His negotiating skills were legendary, and his single-minded ruthlessness had turned a loan from his grandfather into a global brand.
A pulse began to beat in his groin. Normally she would be emptying her desk by now. Only the humming in his blood seemed to block out all rational thought so that he felt dazed, disorientated by her accusation. But why? What was it about this woman that made it so difficult for him to stay focused?
He didn’t know. But whatever it was it had been instant and undeniable. When he’d walked into that coffee shop she had stood up, shaken his hand, and his body had reacted automatically—not just a spark but a fire starting in his blood and burning through his veins.
It had been devastating, unprecedented. At the time he’d assumed it was because she was so unlike any of the other women of his acquaintance. Women who would sacrifice anything and anyone to fit in, to make their lives smooth. Women who chose conformity and comfort over risk.
Nola took risks. That was obvious from the way she had dressed and behaved at her interview. He liked it that she broke the rules. Every single time he came into contact with her he liked it more—liked her more.
And she liked him too.
Only every single time she came into contact with him she gave him the brush-off. Or at least she tried too. But her eyes gave her away.
As though sensing his thoughts, Nola glanced up and looked away, her hand rising protectively to touch her throat. Instantly the pulse in his groin began to beat harder and faster.
He had never had to chase a woman before—let alone coax her into his bed. It was both maddening and unbelievably erotic.
At the thought of Nola in his bed, wearing nothing but that velvet choker, he felt a stab of sexual frustration so painful that he had to grip the arms of his chair to stop himself from groaning out loud.
‘That’s a pretty damning assessment, Ms Mason,’ he said softly. ‘Obviously if I thought you were being serious we’d be having a very different conversation. So I’m going to assume you’re trying to shock me into changing my mind.’
Nola took a breath. Her insides felt tight and a prickling heat was spreading up her spine. Could everyone else in the room feel the tension between her and Ram? Or was it all in her head?
Stupid question. She knew it was real—and not just real. It was dangerous. Whatever this thing was between them, it was clearly hazardous—not only to her reason but to her instinct for self-preservation. Why else was she picking a fight with the boss in public?
Abruptly he leaned forward, and as their eyes met she shivered. His gaze was so intent that suddenly it felt as though they were alone, facing each other like two Western gunslingers in a saloon bar.
‘Nice try! But I’m not that sensitive.’
Without warning the intensity faded from his handsome features and, glancing swiftly round the room, she knew her anger must look out of place—petulant, even. No doubt that had been his intention all along: to make her look emotional and unprofessional.
Gritting her teeth, she leaned back in her chair, trying to match his nonchalance.
Watching her fingers curl into a fist around her pen, Ram smiled slowly. ‘I don’t know whether to be disappointed or impressed by you, Ms Mason. It usually takes people a lot less than two months to realise I’m arrogant and unreasonable. However, they don’t tend to say it to my face. Either way, though, I’m not inclined to change my mind. Or permit you to change yours. You see, I only have one thousand four hundred and forty minutes in any day, and I don’t like to waste them on ill-thought-out negotiations like this one.’
Watching the flush of colour spread over her pale skin, he felt a stab of satisfaction. She had got under his skin; now he had not got under hers, And he was going to make sure it stung.
‘I gave you a budget—a very generous budget—and I see no reason to increase it on the basis of some whim.’
Nola glared at him. ‘This is not a whim, Mr Walker. It is a response to your email informing me that the software launch date has been brought forward by six weeks.’
Had he stuck to the original deadline, the new system would have been up and running for several months prior to the launch, giving her ample time to iron out any glitches. Now, though, the team she’d hired and trained for RWI would have to work longer hours to run all the necessary checks, and overtime meant more money.
Ram leaned forward. ‘I run a business—a very successful one—that is currently paying your salary, and part of that success comes from knowing my market inside out. And this software needs to be on sale as soon as possible. And by “as soon as possible” I mean now.’
She blinked trying to break the spell of his eyes on hers and the small taunting smile on his lips.
Taking a breath, she steadied herself. ‘I understand that. But now changes things. Now is expensive. But not nearly as expensive as it will be when your system gets hacked.’
‘That sounds awfully like a threat, Ms Mason.’
She took another quick breath, her hand lifting instinctively to her throat. Feeling the blood pulsing beneath her fingertips, she straightened her spine.
‘That’s because it is. But better that it comes from me than them. Hackers break the rules, which means I have to break the rules. The difference is that I’m not about to steal or destroy or publicise your data. Nor am I going to extort money from you.’
‘Not true.’ The
corner of his mouth lifted, as though she had made a joke, but there was no laughter in his eyes. ‘Okay, you don’t sneak in through the back door. You just give me one of those butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-your-mouth smiles and put an invoice on my desk!’
‘I can protect your company, Mr Walker. But I can’t do that if my hands are tied behind my back.’
He tilted his head, his expression shifting, his dark gaze locking onto her face. ‘Of course not. But, personally, I never let anyone tie me up unless we’ve decided on a safe word beforehand. Maybe you should do the same.’
There was some nervous laughter around the table. But before she could respond, he twisted in his seat and gestured vaguely towards the door.
‘I need to have a private conversation with Ms Mason.’
Stomach churning, Nola watched as the men and women filed silently out of the room. Finally the door closed with a quiet click and she felt a ripple of apprehension slither over her skin as she waited for him to speak.
But he didn’t say anything. Instead he simply stared out of the window at the blue sky, his face calm and untroubled.
Her heartbeat accelerated. Damn him! She knew he was making her wait, proving his power. If only she could tell him where to put his job. But this contract was not only paying her and Anna’s wages, RWI was a global brand—a household name—and getting a good reference would propel their company, Cyber Angels, into the big time.
So, willing herself to stay cool-headed, she sat as the silence spread to the four corners of the room. Finally he pushed back his seat and stood up. Her pulse twitched in her throat as she watched him walk slowly around the table and come to a halt in front of her.
‘You’re costing me a great deal of money already. And now you’re about to cost me a whole lot more.’ He stared at her coolly. ‘Are you sure there’s nothing else you’d like, Nola? This table, perhaps? My car? Maybe the shirt off my back?’
He was looking for her to react. Which meant she should stay silent and seated. But it was the first time he had said her name, and hearing it spoken in that soft, sexy drawl caught her off guard.
She jerked to her feet, her body acting independently, tasting the sharp tang of adrenaline in her mouth.
Instantly she knew she’d made a mistake. She was close enough to reach out and touch that beautifully shaped mouth. In other words, too close. Walk away, she shouted silently. Better still, run! But for some reason her legs wouldn’t do what her brain was suggesting.
Instead, she glowered at him, her blue eyes darkening with anger. ‘Yes, that’s right, Mr Walker. That’s exactly what I want. The shirt off your back.’
But it wasn’t. What she really wanted was to turn the tables. Goad him into losing control. Make him feel this same conflicted, confusing mass of fear and frustration and desire.
His fingers were hovering over the top button of his shirt, his eyes holding hers. ‘You’re sure about that?’ he said softly.
The menacing undertone beneath the softness cut through her emotion and brought her to her senses.
At the other end of a table, surrounded by people, Ram Walker was disturbing, distracting. But up close and unchaperoned he was formidable.
And she was out of her depth.
Breathing in sharply, she shook her head, her pulse quickening with helpless anger as he gave her a small satisfied smile.
‘And I thought you liked breaking the rules.’
His eyes gleamed and she knew he was goading her again, but she didn’t care. Right now all she wanted was to be somewhere far away from this man who seemed to have the power to turn her inside out and off balance.
‘Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?’ he asked with an exaggerated politeness that seemed designed to test her self-control.
He waited until she shook her head, and then, turning, he walked towards the door.
‘I’ll speak to the accountants today.’
It was with relief bordering on delirium that she watched him leave the room.
* * *
Back in her office, she sat down behind her desk and let out a jagged breath.
Her hands were trembling and she felt hot and dizzy.
Leaning back in her chair, she picked up her notebook and a pencil. She knew it was anachronistic for a techie like herself to use pen and paper, but her mother had always used a notebook. Besides, it helped her clear her mind and unwind—and right now, with Ram Walker’s goading words running on a loop round her head, she needed all the help she could get.
But she had barely flipped open her notebook when her phone buzzed. She hesitated before picking it up. If it was Ram, she was going to let it ring out. Her nerves were still jangling from their last encounter, and she couldn’t face another head-to-head right now. But glancing at the screen, she felt a warm rush of happiness.
It was Anna.
A chat with her best friend would be the perfect antidote to that showdown with Ram.
‘Hey, I wasn’t expecting to hear from you. Why are you calling me? This is your honeymoon. Shouldn’t you be gazing into Robbie’s eyes, or writhing about with him on some idyllic beach?’
Hearing Anna’s snort of laughter, she realised just how much she was missing her easy-going friend and business partner.
‘I promise you, sex on the beach is overrated! Sand gets everywhere. And I mean everywhere.’
‘Okay, too much information, Mrs Harris.’ She began to doodle at the edges of the paper.
‘Oh, Noles, you have no idea how weird it is to be Mrs Somebody, let alone Mrs Harris.’
‘No idea at all! And planning to stay that way,’ she said lightly.
Marriage had never been high on her to-do list. She was happy for Anna, of course. But her parents’ divorce had left her wary of making vows and promises. And her disastrous relationship with Connor had only reinforced her instinctive distrust of the sort of trust and intimacy that marriage required.
Anna giggled. ‘Every time anyone calls me that I keep thinking my mother-in-law’s here. It’s terrifying!’
She and Nola both burst out laughing.
‘So why are you ringing me?’ Nola said finally, when she could speak again.
‘Well, we were at the pool, and Robbie got talking to this guy, and guess what? He’s a neurosurgeon too. So you can imagine what happened next.’
Nola nodded. Anna’s husband had recently been appointed as a consultant at one of Edinburgh’s top teaching hospitals. He was as passionate about his work as he was about his new wife.
‘Anyway, I left them yapping on about central core function and some new scanner, and that made me think of you, slogging away in Sydney all on your own. So I thought I’d give you a call and see how everything’s going...’
Tucking the phone against her shoulder, Nola rolled her eyes. ‘Everything’s fine. There was a bit of a problem this morning, but nothing I couldn’t handle.’
She paused, felt a betraying flush of colour spreading over her cheeks, and was grateful that Anna was on the end of a phone and not in the same room.
There was a short silence. Then, ‘So, you and Ramsay Walker are getting on okay?’
Nola frowned.
‘Yes...’ She hesitated. ‘Well, no. Not really. It’s complicated. But it’s okay,’ she said quickly, as Anna made a noise somewhere between a wail and groan.
‘I knew I should have postponed the honeymoon! Please tell me you haven’t done anything stupid.’
Nola swallowed. She had—but thankfully only in the safe zone of her imagination.
‘We had a few words about the budget, but I handled it and it’s fine. I promise.’
‘That’s good.’ She heard Anna breathe out. ‘Look, Noles, I know you think he’s arrogant and demanding—’
‘It’s not a matter of opinion, Anna. It’s a fact. He is arrogant and demanding.’
And spoiled. How could he not be? He was the only son and heir to a fortune; his every whim had probably been indulged from birth
. He might like to boast that he said no to almost everything, but she was willing to bet an entire year’s salary that nobody had ever said no to him.
‘I know,’ her friend said soothingly. ‘But for the next twenty-four hours he’s still the boss. And if we get a good reference from him we’ll basically be able to print money. We might even be able to pay off our loan.’ She giggled. ‘Besides, you have to admit that there are some perks working for him.’
‘Anna Harris, you’re a married woman. You shouldn’t be having thoughts like that.’
‘Why not? I love my Robbie, but Ram Walker is gorgeous.’
Laughing reluctantly, Nola shook her head. ‘He is so not your type, Anna.’
‘If you believe that you must have been looking too long into that big old Australian sun! He’s every woman’s type. As long as they’re breathing.’
Opening her mouth, wanting to disagree, to deny what she knew to be true, Nola glanced down at her notepad, at the sketch she had made of Ram.
Who was she trying to kid?
‘Fine. He’s gorgeous. Happy now?’
But as she swung round in her seat her words froze on her lips, and Anna’s response was lost beneath the sudden deafening beat of her heart.
Lounging in the open doorway, his muscular body draped against the frame, Ram Walker was watching her with a mocking gaze that told her he had clearly heard her last remark.
There was no choice but to front it out. Acknowledging his presence with a small, tight smile, she closed her notebook carefully and, as casually as she could manage, said, ‘Okay, that all sounds fine. Send the data over as soon as possible and I’ll take a look at it.’
Ignoring Anna’s confused reply, she hung up.
Her heart was ricocheting against her ribs.
‘Mr Walker. How can I help you?’
He stared at her calmly, his grey eyes holding her captive.
‘Let’s not worry about that now,’ he said easily. ‘Why don’t we talk about how I can help you?’
She stared at him in silence. Where was this conversation going?
‘I don’t understand—you want to help me?’
‘Of course. You’re only with us one more day, and I want to make that time as productive as possible. Which is why I want you to have dinner with me this evening.’
Kidnapped for the Tycoon's Baby Page 2