But isn’t he a potential client now too, investing in the same property?
The warning bells chimed but her body wasn’t listening. ‘It would seem so.’
‘Aren’t I the lucky one?’ He reached up, his fingers sweeping back a lock of hair, brushing it behind her ear, the gesture intimate and barely there, yet its effect working through her system like an electric current. ‘Can I take it our one-date arrangement can become two?’
She smiled shyly, the fact he’d read her so well, had hit on the question that had been burning through her all morning, making her suddenly coy. ‘Is that what you want?’
But you shouldn’t want it, her conscience screamed. Not now he’s potentially crossed the line...not now he’s in client territory.
His hand slipped to her thigh, his fingers stroking through the fabric of her trousers and making her breath catch. ‘I daren’t tell you everything I want right now.’
‘No?’
‘No,’ he repeated, his head ducking to close the distance between them, his eyes flashing darkly. ‘It’s agony, keeping my hands off you.’
She swallowed, her belly on fire with his words. ‘Agony?’
He nodded, his fingers creating a crazy trail of excited nerve-endings over her thighs, edging ever closer to her nested hub that now throbbed and begged for more.
‘Yes, agony.’
He dropped his gaze to his water glass, taking it up with his free hand and sipping at it, a look of deliberation on his face as he scanned the room. He appeared detached, a dizzying contrast to the hand under the table, which certainly wasn’t. He nudged at her thighs and excitement swelled, her legs parting ever so slightly to grant him greater access.
‘You know, everyone is enjoying their meals.’ His hand curved over the very top of her thigh and smoothed inwards, the move coaxing out a small whimper as she narrowed her sights on him and mentally pleaded for him not to stop. Even though he must, because they shouldn’t. Not here.
‘And what I want to enjoy this second,’ he continued, ‘is making you come.’
She gave a small gasp, her torso contracting on a rush.
‘Right now?’ She swallowed.
He couldn’t mean it.
But, Christ, if he did...she couldn’t imagine anything hotter, anything more thrilling, the intense pang taking over her clit, over her mind, driving her to accept. She licked nervously at her lips, her eyes sweeping over the other diners again, the waiting staff...and then she saw them, Julia and Johansson, heading back towards their table. Julia, flushed to high heaven, and Johansson, awkward as fuck.
‘They’re coming back,’ she said on a shaky breath, moving her hand to brush his away before smoothing her fingers over her cheek.
Christ, it was hot.
‘Her timing’s as impeccable as ever,’ he grumbled, his hand returning to the tabletop, his disgruntled remark making her smile.
She gave a soft, ‘Hush,’ and looked to their approaching guests, hoping she didn’t look as red as she felt. As red as Julia did.
‘Are you guys good to get going?’ Julia blurted when she was within earshot.
Johansson thrust a hand through his hair, looking to Daniel as if he could either murder him or beg him for a rescue.
‘Sure,’ Zara said, rising out of her seat and smoothing her trousers straight. ‘I’m going to make a quick call and see if we can swap this afternoon’s viewing now that we have a potential budget uplift. There’s a property I’m really keen for you to see.’
The interplay between Daniel and his friend continued and she hooked her arm through Julia’s, encouraging her away. ‘Let’s go down to the car while your brother takes care of the bill.’
She looked to him apologetically, not liking that she was lumping him with that errand but hoping he understood.
He nodded and rose out of his seat too. ‘Of course.’
‘I can take you through the property details while we wait,’ she said to Julia, feeling the tension radiating from the woman, her arm rigid beneath her own—maybe she’d misread the cause of the woman’s high colour after all. She felt like liquid after her little escapade; Julia was anything but.
‘I’d like that.’ Julia nodded, her eyes wavering to Johansson’s, a mixture of regret, sorrow, anger, Zara couldn’t tell, but the woman was far from happy. ‘It was...good to see you again.’
No one could miss the words sticking in her throat and Johansson gave an awkward nod. ‘You too.’ He looked to Zara. ‘Make sure you find her the best.’
‘Of course,’ she said. ‘The meal was truly lovely, thank you.’
‘You’re welcome.’
She pulled Julia in the direction of the exit and left the men to commiserate, pay their dues, come to blows—whatever. It was none of her business and her priority was to ensure her client was happy again.
But something told her they were leaving happy well behind.
* * *
It wasn’t just Daniel that Zara had wrapped around her little finger.
When he joined them in the car, she already had Julia revved up on the next house viewing. He was impressed. Johansson was still ready to murder him. He had no doubt his sister harboured a similar desire, but she was all gushy over this new property now, thankfully.
And yes, he felt shit about being the cause of his sister’s and his best friend’s displeasure, but when were the two of them going to realise there was a chance for them?
In the end, he’d left his friend on the proviso that they’d have drinks that evening. The guy needed to unwind. It scuppered his hopes of a repeat of last night but at least he knew now that Zara wasn’t cutting him off.
He grinned. The extra time gave him more time to plan too. He wasn’t ready to share her with the world just yet or, more specifically, the press. It was fine house-hunting with his sister; that could be deemed innocent enough. But as soon as it became just the two of them...
He looked out of the window, to the passing neighbourhood, the scathing words of that last article spearing him. What if it had been her photo splashed alongside it? Zara, all innocent and unaware...
His teeth gritted, his fingers biting into his knee—hell, no.
He had to open her eyes sooner or later to who he was. Sooner, if he was to do right by her, but his gut sank with the realisation. He wasn’t ready for it.
No matter how refreshing it was to have her like him for what she’d seen with her own eyes, it wasn’t fair to keep her in the dark and he needed to get there before the press did. Hell, maybe Julia had already done it for him. They’d been chatting enough. But he doubted it; he knew by the way she still looked at him that she had no clue. And suddenly he hated it with a passion, his well-cultivated public image that kept all women at arm’s length. Where they belonged—where she belonged...
He looked to her alongside him, felt her presence reverberating through him and the certainty of his mental spiel wavered.
Did he really want to keep her at arm’s length?
And what was the alternative? A relationship? A real relationship?
Scorn heated him through. Don’t be an ass. Relationships don’t work. Look at your parents. Kristus, look at Julia and Johansson—they’re made for one another and even they can’t make it work.
But sex—he could enjoy the sex. And she wanted that just as much as he did. Hopefully his reputation wouldn’t kill that off.
She chose that exact moment to slip him a look beneath her lashes, her sultry eyes transporting him back to their table at lunch, back to what he’d wanted to do, what she would have let him do, he was sure, and his cock twitched.
Fuck, no, nothing could kill this thing between them.
He brought his fingers to his lips and her eyes followed the movement, her nose flaring as she inhaled softly.
‘How many other properties
do you think you can line up now that I’ve agreed to the potential budget uplift?’ he heard his sister ask, her stress over the word potential totally for his benefit, he knew, and Zara’s gaze swept away to give his sister her full attention once more—damn it.
‘To be honest,’ she said, ‘I’ve not had a chance to look much, but, trust me, there will be many, so let’s take this one as a start, get a feel for what you think and then I’ll use that to shortlist more.’
All he heard was many, and many definitely worked for him. He would make his schedule work around the many viewings so long as they came with Zara.
‘Don’t worry, Daniel, you don’t need to attend them all,’ his sister said. ‘I know how rammed your schedule is since you hit the UK.’
‘Have you only recently flown in?’ Zara looked to him, brow raised in open curiosity. She really didn’t read the papers. They needed that talk, and soon. It was nagging at him more and more with every passing second. The uneasy feeling that he’d kept it from her on purpose, which he hadn’t, not in the beginning, but now...
Goddamn it.
‘Hmm?’ she pressed into his silence and he came alive with a nod.
‘Flew in last week.’
‘Yes, you see, my brother thinks I’m a delicate flower in need of his protection,’ Julia mocked, but her eyes were warm. She appreciated his presence even if she didn’t come right out and say it.
‘I wouldn’t say delicate, and, besides, it’s not all about you. I have business to conduct too.’
‘And that’s why I’m saying you don’t need to accompany us on every visit. I can fill you in later.’
He couldn’t stop his eyes flitting to Zara’s. ‘I want to.’
Her lips lifted in a small smile. ‘It’s nice that you want to see your sister settled.’
‘I am nice,’ he said with a grin, spying Julia’s eyes rolling in her head as she turned to look out of the window.
‘Here we go again,’ his sister muttered under her breath and Zara’s smile became a grimace, Julia adding louder, ‘Are we nearly there yet?’
The childlike question had him biting his cheek not to laugh and Zara’s eyes flashed at him in warning. He really wasn’t making her job easy.
‘Ten minutes, tops.’
Zara combed a hand through her hair, the move sending her scent over him, her neck arching invitingly, and he had to fight to hold himself still—their next private moment couldn’t come soon enough.
And he would tell her all. He really would.
But maybe after...
CHAPTER SIX
THE VIEWING HAD gone well. Julia had oohed and ahhed over practically everything. Daniel, on the other hand... She just couldn’t read him.
Or maybe she was reading him too well and that was the problem.
She looked to him across the back seat of the car and worried over her bottom lip. He was talking business down his mobile, his Swedish dialect washing over her and teasing her to distraction. Between them, Julia sat poring over the property files, acting oblivious to the chemistry thickening the air. Or if she wasn’t oblivious, she was content that her position at least separated them both and made her feel less gooseberry-like.
Christ, gooseberry-like—way to go in making your client feel valued, Zara.
She really needed to get the entire affair under her control before she truly pissed the woman off. It wasn’t fair on her and it certainly wasn’t professional.
What the hell’s got into you?
His eyes flicked to hers, his lips quirking mid-sentence and her body jolted with excitement.
Him. That’s what.
She snapped her eyes away. She needed to get this house-hunt done and dusted like yesterday. Before she committed career suicide, this time at her own hand. No matter how much her body wanted to smash her work ethic to pieces, no amount of fun was worth going through all that again. Work and her client’s satisfaction had to be her priority. Speaking of which, she dialled EJ and asked her to pull together a list of new properties for Julia to go over tonight. There, that was work-focused! Then she threw herself into her emails, anything to keep her attention off him until the car pulled up outside her office building.
Daniel was still engrossed in his conversation so she looked to Julia as she undid her seat belt. ‘I’ll get those new properties emailed across to you later today.’
‘Thanks, Zara.’
She went to open her door and Daniel started, dismissing his caller and pocketing the device in one swift motion. ‘I’ll see you up.’
‘There’s really no need.’
But he was already opening his door.
Julia turned to her. ‘I’d say I’d come too, but I don’t think he wants me to.’
He leant back to send her a brotherly look. ‘Very astute of you, liten syster.’
She dug him playfully in the ribs. ‘Just don’t be long. I have somewhere I need to be.’
He chuckled and stepped out, ducking his head back in long enough to say, ‘Sure thing.’
Zara watched him close the door, disbelief and a far more worrying emotion warming her through and making her smile softly.
She looked to Julia, all set to bid her farewell, and her intent died at the grave expression on the woman’s face—what was wrong?
‘I like you, Zara, I really do.’ She worried nervously over her lip, her eyes tracing her brother’s movement around the back of the car before coming back to pin Zara with their uneasy quality. ‘And I sure as hell love my brother, but...just be careful. Don’t get carried away with him.’
Zara’s eyes narrowed, the hairs pricking at the back of her neck with a sudden chill. ‘Why would you—?’
She was silenced by Daniel opening her door, his voice breaking through the cabin. ‘Come on, she may be smaller than me but don’t be fooled. Julia is capable of kicking both our asses.’
Julia gave her a smile and a shrug that bordered on apologetic. ‘He’s not wrong.’
Not even their shared humour could ease the effect of her warning.
What did she mean?
‘Let’s talk when I’ve been through those files,’ Julia continued, clearly understanding her hesitation. ‘I’ll call you.’
‘Of course, whenever you’re ready,’ Zara replied, injecting an enthusiasm into her words she didn’t feel, and climbed out of the car. She couldn’t even look at him, her apprehension keeping her eyes fixed on the office building as she headed straight for it.
The car door slammed shut, his hurried footsteps on the asphalt coming up behind her. ‘Hey, I didn’t mean to scare you quite so completely.’
She sent him a swift look. ‘I have an appointment shortly,’ she lied. ‘You really don’t need to walk me up.’
‘I wanted to speak to you alone.’
She frowned, yanking open the heavy glass door and heading into the bustling foyer, his sister’s words resonating and distracting her as she asked on auto-pilot, ‘What about?’
‘I wondered if you were free—’ He broke off, narrowly missing the door closing in on him as he leapt through it and swept her a questioning look.
She avoided his eye and continued on.
Yes, I’d normally hold the door open, but right now, I don’t feel anywhere near normal.
‘Like I was saying,’ he tried again, beating her to the lift button and pressing it. ‘I wondered if you were free tomorrow night?’
‘By “night”, I’m guessing you mean another date,’ she said, ignoring the excited thrum of her body.
Think on his sister’s warning. If anything, it means you should give an outright no.
‘It’s not a good idea.’
A few people joined them in the queue and she could see him re-evaluating his next words, his grin speaking volumes. ‘I beg to differ.’
‘You do
?’ she said, striving for neutral and fixing her sights on the lift doors.
Come on, come on, come on...
‘I do,’ he said confidently, his gaze still on her.
She could feel the heat of it teasing at her resolve—thank God they were in company.
The lift arrived and they stepped inside. The small space was rammed with other people and she let go of a relieved breath.
He ducked to speak against her ear. ‘Feeling safe?’
His hot breath tickled, his words burning up her core.
Safe? With him?
It was a ludicrous question, one that conjured up answers at both ends of the spectrum. She was inexplicably drawn to him, her body craving every millimetre of his, and she loved that he cared so much for his sister that he wanted to help her. She loved that he could make her laugh. She loved how well they worked together, how he knew how to drive her crazy, how he made her feel beautiful and desired. She could go on and on.
But did she feel safe?
No.
She felt all kinds of vulnerable and his sister’s words had a rage of emotion whirling up within her. Too many memories. Too much heartache.
As the lift slid into position on her floor, she stepped out and strode across the office, straight for EJ.
The woman was busy sifting through a document but as she spied them her jaw fell open, her eyes flitting past Zara to the man following close behind.
Of course they would. He was Charles all over again...
She sent her warning look—snap out of it. ‘Have you sorted that shortlist for me?’
EJ came alive, flustered but alive. ‘Sure, I’ll email it across now.’
‘Thank you.’
EJ’s gaze flitted pointedly between them.
Introductions?
She let go of a small breath and gestured to him. ‘Elizabeth, meet Daniel, Ms Larsson’s brother. Daniel, meet Elizabeth, my personal assistant.’
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you,’ EJ cooed, colour spreading in her cheeks and exacerbating Zara’s nerves.
Yes, definitely Charles all over again.
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