Glancing at Brant, she saw a muscle pulsating in his lean cheek. Then, as if he’d had enough of her, he turned away to talk to one of the others.
She felt a spurt of anger at his dismissal. Was this the way he treated women when he had enough of them? Did he use them to amuse himself, then get rid of them once they’d passed their use-by dates? Of course he did. So why did she feel surprised? Did she think she was any different just because she shared in this intense physical attraction?
Schooling her features, Kia sipped at her champagne and watched the couples dancing out on the floor.
She could hear Phillip talking about going home to Queensland to be with his family for Christmas. It reminded her of her own plans to fly south to Adelaide to spend Christmas with her mother and stepfather. She was looking forward to having some downtime with her family. She badly needed time away from the office—and the men who ran it.
All at once, Phillip leaned forward and said loudly across the table, “Hey, Brant. How would you like to dance with Kia for me?”
“Wh-what?” Kia said before she could stop herself. She didn’t want to be in Brant’s arms. Close to him.
Touching him.
Brant’s eyes narrowed slightly, but was she the only one to see the flash of hunger in them? “Maybe Kia doesn’t want to dance,” he said, giving her an out, telling her that as much as he wanted her in his arms, another part of him didn’t.
She managed a short laugh. “Phillip, don’t be silly. I don’t need to dance.”
“I saw your foot tapping to the music,” he said, surprising her because she hadn’t been aware she’d been doing that.
She opened her mouth to say she really didn’t feel like dancing but then noticed all eyes upon her.
Making a fuss would only make them wonder why she objected to dancing with Brant. And if that happened…
“Okay, Phillip. Anything for you,” she emphasized, making sure Brant knew it wasn’t for him.
And then, like a gentleman, Brant stood beside her, helping her out of her chair. She tried to smile, but already his closeness affected her. Every nerve in her body suddenly started to tingle as he led her out onto the dance floor and straight into his arms. Knowing she was in danger of melting against him, she stiffened and pulled back.
“We’re only dancing,” he mocked, knowing full well the effect he had on her.
On any woman.
On women in general.
“Mr. Matthews—”
His mouth thinned. “I’ve told you before. Call me Brant.”
“You’re my employer. I prefer to keep it formal.”
“Why?”
“I was brought up to respect my elders.”
His laughter was low and throaty, his lips showing the tip of perfect white teeth. All the better to eat you with, my dear, she thought.
He moved his hand more comfortably against the small of her back. “Thanks for putting me in my place.”
“I try.” She moved to dislodge his fingers. They were an inch too low for her liking.
“I know you do.” He tilted his head. “It makes me wonder why.”
She looked somewhere past his shoulder. “Because you’re the boss.”
His hand moved imperceptibly lower, snatching her breath away, drawing her eyes back to him. “If I’m the boss, then you should do what I say,” he murmured, making the simple statement sound very, very personal.
Recovering, she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. She was beginning to feel as if she were some sort of puppet to be manipulated. “I never was good at doing what I was told.”
“Shame.” His eyes hardened. “But I bet you know how to get your own way now.”
“Doesn’t everyone?” she quipped, not sure where this was heading.
“Every woman, you mean.”
Ah, so the womanizer had a low opinion of women. Color her surprised.
“Actually, I meant every person. Man. Woman. Child. Even animals—”
“I hear you’ve got a new car,” he cut across her. “A Porsche.”
Her mind reeled in confusion, not only at what he’d said but at the hint of accusation in his tone, though what she was being accused of she had no idea.
“Yes, I do have a new car.”
His lips twisted with a touch of cynicism. “We must be paying you well.”
His animosity was growing in leaps and bounds. “You get what you pay for,” she pointed out coolly.
“I’m sure we do.” He leaned closer so that his lips were practically pressed to her ear. “Or should I say Phil gets what he paid for.”
She stiffly drew back. “What do you mean by that?”
The corners of his mouth curved in a smooth smile that didn’t match the piercing glint in his eyes. “Merely that you’re a top-notch PA. I’m sure Phil believes he’s lucky to have you.”
“That sounds like a backhanded compliment.”
“Does it?” He pulled her slightly closer again, making her feel his heat.
Well, if he could be hot, she would be cold. Let him think she couldn’t care less about his little games.
“Serena seems nice,” she said, pasting on a cool smile.
He appeared casually amused by the change in subject. “I’m enjoying her company.”
“Naturally,” she said somewhat sourly. No one was safe from a womanizer like Brant.
The amusement left his face and he scowled. “What does that mean?”
“What do you think it means?” Two could play at this.
“Are you going to answer all my questions with a question?” he said, the scowl still in place.
“Is that what I’m doing?”
His glance sharpened. “You thought I’d ignore her, didn’t you?”
The thought had briefly crossed her mind, but she knew he would never miss an opportunity to charm a woman, whether young or old, beautiful or plain.
But she had to admit she was still annoyed with Phillip. “Actually, I know Phillip meant well, but I wish he hadn’t put her in this predicament. Believe me, I know what it’s like being an ugly duckling.”
His head went back in shock. “You? Never!”
“It’s true. I was always very plain-looking.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“I’m not. Ask my father. He was very good at telling me how plain I was.” She smiled grimly, remembering all the hurt. How many times had she looked into the mirror and wished she was beautiful?
“Naturally he was delighted when I suddenly started to blossom into something resembling a female.”
Brant’s eyes probed far too deeply. “Shouldn’t a father’s love be unconditional?”
“Not my father,” she said, on some level surprised she was telling him so much. “He only likes being with women who are beautiful.”
“Women?”
She pretended not to care. “My parents are divorced. Luckily my mother settled down to a life of bliss with a man who truly loves her. Dad’s on his third marriage, to a model half his age.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“I’m thrilled my mother found happiness.”
“And your father?”
She’d suddenly had enough. Already she’d told him more than she should have about herself.
She glanced back at the table to where the others were talking. “We were talking about Serena.”
His eyes said she wasn’t fooling him but he’d accept the change in subject anyway. “Serena’s a nice kid.”
“She wouldn’t appreciate being called a kid. She’s not much younger than me.”
“But you’re so much more—”
“Cynical?”
He broke into a sexy half smile. “I was going to say mature.”
Before she could stop it, she found herself smiling back at him.
“You should smile at me more often, Kia.”
As Serena had, she stumbled—just a little—then recovered. “But if I smile, you might think I like you,”she said with false sweetness.
As if he realized he’d let down his guard, the smile froze on his lips. “We wouldn’t want that to happen, now would we?” he said, but his voice sounded flat and he’d withdrawn into himself.
Thankfully the song ended. She cleared her throat and went to move away. “Thank you for the dance, Brant.”
But he surprised her by holding on to her arm. “Say it again, Kia.”
She blinked. “What?”
“Say my name again.”
In a way, she was grateful the womanizer was back. “Brant Matthews,” she said defiantly.
Looking satisfied, he dropped her arm the way he’d drop her heart if she dared let him near it.
Not that she would, she told herself on the way back to the table, then forced her face to maintain a calm expression when Phillip gave her an odd look. Phillip didn’t know it, but he’d taken on the role of a buffer between her and the man who was her principal employer.
She spent the next hour listening to a couple of speeches, then talking to the other guests at the table and to the staff who stopped by to pay their respects to the top table.
“Hello, Phillip.”
Kia blinked as a wave of apprehension swept over her. She’d seen a picture of this woman hidden in Phillip’s desk. Lynette Kelly. Phillip’s ex-girlfriend.
Phillip smiled coldly. “Lynette. What brings you here?”
The other woman straightened her shoulders. “I’m here with Matthew Wright,” she said quietly, looking beautiful in a silky black evening gown, her dark hair framing a lovely oval face with high cheekbones and a dainty nose.
“So you’ve finally found your Mr. Right, have you?” Phillip said rather nastily, and Kia turned to look at him in dismay. He and Lynette had been deeply in love until her career as a flight attendant had come between them.
Lynette’s chin lifted with an odd dignity. “Yes, Phillip. I believe I have.”
Kia was sure she was the only one who heard Phillip suck in a sharp breath. Thankfully the others at the table didn’t appear to realize what was going on.
Except Brant, she noted.
“What a coincidence,” Phillip said, recovering quickly as he picked up Kia’s hand and eyed Lynette with cold triumph. “I’ve found the right one this time, too. Kia’s agreed to marry me.”
Chapter Two
“M a-marry?” Lynette stuttered just as there was a lull in conversation at the table. Then all hell seemed to break loose.
“Marry? Who’s getting married?”
“You and Kia are getting married?”
“Oh, I just knew something serious was going on between you two.”
Kia was frozen in her seat. It wasn’t often she was lost for words, but this time she was, shock causing any protest to wedge in her throat. Had Phillip just said what she thought he’d said? In front of everyone?
He looked at Kia, brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I know we were going to wait until after Christmas, darling, but I think now’s as good a time as any.” He smiled, but his eyes implored her not to make a scene. “Forgive me for telling everyone our little secret?”
She was going to kill him. Doing a favor for her boss was one thing, but this was going too far. But what could she do? Make him look a fool in front of everyone? In front of Lynette? The other woman had been the reason for all this pretence in the first place.
A faint thread of hysteria rose in her throat. “I—”
“Details,” someone cut across her, which was probably best because she had no idea what she’d been about to say.
“Yes, give us details. We want to know everything.”
“Yeah, like where’s your engagement ring?”
Phillip laughed. “We don’t have any details yet. I only proposed tonight.” He smiled lovingly at her. “We’ll pick out a ring after Christmas, won’t we, darling?”
Still in shock, Kia was trying to think what to say. “Um…”
“How romantic,” one of the women said on a sigh.
“Yes, isn’t it,” Brant said, a penetrating look in his eyes that made Kia feel as if he knew everything about them and didn’t like what he saw.
Yet Phillip had been insistent when they’d started this charade that no one know about it but themselves.
Not even Brant. Especially not Brant, Phillip had said, worried his business partner might think he was being irresponsible. Apparently Brant still hadn’t forgiven Phillip for some silly error he’d made with one of their clients. It hadn’t been that important, Phillip had told her, but Brant had been watching him like a hawk ever since.
And she’d gone along with the secret for her own reasons. It had afforded her some degree of protection against the desire she saw in Brant’s eyes. Always he was around…watching…waiting…as if ready to pounce on her the minute Phillip was out of sight, both physically and mentally.
“You’re a lucky woman, Kia,” Lynette suddenly said in a quiet voice, her face pale as she took a shaky breath. An awkward silence fell. “Well, I must get back to my table.” She looked at Phillip, her bleak eyes riveted on his face. “Congratulations, Phillip. Goodbye.”
His very breath seemed to leave him, then he appeared to gather his resolve. “Goodbye, Lynette,” he said brusquely.
She walked away with stiff dignity that made Kia inwardly flinch. God, she felt bad about her involvement in all this, having met the woman now. It had started out so innocently…so uncomplicated. No one should have gotten hurt.
But Lynette was hurting badly right now. And so was Phillip. He couldn’t have known she’d be here.
Couldn’t have prepared himself for—
Suddenly something fell into place and Kia realized that Phillip had known Lynette was going to be here tonight. It was the reason he’d been distant after lunch. The reason he’d given her the diamond necklace to wear. And the reason he’d asked Brant to dance with her, making sure she was on the dance floor and on show for the other woman.