Bittersweet Love - Cathy Williams [50]
Natalie stared at him. She felt as though it had literally been years since she had laid eyes on him, even though it had only been a matter of a couple of weeks or so. Every fibre in her body awakened in his sudden presence, then she collected herself together with a little shake and stood up.
Tony bustled into the room, overweight, red-faced and enthusiastic. Kane followed him, looking around the building, then fixing his gaze on her until Natalie felt colour creeping up her skin.
How could she have pretended to herself that her new job had done anything to diminish the effect he had on her? That she would ever be able to conveniently forget him?
‘A nice little job for you, Natalie,’ Tony said with a beaming smile and Natalie dragged her eyes away from Kane. ‘Lunch with your ex-boss. I’m hoping you’ll be able to use your privileged position to talk him into some reduced rates for me.’ Kane was looking at her with an ironic expression on his face, as though daring her to come up with some excuse for refusing the offer.
‘What about those letters you wanted me to type?’ she ventured weakly and Tony laughed.
‘They’ll wait. This is more important.’ He glanced at the two of them and she could see that he was trying to figure out why she was so unenthusiastic about the idea. Most people would have jumped at the idea of an all-expenses-paid lunch, and especially if it was with someone they had known for five years.
But Tony would never put two and two together. His mind was too involved with his growing business. The personal details of other people’s lives around him passed him by.
I’ll just get my jacket,’ Natalie mumbled, the hairs on the back of her neck tingling as she felt Kane’s eyes on her.
What, she wanted to know, was he doing here anyway? Hadn’t he done enough to her already? She had the de-pressing, desperate feeling that she had been catapulted right back to square one.
She joined Kane in Reception where he was discussing one of Tony’s projects and when she walked in they both looked up. She smiled at Tony, then turned to Kane and her face was perfectly controlled.
‘Are you ready?’
‘Whenever you are,’ Kane murmured, holding the door open for her to walk past him, which she did. Very quickly.
She stepped into his car, a sleek burgundy Jaguar, her body tensing as he slid into the seat alongside her. Then he turned to face her, his hands on the steering-wheel.
‘I’ve missed you, Natalie,’ he said huskily.
Natalie’s breathing quickened. ‘I take it my re-placement hasn’t quite got used to the ropes as yet?’
There was a short silence, then he said abruptly, ‘She’s hopeless. A temp. One of several who have come and gone.’ He started up the engine and the car roared into life. ‘I don’t suppose you would reconsider coming back?’
‘No.’
‘I didn’t think so. Harding treating you that well, eh?’
I can cope with him, she wanted to say, which is some-thing to be grateful for.
‘I’m very busy. How did you find out where I worked anyway?’ she asked, still not daring to look at him be-cause to do so would be to confront the hopeless fact that she was still head over heels in love with him, that he could still thrill her merely by being there. ‘Or was it sheer coincidence your being here?’
‘He telephoned me for a reference on you,’ Kane told her, and she nodded in comprehension. That possibility had never even crossed her mind. If it had, she might have not been quite so eager to take a job so close to home.
‘Why did you come?’ she asked quietly. ‘I know you. You only ever visit massive clients. You delegate the smaller ones.’
He glanced across at her. ‘I came because I still want you, Natalie Robins,’ he told her in a cool voice. ‘No woman runs out on me. Don’t you know there’s nothing more challenging to someone like me than the inaccessible? I took you once. I intend to do it again.’
CHAPTER EIGHT
NATALIE wanted desperately