Blackmailed Into Her Boss’s Bed. Sandra Marton

know that her legs felt as if they were going to buckle any second.

      A slow smile tilted the corners of his mouth. ‘I take it you had a pleasant flight.’

      She nodded. ‘It was fine.’

      ‘Good. I told Julio to be sure and make you comfortable.’

      ‘He did.’

      Miller held his hand out to her. ‘May I help you down the steps, Miss Roberts?’

      Oh, how civilised he was. Well, she could play the game as well as he—at least she could try. She shook her head. ‘No, thank you. I can manage.’

      His eyes darkened, and she knew that he was remembering the other time he’d offered her his hand and how she’d turned it down then, as well. She came down the steps, head held high, and paused when she reached the bottom. Logan Miller was standing so close to her that she could see a muscle move in his jaw.

      ‘I can’t tell you how pleased I am to see you, Miss Roberts.’ His smile thinned. ‘But then, I seem to recall telling you that we’d meet again.’

      ‘Did you?’ She smiled politely. ‘I don’t recollect.’

      She fell back as he took a quick step towards her. ‘Don’t push your luck, Talia.’ His voice was soft. ‘Unless you’d like me to refresh your memory.’

      So much for civility, she thought, while her heart knocked against her ribs. So that was the game, was it? She was the puppet, Logan Miller the puppet master. He’d pull the strings and she’d dance.

      No, she thought, while her pulse steadied, she wasn’t about to allow that. He was going to win—that was obvious. She wondered, fleetingly, whether John would fire her for losing the account or only demote her. But at least she’d lose with honour.

      Her chin rose. ‘That won’t be necessary. You’re quite right, I remember everything that happened.’ Her mouth turned down with distaste. ‘How could I ever forget?’

      A cool smile moved across his lips. ‘It was an interesting meeting, wasn’t it? Not quite the kind I usually have with my employees, but—’

      ‘I am not your employee.’ Talia’s voice sliced through his. She paused, then took a breath. ‘And if you have something to say to me, I wish you’d say it.’

      She hadn’t spoken loudly, but the wind had picked up her voice and carried it to the pilot and steward standing on the steps behind her. She felt them stir with interest.

      ‘Of course I have something to say to you, Miss Roberts. We have business to discuss.’ Miller’s eyebrows rose. ‘Don’t tell me that comes as a surprise.’

      Talia’s heart began to gallop. Her palms felt wet; she wanted to wipe them against her skirt, but she was afraid that he’d see it as a sign of weakness. ‘Everything about this meeting is a surprise,’ she said, looking him in the eye. ‘For instance, you certainly don’t look your age.’

      ‘I’m afraid I don’t—’

      ‘I was expecting Logan Miller to be in his sixties. But you must know that.’

      He stared at her, and then a slow grin spread across his face. ‘Well, that explains a lot, Miss Roberts.’

      ‘Where is the old man Miller everyone talks about, or is he just someone you invented to keep people off guard?’

      ‘Listen, lady, don’t blame me for not doing your homework.’

      ‘I did my homework,’ Talia said stiffly. ‘I knew all I needed to know about your corporation and the weekend you’d planned. It was my boss who said you’d be—that Logan Miller would be…’

      He sighed. ‘Logan Miller—senior—was my father. I took over the firm four years ago, when he fell ill.’

      Changes Ahead for Miller International… So that was what the headline of the unread article had meant. Talia swallowed drily. ‘I had no way of knowing that,’ she said. ‘And I didn’t know who you were. You knew that. You—’

      His air of easy amusement fled, leaving his expression cold. ‘Would it have made a difference?’

      Crimson patches of colour appeared on her cheeks. ‘Of course it would.’

      ‘You mean you’d have been more co-operative?’ His voice was silken. ‘Hell, if I’d known that, I’d have handed you my business card before I kissed you.’

      Talia stiffened with anger. ‘You know what I mean. Not telling me you were our client was a cheap shot. It was…’

      There was a stir behind her. Her mounting rage had made her forget the pilot and steward. Now, suddenly remembering their presence, she stumbled to an embarrassed silence.

      Miller gave her a quick, mirthless smile. ‘I’m glad to see you have some sense of decorum,’ he murmured.

      She felt a surge of heat rise to her cheeks. ‘You’re a fine one to talk about decorum, aren’t you?’

      ‘Enough!’ His voice was as hard as the hand that closed around her forearm. ‘I never talk business in public,’ he said, and then he looked past her to the plane. ‘Thank you, gentlemen. That’s all for now. Miss Roberts won’t need you again until midnight.’

      Talia looked at him sharply. ‘What do you mean?’

      ‘What I mean,’ he said calmly, ‘is that there’s no point in my men cooling their heels while they wait for you.’ He began walking towards the Maserati, his fingers gripping her arm so tightly that she had no choice but to stumble along beside him. ‘Julio has family nearby, and Bob—’

      ‘Dammit!’ Talia’s breath hissed between her teeth. ‘You know what I meant. Where are we going?’

      They reached the car and he opened the passenger door. ‘Get in, Talia.’ When she made no move to obey, he moved closer to her. ‘I’ll load you in myself, it that’s what it takes.’

      He’d do it, she thought, staring at him. She tossed her head, then climbed stiffly inside the low-slung automobile. Miller slammed the door, then came around and got in beside her. The powerful engine roared to life.

      Talia’s mouth went dry. ‘Just what do you think you’re doing, Mr Miller?’

      ‘I’m taking you to dinner.’ The Maserati began moving. ‘We have an appointment. Didn’t your boss tell you?’

      She stared at him, then let out her breath. ‘Look, there’s no point in stringing this out any further. I’ll call my boss and tell him…’

      Her voice faltered, and he looked over at her. ‘Go on,’ he said pleasantly. ‘What will you tell him?’

      They were speeding along beside the runway. Blue marker lights flashed by in the gathering dusk. It felt as if the car were gathering enough speed to hurtle into the sky. But suddenly the car veered sharply away from the runway. A fence rose ahead, and beyond that Talia could see a ribbon of road.

      ‘I—I’ll tell him the truth,’ she said hurriedly. ‘That you and I—that we had a misunderstanding when we met—’

      His lips drew back from his teeth. ‘You mean you’ll tell him you cut the head of Miller International dead when he tried to introduce himself to you? That you were incredibly rude, that you tried to make a fool of me in front of others…?’

      Talia swallowed hard. ‘You’re leaving things out.’

      Miller laughed softly. ‘I am, yes. But I didn’t think you’d want to tell him that I kissed you, and that for just a minute you turned into a woman instead of a machine.’

      ‘That’s not the way it was! You’re distorting what happened.’

      ‘Am I?’ He shrugged his shoulders. ‘I’m only describing what happened, Talia.