Bedded At His Convenience. Margaret Mayo

have nothing to worry about.

      She was very much aware of the clean, fresh masculine smell of him, so close to her nostrils that it was like breathing him in, filling herself with his sexy male body, allowing memories to come flooding back.

      One memory in particular.

      It had been their honeymoon night. They had showered after their flight, and then sat on their hotel balcony watching the incessant movement of the ocean, watching a blood-red sun slowly sink, marvelling at the drama taking place in the sky.

      Their balcony hadn’t been overlooked, and both of them had been as naked as the day they were born. Hunter had warned her on the flight over that this was the way he intended to keep her for the whole seven days.

      An army of butterflies had filled Keisha’s stomach at the prospect, but her inhibitions had flown once they were there, and there on their balcony the scent of Hunter had drugged her. She’d no longer wanted to watch the sea or the sky; she’d wanted to make love!

      She’d drunk in the essence of him, inhaled it deep into her soul, and then she had taken him by the hand and led him through to their bedroom. What had happened afterwards had been out of this world. There on that magical island, on that first night of the rest of their life together, they had reached heights never dreamed of—and she had thought if that was what their future was going to be like then she was one hell of a happy woman.

      But of course it hadn’t ended up like that, and drinking him in now, smelling that same pagan smell, feeling sensations desperately trying to make themselves known all over again, created an irrational fear.

      Fear and need!

      Foolish desire!

      Having anything to do with Hunter was a disaster waiting to happen.

      And yet she needed a job. He was her only hope! He was offering her a lifeline. It would be stupid to throw it back in his face because of something that had happened three years ago.

      ‘Have you thought about it?’

      ‘What would I be doing?’ she asked next.

      Hunter gave her a devilish smile. ‘My PA is about to go on maternity leave. I’ve not yet found a replacement. You’ll do very nicely.’

      Keisha was horrified. She couldn’t! She wouldn’t! She wanted distance between them, not togetherness.

      ‘You look shocked!’

      ‘I am. I can’t work that closely with you.’

      ‘Why ever not?’ he asked pleasantly, though she feared his pleasantness was that of a wolf about to pounce.

      ‘Because—because…’ Her voice tailed off miserably. She could come up with no convincing justification.

      ‘There, you see—you have no excuse.’ Hunter’s lips curled upwards in a gleeful smile. ‘The matter’s settled.’

      ‘No, it isn’t,’ declared Keisha bravely. ‘I need time to think about it. I hadn’t envisaged working so closely with you. I’ll think about it overnight and give you my decision in the morning.’

      Hunter’s smile was slow and confident. ‘And we both know what it will be.’

      Keisha shook her head. ‘No, we don’t. Maybe I do need a job, but I’m not that desperate.’

      Mocking brows lifted. ‘Brave words, my beautiful Keisha! If what you’ve told me is true, then you’d be a fool to turn me down.’

      She didn’t think so. She would be a fool to line herself up for more heartache—because surely that was what would happen? Spending time together would be disastrous.

      ‘You think what you like,’ she tossed irritably. ‘I’d like to go home now.’

      ‘But you’ve only just got here,’ he declared with a fierce frown.

      ‘I made a mistake. And if you don’t want to take me I’ll ring for a taxi.’

      ‘And spend money you can ill afford?’ he queried irritably. ‘If you’re that determined I’ll take you.’

      But he wasn’t pleased, and he drove her home in grim-faced silence.

      Keisha was relieved that he wasn’t speaking, because she had nothing to say to him. Her thoughts were too full. His job offer was more than generous, given their circumstances, and the practical half of her knew that she ought to jump at it. But the sane half, the half that was afraid of what might happen between them, told her she would be a fool to even think of accepting.

      He drew up outside her house and finally spoke. ‘I can’t keep my offer open. I need someone straight away.’ He was in business mode now, serious and brusque. ‘Ring me first thing tomorrow or forget it.’

      Keisha shot out of the car. ‘I’ll forget it.’ And she slammed the door.

      So that was that, she thought as she let herself in. She’d turned down the only decent job offer she was likely to get. Was she stupid or what?