Propositions (2 page)

She rattled some numbers in her head. Had it really been six months since her last date and two years since her divorce? Where did time go? The thought didn’t really bother her though. She didn’t feel the need to date. Men only caused problems … and then they left. Graeme, her ex-husband, had left her for another woman, a much younger woman, ten years his junior. Her divorce had been a blessing in disguise. At thirty-six, Jessica had never felt so free, empowered and content. No one to answer to, no one complaining about her endless hours at the office or her doing the things she loved doing. Why on earth would she want a man back in her life?

“Right,” said Jessica, wrapping up. “I’ll write up the minutes of the meeting, adjust the project plan, and email the new version and notes out to everyone. We’ll start with a photo shoot and video interviews at the hotel on Monday for the social media campaign, then meet here every Tuesday morning at ten.”

“Excellent,” Nate said as he closed his leather-bound compendium. “We certainly have an exciting launch ahead of us.”

Alex and Jessica stood at the door and shook hands with the Somers team as they shuffled out into the foyer. Jessica felt an overpowering warming of her blood as Nate firmly took her hand and looked deep into her eyes.

“I look forward to seeing you on Monday, Ms Mason.”

Jessica felt a catch in her throat as he flashed a breathtaking smile at her.

* * *

Nate pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to concentrate on the job at hand. It had been all of seventy-two hours since he’d met Jessica Mason and he found himself thinking about her every few minutes. It was the first time in nearly five years he’d felt so distracted from his work, and he struggled to refocus.

“When will the hotel kitchen installation be complete?” Nate asked the construction manager.

“Two more weeks,” he said.

“We can’t have any more hold-ups. We have our safety inspection and testing for our fire certificate in four weeks. If there are any more problems, come and see me and I’ll deal with these suppliers personally.”

“Yes, Mr Somers.”

Nate fought to clear his mind as he looked over the plans scattered across the work desk set up in the lobby area. He reached for his now-cold cup of tea and drained the contents in one long gulp. Staring at the dregs in the bottom, the leaves clearly formed the shape of a kite.
Think before acting.
Great! That was all he needed on the top of everything else, his grandmother’s superstitions screwing with his head. He thumped the cup back down on the desk. What was wrong with him? Everything with the hotel was right on track. So why did he feel so flustered?

The clicking of heels on tiles caught his attention. Jessica walked into the lobby from the retail corridor that connected the hotel to the residential tower. Another woman walked by her side—what was her name? Ah yes, Gabby. But it was Jessica who seized his attention. She was tall and slender, her long legs accentuated by killer high heels. Her shoulder-length blonde hair shimmered and her olive skin shone golden in the soft lighting.

“Excuse me,” he said to the manager. “I have some other business to attend to.”

He walked toward Jessica and Gabby. Warmth flooded through his veins as he shook her hand—a strange sensation he had honestly never experienced before. He smiled when he saw her cheeks flush as she glanced up at him from under her long eyelashes. There was no denying she was a beautiful woman. But why should she affect him in such a manner? He worked around stunning women all the time, why should Jessica be any different? He was without a doubt impressed by her conduct and competence in refining the final plans for the launch. Her knowledge of event management and her creative flair had astounded him. But there was something about her dark chocolate-colored eyes. The way she looked at him …

Oh bollocks!
Nate cursed himself when he realized he’d forgotten to let her hand go. Releasing his hold, he overcame his momentary lapse in concentration by offering to take her heavy equipment bag. He turned and directed them to follow him to the suite of offices hidden behind the wall of the reception area.

“Are you ready for a productive afternoon, ladies?”

Walking beside him, Jessica relayed their agenda for the afternoon. As she tucked her hair behind her ear, the sweet scent of her perfume brought his whole body to attention. Heat rushed to his groin.

I’m going absolutely barmy!

This nonsense had to stop! Sydney was too important. He was determined to prove to his retiring father and the board that he had the savvy to grow and run the Somers empire. This venture had to put their hotels back into a positive light. He didn’t need to deal with any more scandal or drama. Somers had had enough of that in recent times, with the exposure of his father’s affairs tarnishing their good name.

Nate’s clarity of purpose returned as they reached his office at the end of the hallway. He opened the door and made way for the women to enter.

“Let’s leave your gear here and I’ll give you a quick tour of the function areas before we get underway.”

“Sounds great. Let’s go.”

* * *

“So what do you think of the hotel?” Nate asked as he followed them back into his office after showing the women around. “As you can see it’s still a bit of a construction zone in some areas. All the internals will be complete in four weeks,  and then clean-up commences along with staff training and operational simulations. We’re on schedule to receive our first guests in October.”

“It’s stunning. I can’t wait to see the place finished,” Jessica replied, as she picked up her case. “After seeing the size of the ballroom and outdoor pool area, I’ve a few more ideas that you might want to consider for the opening.”

“Such as?” Nate arched his eyebrow.

“A few years ago we did a champagne launch where we built a clear platform over the top of a pool. Maybe we could do something similar for the fashion parade?” she suggested. “I’ve also come up with some ideas for your industry rep night. How does a massive boat docked in front of the hotel sound?”

Jessica barely took a breath as she prattled on with new suggestions and highlighted some of the innovative events that Kick had done for other clients. As she talked, Nate noticed she was trying to unknot a cable, and her fingers fumbled. She glanced up at him and managed a smile. Was she nervous? Surely someone of her experience wouldn’t be anxious in this setting. He should have been interested in what she was saying, but he was entranced by the movement of her lips. They were full and red, and the thought of tasting them was …
absurd.

“So what do you think?”

Nate didn’t have a clue what Jessica had suggested because he’d been focused on her mouth rather than her words. He rubbed at his forehead, he didn’t have time for this nonsense. Work was his one and only priority. “Let’s discuss everything in more detail at our next meeting.”

Nate reluctantly grabbed his phone that started ringing in his jacket pocket. He looked at the caller ID. It was Rachael.
Blast! Why now?
She only called if it was urgent … or she wanted money.

“Excuse me, but I need to take this quickly.” He stepped out into the hall and put the phone to his ear. “Rachael, what’s up?” He couldn’t hide the sting in his voice.

“I’ve just received the account for Lucy’s school fees. They’ve gone up. You have to send me more money.”

“Hi Rachael, how’s Lucy?” He blatantly ignored her question. He knew perfectly well Lucy’s fees had been paid at the beginning of the year.

“No time for chitchat, Nathan. I need more money.”

He shook his head in disbelief. With his flustered thoughts still on Jessica, he was not in the mood for Rachael’s games. “Remember we had a thing called a divorce settlement, and you received a ludicrous amount of money? You have full custody and your monthly allowance is way beyond the means of normal living to cover Lucy’s expenses. So how did you come to the conclusion that I need to give you more money?”

“You don’t understand. Everything is more expensive now!”

“Then move to a more affordable area.”

“Ergh!” Rachael sounded like she was suppressing a scream through clenched teeth. She had tried every tactic in the book since their divorce to get more and more money from him. He’d had enough of her games and was ready for an all-out battle.

“I need more money, Nathan,” she insisted, no doubt stomping her foot on the ground and throwing a tantrum like a three year old when she didn’t get her way.

Nate’s shoulders filled with tension and his blood started to boil. “How many times did you go shopping this past month? How many designer shoes and fancy dresses did you purchase? Where and how often did you catch up with your girlfriends for lunch? If you make some lifestyle adjustments you might be surprised at how much money you do have. I pay you more than enough to support Lucy. So I’m afraid this is something you’re going to have to sort out on your own.”

He hung up and paced the floor back and forth. Every muscle in his body bristled with tension as he took deep breaths to calm down.

Every time he spoke to Rachael Nate cursed himself for being so blind and foolish, for falling in love with her. Well, what he thought was love. He’d been impressed by her confidence in pursuing him. Stunned at her suggestion that they marry. Crushed by her lies and reneging on the plans that they had made together.

A bitter taste rose in his mouth thinking about how he used to enjoy flying Rachael all around the world. Things changed literally the day after they married. The sweet girl had gone and replaced by her evil twin. She suddenly refused to move to England, insisting on staying in Singapore. A few short months later she fell pregnant, and six months after Lucy was born, she served him with divorce papers.

She blamed his excessive travel and inability to settle down. Maybe that was true. But he couldn’t erase the nagging feeling that she was only after his coin. The years since had proven him right.

He was no longer that young, naive man. He was never going to get close to anyone like that again. His heart was now enclosed by an icy barrier. His ability to trust or love anyone again long gone.

As visions of Rachael concocting her next plan to swindle more money from his bank account flickered though his mind, it was just another firm reminder why he didn’t do relationships.

“Jess, do you mind if I take off?” Gabby asked as they packed up the last of the video equipment. Lights, cameras, tripod stands and cables galore. “I’m catching up with friends for dinner and I’m already late.”

“Sure. I’ll get one of Nate’s staff members to help me load all this into my car. Off you go. Have fun.”

As Gabby disappeared out the door, Jessica went to close down her laptop but knocked her folder of papers off the table and onto the floor. With a heavy sigh, she dropped down onto her hands and knees and started to gather them up when an impeccably polished pair of black leather lace-up shoes appeared before her.
Size ten, if I had to guess
. Her pulse went up a notch. She slid her gaze up the legs of the tailored trousers, up the front of the black jacket, before meeting Nate’s blue-gray eyes. She felt a little shock to her solar plexus and clambered to her feet, refusing his offered hand. She shoved her folder into her bag and hastily straightened her skirt. Even after spending all afternoon in the same room as him, something in the air changed when he stood this close.

“It’s been a long day. Would you like to join me for a drink on the boardwalk?” Nate asked as he handed her a piece of paper she’d missed off the floor.

Jessica dropped her eyes to the desk and swallowed hard. A drink? Surely no harm would come from having a friendly drink.

All afternoon Nate had been attentive to Gabby and her, every request he seemed only too happy to please. He ensured they had enough food and water. Mid-afternoon, he personally made them cups of tea for their break. He was well-mannered; the consummate English gentleman, never faulting in his professionalism, even when Gabby made him repeat a section of interview questions several times to capture his detailed responses correctly.

Would he be different outside the office environment? Maybe finding out more about Nate would put her somersaulting stomach to rest. But would she find anything negative about him that would turn off the attraction? She tried not to judge books by their covers—but
my oh my
—Nate was eye-catching, glossy and had ‘
Get your hands on me now’
written all over him. “Sure. Sounds wonderful.”

“After you.” Nate gestured toward the door.

* * *

Once they were seated at a restaurant on the rim of Cockle Bay, nestled under the amber warmth of an outdoor heater, Nate ordered a bottle of red wine. The winter evening was cool and the harbor waters rippled with dark blue and rosy pink hues as the sun disappeared in the western sky.

“So have you been to Australia before?” Jessica asked as the waiter poured wine into her glass. She needed a drink to take the edge off. Nate’s presence made her nerves spark.

“Yes, twice. I came here on a holiday to Cairns when I was about ten years old, and four years ago when our scouts found the location for the hotel.”

“Well you certainly have a winner on your hands. Darling Harbour was in desperate need of a new waterfront hotel.”

“We like to think it adds to the glamor of the city and will become an iconic landmark of the Sydney skyline.”

“Are you staying here until the launch or is it just a visit to see that everything gets underway?”

“I should be here the whole time. Maybe a week in Singapore to see my daughter.”

“You’re married?” No one had mentioned that little detail to her before.

“Oh, dear lord, no. Not anymore.” Jessica heard a certain amount of disdain in his tone. “I was married at the ripe old age of twenty-four and it lasted a whole eighteen months.”

Shocked by the news and without thinking, Jessica blurted back, “I have a son, too. He’s nineteen though; all grown up now and out of home.”

“Are you serious?” Nate looked startled as he placed his glass on the table. “You don’t look old enough to have a grown child?”

“Not one of my finer moments in life, but yes, I had Conner when I was sixteen.” She shouldn’t have brought it up. Was she really so flustered?
Calm down, Jess.
To avoid further questions, she turned the conversation back to Nate. “It must be hard for you not seeing your daughter.”

Nate let out a deep breath and sank back into his chair. “Rachael makes it very difficult. We had an ugly, bitter divorce. With my demanding job I had to think of what was best for Lucy, so I granted Rachael full custody. The least I could do was offer financial stability for them both, and Rachael ensures that I’ll be paying the price for the rest of my days.”

Bad end to his marriage, Jessica could relate to that. “Well my ex-husband, Graeme, left me for someone ten years younger. Now he’s shacked up in a new house that
I
paid for.”

Nate grinned as he ran his hand over his five o’clock shadow. “I can relate to the house thing. My ex-wife took notes off Zsa Zsa Gabor. You know that saying about being a
housekeeper
. We divorced—she kept the house.”

Jessica chuckled, nearly choking on a mouthful of wine. “Yes, you never understand the value of money until you get divorced.”

“There was no
value
in my marriage, only cost.” He smirked. “The only time I knew I made Rachael happy was when I signed our divorce papers.”

His sarcastic sense of humor made her laugh. As they tried to outdo each other on whose ex was the worse, Jessica’s belly hurt from giggling so much. Her marriage had always loomed in the back of her mind as one of the biggest failures of her life, but joking about it with someone who’d had a rough ending as well, it didn’t feel so bad after all.

Nate’s eyes locked on hers in all seriousness. “I don’t mean to pry too much, but is Alex your partner now?”

“Partner? Definitely not.” She struggled to keep a straight face. “You’ve met Alex, right? He’s gay as Elton John.”

Nate nodded as if the pieces of the puzzle clicked together. “That explains a lot.”

“We met during our first job out of university at a small advertising firm in North Sydney, and hit it off. He handles all the operations, business processes and bid management, whereas I manage sales, the creative team and events.” She was baffled that anyone could think she and Alex were together. “I’m very content being single. No … wait, I’m married to my business.” She threw her head back with a laugh, and then peered into his eyes. “You? Which supermodel are you dating at present?” Snideness crept into her voice as she remembered seeing him photographed with various women on the internet.

He leaned toward her, took a long, slow breath and looked straight at her with a very stern expression. “Are you sure you’re not thinking of my father?” Noting his reaction, this was definitely a sour subject. “Just for your information, I don’t think I’ve ever dated a supermodel. Not even an actress. And recently, no one at all. Work consumes all my time.”

Her breath faltered as a smile returned to his face. She didn’t know if it was the wine affecting her, but his English accent seemed to coil itself around her body and warm her deep inside. She wondered what it would be like to have his naked body …
What the…?
Jessica blinked and turned her eyes away. Her hands were trembling so she slipped them into her lap. She glanced across the table at his fingers. He was stroking the stem of the wine glass absentmindedly. Why did she wish for those hands to be on her instead? How was she going to work with him if her temperature rose like the mercury on a hot summer’s day whenever he was near?

The more he said, the more she wanted to taste his lips that were now slightly stained with red wine. So much for trying to find out his bad points. Other than an ex-wife and a daughter he hardly saw, Nate Somers had too many ticks in all the right boxes: easy to talk to, funny, work was his life, and they had many things in common, including the love of red wine, tropical island holidays and attending Spring Racing Carnivals.

After their meal, they strolled along the boardwalk toward the Somers Residential Tower. Nate stopped and leaned on the railing overlooking the water. The breeze danced through his short brown hair. “Would you believe that this stay in Australia will be one of my longest anywhere? I’m usually never in one place for more than a month.”

“Well, Sydney is a beautiful city. I’m sure you’ll find things to do to keep you entertained.” Jessica settled back against the railing next to him and enjoyed the cool evening air upon her face.

“I don’t have a lot of spare time, but I already like what I see.” Nate turned. He stood barely a body-width in front of her. “But I wasn’t anticipating anything like you. You’re impossible to ignore.” Nate hesitated, his eyes searching her face.

His close proximity caught her off guard. Jessica felt her cheeks color. She wanted to blame the alcohol, but the presence of this man before her had her unraveling. Where had all her years of professional conduct gone? As if the ground turned to quicksand, she felt herself sinking further and further under the spell of Nate Somers. His alluring voice pulled her along like the Pied Piper.

She had to resist, but was unable to look away. “I think you’re suffering from delusion.”

He lowered his head toward hers. The scent of his spicy cologne filled her senses and Jessica felt her body temperature rise as he closed the gap between them. She closed her eyes and held her breath. Her body tensed and waited for his lips to press against hers.

But they never came.

She opened her eyes to see Nate’s darkened with desire, just inches from hers.

“Am I?” His lip curled at the corners.

Why had he stopped?
No, that’s a good thing.
Jessica blinked several times to regain her composure. Flushed with embarrassment, she stepped away. “Yes. I think we should head back. It’s been a long day.”