Temporary Intrigue (14 page)

It had to be possible to look beyond the fact that he was six foot something with gorgeous olive skin, eyes to die for and a mouth that really made you wonder what it would be like to . . .

Gail emerged from Josh’s office looking somewhat mollified and bustled off towards the lift. Josh glanced out.”

“Like to come in?” His manner was politely professional but his eyes were warm.

Remembering to grab a notebook, Dimity joined him. He sat on the edge of the desk, waving her into the spare chair.

“What was that about a car nearly running you down?” His eyes lingered with concern on her bruising.

Having half expected him to launch into dictation, Dimity was disconcerted. “It was all so quick. I’m not really sure what happened. I was walking Bert and we were about to cross the road when a car came flying round the corner. Bert tripped me up and I fell – sideways, luckily.”

“Did the car stop?”

She shook her head.

“It was going so fast it was almost travelling on two wheels. Probably kids practising stunts.”

He grinned wryly.

“You’re having a bad run. I wondered why you weren’t here on Friday.”

While she’d been lying around feeling sore and sorry for herself, he’d actually been looking for her! Dimity savoured the thought, then eyed him curiously.

“I didn’t tell you where I was working.”

“I saw you on the intranet.” Amusement gleamed in his eyes. “Nice photo.”

“Not one of my best.” A little embarrassed that he had discovered her deception, and mortified to know he had seen the cheesy picture, Dimity was nevertheless beginning to feel more at ease in his company. Perhaps she should offer to make coffee. He seemed to have all morning to chat.

He proved her wrong by glancing at his watch.

“I’m going to be fairly busy here, unfortunately,” he said. “There’ll be my usual work, and I’ll also be helping Gail with some of the convention organising. We’re heading off to meetings in a few minutes, then I’ll have a teleconference this afternoon, so I’ll be tied up most of the day.”

Darn. He might as well be in Canada for all she would see of him. He seemed to have everything under control without needing any secretarial input.

“But there’ll be plenty for you to do after today,” he went on, as if reading her mind. “Follow-up stuff from convention meetings and general things. Meanwhile – ” he nodded at a dictaphone on the desk– “Melissa left some non-urgent typing work. It could be a good way to ease back into things – and to look occupied.”

The gleam in his eye was now positively wicked.

Dimity brightened. She liked transcription work, especially the non-urgent variety. With the prospect of a relaxed but occupied day, and the promise of spending more time with Josh, the work scene was definitely looking up.

“Gail seemed a bit hot under the collar about the VIP reception,” Josh went on, handing her the dictaphone. “Is there a problem with it?”

The need to find a venue for that wretched reception was destined to haunt her. Groaning inwardly, Dimity explained.

“I’ll get right on to it,” she assured him, trying to hide her despair and sound like a PA par excellence.

Josh looked dubious.

“I don’t like your chances at this late stage. How many are likely to be there?”

Dimity did a quick mental check of the information she had been able to pick up.

“Probably about twenty.”

She could see Josh thinking and coming to a decision.

“I’m staying in a suite here,” he said. “Overlooking the harbour, plenty of room. Why don’t we have it there? It’s more personal than a function room and gives them the chance to see the type of accommodation we provide. Can you organise some food and drinks?”

Dimity was seriously tempted to hurl herself at him and hug him.

“You’ve saved my life,” she told him fervently.

He chuckled.

“Why don’t we work out the finer details over lunch? I’d like to check out those restaurants by the harbour while I’m here. I’m tied up today as I said, but if you’re free tomorrow we could make it then. I owe you a meal anyway.”

He spoke casually, but once again there was a slightly guarded look about him, as if her reply mattered.

While they were talking business, Dimity had started to feel more settled. Now her breathing was playing tricks with her again.

Was he asking her for a date? Was he just being friendly? Did he really feel he owed her?

Whatever. She could wonder about it later.

How long was it, after all, since a stunning man had asked her to lunch?

“Thanks, I’d like that.” Her casual manner, matching his, earned her an instant place among the finalists for the understatement of the year award.

She could almost see him relax again.

“Here’s my room number so you can send out details about the reception to everyone.” He wrote swiftly on a piece of paper and handed it to her, his fingers brushing hers. Dimity jumped. The electricity was still alive and extremely well.

Thinking he had finished she stood up, clutching the dictaphone, but he still seemed in no hurry to launch himself into the working day.

“Did you get your car back?”

Ridiculously pleased that he’d remembered, she nodded.

“Leigh said she could take me after all. And Shane went with us so he could drive home with me, because I was still feeling a bit wobbly,” she added, unreasonably pleased again to be able to score up a brownie point or two for her brother.

Before Josh could comment, his desk phone rang. He had a short conversation and hung up.

“Gail’s meeting me downstairs,” he said.

“Thanks for your email by the way and for offering to help with the car,” Dimity said quickly, feeling an annoying blush creep up her face. “I was going to reply on Thursday night but then the accident happened.”

He raised a quizzical eyebrow.

“What were you going to say?”

Dimity felt the blush intensify. There was no way he could fail to see it.

“I hadn’t actually decided,” she said at last, taking truth as the best option even if he found it insulting.

But he didn’t seem insulted. He continued to look at her with a slight smile in his eyes that she found decidedly disconcerting before she managed to detach her gaze and make her way back to her desk.

The sting of knowing he was going to meet Gail was eased considerably by his murmured “Don’t forget tomorrow” on his way out.

Hooking earphones around her head, she set to work on Melissa’s dictation, still rather dazed. She had arrived at work feeling like something the cat had dragged in, with no hope at all that she would ever see Josh again. Within half an hour she had found herself looking forward to virtually living in his pocket for the next three weeks, with the added bonus of a lunch date lined up for tomorrow.

“Of course it’s not really a date,” she said, when she called in at Sandra’s salon for a chat at lunchtime.

“What else would it be?” demanded Sandra.

“Business. A chance to talk about, you know, office things.”

“Ho!” The derisive emphasis of Sandra’s retort made up for its lack of eloquence.

By noon the next day it was difficult to see how Josh would manage to find time for even a sandwich at his desk, let alone the leisurely harbourside lunch Dimity had been envisioning. When he wasn’t at pre-convention meetings, he was dealing with the business flowing through from his Sydney office, which in turn resulted in more than enough work for Dimity. In between typing, filing, emailing and faxing, she answered his phone and left a series of messages on yellow post-it notes on his otherwise immaculate desk.

Her own desk soon gave up the battle. While she worked, the mess piled up around her, causing Josh to do an involuntary double-take when he returned to make a few phone calls.

“You’ll need a degree in archaeology to find anything there,” he commented, grinning.

“I’ve heard a messy desk is a sign of a sophisticated mind,” she shot back, and heard him chuckle as he kept going.

She was surprised at how comfortable she already felt with him. The strain of their parting after his spat with Shane seemed a thing of the past. Her heart continued to jump in a way she quite enjoyed when she saw him, but she was now managing to talk to him and be with him without feeling the need to call for oxygen every few minutes.

He seemed equally at ease with her. Even her scatty work habits didn’t appear to faze him. While Gail’s tendency to hang over her like a vulture, tapping her foot, unnerved her and caused her to make even more than her usual number of mistakes, Josh didn’t seem to notice her slow typing rate or to mind waiting while she unearthed vital documents from the mountain of mess on her desk.

During the morning she even remembered to visit Malcolm in his office to ask about the catering for the reception. He was in a surly mood, which at least meant he didn’t try to waste time flirting with her.

“I’ll arrange the drinks,” he said. “But we can’t fit the catering in. You should have organised it three weeks ago.”

“I wasn’t working here then,” Dimity reminded him. “Can you recommend anyone?”

He scribbled down a few names. Returning to her desk she managed to book a caterer after only two phone calls. Pleased with her efforts she sent Sandra a quick email signed smugly “Miss Competence.”

She was typing a press release when Josh appeared out of nowhere, tapping his watch conspicuously.

“Time for lunch,” he announced.

A couple of heads lifted as they walked out together. The boss and the temp was probably not your everyday combination, Dimity guessed. Josh, however, seemed oblivious to the glances, chatting easily on the way down in the lift and during the few minutes walk to the foreshore.

They found an outdoor table at one of the several restaurants that had been established along a renovated wharf overlooking the busy harbour, and settled into comfortable chairs in the sunshine.

“Haven’t been working you too hard, have I?” queried Josh as Dimity heaved a happy sigh, gazing out over the blue and busy expanse of harbour, dotted with a variety of vessels from tugs to tankers.

She glanced at him and smiled.

“No, but it’s certainly been busy. I feel almost like a real secretary.”

“Well, let me know if things get too hectic. I imagine it takes a while to recover from being nearly run over.” Their eyes met as he handed her a menu. “You’re not having to run your brother around this week, are you?”

Something about the way he said ‘your brother’ sent Dimity’s defence mechanism into high gear.

“I’m helping out when he needs me. Leigh’s had the flu,” she said evenly.

Suspecting Josh was biting back a comment, she looked across the menu at him.

“Leigh was really good to me when I got home on Thursday night after the accident. She phoned Sandy and got her to come over. Then Leigh and Shane both helped me a lot over the weekend.”

“So they damn well should have!”

****

He’d done it again.