Bound By His Desire (8 page)

Still, Nick’s words had cut so deeply. He had embarrassed her in front of Ethan. She had been flattered by Ethan’s advances. She’d never had an attractive man seek her out to talk to; it had felt strange but exhilarating at the same time. She had found Ethan interesting and thought he might fit the bill for a brief no-strings-attached fling during her stay in New York. She may be a virgin but even she could tell Ethan had ‘player’ written all over him and wouldn’t be looking for something long-term. He could educate her and then she’d move on. She had tried flexing her flirting muscles and, until Nick arrived with a thundercloud surrounding him, was feeling pretty confident she had been succeeding. Part of her was at first flattered she had two men seeming to want her, but then she worked out Nick wasn’t angry at Ethan for flirting with her. Oh no, Nick was angry with her for flirting with Ethan. How ironic was that? If only he knew just how inexperienced she really was in the art of dealing with men.

‘I need you to make sure all the points we discussed today are covered in the contract.’ Nick’s brusque tone brought her back to the present. He had still been talking to a couple of people when she’d slipped past him. She had hoped he’d be a little longer so she could get her emotions back under control.

With him standing in front of her, she had no plans to let him see how much his words had hurt.

‘I’m reviewing my notes now. I’ll list them out and run them past you and if you need to add anything more to them you can.’

‘Come into my office and we’ll review them together. I want that contract to the lawyers this afternoon. I know it will come back. That’s the way Webster works and it’s why this deal is taking longer than it should. He’s nitpicking when there’s no need, using confidential information he shouldn’t have, thanks to my last assistant, to draw out contract negotiations. I’m tired of it. I want this deal done.’

He didn’t give her a chance to respond to his outburst. He walked into his office, the expectation that she follow him clear. She knew she should, but she needed a few minutes to get herself composed. A yawn wracked her body. Exhaustion pummelled her tired bones. What she wouldn’t give to lie down for a few minutes. Not only was she physically tired; she was emotionally raw from what Nick had said to her. Perhaps her tiredness was making her super sensitive to what had happened between them in the meeting.

Pam closed her eyes for a few seconds, wishing she could lay her head on the desk and have a power nap. That wasn’t an option. If she didn’t get her butt into his office he’d probably come thundering out and bodily lift her up and deposit her on a chair in his office. At least she’d remember what it felt like to be held in his arms.

With a sigh, she collected up her notepad and pen. She reached out to open the door when it was opened for her. With her forward momentum she lost her balance and stumbled, immediately captured by a pair of strong arms.

Her skin burned from his touch, the thin silky fabric of her dress no barrier against the heat emanating from Nick. Pam took a deep breath and was immediately transported back to the wedding and being wrapped up in Nick’s jacket. Her mind quickly drifted to the kiss they’d shared. She chanced a look up at him and immediately wished she hadn’t. Fire burned within the depths of Nick’s eyes and she didn’t know whether it was from anger or something else. Dare she hope he found their embrace as disturbing to his equilibrium as it was to hers? His fingers tightened their hold, before loosening and his thumbs moved in a circular motion, hypnotising her.

She should step back, push her hands against his chest. If she followed through on her actions, she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t clutch the lapels of his jacket to keep him close.

The decision was taken from her when Nick dropped his arms and abruptly turned and walked back to his desk. Confusion coursed through her about his actions towards her, running hot and cold with how he spoke and treated her.

‘Are you planning on standing there all day?’

Pam had had enough. ‘Are you planning on being a jerk to me the whole time I’m working for you?’

The look of surprise on Nick’s face was priceless; if she wasn’t so annoyed with him, she’d almost laugh at it. Clearly he hadn’t expected her to talk like that to him. He probably wasn’t used to an assistant speaking to him that way. He was probably used to them sending him a sexy smile and asking if they could massage the tension out of his shoulders. Well, not her.

Nick took two steps toward her, his voice deadly quiet when he spoke. ‘I don’t think I heard you correctly there, Pamela. I didn’t just hear you calling me a jerk, did I?’

Pam knew she should back down. It was the sensible thing to do. But, for once, she was going to stand her ground.

‘You heard what I said, Nick. Yes, I called you a jerk because that’s what you’re being and I don’t deserve to be treated or spoken to the way you have. You may be used to assistants falling at your feet but you’re not going to get that from me. Wasn’t that the main reason for employing me? I’m not your usual type of assistant. If you don’t want me to speak my mind then you shouldn’t have asked me to join you here.’

A small smile broke out over his face. Pam ignored the warmth starting to build in her belly. She’d said her piece. Shown him she was more than willing to stand up to him. Now it was her turn to get them back to the reason she’d walked into his office. To sort through the notes from the meeting and get this deal finalised.

‘Shall we go over these notes?’ Without waiting for an answer, she brushed passed Nick and took a seat in a chair on the opposite side of his desk. The chair was a welcome relief as her legs were shaking with adrenaline from her outburst. She’d never spoken to Jasmine the way she’d just spoken to Nick. Then again, Jasmine had been so easy to work for.

‘I think I’m going to enjoy working beside you.’ Pam jumped at the sound of Nick’s voice. The words were whispered so closely to her ear, she knew if she turned her head she would connect with either Nick’s cheek or lips.

Do it
.
Turn your head and take what you want for a change. Don’t be a mouse. You asserted yourself once, keep doing it
, a little voice inside of her head taunted her.

She started to turn her head but was too slow, Nick had already moved towards his desk. The moment lost and it was probably just as well, she could imagine what Nick would’ve done if she had turned her head. He’d have probably moved back quicker than a jackrabbit.

‘Right, let’s get started.’ The impatient Nick had returned. She must remember she was here to do a job and her job didn’t include her flirting with the man. No matter how tempting or sexy she found him.

The next couple of hours passed in a blur for Pam. She’d been impressed with the way Nick handled the meeting. As they went through the process of deciphering her notes and what he wanted to add to the contract, her respect for him grew. The man was dynamic. She could understand why his other assistants focused on him and not on their work. She found her attention straying to his fingers as they moved over the keyboard and she had to give herself a mental shake when her thoughts drifted to him moving his fingers over her body. Stroking down her side and then cupping her breasts. It was never going to happen so she shouldn’t even let the thoughts take hold.

Now she sat at her desk, finalising the document and wondering if Nick would mention anything to her about the so-called function they were attending that evening. She clicked save and printed out the document for Nick to go over again.

‘Are you done yet?’

It took everything in her not to roll her eyes at Nick. Really, she’d walked out of his office a half hour ago. Yes, it was done and she would take great pleasure in handing the document to him, passing the test she suspected he was giving her.

Pam stretched across to the printer and pulled the papers off the machine. She gave it a quick snap on the desk to get it in line and, with an efficient click of the stapler, handed it to him.

‘Yes, it’s right here.’

She had the pleasure of seeing the shock on Nick’s face.

‘This is,’ Nick paused as he flicked through the papers and hitched a hip on her desk, ‘impressive.’

‘Of course, it is. Now about tonight.’

‘What about tonight?’ So engrossed in reading through the document, he wasn’t fully paying attention to her.

‘The function you’re, I mean,
we’re
supposed to be attending?’ She waited a few moments and when he still hadn’t answered her, she reached over and pulled the papers down, out of his line of vision.

‘Do you mind?’ Irritation laced his voice and he pulled the papers away from her hold.

‘Yes, Nick, I do mind. I asked you about this evening’s function. You know, the one that’s not in your diary, but the one you assured me exists. Are we still attending and what sort of function is it?’

‘The function is a charity event at the Empire State Building. It will be a formal affair and a car will come and get us around seven this evening. If that will be all, I’d like to finalise this contract.’

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked back into his office. Pam wanted to scream in frustration. The man may be an excellent businessman, but when it came to giving details that would help her, he royally sucked.

She hadn’t brought anything formal with her because she certainly hadn’t expected to be attending any events. The clothes she’d bought the previous evening weren’t suitable either. They were more geared for the office, and the one evening-type dress she had bought was more for a cocktail party or dinner at a nice restaurant than a formal affair. She wished she’d thought about packing her bridesmaid dress. It wouldn’t matter that Nick had seen her in it before. At least she knew she looked good when she wore it.

Pam pushed away from her desk and moved towards Nick’s door. She rapped quickly and then opened it.

‘What now?’ he asked, without looking up from the contract he was making notes on.

‘Nick, I didn’t bring anything formal to wear when I packed for this trip. If I’d known there was a possibility of this type of event happening, I would’ve packed the dress I wore to Jasmine’s wedding. I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to go by yourself.’

Her comment had him looking up quickly. ‘No, you are coming tonight, Pamela. Leave everything with me. When we return to the apartment later on, everything you need will be there.’

He turned back to the papers and made a couple of quick notes before picking it up and holding it out to her.

‘If you can make these final changes, we can send this contract off and hopefully close the deal.’

Pam couldn’t believe the man. He thought he could wave away her concerns with an off-hand comment about getting everything sorted for her. How could he possibly do that? Was he going to go shopping for her?

She almost snorted out loud at the thought of Nick flicking through racks of clothes. No, he probably had some sexy looking stylist on hand who jumped when he called.

‘Today, Pamela.’

She walked over and took the pages out of Nick’s hands. ‘One question before I leave.’

‘Yes?’

‘Just how do you propose getting
everything I need
when I can’t try things on?’

He waved his hand in the air as if he was shooing an annoying fly. ‘It will be fine. The contract?’

‘But, Nick, I’m no — ’

‘Enough, Pamela. You have a job to do and arguing with me is not part of it, even though you seem to enjoy that pastime. Trust me, everything will work out.’

She knew there was no point in trying to get the man to see reason. He was determined to cast aside her concerns.

‘Fine,’ she huffed. ‘But if the dress is hideous I’m not going.’

She turned and walked out of the office, the sound of Nick’s laughter ringing in her ears.

Nick flicked the cuff of his tux back to check his watch again. The car was due to arrive any minute and Pam still hadn’t come out of her room. She’d been locked in there since they’d arrived home two hours ago.

The stylist he’d spoken to had assured him she would find the perfect outfit for Pam from top to bottom. He’d emailed the stylist a photo he’d taken of Pamela at Luc’s wedding. He wasn’t a sentimental person, but he’d caught a glimpse of her looking dreamy-eyed as she watched Luc and Jasmine pose for photos. She looked so vulnerable watching them, it had called out to him. So he’d taken a photo. After he’d taken it he’d immediately gone to delete it but stopped himself from following through on the action. Now, hopefully it was enough for the stylist to work out what size Pam needed for her clothes. These people were professionals and knew what they were doing.

The in-building phone buzzed three times, the signal the car had arrived.

He was about to walk down the hallway and knock on Pam’s door when he heard the faint sound of the door opening. He turned in the direction of the sound and waited, anxious to see what the stylist had chosen for Pam.

She had looked amazing today in her simple wraparound dress. He didn’t think she understood how attractive she had looked. How tempting she had been. When he’d whispered close to her ear, after she’d stood up to him in his office, it had taken everything in him not to lift her face and kiss her. She was tempting him to forget his hands-off-assistant rule. Whenever his previous assistants had tried to put the moves on him, he had been repulsed and had turfed them out pretty quickly.

Pam was different, she stood up to him and challenged him, firing up his blood, and that made her extremely dangerous to his equilibrium.

As in in the church, Nick watched as Pam made her way down the hallway towards him. In the dim lighting he couldn’t quite see the colour of her dress, but it didn’t matter to his body. Whenever she got within five metres of him, his senses stirred to life; walking into the living room, a certain part of him sprang to full attention. He cursed his body for its carnal reaction to Pam. Never in his whole life had he had this strong a reaction to one woman. He didn’t like it. He didn’t like to be unable to control his body’s basic desires around Pam.