Defiant Mistress, Ruthless Millionaire(4)

The instant he had his fury under control again his eyes snapped open  and his gaze drifted to the Palmer Enterprises building, only a couple  of blocks away, framed by his window. Yes, Bruce Palmer would pay for  his callous choice, and he'd pay dearly. By the time Josh was finished  with him the older man would know the pain of regret and Josh's thirst  for payback would finally be quenched.

Josh moved back to his desk and opened the computer file he had on  Callie, his eyes roaming the head-and-shoulders shot of her that filled  his screen.

His insides clenched as he observed the tilt of her head, the tint of  red in her long hair hinting at the fiery potential in her temper. The  picture, however, hadn't captured the essence of her as a woman. She'd  controlled herself so well at lunch the other week, but the hint of  anger in her chocolate-brown eyes had barely veiled what he believed was  the true level of passion in her nature. Callie Rose Lee in the flesh  was an entirely more enticing package than the computer screen promised.

"So that's the tour of the office complex all done!"

The fresh-faced staffer who'd shown Callie around Tremont's high rise  turned with a smile that almost made Callie feel like she was waiting  for applause or a pat on the head for a job well done.

"Thank you, Sabrina. It certainly was comprehensive."

So comprehensive, in fact, Callie wondered when she'd ever actually get  to start some work. The tour had taken the entire morning and she'd yet  to meet up with Josh Tremont again or see where she'd be working  herself.                       
       
           



       

"Ah, here's Mr Tremont now. Right on time."

Callie stiffened, every nerve in her body going onto full alert. By the  look on Sabrina's face, she had a serious case of hero worship. Callie  stifled a groan and cursorily reminded herself why she was really here.

"Callie, good to see you. I had a meeting this morning but I'm sure Sabrina has taken good care of you."

Josh Tremont extended his hand and after the briefest hesitation Callie  took it. Instantly his fingers curled warmly around her hand, enveloping  her with his strength. She was glad he wasn't one of those men who  insisted on either squeezing the bejeezus out of your fingers or  dominating the handshake with his hand on top.

No, men like Josh Tremont didn't need those tactics to show who was in  charge. It was clear in the look he gave her as he welcomed her into his  domain-powerful, omnipotent. A chill rippled a shiver of warning down  her spine and she forced back a shudder. She was truly in the lion's den  now.

He was dressed today in a black blazer teamed with sharply pressed grey  trousers and a crisp white shirt. His blue tie, hand-dyed silk if her  eye wasn't mistaken, sat in a perfect Windsor knot, and reflected the  colour of his eyes. He could have stepped straight off the pages of GQ  magazine.

Callie slowly became aware that he still held her hand. The warmth of  his grasp permeated her skin and sent a tiny flare of something hotter  spiraling deep inside her. She pulled away with as much decorum as she  could muster but not soon enough to stop the tingle that registered just  beneath her palm. She stroked her hand down over her hip, over the hem  of her sensible cream-coloured business jacket and the slim fit of her  matching trousers, but it did nothing to assuage the sensation that his  hand still clasped hers.

"Are you ready to see where you'll be working while we're based in the office?"

"I certainly am," Callie answered, determined to at least appear to be  keen on her new role even if her insides were clattering away like a  flock of nervous parrots.

"Follow me," Josh gestured toward an elevator bank and pulled a swipe key from his belt as they entered the waiting lift.

"Thanks again for showing me around," Callie said to Sabrina.

The other girl gave her a smile and a wave and started to walk away as  the lift doors closed. As lifts went, the car was bigger than many she'd  been in, but for some reason the walls seemed closer than they should  be. Josh Tremont seemed closer. Was it her imagination or had he moved  in to be nearer to her as the car travelled up to what was tagged as the  executive floor?

His cologne tantalised her, a hint of black pepper and sandalwood mixed  with something else. Whatever it was, it played havoc with her  equilibrium. Thankfully, the journey upward was swift and, as the lift  doors slid silently open, Callie let go the breath she'd unconsciously  held.

"Our senior executives are all housed on this floor, together with our  legal department. You'll be issued your own security clearance and swipe  key. Every key access is logged and counterchecked by security on a  regular basis to provide a complete record of our staff movements."

"That way no one is where they shouldn't be?" Callie asked. Maybe this was going to be a whole lot tougher than she anticipated.

"As I'm sure you're aware from your previous work, in these competitive times security and confidentiality are paramount."

Oh, yes, she knew it all right. And while Josh Tremont was clearly a  stickler for guarding his own turf, he wasn't above stealing or buying  information about others.

"I'm surprised you don't have everyone fitted with a personal tracking device," she said with a light laugh.

"Don't be. I've thought about it. But this does just as well."

Josh pressed his index finger on a reader set in a panel on the wall  beside enormous double doors. A green light flashed on the display of  the reader and the doors swung open, revealing a massive office suite.

"You use biometric identification on this floor?"

"And in our IT section, yes. By the end of next year, we'll use it through the whole building."

Callie followed Josh inside, and tried to quell the sense of disquiet  that threaded through her as the doors swung closed behind them-much  like the solid gates of an olde worlde stronghold. It didn't take too  much imagination to connect the dots and cast her new employer in the  role of lord of this particular manor.

Josh gestured toward a modern workstation. "This is where you'll be  working." He pulled out the chair, inviting her to sit down. "You'll see  there's another print reader associated with your computer. Drew, my  head of IT, will be up shortly to log you in to the system."                       
       
           



       

Callie sat upright in the chair, not daring to let her back brush  against the top where she sensed Josh's hand had settled. She nodded  toward the closed office doors. "Are they always kept shut?"

"Absolutely. When someone comes, they'll appear on your screen via the  intranet CCTV system. If they're already recorded in our database, a  brief bio will pop up next to their picture. If they don't have an  appointment, they don't come in. Mind you, they'd be hard pressed to get  this far without security clearance anyway."

The opening credits of old Get Smart episodes flitted through her mind.

"Is all the security really necessary?"

Josh barked a short laugh and leaned forward a little. "You worked at Palmer Enterprises. You tell me."

Callie fought back the retort that sprang to her lips. She had to remind  herself yet again that for all intents and purposes she was now working  for Tremont Corporation. More specifically, for the man himself.

She looked up toward him and forced a smile. "I see your point."

"I thought you might."

Her breath suddenly stilled in her chest as he smiled at her in return. A  genuine smile-one that lit his eyes and caused laugh lines to fan out  at their corners. She felt her own lips curve more generously in  response and saw his gaze drop to her mouth, saw the light in his eyes  spark into something more, something that made her suddenly wish she  wasn't here under false pretences.

Callie turned her head. She couldn't afford to let him see the truth in  her eyes. She'd promised Irene she would do everything in her power to  unearth the mole at Palmer Enterprises and she darn well would get the  job done, no matter how charismatic Josh Tremont proved to be. She  forced her attention back to the job.

"So I can't log in to the system until Drew has been here?"

Josh hesitated before answering and she felt him shift away-ever so  slightly, but it was enough to create the illusion of a little more  breathing space between them.

"Correct, and as much as I admire your eagerness to get to work I  thought you might like to have some lunch with me first." He  straightened and stepped toward another set of tall double doors. "Come.  I had the restaurant send up a light buffet for us."

"What about Drew?"

"I'll get the alert in my office when he arrives."