‘Okay, I get it. It’s not going to happen, but if you don’t want revenge,’ he asked, ‘and you don’t want your job back, what do you want?’
Natasha’s shoulders dropped a fraction. Darius knew that he’d asked the right question, but didn’t know whether to kick himself or cheer as her lips softened into the smile he’d asked for. The one that reached her eyes.
His body was divided on the issue; his brain was definitely up for the kicking while the rest of him was responding like a Labrador puppy offered a biscuit.
While he distracted himself by capturing her mouth on paper, Natasha cupped her hands around her warm mug, leaned her hip against the arm of the sofa, making herself at home.
‘A week ago I could have walked into any real estate agency in London and been offered a job,’ she said. ‘Since I’ve become available, my phone has remained ominously silent.’
‘Are you surprised?’
‘No, and I haven’t embarrassed anyone by reminding them of their generous offers.’
‘I’m sure they’re all extremely grateful for your tact,’ he said, unable to resist a smile of his own. Forget the allure of a body made for sin, he was beginning to like Natasha Gordon. She’d just had the feet knocked out from under her but she’d come up fighting.
‘I don’t imagine they’ve given me a second thought. I’m history, Darius. I’ll have to restore my hard-earned reputation before anyone will give me the time of day.’ She paused, evidently hoping he’d chip in at this point. He drew the line of her jaw. Firm, determined... ‘The only way I can do that is by selling Hadley Chase,’ she said, offering him the opportunity to help her out.
‘Then you really are in trouble.’
‘That makes two of us,’ she said, taking a sip of her tea. ‘I admit that it will require a certain amount of ingenuity and imagination to pull it off, but who has a bigger incentive?’ She looked sideways at him, blinking as she caught him staring at her, but this time she didn’t look away. ‘Who would work harder to find you a buyer?’ she asked. ‘And for nothing?’ she added as a final incentive.
‘For nothing? You’ll be drummed out of the estate agents guild,’ he warned.
Her lips twitched into another of those little smiles. Parts of him twitched involuntarily in response. His head didn’t have a chance.
‘Believe me, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime offer. What have you got to lose?’ Energy, excitement at the challenge poured off her in an almost physical wave. ‘We’re a match made in heaven.’
He shook his head, afraid that he’d already lost it. He shouldn’t even be having the conversation. The lawyers would have a fit.
‘An estate agent no one will employ and a house no one can sell? That sounds more like hell to me,’ he said, but he was unable to stop himself from laughing. She was bright, intelligent and, under other circumstances—the uncomplicated, no strings, hot sex circumstances—would no doubt be a lot of fun. Unfortunately, this was getting more complicated by the moment.
‘I’m not promising heaven,’ she protested, ‘but it won’t be hell. Honestly.’
That he could believe... ‘I bet you say that to all the poor saps trying to sell a house in a recession.’
‘I do my best to give it to them straight,’ she replied. ‘And I do everything I can to help them to make the best of the property they’re selling. That’s my job.’