Pam's eyes brightened considerably. 'You have heard something. Out with it. Now.'
'Okay, but don't blame me if your itch turns feral. It may take a while and you have to promise not to tell.'
Leaning her elbows on the table, Pam settled in. 'Promise.'
'It started two nights ago when I emailed your report to Jared, only it wasn't your report that I emailed … '
When Sophie had finished, Pam sat back and stared at her. 'Oh, cringe … You're genuine. If I hadn't heard it from you I'd never have believed it.'
'I can hardly believe it myself. And yeah, the cringe factor for this particular blunder surpasses all previous records.'
'Agreed.' Pam's slow smile had a hint of wicked humour about it. 'You and Jared together. It's kind of … I'm not sure yet, let me think on it.'
'Not too deeply, please.' Sophie felt her cheeks heat and dared herself to hold Pam's gaze. 'And let me point out we're not together together.'
But after that moment on the stairs this afternoon … When he'd touched her lips with that very tanned, very sexy and no doubt very experienced thumb, it had been all she could do not to open her mouth and take it inside. To wrap her tongue around it and taste him.
Then he'd swooped in and kissed her. He'd tasted rich, dark, hot. But it hadn't been long enough. Not nearly long enough. She pressed her lips together. Hard.
And now … now there was next Wednesday … Business trip, she reminded herself.
'There's never been a whiff of scandal around Jared.' Pam interrupted Sophie's thoughts. 'But if they see you the way you are now … all pink and flustered-looking … I wonder who'll be the first to start the rumour mill?'
Sophie glared at her. 'Not you. You promised.'
Pam made a zipping movement with her thumb and forefinger. 'My lips are sealed.'
'Tell me what I should know about this upcoming trip to Noosa. I only found out about it this afternoon. By email.' The funny feeling she'd got in her stomach back at the office unfurled again and started to flap.
'We were going to Noosa to consult with a few clients and look at property,' Pam said. 'And staying overnight,' Sophie continued.
'Two nights actually.' Pam smiled as if they were co-conspirators in a secret, and that funny sensation flapped some more.
'What if I don't want to go?'
'Are you seriously thinking of refusing?'
'I-'
'Because if you are, you'd better organise someone else pronto.' Pam sounded surprisingly aggrieved. 'This trip's important to Jared.' She stared hard at Sophie. 'I know I go on about him but, honestly, he's one of the good guys. Think of England. Spending money, Soph.'
Rome, Florence. The Colosseum. Michelangelo's David. 'Thinking, thinking. Still doesn't make it a good idea.'
Sophie realised she wasn't focusing on the professional aspect. She was temping for Pam and Pam had wangled this job for her instead of going through the agency as she was supposed to. She couldn't let her down. 'Just my thoughts spinning, Pam. Of course I'm going.'
Pam's expression relaxed. 'Don't worry, the accommodation's a luxury waterfront home on Noosa River. Five bedrooms, four bathrooms, spa, pool.'
'I've been looking at the info.'
'So you'll know there's plenty of room to stay out of each other's way if that's what you want … Is that what you want, Sophie?'
Sophie evaded the question with one of her own. 'Why not a couple of rooms in a hotel?'
'Because Jared wants to refurbish a place here in Surfers that he's purchased for himself. He saw this one available for short-term rent on the net and liked some of the ideas. And it makes a change from hotels. Lighten up, work might actually be fun for a change. For both of you.'
Oh, Sophie had no doubts about that. None at all. But when they came back she could see the word Complication looming on the horizon, even if Pam was back at work by then. 'Okay, tell me more. What's he like out of office hours?'
Pam studied her through very perceptive eyes. Too perceptive. 'He's turned up at staff functions with gorgeous sophisticates-always blonde-but never the same one twice. Does that answer your question?'
Sophie shrugged as if it didn't matter. 'I reckon so.' It didn't matter, she told herself. She frowned, annoyed. It was no concern of hers how many women he had. Then she remembered Jared's words. A good thing is only a good thing for as long as you enjoy it. 'So he's commitment phobic.'
Pam pursed her lips. 'I'd say it's more like work-focused.'
Sophie hmphed. She'd reserve judgment on that for now.
'Career and family are his life,' Pam went on. 'He fought for and won guardianship of Crystal and Melissa when he was only eighteen. That was twelve years ago and he's done a brilliant job all while expanding a now very lucrative and successful business.'
Oh. Sophie tried not to be impressed with his dedication and commitment. It didn't extend to his relationships with the opposite sex. Again she tried not to compare him with her ex-husband but she couldn't help it. Glen had loved women. Lots of women.
All behind Sophie's back.
And it seemed both men preferred blondes.
Superficial beings, men. A timely reminder and one she intended keeping uppermost in her mind for the next few days. Weeks. And even when she boarded that big shiny jet and headed for the other side of the world she would remember.
Superficial suited her purposes too. Superficial was safe.
She thought about that later, lying in bed and staring at the ceiling while the tropical breeze did nothing to cool her over-heated body. Overheated because she couldn't stop thinking about Jared. In that superficial way.
He made her hot. From his tanned skin and toned body to the way he looked at her with those intense eyes the colour of smouldering olive leaves.
Then there were his lips. Firm and full and fabulous. The way he'd used them to kiss her. Talk about weapons of mass seduction. Her temperature rose another degree just thinking about it. She wanted those lips against hers again. She wanted them on other parts of her body-the way they'd worshipped her in her dream.
Rolling over, she squeezed her pillow and bunched it beneath her head. Why was this happening now when she was leaving Australia indefinitely?
She'd never been kissed by a man like Jared, certainly never involved with one. It was an all-new experience. A cocktail of power and authority with a twist of devilish wit and charm, to be served hot in a dark grey suit. Enticing, irresistible. Possibly lethal.
But even though Pam the PA certified him all work and no play, Sophie knew Pam her friend considered him the quintessential good bloke.
Not so superficial.
Not so safe after all.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE workload Jared gave Sophie on Friday was so heavy she barely had time to go to the Ladies, let alone think of him in any other way than her slave-driver boss.
She didn't have time to think of him at all actually. She worked her butt off all morning without a coffee break, and by lunch she'd cleared most of the paperwork. She stretched in her chair, wiggled her fingers, satisfied with her efforts, then reached beneath her desk and pulled out her lunch box.
'These need filing, please.'
Jared dumped another pile of manila folders on her desk. She realised he'd hardly have noticed if Pam had come back early and was sitting in this chair instead of Sophie.
'Right away.' She watched him not looking at her as he walked past.
He turned back just when she thought he wasn't going to acknowledge her in any way and said, 'And see if you can dig up the hard copy of the works schedule for the Carson Richardson project from last month, ASAP, client wants alterations as of yesterday.'
Resigned, Sophie slid her lunch box back into her bag. 'I'll get right on it.'
He checked his watch. 'I'll be back at two, if you can have it ready for me by then.'
'For heaven's sake, Sophie, you haven't stopped all morning,' Mimi said at one-thirty. 'You are permitted a lunch break. Take one.'
She did. She ate her honey and walnut sandwiches in the lunchroom and washed it down with a coffee all in under ten minutes. No way was she going to let Jared see that she wasn't up to the job. She could handle anything he threw at her. In fact, she wondered if he was testing her, just to see how she performed under pressure. Why, she had no idea. It wasn't as if she'd be a regular here.
The rest of the day kept up the same frenetic pace. In one way it was good because it took her mind off the man and the evening ahead. Mostly.
The business dinner, she reminded herself as she responded to an email enquiry.
Five-thirty rolled by. Five forty-five. Sophie had plenty of work still to keep her busy but she really needed to know the details for tonight. Since he hadn't mentioned it again, neither had she.