Rival Attractions & Innocent Secretary(33)

Evelyn had had second thoughts-offering Emma the position the following  day-and she had been in her dream job for six weeks now. And though it  was still just that, a dream job, it was also extremely hard work-as  Assistant Personal Assistant to Luca D'Amato, it wasn't just her job  title that took some explaining. Every minute of Luca's time was  valuable, Evelyn had explained on her first day. Beyond valuable,  actually-which was why he had his own travel team, two assistants and  looking for a third, four full-time drivers, in fact a whole fleet of  staff that took care of the details and allowed Luca to get on with  doing what he did best-rescuing struggling companies, turning them  around and making an obscene amount of money in the process.                       
       
           



       

Emma's job was varied, mostly exciting and yet also downright boring at  times-dealing with his sister's wedding, his dog, his housekeeper's  endless reams of days off. The list was endless.

Ducking into the ladies' room, Emma knew she ought to attempt a quick  repair job on her hair and face before she headed back to her office and  to whatever mood Luca was in, but it took for ever to elbow her way to  the mirror and her curly dark hair had spent too long in an  air-conditioned building because it was looking decidedly frizzy. She  borrowed a squirt of serum from a snooty-looking redhead, re-tied her  hair back in a low ponytail and then, sick of the coffee on the top  floor, she grabbed a hot chocolate and a bag of crisps from the vending  machine then headed back up in the lift, knowing that in all likelihood  this would double up as dinner.

'Louse!'

As she walked out of the lift, Emma stepped back as a stunning,  raven-haired woman stormed out of Luca's office and into the lift, tears  streaming down her face but watching his closed office door and just  standing there, waiting for it to open, waiting for him to follow her  out, to call her back, to no doubt tell her that it didn't have to end  like this, that he'd had a change of heart.

Of course he didn't.

Of course he wouldn't-no one delivered an ultimatum to Luca and came out  smiling, not even this rare beauty, who, with a sob of frustration,  finally pushed the lift button, her desperate eyes peeking out of the  closing gap, still hoping that Luca would change his mind.

'That,' he said, first peering around the door and making sure it was  safe to come out, 'was not my fault.' He put up his hands in bemusement  and said it again. 'Really, that time it wasn't my fault.' Still Emma  said nothing, just watched with pursed lips as he helped himself to her  hot chocolate, as he always did if she didn't pour it into her mug  before he saw it. 'Honestly, it wasn't!'

'It never is.' Sarcasm dripped from Emma's lips, which might seem rude  to some, and might be no way to talk to your boss-but it was because she  did speak to him like that, because she did keep him at arm's length  and because she was very good at her job, that, despite his stunning  initial offer, in the six weeks she had worked there, Luca hadn't even  attempted to flirt.

Well, the odd time perhaps!

But it was quickly, expertly, rebuffed.

'Did you get my messages?' Emma checked, because he never read them. 'A Dr Calista called-he wants you to ring him.'

'Fine.'

'And your sister too-she wants to know if you've looked at the ties.'

'Ties?'

'She sent you an email of some photos of ties-for the groomsmen to wear  at the wedding-and she wants to know if you're staying. She's rung a few  times today.'

'Remind her of my hourly rate,' Luca drawled, 'and if she keeps ringing, bill her.'

He didn't mean it, Emma knew that, but he could be so scathing at times.

'I do mean it,' Luca said as if in response to her private thoughts.

'You really want me to bill your sister for ringing you?' She knew he  didn't mean it, knew he'd hit the roof if she actually did it, and just  refused to play his games.

'I want you,' Luca said, very firmly, very clearly, 'to practise some of  the assertion this job demands-I am not to be bothered with these  details, is that clear?'

'Very.'

'Good.' Luca said. 'You choose the ties, you sort things out and you have my full authority to tell her it was me.'

'Fine.'

He was turning now, heading back to his office, tossing the empty chocolate cup in the bin. Then he turned around.

'Are you doing anything tonight?'

'Actually, yes,' Emma said through gritted teeth, 'I've got plans.'

'Well, cancel them.' Luca shrugged. 'Ruby was supposed to be coming with  me to some awful dinner dance at Hemming's. It's plus one, so I'm  expected to bring someone.'

'I really do have plans!' Emma repeated, because she was beginning to  get tired of this-she worked hard, more than hard, but this would be the  fourth night in a row that she hadn't got to visit her father and it  simply wasn't fair-surely she was allowed to have a semblance of a life?  'I need to visit my father,' she reluctantly explained, loath to let  Luca in on her personal life. 'I told him I'd be over tonight.'

'So, tell him that you are working.'

'I've been putting him off all week.' She just couldn't do it to him  again. 'I'd really like to finish on time tonight.' When Luca just  frowned, she pushed a touch further. 'Look, I don't usually say no, but  surely there's someone else you can ask?'                       
       
           



       

Which was a stupid thing to say. There were plenty of women Luca could  ask, and there was one reason and one reason only that he was asking  her! 'I was hoping for an early night,' Luca sighed. 'At least with you  it would be just dinner!' Which was a rather strange compliment, but it  bought a reluctant smile to her face. 'I'll ask Evelyn-where is she, by  the way?'

'No, don't … ' Emma flustered, for Evelyn had sneaked off to the doctor's  to pick up her vials and needles for her final round of IVF, which she  was starting in the morning. The last thing the poor woman needed was a  night on the town with Luca. 'I'll just go. It's fine.'

'You're sure?' Luca frowned, just a touch guilty now that he had got his  own way, as he knew full well where Evelyn was. 'Tell you what-we can  visit your father on the way.'

'We can't,' Emma fretted. 'I'll be in evening dress!'

'So?' Luca grinned. 'Go on, get ready and we'll leave in an hour.'

* * *

It was testament to the nature of her job that she could get ready for a  formal function within the hour. There was a bathroom on their floor  and Emma stuffed her curls under a cap and quickly showered. She even  had a wardrobe in her office-her day bag was already packed and ready  for her jaunt to Scotland in the morning and Emma rummaged in it for her  styling wand and spare make-up bag then set to work on her face,  squirting drops in her eyes in the hope they'd sparkle and then working  on her lips and cheeks.

With some difficulty she pulled stockings onto damp legs and then  slipped on her fast-becoming-familiar little black dress and clipped on a  string of black pearls, before coaxing tired feet into stilettos.

And then she tackled her hair. Spritzing her wayward, corkscrew curls around the wand and trying to coax them into shape.

It was a routine she was starting to perfect.

'You need some more evening wear,' was Luca's only comment when he saw that she was in her black dress again.

'Just as soon as I get a day off!' Emma retorted. 'Aren't you ready?'

He didn't answer but, then, Luca rarely answered pointless questions.  Instead, he strode out to the lifts with Emma following behind, holding a  small suitcase to take to her father and stuffing her evening bag with  keys and lipstick and hair serum and sticking plasters as the lift  plummeted down.

'I forgot to put on perfume.'

He sniffed the air. 'You smell fine.'

Men!

He glanced at the small case she was carrying, but didn't comment and  neither did Emma, not bothering with small talk. She just sat in the  back of the car with Luca as they moved at a snail's pace through the  heavy peak-hour traffic, a knot of tension in her stomach, sure that at  any moment he'd tell her it was too late to stop by her father's nursing  home. Glancing at her watch, she realised they weren't going to be able  to make it and it was actually a relief-she didn't want to explain her  life to Luca.

'The old dog's home first!" Luca drawled, not knowing the nerve he was  pricking as he let them into his apartment. The television was blaring  as usual and Emma paced as Luca chopped up some chicken breast and added  a spoonful of rice to Pepper's bowl.

'He's on a diet,' Luca explained.

She didn't quite get where Pepper fitted into the scheme of things.  She'd been to Luca's apartment on several occasions and still couldn't  work out what Luca was doing with a dog. Neither man nor beast seemed to  particularly like each other and the last thing a person with Luca's  schedule needed was a dog-and a lapdog at that.