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Eventually, he did glance up. There followed an uncomfortable moment when Maya felt like a blundering insensitive stranger who had walked in on him.
‘You took your time,’ he commented grumpily. ‘Pull out that chair and sit down. Got something to write in?’
‘No—yes…I mean give me a second.’ She dashed into the adjoining office to sweep a notebook and pen off the top of the desk. A little red-faced, she returned and drew out a chair, her notepad and pen at the ready.
‘Before we start,’ he began, his intense, all but scorching blue gaze closely examining her, ‘do up the top buttons on your shirt.’
‘What?’ Embarrassed, in case her blouse had unwittingly come undone and she was revealing more flesh than was seemly, Maya saw that the buttons were fastened almost right up to her neck. Only the very top one was left free, and all that revealed was the slender column of her throat.
‘There’s just one button not secured, and I’m not fastening that because it makes me feel too claustrophobic’
‘Well, then, go and put something on that’s a little less provocative.’
‘What? It’s a perfectly respectable blouse and not the least bit provocative!’ Defensively, Maya touched her hand to her chest. Instantly she saw Blaise’s gaze go straight there and his jaw tightened.
‘Well, I find it provocative!’
‘That’s hardly my fault.’
‘It is your fault,’ he insisted belligerently, ‘because you chose to wear the damn thing!’
‘This is ridiculous. You’re only behaving like this because—’
‘Because what, Maya? I’d really like to hear your thoughts on the matter.’
She squirmed uncomfortably as a wave of scorching heat all but glued her to the chair. ‘It’s because—oh, I don’t know!’
‘Liar.’
‘All right, then. You find what I’m wearing provocative because clearly you’re frustrated,’ she exclaimed in exasperation, wishing that just looking at him didn’t drive every other thought from her head other than the one that said she wanted him so badly it hurt.
‘Damn right I’m frustrated,’ he replied, and there was a lascivious gleam in his eye that made Maya squirm even more. ‘How in hell am I supposed to work when just the sight of you is driving me crazy?’
Not knowing how to answer that question, Maya examined her linked hands in her lap and felt everything—including the tips of her ears—burn.
‘Perhaps…’
Getting up, Blaise walked slowly round the desk to join her—reached out and started gently massaging her shoulder. Feeling her body and her resolve melt at his touch, Maya was momentarily dazzled by the glint of a gold signet ring set with a diamond that he wore on his little finger.
‘Perhaps what?’ she asked, turning to regard him.
‘Perhaps between the two of us we can find a way to alleviate some of my frustration…before we start work, I mean…’ His voice was huskily sinful. It rolled over her like tropical waves of heat lapping at the shore of her already highly sensitised body.
‘Blaise, please don’t—’
‘Please don’t what?’
He was smoothing his hands down the sides of her arms, his palms glancing deliberately against her breasts. Hot needles of pleasure and desire caused Maya’s nipples to surge and prickle to the point of pain inside her bra.
‘This is madness, Blaise. I can’t—I can’t think straight when you do things like that to me.’
‘I’m not asking you to think.’
‘But I’m here to work, not to—not to succumb to your highly provocative ways of distracting me!’
‘No?’
He bent to kiss her, but Maya stoically turned her face away at the last moment, and his intended kiss glanced off the side of her mouth instead.
‘We—you really need to work, and I’m meant to be helping you.’
There was a well-timed—or perhaps not so well-timed—knock at the door. Stepping instantly away from her side, Blaise cursed softly under his breath.
‘Come in!’ he called out, his tone definitely disgruntled.
Lottie walked in, carrying a tray with a full cafetière alongside a plate of biscuits. ‘Thought you might like some coffee to keep you both going while you work,’ she said brightly, carefully depositing the tray on the desk.
‘Thanks, that’s great.’
Her employer’s smile was tense. Maya knew he was definitely put out by the intrusion. The housekeeper glanced sideways at her. ‘That’s a very pretty blouse you’re wearing, my dear.’
