With my only other choice being a very obvious sprint in the opposite direction, I found myself in her bedroom cabin. This evening kept getting better and better.
‘Here, let me take that.’ She pinched the stupid hat I’d kept hold of between her thumb and forefinger and held it far out from her to avoid getting her dress wet. ‘I’ll fetch you a towel. Why don’t you get out of those wet things and I’ll see if I can find some dry clothes for you.’
Was I supposed to believe she had men’s clothes down here? Who did they belong to, former lovers or husbands? Men she’d lured in as she sailed around and then eaten?
She went over to the wardrobe and I didn’t move. Maybe she had no intention of finding any dry clothes; she just wanted to get me naked. This was not a good predicament. If I rejected her, she could turn the tables on me. She could make my secondment a living hell and ruin my progress with the company.
I was dripping, making a puddle on the thick carpet in her plush cabin. I hugged my arms around my body. I wasn’t going to get undressed. No way.
‘You’re still dressed.’ Georgina tutted as she approached with a white fluffy towel over her arm. ‘You’ll never get warm and dry again that way. Here, are your fingers too cold to undo your buttons?’ She threw the towel onto the foot of the bed and reached for the top button of my shirt.
It was no good. I was going to have to put a stop to this. I just had to think of the right way to let her down. She looked up at me through her eyelashes and popped the button through.
The door burst open at that moment, Noelle hurrying in. ‘Stephen, are you—’ She paused, her widened eyes full of the scene before her: me, about to be undressed by my boss. Perfect. ‘Looks like you’re fine,’ she said stiffly and left as abruptly as she’d burst in.
I swore and moved to follow her, detaching Georgina’s hands without even paying any attention. That was a situation I’d have to face later. I could hear her calling me back but all I cared about was catching up with Noelle.
Chapter Fifteen
I got off that snooty boat and ran down the concrete pier to the gates where the park was. But I’m not a fast runner. Despite being weighed down by half the Hudson, his expensive leather shoes water-logged and squelching, Stephen caught up with me.
‘Stop, please, Noelle,’ he called out as he grew closer, but he didn’t make a grab for me. Probably didn’t want to end up in the river again. It was tempting. Much as I’d been terrified when I pushed him over, seeing him disappear under the water, now I’d seen that he could swim – all strong arms and sleek lines no less – I didn’t feel half so guilty.
‘Leave me alone,’ I called back, but I was running out of puff and my stupid sandals were coming undone again. I really needed a new pair.
‘I’m not going to say “it’s not what you think”,’ he called out again. We were getting looks now from people, out trying to enjoy their Friday night. A puffed-out girl and a soggy man chasing her. There had been stranger sights in New York though. ‘It partly was. But not entirely. She’s been flirting with me since I got here. I wasn’t going to do anything.’
My side was screaming, I really needed to start visiting the gym. Unlike Stephen who’d swum like an Olympian through the water and chased me down without even getting out of breath. I stopped and he nearly ran into me.
‘And yet you were just—’ I gulped for air ‘—letting her undress you?’
‘I was about to stop her—’
‘Ofcourseyou were—’
‘Do you really think that the first thing I wanted to do after being pushed into the river was have a fumble with my manager? While you were still on board? What kind of bastard d’you think I am?’
I didn’t answer him on that count and his face turned grim.
‘Noelle, for Christ sake, she’s myboss. It’s an awkward situation. How am I supposed to reject her without getting myself in trouble?’ He wiped water from his face and overhead there was a rumble of thunder.
‘Are you trying to tell me that you’re being sexually harassed? Are you selling me aDisclosuretype of story here?’
‘I know, I know. It’s ridiculous isn’t it?’ He gave a hollow laugh. ‘No one will believe it. I’m the office bike. Someone tells you that I made a bet with them, that I’m only interested in you as a conquest and you believe them. Because that’s my reputation isn’t it?’ His shoulders sagged. ‘I don’t blame you for jumping to all those conclusions. It’s what everyone thinks. Like father like son after all.’ His cheeks were pale, his dark eyes downcast. I recognised the expression from seeing him face his father’s ex. This shameful resignation for something that wasn’t his fault.
I bit my lip. I thought of the way his boss had touched his arm earlier. The way he’d stiffened up under the touch, so uncomfortable with it. How his arms had been folded across his chest in the cabin as she tried to undress him. If he’d been participating willingly, I knew he would have been a lot more active than that.
I’d been letting all those doubts creep in and multiply. I shook my head and pinched my nose. Damn champagne. Damn inferiority complex.
Goddamn stupid, beautiful, messed-up man.
‘You could call Nick,’ he continued quietly. ‘He could tell you. I spoke to him about her the other week.’
I shook my head again and threw my arms around his waist. ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’ve been an idiot tonight.’
His arms moved around me cautiously. ‘You believe me?’
‘Yes. Yes. I’m sorry. About both things.’
