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‘Can we not do this, please?’ she said, a little desperately. Had she chosen the outfit to bolster her confidence? Yes, she had.
There’s nothing wrong with that, she assured herself.
His amusement vanished, his eyes narrowing on her face. ‘Do what?’ he queried silkily.
‘This...you know what I mean. You’re trying to get a rise out of me.’
A hint of a smile reappeared but it was all cynicism. ‘You’re dressed like you’re heading for the office. Only a day after your husband has returned. One would think you didn’t want to spend any time with me. Not the look we want to project, I don’t think?’
‘It is a work day and I don’t remember agreeing to abandon all work on this...jaunt you want to go on.’
She cringed inside at how callous that sounded. But what other choice did she have? She was following the example he had set two years ago. After last night and what happened this morning, straying from the path felt like the riskiest thing she could do. If he thought her uncaring, then so be it.
Midnight-blue eyes turned a little flinty and she shivered from the change in them. Silence reigned for another minute before he drained his espresso cup and poured another. Then he helped himself to several cuts of Iberian ham specially cured for the yacht. Adding buttered bread and condiments, he took a bite and chewed while staring at her.
He swallowed and nodded. ‘Very well. If that’s how you want to play it.’
Her stomach knotted. ‘What does that mean?’
‘Nothing sinister, Imogen. If you want to work today, then we will work. I look forward to shadowing you.’
She shook her head. ‘You can’t mean...’
‘That’s exactly what I mean. Now do you want to discuss your schedule or shall I just ring up my assistant and muddle my way through?’
She snorted under her breath before she could stop herself. ‘You’ve never muddled your way through anything. Let’s not pretend you’ll do that now.’
His lips twitched. ‘I hear a compliment in there somewhere. I think I’ll take it.’ With that he continued eating, his healthy appetite almost hypnotic to watch.
She forced herself to eat a few bites of food, ignoring his steady gaze on her plate and his frown when she pushed the half-eaten meal away.
Her mind was still whirling when he rose to his feet and, for the life of her, Imogen could not get the image of him, fully naked, commandingly aroused and in the throes of his pleasure, out of her mind.
And heaven help her, he saw her struggle, leaning down over her chair, and brushed his lips against her earlobe. ‘I’m not going anywhere, dear wife. I suggest you get used to that very quickly.’
He sauntered out of the dining room, taking every ounce of air with him.
She told herself she rose and followed because she wanted to get on with her day but there was an undeniable compulsion to see what Zeph would do next.
He reached the study before her but went to the window instead of taking the seat. Only after she had sat down and opened her laptop did he approach and take the seat next to her.
‘What’s first on the agenda?’ he asked.
She clenched her gut against the hyperawareness his proximity triggered. ‘I have to touch base with the board. We have a video conference starting in five minutes.’
He nodded, sat back and folded his arms.
She scrolled through a few emails, grimacing when she saw one that made her heart sink.
‘Problem?’ Zeph asked.
‘The Canadian brothers are trying to throw spanners in the works.’
‘Show me.’
Eyeing him for a moment, she turned the laptop so he could read the email. Astonishingly quickly, he’d read it and sat back. ‘Ignore it.’
‘What?’
