Page 16 of A Wedding Negotiation with Her Boss

‘Come again?’

‘You took me by surprise,’ she conceded hotly, colour flaring into her cheeks. ‘But you don’t have to make a big deal of it. You don’t have to bend over backwards to reassure me that it won’t be repeated. I’m not going to shrivel up in trepidation whenever I’m with you. You’re not my type, Gabriel. I work for you. You’re my boss and the reason we work well together is that I’m not like—like—all those women who can’t get enough of you.’

‘I merely wanted to reassure you—’

‘I’m not attracted to you!’

‘No, I never said you were,’ he muttered. ‘Did I?’

For a couple of treacherous seconds, Helen was almost tempted to smile. Firstly, she’d never seen her boss so discomfited before, and secondly, the very thought of someone not finding him attractive was obviously a concept he hadn’t quite taken on board. His mouth was saying one thing, his awkward scowl and dark flush were saying another.

‘Want the truth?’ she continued, side-stepping the diplomacy she had been determined to hang onto. ‘I don’t approve of your behaviour with women.’

‘Sorry?’

‘I know I probably shouldn’t be saying this but, now that we’re clearing the air, I feel I should make my position completely clear so that you don’t have any misunderstandings.’

‘I’m all ears.’

‘I don’t have a lot of time for guys who play the field.’ She crossed her arms and watched as his mouth fell open and he stared at her with narrow-eyed incredulity. His quiet, obedient secretary had opinions! She felt a surge of satisfaction, which was far more powerful than any fear she felt at saying things she might live to regret. ‘You think I’m helpless. Or maybe hopeless would be a better description.’

‘That’s ridiculous!’

‘Is it? You think I’m so gullible that one passing touch from you and I risk falling apart at the seams from now on. You think I’m utterly wet behind the ears when it comes to the opposite sex!’

‘Are you?’

‘No, I’m not! I was once engaged, if you really want to know!’

Gabriel’s mouth fell open and he stared. Helen bitterly regretted every word that had passed her lips. All her caution had gone down the drain in a single explosive confession.

‘What happened? You never breathed a word...’

‘Because it’s none of your business, Gabriel! The fact is, I can handle what happened just then! You needn’t fear that I’m going to go to pieces!’

‘What happened? Didn’t it work out?’

‘Again, none of your business! I told you that because—because I wanted to reassure you that I just don’t go for guys like you. So, there—we can now just consider this matter over and done with.’

‘If you say so.’ Gabriel shot her a slanting look.

‘I do! So, if you’ll excuse me...?’

‘Of course.’

He began heading for the door. Every rebellious word she had uttered had whetted his appetite to hear more. An engagement? The depths he had glimpsed were now even more dangerously compelling.

He wasn’t her type. Then who was? The guy she’d been engaged to? Was she still broken-hearted? Who the hell had the guy been? She’d probably been out of his league. It took a strong guy to deal with a strong woman and not be intimidated.

He’d done the decent thing and rushed in to reassure her that there was no need for her to be nervous around him. He’d laid it on thick about respecting her, and he’d been one hundred per cent honest. What had he expected her response to be? She might be reserved by nature, but she had opinions, and he knew that. When he replayed his little speech in his head, he could hear how patronising he might have sounded, even though that hadn’t been his intention.

That said, he hadn’t expected her to voice her opinions with such heat. He wanted to quiz her on what she’d said, prolong the conversation, find out more about her past.

Dangerous territory.

She’d laid it down—nothing had happened. He would go along with that because allowing curiosity to get the better of him was not something he could afford to do. He shakily accepted that conclusion.

‘Tomorrow...’ He turned to her, one hand on the door, halfway out.

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