Page 30 of The Player

‘A little,’ she said, as her stomach gave another growl akin to a muted roar.

He laughed. ‘Sorry, I’m used to working through when I’m on tight deadlines.’

His eyebrows arched when he glanced at the time on his PC screen. ‘Didn’t know it was so late. Want to grab a bite to eat so we can keep working?’

‘Sure.’

Thank goodness she’d had the foresight to ring Shar before this meeting started. With a four-thirty start she’d had a feeling it would run late.

‘Have you been to Mexie’s?’ He shrugged into his jacket. ‘I’ve heard it’s a favourite in Melbourne.’

‘Good choice,’ she said, surprised they were going out for dinner. ‘The food’s sublime.’

When he’d suggested grabbing a bite to eat she’d expected ordered-in sandwiches while he kept her chained to the desk.

Chained… Like how he’d pinned her wrists overhead as he entered her the first time…

Uh-oh. She needed to stay work-focused and hope to hell he didn’t pick up on her sudden shift in thoughts.

‘Let’s go.’

He opened the door for her and as she stepped through with him close behind a ripple of awareness raised the hair on the back of her neck.

It disarmed her, this unexpected physical reaction when she least expected it. Several times during their meeting she’d experienced a buzz from perfectly innocuous actions, like their fingers brushing when handing over documentation or a lingering glance a tad longer than necessary.

She’d been deliberately brusque, determined not to botch this opportunity, which was exactly what would happen if she acknowledged the attraction between them now he was her boss.

Not forgetting that little technicality of him potentially using her that one incredible night despite his protestations of innocence.

No, she’d be better off forgetting their night of scintillating sex and concentrating on getting her story straight for the book and making her marketing ideas fly. She had enough complications in her life without adding fraternising with the boss to them.

They made small talk as they strolled down Flinders Lane and Liza tried to ignore the way people turned to stare. Considering they were both tall and well dressed, she could attribute it to natural curiosity. Or she could acknowledge it for what it was: once a recognised WAG, always a recognised WAG.

When would people forget whom she’d dated and move on to the next WAG? Sure, she’d milked her image for all it was worth, most recently hosting a reality show that had been a ratings disaster yet the most talked-about event on social media sites for months.

But she was done with that part of her life. Wasn’t that the main reason she’d slept with Wade in the first place, celebrating putting her past behind her and moving on to a new life?

Ironic, her past had caught up with her and collided with her future.

When they arrived at the Melbourne institution, the nightly queue of eager patrons dying to try the fabulous Asian food was thankfully small, but Liza knew they’d still be ushered to the bar downstairs to wait for a table to become available.

Not good. When she’d agreed to have a meal with Wade, she hadn’t envisaged the two of them sitting too close in a bar reminiscent of their first night together, and the last thing she needed right now was any reminder. Her body hummed with his proximity. Sharing a drink in a cosy setting? Trouble.

Their wait for a table wouldn’t be too long according to the hostess so Liza headed downstairs with Wade, trying to ignore his hand on the small of her back and the accompanying reaction that made her knees wobble a tad.

It worsened when they took a seat at the bar and their thighs brushed. Hell, what had Liza let herself in for?

‘Drink?’

‘Soda with a twist of lemon,’ she said, desperate to reassemble her wits and not needing alcohol to add to her bedazzlement.

‘Technically we’re off the clock, so you can have a drink, you know.’

‘Isn’t this a working dinner?’

He nodded but she didn’t trust the glimmer of mischief in his eyes. ‘Maybe I should order you a martini again and see what happens?’

‘That won’t be happening again,’ she said, squeezing her knees together for good measure.

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