Page 3 of Strictly Business

‘Aliens abducted my friends.’

One dark eyebrow lifted. ‘How unfortunate for them.’

‘Yes. I guess they’ll wake up in the morning with their memories wiped clean.’

He grinned. ‘It’s happened to a few of my mates after a night on the town.’

Picking up her drink, she took a slow sip. ‘What do you think of the cocktail?’ She tried to feel detached as she watched the movements of his lips while he tasted his drink.

‘Not bad.’

‘Have you had one of these before?’

‘No.’ He held his glass to the light and gave the contents a swirl before taking a longer sip. And then he flashed her a wicked smile. ‘This is my very first orgasm.’

She almost choked, gasped for breath. A cloud of steam rose through her and she tried to ignore it.Stay cool, Alice. Lifting her glass, she offered him a shaky salute. ‘Don’t drink too fast then.’

And just as she wondered if she was getting out of her depth, she was rescued by a voice calling from across the bar.

‘Hey, Alice, Happy Birthday!’

It was a guy who worked in the same building as she did. He must have seen the banner the girls had strung in the foyer this morning. She didn’t know him very well, so she gave him a quick wave, and hoped he wouldn’t come over. The conversation with this stranger was bordering on crazy, but she didn’t want to be interrupted. Maybe it was the cocktails, but she was feeling a weird but wonderful sense of connection with him.

‘Happy Birthday, Alice?’ the stranger asked, and he frowned sharply. ‘Is it really your birthday?’

Oh, man. He looked upset. Was it because he’d realised she was a dead set loser, abandoned by everyone on her birthday? She’d been hoping to come across as a very together urban goddess.

‘I have a thing about birthdays,’ she said, quickly. ‘I never celebrate them. I – I agree with Eyeore inWinnie the Pooh. What are birthdays, after all? Here today, gone tomorrow. I mean, why make a big fuss about turning –oops!’

‘Fair enough,’ he said more equably. ‘Although I’ve always thought that turningoopswas something of a milestone.’ Again his eyes held hers and they twinkled with such obvious amusement that she fancied she must have imagined that earlier frown.

‘There’s something to be said for making the most of any reason to celebrate,’ he added.

She raised her glass. ‘I’m celebrating.’ But she didn’t drink. She suspected she’d already had enough and set the glass down again. ‘This conversation is getting a little lopsided.’ She needed to change the subject before she got herself into trouble. ‘You already know my name and my date of birth and I don’t know the first thing about you.’

‘What would you like to know?’

Are you married?He wasn’t wearing a ring but that didn’t mean a darn thing.‘Your name?’

‘Liam.’

Oh, yes. Of course, it just happened to be one of her favourite male names.

‘And if you’re worried about an equal exchange of information, I’m thirty-six, or perhaps I should say oops plus six,’ he added with a smile. ‘And –’ He paused.

‘And?’ She tried unsuccessfully to keep the curiosity out of her voice.

‘It’s my birthday today, too.’

‘You’re joking.’

‘Not at all.’ He pulled a wallet from his back trouser pocket and flipped it open on the bar. And there was his driver’s licence. Conway, Liam Cooper. And sure enough, his date of birth was the fifth of September.

Alice frowned suddenly. Liam Cooper Conway. Where had she heard that name? Liam Conway. Mr. Conway. Dr. Conway. Professor Conway.InspectorConway?

No... she was dreaming. She’d never met him before. Besides, he said he was from Sydney. He had a New South Wales driver’s licence and he’d already told her he’d just arrived in town. His name wasn’t significant.

‘Anything else you’d like to know?’ he asked.

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