Page 17 of The Boss's Forbidden Assistant

She did wish. She couldn’t say why, but it justfeltright and, despite everything she’d sworn to herself since things with Peter had ended so disastrously, she followed those instincts now.

Maybe it was the line he’d drawn in the sand, making any relationship off-limits. Maybe that meant she could relax her guard a little because nothing would happen? Despite the tension that still hummed between them, they’d cleared the air, acknowledged what was holding him back—what would continue to hold him back—which meant they could just be together like normal people. Two weeks was a long time to go without any kind of conversation, anyway.

Harper took the seat opposite and barely flinched this time when their legs brushed beneath the table.

‘Have you been swimming today?’ she asked, because they needed to start a conversation somewhere.

His eyes flickered, then a short nod. ‘Yes.’

She looked towards the night-cloaked beaches. ‘Which way?’

He hesitated for so long, she thought he simply might be going to ignore the question, but then finally he dipped his head. ‘The best beach for swimming is a small cove to the west.’ He pointed that way. ‘There is a path over there that leads to the stairs.’

‘If there’s time tomorrow, I might go down. Just to take a look.’

He was silent. Disapproving? After all, this wasn’t a holiday, and nothing had changed since that first morning when he’d told her he expected her to be at his beck and call almost all day and night.

‘I’ll take my laptop, obviously.’

His throat shifted as he swallowed, then Catarina appeared, abruptly ending their conversation.

‘Good evening, miss.’ Catarina smiled warmly, simply, and Harper felt something like gladness. He didn’t quite live alone. True, these people with whom he surrounded himself with were staff, but they were still people. At least there was some interaction.

‘Hi, how are you?’ Harper returned the smile as the older woman rearranged some things on the table.

‘Very well, thank you, miss.’ Harper was almost sure she saw the older woman wink as she turned to leave. A few minutes later, she returned with two glasses of wine, as she had the night before, and a platter of the same sort of delicious morsels.

‘I’m glad you came out here,’ Salvador said after a few moments of silence.

Harper’s chest whooshed. ‘Oh?’

‘I was going to come and find you after dinner, to talk to you. About work,’ he added quickly.

Beneath the table, she balled her hands, a nervous reaction. ‘If you’re worried that what happened between us is going to affect my work, it won’t. I promise.’

He studied her face and her heart sank.

‘You’re not seriously thinking this is going to be a problem?’ She had visions of being packed off the island, sent home, no more working for this dynamic self-made billionaire, no incredibly generous bonus, no more once-in-a-lifetime experience on this stunning private island. She had to think fast. ‘It meant nothing, Mr da Rocha. It was just a moment, for God’s sake.’

His expression was impossible to read and that was the most unnerving thing of all. In their office space earlier, she’d felt more connected to him than she’d known possible. She’d felt as though he could have a thought and she would hear it, but now he was like a stranger, so cold and formal across the table, so careful not to touch her at all.

‘I appreciate that,’ he agreed with a dip of his head.

‘But you’re going to fire me anyway?’

He reached for his wine, took a sip, then returned the glass to the table. ‘Apart from the fact that would be breaking about a dozen employment laws, I have no reason to fire you, Ms Lawson. I judge people only on relevant metrics and your work is exceptional. That’s all that matters to me.’

‘Oh.’ A warm flood of pleasure ran through her. ‘Is it?’

‘Looking for compliments?’ he asked, his expression lightly mocking, so her stomach rolled.

Before she could demur, he continued regardless. ‘You are efficient, intelligent, calm and capable. I can see why Amanda insisted you take over for her.’

Harper’s smile glowed with all the warmth of her soul. ‘I was so glad she suggested it. I’ve been in my role for two years and there are times...’ She stopped talking, as if belatedly realising she was speaking to the owner of the company.

‘Yes?’

It was hard to believe he’d report her for expressing a hint of very normal dissatisfaction, having just praised her so fulsomely. Still, she chose her words with tact and care. ‘I know what I’m doing,’ she said with a shrug. ‘The first three months were thrilling. Learning new things always is. Now, the office runs like clockwork and I could do my work mostly in my sleep. I relished the idea of this challenge.’

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