The Billionaire's Ruthless Affair

‘But not great.’

‘No,’ she admitted. ‘Not great. Look, I don’t feel comfortable talking about this,’ she went on quite truthfully. The last thing she needed was to start thinking about sex when the object of her desire was sitting right next to her. ‘Could we talk about something else? Work, perhaps, or the weather? And could you turn the heating down in this thing? It’s very hot in here.’

* * *

Alex rarely felt shame, but he did at that moment. Asking Harriet personal questions like that was very definitely crossing the line, especially since he’d resolved not to act on the sexual feelings he’d been having about her. He couldn’t help suspecting, however, that her flushed face was not entirely due to his putting the heater up too high.

Talking about sex could sometimes be very arousing, the brain being the most erotic area in the human body. The thought that she was sitting there in a turned-on state was not conducive to resisting temptation.

Gritting his teeth, Alex adjusted the temperature.

‘I’ve turned the heating down,’ he said. ‘But perhaps you should take that coat off. I’ve only got a T-shirt on under my jacket, so I feel fine. You look like you’ve got a very warm jumper on.’ And a very sexy-looking one, he’d noted earlier. All soft and furry, the kind you wanted to reach out and touch.

‘I meant to take it off earlier,’ she said. She was quick, the coat dispensed with in no time and her seat belt snapped back on.

‘Throw it over onto the back seat,’ he said when she went to lay the coat across her lap.

Alex glanced over at her as she twisted in her seat to do as he said, the movement bringing his attention to the swell of her breasts beneath her jumper. Her very nice breasts. It sent a message to his groin which made him wince.

Damn and blast! It wasn’t Harriet who was sitting here in a turned-on state. It was his own stupid self. He should never have asked her about her sex life with Dwayne. He never should have organised this whole fiasco of a trip in the first place!

‘I’ll put the radio on,’ he said brusquely. That way he wouldn’t be tempted to ask her any more inappropriate questions. ‘Do you want a news and chat channel? Or just music?’

Chapter Eight

‘WHAT?’ HARRIET COULDN’T think for a moment, her mind still on that look Alex had given her a moment ago. Had she imagined it or had he stared at her breasts?

Of course you were imagining it, you idiot, came the stern rebuke. Why would he be ogling your very ordinary C-cups? They can’t compare with Lisa’s double Ds. Stop focusing on sex and just answer the man.

‘Just music, thanks,’ she said, pressing her thighs together tightly in a vain attempt to bring her body under control, her silly, traitorous body which had become all hot and bothered. Talk about pathetic!

‘Music,’ Alex said to the computerised dashboard and a woman’s voice came back with a request for more information. Whilst Harriet was technically savvy, her four-year-old car didn’t have such advanced technology. She recalled Alex saying something about updating his SUV when he’d come back from London recently. So this had to be it.

‘What kind of music do you like?’ Alex asked her.

Harriet didn’t really have a favourite style of music. But she supposed she had to say something. ‘Country and Western.’

‘Country and Western,’ he commanded the computer and almost immediately a song came on that she liked.

‘Amazing,’ she said. ‘You don’t even have to insert a flash disc or a CD.’

‘It’s almost as brilliant as my PA.’

Harriet flushed with pleasure. This was another part of her job she liked—the way Alex would compliment her. Her previous bosses had never done that. Clearly, their fragile male egos had been threatened by her. Not so with Alex. Of course, there was nothing fragile about his ego. Or about him. He was a big man in every way.

‘You did a brilliant job on our website, by the way,’ he went on. ‘I had a look at it last night and I was very impressed. It’s better laid out and more user-friendly. And I like the way you included photos of the staff. Nothing like the personal touch.’

‘That was Audrey’s idea,’ she admitted, not being one to take credit for something that someone else had suggested. ‘We went out for drinks after work on Tuesday, and when I said I was going to revamp the website, she had quite a few excellent suggestions. She’s an online shopping addict, so she knows what works and what doesn’t.’

‘She’s a smart lady, Audrey. But inclined to gossip. Did you remember not to tell her we wouldn’t be staying up here overnight?’