‘So what are Mick’s other ideas?’ she surprised him by asking. Clearly the subject of other women was not a topic she wished to dwell on. Which suited him fine. He hadn’t even thought about another woman in the time they had been together.
Which brought him up short.
‘You’d be Mick’s dream come true, Clementine. What you said to Alex about putting a wife-and-kids gloss on things is right up his alley.’
‘Is Mick married?’
‘Hell, no. He wouldn’t be half so good at his job if he was.’
Clementine worried at her bottom lip. ‘So I guess he doesn’t approve of your wild lifestyle because it reflects back on the corporation? Or at least it does now, since Kolcek.’
‘Wild lifestyle? Are we not in bed every evening before ten?’
Clementine blushed and shook her head. ‘Maybe,’ she said slowly, ‘you need a woman who’s not falling out of her dress?’
Serge’s arms came around her. ‘How about out of her cargos and T-shirt? And might I say this is a very good look on you, Clementine?’
She rolled her eyes, and Serge experienced an upswing in mood. Things felt better between them again. Whatever had been knocked awry had been restored by bringing her here, and for some reason he wasn’t going to examine too closely that tight knot in his chest was gone.
He could do this. He could do light and easy and friendly. He could do sexy sweet girl who drove him a little crazy. He could do all the things that stopped short of out-of-control passion.
‘So, do you want to use me?’ she ventured, turning up her eyes to his.
‘It would be ungentlemanly to ask, Clementine.’
He was gently teasing her, but Clementine was suddenly very clear on what she wanted. This was a way to test the waters—to move the relationship in the right direction. Last night had revealed he had strong feelings, but he was clearly fighting it. Maybe this was a way to give him a gentle nudge that didn’t feel too real-life. A practice run.
‘I think it’s a dangerous idea to couple your personal life to the public face of what is essentially a business,’ she said slowly, ‘but I do think Mick has a point. If you have a media profile—Serge, do you have a media profile?’
His mouth twitched. ‘A very slight one.’
‘But enough to be photographed leaving parties with inappropriate women?’ She tried to sound cavalier but it came out a little stiltedly.
He actually looked slightly embarrassed. Well, good—so he should. Private parties? She could just imagine…
‘Maybe it would be good for you to be seen doing a few conventional guy things. With a woman.’
‘But where would we find such a woman? This paragon of virtue, good manners and incredible hotness?’
He was teasing her. That was good. That meant he wasn’t backing away from her. ‘I don’t know, Slugger. Maybe just whistle one up?’
‘You’re determined to get involved, aren’t you?’ But there was something in his expression—something that was inviting her in.
‘I want to help you,’ she said, suddenly feeling a little shy—which was a new feeling for her.
She hoped he was reading her right, getting the hint. Surely he could see how much he meant to her? Tell him, a little voice prodded. Tell him how you feel.
Instead she put on her professional smile, stroked his arm flirtatiously. ‘I do this for a living, Slugger, just leave everything to me.’
He put an arm around her, but she noted the caution was back in his eyes. ‘We’ll see.’
‘Public face of the Marinov Corporation,’ said Clementine, feeling rather as she had when she’d first walked into that ritzy hotel with Serge a few weeks ago: kicking like mad to stay afloat. ‘It’ll take some getting used to,’ she confessed, glancing across the table at Alex. ‘I’ve done stuff like this before—I’ve just never actually been the product.’
Alex smiled at her, all charm. ‘You’ll do fine. Relax.’
Mick Forster strolled into the kitchen ahead of Serge, who clearly wasn’t relaxed. He vibrated with tension. Clementine wondered how she could take that down a few notches.
Mick whipped off his perennial cap as he spotted Clementine sitting at the big oak table. Serge introduced them and Mick sat down gingerly at one end, a good metre from where Clementine was curled up with a coffee.
‘I hear you made a good impression on Alex,’ said Mick bluntly, narrowing his into-the-wind blue eyes on her. ‘Do you think you can do it in front of eight politicians and a camera crew?’
‘Well, Mick, I don’t know,’ replied Clementine, looking at Serge. ‘As long as I remember to take the gum out of my mouth I’m sure we’ll be fine.’