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She’d never once encountered a problem with any of the local fellows. One or two had tried moves on her, of course, but things had never gone any further than she’d wanted them to. Besides, the local guys knew the Finch brothers would come down like a ton of bricks if anyone ever upset their baby sister.
Sally hadn’t dreamed that Kyle planned to seduce her right then and there in the pine needle strewn earth of the river bank. She hadn’t guessed that his charm would switch in a flash if he didn’t get what he wanted.
But that had happened.
So quickly, the night had changed from a carefree evening of fun to one of stark terror and violence. Sally shuddered and cringed as the gruesome memories assaulted her now like physical blows.
She had to take deep, steadying breaths as she pushed the nightmare images aside and told herself that all that was in the past. She was fine now. Steve had rescued her before any real harm was done and he’d sent Kyle Francis fleeing, never to return.
The family had closed ranks around Sally to protect her, of course, but finally she’d felt compelled to break free from her parents and brothers’ smothering concern. She’d come toSydney, to claim her independence, but she would achieve this much more readily if she remembered that Logan Black was her boss. No more, no less.
At work the next morning, one of the special couriers was leaning casually against Sally’s desk, one elbow on the counter top while he quizzed her about her plans for the coming weekend, when clipped footsteps marched across the marble foyer, then stopped.
?She looked up to find Logan Black standing stock still. To her dismay, she felt her cheeks grow hot.
‘M-Mr Black.’ She managed to smile. ‘Good morning.’
He didn’t respond, just stood there, looking grim.
‘Was there something you wanted?’ she asked. ‘Can I help?’
Again, he didn’t answer, simply let his relentless gaze sweep over Brett, the courier, before shooting a pointed glance at the clock on the wall.
Brett got the message and beat a hasty retreat. Finally, the boss spoke. ‘I have an important visitor arriving at ten o’clock. Charles Holmes, the CEO of Minmount Mining.’
Everything about his manner was aloof and businesslike, as if the football game and the tumble into the pond had never happened.
Sally lifted her chin. This was good. Much better to have a proud and distant boss than one who flirted. ‘I’ll look out for Mr. Holmes,’ she assured him.
Logan nodded. ‘Charles knows his way about this place and he certainly doesn’t need an identity tag, but as a courtesy, I’d like you to escort him to my office. Maria Paige, my PA, will take over from there.’
‘Of course, Mr. Black. I’ll see to that. No problem.’
He nodded coolly, then turned to swipe his electronic card before proceeding through the security doors.
Shortly before ten o’clock, an absolutely gorgeous bouquet of snowy white roses arrived and Sally’s imagination kicked in straight away. It was someone’s birthday. The flowers were for one of the female employees from an admirer. Already, she was anticipating the enjoyment of taking the flowers through to the person’s office, watching the surprised pleasure on her face.
Oh, she loved this job.
But when she looked for the usual small white envelope, she couldn’t find one. She frowned at the delivery boy. ‘There’s no card here. Nothing to say who the flowers are for.’
?He shrugged. ‘No need. They’re for Mr. Black.’
‘Mr.Black?’
The delivery boy nodded, his expression blank, as if there was nothing unusual about a man receiving flowers.
‘Oh. I – I see.’ Straightening her shoulders, Sally secured a pleasant smile. ‘Lovely. I’ll take them up to him.’
The lift was filled with the delicate scent of roses as she ascended to the next floor. She closed her eyes, drew a deep breath of sweetly perfumed air and gave herself yet another stern lecture. Here, in her arms, was the indisputable evidence that her boss had a private life that included a woman. At last, she had a very,verygood reason to put him right out of her head.
Maria Paige, the boss’s PA, looked up without smiling as Sally approached her desk just outside Logan’s office. She was one of the few employees at Blackcorp, who hadn’t bothered to be friendly.
‘Oh, the roses,’ she said. ‘Good. Pop them in the vase there.’
A large vase already filled with water was ready and waiting at one end of Maria’s desk.
‘You must have been expecting these,’ Sally said, as she lowered the roses carefully into the vase.
