His Girl Monday to Friday Page 15

  Barbara stiffened. She’d heard Charles’s offhand treatment of girls, whether or not he was tired of them, too often to be surprised by anything he could do. That didn’t mean she had to like it. She’d have liked to tell him in no uncertain terms what she thought of him, but what was the point? She’d been telling him for years, and if it hadn’t done any good then it certainly wasn’t going to now. He’d got what he wanted; there was no point in expecting him to lavish charm on someone he’d got into bed. She’d never had any illusions as to his character, after all. It was just her bad luck to have fallen in love with a man with the sensitivity of a cardboard box.

  ‘I don’t know,’ she said wearily. ‘You’re the one who knows the rules.’

  ‘Well. I think I’d better go through with it,’ he said.

  ‘Then when I see you again you won’t have an excuse to call me selfish.’ His eyes gleamed with amusement. ‘On the other hand, I’d better think of some way out of kissing her goodnight; I definitely don’t think it’s a good idea to kiss her when I want to be in bed with you.’

  ‘Well, maybe you’ll want to be in bed with her by the time you have to deal with the problem,’ Barbara said acidly.

  His eyes widened and his mouth curved in a smile of pure delight. Why had he worried about her taking it too seriously? It was only too obvious that she was keeping back a whole quiverful of barbed comments. Any minute now she’d tell him how selfish and egotistical he was and how much she was looking forward to meeting some man with a basic sense of decency to spend her life with. Too bad he’d as good as called tonight off; he could easily have moved Julia to another day.

  ‘Never tell me you’re jealous!’ he said, a black eyebrow shooting up. ‘Or, rather, make my day—don’t tell me you’re not jealous. Want me to cancel?’

  ‘Of course not,’ Barbara said stiffly. ‘You’re right, you shouldn’t stand her up twice.’

  ‘All right, I’ll be good,’ he said. ‘We’ll just have to make up for lost time tomorrow night. Is it a deal?’

  Barbara looked with a mixture of longing and exasperation at the coolly confident face so close to hers. He wanted her, of course, but he wouldn’t spend the hours until tomorrow night aching for her the way she would ache for him. He wouldn’t be remembering every minute of the night they’d spent together. He took so much for granted.

  If only, if only just once she could see him thrown off balance, see him genuinely doubt, for once in his life, that he could have some woman he wanted. Well, it would be a good lesson for him, but of course she wouldn’t be able to give it.

  She gave him a reluctant smile. ‘It’s a deal.’

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  BARBARA got into her office at nine o’clock. It looked exactly the way it had when she’d left; it was hard to believe that only one night had gone by since she’d been there, wondering whether to leave or to wait for Charles.

  She turned on her computer. There was an e-mail from Charles, suggesting some things she could do to follow up on the Barrett deal until he thought of another project for her to get her teeth into. It didn’t say anything else. He could have suggested they have lunch together in the cafeteria or at a local restaurant, but he didn’t. He could have said all kinds of things, but he didn’t.

  Barbara put her elbows on the desk and propped her chin on her hands. He was going to have dinner with Julia, she thought, gritting her teeth. All day long it would be gnawing away at her, and tonight she would just keep thinking about the two of them together. Then she’d see him tomorrow night, and then the next day Charles would get nervous again and go out with someone else just in case Barbara expected him to marry her.

  Why should she have to go through this? she thought resentfully. She’d be better off just breaking it off now. Charles’s other women probably had some faint hope that he’d change; well, they didn’t have the benefit of fifteen years of watching Charles in action.

  She glanced at the screen of her computer, where Charles’s comments regarding the Barrett deal were still displayed. Basically there was next to nothing for her to do. She would have to liaise with their administrator to discuss their requirements in more detail, but once that was done the work of actually putting together the final package would be done by someone else. Charles had talked of finding a new project for her—well, if he had really thought of her the way he thought of the other talent on his staff he’d have thrown her into something else whether she was ready or not.

  It was only too obvious that he’d lost interest in her potential as newly spotted talent as well, she thought gloomily. No doubt he’d meant what he’d said at the time, but who could say how much of it had been enthusiasm generated by wanting to sleep with her?

  What would probably happen would be that he’d leave her stuck here in this stupid little office with nothing to do. She’d be well paid, of course, but she’d put in a year doing nothing in particular, and at the end of the year he’d suddenly notice she wasn’t making a contribution and decide not to renew her contract Which would be fine with her because she’d never wanted to spend her life in an office anyway, but in that case she might as well go off to Sardinia now and be done with it.

  Barbara frowned. She’d had a taste of interesting work for the first time, and this was a chance that wouldn’t come again. She should try to make the most of it. So what if Charles had lost interest? Couldn’t she come up with something herself? What she should do was look for some other deal. Maybe if she found some other deal that made millions he would stop wondering if he should start avoiding her… No, she told herself sternly. Charles was neither here nor there. It was up to her to make something of this, and not get sidetracked just because Charles was doing exactly what he’d been doing ever since she’d known him.

  She stood up and began pacing up and down the room. A new deal, she thought. A new deal. Most big companies were already committed to a software package. Why would a big company change? It wouldn’t, she thought. It just wouldn’t.

  Unless, she realised excitedly, it had to. Suppose it was bought up by a bigger company that used a different package? Well, that wouldn’t do Mallory much good. But suppose it was exploring a merger with another company and neither side wanted to lose face? To install a brand-new package from scratch in both companies would be far more expensive than switching to one or the other. But her assignments with various investment banks had given her some idea of just how much money could be spent on this kind of face-saving exercise when corporate giants came head to head. It was just a matter of finding the right people to approach.

  She made a quick call to Barrett to arrange to meet the director of services, which was all she could do at this stage on that front. Then she went to the company library, got the last few months’ editions of the financial papers and magazines, collected a coffee and several pastries from the canteen, and went back to her office to think.

  Charles spent the first part of the day catching up on things that had been coming in while he’d been in Prague, thinking resentfully of his approaching date with Julia and snarling at his secretary. After lunch he went on catching up and thinking resentfully of Julia, minus the secretary. He didn’t want to see Julia—he wanted to see Barbara. He could go downstairs and see Barbara, of course, but what if she got the wrong idea? On the other hand, if he went downstairs to see her he could at least kiss her again, even if he couldn’t do all the other things he’d like to.

  At four o’clock he remembered that he’d been promising to think up a new project for Barbara. He might as well go down and see her and have a quick brainstorming session. He didn’t want her to get the wrong idea, of course, but there was such a thing as being too careful. At least it would prove she was wrong about him not talking to women after he’d slept with them.

  He found Barbara sitting cross-legged on her desk in the middle of a floor now carpeted with financial journals. She was reading one, scribbling occasional notes on a pad. She didn’t look all that different
from the redheaded urchin who had perched on sofas and the backs of chairs and pelted him with questions. It was funny the way just the thought of her had had his imagination sizzling all day.

  She looked up, the vivid face falling instantly into the look of not-so-friendly mockery she seemed to save just for him. ‘Why, Charles,’ she said. ‘You shouldn’t have.’

  ‘Shouldn’t have what?’ he asked, momentarily caught off guard.

  ‘Come to talk to me. You could have had your secretary send me a dozen roses. What if I got the wrong idea? What if I rushed out and ordered a wedding dress?’

  ‘Will you stop it?’ he said, laughing in spite of himself.

  ‘You can’t be too careful about these things,’ Barbara said helpfully. ‘Some girls just don’t understand. Now, I realise that just because I’m moving in with you—’

  ‘What?’ He goggled at her for one split second of horror, before taking in the gleam of malice in the brilliant blue eyes. ‘You’re right,’ he told her. ‘I should have sent you a dozen roses. Not the actual flowers, of course, just thorns on the stern. Too bad my secretary left after lunch.’

  ‘What a shame,’ said Barbara sympathetically. ‘And so unreasonable. After all, you weren’t to know she wasn’t telepathic. The agency should have known by now that you wanted someone who could read your mind How were you to know this one relied on the spoken word? Besides, it’s not nice for a man in your position to have to use the words “please” and “thank you”. How were you to know she’d have such unreasonable expectations?’

  Charles shut the door behind him. He strode across the crackling sheets of the financial papers to the desk.

  ‘How, indeed?’ he said, that smile in his eyes.

  He put his arms around her, and kissed her ruthlessly on the mouth.

  Barbara dropped her magazine and kissed him back. Oh, he was lovely, she thought. She’d been reliving the night before all day and now, out of the blue, here was a whole new completely unexpected kiss.

  He raised his head to smile down at her. ‘Glad to see that still works,’ he said. ‘Have I ever told you how exasperating you are?’

  ‘Not in so many words,’ said Barbara. She ran one hand along the smooth line of his jaw up to the back of his neck, and pulled his head down again. His mouth was hot and demanding on hers—she could have sworn he’d been thinking of nothing else all day too.

  ‘You’re exasperating,’ said Charles, some time later. ‘Also, you remind me that I once had a secretary. What’s your secret?’

  ’M-my secret?‘ she stammered, startled. ‘Oh, my secret,’ she said, with a rush of relief, realising what he’d meant. ‘It’s just common sense, really.’

  There was a speculative look in his eyes which she didn’t like. It hadn’t escaped her that he’d relaxed the minute she’d started insulting him in her old way.

  ‘Do you have a backlog?’ she asked, hurrying onto safer ground. ‘We’ll send my secretary up. I really don’t have anything for her to do. I’ll just explain that you don’t come with a volume control. Shouting is your normal speaking voice.’

  She slipped to the floor beside him and picked her way to the door, still trying to distract him from the awkward moment. ‘Carol, you wouldn’t mind going upstairs and helping Mr Mallory clear his backlog, would you?’

  Carol gazed dreamily at gorgeous Mr Mallory in a way that suggested she was new to the company. ‘Of course not,’ she said ecstatically.

  ‘He would appreciate it very much,’ said Barbara, digging an elbow into Charles’s side.

  ‘Oh—Oh, yes, I would,’ said Charles, belatedly taking the hint. Thank you very much.’

  ‘My pleasure, Mr Mallory,’ breathed Carol.

  ‘Don’t mind his bad language,’ advised Barbara. ‘He can’t help his upbringing. And he doesn’t really mean it when he shouts. Mr Mallory is really a sheep in wolf’s clothing. He—’

  ‘Don’t pay any attention to Barbara,’ said Charles, giving Carol the lazy smile that had been turning women weak at the knees for years. ‘I have a terrible temper, and I mean all the terrible things I say, but I’d appreciate it if you’d put up with it just long enough to get some letters out for me. I’ve left some tapes on the desk upstairs; if you’d just type them up and print out the letters it would be a big help. Please,’ he added, gripping Barbara’s elbow as a precautionary measure.

  ‘Of course, Mr Mallory,’ said Carol. She shut down her word processor and headed for the lift.

  ‘You’re so wonderful, Mr Mallory,’ added Barbara. ‘Poor girl. Why did you come down anyway, Charles?’

  He grinned down at her sceptical face. ‘Not just to prove a point, if that’s what you mean. I said I’d try to think of a new project for you. Thought I should talk it through with you. Want me to lay on some training? I’m sure you’ll agree your background is pretty patchy; I don’t want you to trip up because of inexperience.’

  Barbara dropped her eyes. Wouldn’t she ever learn? All he had to do was show the least little sign of friendliness and she thought there was hope. She should just be grateful he was standing beside her.

  She shook back her hair, squaring her shoulders. ‘Actually, I’ve had an idea,’ she said. ‘Come into my office.’

  ‘Said the spider to the fly,’ mocked Charles. ‘All right, all right.’ He followed her back into the room. ‘Shoot.’

  ‘Feffel & Meyers,’ she said.

  ‘What about them?’ asked Charles, propping his shoulders against the wall and looking down at her. ‘Apart from the fact that they’ve been stonewalling us for years?’

  ‘And Rutherford Carlisle.’

  ‘Another stone wall I’ve come to know and tolerate. What about them?’

  ‘They’re two of the biggest independent investment banks in the country,’ said Barbara. ‘They were seriously exploring a merger last year. It makes sense, but neither wants to be second among equals.’

  ‘I’m listening,’ said Charles.

  ‘Well, Feffel uses a system from our number one competitor, while Rutherford has a system from our number two competitor. There’s something symbolic about one or the other having to switch over. Suppose we persuade them there’s a third option?’ Her eyes sparkled. ‘You know, somebody who was pretty junior when I was temping at another firm just got head-hunted to Feffel—I could sound Peter out over dinner. I temped for a while at Rutherford, too—I think I know who to call and what to say.

  ‘What do you think? Could we afford to make it worth their while? If the merger goes ahead the new entity will be a major player—it would make an important statement about Mallory if they switched to us as they moved into the twenty-first century.’

  Charles stared down at her. She was absolutely right. If the idea worked out it would be a big step up the ladder for them. Here he’d been thinking of a way of babying her into the big league, and she was way ahead of him. He was impressed in spite of himself. Of course, he wouldn’t have promoted her if he hadn’t thought she was good; he just hadn’t expected her to be good so fast.

  ‘You don’t need me to tell you it’s a good idea,’ he said slowly. The funny thing was, he felt cheated. He’d meant to help her along; the way things were going, he wouldn’t have the chance.

  ‘So it’s all right for me to call Peter?’

  ‘Sure.’

  Barbara flashed him a glance of pure mischief. ‘I can’t wait to tell him what I’m doing now,’ she said. ‘He used to tell me I could do his job as well as he could. It was always so obvious he meant it as a big compliment I used to think, Well, if it’s true I don’t need him to say it and, anyway, if I had his job I’d do it better. I think I’ll suggest somewhere really expensive and then insist on paying.’

  Charles laughed. ‘That’ll show him.’

  ‘I’ll give him a call right now,’ said Barbara. She punched numbers rapidly into the phone.

  Charles watched, bemused, while his protégée ran rings around someone who’d apparentl
y been head-hunted by one of the most competitive investment banks in the country.

  ‘Well, obviously it would be good to meet before you go to New York,’ said Barbara. ‘I’ll have a look in my diary… Oh, I see. No, tomorrow’s fine.’ She named a time and restaurant and hung up with a shrug.

  ‘You don’t mind, do you?’ she asked, glancing at Charles. ‘I know we were going to have dinner tomorrow night, but Peter’s off to New York in a few days and I thought I should strike while the iron is hot.’

  ‘Sure,’ said Charles. It made perfect sense; he just couldn’t remember any woman he’d ever known doing anything like it. Well, none of them had dreamed up a deal this size over the space of a morning. He waited for Barbara to suggest they meet the next night instead, the way any other woman would have if she’d cancelled a dinner date with him. The suggestion didn’t come.

  ‘Can you get me some numbers in time?’ asked Barbara. ‘I’d like to be able to give them a rough idea of the kind of deal we can offer; you’ll know better than I would what you can afford.’

  ‘Sure,’ said Charles. He had to fight back a smile at the way she’d thrown the job at him, just as if he were the one who was on probation. Just being with her made him want to laugh. She was funny, and bright, and passionate; just when he thought he knew her inside out she surprised him again. Why couldn’t he just enjoy this for what it was? Why had he had to be so paranoid this morning?

  ‘Look,’ he said suddenly, ‘why don’t you have dinner with me tonight and we’ll thrash it out? I can reschedule Julia. This is important.’

  Barbara opened her mouth and shut it. She’d slapped him once and it hadn’t done any good. Nothing she’d ever said had ever done any good. She’d hated the idea of his dinner with Julia, but just the idea of having dinner with Charles after yet another of his self-centred reschedules made her see red.