Читать книгу What a Girl Needs: - Aimee Duffy - Страница 7

‘I can’t do it,’ Georgia told her friends.

Eloisa’s eyebrows almost hit her hairline. ‘You’ve got the dress, the shoes, the clutch and the jewelry. I don’t think he’ll be thrilled if you changed your mind now.’

Georgia looked down at the midnight-blue dress. She was worried her skin would look too pale in poor lighting, especially since she was a week late on her spray tan. She’d been tempted to get one on her lunch hour, but orange wasn’t sexy. Pity the tinted moisturizer hadn’t done much but give her a light glow.

But that was the least of her worries.

A car was due to pick her up any minute to take her to the ball and she was sweating off all her make-up.

‘Georgia, you agreed to go. If you’d told us first we could have talked you out of it, but you never said a word.’ The look Shey threw her made her feel like a spoiled brat, getting everything she wanted then deciding she didn’t anymore.

Which was pretty much true.

Georgia hadn’t told them until she got home. Max had been so unlike himself that she’d believed he wouldn’t push her, which had put her on a downer until he’d dangled pretty clothes bribes in front of her. She’d been excited about the prospect of shopping in Briggs with no price cap, and really what was one evening for a dress that cost more than she made a month? And there was more than that; she got the matching shoes and accessories any girl would forego her hairdryer for.

After doing a mental inventory of Briggs’ stock, there weren’t many functional brain cells left to think about ulterior motives. The doubt hadn’t kicked in until she left work and bumped into Max getting into his car. He’d winked at her and told her he couldn’t wait for tonight, but it had sounded way too suggestive.

It had all clicked into place for her then. He’d told her a load of bull so he could get her to go with him. Get her exactly where he wanted her, then turn on the sexy. It was getting harder and harder to resist him, but she would. After all, it was only one night…

Shey topped up Georgia’s wineglass and she swallowed half in one go. The buzzer sounded and she said, ‘Don’t let him in. I’ll meet him downstairs.’

‘You need to put your foot down with him,’ Shey said. ‘Unless…’

Georgia turned on her, ‘Unless what?’

‘Come on Georgia, you go on and on about how hot he is. Maybe fucking him will put you off him for good.’

‘And you said he was pretty clear on what it would and wouldn’t be, so there’s no real risk,’ Eloisa added.

Great, now they were both ganging up on her. Georgia stormed over to the door, snatching her clutch from the coffee table and handing Eloisa the glass as she passed. ‘You’re both idiots.’

‘We love you too,’ they chorused.

The buzzer went off again but Georgia didn’t wait for it to be answered. She took the elevator down and used the time to compose herself. She may want him, but not enough to embarrass herself further by sleeping with him. Whatever his agenda for needing a date to these functions, she’d treat it like she would any other day in the office. He was her boss, whether she stood by his side or not.

So by the time she strolled through the marble lobby, she was resolved. At least until she opened the door and got a load of Max in a tux. She thought there was nothing hotter than Max in a charcoal suit, with one of his silky ties and his hair all askew – not that it was neat at the minute – but this was worse…Much worse.

The black suit hugged every inch of him, highlighting every bit of delicious sculpted muscle. His waistcoat was a deep purple and the shirt beneath was black too, not white. The effect it had against his tan skin was so hot her heart even missed a beat or two, but it didn’t stop her blood from sizzling.

His eyes were stormy blue as they raked her over. ‘How the hell do you expect me to keep my hands off you when you look like that?’

Best. Compliment. Ever.

Georgia couldn’t help her grin any more than she could help her attraction for this man. She wanted his hands on her, right here, right now. Pity that wasn’t part of the deal tonight. Although…