Читать книгу One Night with Her Brooding Boss - Кэтти Уильямс, Cathy Williams - Страница 17

‘THANK you, Quinn.’ She only had to hold his gaze to realise it contained all sorts of messages that made her yearn inside, most of which were, thankfully, indecipherable to anyone else in the room.

Everyone held a collective breath as Magenta helped Quinn take off his jacket. She could feel his warmth through the cool of his cotton shirt and an array of muscles flexing beneath her fingers. The spread of his shoulders was a challenge in itself, and though she wasn’t small she had to stand on tiptoes to slide his jacket off them. She gave it to one of the girls to hang up.

‘Would you like me to take my shirt off too?’ Quinn suggested.

‘That won’t be necessary, thank you.’ He really knew how to make her heart thunder. ‘If you would care to sit down…?’

Quinn arranged himself on the leather seat, and before she lowered it she secured a protective cover around his neck. Then, tipping him back so she could reach the sink, she stood over him. Their stares connected. Lying flat on his back, Quinn’s was amused, while hers could only have shown how much she was enjoying this moment of domination. To have Quinn’s strong, tanned face beneath her fingers and his gaze, laced with irony, daring her to do her worst was the best challenge she could have dreamed of. ‘Would you be more comfortable with your shoes off?’

‘I’ll keep them on, thank you—I might want to make a quick getaway.’

Quinn’s comment lifted the atmosphere at a stroke and even Magenta laughed.

‘Get on with it,’ he warned. ‘Remember, I want all those reports on my desk before lunchtime today. In fact, everyone,’ he said swivelling round in the chair, ‘you can go now. There’s no need to hang around while Magenta conducts her trial. I’ll file my own report.’

And if that didn’t cause comment in the office, nothing ever would.

‘Would you have preferred an audience?’ Quinn demanded as their colleagues filed out.

‘It doesn’t matter to me either way.’ She would carry through with this whatever happened, though a few-dozen chaperones would have been nice. And safer.

‘So? Where do we begin?’ Quinn demanded.

‘With a warm towel to soften your bristles before I shave you.’

‘You’ll be using a safety razor, I presume?’

‘Would you prefer I used a cutthroat? ‘

Quinn laughed. Magenta doubted anything qualified as ‘safe’ if Quinn had anything to do with it. The thought of touching him, let alone massaging him with her inexperienced fingers, was a mountain she had to climb without a safety rope in sight. ‘There’s just one thing.’

‘Which is?’

‘You won’t—’

‘I won’t what? ‘ Quinn demanded.

‘You won’t try to kiss me? ‘ Magenta blurted awkwardly.

‘You don’t want me to? ‘

‘I don’t want any surprises—I don’t want my hand to shake, or I might cut you.’

‘You really know how to charm a man, don’t you?’

No. That was one thing that was completely outside her area of expertise.

‘I don’t plan to surprise you, Magenta.’

‘Good.’

‘I don’t plan to kiss you either.’

Bad.

‘Are you ready? ‘ Quinn demanded. ‘I don’t have all day.’

The damp towel had been warmed in the prescribed manner and she took the greatest pleasure in winding it tightly around Quinn’s face.

‘It helps if I can breathe! ‘ he exclaimed, rearranging it.

‘Sorry.’ And now she had a dilemma, Magenta realised as she rummaged through the products. Should she choose the Head Man toiletries, for the man who was a man’s man from nine to five and a lady’s man after six? Well, Quinn was hardly a nine-to-five man, and so far there had been no sign of any ladies.

So, how about men who wore English Leather or nothing at all?

Magenta’s appreciative gaze swept down Quinn’s muscular form. She mustn’t even think that way.

How about something called Inferno? The shout line was enough to put her off: if she doesn’t give it to you, get it for yourself. Cologne seemed a poor substitute for the type of gift that ad was hinting at.

‘Well, have you chosen a product range to trial on me yet?’ Quinn demanded impatiently.

‘Yes, I have, actually. Something called Forbidden Fruit.’

‘Sounds reasonable.’

‘“The Lime of Least Resistance”.’

Quinn’s lips tugged and Magenta could hardly keep her face straight. The sixties ad lines were really corny. If she couldn’t come up with something better, it was time to get out of the business—though, of course, her knowledge of the future should give her team a head start.

Was that cheating? Not really; it was just good business sense, Magenta reasoned. ‘Ready? ‘ she asked Quinn.

‘As I’ll ever be,’ he told her dryly.

Soaping Quinn was fun, shaving him less so, but only because he put her on edge and she was genuinely frightened of cutting him. And, far from being softened by the hot towel, his stubble remained just as dense and sharp as it had been when she started the process. Plus, she had to lean in very close, which made her even more aware of him, especially when each time she pulled back it was to find Quinn’s disturbing stare levelled on her face. He had the most beautiful face—strong, clean lines and a healthy complexion. And those lips.

She had never been so intimate with a man before and felt her whole body respond as her hands adopted a new, caressing touch as she positioned Quinn on the padded head-rest. She couldn’t help her breasts brushing his arm as she worked and the feel of Quinn beneath her hands was intoxicating. She had to concentrate very hard indeed on this trial.

‘Not bad,’ he admitted, testing his chin when she’d finished. ‘I might keep you on.’

‘You should be so lucky.’ She laughed nervously, only now realising how tense she had become.

‘Don’t forget the massage—that’s my favourite part,’ Quinn insisted. ‘And I can hardly be expected to give my verdict on the products until I’ve sampled all of them.’

‘Of course.’

‘Warm the cream in your hands first.’

The air stilled between them as she picked up the container and poured a little of the cream onto her hands. She warmed it between her palms as Quinn had suggested, and the sliding sound of cream on skin was yet another reminder that she was batting well out of her league.

‘Don’t be shy,’ Quinn advised her dryly.

‘I’m not shy.’ She started tentatively at first and then grew bolder. She closed her eyes, allowing her fingers to map the shape of Quinn’s face. She wanted to imprint every detail on her mind so she could remember this moment whatever happened next. Quinn’s brow, his ears, his neck, his lips—nothing was forbidden to her and she indulged herself to the full.

It was Quinn who brought the session to an end. Operating the lever at the side of his chair, he sat up. ‘I always suspected you were a dark horse.’

‘Did I do something wrong?’

‘On the contrary, that was the most sensuous massage I have ever experienced.’

‘But what about the product? ‘

‘What about the product? ‘

‘You’re supposed to be assessing it.’

‘I thought I just had. Write it up,’ he said, removing the protective sheet from his neck and handing it to her. ‘Give yourself full credit. I’ll expect your report on my desk by lunchtime today, Magenta.’

‘And you’ll listen to the ideas of my team now?’ She held her breath.

‘I gave you my word, didn’t I?’

She wanted to leap up and kiss him, but of course she had more sense.

‘Anyone stand out for you? ‘ Quinn demanded on his way out of the door.

So many of the girls had flair she hardly knew where to begin. ‘Nancy, Maria, Josie—’ Oh, to hell with it. ‘If you could just give them all a chance.’

‘And?’ Quinn said, suspecting there was something more.

‘Equal pay with the men?’

‘You don’t want much,’ he said wryly.

No, but while he was in a good mood she was going to ask for it.

‘All of these things have to be earned,’ Quinn observed. ‘Regardless of gender.’

‘So you’d consider making changes? ‘

‘When I do, you’ll be the first to hear.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Don’t thank me—you’ll be typing up the memos. If you can’t take the heat, you’d better get out of the kitchen, Magenta.’

‘I can take it.’ Yes. Yes! Oh boy, could she take it. This was an incredible turnaround from the most intransigent of men.

‘Good, because you’ll be adding all this new work to your regular duties.’

Would there come a point where she crumpled beneath the pressure? Well, if there did, Quinn wouldn’t care—so she had better not. Getting that break for the girls was the only thing that mattered.

Magenta could barely wait for Quinn to leave the room before flinging the protective sheet he’d handed her into the air with a whoop of excitement. The next step would be planning a new ad campaign with her team.

The girls were giddy with excitement just at the thought of being taken seriously. The sexism and chauvinism in the office knew no bounds and Magenta could hardly believe that such intelligent and vital individuals had been disregarded solely on the basis of gender. How could these women have been kept down for so long, subjugated by the men? How could any manager afford to waste such a valuable resource?

Having assured her new colleagues that their ideas really were going to be listened to, she got down to writing up her report and delivered it to Quinn before lunchtime as instructed. To her amazement, he handed her a typewritten sheet. ‘My report,’ he said.

‘Thank you…’ Perhaps they were getting somewhere after all. Holding the sheet of folded paper close, she left the room feeling warm inside. And, yes, even a little triumphant. If all the battles ahead of her would be so easily won.

‘Leave my door open, will you? ‘ Quinn called after her.

‘Of course.’

Quinn wasn’t so bad, Magenta decided, settling down at her desk. He just needed handling. She was in charge of collating the results for the trials and, now she had Quinn’s report, she could make a start.

Studying the sheet of paper he’d given her, Magenta’s eyes widened.

Dinner tonight, Quinn had written. Pick you up at your place at eight—no excuses.

It was less of an invitation and more of an instruction.

Magenta tensed. Reports forgotten, she stared into space. Kisses were one thing, but anything more… She had just experienced a prolonged sensory experience with Quinn and now he was calling her bluff. Was she up to a one-on-one meeting after work?

‘Did you want to talk business tonight?’ She turned with the note in her hand to speak to him through the open door.

‘What else?’ Quinn said impatiently, waving her away.

A business meeting. Well, that was all right, and would give her a chance to learn more about Quinn. She felt a thrill of anticipation. Of course she could handle it. She was a big girl, wasn’t she? She could always say no. How could she turn Quinn down without offending him? That might put the girls’ future prospects in jeopardy, which she would never do.

Turning in her chair, she flashed Quinn a faint smile and a nod. It didn’t do to look too eager.

Hemlines were getting shorter, according to the fashion magazines the girls kept around the office. Venturing into one of the tiny boutiques, that had sprung up down a street Magenta knew would one day be turned into office blocks, was a temptation she couldn’t resist. Armed with cash from her wage packet, she was ready to shop. The chance to wear one of the daring outfits for Quinn being showcased in the shop windows was slightly less appealing—she’d feel safer in a sack—but she guessed he might baulk at that for their evening out.

Swinging London was the first headline she noticed on a news stand as she walked along, together with a picture of the Beatles. She definitely had to make some sort of effort to be stylish. Dragging her gaze away, she saw a hairdressing salon and decided to make that her first stop.

A stylish young man with floppy hair and tight, flared trousers arranged Magenta’s long hair so that it hung loose down her back and was dressed fairly high at the top. Taking it up at the sides, he gave her a fringe so long it caught on her eyelashes.

Realising she could buy make-up at the salon, she chose some smoky eye-shadow, passing on the pale foundation with the option of white lips. She had to contend with the lady behind the counter giving her some strange looks as she battled with the unfamiliar pre-decimal currency. She finally managed to get it right and handed over what seemed to her like a very small amount of money before leaving the shop.

Now she had to hunt for an outfit to wear that evening. She had fun trying on all the vintage clothes and realising they were new. There was nothing subtle about sexiness in the sixties; she already knew that. Though she didn’t want Quinn to think her a frump, a couple of inches above the knee was as far as she was prepared to go. Rejecting a cobwebby, crotcheted dress, she chose a high-necked, soft turquoise silk with trumpet sleeves that flattered her figure without exposing too much of it.

‘You could go bra-less,’ the shop assistant informed her. ‘You’ve got the figure for it.’

What and show off her nipples? Give Quinn a handy barometer to go by? He hardly needed that sort of encouragement. ‘I’d prefer to wear a bra.’

‘What about this no-bra bra?’ the assistant suggested. ‘It’s almost sheer, but it does offer some protection…’ She weighed Magenta up. ‘If that’s what you want.’

‘It is pretty,’ Magenta agreed and she definitely wanted all the protection she could get.

‘You could try these hip-huggers to go with it. Or some matching bikini-pants in the same flesh-coloured lace?’

‘They’re very flimsy.’

‘That’s the idea.’

‘I’ll take them.’ She just wanted to get out of the shop now. The girl’s close scrutiny was beginning to make her feel uncomfortable.

‘Which one?’ The girl was holding up a pair of knickers in each hand.

‘Both.’

‘You’re sure they’re not too flimsy for you? I do have some heavy-gauge serge in the back.’

Was it so obvious that Magenta’s twenty-first-century lifestyle meant her choice of underwear depended on what washed well on a short cycle and lasted longest?