Who was he kidding? He shook his head as he made his way upstairs. Somehow he doubted anything would be the same, ever again.
Noosa? They were going to Noosa. Sophie stared at the email Jared had forwarded moments ago while she’d been downstairs. Her and him, together for the three-hour journey past Brisbane and on to the northern Sunshine Coast. And staying at some fancy address on the Noosa River. Alone.
No way.
She reached for the office phone, but before she could make a connection it buzzed. To curb her impatience she fixed a smile in place. ‘Sanderson Property Investments, Sophie Buchanan speaking, how may I help you?’
‘Miz Buchanan.’ Jared’s voice. With not a hint of the husky heat it had exuded moments ago. Just deep and calm like a high mountain lake.
Unlike her. Her pulse, which had barely settled, raced again. He’d kissed her senseless and just like that, now he was being all business? She heard a car’s horn in the background. Right, of course he was all business because he was in the car with Melissa, who was no doubt listening in on every word. Now who’s playing games?
‘Mr Sanderson.’ She leaned back in her chair, tapping her fingernails on the desk and studying the photo of Noosa’s riverside luxury home on her computer screen. ‘What can I do for you?’
Should have rephrased that. A shiver shimmied down her spine and she swore that amazing sexual tension they seemed to have between them spun through the air, as if he were standing right behind her. Leaning down, his breath hot against her ear—
‘You’ve read the email, I presume?’
She jolted upright. ‘Yes.’ Brief hiatus where neither spoke. Did he expect her to back out now? Moreover, did she want to back out now? The refusal on the tip of her tongue melted away. ‘I’ll be ready,’ she said.
‘Excellent.’
No way could she interpret the nuance of that single word.
‘We’ve a busy schedule ahead of us,’ he continued, ‘and I want to familiarise you with a few details before we leave on Wednesday. I’ll be in Brisbane on Monday and Tuesday, so we’ll discuss it over dinner tomorrow evening.’
She opened her mouth to argue, closed it. So it was a business dinner now. How cunning. And when he put it that way how could she refuse? ‘Very well. Restaurants…’ She flipped through Pam’s list on the desk. ‘Do you have a preference?’
‘I’ll make the reservations this time. We’ll make it seven, I’ll pick you up on the way.’
Nuh-uh, that sounded too much like a date and the panicky feeling fluttered back. ‘I—’
‘Until tomorrow, then. Bye for now.’
The line went dead.
‘Fill me in on the latest lunchroom gossip,’ Pam said while they ate the home-made chicken soup and hot crusty bread Sophie had brought upstairs.
Pam was a brunette with short bouncy hair, abundant curves and dark expressive eyes. Right now those eyes begged for news from the outside.
‘I’m just the temp, remember. I’m not privy to gossip.’
‘But you must have heard something—any sordid little tidbit that’ll brighten up my miserable, itchy and scratch-filled day will do.’
‘Oh, you poor thing.’ Sophie looked at her blister-covered friend across the table and almost felt itchy herself. ‘Are you sure there’s not anything I can get you?’
‘Thanks, but I’m fully medicated for the moment. Especially with the gorgeous flowers you brought. Jared really is a darling.’ She smiled at the bunch of yellow roses on the coffee table. ‘Come on, Sophie.’
She wanted to get this thing with Jared out in the open with someone and Pam was the only person she was close enough and trusted enough to confide in. ‘Are you sure you’re up to hearing it? You don’t need to go and relieve that itching some more in a cool cornflower bath?’
Pam’s eyes brightened considerably. ‘You have heard something. Out with it. Now.’
‘Okay, but don’t blame me if your itch turns feral. It may take a while and you have to promise not to tell.’
Leaning her elbows on the table, Pam settled in. ‘Promise.’
‘It started two nights ago when I emailed your report to Jared, only it wasn’t your report that I emailed…’
When Sophie had finished, Pam sat back and stared at her. ‘Oh, cringe… You’re genuine. If I hadn’t heard it from you I’d never have believed it.’
‘I can hardly believe it myself. And yeah, the cringe factor for this particular blunder surpasses all previous records.’
‘Agreed.’ Pam’s slow smile had a hint of wicked humour about it. ‘You and Jared together. It’s kind of…I’m not sure yet, let me think on it.’