[4 Seasons 01] Seducing Summer Read Free Page B

her. But that didn’t mean him being her PA would work. She had to
think of her customers, the majority of whom were women. Okay, most of them
would probably think it fun to chat to a male PA, but she had to bear in mind
that it might make some of them feel awkward. And what about him?
    “You know what business I run here, right?”
    He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
    “I ask because working with lingerie all
day can make some men twitchy. Does it make you uncomfortable?”
    “No, ma’am.” He remained straight-faced. It
didn’t surprise her. Somehow, she couldn’t imagine this man getting flustered
over lacy underwear. He looked like the kind of guy who could open a bra catch with
one flick of his fingers.
    His cool gaze egged her on. “You think you
can remain professional when dealing with customers enquiring about extra-large
cup sizes? Or when they ask you to describe the different styles of panties we
supply?”
    He brushed at a speck of dust on his
trousers. “Yes, ma’am.” He met her gaze, and then finally gave in to a smile, showing
her why he had all those laughter lines at the edges of his eyes, and baring a
row of neat white teeth. “And I’m happy to work late to catch up on any
knowledge I may be missing.”
    Ah, so there was a man beneath the soldier,
then. Wickedly, she raised her eyebrows as if to say, Oh, really? He
dropped his gaze back to his hands, pursing his lips as if cursing himself for
his comment. He’d tried so hard to be professional, and he’d only caved when
she’d provoked him. She couldn’t blame him for that.
    She gave a short, silent laugh. If he could
do the job—and it appeared he had the necessary skills to do so, more than any
of the other applicants, anyway—then there wasn’t a relevant reason why she
shouldn’t hire him.
    He looked back up after he’d composed
himself. “Please give me a chance,” he said. “I swear I’ll be professional. We’ll
work together really well. I’ll look after you.”
    She blinked. What a strange thing to say.
It made her feel slightly uncomfortable. “I don’t need looking after.”
    “I meant in the office. A good PA makes
sure he knows what his boss wants before she does,” he added. The twinkle in
his eye told her he’d been aware of the double meaning behind it, and again he
hadn’t been able to help himself.
    It would be fun teasing him. But she still
wasn’t sure it was a good idea.
    “It’s a busy job,” she said. “Lots of
travelling.”
    “That’s fine.”
    “But you said you wanted to settle down.”
    “Staying in swish hotels with air
conditioning and minibars is not the same as camping with a dozen guys in the
desert, believe me.”
    She was not going to think about him
showering with a dozen other sweaty guys. “I’m going on a tour of the country
over the next few weeks,” she said. “I need my PA to come with me.”
    “That’s no problem.”
    “It’s a long way. Lots of flying and car
journeys.”
    “I like flying. And driving. I’m happy to
double as your chauffeur. It’ll be fun,” he said. “Trust me.”
    She met his gaze. His eyes were gray, like
a sky heavy with rain, late on a summer’s evening.
    “Trust me,” he said again, gently. A
strange phrase, but one that reached inside her and warmed her all the way
through.
    She pushed herself to her feet. “You can
have a one-day trial. Work with Neve, let her show you the ropes. If she gives
you the green light, I’ll trust her judgment.” He had to be able to do the job.
And she knew Neve wouldn’t let him through just because she was trying to fix
her up.
    He stood—a little awkwardly, she noticed.
That leg did still give him trouble. “That’s great. Thank you for the chance,
ma’am, you won’t regret it.”
    She walked out, her lips curving at the
feel of his eyes burning into her butt like lasers.
     

Chapter Two
    Gene let Callie walk a few paces ahead of
him before following her out. It gave him time to admire the way