In the Market for Love Read Free

table surrounded by stylish chairs in polished chrome and soft black leather.
    Designed to be imposing and impressive rather than friendly and comfortable, the room made a statement about the kind of business done by Agency 66. Their work and clientele were clearly at the upper end of the market. Unfortunately, the small pharmaceutical research agency for which Rachel worked was not.
    A good looking man breezed into the room. He had short wavy chestnut coloured hair, clear skin and friendly hazel eyes.
    “Marcus Richards .” He shook hands vigorously with the two women. “Account manager. Lovely to meet you both. I see you’ve been enjoying the view. Magnificent, isn’t it? Glad I haven’t missed anything.”
    Now that was a vivacious entrance. Rachel looked around, deciding which chair to take. She felt a strange sensation come over her as she suddenly felt as if someone were watching her from behind.
    She became conscious of her appearance, wondering if her pencil skirt too closely followed the curve of her bottom. She’d though it respectable but wasn’t so sure now.
    Glancing behind as she slid into a chair, Rachel’s face flushed pink. Jake was staring at her, his lips curling into an appreciative smile. It wasn’t a lurid look, rather he took the opportunity to enjoy what was before him, much as he had earlier on the car park.
    Hi s blatant appreciation of her figure lit a feverish spark inside her and that small flame was glowing. It felt thrilling and she wanted to savour it but she couldn’t let herself feel this way.
    She had a campaign to manage. And she would not be defeated. Not by any man. Not again.
    At twenty-nine years of age, she had eight years experience in public relations and marketing, two years of which she’d spent as marketing manager at Omega Pharmaceuticals. She had the skills and determination to manage both a new advertising campaign and Jake Austin.
    “Why don’t you sit next to me,” she said to Samantha.
    She then motioned Jake and Marcus to the other side of the boardroom table. Smiling brightly as she did so, it was impossible for the two advertising men to take offence at her suggestion.
    “I’ve ordered coffee, ladies,” Jake said. “It won’t be long. Oh, and here it is.”
    It struck Rachel that this was a man who was used to giving orders and, furthermore, having them obeyed.
    A young , red-haired woman brought in freshly brewed coffee and florentines, filling the air with a heady mix of coffee and chocolate. Jake took the tray from her.
    “This is m y personal assistant, Emma Johnson.” He paused to place the tray on the boardroom table. “Emma’s only been here a year but she’s indispensable. We couldn’t function without her.”
    “ I’ll do that, Jake,” Emma said as he picked up the stainless steel coffee plunger.
    H e shook his head. “Don’t be silly. I can manage.”
    “I guess you don’t need me here any more.” She brushed her hand against his shoulder in a friendly gesture before closing the boardroom door behind her.
    Jake poured four cups of aromatic coffee and offered around the florentines, though Rachel declined.
    His relationship with his personal assistant seemed friendly and relaxed, not at all how she expected it to be. In the car park she’d thought him arrogant and his initial behaviour in the foyer only seemed to confirm that. Yet now he was prepared to perform menial tasks himself. She wondered what the real Jake Austin was like.
    Rachel took control of the meeting and explained the role of Omega Pharmaceuticals and the company’s highly effective new sun screen on which the proposed Skin Plus campaign was to be based.
    “As you know , Sydney has hot summers and a large number of sunny days year round,” she said.
    “Yes, we know where we live,” Jake said dryly.
    She was thrown by his sudden abruptness. He might even be resentful that she was going to request the agency to take on the campaign as a pro bono project. But