Bedding The Billionaire (22 page)

Did he even know he was about to see her? Did he know
that Tarken was no longer in charge of JJC's Melbourne office?

She wasn't entirely sure. She'd kept out of the deal
until now, leaving it to Donaldson to discuss details with Software Solutions'
new VP of Marketing and tech gurus. Now that it was decision making time, she'd
become involved in the number crunching. She hadn't spoken to Nick. This
meeting would be the first opportunity. From what she'd heard of Nick Delaware
in the last month, he was ruthless in business and always researched potential
clients thoroughly. Which meant he probably knew she was in charge of JJC.

So how was
he
feeling right now? Hopefully as
nervous as her. It was the least he deserved. Abbey wiped her palms on the
plane's seat and took another deep breath.

As the plane taxied to a halt at Sydney airport she
swallowed, blew out a breath, then wiped her hand across her eyes. This was not
going to be easy.

Get a grip, Abbey. You can do this.

She wasn't here to start something with Nick all over
again, she was here to do a deal on behalf of JJC. It was important to her new
career. It was her first major project and she needed to succeed.

Lucy's words sprang to mind. "Screw him,"
she'd said.

"What? I thought you said I shouldn't get
involved with him again."

"No, I mean screw him on price. Tell him you'll
do whatever he wants if he gives you a discount on the software."

"I'm not going to do that! If he didn't think I
was a whore before then he would if I said that."

Lucy had shrugged. "Okay, then just make him want
you really bad so he'll agree to everything. Even if he doesn't, just make him
want you. It'd be fun to see him squirm. Wish I could be there."

"Then you can take my place because I don't want
to go."

That wasn't entirely true either. She wanted very much
to see Nick again, despite her denial. She knew it. Her body with its hot
tingles told her so.

This meeting was going to be unbearable.

An hour later, Abbey and Donaldson waited in the foyer
of Software Solutions. A middle-aged woman with blonde hair and too much makeup
walked toward them. She introduced herself as Beverly, Nick's P.A.

She led them down a corridor, passed a row of desks
where long-haired twenty-something men hunched into computer screens,
surrounded by pyramids of empty Coke cans. A few of them openly appraised her,
others glanced away nervously. Most just continued to work.

"Here we go," sang Beverly.

She opened the door to a large room with an oblong,
polished wood table in the middle. Two men stood on the other side of the
table. One, a stranger, was facing them. The other stood and stared out of the
floor-to-ceiling window, his back to them.

He didn't need to turn around for Abbey to know it was
Nick.

But he did, slowly, a grim frown plastered to his
handsome face. Abbey swallowed and waited for recognition to set in.

It took a few seconds but when it did, his shock was
obvious to everyone in the room. He looked like a man who'd just seen a crew of
aliens disembarking a UFO that had landed in his front yard. He took a step
backwards, as if he'd been shoved, and his eyes nearly sprang from their
sockets.

"Abbey!"

Abbey tried to smile. "Hello, Nick."

It was clear he hadn't been expecting her. The
wide-eyed stare and pale expression made her heart skip wildly. Was this a good
sign or a bad one? Was he happy to see her?

Right now he just looked shocked. His mouth hung open
like an unhinged door.

He also looked incredibly sexy. But despite the neatly
combed hair and the carefully shaved chin, Abbey could see signs of stress. A
web of spidery lines that hadn't been there before crept across his forehead,
and his black eyes—which she could only remember as shining brilliantly
—
were
dull.

So, the last month had been hell on him, just like it
had been for her. Good. He deserved it.

Nick's colleague cleared his throat and approached. He
introduced himself as the new VP of Marketing, Mathew Willis, and she
introduced herself as the new manager of the JJC Pharmaceuticals Melbourne
office.

They sat at the long table and for several moments
everyone stared awkwardly at each other.

Finally, Nick stirred from his stupor. "Where's
Tarken?"

"Tarken no longer works for JJC. I replaced
him."

A smile curved across Nick's lips. "Good for
you," he said quietly.

Abbey felt her face heat up and she glanced at
Donaldson to get proceedings moving.

Donaldson took his cue and went through the technical
details with Mathew Willis. Abbey tried to concentrate but her attention was constantly
drawn to Nick. He stared back at her. Intently.

There was no humor in his eyes, no bright spark as
there had been a month ago. Today, his eyes were somber and his expression hard
as he scanned her face.

Abbey tried to smile but couldn't. She just felt too
awkward. She raised a brow in question and he finally awoke from his trance. He
shifted in his seat, asked Willis a question and nodded at the answer. Willis
continued to drone on and Nick's attention turned to her again.

He smiled, a tentative smile that warmed Abbey's
heart. It wasn't a vindictive smile but a questioning one.
Are we okay?
it seemed to ask.

Abbey
glanced away. She wasn't ready to answer that yet.

An hour later and progress was much slower on the deal
than Abbey had expected. It seemed that Nick wanted to discuss every point. He
debated all options, then mulled over possible conclusions, even when there was
an obvious one.

Delaying tactics. To throw them off? It was a
deliberate strategy businessmen like him used in the boardroom, she'd quickly discovered.
Well it wasn't going to work on her. She'd sit quietly, let him talk and
debate, then she'd go in for the kill when all options had been argued over.

At four-thirty Beverly brought in coffee and biscuits.

"Let's take a break," suggested Nick.

Everyone looked relieved. Except Abbey. "I think
we should keep going. We have a six-thirty flight."

"Actually Beverly booked you into a hotel for the
night just in case. If you give her your flight details she'll reschedule them
for tomorrow."

Nick looked smug. He hovered beside her elbow, close
enough that Abbey could smell his cologne. It was intoxicating and brought back
so many memories. Painful ones, but good ones too.

"Abbey?" Nick prompted when she didn't
answer.

She nodded and forced herself to concentrate. "I'll
go see her now."

Beverly took down the flight details and gave her the
name of the hotel and directions. "I also organized spare clothes for you
for tonight and tomorrow. I hope I got your size right."

Abbey thanked her. "This meeting seems to be
taking longer than I thought. Nick wants to discuss every point. He doesn't
seem sure about anything in there."

Beverly raised her penciled-in eyebrows. "That
doesn't sound like Mr. Delaware. Usually his meetings are short and to the
point."

"Not this one."

Beverly
shook her head. "How unusual. Just between us girls, most people call him
The Machine round here. He just goes in, gets the job done and gets out again. No
messing about. Doesn't care who's in the way usually. Although..."

She shook her head again and pursed her red lips.

"Although...?" prompted Abbey.

"Well, he
has
been a little strange this
last month. Ever since he got back from the seminar in Melbourne."

Abbey caught her breath. "Different? How
so?"

Beverly shrugged. "Not so...aggressive. Actually,
he's been very nice. I quite like this new man." She grinned. "I hope
the other Nick doesn't come back in a hurry."

Abbey thanked her and returned to the boardroom, her
mind a little dazed.

She knew Nick was the straight-down-the-line
businessman who always got what he wanted when he wanted
—
she'd
seen evidence enough of his arrogance in Melbourne. Yet it was a side of him
that was totally opposite to what she'd experienced at other times. Passion,
need and a desire to be loved and to love someone back
—
these were
the traits Nick Delaware had allowed her to see in Melbourne.

Abbey gulped. So Nick had been affected by their
encounter last month. Good. It meant her lesson had actually achieved
something.

She joined the three men in the boardroom and listened
to them figure out the details. She contributed little, her thoughts way too
jumbled to form coherent arguments. Besides, they were still discussing the
technology aspect, which wasn't her area.

For the rest of the day she found her eyes
periodically wandering to Nick of their own accord. Sometimes she caught him
watching her, other times he seemed to be listening to Donaldson and Willis. Occasionally
he threw in his two cents worth.

When six o'clock rolled around, the meeting was called
to a halt.

"How about we all meet for dinner,"
suggested Willis.

"Actually," said Nick, "Abbey and I
should discuss some financial details and I thought tonight would be a good
opportunity. Abbey?"

She hesitated then nodded slowly. They needed to get
this encounter over with. The sooner the better.

"I'll pick you up around seven-thirty?"

She nodded again and numbly followed Donaldson out of
the boardroom. When they reached the elevator, she felt a firm hand on her
shoulder and she turned to see Nick's face very near hers.

He stared into her eyes, his black orbs sparkling for
the first time that day, the way they used to. A half smile twitched playfully
at his lips. "I look forward to seeing you," he whispered.

Abbey stepped inside the elevator, took a deep breath
and closed her eyes. It was going to be hell trying to resist Nick tonight.

Abbey's heart thudded at the sound of knocking. She
quickly checked her appearance in the mirror, took a deep breath and walked as
steadily as her weak knees would allow to the door.

Nick smiled warmly down at her. He took a step toward
her then hesitated. She knew how he felt. Kissing him was an automatic reaction
for her too.

"Ready?"

She grabbed her purse then stepped into the corridor.

"Where to?" she asked brightly. No need to
let him think her stomach was doing back flips or that she needed to pee for
the tenth time in the last hour.

"A nice restaurant on the Harbor. It has a great
view." He took her arm and steered her towards the elevator. "It's
also very private."

Abbey held her breath. Did he want privacy to talk or
to re-enact their last restaurant encounter?

Nick's hand felt reassuring and strong on her arm. He
directed her to a black BMW and opened the door for her. She stepped inside and
waited as Nick jogged around to his side. The sticky heat of the evening poured
in when he opened his door.

They sat in awkward silence until Nick parked in a
space alongside a strip of shops and restaurants. Being Monday night, it wasn't
very busy.

He was right about the restaurant being private. Dim
lights, a lot of room between tables and few patrons meant they could talk and
not be overheard. But the table cloths barely came to the edge of the tables
and afforded no privacy whatsoever for anything other than talk.

Abbey glanced at Nick to see if he noticed them too,
but if he had, he didn't show any signs of it. In fact, he didn't show signs of
any emotion whatsoever. His face was solid stone and his eyes avoided hers. He
was in complete control.

They were directed to a table near the window with
breathtaking views of Sydney Harbor and the boats bobbing up and down on the
water.

"This is nice," said Abbey, attempting to
make conversation. Suddenly this had become very awkward. She was beginning to
regret accepting the invitation. After all, they had absolutely nothing in
common except a hot week of sex in Melbourne and the pending business deal. Maybe
she should concentrate on that
—
a nice, safe topic.

Nick held her chair out for her as she sat, then
smiled politely when he took his own seat.

"I thought you'd like it. They have a great
selection of wines." He handed her the list.

Abbey took it, hesitating when he didn't immediately
let go. He was smiling at her again, this time it was friendlier, familiar.

She scanned the list and selected a shiraz from a
local vineyard that she liked.

"Nice choice," said Nick. "You have
great taste in wines."

"Expensive taste you mean." It was meant to
be a joke but it wiped the smile clean off Nick's face.