“OK but in a few days. I’ve got a lot to sort out and I’m going to be busy,” she smiled and kissed his cheek. He was nice, good looking and uncomplicated. Kyle Hastings would be a welcome change.
“Your number,” he asked and tapped it into his cell ‘phone as Gina told him. He kissed her cheek again and left her at the hotel entrance.
She returned home in a taxi and found Grace curled up on the sofa asleep. She must have decided to wait up for her no doubt anxious to know what she’d
been up to and how much help Charlie was going to be. Gin
a nudged her as she booted up her laptop, she’d Bluetooth the ‘photos onto it and then print each of them a copy to study.
Grace rubbed her eyes as she gradually woke up.
Gina
explained to G
race
how she’d met
Dark
and
how the opportunity to
fish around in h
is penthouse had presented itself
. Gina patted her step mum’s knee and told her she
just might have what they needed now
then settled back to look the documents. But to Gina they didn’t look significant at all
. T
hey were plans for what appeared to be a fairly standard tablet computer. After giving them a cursory glance she was just too tired and confused to understand why Charlie Spence had attached such importance to the development so she decided to leave Grace to it.
Gina’s dreams that nig
ht were dominated by Matthew Dark
. She dreamt of their time spent on the terrace, the
intense
intimacy of his embrace and the fierce sexual attraction between them.
Somewhere in this cacophony of imaginings she was naked and straining against metal round her wrists while he buried his head deep between her thighs.
She woke breathless and extremely turned on. Never in her limited sexual experience had any man wanted to tie her down. But Gina knew that with Dark this was how it would be, all excitement and hot, frenzied sex.
All this served to inflame her imagination so much
so
t
hat she awoke confused about how she really did feel about the Scotsman.
As she lay in bed her body tingling with desire for the man Gina had to try to concentrate on her next move. She had the specifications for his new development
but what was the point if this wonderful new development was nothing more than just another tablet computer?
But one thing Gina did know, she wanted to see him again. Despite what she knew about him
now
she ju
st couldn’t pretend he didn’t exist, she had to sample more of the handsome
, sexy man who had the power to make her feel
so hot, and so needy
. Despite all her intentions to get even,
and reject him,
she
still
wanted him, wanted his body and to feel her own body burn with his touch. And sooner or later Gina knew she’d get her way.
These vivid imaginings going on in her head were sheer torment and Gina groaned with frustration. Business, she reminded herself. Keep your mind on the business and on retribution, and not on getting into his bed. Easily thought but not so easily put into practice.
On a more mundane front, if he did contact her again, she needed to think up a reason to excuse her absence when he’d returned to the penthouse. With any luck he’d forgive her, what then, she challenged herself? How did she intend to cope with her intense physical craving for his man? Damn him, she thought, the man’s a devil equipped, even when he wasn’t near her, with the ability to heap sweet torment on her body.
Gina showered, put on a white fluffy bathrobe and flopped down beside Grace the sofa. Who, she soon learnt, had spent until the early hours studying the notes Gina had given her. As they tucked into the tea and toast Grace had made she seemed quite excited about her discoveries.
“But it’s just another tablet computer,” Gina told her bluntly and feeling, that apart from the interlude with
Matthew
Dark
, the whole episode just hadn’t been worth the effort.
On reflection t
hat bit had been well worth the time she’d been forced to spend with Charlie and his cronies.
“Despite all the excitement of last night it’s all a bit of a let down really because the market will be awash with them in no time. If we intend to continue then
we need something else so I’m just going to have to try again.”
She took a sip of her tea and watched puzzled as Grace shook her head.
“
No, you’re not, Gina. But y
ou’re quite right
about it having
nothing particularly new. It’s got a top ‘spec and it looks lovely to handle and its fast. In fact there’s nothing this little beauty hasn’t got. But that’s not it,” she paused and smiled broadly. “It’s the price,” she waved one of the printed sheets at her.
“
Dark
plans to market this at less than half the cost of others of this quality.” Grace gave her a moment to consider this and then added. “He’ll clean up. Who wants to pay twice or even three times the price when they can get something this high end for so much less?”
She should have realised. That’s exactly what
Dark
Electronics was good at. Repackaging what already existed and offering it to the market at a fraction of the cost. Gina had to admire him. He had the buying power and his factories in
China
, plus what he’d acquired from the Deverell buy out, to enable all this.
“So now we know what he’s up to just what are we going to do with the information?” Grace asked. “Even if we tell his rivals they aren’t going to be able to offer their products for less, not yet anyway.”
Gina gave it some thought for a moment and remember
ed
Ben
Carlotti
. “But of course there is always Planet,” she smiled at Grace. “From the way they behaved with one and other I would say there was some sort of feud going on there.
Carlotti
would just love to know
about
this.”
But could she do it
? Could she really go behind
Matthew
’s back and help
Carlotti
ruin his
UK
plans?”
“I met their MD last night and he gave me this,” she rummaged in her bag and pulling out the business card flicked it between her long fingers before handing it to Grace.
“If they know what
Matthew
Dark
’s up to in advance they’re big enough and have all the resources to start a price war with him immediately, and that would c
ompletely ruin his plans,” Gina
told her.
But now Grace
wasn’t so sure this was such a good idea. They were rushing headlong into things they didn’t understand.
“This is
big business
you’d be mixing in and run by
powerful men
. Are you sure you really want this? You’d
be
trying to influence deals
you know
nothing about.
”
These were probably wise words and
Gina was about to argue the point when the ‘phone rang.
It was Dark
, full of the familiar charm and apparently keen to redeem his faltering relationship with the girl wh
o, the night before, he insisted, had captivated
him so completely.
Matthew could charm, it was a staple in his arsenal. He told Gina how disappointed he’d been to find she’d gone when he’d returned to his penthouse. But the truth was it just made him more intent on winning the game he was now playing in earnest with her. She must be made to understand that women did not refuse or run out on Matthew Dark.
“I’m sorry about leaving you last night, Gina,” he began smoothly. “I was detained for much longer than I‘d anticipated. Do you forgive me?” He asked in hi
s seductively attractive Scottish
accent.
Gina smiled to herself and felt a pulse of excitement flare over her skin at the sound of his sexy voice and
with what she knew about him now, felt a very guilty ache of need burn throughout
her lower body.
But with Grace watching her as keen eyed as ever Gina knew she’d have to be careful. She didn’t want to have to admit to her step
mother just how much she fancied
this man. But Grace’s gaze couldn’t stop Gina’s mind from racing. This call must mean he wanted to continue their embryonic relationship
and
she
could
hardly believe her luck.
She
would have to somehow separate wanting to get even with this man from wanting to know him better, much better. Gina knew she was probably just deluding herself, but for now she
couldn’t
help it.
“Yes, of course I forgive you,” she confirmed gently. “But I must take some of the blame for what happened.”
Or for what didn’t happen
, she reminded herself. “I just couldn’t wait any longer,” she lied. “Regardless of how tempting your offer was, Mr
Dark
. I just had to get home”
She heard him laugh and raised her eyebrows at Grace. He was taking this very well and she was sure now he’d want to see her again and hopefully very soon.
“
But we still have unfinished business, don’t we Gina?” He reminded her.
Did he mean the job business or the attraction business, from his tone Gina couldn’t tell but his words thrilled her nonetheless?
“
Can I take you for lunch today,” he asked right on cue and Gina gave Grace the thumbs up sign. “Do you know ‘Mama Bellini’s; round the corner from my office?”
Given that his office had once been her father’s Gina knew the place very well, but not from experience. It was a rather expensive Italian restaurant that served wonderful food. She knew that much from ogling the menu on
any number of
occasions but then due to the cost she
’d
always settle
d
for the sandwich shop across the road.
“What time do you want me?” She asked quickly, her brain in overdrive wondering what sexy little number to wear for her next meeting with him.
“Want you?
After the intriguing little taster we shared last night I’m going to take that as ‘in my bed’ want you
, Gina,” he replied dryly. “
So
if you
are still eager to impress me into giving you that job
then after lunch will do nicely.” He teased, deliberately taking what she’d said quite literally.
“
I can show you round my new offices then we might decide to spend the afternoon in the comfort of my penthouse, w
hat do you think?” He tempted
again
.
“I think you
’re very naughty and
should curb that imagination of yours, Mr
Dark
,” she replied with a smile playing on her full lips and her voice now husky w
ith the desire that seared
through her body. “You could embarrass a girl with talk like that.”
“What do you expect from me?” He asked his voice deep and still so very sexy. “Last night I was denied the pleasure of your company and that of your lovely body, so I’d like to put that right just as soon as I can,” he paused he was sure he heard her gasp as she considered what he’d said. “You feel the heat too, don’t you Gina?”
Matthew Dark wouldn’t give her the chance to thwart seduction again.
The next time he had her
flushed with desire
and his hands on her body he’d make sure she couldn’t escape from him.
He knew exactly how he was going to take her and it would teach her a valuable lesson. She’d tried to deceive him once and that was a big mistake, a mistake she would come to regret’. And the
sexual sparks flying between
, well they both knew they were too strong to resist, so he’d use this strong attraction to get his revenge.