To say nay so that he would make her say aye.
From the passion and desire in those kisses, ones that bordered on him claiming possession of her, she would be easily convinced. David’s arrival prevented her from admitting that or anything of a personal nature.
“My lady?” her secretary said as he opened the door slowly after a soft knock. “Is all well?” Sir Iain let out a noise that partly sounded like a laugh and a cough behind her.
“We were just finishing our... discussion,” she said. “We will rejoin you all in a moment.” From the incredulous look he gave her, David was well aware of what thediscussionwas about. He did not argue—he never would—and he even closed the door as he left with a nod at them.
Now, she must say something to the man who stood just behind her, heat yet pouring off his body now. He’d apologized and she was required to accept or deny it. Since Clare had encouraged his bold actions by grabbing the man and pulling him closer, and then kissing him back, she must accept responsibility. She must tell him it could never be allowed again.
“Do you regret it?” she asked instead.
He did not reply immediately but his gaze moved over her almost like a caress as he studied her from the toes of her leather half-boots to the bonnet she wore. He paused several times and her body heated as she realized just where he was staring when he did.
“I do not regret it, my lady.” The corner of his mouth lifted in the slightest of smiles, but she felt it. As he stepped past her to open the door, he leaned in and whispered in her ear. “And if you permit me, I plan on repeating it.” His breath warmed her sensitive skin there as he continued. “Again and again.” She shivered against the rush of heat. Just when she thought him done, he whispered again. “And again.” He opened the door and became the consummate businessman he’d been in his office during the talks. “With your permission, my lady.” He extended his hand towards the hallway.
Ice and heat vied for control over her body. His words were both polite and an invitation to wickedness at the same time. Though she knew that any experience with him would be unlike anything she’d had in the past, even the danger of this man excited her. Clare could not meet his gaze as she passed him by to lead them back to his office.
Nor could she meet the gaze of anyone in the room as she took her seat again. A cup of tea appeared before her, and she accepted it with a murmured word of thanks. Her cheeks must be absolutely aflame since not a single person among those assembled there were stupid enough not to realize what had happened between her and Sir Iain. Her lips throbbed from his kisses as a reminder. Clare tilted her head up as she took a sip of tea and noticed that it was a woman who’d handed her the cup and not the servant from before. With the tightening in her stomach, now or later, she would have to face Samantha and her knowing gaze.
It would be later.
Samantha waited a moment more before moving aside. She would make things uncomfortable later but would not do so now, in front of Clare’s staff.
“Thank you for clarifying some issues, my lady,” the dangerous, wicked man said as he walked behind his desk. Their staffs all took their previous places and waited for him to continue. She tried to calm her racing heart and to be ready for whatever he said. “Gentlemen, lady,” he said to the others present, “I have agreed to forego any efforts to impede Lady Clare’s application process.”
“You what?” she said sharply. A bit too that and too loud as the others erupted with questions and statements.
“I agreed to your request, my lady.” The others were arguing with each other and amongst themselves and missed the wink. She did not. “In exchange for not interfering with your company’s approval process, you agreed to continue negotiations in good faith.”
In good faith? Those words could cover all manner of sins—both of commission and of omission as well. She could stop this right now by denying his words. If she did that, more expensive obstacles would be placed before her efforts, possibly preventing her from completing the project and costing her an enormous amount of money.
Considering their heated moments and intimate kissing, Clare understood his meaning of negotiations. Clearly. Shockingly for her, she was contemplating something that had never entered her thoughts until he barged into her office and sent her senses reeling.
Somehow, her quiet purpose-filled life was changing, and he was the catalyst. She could not attain what she wanted, do what she must do, build what she must build with this man as an obstacle. Though in the end she would never sell those precious blocks of Leith property to him, the idea of allowing him to try to entice her into doing that intrigued her. In spite of her sister’s urgings, she was existing in a well-worn rut, living only to carry out Jonathan’s last dream. When this project was completed and the day-to-day workings turned over to more qualified and experienced people, what would she live for then?
Mayhap it was this uncertainty that spurred her to want more? Even Sir Iain bringing her father back into her life recently—though surely for his reasons and not hers—had forced her to see the emptiness within her. Worse, how much she needed more. The isolation from her parents and initially from her sister had been the saddest part of the life she made with Jonathan. In so many ways, she’d gained more than she’d dreamt was possible.
But the losses had weighed on her more heavily these last two years. Now...
“I would never refuse negotiations, Sir Iain. Your service to the king and your earlier offers prove your seriousness.”
“My lady!” Duncan whispered rather furiously. The three men with her probably thought she’d lost her wits completely by now. They had been the ones carrying out the plans that were hers, and Jonathan’s, and understood her full commitment to the project. So this turn-about in willingness to negotiate with Sir Iain was a shock to them. To her as well.
“I have given Sir Iain no expectation of success, Duncan.” Her man of business’ incredulous glance matched the one on the faces of Chalmers, David and even Sir Iain’s men. “But he can certainly try his best.”
She heard the swift intake of breaths, but she was watchinghim. His eyes narrowed and he smiled, a movement of his mouth that was just enough to be called one. Then he tilted his head in a semblance of a bow that was really just an acceptance of her challenge. With that, she stood, handed the cup back to the attendant and nodded back.
“Mrs. Hunter. Gentlemen. Let us not waste anymore of Sir Iain’s valuable time.”
She did not wait for them to gather their satchels, Clare made her way around the chairs and walked to the door. The attendant quickly opened it for her.
“You will hear from me shortly, my lady.”
“I would expect nothing less from you, Sir Iain.”
Clare glanced over her shoulder and met his gaze and smiled back. She did not stop until she was seated in her carriage. Samantha was dying to ask questions, but she wisely held off as the others climbed in. Only Chalmers was missing.
“He said he would meet back at your office in the residence,” David explained. As they drove away, she could see her solicitor in an intense conversation with Sir Iain’s solicitor.
