‘Help yourselves to refreshments,’ Erika calls out. ‘We’ll begin the briefing in half an hour. There have been some changes to staffing allocations and procedures so get as much coffee down you as possible. It’ll be a long one.’
I cast my eyes around the crowd of holiday reps and admin staff until I find him. He has his back to me, talking to someone I don’t recognise, and as if he senses my presence, he turns around and locks eyes with me.
I see immediately that he is happy to see me. Colour rises in his cheeks as his eyes flit to a deserted corner of the room. I casually make my way over to meet him there. We stop just short of each other, aware that we are in our professional environment. It adds a clandestine frisson of tension that I am totally on board with. Hiding our elicit relationship is giving me quite the buzz.
‘Hi,’ he says shyly. ‘It’s good to see you again.’
‘It’s been too long,’ I say, playfully.
‘Way too long,’ he says, his voice barely a whisper as he leans across. He has a mischievous glint in his eye. ‘I did something I never thought I’d do. I let myself get involved.’ I pretend to gasp at him as he continues. ‘I can’t stop thinking about you.’
I’m acutely aware of his chest rising and falling beneath the polo shirt stretched tight across his broad chest, his breathing coming in bursts. He really wants me. He wants me so bad. I glance up at him from below my lashes, dragging my teeth subtly across my lower lip. Pangs of lust are swirling around down below, causing my mind to swim.
Jackson clears his throat. ‘Maybe it’s just as well we aren’t going to work together,’ he says huskily. ‘I’m not sure I’d be able to keep my hands off you.’
‘Same.’ I gaze lustily at him as he loosens the top button of his polo shirt. ‘We’d never get any work done. I lied about being short-sighted, by the way. I would definitely be ogling. And I’m not sure how controlled or focused I’d be around you.’ If it wasn’t for the crowded room, I’d have no qualms about taking him right here, right now, on top of the overhead projector. ‘It’s for the best that we’re kept apart.’
‘Absolutely.’ His breathing is getting heavier. ‘A couple of continents should do it.’
‘When do you leave?’ I murmur, my eyes not leaving his for a second.
‘The accounting team back in Sydney have traced all of Garry’s fraudulent behaviour and credit muling to bank accounts in Greece. They’re in the process of clawing it all back. So I’ll be leaving for Sydney tomorrow.’
I flinch. ‘So soon?’
‘Yeah. They’re sending me on another job. A big one. They usually keep it confidential until I check back in with base.’ He gives me an intense look. ‘I wish there was somewhere, erm, more private we could…’
‘Say goodbye… properly?’ I whisper hoarsely. What I wouldn’t give for a games cupboard right now (yes, I can hear myself).
‘I did notice a stationery cupboard down the corridor.’
‘I do need a few pens. And my own stapler would come in handy,’ I say, looking bashfully up at him. Lust is seeping from my every pore. These are our last few hours together. No sooner are the words out of my mouth than he’s discreetly taking my hand and we are slipping unnoticed from the busy room and scurrying along a corridor. He stops, grabs at a door handle and shoulders his way through, taking me with him. He shuts the door, and the light peeking through the bottom casts a faint glow over shelves stacked with files and brochures as he swirls me around to face him. I push him up against the wall. In the dim light, his lips find mine, hungry, fierce and passionate. I claw at the button and zip of his shorts, tugging them down as he yanks my skirt roughly up my thighs. His hand slips deliciously between my legs as I release him from his boxer shorts, his erection springing free. I want him so badly. I pull my knickers down, flinging them to the floor as he lifts me expertly up to straddle him. His thrusts are urgent as though he’s craving to be inside of me. My orgasm comes almost instantly, a violent wave of fire, consuming my soul, as he thrusts deeper and deeper. He moans with ecstasy as I tremble against him. When he shudders inside me, I cling tightly to him, our breathing ragged, his hot breath on my neck. My hands are tangled in his hair as I drag his face to mine. Our eyes are wild with passion, my chest rising against his.Holy shit.That was fucking amazing.
I do not know how, but we manage to pull ourselves together and walk back into the training room. My cheeks are flushed and my whole body is screamingI just had the best sex of my life with Jackson, the man of my dreamswhen Erika calls over to me. She holds out a brick-sized mobile phone. ‘Princess. There’s a call for you.’
I come back down to earth with a thump. It’ll be my mother. Maybe the police called my parents while I was under investigation. They will be demanding to fly out to see me or for me to come home. I scuttle over, straightening my skirt and tucking in my shirt. My pulse is still racing and I’m sure I must be radiating dopamine from every pore.
‘Press this button to speak and this one to hang up when you’ve finished,’ she says briskly. ‘Don’t be too long. I’m starting the debrief in a few minutes.’
I take the phone gingerly from her. How to start explaining to my parents that although I’ve been in so much trouble since I arrived, I’ve never felt more alive or purposeful in my entire life? ‘Hello. Maddie Summers, account manager for LoveIt Holidays speaking,’ I say in my professional voice. My mother should be impressed by that and perhaps refrain from howling down the phone for me to come home.
A man answers. A man with a thick, gravelly Australian twang. ‘G’day, Maddie?’ It sounds like a question. ‘This is Joy-me. Joy-me Draaaaz-din. Oim CEO of Lav-eet En’nerproizes.’
It takes me a second to decipher which language he’s speaking and to work out who he is. Thankfully, I have committed the entire previous year’s AGM report to memory and recognise Jamie Drasdin as the parent company’s founding CEO. My heart sinks when I realise that I may have to endure the entire conversation only having the smallest clue what he’s saying.
‘Oi hear that you’ve made quoite the bladdy impression. We kid use a real bladdy genius loik you on the team. Whaddya say? Yerrup frit?’
If I had half abladdyclue what he meant it might be easier. So in lieu of a proper response I simply say, ‘Thank you, sir, that’s very kind of you to say. I’m very much looking forward to working with the company.’
Then, after it sounds like he’s chewing on a particularly difficult lamb chop, he says something I don’t catch and hangs up. I hand the big brick phone back to Erika.
‘Well?’ she says, smiling. ‘Did you accept?’
Jackson swings round to see what we are talking about.
‘I think so,’ I say to Erika. ‘Although I’m not sure what he meant. Is he confirming that I’ll be working here at head office with you?’
Erika barks out a laugh. ‘Not with me, princess. You’ll be working with him.’ She points to Jackson.
