Chapter 15

Wade's week had been progressing exceptionally well.

Danni had completed the first draft of Liza's biography, the pre-orders were phenomenal, and he'd managed to sneak another dinner with Liza, albeit for business.

This time she'd driven herself so had avoided his plans for more than a goodnight kiss on her doorstep. He didn't know whether to be peeved or glad she was so focused on her new job.

Considering he'd had his doubts about her when she secured this job, and her motivation behind it, he had to admit she'd impressed. Her dedication, her punctuality, and her fresh ideas had given him new perspective on an industry he'd thought he knew inside out. She was the consummate professional and almost made him feel guilty for constantly picturing her naked.

Almost.

They'd been too busy to catch up beyond snatched marketing meetings in the office and, for a guy who normally had his mind on the job twenty-four-seven, he'd found himself seriously distracted.

Those tight pencil skirts she wore were disruptive, despite their sedate colours and modest below-knee length. Those fitted jackets were the epitome of conservative fashionable chic. Those blouses of muted colours barely had a hint of cleavage. But whenever she entered his office he had an immediate flashback to the night he'd seen beneath the clothes and he'd be hard in an instant.

He dated occasionally in London, but no woman had affected his concentration like Liza. Ever.

When Danni had emailed him the first draft of her biography he'd sat up all night devouring it on his e-reader. His obsession with Liza should've been satisfied. Instead, the more he discovered about her, the more she piqued his curiosity.

She'd delivered exactly what he wanted in terms of a tell-all, a juicy tale highlighting behind-the-scenes gossip in the soccer and basketball worlds. She'd changed names to protect the innocent but he knew readers would devour the catfights and hookups and pick-ups, trying to figure out which real-life stars and WAGs inspired her stories.

This book would sell, but her lack of personal details disappointed. She'd glossed over her childhood and teenage years, focusing on the glamorous drama that kicked in when her high-school boyfriend hit the big time.

He should've been glad, because she'd provided the page-turning hot gossip that sold books. But he'd be lying if he didn't admit to wanting to know more—a whole lot more—about the woman behind the fake tan and designer handbags.

If he had insight into what made her tick, he might understand her continued aloofness. Her lack of enthusiasm at pursuing anything beyond a one-night stand surprised him. Not from ego, but for the simple fact they still shared a spark. More than a spark, if the way she'd responded to his kiss seven days ago was any indication.

So why was she holding back?

He wasn't after anything hot and heavy. He'd been upfront with her about exploring a relationship while he was in Melbourne so anything too deep and meaningful wouldn't scare her off.

She'd refused. But her kiss indicated otherwise.

She wanted this as much as he did, which begged the question, why weren't they out at a movie or dinner or at his place right now?

Instead, he had to face his worst nightmare.

With impeccable timing as always, Babs knocked on his door, and he braced for the inevitable awkwardness that preceded any confrontation with his step-mother. Ridiculous, considering she couldn't be more than ten years older than him, if that.

‘Wade, darling.' She breezed into his office and made a beeline for him.

‘Babs.' His terse response didn't deter her from planting an air kiss somewhere in the vicinity of his cheek.

He preferred it that way. The less those Botoxed lips got near him, the better.

‘Thanks for seeing me.' She took a seat without being asked. ‘From what I hear we have a lot to catch up on.'

‘Really?'

She hated his monosyllabic answers, which was why he did it.

‘You're stalling the inevitable.' She waggled a crimson-taloned finger in his direction. ‘It would be best for all of us if Qu Publishing sold sooner rather than later.'

His fingers dug into the underside of his desk. ‘I beg to differ.'

She wrinkled her nose. ‘You always did.'

With a calculated pause, she leaned forward and he quickly averted his gaze from her overt cleavage spilling from an inappropriately tight satin blouse.

‘It's what your father would've wanted.'

Low blow. Incredibly low. What did he expect? The woman was a gold-digging piranha and probably had already spent the money she'd anticipated from Qu's sale.

‘My dad would've wanted to see his family legacy live on.' He forced a smile, knowing it would never reach his eyes. ‘I'm surprised you wouldn't know that.'

The corners of her mouth pinched, radiating unattractive wrinkles toward her nose. ‘We'd both be better off without a struggling business dragging us down. Digital publishing is the way of the future. Audiobooks are booming. Paperbacks are redundant.'

Showed how much she knew. Sure, the digital and audio revolution was a boom for readers but, from the extensive research conducted by online companies over the last five years, there was room in the expanding market for tree books, as he liked to call them.

‘I have figures to prove you wrong there.' He tapped a stack of documentation on his desk. ‘Including record pre-orders for Liza Lithgow's biography.'

‘That tart?'

Wade would never touch a woman in anger, would never consider it, but he wouldn't mind clamping a hand over this vile woman's mouth and dragging her out of his office.

Babe nose crinkled like she'd smelled something bad. ‘Who would want to read about her fabricated life?'

He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of asking what she meant.

‘All those WAGs are the same. Fake, the lot of them. Happy to be arm candy for what they can get.'

Pot. Meet kettle.Wade had heard enough.

‘I'm not selling, Babs. The board isn't selling. They've agreed to give me three months to take this company into the black and they are men of honour.'

More than he could say for her. She wouldn't know honour if it jumped up and bit her on her nipped and tucked ass.

Her eyes narrowed, and took on a feral gleam. ‘You're pinning the success of this entire company on one book? Not a smart business decision. All sorts of disasters could happen before it hits the bookstores, like—'

‘I have to get back to work,' he said, standing and heading for the door, which he opened in a blatant invitation for her to get the hell out of his office.

She stood and strolled toward him, deliberately taking her time. ‘I'll be at the next board meeting.'

‘I'm sure you will,' he said, resisting the urge to slam the door as she stepped through it.

‘What you're doing is wrong and your father would be appalled at the risk you're taking—'

This time he gave into instinct and slammed the door.