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“Hi, Linc. Thanks for stopping by to collect me.”
She got the words out before she looked at him properly. It was just as well, because when she did, she couldn’t drag her gaze away again.
He had on a sleek evening suit in a dark pin-striped gray, a crisp white shirt and thin powder blue tie. Polished black dress shoes completed the outfit, and as he moved his arm slightly, she caught a glimpse of a gold cuff link.
Oh.
My.
Gosh.
Could any man look more handsome than Linc did tonight?
Tempted by Her
Tycoon Boss
Jennie Adams
After years of living in a small inland city in New South Wales, Australia, JENNIE ADAMS re-embraced the country lifestyle of her childhood. When she isn’t writing, Jennie dedicates her time to promoting the natural wonders of her new area and encouraging others to visit and enjoy what now constitutes her back garden—large tracts of native bushland, flora and fauna reserves and wetlands. Jennie’s family has grown to embrace in-laws (and outlaws, she always jokes), sisters, daughters and brothers of the heart. Find Jennie at www.joybyjennie.com.
For my dad. You were my first storyteller and you’ll always remain the best to me. Love you.
Contents
‘GOOD MORNING, CECILIA.’ Linc MacKay spoke the greeting as he stepped between shoulder-height hedge shapes bursting from within with raised flowering displays. ‘Your second-in-command told me I’d probably find you here.’
‘Here’ was the feature maze area of the Fleurmazing Plant Nursery on its acreage just outside the Sydney city limits. The Australian sun warmed the air, and the light breeze carried the scents of a summer garden.
Now it had also brought a handsome millionaire, stepping around a corner of the maze to an alcove where a statue of a sun goddess draped in gossamer folds reached her arms upwards as though to bless the world with her light.
Was it the soft look in Linc’s eyes as his gaze moved beyond the sun goddess and lingered on her that made Cecilia’s breath suddenly catch? A moment later the expression disappeared, if it had ever truly been there at all.
‘Linc. Is it that time already?’ She focused on projecting professionalism into her words and tried to push those discomforting questions to the back of her mind. ‘I’m glad Jemmie was able to point you in the right direction to find me.’
Cecilia placed one final hedge trimming into the basket over her arm and walked towards the plant nursery’s owner. If she didn’t feel entirely calm she could at least act as though she were.
‘This is my favourite part of the maze, to be honest.’
‘I can see why.’ His gaze took in the maze, its beautiful flowers every shade from creamy white to deepest violet and blue. But then he turned back and took in Cecilia, too, from the top of her honey-blond hair in its high ponytail, over her face, lingering on each feature, and quickly sweeping over the simple strappy sundress that showed off her curves to perfection.
She rarely dressed in her best girly attire for work but, knowing that today she’d be inside most of the day in the office, Cecilia had let her most feminine side have its way.
‘It’s stunning,’ Linc finally said. ‘The...ah...the maze.’
‘Thank you.’ She drew a slightly unsteady breath. ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t up front, ready to greet you.’
Cecilia glanced at the trimmings in the basket over her arm and hoped by doing so she would disguise her swirling thoughts from him.
‘This is a never-ending job.’
‘And a very important one at the moment, I can imagine.’
Why, oh, why did she have to feel suddenly oh-so-conscious of him? She had much better control than this. Usually...
Wasn’t it enough that she’d mistaken his interest once before, years ago?
‘The maze needs to look good. Fantastic, in fact.’
She forced the words out and told herself to concentrate on matters at hand. The Fleurmazing plant nursery was the third and most recent of Linc’s Sydney plant nurseries that she had managed over the six years she’d been in his employ, but this one was different.
It was her brainchild—a holistic nursery that required greater upkeep but offered an enhanced experience for its visitors. At least in this aspect of her life she had it together!
She should keep her focus on that. Now, of all times, Cecilia needed to ‘sell’ the nursery’s virtues to Linc at any opportunity she got. Noticing