you, Freya.
So what if she was attracted to him? It was only natural.
Until now, she had believed that she was immune to such charms. After all, she had been exposed to this type of infection many times before and just about survived. Working in studio photography exposed her to egos the size of small planets most days of the week, girls and boys.
But this man was a carrier for a super-powerful version of charm that no amount of previous experience had a chance of fighting off.
For a moment her heart went out to him.
He had travelled thousands of miles to come back to take over a family business with frostbitten fingers. The last thing he needed was a pest like her turning up to annoy him.
Then his gaze shot to her face. It was fierce and intense, and for one microsecond she had an insight into the power and strength of this man who could freeze her to ice with just one glance.
She might have guessed. He probably expected everyone to jump when he clicked his fingers and not complain in the process.
‘There seems to be a misunderstanding, Miss Baldoni. I thought that I made it clear last night that the situation has changed. And I have no plans to have my portrait painted by you or anyone else for that matter.’
His voice came from the depths of his chest and was no doubt intended to intimidate lesser mortals who got in his way.
Not this time! She was way too used to dealing with the divas of the media world to let a feeble excuse like logic stop her from getting her way.
She needed this commission!
‘Oh, I understand what you’re telling me perfectly, Mr Elstrom. Plans do have a nasty habit of changing on us without warning, don’t they? It’s most inconvenient.’
Rubbing her hands together in delight, Toni dived into her capacious shoulder bag and pulled out her digital camera. ‘My motto? Let’s look at this as an opportunity. In fact, I was just telling Freya this morning that I have a wonderful feeling that this project is going to be something extra special.’
His nose wrinkled and a sound close to a low, deep grunt escaped his lips. ‘You spoke to Freya?’
‘Well, of course I had to clarify my position. Seeing as she has already paid me half my fee. And guess what? Your father is so looking forward to seeing your final portrait! He can hardly wait to see it join the others in your boardroom.’
Then she grinned, fluttered her eyelashes at him, raised the camera to her eyes and fired off a flash photograph of his stunned face before he could say a word.
‘Excellent. Now, shall we peek at the gallery?’
‘The gallery?’ he asked with a less than happy expression on his face, eyebrows high.
‘The Baldoni collection, of course. I would love to see my father’s work again. And you can talk to me about the Elstrom family history at the same time. What fun!’
His lips formed the word ‘fun’—at least she thought that the word was fun—and he made that low groaning sound again.
‘Only if you promise not to even try to take my photograph again.’
‘No photographs? That’s going to make it tricky.’
‘Camera-shy,’ he murmured.
‘Okay—’ she winced ‘—that’s a first but I can handle that. It will mean more work but I can run a few sketches and make notes on your ideas.’
‘No ideas. You’re on your own, Miss Baldoni. But if you want to see the other portraits before you go, the boardroom is on the first floor.’ He nodded to the narrow polished wooden staircase at the other end of the reception area. ‘After you.’
* * *
‘What a wonderful table,’ Toni said as she strolled into a long narrow room with wood-panelled walls which was dominated by a stunning table which ran almost the full length of the room. The surface of the table was decorated by inlaid pictures crafted from fine marquetry and gold bands which had been inserted into the golden wood.
She ran her fingers along the wood, which was worn down by wear and slightly rough under her fingertips, and then strolled over to the four large windows which ran from waist to head height. ‘Is this stained glass original?’
‘The whole building was bomb-damaged during the war so some of the glass was replaced with replicas.’
‘It’s lovely work.’
Then, with one deep breath, she swung around and, with her back to the windows, plunged her hands deep into the pockets of her coat to try and get some warmth.
Facing her was a collection of some of the most stunning and unusual portraits that she had ever seen.
Looking from left to right, it was immediately clear that the oldest full length paintings were on the wall directly facing the chair at the head of the table. She dashed across the room so that she could take a closer look, moving from picture to picture, nodding and smiling in appreciation of the remarkable workmanship. And chatting to herself as she went.
‘Now that older gent with the sea charts and sextant—that has to be of the seafaring Elstrom shipping clan. All beards and rough and tough dangerous sea crossings. But this one.’ She paused and tapped her lower lip and tilted her head to one side. ‘This Elstrom looks more studious. Was he a scientist?’
She turned around to ask Scott but he was standing at the other end of the room, close to the door, with his gaze totally focused on the centre of the table. Deep in thought and totally oblivious to her and what she had been asking.
Toni had staged photo shoots long enough to recognize that something was very wrong with the man she was looking at.
His shoulders were braced hard, his jaw was locked tight shut and those eyes were not blue at all but had turned as grey and steely as the ocean waves on the portraits she had just been looking at. Dark. Stormy. And troubled.
Everything about Scott’s body language screamed out to her that he took absolutely no pleasure in being in this room.
Well, that made sense. The last twenty-four hours must have been quite a roller coaster. His father was ill and he’d had a terrible journey from Alaska to take over a job when he wasn’t expecting it. She would be totally wrecked! Maybe she should be a little more forgiving? Her journey this morning had been a short ride on a heated bus.
She quickly glanced away and pretended to move to the next portrait and then the next until she came to an Elstrom in a business suit and a painting style that was totally familiar to her. Instinct and a slight rustle of papers behind her back told her that Scott had moved.
‘Ah. Look at that classic pose,’ she called out in a cheery voice. ‘Your grandfather must have been a wonderful chairman of the board. So dominant. My grandfather really did capture something about him. There is real spirit behind those eyes.’
Toni glanced across at Scott but he seemed more interested in scanning through a bundle of mail he had brought with him from the reception area.
‘But we can be more creative if you want,’ she suggested and stepped closer to him. ‘Maybe even take it out of doors and have more of an action shot. Sailing could work. Or mountaineering? Just pass me some action shots and let me work my magic. All good control metaphors.’
‘Control metaphors,’ he repeated. ‘That sounds good. Do you do this a lot?’
Suddenly Toni’s patience ran out. ‘My CV is with Freya and your father sounded very keen on me painting something worthy of hanging on these walls next to your family. Is there a problem I don’t know about here? Or is the problem with me? Because, for the record, I don’t normally spend my evenings modelling lingerie.’
That got his attention and the mail hit the table.
‘For the