And he did. Frequently, without warning.
If he was bent on testing her, she managed to rise to the occasion, and derived a certain satisfaction in holding her own...professionally.
Personally? Not so much.
As hard as she tried, she couldn’t fault him. And she wanted to, badly.
Staff admired his business nous...especially the men. While the female staff sprang to sparkling attention every time Alexei appeared within sight.
Something Natalya chose to ignore, without much success. A fact which irked her unbearably.
She was over him. Had been for years.
So why did he enter her dreams and force a vivid reminder of what they’d once shared?
It was crazy.
This Alexei bore little resemblance to the man to whom she’d gifted her body...dammit, her soul.
Then he’d surrounded her with his warmth, his affection. Love, she amended, prepared to stake her life on it.
A time when she’d thought to hold the world in her arms, when nothing and no one could take it away.
Yet he had. And she hadn’t been able to pick up the shattered pieces of her life.
The many nights she’d lain awake in tears searching helplessly for a reason why. Hoping, praying for a phone call, text, email...any form of contact that would provide an explanation.
Yet none had appeared, and slowly she’d managed to rebuild her life. Vowing she’d never let another man get close enough to melt her frozen heart.
There were friends, the trusted, tried and true kind, of whom Aaron was one. Ivana, her mother, another she’d trust with her life. Leisl, her BFF, who had married and now lived with her husband in Austria, with whom she kept in regular contact via social media, Anja, registered nurse and cosmetician to a leading Sydney dermatologist.
Acquaintances, of whom there were many, but not one of with whom she would lay bare her innermost thoughts.
The insistent ring of her smartphone dismissed any further reflection as she checked caller ID, picked up and briskly intoned, ‘Natalya.’
‘I’ll require your presence this evening.’
Alexei issuing a statement, not a request. And there was no reason whatsoever for the faint shivery sensation feathering down her spine at the sound of his voice.
‘I may have made other arrangements.’ May ensured it wasn’t exactly a fabrication. She even managed to sound suitably regretful.
‘Cancel them.’
Just like that? ‘If you’d given me more notice,’ she began, only to have him cut her words short.
‘Have you neglected to recall the terms of your salary package?’
Really? As if she could forget. ‘Is it too much to expect a degree of courtesy?’ Sweet she could do, albeit with a touch of saccharine.
For an instant she braced herself for his comment, only to feel slightly disappointed when he didn’t rise to the bait.
‘My car will be waiting outside your home at seven.’
Her chin tilted a little, a response ready...only to have him intercede before she managed so much as a word.
‘Business, Natalya,’ he relayed with an edge of mockery, and named a restaurant. ‘Arrange a table for six between seven-thirty and eight.’ Business...naturally. What else would it be? ‘Of course.’
Selecting what to wear wouldn’t be a problem, given her wardrobe included clothes suitable for every occasion.
Nevertheless she changed her mind a few times before settling for elegant evening trousers and camisole in deep jade, and teamed the outfit with black killer heels.
Understated make-up, emphasis on the eyes, a light gloss covering her lips, her hair loose framing her face, and she was done.
Her iPad was a given, satchel, smartphone, keys, a fine cashmere black wrap folded over one arm, and she was good to go with five minutes to spare.
Limousine and driver were waiting out front when Natalya checked, and she smiled as Paul crossed to open the rear passenger door.
‘Thanks.’
She moved close, saw Alexei already seated, and bade a polite good evening as she slid in beside him.
The night was warm, the air-conditioning within the car set at a comfortable level, and she forced herself to relax as the limousine purred through suburban streets towards the city.
There was a moment caught up at a controlled traffic intersection when Natalya caught a glimpse of Alexei’s profile outlined in sharp relief.
An attempt to be analytical failed miserably as she skimmed those strong features. The firm jaw, broad cheekbones, eyes as dark as slate, his mouth...
Don’t go there.
Except it was impossible to still the sudden flare of emotion in vivid recall of the way his mouth had wrought havoc on every intimate inch of her body. In the name of heaven...get a grip!
She did, in spite of the effort it cost her, and she offered him a cool glance.
‘Do you have anything to add relevant to this evening’s meeting?’
All she had was a business dinner for six, time and venue.
‘No.’
Great. There was nothing like being unprepared...
‘No comeback?’
She shot him a steady glance. ‘No.’
For a brief second she thought she sensed a fleeting smile, then it was gone.
The car eased into a sweeping curve and slid to a halt immediately adjacent the entry foyer of one of Sydney’s upmarket boutique hotels.
Alexei’s associates were already seated as she entered the Bar Lounge at Alexei’s side.
Four men of varying ages...three of whom she knew by reputation. And Jason Tremayne, son of one of the city’s wealthy scions, who’d come on to her in the past...charming in company, the reverse in private, as she’d discovered to her cost.
The tension racked up another notch.
‘Natalya.’ Jason’s voice was almost as fake as his smile. ‘How fortunate you were able to score the position of ADE CEO’s PA.’ He waited a beat. ‘But of course, you’re old friends.’
The subtle emphasis didn’t escape her, yet she managed a cool smile as she took a seat and ordered sparkling mineral water from an attentive waiter.
The evening’s focus was business, and she assumed the expected role for which she was employed. A pleasant meal, during which her conversational input would be minimal. A few hours, then she’d return home.
Simple.
Except she hadn’t factored in Jason’s slightly raised eyebrow, the faint curl of his lip on occasion in a subtle reminder of a reckless mistake in judgment. Hers to have accepted his invitation almost four years ago at a time when she was most vulnerable.
Sydney’s social elite were intensely active, organising and attending numerous charitable events for various reputable causes. A scene her parents had once been a part of for as long as Natalya could remember. Roman had considered Jason’s late father as a business and social equal. There had even been talk at the time that a marriage between Natalya and Jason would prove a valuable business advantage. Something Natalya had refused to contemplate.
Until one evening, a few too many flutes of fine champagne, a starry night, and a determined need to move on with her life...the result had been a close encounter of the not wanted kind, ending