the word go. But they all have to be outstanding. I want you to play around with designs and ideas, think laterally, enjoy yourself.’
He seemed to check himself as though exerting some sort of personal rein, the silver-blue eyes hiding their expression. They reminded her of shells found on a windswept beach and washed clean by the constant tides to reveal the cool mother-of-pearl beneath. She had never seen eyes like them in a human face before.
He didn’t like showing emotion, she thought suddenly. Even about his business. Did emotion translate as weakness in that hard, cold male mind? Without considering her words, she asked what she’d been wanting to ask since he’d returned after the phone call. ‘How’s your sister?’
After a brief pause he took a swallow of champagne before saying, ‘Too soon to really be sure, but better, Jeff, her husband, seemed to think. Things are stabilizing, settling down. She has to have complete bedrest for the foreseeable future, though, which won’t suit Annie. She can’t keep still for two minutes.’
There was deep affection in his voice and he seemed more relaxed about talking about his sister than he had earlier. Carefully, she said, ‘How many months pregnant is she?’
He thought for a moment. ‘I’m not sure,’ he admitted ruefully. ‘That doesn’t say much for the prospective uncle, does it? Two months, three months, something like that. Nothing to be seen yet anyway.’
‘I had a friend who was in a similar condition a couple of years ago. With complete rest the pregnancy went on until the thirty-third week and although Jack was premature he’s the brightest toddler I’ve ever come across. Tell your sister to endure what needs to be endured and not take any chances.’
Steel nodded. He liked the fact she hadn’t offered the normal platitudes of ‘I’m sure she’s going to be all right,’ and ‘They can do such marvelous things these days.’ In fact he liked Toni George altogether. He let his eyes wander over her face, lingering for a moment on the soft full curve of her lips. He wondered what it would feel like to have that mouth open beneath his, to penetrate the sweet interior.
The thought was simple but it sent a bolt of desire sizzling through his body and he turned as hard as a rock. Shocked at how such an innocent fantasy could have such an immediate effect, he moved his gaze to the skyline. He was, by virtue of his intelligence and instinct, a very rational man, perhaps even cynical, he admitted silently. He conducted his love life in the same controlled way he ran the rest of his life and boyish, passionate irrationalism had had no place in his dealings with the opposite sex for two decades or more. He had a rigid list of personal codes and values and one rule was inexorable. No mixing business and pleasure.
Over the years he had watched too many people, some of them good friends, become entangled in messy relationships with work colleagues and the fallout when the affair ended was invariably embarrassing at best and painful at worst. It was rare one person wasn’t left feeling bruised and hurt and the tension and difficulties that could arise made work life uncomfortable. Knowing this, why had he asked this woman to have dinner with him tonight? He could easily have wrapped up the interview in five minutes. It was illogical, a trait he prided himself he’d escaped. He’d gone against everything he’d told himself earlier.
Irritated with himself, he became aware she was looking at him with some concern and realised he was frowning again.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said quickly, her words tumbling over themselves. ‘I shouldn’t have presumed to tell your sister what to do. It’s nothing to do with me.’
Far from pacifying him, her words made him more nettled, but he couldn’t have said why. Forcing a smile, he told himself he was being ridiculous. ‘Not at all; it’s kind of you to be concerned,’ he said coolly, his tone negating the words. ‘Now back to business. How soon could you start?’
‘Straight away,’ she said eagerly. ‘Whenever you like.’
‘Monday morning? That will give you the rest of the week to put arrangements in place regarding any domestic arrangements.’
Toni found she resented her precious girls being written off as ‘domestic arrangements'. Purposely, she said, ‘Thank you, that would be welcome, although very little will change at home. As I mentioned before, my parents are on hand to take care of Amelia and