One Night On The Virgin's Terms - Melanie Milburne Page 0,1

Ivy Kennedy here to see you. She hasn’t made an appointment but she insists it’s important she sees you as soon as possible. She says she’s the sister of a close friend of yours. Will I send her in or tell her to come back some other time?’

Louis pushed his computer mouse to one side and scraped a hand through his hair. What could be wrong? Ivy had cancelled the last time he’d suggested they have lunch. Her brother Ronan had asked him to keep an eye on her when he’d emigrated to Australia. Louis enjoyed his occasional catch-ups with Ivy, but he tried not to notice her in any way that could be even loosely described as sexual. Not easy to do when she looked so damn sexy without even trying. But messing with his best mate’s kid sister was a no-go zone. Ivy was the hanging out for the fairy tale, the forever love. She was the wanting-to-have-babies type. He was the sleep-with-them-once-and-move-on-without-looking-back type. They had zilch in common other than her brother Ronan. Besides, his best mate had experienced enough trouble coming out to his family without Louis adding more to the mix.

Louis pressed the button on the intercom. ‘Send her in. And hold all my calls until she leaves. Understood?’

‘Got it.’

The door opened and Louis rose from behind his desk, his eyes scanning the pint-sized whirlwind that came in. With almost waist-length wavy red-gold hair, periwinkle-blue eyes, Celtic alabaster skin and a full-lipped mouth, Ivy Kennedy looked as if she had stepped out of another era—apart from her clothes, of course. He tried not to stare too long at her slim legs encased in blindingly white jeans, and the way her black V-neck cashmere sweater outlined the firm up-thrust of her small but perfect breasts. She was wearing burgundy heeled, pointy-toed ankle boots that highlighted the daintiness of her ankles. But even with the boost of her heels she still didn’t make it up to his shoulder.

‘Hello Ivy.’ His voice came out a little huskier than he’d intended, and he was conscious of the effort it took to keep his gaze away from the ripe, plump curve of her mouth. ‘What can I do for you?’

‘Louis, I hope you don’t mind me coming to see you like this, but I have a problem and I think you’re the only one who can help me.’ Her voice was breathless and twin circles of colour formed on her cheeks.

Louis was never sure whether to greet her with a kiss on the cheek or a hug but, given the way his groin was stirring just now, a hug was very definitely out.

Maybe his self-imposed celibacy was a mistake. Mr Amazing One-Night Stand was taking a much-needed sabbatical. How long had it been? Three, or was it four, months? He stayed behind his desk and waved a hand to the chair in front of the desk reserved for clients. ‘Please, sit down.’

‘Thanks. I won’t take up too much of your time.’ Ivy plonked herself down on the chair, her dangling silver costume-earrings swaying against her heart-shaped face. He caught a whiff of her perfume—white lilacs and lily-of-the-valley—which danced around his nostrils in an intoxicating vapor. Her small, neat hands were clasped around a rectangular bag only big enough to carry a mobile phone and the bare essentials. She ran the tip of her tongue across her cherry-red lips and then gave him a dimpled smile that almost knocked him off his feet. Small white teeth with an adorable overbite and those luscious lips were a bewitching combination that sent his pulse up another notch. ‘It’s good to see you, Louis. Sorry I had to take a rain check last time.’

Stop staring at her mouth. And don’t even think about looking at her breasts.

‘That’s okay. I had a lot on that week anyway.’ He cleared his throat and sat down, resting his forearms on the desk. ‘So, what can I help you with?’ He used his let’s-get-down-to-business tone, but he was aware of a strange energy in the air—a subtle tightening of the atmosphere that made the black hairs on his arms tingle at the roots.

She rolled her lips together, her gaze lowering to the Windsor knot of his tie as if she found it the most fascinating thing in the world. ‘Erm... Well, it’s kind of difficult to explain...’ Her cheeks went two shades darker and her fingers picked at the stitching on her bag as if she was determined