Free The Irresistible Tycoon by Helen Brooks Page A

threatened but that was exactly what she did feel. Get a hold of yourself, she warned herself silently. This is a perfectly respectable conversation and you’re acting like an idiot.
    â€˜I…I’ll come back in a few minutes for the letters, then.’
    â€˜What?’ Her ruthlessly focused, coldly intelligent boss stared at her vacantly for a moment and then nodded abruptly. ‘Yes, do that, Kim.’
    He lowered his head and she was off the hook, but it wasn’t until she was in her own office again that Kim realised she hadn’t told him about the financial report he had been waiting for. Well, she wasn’t going in there again—he’d find it, she told herself shakily.
    It was another ten minutes before he buzzed her, and as she took the papers he held out to her her eyes sprang tomeet his as Lucas said quietly, ‘Sit down a moment, Kim. There’s something I need to say to you.’
    What now? She sat demurely on the edge of the chair in front of the desk, her knees tightly together and her expression reserved.
    â€˜As my secretary you are privy to all sorts of confidential information that the rest of my employees are not.’
    Lucas’s voice was even and steady and Kim wasn’t sure if he required an answer to what had seemed like a statement, but she said, ‘Yes, of course.’
    â€˜You will find that people try to get to me through you for various reasons, some important and some not so important. There will also be instances when you will be approached on a personal level, but June found it was more circumspect to keep herself to herself at work and reserve her friendships for those individuals unconnected with Kane Electrical.’
    What was he getting at? ‘But I thought her future husband was a supplier for Kane Electrical?’ Kim asked in surprise.
    Granite eyes flickered briefly. ‘The exception that proved the rule,’ Lucas said crisply.
    Right. Kim stared at him bewilderedly. Was that all?
    â€˜The thing is, Kim…’ Lucas paused, his eyes tight on hers, and as she had many times before Kim felt as though his mind was looking straight into hers, probing, dissecting her secret thoughts and fears.
    â€˜Yes?’ So what was the thing?
    â€˜I think you might be having a telephone call from Robert Clarkson,’ Lucas said coolly.
    â€˜Robert Clarkson?’ Kim stared at him as if he was mad. ‘Why would Robert Clarkson call me?’
    â€˜Isn’t it obvious?’ His voice was harsher and he must have realised this because it was back to its normal eventone when he said, ‘He likes you. When you were in the ladies’ cloakroom at lunch he was asking about you.’
    Kim was totally taken aback and her honest bewilderment was written all over her face. ‘But…but I didn’t… I mean…’
    â€˜You didn’t notice.’ It was a statement and spoken with mild exasperation.
    â€˜No, I didn’t.’ Kim sensed criticism and her hackles rose accordingly. ‘I was there in the capacity of your secretary and doing a job, that’s all.’ And who would notice another man with Lucas Kane in the vicinity? The dangerousness of the thought shocked her and brought a flood of hot colour into her face.
    â€˜Very commendable.’ It was dry and did nothing to soothe her ruffled feathers. ‘Well, take it from me, Robert will contact you in the near future and suggest lunch or dinner—a date, anyway. Of course with Kane Electrical and Clarkson International being involved in delicate negotiations at the moment…’
    â€˜You think he would try and use me to gain an advantage?’ she asked stiffly. More to the point, he thought she would be stupid enough to discuss confidential matters with every Tom, Dick and Harry! How dared he? How dared he treat her as though she had so little sense or respect for her position that she would allow herself to be so