The Billionaire's Proxy

The Billionaire's ProxyBy: Yvonne Lindsay

Copyright 2008 by Harlequin Books S.A.

Even billionaires need a break. Between his fathers death and trying to discover his step-brothers next scheme to seize control of their company, Jonathan Windthorpe is looking for some peace at the famous Tautara Estate.

But he isnt going to get it.

Theres no question that Robyn Mackenzie is a beautiful distraction. Jon knows all too well just how good she looksand feels and tastes. And just how good she is at breaking his heart. Whatever she wants, he isnt going to give it to her.

Robyn didnt fly to the middle of nowhere to revisit the past. In fact, she came to Tautara to ensure her future. All that is standing in her way from achieving everything shes always wanted is Jon and the billionaires proxy.

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Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty

Online Read LibraryCommunityChapter OnePrint this Page

Jonathan Windthorpe looked up as the blades of a helicopter whirled into the distance. Aerial sightseers, he hoped, and not hikers who might want to stop on their journey. He was enjoying the uncharacteristic solitude of his self-imposed sabbatical. In particular, he was for once able to enjoy not being constantly on edge and wondering what on earth Bradley was planning next. Not this time. No, this time he knew exactly what his avaricious step-brother was up to and he planned to stop it.

Since Jons fathers death a couple of months ago, the competition between them had ramped up on so many levels it left Jon wondering whether the continued fight was worth it. At his lowest point hed even considered whether it was past time for him to step aside and let Bradley assume full control of WindCorp Industries.

But then hed caught wind of Bradleys latest scheme. Bradleys divide and conquer tactics at the South Island plant had already seen the decimation of one small town, forcing the bulk of the working population to seek jobs further afield. Jon wasnt prepared to see that happen again. Duty to his familys firm and its employees sat firmly on his shoulders and in his heart. He wasnt a quitter, not by any standard.

The sun was bright in the early summer sky and a growl from the pit of his belly told him it was time to head back to the cabin and prepare some lunch. He packed up his gear and gathered it together with the trout hed caught for his evening meal.

But as he approached the cabin, a frisson of caution licked across the back of his neck. Movement on the front deck sent every muscle in his body into full alert. Movement he instantly identified as Robyn Mackenzie. No wonder his instincts had forewarned him. His body was intimately attuned to hers, a fact that had made the last six months working with her on the executive floor sheer torture.

His eyes raked over her. She stood tall and slim at the railing. The pale pink top she wore offset her ivory complexion. Shed ruthlessly pulled her lush, golden brown hair in a ponytail, unwittingly exposing the smooth planes of her uncharacteristically pale face with its high cheekbones to perfection. If shed arrived by chopper it was no wonder she was pale. She loathed flying.

She was the last person he expectedor wantedto see, though the lower half of his body called him a liar. As he got closer he met her cool, blue-eyed stare head on.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he growled.

Without waiting for her response, Jon stomped past her and pushed open the door to the cabin. But even as he did so, the enticing fragrance she wore wrapped around him with the familiarity of a lovers caress and teased his senses. Every cell in his body clenched, determined not to fall prey to her proximity.

Spicy. Sweet. Alluring. Just like her.

Or at least just like the woman hed thought she was. The first day hed met his then-secretary, their attraction to one another had been instant. Their inevitable reaction, incendiary. But he hadnt counted on her motivation for their affair, made painfully clear the instant Bradley had dangled a promise of promotion in front of her pretty little up-turned nose, and shed thrown Jon over just like that. And he hadnt appreciated being taken for a ride

But despite the pain shed inflicted, he couldnt help but wonderdid she scorch Bradleys sheets now too? Jons step-brother had a habit of working "intimately" with his female staffsomething Jon himself had avoided until Robyn came along. And Bradley constantly dropped none-too-subtle hints that there was more than a purely professional relationship between them.

On the other hand, perhaps Robyn was still holding out for that promotion, having learned from him that bedding the boss wouldnt instantly further her career. The thought soured Jons mouth and carved an ache in his chest.

He leaned his fishing rod against the side of the cabin and toed off his boots before going inside, leaving her to stand alone out on the deck. Hed be damned if hed invite her in. It was churlish, he knew, but he gave the door a nudge with the back of his heel anyway so it would swing shut behind him.

But the telltale "snick" of it closing never reached his ears.

"Good fishing?"

Shed followed him in all the way through to the kitchen. Shed always been tenacious. A trait hed admiredinitially.

"Good enough."

Jon laid the fish on the shining stainless steel counter and turned to face her.

"So, what are you doing here, and how soon can you leave?"

Chapters: 1

Chapter TwoPrint this Page

Twin spots of color lit her cheeks. Good, hed gotten under her skin. A lick of satisfaction beat back some of the resentment he felt that shed interrupted his holiday with work. And it had to be work. Theyd long past being anything else.

"What? Not even an offer of a cup of tea?" Robyn shot back. "I never knew you to be rude, Jon."

"I never picked you to be the kind of person whod do anything for promotion, either."

Robyn stiffened her spine. She hadnt exactly expected him to welcome her with open arms but outright hostility was uncharacteristic, even for him.

"I never lied about my ambitions within WindCorp," she said quietly.

"No. Nor did you wait for our sheets to get cold before sidling up to Bradley." He made a frustrated gesture with his hand. "Whatever, its in the past. Ill ask you one last time. Why are you here?"

Robyn chewed her lower lip a moment before deciding to cut straight to it. It was quite clear that Jonathan wasnt in a mood to beat around the bush. She almost smiled at the pun, ironic considering the density of native growth surrounding the cabin. They were a far cry from his top-floor corner office in the city.

"Theres a board meeting on Friday. We need your proxy."

"There was no notice of this meeting before I left the office last week." Suspicion narrowed his steely gaze.

"No, I know. But since the meeting has been called, and since youre scheduled to be out of the office for the next three weeks, Ive been sent to get your proxy." Robyn fought to quell the quiver of apprehension that rippled through her. His step-brother had sent her to get the proxy one way or another. Her promotion depended on it. Would Jon suspect what Bradley was up to?

"And just who will hold it?"

"Your brother."

"My step-brother. And the answer is no." Jon turned away from her and started to clean the fish.

"Shouldnt you be doing that outside?"

He looked back over his shoulder, raising one brow. "Youre still here?"

"Jon, dont be ridiculous. Just sign the proxy and Ill be on my way."

"And thats all itll take to get rid of you?"

"Yes."

"Show me the agenda for the meeting."

Robyn put her briefcase on the native-wood kitchen table and flipped the catches. She sorted through her papers and extracted the sheet hed requested. "Here you are. I think youll find everything in order."

Jon rinsed his hands and dried them off before taking the proffered agenda. He skimmed the listed items. Yes, everything was in order. And that was the precisely the problem. He smelled a rat. A Bradley-sized rat. Clearly the other man couldnt wait to strike. Jon hadnt even been out of the office a week.

"What about the Matters Arising, any indicators there?"

"Not to my knowledge."

Jon studied her frank, blue-eyed stare to see if she was hiding anything. It appeared as if she was telling the truth, but something still didnt sit right.

"Get them to reschedule the meeting for when Im back. I see nothing here thats so urgent it cant wait until then."

Jon thrust the paper back in her hands and returned to filleting the trout.

"Look, the meetings scheduled. All of the executives have been notified and have signaled their attendance. All you need to do is sign the proxy." Robyn made one last push, fighting to keep her tone as conciliatory as possible. "Really, Jon. When did you become so paranoid?"

"Oh, let me think about that." Jon tapped his filleting knife against the fish. "Ah, yes. About when you expected me to sign over my voting power to a man we both know would do anything to nay-say what I believe in, no doubt for a decision affecting the company I run, without even knowing what he really has on his agenda. Go back to the office, Robyn, and tell your lover that you failed. Im not signing anything."

"Hes not" Robyn choked on the words.

"Not what? Your lover?" Jon made a derisive sound. "You forgetI know how you work. Tell me, do you ever get tired of always having an eye to the main chance?"

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Chapter ThreePrint this Page

Robyn bit back the words that crowded in her throat. She couldnt refute Jons allegation, not without alienating him even further. And if that happened, hed never sign the proxy that would assure her promotion.

But no matter what Jon thought, Bradley was not, nor ever would be, her lover. She had absolutely no trouble controlling herself around him.

Jon, however, was another story completely. From the first time theyd met shed felt an unequivocal pull, a tingle of electricity connecting them botha tingle she felt even now no matter how hard she fought to ignore it.

Dressed in casual jeans and a well-washed T-shirt, his dark hair wind-tousled, he was a million miles away from the Queen Street sharp dresser she knew so well. Come to think of it, shed only ever seen him in a suitor naked.

Her insides somersaulted at that thought and her mind flooded with images of him over her, under herinside her. She swallowed against the sudden dryness in her throat. Tried desperately to control the swell of need that surged through her.

Shed allowed emotion to rule her head once and shed paid the price. Sleeping with the head of WindCorp had done nothing for her career. It had only set her up for failureand Mackenzies didnt fail. Hadnt she had that drummed into her often enough during her childhood? And even in adulthood. She remembered the look of disdainful disappointment on her parents faces when theyd found out she was dating her boss. Youll never be anything more than a secretary now, Robyn. Hell want to keep you right where you are, as his beck-and-call girl, and the other executives will think youre a joke, if not worse. And theyd be right.

Shed learned they were rightemotional need did not overcome necessity. And it was necessary in order to climb the corporate ladder. To be a success. To be someone if she was ever to garner her familys respect. Theyd quietly put down her ambitions for years, not understanding for a moment that she was cut from a different cloth to them. Both her parents were academicshighly regarded internationally in their fields. When shed shown no such bent theyd quietly resigned themselves to what theyd seen as her mediocrity.

But she was damn good at what she did and she knew she could do better, be better. Bradley had offered her the chance to be the person her parents could be proud of, and shed grabbed at it with both hands. So shed had to surrender to his condition that she break things off with Jon, as painful as it had been. This was her life, her future, her chance to be the very person she wanted to be.

And that was finally in her grasp. Bradley had promised it to heras long as she returned with the proxy.

But as she stood with Jons back to her, she could see her promotion sliding from her future with the speed of light. Somehow she had to convince him to sign the proxy. But how?

"What is it between you two that you find it so difficult to work together? You grew up together didnt you? Cant you just pick up the phone and sort this out with him?"

Jon snorted. "Not in this lifetime. Besides, Im here for a break."

The way he said the word "break" raised a flag of unexpected concern. She was suddenly struck by the tiredness around his deep-set gray eyes. Hed lost weight in the past couple of monthssince his fathers death on the golf course from a massive heart attack. They said Jon himself had done CPR on his father until the ambulance crew had arrived. But it hadnt been enough.

Having fought so hard and then losing had to take a toll. That failure combined with the shock of losing a man everyone had thought invincible had obviously been difficult. Whatever their personal differences, there had been deep-seated mutual respect between father and son. Jon had to miss him.

Without thinking she stepped forward and laid a hand on his arm. "Are you okay?"

The muscles in his arm bunched beneath her hand, the warmth of his skin and the crisp hair on his forearm making her fingertips prickle with awareness. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw his gray eyes darken, his pupils dilate.

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Chapter FourPrint this Page

Jon pulled away from the sizzling sensuality of her touch, cursing himself that she could still affect him like that. Hadnt he learned his lesson with her the first time? You dont mix business with pleasure. It was a sure-fire way to disaster.

"Of course Im okay. Im on a long overdue holiday, and frankly, youve overstayed your welcome. I assume youve arranged transport back to Tautara?"

"Well, actually, no. I havent. I thought wed talk, youd sign the proxy, and then I could call up the chopper again to come and get me."

Jon rolled his eyes. City girls.

"And what did you expect youd use? Your cell phone?" His short laugh lacked humor. "Look around you, Robyn. It may have escaped your attention, but were miles from anywhere. Theres no signal here. No reception. Tautara provides a satellite phone for use in extreme circumstances only. Still, given your loyalty to your job, itd be worth it, wouldnt it?"

"And the proxy?" Robyn had to try one last time.

"Youre a lot of things, Robyn. Beautiful, sexy, good with your hands" He gave her a once-over that set her teeth on edgeyet still had the ability to send fire through her veins. "But I know youre not stupid. Forget the proxy. Im not signing it."

Robyn watched in silence as he poured a sesame and ginger dressing in a large shallow dish and added honey, soy sauce and garlic and deftly mixed it with lime juice and brown sugar.

"I never thought of you as a gourmet cook," she finally managed, as he added a dash of hickory barbeque sauce and some sweet chilli sauce before mixing the marinade and layering the fish fillets, skin side up, in the dish.

"You never thought of me as anything but a fast track to a corner office, now, did you?" Jons voice was pitched low, but there was no mistaking the anger behind his words.

"Thats not true! I"

Jon put up one hand to halt whatever she was going to say. "Please. Dont insult me by trying to say you loved me. We both know that when Bradley offered you the position as his Executive Assistant you broke things off between us. Clearly I wasnt going to give you what you wanted. Pity was, I thought what you wanted was me."

An all-too-familiar chill struck deep in Robyns heart. She couldnt refute his accusations. Bradley had made the end of her affair with Jon a condition of her position, citing a conflict of interest between her role as his EA and her relationship with Jon. At the time shed thought it was what shed wanted. That shed be able to walk away from their relationshipfrom his bedand remain heart-whole and focused on business. In the male-oriented climate of WindCorp, she knew if she was going to get anywhere shed have to play by their rules.

Her parents had always played by the rules. She knew by their example what dedication and sacrifice could bring, and she was prepared to do it. She had loved Jon. Loved him and lost himall for the sake of a promotion she still hadnt received.

But shed get that damn promotion now, if only she could get past Jons stubbornness and have him sign the proxy.

"Ill call for your ride." Jon put the dish hed prepared in the refrigerator, cleverly hidden behind integrated Rimu wood-faced cabinetry.

"Wait!" An alternative suddenly suggested itself to her. "What if you signed the proxy over to me?"

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Chapter FivePrint this Page

"You?" Incredulity colored his voice. "No. Besides, you dont have the authority."

"I will have the authority with my promotion to Junior Director of Operations." It was company policy to let junior directors have responsibility for proxies where practicable. Jons father had felt it important to give his junior executives a taste of the duty theyd be expected to perform if they reached upper management in the firm.

"Jon, you can trust me to do whats right."

"What your boss tells you to do, you mean."

"No, whats right for WindCorp." Which was in more jeopardy than Jon knew. But maybe, just maybe, shed have a chance to head Bradley off, but only if she got the promotionand if Jon would give her his proxy. If she was right about what Bradley had planned, she knew without a doubt that Jon would vote against his proposal. But she couldnt divulge her concerns to Jon, not without breaching the confidentiality clause in her contract. So the only way to keep her job and save the company was to vote for him. She could do that for him. For the company.

He fixed her with a flat stare and for a second she thought she had it within her grasp.

"And if Bradley changes his mind about your promotion? I dont think so, Robyn. No."

"Please, Jon." Robyn waved the sheet of paper redundantly in the air, frustration making her want to stamp her feet. She was caught between a rock and a hard place. If she straight out told Jon her suspicions, shed lose her job. But if he didnt agree to sign the proxy over to her, everything he and WindCorp stood for were lost. She had to try one more time. "What can I do to convince you to sign this?"

Jon stilled and faced her. Suddenly, his eyes were as cold and dark as an Antarctic winter.

"To convince me?" His voice was as deadly as fine honed steel. "Is that what Bradley told you to do? Convince me? You forget, Robyn. Ive tasted your charms, and yes, while theyre many and deliciously varied, theyre old hat now. Besides, Ive made it a habit, since my father foisted Bradley into my life, not to take his leavings even if hes quite happy to take mine."

Robyn gasped in shock. Shed heard a few insults in her time, but this really took the cake. Fury swelled within her until she could barely see straight.

"Now just a minute," she demanded, as Jon walked past her into the spacious and well appointed sitting room. "I resent your implication that Id sleep with you to get the proxy signed. You know things have been precarious since your fathers death. With you now incommunicado as well, everyones getting restless."

"Are you quite finished?"

Her words hadnt so much as ruffled him. If anything the look of boredom on his face told her in no uncertain terms that she was pitching at windmills. Failure settled on her shoulders with the weight of a leaden cloak.

"Yes." More finished than he knew. But there was no point in trying to appeal to his philanthropic nature. Hed made his position patently clear.

Robyn watched in frustration as Jon picked up the bulky sat phone from the sideboard lining the living room wall and made the call that would see to the end of her dreams for promotion and saving the company. She let the deep rumble of Jons voice wash over her, not paying any attention to his wordsuntil the timbre changed.

"What do you mean its a no-fly zone? You just dropped her off. I see. Well, let me know the instant theres any change."

Jon flung her a look laced with fury as he disconnected the call.

"Youre stuck here." He dropped down into the long sofa behind him and sighed, rubbing a hand across his face. "Why did you have to come today of all days?" he muttered, more to himself than to Robyn.

"What do you mean, stuck?"

Jon cracked a sardonic smile. Even knowing there was no humor behind it her heart skittered in her chest. Shed always been helpless in the face of his smile and the way his eyes crinkled slightly at the corners.

"Seems theres a hush-hush visit to Tautara by some overseas president and his wife for their wedding anniversary. Turns out she read about the lodge in a magazine and arranged it as a surprise. Great timing, huh? For the duration of their stay, only aircraft engaged in the security detail are permitted to fly in the area. Orders from the Diplomatic Protection Service." He rubbed his hand across his face again in a weary gesture. "It gets worse. The visit is expected to last two to three days."

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Chapter SixPrint this Page

"Two to three days!" Robyn couldnt hold back her alarm. "But thats ridiculous. I cant put my life on hold for that long. I need to be back at work tomorrow. Surely theres some way"

"Look, Im no happier about the situation than you are. But short of a miracle were stuck together."

He made it sound like hed rather have all his teeth pulled. And Robyn had to agree. There was still too much unfinished business between themtoo much animosity.

And yet, here was another opportunity for her to get him to sign that wretched piece of paper.

She thought briefly of the correspondence shed seen flying across Bradleys desk in the past couple of weeks. Of the figures hed requested she pull up and the projections shed reported on.

Shed have to be blind and stupid not to have worked out what Bradley had planned. Jonathan would be vehemently opposed to it. Shed even brought several of the papers with her to study tonight while wrapped in the luxury that Tautara Estate boasted before setting off for her flight to the office early tomorrow.

Whatever Bradleys intentions, he was her boss and she had to remain within the boundaries set by her confidentiality clause. It wasnt her place to questionnot yet anywaybut to see to it that her work was carried out with the utmost efficiency. And yet, she still struggled with wanting to do what was best for WindCorpwithout compromising herself or her role within the company. It was a damnably fine line to tread.

If only she could get Jon to sign the proxy over to her. Bradley hadnt been specific in his instructions that it was to be signed over to him, although his implication had been clear. But she could wing it as long as he thought the power had been assigned to him. Hed likely not even want to see it before the meeting. Then she could use the proxy to head off Bradley before he destroyed the company.

But if she didnt get Jon to sign the wretched paper, Bradley had made it clear shed be without a job. If that happened shed have to bear her parents disapproval once again.

She was firmly stuck between a rock and a hard place, not to mention being stuck here now with Jon. The irony of her situation wasnt lost on her. Robyn sighed and sat in the chair opposite Jon.

"So what are we going to do?"

Jon watched as she perched on the edge of the chair, tension visible in every line of her delectable body. The worn denim of her jeans stretched across her thighs like a second skin, the designer top clinging to the soft roundness of her breasts like a lovers caress. Like his caress. He fisted his hands in an attempt to rid himself of the tingling in his fingersof the long ago sensation of the silken texture of her skin.

This was impossible. There was no way he could be in the close confines of the cabin and not be driven mad with the need to touch her, to coax murmurs of pleasure from the smooth column of her throat. To swallow her moans of delight as he stroked her, cupped her breasts and teased her nipples into tight buds of desire.

He may be mad as hell at her for the way shed ended their affair, but he still wanted her.

Wanted, but wouldnt have.

"Do?" he replied. "Try and stay as far apart from one another as possible under the circumstances."

He got up and made for the front door, determined to increase the distance between them before he did something stupid. Like kiss her. His appetite for lunch had long since diminished, but his appetite for Robyn That was something else entirely.

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Chapter SevenPrint this Page

From the front door, Jon gestured to the phone hed left on the coffee table between them.

"Youd better use that to call Bradley and let him know whats happened. Im going for a walk."

"Could I come with you?"

"Im putting up with you because I have no choice, Robyn. Dont expect me to want to spend more time with you than I have to."

"Look, youre not the only one who isnt happy about this situation. If youd left a general power of attorney before escaping to thisthis wilderness, I wouldnt have had to come hunting you for your proxy in the first place."

She was stunning when she was mad, hed give her that. The flush of color in her face, the flare of challenge in her blue eyeseven her defensive postureevery bit of her was beautiful and dangerously appealing. Jon barked out a laugh.

"This is hardly the wilderness. And my position on a general power of attorney and the proxy is clear. Theres no one I trust enough at WindCorp at present to represent my interest, so my interest remains with me."

And with that he walked out the door.

An hour later Jon returned from his walk clearer in his head than when hed left and full of new determination to get through the next few days as easily as possible. As he entered the cabin he listened for Robyn, but heard nothing but the blissful silence that had drawn him here in the first place. He cast his gaze around the room, his eyes settling on Robyns supine figure on the couch.

Her lashes lay in dark crescents on pale cheeks and her lips parted slightly on each outward breath. Something hot and hard fisted in Jons gut as he drank in the sight of her laying there. Vulnerable. Open. Hed loved to watch her like this after theyd made love. When shed collapsed into sleep in the aftermath of their passion. Hed trace the wings of her dark brows, follow the line of her long, straight nose and let his gaze rest upon her wide, full lips. Just as he was doing now.

As if she sensed him, Robyn lifted a hand to swipe at her face then settled back into sleep.

Jon spun on his heel and headed back outside. There must be another hill that needed climbing. If not, the next three days would be sheer hell.

***

Robyns eyes flew open as she was woken by the slam of a door. She bolted upright and scrubbed at her eyes, forcing them to focus on her surroundings. She checked her watch. Good grief, shed been asleep for nearly four hours. Jonathan must be back, she realized.

She pushed up from the couch and wandered through to the kitchen. Her briefcase, which shed left on the table earlier, had been tucked away against the wall.

A sudden panicked thought occurred to her: had she remembered to lock it when shed put the proxy back inside? The documents that hinted at Bradleys plan were in there. A swift check confirmed her case was secure and a small sigh of relief escaped her lips. Being here with Jon had rattled her so much she couldnt even be certain she had followed security procedures properly.

The scent of ginger and smoked hickory wafted through the open kitchen window. Should she go outside to where Jon was obviously barbequing the trout or stay in here and avoid confrontation for at least a few more minutes?

Avoidance had never been her style. Robyn pushed open the back door of the cabin and stepped into a hard wall of male strength. Instantly she put her hands up in an attempt to regain her balance.

Strong hands gripped her upper arms, steadying her. Strong hands that sent spears of electricity sizzling through her veins. Instead of pulling away, Robyn felt herself being drawn inexorably toward him. Toward the strong plane of his chest, against the hardness of his abdomen, within the cradle of his hips.

She couldnt help herselfshe flexed her hips against him, felt the undeniable evidence of his arousal. Her breath hitched in her throat and she tilted her face up to his. His eyes darkened to the color of charcoal and narrowed. Tension spiraled through her body leaving licks of flame in its path. His mouth lowered toward hers.

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Chapter EightPrint this Page

The touch of his lips was familiar yet foreign at the same time. It had been so long since shed encountered this level of intimacy with Jonand shed missed it. Missed him. So very, very much. But hed changed.

There was an edge to him now she hadnt felt before. As he claimed her lips, a shudder drove through her. A cry of longing tore from her throat, only to be absorbed by him as he plundered her mouth.

Her hands fisted in the cotton of his T-shirt, holding him to her as if she never wanted to let him go. And she didnt. Shed made the worst mistake of her life when shed told him they were over. They were far from over.

Jons hands lessened their iron grip on her upper arms and slid gently to her shoulders, cupping them. For a second he pulled her closer, his fingers burning through the thin silk of her top. Robyn pressed against him, aligning her body along his, absorbing his heat, his desireanswering it with her own.

Tears burned behind her eyes. Could she begin to believe they had another chance?

Jon wrenched his lips from hers.

"No!" His growl was emphatic.

Jon pushed her from him. His body instantly regretted his decision, but his mind told him he was right to break the web that had suddenly and so irrevocably bound them together again. The evidence of what hed seen in her briefcase was irrefutable proof she worked hand in hand with his step-brother. Lust was one thing. Betrayal quite another.

"Wha"

"What part of no is so hard for you to understand, Robyn? Oh, Ill give you points for the element of surprise. If you were trying to prove a point, you have well and truly proven it."

"A point? I dont know what youre trying to say. Jon, please, cant we"

"No, we cant." He took a step back from her. "The point being that while I might desire you, I dont want you."

She reeled back from him as if hed slapped her. Deep inside of him something cracked and the shaft of pain that crossed her face mirrored his own. But within seconds it was as if hed said nothingher face was composed in its usual smooth serene lines.

"Well, I suppose thats putting it bluntly," Robyn answered, but the betraying wobble in her voice belied the cool, collected exterior she projected.

"Robyn"

"No, seriously. Dont worry. I should have expected it. Ive put us in an untenable position by coming here and invading your peace and quiet. Really, I should have just watched where I was going."

She bent to the kitchen table and smoothed an imaginary speck of dust from its surface. Jon watchedbiting down so hard his jaw ached. His pulse still drummed a crazy beat in his veins. He muttered a vehement curse and went outside to retrieve the fish from the barbeque hot plate before it turned to charcoal.

His hand shook as he scooped the fillets into a dish and for a moment he stood there, willing his body back under control. Clearly six months separation had done nothing to ease the rampant need he had for the touch and the taste of Robyn Mackenzie. The one woman, above all others, he shouldnt love.

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Chapter NinePrint this Page

They completed their meal in silence. He barely tasted the delicate flavor of the trout or the crisp fruit flavors of the Pinot Gris he poured to have with their food. Instead his senses were still clouded with the feel of Robyn in his arms, of the taste of her on his tongue.

He could have sworn her passion was genuine, that it hadnt been some trumped up scheme to woo him into signing that blasted proxy. But shed so swiftly become aloof straight afterwards, even while hed struggled to bring himself back under control, he couldnt help but wonder if she was comparing him to Bradleyand the thought stung far deeper than he wanted to admit.

The mere notion that his step-brother had kissed her the way hed kissed her. Had touched the welcoming curves of her body, tasted her sweetness, given her pleasure. It was enough to drive a man crazy. His instincts, his very pride, demanded he stamp out any memory of his step-brother from her mind and her body. To leave the imprint of the pleasure he and he alone could bring her.

But Jon hadnt reached his place in the world by being driven by physical need. He reminded himself of what hed seen in Robyns briefcase when hed shifted it from the kitchen table and it had flung open, sending papers cascading to the floor. Reminded himself of the damning figures neatly detailed in her handwritten notes that confirmed his suspicions about why his step-brother had called this special meeting in his absence. Of the confirmation of Robyns duplicity in the whole deal.

Oh yes, he could resist her all right.

***

When theyd completed dinner, Robyn offered to clean up and Jon disappeared into the master bedroom. The sat phone was missing from the coffee table where shed left it yesterday, and from the quiet rumble of his voice behind the bedroom door she assumed he was busy making some calls. Who to and what for she didnt know, but something niggled at the back of her mind.

Hed said the phone was primarily for use in emergency situations and hed been adamant about his privacy here. So who had he found it so important to talk to this evening, and why?

She spent the rest of the evening checking the contents of the well-stocked bookcase in an alcove off the sitting room. But even though she found several of her favorite authors latest releases, she couldnt settle to anything. Her own company had never bothered her before, but here, in such close proximity with the man who had the ability to send her blood pressure soaring sky high with little more than a look, she found it difficult to keep her mind occupied.

The sound of the bedroom door opening had her whirling around.

"Im turning in early," Jon said. "I thought you might want to use the bathroom before I hit the sheets."

Instantly a vision of his naked form tangled in bed linen strafed her memory. She blinked hard to clear the image from her thoughts.

"Thank you," she finally managed.

"Ive left a T-shirt on the vanity for you to sleep in."

As opposed to sleeping naked? She wondered if that was for her benefit, or his. "Thanks, thatll be great. Do you mind if I rinse a couple of things out so I can be fresh tomorrow?"

"Whatever you need."

He was so damned polite and frozen it was like talking to an android. If she hadnt been left so shaken by their earlier encounter shed almost be tempted to try and rattle him again. Anything, even his anger, was better than this courteous stranger.

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Chapter TenPrint this Page

Robyn took her time in the bathroom, rinsing out her bra and panties and spreading them on the top rail of the shower stall. Jon had even put out a toothbrush and travel-sized toothpaste for her. No doubt all part of the accoutrements provided by Tautara Estate, but she appreciated the gesture. She completed her ablutions and smoothed the oversized T-shirt over the tops of her thighs as she went back through to the sitting room.

Hed been busy here, too. Hed covered the couch with a crisp, clean white sheet and a light throw rug. A pillow lay against the armrest.

"All done?" He turned from the window where hed been gazing out into the darkening night.

"Yeah, thanks."

"Ill see you in the morning, then."

No doubt bright and early, if the unfashionably early hour they were going to bed was any indication. What a change from a few months ago when an early night would have meant anything but sleep.

Robyn lay down on the couch and pulled the blanket over her. The couch had been so comfortable earlier, but now it was as if shed made her bed on a sack of coal, and she tossed and turned.

She couldnt be mad that Jon hadnt offered her his bed, but it rankled somewhat that he hadnt. The expanse of the super-king-sized mattress that shed glimpsed at in the master bedroom of the cabin on her way to use the bathroom had screamed comfort and luxury. A far cry from a light blanket wrapped around her here on the couch.

She touched her fingertips to her lips, reliving the kiss theyd shared earlier. The kiss that had reignited the constant craving shed thought shed finally managed to get under control. She dragged her fingers down her throat, across her chest in an attempt to ease the yearning inside, but it was Jons touch she ached for.

The night stretched out before her, long and lonely.

***

As if his sleepless night hadnt been bad enough, Jon stared at the reminder that Robyn wore no underwear. The flimsy white pieces of lace and sheer fabric hung above the shower stall with all the subtlety of a matadors cape to a bull. He snatched them down and tossed them on top of a laundry hamper. He certainly didnt need their provocation while having his shower this morning. Just the thought of Robyn asleep on the couch in the next room was quite enough.

The morning sun was already warming the cabin and Jon kept the shower setting cool as he stepped under the spray. It would need to be cool anyway after the dreams that had tortured him and ensured hed spent more of the night awake than in slumber.

Two more days at most, he consoled himself. Two more days to endure her under his rooftormenting him with her unique scent and the graceful curves of her body. Driving him crazy with the memory of that kiss theyd shared last night.

He bent his head and let the water pound the back of his neck and his shoulders. What on earth had driven him to kiss her like that? Sure, shed walked into him. Big deal. People bumped into one another all the time.

But it had been a big deal. No sooner had her hands flown to his chest than his heart had begun a crazy tattoo and his pulse had leapt up several beats. Heat had flooded his body, heat and an insidious longing to take what was on offer. For a split second hed forgotten where her loyalties lay and hed succumbed to the need to assuage a hunger that had simmered beneath the surface of the civilized veneer he presented to the rest of the world.

Shed tasted divine.

And he wanted more.

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Chapter ElevenPrint this Page

Jon cursed long and low as he snapped the shower off and grabbed a thick fluffy towel from the rail. He briskly rubbed himself dry then draped the towel around his hips and grabbed his shaving gear.

"Youre a bloody fool," he told his reflection in the mirror, but the clear gray-eyed stare that met his gaze told him he was so much more than that.

That he was still attracted to Robyn was undeniable. What he was going to do about it, well, that was something else entirely. He couldnt act on it, although it would be the ultimate twist in the link between Robyn and Bradley. Perhaps even the ultimate revenge on them both.

A hollow ache started in his chest. He wasnt about revenge. Not now. Sure, justice would comebut all in good time. Right now his priority was WindCorp.

The papers in Robyns briefcase last night had confirmed his suspicions about his dear step-brothers secret agenda and justified his decision to plant a spy in Bradleys department. The call hed made to his informant last night had merely backed everything up. His decision to "hide" away had been spot on. It had flushed the rats right out the drain pipe. And one of them was sleeping on his couch.

A gentle knock made Jon whip around. He drew in a hiss of pain as a sharp sting of steel bit into his jaw. He yanked open the door then grabbed a tissue to stem the trickle of blood from where hed nicked himself.

"What?" he growled as Robyn stepped inside.

Robyn tried to avert her eyes as she stepped into the bathroom but she couldnt tear her gaze from the broad expanse of his chest, or from the tiny droplet of moisture that trickled down his ridged abdomen and toward the edge of his towel.

"II, um" she finally managed to tear her eyes from him and spied her underwear on top of the hamper. "I need these."

She snatched the wisps of fabric into her fist and turned to leave.

"Im done in here. You can shower if you want." Jons voice was flat, emotionless. A far cry from the man whod kissed her senseless last night.

His cold stare made her all too aware of the fact that she wore his T-shirt and nothing else. Beneath the soft cotton she felt her nipples tauten and peak. The stain of mortification burned her cheeks as his gaze dropped enough to let her know her reaction hadnt gone unnoticed. She saw the instant his eyes darkened, a certain sign he wasnt as immune to her as hed steeled himself to be.

She waited for the sense of satisfaction that should come from knowing she could still affect him like this but instead only felt the pull of her womb as her insides wound tight on the sudden swell of desire that rode through her body. She hated being hostage to her bodys weakness. And it was weakness as far as Jon was concerned. Hed made his position perfectly clear last night and shed sweep streets before shed beg for his attention again.

The instant he left the bathroom, Robyn closed the door firmly and leaned her flushed cheek against the cool wood of the door. A ragged breath shuddered through her chest. She couldnt wait to get out of here and back to the cityaway from the constant reminder of what she could have had if only she hadnt been so driven.

In the dark hours of the night shed had plenty of time to think about her choice to terminate her relationship with Jon as well as to consider the promotion shed hinged all her hopes for the future on. A niggle of doubt had begun to creep in. What if Bradley didnt offer her the junior executive position hed promised? Would she then have thrown everything away for nothing?

Suddenly it seemed all the more urgent that she get back to the office. Here she had too much time to thinkto worry. And she wasnt sure if she was ready to face the truth about her feelings for Jonathan Windthorpe. If she did that, something told her she wouldnt like what she saw.

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Chapter TwelvePrint this Page

She must have been up before dawn, Jon decided as he entered the kitchen. Shed cleared away all evidence of her bed in the sitting room, and by the aroma coming from the compact wall oven, shed already grilled bacon and made scrambled eggs for breakfast. His favorite.

Something warm and familiar flooded his veins, something hed ruthlessly quashed when shed broken off their relationship to take up her role as Bradleys right hand.

What was she up to? Playing house? Trying to recapture the closeness theyd once sharedperhaps even with a view to rekindling the love hed thought shed reciprocated? Instantly he eschewed the idea, as much as he wished it could be true. If he knew Robyn at all anymore, it was more likely that she was trying to soften him up to get him to sign that blasted proxy. He smiled, a wry curl of his lips totally lacking in humor. Well, she could try.

He poured himself a coffee and leaned back against the kitchen counter, sipping the fragrant brew. A glance outside showed the weather had deteriorated. A leftover of springs inclement chill caught in the air and a steady drizzle had begun to fall. Well, it wouldnt matter to him what the weather did, hed be in his waders enjoying the river. Robyn could amuse herself for the dayno doubt by working through those papers in her case.

Jon grimaced. The coffee suddenly soured on his tongue. He could have borne her ambition had it not been so heavily laced with disloyalty at the same time.

A movement at the door made him look up. Robyn stood there, looking uneasy. Guilty conscience perhaps? She must have taken the shortest shower on record, he thought. His coffee hadnt even begun to cool in his cup. Her hair, usually straightened and sleek, had begun to curl in a cloud around her face, making her appear softer, more vulnerable. As if he could give in to impulseforget the chasm of suspicion that yawned between them, and simply step forward, tangle his fingers in those soft brown curls and drag her to him before slanting his lips against hers to plunder her unadorned mouth.

Something of his thoughts must have reflected on his face because he heard the skip in her breathing as she made eye contact with him and he saw the sudden widening of her eyes and the faint flush of color that spread across her cheeks.

Jon slammed the shutters down on his wayward thoughts. He needed to stay in control, especially if he was going to expose Bradley and his crooked assistant for exactly what they were.

"You havent started breakfast," Robyn commented unsteadily as she moved to the oven, sliding out the dishes that had been warming and placing them onto the table.

"I thought Id wait for you seeing as how youd gone to so much bother."

"It was no bother." Robyn dished up a generous portion of bacon and egg onto his plate and slid a dish with buttered toast on it toward him. "Toast?"

"Thanks."

The civility with which they had breakfast stood in stark contrast to the dinner theyd shared the night before. As with last night, Robyn got up straight after eating to clear the table.

"So," Jon leaned back in his chair, determined to provoke something from her that wasnt this guarded form of homemaking. "Are you this domesticated with Bradley?"

"What? No. Of course not." Indignation painted a flush of pink across her cheeks and throat.

"He does the cooking then? Strange, he never struck me as much of a chef."

"No, he doesnt. And I dont. I told you. Bradley and I arent that way together. Im his Executive Assistant. Thats all."

Did she protest too much? Jon wondered. He wished he could savor the hot flare of satisfaction that bloomed inside him at her denial of a relationship with Bradley. But how could he believe her when his ears had been poisoned by Bradleys insinuationsby the not-so-veiled hints at how much he enjoyed "working" with Robyn?

"You were my secretary before that, though, werent you? And yet you were so much more."

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Chapter ThirteenPrint this Page

"Dont, please," she begged. "Dont sully what we had together. Its not like that between Bradley and I. Why wont you believe me?" Robyn argued back, her heart heavy. Was Jons opinion of her really so low?

"Believe you? I want to believe you. But can you honestly tell me you wouldnt do just about anything to get that promotion youre so determined on getting in Bradleys department?"

"I" Robyn hesitated.

Jon pressed on. "You cant tell me that this entire trip is based on your loyalty to my dear step-brother. I know how terrified you are of flying and I also know it would take a heck of a lot to get you to do what you did yesterday. How can you expect me to believe theres no more to your visit than dedication to your job?"

"But I am dedicated to my job and to WindCorp. Jon, give me your proxy. Let me prove to you I can do whats best for the company," she implored.

"How can I trust you not to side with him?"

"Did our relationship mean nothing to you? You can trust me."

"Did it mean nothing to me? You left me for a job!"

"You never asked me to stay." Her voice dipped so low he could barely hear her. "Whats happened to you Jon? I never thought that what happened with me and Bradley could turn you into someone so angry and bitter." Tears filled her eyes and emotion choked her throat.

"Bitter? Im not bitternot anymore. But I dont appreciate being taken for a fool. Tell me, Robyn. Does your heart race when Bradley stands this close to you?"

Jon moved so quickly he took her completely by surprise. He loomed over her, the heat of his body radiating out to consume and ignite her.

"And when he does this," he reached out and traced one finger over the curve of her breast. "Does he set a fire in your blood?"

Robyn felt her nipple tighten into an almost painful bud of desire. Need flooded her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Needand something else. Something not as physical. Something that begged for Jon to want this attraction between them to be more than just another way to get back at his brother.

She desperately gathered her thoughts. She couldnt allow him to confuse herto fog her mind with wanting him.

He stroked his nail across the hardened nub that pressed against the thin fabric of her top and she gasped at the pleasure-pain of the jolt of sensation that speared through her at his touch.

Jon bent his face to hers, his lips bare millimeters from Robyns. "And do you cry his name out when you come? Or are you thinking of me?"

Slap!

Robyn took a step back and nursed her stinging palm. God, shed slapped him. Shed never slapped anyone in her life before. But shed never been this angry before, nor this frustrated.

"How dare you!" Robyn finally managed through lips that could barely move. "Im not standing for this. Not anymore. Ive tried to be civilIve tried to be professional. But you keep dragging up the past. Let it go, Jon, or one day youre going to wake up a very lonely and cynical old man. Im out of here. You can drive yourself crazy all you like with your stupid allusions on your own."

She spun on her heel and stumbled through to the sitting room and quickly pulled on the hiking boots shed worn yesterday. Damn him for getting to her like that.

"Robyn! Stop. Where do you think youre going?"

"Back to Tautara, where else?" She tied the laces and marched to the front door. "Im sure as hell not staying here with you."

"Look, Im sorry. I overstepped the mark. You had every right to put me in my place."

"Yes, I did. But your apology means nothing to me, Jon. Just like I clearly mean nothing to you anymore. I came here to help you, dammit! But youre too stubborn and too bitter to need anybody, arent you?" Her voice broke on her words, their finality punctuated by the solid slam of the front door closing behind her.

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Chapter FourteenPrint this Page

And just like that she was gone. It was what hed wanted all along, he tried to tell himself. But he knew he lied.

Jon rubbed his cheek. Man, she packed a wallop. And hed deserved it. Hed goaded her mercilessly and hed had no excuse other than pathetic jealousy. The thought of his step-brother touching Robyn the way Jon had, tasting herit had driven him temporarily insane.

A slither of shame slid uncomfortably down his spine. He owed her an apology. A big one. And he had to go after her. What if she strayed off the track, or worse, hurt herself? No one would know.

He checked around the immediate perimeter of the cabin and there was no trace of Robyn. Hed hoped to find her sitting on the edge of the front porch steps, waiting for him to be reasonable. But that wasnt Robyns style. She was way more self-sufficient than that, and she was mad enough to walk all the way back to Tautara as shed said. Niggling concern for her condition made him edgy. She wasnt dressed for the trek back to the main part of the estate and it had turned chilly. Sure the trails were marked, but without food and water or even a rain jacket, shed be struggling before too long.

She had a thirty minute head start on him but he knew he could shorten her lead. His decision made, he stuffed a small backpack with energy bars and a couple of water bottles. He hitched on the pack and hit the ground off the front deck at a run. Hopefully hed catch up to her before she got too far and maybe she wouldnt still be so angry with him. And if she was, well, hed duck this time.

The drizzle had intensified to a steady rain and the track was slippery in places. Jon cursed as he slid for the third time. Hed seriously believed hed have caught up to her by now but shed been in such a rage it must have propelled her along the trail at a faster rate than hed given her credit for.

In the distance he could hear the roar of the river. The crossing wasnt overly deep, but it could be tricky for anyone who was attempting it for the first time, let alone doing it on their own.

Concern for Robyns safety spurred him along the pathway and he broke through to the clearing just as she reached the middle of the river.

Water foamed and bubbled up to her thighs and he watched with his heart in his mouth as she wavered slightly before regaining her balance.

"Robyn! Stay where you are. Ill come across to you and lead you to the other side."

"I dont need you!" she yelled over her shoulder, looking back at him as she took another step forward.

And that step was her undoing. Before his horrified gaze she slipped on an unstable rock and pitched into the chilled mountain water. He saw her hit the water with a frightened cry.

It wasnt deep and the current wasnt too strong here. She should be able to make it to her feet without any difficulty.

Unless shed hit her head.

Jon unhitched his pack and threw it to the ground, suddenly desperate to reach her.

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Chapter FifteenPrint this Page

The sheer cold shock of the water knocked the breath out of Robyns chest as she foundered on the hard uneven surface of the river bed. How the water could still be so freezing cold defied belief. She struggled to keep her head above water while she tried to gain a foothold, anything to get some purchase on the slippery rocks and get upright again.

Strong hands suddenly hooked under her arms and lifted her clear, holding her steady as her feet found some stability in the raging water.

A shiver rocked through her. Strange, the rain actually felt warmer than the river coursing around her legs, and Jons hands were even warmer.

"Come on, Ill take you back to the cabin. You cant go on like this."

She wanted to argue with him, to tell him where he could stick his cabin, but the lure of a hot shower spoke volumes to her frozen skin and chattering teeth.

"Okay," she managed begrudgingly.

They completed the journey back to the cabin at a surprisingly quick pace. She wasnt sure if it was Jons intention to keep her moving to warm her up, or whether he was simply eager to get out of the weather. It was depressing to realize how little distance shed actually traveled in her attempt to strike out for Tautara on her own. At the rate shed been going, even if shed made it safely across the water, shed have been lucky to get to the lodge by evening.

She was so lost in her thoughts, she never noticed the broken branch across the path until her foot caught in it, pitching headlong toward Jons back. He spun around even as she cried out and arrested her fall, pulling her hard against his body. She relished the sensation of warmth and comfort as his broad hand spread across her back.

"You okay?" he said, his voice gruff.

"Ill be okay. Im too tired to look where Im goingand now Ive made you all wet."

"Its okay. We can both warm up in the hot tub when we get back. Itll do us the world of good."

He took her by the hand and to her shame she clutched onto him like a grateful child.

"Hot tub?" Robyn didnt remember seeing a tub in the bathroom. While the fittings had been undeniably luxurious they hadnt extended to a tub.

"Yeah, through the French doors from the bedroom. Cmon, were only about five minutes away."

It was the longest five minutes of her life. The constant drum of the rain through the dense foliage, the slipperiness of the path and the tiredness that assailed her all conspired to make her feet drag and her head swim. By the time the cabin came into view it was all she could do to ascend the steps to the deck.

"Here, you look shattered." Jon hooked an arm around her waist and led her around to the side of the cabin. He propped her against the wall. "Stay there while I take the cover off."

Robyn knew she should move, do somethinganythingto get the soaking wet clothing away from her body and to remove the boots that had begun to chafe during their trek back, but everything was too much effort. Get a grip on yourself, she silently chastised, and forced herself to bend down to attempt to undo her laces. Her fingers were stiff and uncooperative. Long strong fingers gently brushed her hands away and Jon eased the stubborn laces loose on her boots and slid the wet leather from her feet. Her socks and jeans were swift to follow, then her top. The silk would never be the same again, she realized with a woeful thought as he peeled the fabric from her upper torso.

Without pausing he scooped her up in his arms and carried her over to the tub, gently settling her in the water.

She drew in a sharp breath as the heated water stung her skin, then closed her eyes and relaxed her head back against the cushioned headrest on the side of the tub. A swish in the water made her look up.

A new kind of heat drew suddenly from her inner depths to bloom across her skin. Jon stood before her in the water. Like her, hed stripped off his wet clothes, but unlike her, hed removed his underwear. Which left him totally naked.

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Chapter SixteenPrint this Page

Jon settled onto the bench seat and welcomed the heated water as it lapped over his skin. Every instinct in his body demanded he draw Robyn into his arms, to comfort her, to warm her. Shed scared the living daylights out of him when shed fallen into the river, and her lethargy as theyd neared the cabin was even more frightening. That fall had made him face facts. He still loved her. Deeply. And he needed to find out if she still felt the same way about him.

"You never asked me to stay." Her words echoed in his mind. Had the long-standing rivalry between him and his step-brother clouded his reason? Could he have fought for Robyn? The answer to both was an unrelenting "yes." Hed allowed his family bitterness to stand in the way of reason. He had to separate what he felt for Robyn from the business

But first he had some groveling to do.

"Im sorry I provoked you before. I didnt mean to drive you away," he said.

"I overreacted. It was stupid to rush off like that so unprepared."

"You took ten years off my life when you fell in the river. How are you feeling?"

"A bit sore," she answered, tipping her head back again and closing her eyes. "My feet and calves in particular. Next time I go hiking Ill make sure I train first."

A small smile tugged at his lips at her attempt at humor.

"Here," he said, reaching for one of her feet under the water and pulling it to sit on the top of his thigh, "let me massage your feet for you. Itll hurt at first, but youll feel better in the long run."

Jon began a deep rhythmic stroke along the underside of her foot, massaging up to her ankles and then back down again to the tips of her toes before starting over again.

"God, that feels good." Robyn groaned a deep-throated sound that hit him straight in the solar plexus and made him instantly hard.

Through the water he could see the dusky pink tips of her nipples straining against the sheer fabric of her flesh-colored bra and he recognized the stain of color that gently spread up her chest and to her throat as the mark of desire. Despite their differences, she still wanted him. Probably about as much as he wanted her. A glimmer of hope glowed to life deep in his chest.

Jon stroked higher up her leg, working into Robyns calf muscles. Her foot flexed in his lap, brushing against the evidence of his desire. Her eyes flew open. Instead of shock he could only see the answering echo of his need for her. He pressed his hard flesh against the softness of her instep and saw her pupils dilate even further, her lips part on a breath. He reached for her other foot, still maintaining eye contact, and mirrored the attention hed paid to the aching muscles of her other leg.

"I meant it when I said Im sorry," Jon said softly. "To be honest, the past six months have been hell."

"For me, too. Ive missed you."

Jon stopped massaging her leg and reached forward to pull her into his arms, hope swelling into anticipation when she made no protest. She settled astride his lapher shielded core only centimeters from his arousal.

He lifted a hand and smoothed her damp hair from her face.

"Show me," he whispered, "show me how much."

"Like this?" she breathed softly into his ear before licking at his lobe then trailed a series of tiny bites down the column of his neck.

"Yes," he groaned as he nuzzled the hollow between her neck and her shoulder, forcing himself to hold back the tide of need that threatened to swamp them both.

She reached behind her and unsnapped her bra, sending it sailing through the air to land ignominiously on the deck then slid off him long enough to slip off the scrap of fabric that was her panties. Naked, she shimmied back onto his lap. Jon gripped her hips to position her at the tip of his shaft. His ears filled with the addictive sigh of satisfaction that eased from her throat as he slowly lowered her onto his length. He settled deep inside of her, relishing the sensation of her clamping against him, feeling a sense of rightness in his world that had been missing for six long months.

Robyn sighed as her lower body began to undulate as if she no longer had the strength of will to control herself.

"Oh, Jon, Ive missed you so very much."

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Chapter SeventeenPrint this Page

And she had missed himin more ways than merely the physical. Knowing hed suspected her and Bradley of being lovers had been a painful blow. Thered only ever been one Windthorpe man for her and it had always been Jonathanno matter what he thought. Letting him go had been one of the toughest decisions of her life. But she could no more pull away from him at this moment than she could stop breathing.

His hands held her hips firmly, halting her movement. Determined not to ease up she squeezed her inner muscles against him, urging him to do what they both needed to ease the conflagration building inside. She tilted her pelvis ever so slightly so her sensitive nub rubbed against his pubic bone. Instantly a spiral of pleasure sent spasms through her body, making her clench him with an intimacy that only lovers shared. It was his tipping point. He instantly let go of her hips and allowed her body the movement she desperately cravedallowed her the pleasure she knew belonged to them both.

His broad hands slid up to her rib cage, his thumbs caressing the sensitive underside of her breasts then scraping up and over her nipples in tandem, teasing the taut points into an ache that went soul deep.

She increased momentum, desperate now to find releasedesperate to draw from him the culmination of the longing shed suppressed for far too long.

Her climax hit her hard and fast and her voice rang out as pleasure soared within her. Jons body stiffened beneath hers and she felt his hips thrust against her as he scaled the peak with her.

She collapsed against him, letting her body melt into his. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest, or was it his? Even the ragged breaths they drew were synchronized.

Eventually Jon stirred beneath her. "Cmon. Lets take this inside. We have a lot of catching up to do."

Robyn lifted herself off his body on legs that barely seemed capable of supporting her. Jon swung his legs over the side of the tub and, as he had before, scooped her into his arms.

She didnt feel cold anymore, and even the constant rain outside the sheltered deck could not diminish the light that shone within her now.

Jon pushed open the French doors leading to the bedroom and laid her almost reverently on the bed. He disappeared for a moment, returning from the bathroom with two large fluffy towels, proceeding to dry her with one. Not to be outdone, Robyn grabbed the other towel and dried him as he hovered over her body, one hand stroking the coiled strength of his shoulders and his upper arms, while the other dragged the towel across the parts of him she could reach.

He grabbed the towel from her hands and hooked it loosely around her wrists, stretching her arms up over her headleaving her prone to his look, his touch, his mouth.

He settled his body between her legs and when he lowered his mouth to her breasts Robyn knew it didnt matter where she was anymore. As long as she was with Jonathan, shed come home.

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Chapter EighteenPrint this Page

Dawn crept across the now clear sky, but Jon was oblivious to its beauty. In his arms was a woman he silently acknowledged he irrevocably loved. Yet, he had loved her before and that hadnt been enough for her. Had any of that changed?

The papers in her briefcase still bore mute testimony to her duplicity. As much as he wanted to keep his relationship with Robyn separate from the machinations of the company, could he trust her? The test would be in what she decided to do. She said shed come here to help him. So now, would she choose Bradley, or him?

It was full light by the time Robyn stirred. His body leapt to life as she stretched languorously beside him but instead of urging her to full wakefulness he pushed himself out of bed before he succumbed to her charms again. It was hopeless. He wanted her as much now as hed wanted her the many times theyd made love during the night.

He could not allow himself to be drugged by his addiction to her again. Before he could reveal his true feelings to her, he had to know exactly where she stood. In his life or out of it.

He drove his body away from hers, toward the bathroom, toward the sobering cold spray of the shower. Toward reason.

As he came out of the bathroom he heard the sat phone ring.

By the time he disconnected the call he couldnt decide if it was precisely the news he needed, or if it was an unwelcome coercion to carve the truth from Robyn. Eventually, he forced himself back to the bedroom.

She lay in the tumble of sheets that were still redolent with the scent of their lovemaking. Each crease was a silent witness to their hunger for one another. Each fold was a testament to the passion that demanded acknowledgement.

Jon took a moment to steel himself for what was to come. Took a moment to savor, however fleetingly, what theyd shared. He leaned forward to lightly touch her shoulder. Her skin was like satinhe would never grow tired of the texture or the exquisite sensation that touching her brought him. A piece of him wanted to forget all about the phone call, to sink back into the bed and into the welcoming warmth of her body. But he knew he couldnt ignore the call or the damning information shed inadvertently brought to him.

It was time for them both to face the truth.

She turned into his touch, a soft sigh and a smile on lips he wanted to plunder and take for his very own.

"Robyn," he pulled away from her touch, "Luc Tanner just called. The presidential visit has come to an early end. They flew out about an hour ago."

"Theyve gone?" The cloudiness of slumber was rapidly replaced by her sharp analytical mind. "So the airways are open again?"

He watched Robyn carefullysaw the play of emotion across her features. It was time to push for his answer. To push for the truth he dared believe might be his for the taking.

"You dont have to leave. Stay here with me."

She didnt even hesitate. "Jon, I cant. You know I have to get back to work."

So, there he had it. The truth. The absolute, irrefutable proof their lovemaking had meant nothing to her. He meant nothing to her. Pain warred with the anger that flared inside him as fast and furious as petrol on a bonfire.

"To work? To Bradley, you mean." He took a couple of steps back, anything to give him the distance he needed.

Robyn remained silent in the bed. The bed in which hed bared his heart and soul to her. The bed in which theyd shared such intimacies that would forever go unspoken.

She hadnt even given staying with him a thought, Jon acknowledged with a hollow pain in the region of his heart as he gathered a belt, a pair of jeans and a long sleeved T-shirt and threw them on the bed.

"Here, your clothes will still be soaked. Use these and get dressed. The chopper will be at the landing site in forty-five minutes."

"Jon" Robyn reached for him.

"Dont." He spun away from the seduction of her touch. "You made your choice. I only hope you can sleep with it."

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Chapter NineteenPrint this Page

Robyn stood outside the meeting room waiting for the executives to filter in. It had been two long and lonely days since shed returned from Tautara. Shed felt numb from the moment shed left Jons cabin, even more so when shed opened her briefcase on her return to Auckland and found the proxy on the top of the papers shed stored in there. Signed over to her.

It made her sick to realize that Jon had obviously read the information in her case, and yet hed still given her the proxy. She had to admit that the documents made her look as if she was complicit in Bradleys scheme. And yet Jon had still given her the ultimate gift in trust.

Trust shed thrown back in his face when shed chosen to leave. Pain carved a sharp line through her body. But she couldnt have stayed. Staying would have meant shed be giving up her promotion, giving up the chance to make something of her life. She had dinner planned with her parents tonight to celebrate. Already she felt as if shed earned the right to bask in their pride.

But what about Jon?

She thought back to his request to stay with him at Tautara. It was a test. A test shed failed. Six months ago, a promotion was what she thought shed wanted and shed been so blinded by ambition she hadnt grasped the one thing she wanted above all else. Jon.

But she could try to make it up to him. She could ensure that Bradleys plans would not come to fruition. She already had a strong idea of which way the voting would sway, and Jons proxy would be the decider.

WindCorp had always prided itself on being focused on providing "for New Zealanders, by New Zealanders." Bradleys discussions with several overseas parties regarding outsourcing all of their manufacturing showed his clear intention to cease operations in New Zealand. The loss of jobs would be massive. And without manufacturing, Jon would have very little input left in the company. But with her promotion she could stop all of that.

Robyn ticked the last attendee off her checklist and followed him into the meeting room. The meeting was called to order and progressed through the agenda at an efficient rate.

"Next on the agenda is the matter of Robyn Mackenzies promotion."

Her ears buzzed as her credentials were lauded, as her undeniable loyalty to WindCorp was expounded. She continued nervously taking the minutes, as one by one the board voted andshe had it! Theyd voted to give her the promotion! Finally she had the right to ensure that WindCorp could continue with the charter Jonathans father had always seen for the company.

Tension gripped her as the chairman asked for any matters arising. This was it.

Bradley took the floor. She had to admit, he was convincing. As he showed charts and projected budgets for the company she could see some of the executive slowly swing in his favor. When the vote was called she was shocked to see just how convincing hed been. The final deciding vote now rested with the proxy trembling in her hand.

Bradley looked at her with a smile. "Any proxies?"

"Theres one. On behalf of Jonathan Windthorpe" Robyn paused and took a steadying breath. "signed over to me. And I vote against," she enunciated as firmly as she could.

The complacent smile on Bradleys face froze and twisted until his expression turned positively feral. Robyn ducked her head and stared fixedly at the table. A sudden commotion at the door made her life her gaze.

Jon! He was here! Her heart skittered in her chest as Jons painfully familiar figure entered the room.

With Jons presence the proxy was null and void. He voted for himself and unequivocally quashed Bradleys push to move manufacturing offshore. Bradleys face contorted in anger, but he remained silent for the rest of the meeting.

Robyn went back to her office and sorted through the mail on her desk. She was relieved that while hope for their love had been irretrievably stomped into submission by her actions, hope for WindCorp still thrived.

Movement at the door to her office caught her attention and her heart stopped. Had Jon come to talk to her? The flutter of hope slammed to a halt. It was Bradley.

He wasted no time in getting to the point, his voice laced with vitriol. "I hope your foray into the bush with Jonathan was worth it, because thats about as close as youll ever get to management in WindCorp again. You can forget about your promotion. Its clear you breeched the terms of your employment. Why else would Jon have turned up today? Youre fired. I want you to clear your desk and be out of here by the end of the day."

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Chapter TwentyPrint this Page

Shed always known Bradley could be vicious but firing her was going too far.

"But I didnt tell Jon about your plans for WindCorp," she protested.

"So you deny he found out the information from you?"

Robyns throat closed on her words of denial. Of course Jon had found out from heror at least from the notes in her briefcase. While she hadnt told him in so many words, she was still responsible for him finding out. And she was glad. Suddenly the promotion shed have given anything for meant nothing to her anymore. Not if it meant she had to do the kinds of things Bradley wanted for WindCorp. Not if it meant destroying the lives of hundreds of employees and their families, not to mention the livelihoods of the towns in which they lived.

She drew herself up to her full height and met him eye to eye. "I dont deny he found out from me. It wasnt deliberate but Im prepared to take responsibility for my actions. Given the same opportunity I would do it again. And dont worry about trying to fire me. I quit. I wouldnt work for you anymore for all the money in the world."

Slow steady applause arrested them both. Her heart lurched at the sight of Jons sartorial elegance framed in her doorway.

"Well said, Robyn. But I believe my dear step-brother has it wrong. Its you wholl be leaving, Bradley, not Robyn. Your underhanded action in bringing todays meeting to order is in direct breach of your conditions of employment. The executives have called for your resignation."

***

Jon closed the door to Robyns office firmly behind Bradleys retreating back. He wouldnt give up without a fight and Jon had no doubt thered be a massive legal battle around the corner, but right now he didnt care. All that mattered was the woman who stood before him. The woman whod proved her loyalty to him, and to WindCorp, by voting his proxy today.

"We need to talk," he said, crossing over to her desk. "Im sorry you had to go through that today, but it was necessary to be able to show the board just how underhanded he could be. Id never have had their agreement to remove his powers if it hadnt played out the way it did." He dragged at the tie at his neck and flicked open the top button of his shirt.

"You knew about it all along?"

"For the past four months, yes."

"You used me."

"I used a person I thought was using me. I was blind as far as you were concerned. Blind and stupid. I thought you would vote with Bradley. I misjudged you terribly and Im sorry for that too," he said softly. "Tell me, if you could still have that promotion, would you take it?"

She didnt even need to think about it. "No."

"I understand," he sighed, "but theres a massive hole in that department now and it needs a committed leader to shape its future. I know, with guidance, you can be that person."

He could see she was tempted.

"Ill give it consideration," she eventually murmured.

"And what about me. If things were different would you still want me, would you still give us another chance?"

"What do you mean?" He saw her eyes lighten and shine, heard the lift in her voice.

"Please, Robyn, forgive me todayforgive me the past six monthsand I promise you that every tomorrow will be better."

"Forgive you, Jon? Im just so glad that you can forgive me. I should have stayed with you at Tautara. It was wrong of me to put my ambitions ahead of my heart. Believe me, Ive learned my lesson."

Jon stepped around the desk and pulled her into his arms. It felt so very right. And when he spoke, she knew shed made the right choice.

"Robyn, the past week has proven to me how much I love you. How much it would destroy me to live without you. Will you marry me? Will you stand by me and help me run WindCorp to be the best of what we both want?"

"Is that what you truly want?" She hardly dared hope.

"Yes."

In that single word he gave her the answer her heart craved. The answer she needed to turn her back on the expectations of her family and embrace the one truth she held most dear.

She loved Jonathan Windthorpe and he loved her in return.

"Then, yes, Ill marry you. I love you JonIll love you forever."

THE END

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