It was already four months since Bryan Ferdinand started working with them and already he was a voice to be reckoned with. She had watched grimly as he became the director. At board meetings, he dominated, pushing David further and further away. This was what she had been afraid of but even now, David would not listen to a word against him.
At the office it was as though everyone and everything revolved round him especially the female folk. Half the women were in love with him and the other half was fascinated with him except for her of course. Sharon still despised and distrusted him just as much as she did the first time they had met only now it was much more.Amanda one of the share analyst would not allow her rest with talks of Bryan.'I do not know why you detest him this way', she said. He is the hottest thing that has happened to this office. Look at the hot deals he has won for the bank since he started with us'.Sharon did not know how else to do away with this girl. She seem not to take hints at all.'Amanda, haven't you got any work to do?' Sharon said looking at her computer.'Because if you haven't, I have. With David ringing in to say he's working at home today and our trip to Rome starting tomorrow, I've got so much to do. I'll be working until very late tonight, so get off my desk and go away'.'In a minute', Amanda said wriggling like a child on the edge of the desk, her small feet swinging back and forth. 'I wanted to ask you something....''Well what?' Sharon was impatient to be done with her.'Has he got a woman tucked somewhere? I mean he hasn't dated anyone since he joined us. He says he isn't married and I do not believe that he is gay, so is there anyone in the background?''I do not know and frankly, I do not care. And since you are that interested in his private life and have nothing else to talk about but Bryan Ferdinand, why don't you ask him yourself? Now will you get off my desk, I have work to do'.She frankly wished that she had never heard of the man. He was growing more and more irritated with him and the mention of his name.The last time she had spoken about this to David, she had told him how Bryan was taking over from him and pushing him further and further to the background and had even taken over his clients and the most lucrative of them all at that.'At my suggestion dear girl!' David has insisted. 'I am trying to shed some of my workload. You told me that I was working too hard, remember?'I didn't ask you to hand over some of your best clients over to Ferdinand and neither did you tell me that you intended doing that's.He had given her an apologetic look.'I knew you would get agitated and let ture me on your favourite subject'.Startled, she asked, 'What do you mean?''Bryan. Now don't deny it. You only trust him as far as you can throw him'.'Yes, I do not trust him but I do hope you are not making a terrible mistake letting him get into such a position of power in the bank.Her uneasiness had not lifted when a few weeks later, Amanda would not get off her desk for talking about Bryan Ferdinand.She pushed Amanda off her desk and Amanda turned a laughing face to her.'Oh come on, I bet you are secretly crazy about Bryan too -you just won't admit it!''I'd rather date Dracula! Sharon snapped just as her office door opened.She and Amanda both looked round, both frozen in confusion. Bryan was at the doorway, his dark eyes hooded and unreadable. His powerful body briefly at test which she knew was already was rate for him since he was constantly in motion, a man with burning energy always racing against the clock or himself or the world, she did not know which.'What's Dracula got that I haven't?' he drawled and Amanda began to giggle, half in relief because he didn't seem angry, half in embarrassment because she didn't know how much of the earlier conversation he had overheard.'Don't tempt me', she said and Bryan looked into her eyes, his mouth twisting.'Could I?'Amanda's eyes went round as she gazed from one to the other in fascination, waiting to hear more.'No', Sharon said through her teeth.'Weren't you just going, Amanda?'Amanda hesitated, wanting to stay and eavesdrop but Bryan's eyes were hypnotic and she swung her waist as she walked towards the door and Bryan watched her with a glint in his dark eyes.Amanda was like a little Venus, high chested with a tiny waist and rounded hips and she knew how to move to attract the attention of the men and she did the same now.When she got to the door, she looked at him, smiling and said, 'Dracula doesn't have anything that you haven't got'.'Then why aren't you afraid?' he asked drawing his face close to her baring his teeth as though about to sink his fangs into her.She shrieked in delight and fled.Bryan straightened and looked across the room at Sharon, his laughing gaze met Sharon's cold ones and the laughter stopped and his face tightened and turned cold.He walked towards her and let the door slam behind him.She quivered at something she saw in his stare.He stopped beside her desk and for one awful moment, she turned red and then white sure that he was going to touch and kiss her.He watched her inexorably.'One of these days, I shall tell you the reason you can't stand the sight of me', he said softly, 'and then you will really hate me'.'I already do!'It came out before she could do anything about it and she bit her tongue. She had not wanted to be so upfront about her real feelings towards him. She could not believe that she had allowed herself to lose control that way. In her line of work, she often came across men that she loathed but she never let it show, always in control of her feelings.'I'm sorry', she said not quite meeting his gaze. 'I lost my temper, please forget that I said that'.If he were to tell his cousin, then David would not be happy with her. In fact she was not happy with herself for losing control that way.'I never forget anything', he murmured and she believed him. She had noticed that he had the most fantastic memory, remembering even the tiniest detail about public companies and private hands and calling up the most minute detail from memory when least expected.'That's up to you', she said trying to hide her dismay. No doubt one day he would make her pay for losing her temper and that was why it bothered her that David seem to trust him so implicitly.She was afraid that one day, Bryan Ferdinand would make David pay for the way his family had treated had treated Bryan's mother.Sharon swallowed her uneasiness and looked at the screen in front of her.'Have you seen the lastest Japanese figures?''More or less as I predicted', he shrugged.'Yes, right again, as usual', Sharon said with saccharine sweetness.He laughed. She couldn't even make him angry. It was infuriating. She wished he would go away. He was ruining her morning.'I am rather busy', She said, 'So unless you want to tell me something important....''David just rang me from home', he said, 'About the Rome Conference ....''Yes?' She was supposed to fly a road with David to Rome for an international banking conference and she was looking forward to it. It had been so long that she had been anywhere interesting and she wanted to get away from the office now dominated by Ryan Ferdinand for a little while.'His doctor has advised him to stay in bed for a week, so he won't be able to go', Bryan said coolly.'What's wrong? Is he I'll?' Sharon asked but Bryan shook his head.'Just tired, I gather. A tou
Aren't you dressed yet? We agreed we'd meet at Eight o' clock'. Bryan reminded her, his gleaming eyes roaming slowly over her dishevelled, damp could of auburn hair, her flushed face, the short black robe that she wore which left her long legs bare and revealed the deep cleft between her breasts.They had indeed agreed to meet to discuss and pull ideas concerning the conference that was going to take place the next day at nine o'clock am.The way Bryan was undressing her with his eyes made her self conscious and she instinctively put a hand to pull her robe lapels together to hide her breasts and saw Bryan's mouth twist in wry comprehension.'I must have fallen asleep', she said feeling disoriented. 'Why don't you go ahead into the bar and keep yourself busy with a drink, I shall be ready in a jiffy, I promise'.She shut the door quickly, afraid that he would notice that she was trembling, switching on the light, she leaned on the bed for a moment, to steady her nerves. What on earth
'This is probably good at this time if the year", he suggested pointing. Autumn is the best time for wild mushrooms and I love them served with seafood'.'Mushrooms and seafood?' Sharon asked.'Exactly'. Bryan's deep voice had a husky tone. She felt his warm breathing on her bate shoulder.'Okay, I'll have that', she said hurriedly, nervously aware of him and his body even closer to hers.'And I suppose that I'll just have pasta for the main course'.She would have moved away then but Bryan shook his head, pointing to the menu again.'Don't be so predictable!', he said softly, very close to her ear. 'Try the saltimbocca....''What's that?''It means...hmmmm...'Jump in the mouth'... it's veal escalope, rolled in harm, flavoured with sage, fried and then simmered in Marsala wine. Very rich but it's a Roman specialty. You must try it once at least. While you are in Italy and especially in Rome,you must be more adventurous, take a few risks for once in your life!'She tensed. Picking up t
They talked about the conference over the table at first then as the evening wore on, Sharon spoke less and less. She was feeling light headed, dreamy, a heat and excitement running through her veins.Across the table, Bryan watched her with those hypnotic eyes while they drank their coffee.'Liqueur?' he suggested as the wine waiter arrived with his rattling trolley of bottles.She hastily shook her head. 'I have already drunk too much wine. I don't want a headache in the morning', she looked at her watch. 'In fact, I think that I should be on my way to bed now, we have to get up very early and there's a very crowded day ahead of us'.On their way to the lift, she paused to look out through the main doors at the Rome night.'It's stopped raining.What I wanted to do this afternoon was take a walk round the city, but I couldn't go out in all that rain'.'Why not take a short stroll now?' Bryan suggested.'It's much too late and I haven't got my jacket with me', she said. But she was dra
Sharon felt cold indeed. What had she been thinking? How could she have allowed this arrogant man touch her the way he had? What a mess. He must think that he had her where he wanted her.She had always known that he was dangerous to her but she had not really known the extent of the danger.What weakness could have made her lose herself, her self control and all this way?She could not look at him, she did not know what she would find in his eyes, mockery? scorn? triumph? condescension? She did not want to know. She just did not want anything to make her feel lower than she was already feeling just then.'Come to my room, Sharon's, Bryan said with an urgency that made her stiffen.She turned on him, her face white now. 'I feel sick, do you know that?' she broke out. 'You got me drunk and you knew that I was not used to drinking and you kept pouring wine into me, right the way, through dinner. You had this in mind all the time, didn't you? You set me up and it nearly worked. I almost
Sharon had her breakfast in her room: black coffee,orange juice, a couple of rolls with black cherry jam.She may have slept badly but like she had already decided, it was nothing a careful make up job would be unable to hide.She made up and her make up hid most of the evidence of her bad night. She put on the clothes she had delibrately picked which was smoothly tailored dark grey suit, short jacket, straight skirt with a crisp white shirt under it, to make herself fade into the crowd, mostly men, in city suits who would be attending the conference.Even her auburn hair was pulled back austerely from her face but she could do little about her long legs in their sheer black stockings. Men always starred at them. a car was coming at eight-twenty to take Bryan and herself to the hotel where the conference would be held, so she left her room at eight- fifteen.Bryan appeared a moment later, elegant and formal in a dark city suit, red and white striped shirt with a stiff white collar an
'So is there any man in your life', Gerhard asked again as Sharon looked at him saying nothing but smiling.She shook her head.'Not at the moment. Have you met the girl of your dreams yet?'He laughed. 'I keep hoping, but so far not luck'.'Maybe you are too difficult to please!''I have been brought up to expect the best', he agreed with wry amusement. 'No doubt you are right but never mind, I enjoy my life. I'm free, single and love to mingle as they say'.'You still watch that program on TV?''All the time. When I work at home, I have the TV on the music program blaring, it helps me think and keeps with awake during long nights'.'I wonder how people managed before recorded music!'Sharon said thoughtfully.Gerhard told her how his parents had their own personal chamber orchestra.Sharon ate her salad slowly as she listened to him. She had just finished her salad when the delegates started moving away towards the conference hall. The conference was starting again in fifteen minutes'
Gerhard stood up as she got to him, kissed her on both cheeks gravely.'Thank you for joining me. All the men are going to envy me tonight, having you for a partner. That dress is very sexy and you look breathtaking in it'.'Thank you, Gerhard', she said sitting down, brushing down her filmy skirts as they hissed silkily around her legs.'Ehat would you have to drink?' he asked summoning the waiter.Remembering what happened with Bryan the previous evening, Sharon ordered a mixture of orange juice and mineral water and stayed off wine all evening.The meal was superb and Gerhard kept her continuously amused and it would have been a wonderful evening had she been unable to see Bryan's face from where she was sitting.By some stroke of bad luck, however, he was seated facing her, on the next table. She had to avoid letting her eyes wander that way or she found herself all too often looking straight at him.Everytime it happened, she felt a strange dizzying lurch, as though her sense of