Playboy Boss, Live-In Mistress. Kelly Hunter
see to my needs,’ he said.
She knew the basic philosophy but even so… ‘Even in transit?’
‘Especially in transit.’ Lex smiled grimly. He’d been doing that a lot lately. ‘Maybe it’s a good thing I was prepared to take you on and train you up. Imagine if you’d taken that job with the oil sheik in Dubai? OPEC would never have been the same again.’
‘The sheik didn’t think I’d make a mess,’ she said tartly. ‘He thought I could do it.’
‘The sheik was besotted with you, Sienna,’ said Lex darkly.
Unfortunately, Lex was correct. It was one of the reasons she hadn’t taken the job. The other reason, and it galled her to admit it, had been her lack of experience in all matters pertaining to the business of being a good personal assistant. She’d needed experience. Lex had needed an assistant for a month while he was in Australia. Sienna had no aversion whatsoever to visiting the colonies. Sienna had long overdue personal business she could attend to while in Australia. The entire plan had seemed like such a good idea.
At the time.
‘Thank you for agreeing to this, Lex,’ she said awkwardly. ‘I do appreciate it. Really. And I didn’t mean to question your business ethics, earlier. I just…wanted to understand.’
‘And now that you do?’ He looked wary. Defensive. ‘Do you still want to be my PA for the month, Sienna?’
‘Yes.’ She shoved her newfound awareness of him aside, took another deep breath and collected her scattered wits. ‘If you’re skilful enough to take bits and pieces of broken companies and put them together in ways that work, then I’m all for it. I was in fix-it mode before. Now I’m thinking salvage. Corporate recycling. I’m all for recycling.’
‘Recycling,’ he said disbelievingly.
‘Absolutely.’ She offered up a smile for good measure.
‘You’ve missed your calling,’ he told her. ‘Corporate public relations needs you.’
Sienna felt her smile widen. This was the Lex she knew and understood. This Lex she could handle. ‘So what exactly is it that you want me to do while we’re in transit?’
He stared at her through narrowed assessing eyes and Sienna stared back with as much calm as she could muster. After what seemed like an eternity Lex bestowed on her a smile an angel would’ve been proud of. He was up to something. Nothing surer.
‘Tell you what…’ he said graciously. ‘I’ll shower, you hold the towel.’
CHAPTER TWO
TWENTY minutes later the plane touched down in Singapore and Sienna preceeded Lex along narrow nondescript corridors towards the transit lounge. She felt a lot better now that they were off the plane—more in control of herself and her surroundings. Far more inclined to think that her and Lex’s sensually loaded altercation had been nothing more than edginess and boredom on his part and a never-to-be repeated moment of insanity on hers.
Sienna’s internal clock told her it was long past her bedtime, but the arrival and departure boards inside the terminal said it was six p.m. and the light outside the windows confirmed it. She was tired, she realised belatedly. Add that to the list of reasons for her strange reaction to Lex. She added it to his side of the equation too. The hours he’d worked during these last few days leading up to the trip had been phenomenal. And there hadn’t been a beautiful companion in sight. Not for months, according to her godmother, Adriana, who also happened to be Lex’s mother. Sienna added ‘overdue’to Lex’s list of reasons for uncharacteristic behaviour. Wonderful things, lists.
The standard array of shops graced the terminal corridors. Coffee bar, newsagent, chain-store music and books, lotions, potions, and soap… Wait! Soap. Gorgeously scented luxury soap. To use in the shower… Sienna stopped abruptly and Lex all but crashed into her in the process.
‘What did you forget?’ he said.
‘Nothing.’ He of little faith. ‘I just want some soap.’
‘I already have soap.’
‘Why is it always about you?’
‘It just…usually is.’
‘Well, not this time.’ Honestly, the man had been thoroughly indulged for far too long. ‘The soap is for me.’
‘My mistake.’ Lex wandered over to the nearest display. ‘What kind of soap do you want?’
‘I’ll know it when I smell it,’ she said.
‘I see.’ His expression said he didn’t understand the delights of scented-soap shopping at all. ‘What say we forgo your PA training for the next couple of hours and I meet you back on the plane?’ But the ancient Asian saleswoman had already made her move.
‘Come. Come,’ she said, waving them into the shop proper. ‘It is good for the man to choose the soap for the woman. Choose now, benefit later, no?’
‘No,’ said Sienna, but the saleswoman ignored her.
‘This one,’ she said, and handed Lex a block of soap. ‘Ylang ylang and lemongrass. Smell good, no?’
Lex sniffed. Considered. Decided. And all without giving Sienna a second glance. ‘No,’ he said as he handed the soap back to the woman. ‘She’s more of a rosehip kind of girl.’
‘I am not!’ said Sienna.
‘Rosehip and vanilla?’ said the saleswoman, picking up another block of soap and offering it to him. ‘This one you like?’
‘Hello,’ said Sienna. ‘Over here.’
‘Got anything with ginger in it?’ said Lex.
‘Sandalwood and ginger,’ said the woman and passed that one to him as well. ‘Also matching body lotion, hand cream, and shampoo.’
‘Sold,’ said Lex and produced a wallet from his trouser pocket. ‘Don’t bother wrapping it.’
‘How sweet,’ murmured Sienna. ‘You think we’re done here.’
‘We are done here.’ He strode towards the register. ‘You wanted soap. You got soap. And moisturiser, and shampoo. What more could you possibly need?’
This wasn’t about need. It was about shopping. Possibly about revenge. ‘There’s a men’s range.’
‘No,’ he said hastily.
‘Oh, yes.’ Sienna studied him serenely. If he thought he could treat her like a charity case and pick up the tab for her expenses he was mistaken. She wasn’t on the poverty line yet. She could still afford soap.
The saleswoman studied him too. ‘So much hurry,’ she said. ‘Does he have airplane to catch?’
‘He just got off one.’ Lex opened his mouth to speak. ‘He’s about to tell you he already has soap,’ Sienna murmured. ‘Anyone would think he’s not a patient man.’
‘A man with no patience is like an ocean without fish,’ said the woman, and continued to study Lex. ‘Why even cast the net?’
‘I have fish,’ said Lex indignantly. ‘I have plenty of fish.’
‘Of course you do.’ Sienna couldn’t quite hide her smirk. Who’d have thought there’d be such joy to be had in a transit terminal soap shop?
‘Allspice and lemon thyme?’ offered the saleswoman.
Close. There was no denying the man’s edibility, although she fully intended to. ‘I’m thinking cinnamon.’
‘Cinnamon and orange,’ said the woman, picking up a nearby block of soap and handing it to her. ‘Good choice.’
Sienna took it. Sniffed it. ‘I don’t