Ian scowled. “Under most any other circumstances I’d agree with you. However, Martin has the ability to get under my skin like few people ever do. But no matter how much he tries to wheedle and whine today, or how often he tries to bring up the fact that our grandfathers were like brothers, he has quite a few matters to answer for. And - Christ, what exactly are you wearing anyway?”

She smiled knowingly as she smoothed down the tailored pencil skirt of gray pinstriped wool before buttoning up the short, fitted suit jacket over a silky pink camisole. The suit - in theory - was supposed to look both businesslike and elegant, meant to resemble one that a man might wear. But the narrow cut of the skirt, coupled with the close fit of the jacket, gave the ensemble a decidedly provocative look instead, emphasizing the curve of her hips, the roundness of her ass, and the lush fullness of her breasts.

She’d left her hair down today, the long blonde curls flowing over her shoulders and more than halfway down her back. Her makeup was minimal, and besides her engagement ring the only jewelry she wore was her Bulgari watch and pearl stud earrings. And as she stepped into a pair of gray leather pumps with a conservative heel, Ian thought that she looked both entirely professional and completely fuckable.

“A new suit, of course,” she replied lightly. “You’re always prodding me to buy more clothes, and when I saw this at Barney’s last week I couldn’t resist it. You know I have a real weakness for pinstriped suits. Too bad,” she teased, tugging playfully on his dark blue silk tie, “that you left my favorite suit back home or we could have dressed alike today. But the one you’re wearing is a close second.”

Ian’s suit was an impeccable dark gray, so dark that it almost looked black in a certain light. As usual, he wore a pristine white dress shirt with French cuffs, his cufflinks a gleaming silver set with a blue stone. He was clean shaven, his dark hair perfectly groomed, and Tessa’s knees went a little weak at the sight of such overwhelming male beauty.

They had gathered up their laptop cases, and were about to exit the front door of the owner’s suite when Ian forestalled her.

“Wait.”

She arched a blonde brow inquisitively. “Are we forgetting something?”

“Just this,” he rasped, pulling her into his embrace and kissing her with unabashed hunger.

Tessa groaned beneath the forceful pressure of his lips, her laptop bag tumbling to the floor as she gripped his powerfully muscled forearms for balance. The kiss went on for long seconds, and she gave herself over willingly to his domination.

When he finally lifted his head, it was to give her a chagrined look, his thumb rubbing something from the corner of her mouth.

“Sorry,” he apologized. “I’m afraid I’ve ruined your lipstick.”

She laughed softly and caressed his cheek. “Silly man. Like I would care about anything after a kiss like that. And especially not about having my lipstick smeared.”

She quickly reapplied the pale pink gloss as they took the elevator down to the floor where the administrative offices were located. She had read over all of the reports that had been compiled by the other management teams who’d visited previously, and was readying herself for a bumpy day ahead. Ian was going to have to really crack the whip throughout the day, and Tessa knew that some of his demands and conditions would be met with both resistance and grumbling.

But none of the reports she’d read, or briefings she’d received from Ian, could have properly prepared her for the almost hostile reception she encountered from the administrative staff. It was clear that morale was a real problem, and the staff members she was obliged to interact with were less than respectful, some nearly defiant, and enlisting their cooperation was almost impossible at times. Tessa struggled to maintain her usual professional demeanor as she asked for the various reports and files that were needed in a calm, quiet voice. But when her requests were acted on far too slowly for her liking, she found herself switching to a much sterner, more demanding tone, and at one point she was astonished to realize that she was beginning to sound rather like her old boss, Mrs. Carrington - who’d once been christened with the very unflattering nickname of “The Dragon Lady”.

However, the no-nonsense approach seemed to actually produce results, so Tessa stood firm in her resolve to stop being Ms. Nice Guy, and instead continued to imagine how the fearsome Mrs. C. would be handling this situation. Tessa smiled to herself as one of the office assistants practically jumped up from her chair when she asked if the copies for the next meeting were ready, thinking that she would really have to call Mrs. C. after this trip and confess that she’d been imitating her most of the afternoon.

But the one staff member who continued to slyly defy Tessa and treat her in a less than respectful manner was Martin’s personal assistant - a very stylish, attractive brunette named Blaire. The other woman, who Tessa guessed was about eight years older than she was, hadn’t even attempted to hide her displeasure when Tessa had been introduced this morning as Mr. Gregson’s PA. And once Ian had closed himself up in a meeting with Martin and several of the other managers, Blaire had wasted little time in informing Tessa that she had always been the one to take care of Mr. Gregson’s needs during his previous visits, and that Tessa’s presence here really wasn’t necessary.

Tessa, of course, had very clearly read between the lines, realizing that Blaire was none too subtly implying that she and Ian had been intimate during his previous trips. Tessa knew this was completely untrue, especially since Ian had barely spared the other woman a glance upon arriving this morning, and had incorrectly greeted her as Claire. Ian was always dead-set on acting like a complete professional whenever he visited one of his hotels on business, and the very last thing he would have considered would be to take someone as blatantly obvious as Blaire up on her poorly disguised offers of assistance.

Tessa had been oh so dearly tempted to stick Blaire’s upturned little nose into that fact, but had restrained herself just in time. She and Ian continued to be firm in their resolve to act the part of business associates during these sorts of trips, and not mention the fact that they were engaged to be married.

But when Blaire continued to make snide, cunning little comments about how hot Ian looked in his suit, or “confiding” in a too-loud voice to one of her co-workers that Mr. Gregson had a real “thing” for her, Tessa longed to shove her gorgeous, one-of-a-kind blue diamond engagement ring in the bitch’s face, and rather haughtily inform her that she was the woman Ian actually had a “thing” for.