That is until the door to the conference room opened and Max walked in, followed by their new client.
At the sight of him, Katie’s heart stumbled drunkenly against her rib cage. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
Liam James, wrist tattoo and all, came striding into the room as if he owned it.
The memory of their rendezvous in the cloak closet came rushing back in gloriously shameful detail. The hot kisses, the frantic shedding of clothes, the quick, powerful thrusts in the inky blackness.
She hiccoughed.
Did he recognize her? Katie kept her head down as she slipped into a leather swivel chair at the far end of the conference table and prayed that he did not.
Max went around the room, introducing him to everyone on the team. When Liam’s eyes lighted on Katie, a bone-clutching chill shot through her, immediately followed by a gush of thrilling heat.
Oh, this was bad.
“Katie,” he said, his voice oozing charm. “It’s nice to see you again.”
What did he mean by that remark?
He shook her hand and her gaze fixed on the now familiar barbed-wire tattoo encircling his wrist. A quick pulse of energy surged between them.
Lightning in a jar.
She jerked her hand back from the contact. His hazel eyes darkened and a slight but suggestive smile tipped his lips.
He knew!
“Hi,” she said because that was all she could manage to squeeze past her constricted throat.
Play it cool and act as if Friday night never happened. You’re going cold turkey.
“You two know each other?” Max arched an eyebrow.
“He’s dating my sister,” Katie explained.
“I’m not.” Liam’s eyes never left her face. “Brooke and I are just friends.”
“Really?”
“Really.” He smiled at her.
Relief washed over Katie, along with a surge of hope and a heightened sense of excitement. Settle down.
Liam turned to Max. “Actually, Katie’s the reason I’m here.”
“Really?” Max said archly.
“I’ve seen the graphic designs she did for the new campaign for Worthington’s Department Store. She’s a very talented artist. You scored big when you hired her.”
Liam’s compliment brought a flush of pride to Katie’s cheeks. Brooke worked for Worthington’s and she must have been the one to show Liam her design.
Max looked at Katie as if seeing her for the first time. “She’s not bad. A bit raw, but maybe she could become great with time and dedication.”
Coming from Max, that was a magnanimous admission.
Liam, broad shouldered and lean hipped, pulled out the chair beside Katie and sat down. Her heart thumped.
My legs have been wrapped around those hips, she thought.
The large conference room suddenly seemed claustrophobically small sitting this close to him, his crisp, masculine scent wafting over her. He smelled startlingly wonderful-like minty toothpaste mingled with rainy autumn days and…sweet, sweet sin.
Max took a seat, as well, steepled his fingertips and leaned forward. “So tell us about your new project, Mr. James.”
“Well,” Liam said, his gaze lingering on Katie so long she was certain he must have guessed her secret identity. She wanted to look away, but she simply could not. “It’s all about sex.”
“SEX?” Katie whispered.
Sex?
What in the devil had made him say that?
Katie Winfield, that’s who.
Liam hadn’t failed to notice the sweet curve of her ass as she’d gracefully eased it down into the plush leather chair. His palms itched to knead her sweet, firm flesh sheathed so provocatively by the silky material of her skirt. The strength of his need was shocking.
She was staring him straight in the eyes, not intimidated in the least by his frank appraisal.
Courageous. He liked that.
His gaze fell to her full, feminine mouth and hung there. God, she had gorgeous lips. It felt as if the conference room were empty and the world had narrowed to just the two of them. Staring into her eyes, Liam recognized the same out-of-control sensation that had gripped him at the masquerade party.
“Sex,” he repeated, as if that’s what he’d intended on saying all along. “I’m renovating downtown warehouses into condos and I want an ad campaign that appeals to hip, young, well-to-do urbanites.”
“And sex sells,” Katie said.
“Exactly.”
“We can do that,” Max Kruger interjected.
“But,” Liam spoke, never taking his gaze off Katie, “I want Katie in as the art director.”
“Katie?” Max sounded nonplussed.
“Me?” Katie squeaked.
“You.”
“Katie’s never served as art director on a campaign,” Max said.
“First time for everything,” Liam replied.
“Max is right,” Katie said. “I’d be out of my league.”
Liam shrugged and started to get up. “All right, if you don’t think you can handle success.”
“Excuse me.” Katie’s eyes sparked.
Had he made her mad?
“Could I speak to you out in the hallway for a moment?”
“Me?” He arched an eyebrow.
“You,” she said curtly.
“Why, sure.” Liam couldn’t stop the grin this time. “Max, do you mind?”
“It’s your dime.” Max waved a hand.
Katie marched out into the hallway. Liam followed leisurely, enjoying the view below her flouncing skirt hem. Damn, but the woman had a gorgeous pair of legs.
She pulled the door closed tight after him, sank her hands on her hips and spun to face him. “What in the hell are you trying to pull?”
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t play innocent with me. I know what you’re up to.”
“You do?”
“Yes, and stop smiling at me.”
“You don’t like being smiled at?”
“Not by you.”
“What’s wrong with me?” He was enjoying teasing her.
“You…you dressed up like Captain Jack and took advantage of my case of mistaken identity.”
“Hey, now-” he raised a finger “-you were the one who pulled me into the closet.”
“So why did you come here today?” She folded her arms protectively over her chest.
“To get an ad campaign rolling for my new condos.”
“Liar.”
“Okay,” he admitted, “that wasn’t the only reason I chose Sharper Designs. I wanted to see you again, Katie, and apologize for what happened in the closet.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for. It happened. It’s over, and now that I know you’re not Brooke’s boyfriend, well, I don’t even have to feel guilty about it anymore, now do I?”
Liam angled his head and studied her face for a long moment. In spite of her words, she was still feeling guilty. “You made quite an impression on me.”
“Let’s get something straight,” she said. “You’re hiring my talents as a graphic designer, nothing more. As far as I’m concerned, Friday never happened. Got it?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You’re still doing it,” she said.
“Doing what?”
“Smiling at me. Stop smiling at me.”
“What’s wrong with smiling?”
“Because you look adorable when you smile.”
“I know,” he said, his grin widening. “I’m trying to be irresistible.”
“It’s not working,” she muttered. “You’re resistible.”
“You are such a bad liar.”
Her earlobes turned pink. She ducked her head, but then peeked up at him from underneath those long eyelashes. His heart slammed when he spied the hint of vulnerability in those blue depths. Her eyes narrowed the world to only him.
Liam felt special.
In a nervous gesture, she slipped her fingers through her hair, and tucked a sleek blond strand behind one perfectly shaped ear. Her breasts rose and fell beneath the V-neck of her crisp white blouse, and he spied the sexy blush of a pink bra underneath the white top.
Oh, yeah, she knew how to get to a man.
She spun another strand of golden hair around an index finger in a graceful motion. Her fingernails, he noted, were painted a soft high-society color of pale rose. She wore a single gold chain around her neck and her earrings were plain gold studs. But everything she had on was of the highest quality. It was the understated attire of a true blue blood.