Kalinda felt her blush deepening and she could no longer meet his eyes, even through the partial veil of her lashes. She remembered her unwise surrender only too well. What really worried her now was the flash of pure happiness she’d experienced when she’d opened her door a few minutes ago and found him standing there.
„You have to admit we do come from two different worlds, Rand,“ she managed a little grimly.
„Which is a polite way of saying you don’t admire my lifestyle,“ he retorted dryly. „I’m here to change all that I’m going to prove myself to you, sweetheart And your ex-fiance has put the tool I need right into my hands. You admire successful, dynamic, aggressive businessmen? Okay, I’ll show you I can wheel and deal in your world with the best of them. Don’t worry, Kalinda, you won’t have to be ashamed of our affair. You’ll be giving yourself to a man who can out-shark anyone on the business street!“
„Rand! This is crazy. I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I certainly have no intention of… of continuing what should never have been started up there in the mountains. I do not routinely indulge in affairs, for heaven’s sake! I haven’t been even remotely serious about any man since my engagement with David ended.“
„Except me,“ he pointed out, smiling. „Or are you going to stand there and tell me you weren’t perfectly serious that morning in the mountains?“
Kalinda glared at him, aware that he was deliberately goading her and still too confused and upset by the combination of the day’s events to think clearly enough to flatten him verbally.
She was desperately trying to concoct a suitable response when Harold Sebastian and his wife emerged from the crowd with pleasantly expectant expressions.
„Kalinda, my dear, you must introduce us to your new guest“ Tall, stately, and silver-haired, Harold beamed complacently down at her. While she was his superior at Brady Data Processing, his long association with her father had given him a decidedly paternalistic air toward the new president of the firm. It was an attitude Kalinda encountered from many of the longtime employees of the firm. They gave her their loyalty and even admired her ability, but they never quite let her forget they all considered themselves honorary uncles and aunts.
„I’m afraid my arrival was something of a surprise for Kalinda,“ Rand said smoothly, thrusting out a polite hand. „I’m Rand Alastair.“
„Harold Sebastian. This is my wife, Edna,“ Harold said genially. „Alastair,“ he repeated with a thoughtful look. „That name sounds familiar. Have we met?“
„No, I don’t believe so. But I can assure you the name is going to sound a lot more familiar in the future. I’m going to be working for Kalinda.“
Kalinda froze as Harold’s inquiring, interested gaze switched to her. „I see. In what capacity?“
„I’ll, uh, be explaining Mr. Alastair’s role to everyone tomorrow morning,“ she got out weakly, feeling trapped. „He will be with us in a very limited, short-term capacity,“ she added spitefully as Rand shot her an amused look.
„Well, well, I’ll look forward to having you with us, Rand. You won’t find a nicer boss in town!“ Harold assured him with a vast chuckle.
„Like father, like daughter,“ Edna Sebastian added warmly. „Everyone at the company is delighted that she took over the reins two years ago. Just ask anyone in the room!“ Edna waved gaily at the crowd behind them.
„I’m sure I shall thoroughly enjoy my association with her, also,“ Rand said glibly, his eyes still on Kalinda’s studiously composed face.
He grinned down at her as the Sebastians faded back into the crowd. „You seemed to be well-liked by your staff,“ he drawled.
„It’s positively feudal at times,“ she sighed, acknowledging the truth. „We’re a publicly owned company but somehow everyone still thinks of it as a family firm.“
„How long ago did you go public with your stock?“ he asked, suddenly serious.
„Almost as soon as I took over. We needed capital and we needed it badly. I had to convince everyone that it was a clear turnaround situation, make investors think that they could get in on the ground floor of a company that was about to make a big comeback. I’ve never worked so hard in all my life!“
„I’ll bet,“ he nodded assessingly. „The stock is now widely held?“
„Yes, I’m afraid so.“ She winced. „Not so long ago I was glad of that!“
„Now you realize that it just makes it easier for Hutton to buy up shares. You don’t have any large controlling blocks sitting in friendly hands.“
„You needn’t look so superior. I had no choice at the time! 1 couldn’t get the loans I needed from the banks. There was no choice but to raise capital by selling shares in the firm!“
„You don’t have to defend your actions to me, sweetheart,“ he murmured caressingly. „I understand completely.“
She fixed him with a narrow glance. „Just how much do you understand? Who are you, Rand? Why does Harold think he remembers your name? How do you come to have contacts high enough in the business world to find out what Hutton’s doing even before I do?“
„It’s a long story, honey. Remind me to tell it to you later. For now, though, I think we’d better circulate. People are beginning to notice that I’m getting your undivided attention!“
He put a hand firmly under her elbow and waded into the crowd. Kalinda felt herself helplessly swept along, her thoughts in a turmoil, her heart beating a little too fast and her nerves singing a tune on the ragged edge of an emotion she didn’t want to admit to feeling.
But she knew how to deal with a crowd of business-oriented people. By the time the last of the guests had regretfully taken his leave, Kalinda would have been willing to wager that none of them had guessed at her inner uncertainty and confusion. She was aware, however, that more than one knowing glance had absorbed the fact that Rand seldom left her side during the evening. She saw the assessing look in Colin Wayne’s eyes although he was cordial when he, was introduced. Rand paid him no particular attention, apparently oblivious to the querying glance in the other man’s gaze.
Kalinda was also conscious of the pleased speculation from the members of her own staff in the crowd and the curious, smiling looks from others. And some, like Harold, looked as if they could almost place Rand.
It seemed like forever before she gratefully closed the door on the last guest and turned to see Rand pouring himself a snifter of cognac. He had drunk very little during the course of the evening and he looked as if he were anticipating the nightcap with relish.
She watched grimly as he lowered himself into an apricot chair and put up his feet He saluted her briefly with the glass in his hand.
„I must thank you for an interesting evening, honey. I trust I didn’t embarrass you with my unsophisticated mountain manners?“
She started forward, not certain yet how she was going to deal with him but knowing she must handle matters firmly. „You know very well you fit in as if you’d been in the business world all your adult life!“
He took a tentative sip of cognac as she came to a halt in front of him, his green-and-gold eyes laughing up at her.
„To the manner born,“ he intoned. „Except for the past year and a half.“
She fit her hands to her hips, the silk dress soft beneath her fingers. „I would like an explanation, Rand. Is that too much to ask?“