Promised

‘He’s emotionally unavailable.’

I stop and turn, watching the thoughtful look on his face for a few moments before I speak. ‘Is there a purpose to this?’ I ask outright, finding my annoyance advancing my poise. Miller has told me the very same thing, but I’m finding emotions in him. Maybe not the regular way, but they’re there.

He smiles, and it’s a sincere smile, but it’s also a smile that suggests I’m blind, naive and way out of my depth. ‘A sweet thing like you shouldn’t be getting caught up in this world.’

‘What gives you the impression that I’m sweet?’ I ask, my annoyance growing. And what does he mean by ‘this world’? Clubs? Drinking? He shakes his head and returns to his paperwork, not giving me an answer to my question. ‘Tony, what do you mean?’

‘I mean . . .’ He pauses and sighs, looking up. ‘You’re a distraction that he could do without.’

‘A distraction?’

‘Yes. He needs to focus.’

‘On what?’ I ask.

Tony lifts his stocky body from the barstool and gathers his papers, slipping his pen behind his ear and taking his bottle of beer. ‘This world,’ he says simply, turning and wandering across the club.

I stand motionless as I watch the distance between us grow, feeling completely perplexed. Maybe distraction is exactly what Miller needs. He works hard, he’s stressed and he needs me to de-stress at the end of the day. I want to do that. I want to help him.

Looking down into the two glasses I’m holding, I notice the heat of my palm around the martini glass has melted the ice somewhat, but I don’t replace it. Diana Low can have a martini on melted rocks. I head back to Miller’s office.

His eyes are on the door as I enter, and Diana is pacing his office, doing an amazing job of swaying her arse, while the photographer just looks plain bored, slumped in his chair.

I take Miller his Scotch, placing it in his hand, rather than on the desk, because I have no clue where on his desk I should put it. ‘Thank you,’ he almost sighs, patting his lap for me to take a seat. I’m a little stunned by his casual demand in a business meeting, but I don’t protest.

I follow his cue and lower my bum to his knee and watch in silent amusement as Diana Low takes in the situation. I can’t help a little power play of my own, holding her martini out so she has to come to me to get it.

As soon as the glass leaves my hand, Miller has his arm around my waist and tugs me back against his chest.

Diana Low makes a terrible job of smiling warmly at me as she composes herself. ‘I guess I’ll need to change the title of my article.’

‘What was the title of your article, Miss Low?’ Miller asks coolly.

‘Well, it was “London’s most eligible bachelor opens London’s most prestigious club”.’

Miller stiffens beneath me. ‘Yes.’ He downs the rest of his drink and positions the glass on his desk with utter accuracy. ‘Change it.’

She gets all flustered and sits back down in the chair opposite Miller’s desk. London’s most eligible bachelor? Miller has confirmed, but it’s still nice to hear someone else acknowledge that he’s single. Or was.

She frowns as she places her glass on Miller’s desk, making him stiffen and me stiffen as a result of Miller’s stiffness.

‘Would you mind?’ I move forward and reclaim the glass, pushing it back in her hand. ‘No coaster and the desk is very expensive.’

She flicks her confusion to Miller’s empty tumbler that is on the desk without a coaster . . . but it’s in the right place. ‘Sorry,’ she replies, taking the glass.

‘No problem.’ I smile, making it as insincere as hers, feeling Miller squeeze his thanks.

‘So let’s finish up,’ she says, struggling to hold her glass while attempting to make notes on her pad. ‘On what basis do you approve membership to your club?’

‘Payment,’ Miller answers, short and tiredly, making me smile.

‘And how do potential members apply?’

‘They don’t.’

She looks up again, confused. ‘So how do you obtain membership?’

‘You have to be nominated by an existing member.’

‘Doesn’t that limit your clientele?’ she asks.

‘Not at all. I already have over two thousand members and we opened less than a week ago. Now we have a waiting list.’

‘Oh.’ She looks disappointed, but then smiles suggestively and crosses her legs slowly. ‘And what would one need to do to skip the waiting list?’

I screw my face up in disgust at her brashness, the shameless hussy. ‘Yes, what would one need to do, Miller?’ I ask, turning to look at him and pouting my lips.

His eyes sparkle, the corners of his mouth lifting ever so slightly as he directs his gaze back to Diana Low. ‘Do you know any members, Miss Low?’

She smiles brighter. ‘I know you.’

I have to force the cough of shock back down my throat. Can she see me?

‘You don’t know me, Miss Low,’ Miller states, low and harsh. ‘Not many people do.’

The photographer shifts uncomfortably in his seat and Diana Low reddens with embarrassment. I’m guessing she doesn’t get knocked back very often, and I’m wondering whether Miller should be so hostile when she’s going to be writing a piece on him and his new club. His words don’t have the same effect on me, though, because I do know him.

‘Photo!’ Diana shrieks, jumping up from her chair and placing her drink down again, obviously forgetting my previous request in her fluster.

I quickly scoop it up before Miller starts twitching and stand to the side so the photographer can get what he needs. I watch as Miller stands and starts brushing down the creases in his suit, huffing and puffing to himself as he does. That’s my fault, distracting him from dragging out the ironing board so he can perfect his appearance, even though he really doesn’t need to. He always looks perfect.

He casts an accusing gaze in my direction and mouths, ‘Your fault.’

I break out in a big smile, shrugging and mouthing ‘sorry’ back.

‘Don’t be,’ he says aloud, ‘I’m not.’ He winks, nearly knocking me from my feet, before repositioning himself in his big chair, unfastening the button of his jacket and nodding to the photographer. ‘Ready when you are.’

‘Great.’ He prepares his camera and takes a few steps back. ‘We’ll leave the TV screens in place. I was thinking a few more things on your desk, though.’

‘Like what?’ Miller asks, horror beginning to surface at the potential of someone messing with his clear surface.

‘Some paperwork,’ he replies, taking Diana’s pad and positioning it to the left of Miller. ‘Perfect.’

It’s not perfect at all. Even I can see it’s wonky, the edge of the paper not parallel to the edge of the desk, and Miller’s swift rearrangement of the pad confirms it. ‘Get on with it, then,’ he grunts, trying to relax back in his chair and failing. He’s fidgety.

It seems like the photographer spends forever aiming and clicking at my poor Miller, who looks ready to explode with stress. He’s directed from one position to another, the guy rounds his desk and gets a shot of the TV monitors with Miller casually observing the screens, and then he asks him to sit on the edge of the desk, all casual with his ankles and arms crossed. It’s killing him, and the final straw comes when he’s asked to smile.

He looks over at me in disbelief, like how dare they ask such a thing. ‘We’re done,’ he snaps irritably, buttoning up his jacket and collecting the pad that’s been poisoning the perfection of his desk for too long. ‘Thank you for your time.’ He shoves the pad at Diana Low and strides over to the door, swinging it open and gesturing for them to leave.

Neither the journalist nor the photographer hangs around, both moving quickly across Miller’s office to the door. ‘Thank you.’ Diana stops short of the door and gazes up at Miller. ‘Hope to see you around.’

I’m stunned and wondering if this is normal behaviour. She’s incorrigible. ‘Goodbye,’ Miller retorts with utter finality, sending the brash journalist on her way, just as another woman strides into his office.

Miller’s business associate.

Cassie.

She appears to be in a fluster and out of breath, but it diminishes the second she claps eyes on Diana Low within touching distance of Miller. Cassie’s eyes narrow on the brash journalist. ‘I said he wasn’t available for interviews.’

‘Yes, I know.’ Diana isn’t perturbed by the hostility pouring from Cassie’s designer-adorned figure. ‘But you were clearly mistaken because a few further calls revealed that he was.’ She turns back to Miller and smiles seductively. ‘Bye for now.’ Her hand raises and waves before she turns a snide look on Cassie as she sashays out of Miller’s office, and once she has disappeared, I know Cassie’s cattish mood is about to be turned on me.

She swings around and for the first time seems to register my presence. ‘What’s she doing here?’ she spits, looking to Miller for an answer. I recoil in shock, as does Miller.

‘Keep your nose out,’ Miller says calmly, taking her arm and leading her to the door.

‘I care about you,’ she argues, not putting up much of a fight, her words confirming my suspicions.

‘Don’t waste your energy, Cassie.’ He pushes her out gently and the door to his office slams shut, sending me a few centimetres back on a frightened jump. He said to trust him and I should have. He really has sent her on her way. He swings to face me, looking grumpy and harassed. ‘I’m stressed out,’ he proclaims on a bark, stating the obvious and sending me on another little jump across the carpet.

‘Would you like me to get you another drink?’ I ask, for the first time thinking that perhaps Miller drinks too much. Or has that just been since he met me?

‘I don’t need a drink, Livy.’ His tone has taken on a throaty edge, and his eyes have landed on me with a bang. ‘I think you know what I need.’

My blood reheats under his primal stare, my whole sexual being becoming aware and responsive. God help me when he touches me. ‘De-stressing,’ I whisper, looking up through my lashes as he stalks slowly towards me.

‘You’re like therapy to me.’ He reaches me and swoops down, kissing me with purpose and meaning, moaning and mumbling into my mouth as his tongue works mine fluidly. My mind immediately scrambles. ‘I love kissing you.’

We’re in his office. I don’t want to be in his office. I want to be in his bed. ‘Take me home.’

‘It’ll take too long. I need de-stressing now.’

‘Please.’ I rest my hands on his shoulders and pull away. ‘You make me feel stressed when you’re all uptight.’

He sighs deeply and drops his head, letting loose the wayward curl. It calls for me to push it back from his forehead, so I do, taking the chance while I’m in the vicinity of his hair to feel all of it. I feel privileged that this complex man has designated me the role of de-stressing him, and I’ll relish doing it whenever need be, but I can see there are ways in which he can do this for himself.

‘I apologise,’ he murmurs. ‘Your request has been noted.’

‘Thank you. Take me to your bed.’

‘As you wish.’ He looks down at his suit, scowling at the few creases as he tries to smooth them out. He gives up on an exasperated sigh and cocks his head when he catches me smiling.

‘What’s so amusing?’

‘Nothing.’ I shrug nonchalantly and set about smoothing myself down. It’s a terribly sarcastic act, but when I glance up and see that Miller has pulled an ironing board from a concealed cupboard in the wall and is busy setting it up, my amusement soon abates. ‘You’re not?’