be on the public record.’
He bristled, anger adding to his charisma. ‘You know nothing, Ms Wilding, nothing at all. Nor can you prove anything.’
Unsettled by her body’s unwanted response to him, she went on the offensive. ‘You won’t win. The community will stop at nothing to block this development. I will stop at nothing.’
‘You should be careful of issuing a challenge before you know the cost.’
She held his gaze. ‘I never issue challenges I’m not prepared to defend.’
He straightened up, moved a step closer, his broad shoulders adding intimidation to his considerable height. ‘Playing with fire could get you burnt, Ellie. You’re in the big league now.’
Tall as she was, with the added height of elegant heels, she was still forced to lift her chin. Up this close there were minute flecks of silver in his coal-dark hair, diamond pin-pricks of gold in eyes the colour of burnt mahogany.
‘We’re talking about democratic principles being ignored here and I’ll shout about corruption from the rooftops if needs be.’
‘You’ll regret it.’ His voice was flat, but she couldn’t stop the words tumbling out of her. Adrenalin had given her vocal cords a huge shot of courage and her volume rose. Caution had flown.
‘Regret it? Are you threatening me? No one’s going to let anything happen to me here in the council chambers.’ As if on cue, someone tried one of the smaller doors with a quick rattle. Ellie’s voice rose. ‘I’m going to make damn sure they hear all about your . . .’
Nick spun on his heel and grabbed her wrist, hauling her along after him, effectively jolting her into silence.
‘You have no freakin’ idea what you’re doing,’ he hissed through clenched teeth. ‘Don’t push it, Ellie.’
They made it to the main door just as it opened.
‘I’m sorry, dear, I didn’t realise anyone was in here.’ The grey-haired lady’s cheeks were tinged with pink. Nick still had hold of Ellie’s wrist.
Ellie tore it loose. ‘I’m just leaving, Mrs Clarke. I don’t know about Mr Lawson.’ She didn’t try to hide the venom in the look she shot at him.
‘No need to, Ellie. I was just going to turn out the lights. I’ll see you at the club tomorrow afternoon.’ Mrs Clarke turned and closed the door before Ellie could respond.
Embarrassment made her lash out and she swung at Nicholas, her hand raised in frustration. Before she could work out what to do with it, both hands were caught in a hard grip, the handle of her bag squashed between her fingers.
‘How dare you,’ she snarled, twisting away from him. ‘Let me go, you arrogant jerk.’ But his long, lean hands held her, his thumb over her pulse, and she knew it was thrumming under his touch. Despite her anger, her edgy fear, she could still feel the heat of misplaced attraction. Without her camera to hide behind, her emotions were too close to the surface.
‘Oh indeed, I dare, Miss Ellie. I dare many things.’ He smiled, keeping her anchored, centimetres away from him for a moment longer, those dark eyes sweeping over her. ‘You could only begin to guess at it.’ When he released her, she staggered back against the table, words sticking in her throat as he continued to taunt her.
‘Be good to remember you have no proof of anything other than a campaign donation. You’d look a pretty fool if you tried making anything of that. Grow up and try living in the real world, not one ruled by meaningless headlines and Western platitudes.’
‘You’re despicable,’ she hissed. ‘I don’t care if you can buy and sell this town several times over. You won’t change my mind or my opposition to you and everything you stand for. I’ll do everything in my power to work out exactly what’s going on here. And I won’t stop until I find the truth, whatever the price.’
‘You do what you have to do.’ His easy arrogance ramped her anger up further as he continued. ‘May the best man, or woman, win. Some
He bristled, anger adding to his charisma. ‘You know nothing, Ms Wilding, nothing at all. Nor can you prove anything.’
Unsettled by her body’s unwanted response to him, she went on the offensive. ‘You won’t win. The community will stop at nothing to block this development. I will stop at nothing.’
‘You should be careful of issuing a challenge before you know the cost.’
She held his gaze. ‘I never issue challenges I’m not prepared to defend.’
He straightened up, moved a step closer, his broad shoulders adding intimidation to his considerable height. ‘Playing with fire could get you burnt, Ellie. You’re in the big league now.’
Tall as she was, with the added height of elegant heels, she was still forced to lift her chin. Up this close there were minute flecks of silver in his coal-dark hair, diamond pin-pricks of gold in eyes the colour of burnt mahogany.
‘We’re talking about democratic principles being ignored here and I’ll shout about corruption from the rooftops if needs be.’
‘You’ll regret it.’ His voice was flat, but she couldn’t stop the words tumbling out of her. Adrenalin had given her vocal cords a huge shot of courage and her volume rose. Caution had flown.
‘Regret it? Are you threatening me? No one’s going to let anything happen to me here in the council chambers.’ As if on cue, someone tried one of the smaller doors with a quick rattle. Ellie’s voice rose. ‘I’m going to make damn sure they hear all about your . . .’
Nick spun on his heel and grabbed her wrist, hauling her along after him, effectively jolting her into silence.
‘You have no freakin’ idea what you’re doing,’ he hissed through clenched teeth. ‘Don’t push it, Ellie.’
They made it to the main door just as it opened.
‘I’m sorry, dear, I didn’t realise anyone was in here.’ The grey-haired lady’s cheeks were tinged with pink. Nick still had hold of Ellie’s wrist.
Ellie tore it loose. ‘I’m just leaving, Mrs Clarke. I don’t know about Mr Lawson.’ She didn’t try to hide the venom in the look she shot at him.
‘No need to, Ellie. I was just going to turn out the lights. I’ll see you at the club tomorrow afternoon.’ Mrs Clarke turned and closed the door before Ellie could respond.
Embarrassment made her lash out and she swung at Nicholas, her hand raised in frustration. Before she could work out what to do with it, both hands were caught in a hard grip, the handle of her bag squashed between her fingers.
‘How dare you,’ she snarled, twisting away from him. ‘Let me go, you arrogant jerk.’ But his long, lean hands held her, his thumb over her pulse, and she knew it was thrumming under his touch. Despite her anger, her edgy fear, she could still feel the heat of misplaced attraction. Without her camera to hide behind, her emotions were too close to the surface.
‘Oh indeed, I dare, Miss Ellie. I dare many things.’ He smiled, keeping her anchored, centimetres away from him for a moment longer, those dark eyes sweeping over her. ‘You could only begin to guess at it.’ When he released her, she staggered back against the table, words sticking in her throat as he continued to taunt her.
‘Be good to remember you have no proof of anything other than a campaign donation. You’d look a pretty fool if you tried making anything of that. Grow up and try living in the real world, not one ruled by meaningless headlines and Western platitudes.’
‘You’re despicable,’ she hissed. ‘I don’t care if you can buy and sell this town several times over. You won’t change my mind or my opposition to you and everything you stand for. I’ll do everything in my power to work out exactly what’s going on here. And I won’t stop until I find the truth, whatever the price.’
‘You do what you have to do.’ His easy arrogance ramped her anger up further as he continued. ‘May the best man, or woman, win. Some