Meeting His Match

Chapter 5-3

Natalie had enjoyed her day away from TV and cameras and most of all Malcolm. At least she tried to, but then yesterday afternoon she’d received the message that Brad wanted to see her in his office first thing in the morning.

Her immediate thought was that he’d found out she’d crashed Malcolm’s party for Melissa. She spent the rest of her evening rereading her contract to make sure she hadn’t done anything wrong. She was in the clear. No breach of contract that she could find. So Malcolm could just suck it.

Before walking through the door of the studio, she applied a fresh coat of lipstick and fluffed her hair. Gem would not lose this contract. Natalie’s life was circling the drain a bit, so Gem had to hold it together.

In reception, she didn’t even get a chance to sit and relax to gather her thoughts. Malcolm leaned against the wall and smiled when he saw her. She tried to forget the last time she’d seen him. She’d wanted to invite him up to her place.

She’d tried to convince herself it was the alcohol she’d consumed and the fact that he’d been nice to her, but looking at him now, she knew better.

“Good morning,” he said, tucking his phone back in his pocket.

Damn. Even his voice was smooth. First thing in the morning. Life wasn’t fair.

“Is it? A good morning?” she asked. “Did you think that by tattling on me to Brad you’d get rid of me? Think again. I read my contract.”

He angled his head slowly and narrowed his eyes. “Tattled on what exactly?”

“That I crashed your party. What else?” Nat’s stomach flipped. What else indeed?

Malcolm pushed away from the wall in a smooth, graceful motion and stepped closer. He made Nat nervous with the movement. But nervous in a good way, like anticipation, which was horrible.

“You believe your little spying session worried me? I have nothing to hide.” He took another step, putting him as close as they had been the other night outside the bar.

Nat locked her knees so she wouldn’t move. The problem was she wasn’t sure if she’d step away or toward him.

He lowered his head, his mouth close to her ear, and spoke quietly. “How about you? What are you hiding?”

A shiver skated down her spine. “Nothing,” she whispered. Then she swallowed hard.

“They’re ready for you,” the receptionist called. “Conference room one on the left.”

Nat stepped away from Malcolm. This had to stop. She didn’t know what game he was playing, but she didn’t want to be a part. At least that’s what she kept telling herself.

Malcolm turned and held out a hand for her to go first. As she passed, his hand landed on the small of her back, right at the curve of her a*s, like it had the other night. The touch caused a hitch in her stride, and she glanced at him over her shoulder, going for a haughty look.

She wouldn’t let him know the warm brush of his fingers made her heart race.

“Problem?” he asked.

“Not at all.”

They arrived at the room and Malcolm reached around her to open the door.

“Are you always a gentleman?”

He lowered his head again and she braced for the sensation of his breath on her skin. “Not always.” He paused for a blink. “But I do always allow a woman to go first.”

Nat clenched her teeth. Her mind raced at the innuendo and all the ways he would be a gentleman and when he wouldn’t. She inhaled deeply and walked into the conference room.

Brad and Mike sat at the table looking at the screen on the wall. Nat’s heart sank. There she was big as life, crashing Malcolm’s party.

“Come in,” Brad said. “Have a seat.” At least he didn’t sound pissed.

She moved to a chair, but again, Malcolm beat her to it and pulled it out for her. “Thank you.”

He took the seat beside her. Couldn’t he at least have left a chair between them? A little distance so she wouldn’t be able to smell his cologne?

“You’re probably wondering the purpose for this meeting,” Brad started.

Nat pointed to the screen, getting riled up all over again. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t even know the camera crew was aware I was there. I didn’t disrupt anything.”

Under the table, Malcolm’s hand landed on her knee and gave a soothing pat. He leaned his other arm on the table. “Is there a problem?”

“Not at all.” Brad’s face lit up. “Show them,” he said to Mike.

Malcolm slid back in his seat, taking his warm hand with him. Nat watched the screen as the film fast-forwarded.

Mike rolled the tape and paused as Malcolm on screen stalked toward her. The camera closed in on his face. He looked determined, but not pissed.

Since Malcolm was the only one with a mic, their conversation was muted but sound wasn’t needed to know they were arguing.

Then Mike froze the playback. Malcolm and Nat were locked in a staredown.

“Holy crap,” Brad said. “It’s even better the second time. Do you see that? You can’t pay for that kind of chemistry.”

“What?” Nat yelled as her chair slid away from the table.

Without a word, Malcolm reached for the arm of her chair and moved it back into place.

Brad stood and pointed at the screen. “That kind of fire and rivalry. That’s what’s going to make this show.”

“What?” Nat asked again. Yeah, she could see the chemistry on screen. Hell, she lived it every time Malcolm was near. No way would she act on it. Definitely not on tape.

“We need more of this.” Brad tapped the TV. “More of the two of you as competitors. The audience will eat it up.”

Nat’s stomach settled. She’d read the whole thing wrong. “So you want us to fight more?”

“Yes!” Brad was a little too excited at the prospect.

Nat snorted. She shot a look at Malcolm. “That shouldn’t be too difficult.”

Malcolm scooted forward again. “I get what you’re saying here, Brad, and I certainly see the appeal.”

Nat felt his gaze land on her. Her skin prickled with awareness, but she wouldn’t return the look.

“But my concern is for my clients. Isn’t the show supposed to be about them?”

“Yes and no. They’re important, of course, but the show is about how the two of you work, how different you are.” He hitched a thumb at the screen again. “That’s what’s going to sell.”

“Are you going to script these fights?” Nat asked.

Brad took his seat again. “I don’t think that’ll be necessary. There’s enough spark between you two to start a fire.”

“What do you expect?” Malcolm asked.

Nat heard the reservation in his voice. Why would he be nervous? All he had to do was more of the same: piss her off.

“From now on, you’ll be together for all of the events.”

Oh, crap. Without having time to process Brad’s request, she didn’t know what she’d thought, but she hadn’t imagined more time with Malcolm.

She glanced at Malcolm. His smile was full and devilish. He winked at her. Seriously?

Brad slapped his palms against the table and stood. “If there are no other questions, get to work. Exchange numbers and plan the dates for your clients. Use the room as long as you need.” He left with Mike following.

Natalie inhaled through her nose and closed her eyes. Calm didn’t hit her, just another whiff of Malcolm.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Fine.” Determined to do the job, she pulled out her phone and accessed her planner. “I have plans to meet with Jennifer later today and then head to a bar with her.”

One of Malcolm’s eyebrows quirked up. “Okay. Send me the details.”

“Number?” she asked, opening a new contact on her phone. She entered the digits and scrolled back to her planner. “When is your next party?”

“Jennifer’s meet-and-greet is scheduled for Thursday evening. Same time and place.”

Natalie stood, wanting to get away from Malcolm and this whole situation. She had to figure out how to let the sparks fly without getting drawn in by him. With one more look at him before she left, she realized just how hard that would be.