"Guthrie would've mentioned we'll be working together."
When his statement received no reply, Cole wasn't entirely surprised. Taryn Quinn was attractive and charming. She was also aloof. Mysterious. As they walked together down the eastern wing of the Hunter Broadcasting building, Cole admitted he was intrigued, as his father knew he would be.
Rod Walker's call was an excuse Guthrie had pounced upon to bring his son and new producer together, despite the fact that Cole was, one, hard-pressed for time and, two, obviously opposed to investing in Ms. Quinn's proposal. Money was too darn tight and Guthrie knew it. But when she'd seemed so indifferent toward him - sitting there demurely with those shapely legs crossed, engrossed in that glossy magazine - blast it, he'd been intrigued all the more. Against better judgment, he'd decided to escort Taryn to her office and see if he couldn't prick that haughty shell.
So far, no good.
Passing an interested group of employees, and still awaiting a response, Cole risked a glance. Taryn was staring at him as if he'd announced science had proven that the moon was indeed made of green cheese. Perhaps she was hard of hearing.
He spoke louder. "I said as long as you're with Hunter Broadcasting, you'll be working under me."
"I'm sorry." Shrugging back slender shoulders draped in an elegant black jacket, she looked dead ahead. "But you're wrong."
Cole's step faltered. Not deaf. Nor had she misunderstood. He threw a suspect glance around. Was there a hidden camera or was she purposely ruffling his feathers?
"You must be aware of my position here - CEO as well as Executive Producer - and that's for every show that comes out of Hunters. I give the nod on budgets, sponsor deals - " his gaze sharpened on her perfect profile " - as well as the overall vision of any given project."
The peaks of her dark blond brows arched as she met his gaze square on. "Guthrie and I have discussed all that. I'll be working directly beneath him."
Cole didn't hide his smirk. He disliked cruelty in any form but he might enjoy setting sassy Ms. Quinn back, flat on her pretty behind. Whatever Guthrie had said, he hadn't worked in that kind of hands-on capacity for years.
Or maybe he should look at this collusion from a different angle. What had Taryn Quinn said or done to get this close to his father? And exactly how close was that?
Suddenly a dozen other questions sprang to mind, like where did Taryn hail from? What was her personal background? Did she have a criminal record? Did she know anything about those murder attempts?
Up ahead, London-born Head of Comedy, Roman Lyons, was strolling out of his office, whistling that same Cockney tune that grated on Cole's nerves like nails down a chalkboard. When Roman first joined Hunters, the two had a disagreement over the direction of a series. Cole had terminated his contract. Guthrie, however, had persuaded Cole to give Lyons another chance. After two years, Cole would concede that Roman did a good job. He'd even stepped in to oversee things a few times when Cole had been called away. But they'd never be best buds.
Now as he and Taryn approached, Lyons issued a casual salute to Cole, but his focus was fixed on Taryn. From the awareness sparkling in Lyons's dark hooded gaze, anyone might think that he knew her.
"This must be the new girl. Taryn, is it?" Lyons offered a knowing wink as well as his hand. "Word gets around."
Cole's jaw jutted. Word hadn't gotten around to him.
"Thanks for the welcome," Taryn said as her hand dropped away. "And you are?"
"Name's Roman Lyons."
"Looks like we'll be neighbors, Mr. Lyons. I drew the office next to yours."
"I was about to grab a cuppa," Lyons went on. "Can I tempt you?"
Taryn's face lit. "I'd kill for coffee."
"Let me guess," Lyons said. "White, one sugar."
Cole growled. Oh, give me a break.
"I'll leave you two to get acquainted." He started off. "I have work to do."
"With Liam Finlay? I saw him headed toward your office a minute ago." Roman straightened the knot of his tie as if he were loosening a noose. "He didn't look happy, if you don't mind me saying."
Cole bit back a curse. Liam Finlay wasn't a man to keep waiting, particularly today. Finlay was CEO for Australia's most popular football league. Hunter Broadcasting had held the cable broadcast rights to the majority of that league's games until five years ago, when Guthrie and Finlay had suffered a major falling-out. This year those coveted rights were back up for grabs. Cole had had a hard time getting Finlay to even talk. At this juncture, he couldn't afford any perceived insults, like letting his guest sit around twiddling his thumbs.
In a near-sincere tone, Taryn said, "Thanks for taking the time, Mr. Hunter. I'm sure I'll be fine from here."
A pulse point in Cole's temple began to throb. He had to get to that meeting. But, dammit, he wasn't finished with Ms. Quinn just yet.
As Roman sauntered off, Taryn entered her new office, which was decked out with teak furniture and the latest tech equipment, including visual and audio state of the art. But she moved directly to the floor-to-ceiling windows. He imagined he heard her sigh as she drank in the billion-dollar harbor view, complete with iconic coat-hanger bridge and multistory-high Opera House shells.
Letting his gaze rake over the silken fall of her hair and the tantalizing curves concealed beneath that smart blue skirt, Cole leaned a shoulder against the doorjamb.
"You have qualifications other than in television production, Ms. Quinn?"
"I've worked in TV since attaining my Arts Business degree."
"Then you'd have experience - held positions - in other areas within the industry, correct?"
"I started out as a junior production assistant and worked up through the ranks."
"And my father was - " he scanned her skirt again " - suitably impressed by your credentials?"
When she angled around, her smile was lazy, assured. "As a matter of fact, Guthrie was more than impressed."
"I make a point of having all my employees' backgrounds screened, management particularly."
"Heavens, you must have skeletons jumping out of closets all over the place."
His mouth hooked up at one side. Cute.
He crossed his arms. "Any skeletons in your closet, Ms. Quinn?"
"We all have secrets, although they're rarely of interest to anyone else."
"I have a feeling I'd be interested in yours."
Those big blue eyes narrowed then she strolled up to him, the deliberate sway in her walk meant to challenge. When she was close enough for the scent of her perfume to tease his nostrils, she stopped and set her hands on her hips. Cole exhaled. Poor Ms. Quinn. Didn't she know he ate novices like her for breakfast?
"I've taken up enough of your time," she told him. "Don't keep your guest waiting. I'm sure your father will be along soon."
He grinned. Damn, he could play with her all day, if only he had the time - which he didn't. He pushed off the jamb.
"My father might have employed you, but I'm the one in charge of the books, and if your show doesn't perform, production stops. That is, if I allow it to get off the ground in the first place."
A shadow darkened her eyes. "My show will not only launch, it will be a new season smash. We're bringing in A-list guests."
"Been done."
"Choosing destinations that are considered rough as well as luxurious."
"Old."
"The host I have in mind is the most popular in the country. Voted Australia's most eligible with a string of hits under his belt."
Cole's gaze flicked to her naturally bee-stung lips. "That's the best you can offer?"
He imagined her quiver, as if a bolt of red-tipped annoyance had zapped straight up her spine. "I have a signed copy of the approved proposal as well as a contract setting my salary."
"A contract which will be paid out unless your pilot is fresher than tomorrow's headline news."
An emotion akin to hatred flashed in her eyes. "Perhaps I should put a call through to my lawyer."
"Perhaps you should."
Any space separating them seemed to shrink while the awareness simmering in that steamy void began to crackle and smoke. Taryn Quinn whipped up his baser instincts to a point where he could forget she was an employee. In fact, right now he was evaluating her through the crosshairs of a vastly different lens. She pretended to be cool, in control. Would she be so restrained in the bedroom? Instinct said she'd set the sheets on fire.
She was saying, "And if I were to come up with something you hadn't seen before?"
He gifted her with a slow smile. "Then, Ms. Quinn, I'd be happy to visit it."
He asked that she get the original and revised proposal to him as soon as she had something that would knock his socks off. But as Cole made his way down the corridor toward his office and Liam Finlay, he berated himself. Normally in these kinds of situations he wasn't distracted by sex appeal; that was playboy Dex's vice. But the challenging blue depths of Taryn Quinn's eyes, the impudent tilt of her slightly upturned nose, the fact he knew in his gut she was hiding something...
Thinking of those flaming sheets, Cole admitted, he was looking forward to prying open her closets.
"What do you think of the Commander?"
Familiarizing herself with her office LCD TV, Taryn glanced up. Roman Lyons had returned with two steaming cups in tow. Remote control in one hand, she accepted the coffee he offered while she grinned at Roman's nickname for Cole.
"Cole obviously likes to run a tight ship," she conceded.
"As much as he likes introducing newcomers to his infamous plank."
"Sounds as if you speak from experience."
"Cole has his fans - " bringing the cup to his mouth, Roman arched a brow " - as well as his foes."
"Which side do you fall on?"
"On the 'keeping my job' side. To survive in this industry, you need to roll with the punches. But you've been around. You'd know all that." He nodded at the static on the screen and gestured at the control. "This office was vacant for a while. I'll tweak the settings."
She handed over the control and watched as he concentrated to tune in channels, including internal feeds. Roman Lyons was good-looking in a saucy Hugh Grant kind of way. Certainly friendly, helpful and with a sense of humor, too. No wonder he rubbed "Trouble" the wrong way.
"Tell me how you came to be at Hunters," Roman said, as his thumb danced over the remote's keys.
"I had a long stint at the last network I worked for." She mentioned the name and recited a few of their shows. "Last year, one of the executive producers asked for ideas for new series. He was interested in a couple of mine but ultimately passed. In the meantime another network approached me."
"The industry does like to poach."
"I declined their offer of an interview. I was happy where I was. But management heard about the communication and when information about a new show was leaked, they questioned my loyalty." Remembering the scene when that EP had dressed her down, she shuddered and blew out a breath. Her direct boss was livid at his protegee's treatment, but he had a family to feed. She'd insisted he not get involved. "That afternoon, my desk was packed up and I was out on the curb."
Roman collected a second control off the stand. "TV is not for the faint of heart."
"I could have filed a suit for unfair dismissal. But I decided to rise above it, take the payout and move on."
"What happened to the network that wanted to poach you?"
"That position was already filled. But I knew my ideas would fly somewhere else. After wallowing for a couple of weeks, I plucked up the nerve to call here and speak to Guthrie directly."
As she took a sip from her cup, Roman handed back the first control. "Good for you."
"Frankly, I almost fell off my chair when he asked me to come in for an interview. I was even more blown away when he gave my show the green light straightaway." Thoughtful, she ran a thumb over the remote's keys. "I was on such a high, so convinced I'd do a great job, but after meeting Cole, I have to wonder if that green light is fast turning red." She set the remote down on the corner of her desk. "Roman, can you set me straight on something? Because I'm a little confused. Which Hunter is in charge here? I know control of the branches of the company was split a few years ago between the three sons, but I assumed Guthrie still pulled all the strings."
Beneath a flop of dark sandy hair, Roman's high brow creased. Then he held up a cautionary hand and, although they'd been speaking quietly, he crossed to close the door.
"Word is that after his wife's death," Roman said, moving back, "Guthrie lost all heart. No one knows for sure, but if you put it to a vote, most will say he gave up all control."
"You mean Guthrie has no say? What's he doing then, hiring me?"
"Guthrie was down for a while but when he married again, he got his wind back. Staff here were chuffed. It was as if he'd got another chance at life and he didn't intend to waste a minute. The wedding was big, expensive - " he hiked a brow " - and fast."
Of course Taryn remembered the publicity surrounding that big day, a huge celebrity bash with a bride who had looked thirty years the groom's junior - which was nobody's business but their own.
"At my interview, Guthrie seemed genuinely excited and behind my show," she said.
"Then he must believe in it."
"While his son's hand is twitching on the guillotine rope. He told me unless I can come up with an extraordinary twist, I'm out."
Roman thought for a long moment before giving a mischievous smile. He purposefully set down his empty cup. "Right-o. We need sketch pads. Markers. A plan."
She blinked and then brightened. "As in you and me 'we'?"
"Two heads, and all that. What say we come up with a twist that hits Cole right where he bloody well lives? He'll either love it or..."
"Or he'll love it." He had to. Taryn moved to scoop her laptop out from its bag. "Let's get started."