Книга - Her Millionaire Boss

Her Millionaire Boss
Jennie Adams


Chrissy Gable is determined notto be charmed by her handsome new boss Nate Barrett–he has a playboy reputation!But she quickly begins to realize why Nate is so irresistible to women–and it's not just his bank balance that's so attractive!Soon Chrissy finds herself tempted to stay after hours with Nate–even if that means risking her heart….







“Kiss me again, Christianna.”

Nate bent his head once more and acknowledged the need. For fulfillment in her, yes. Definitely that. But for other things, too. Undefined things that even now threatened him in ways he couldn’t comprehend.

“Nate.” Just his name, breathed out on the same kind of sexy little sigh that had tortured him once before.

Her response made him crazy and his imagination went wild. He pictured them together at his cottage, making love night after night.

Except Nate didn’t do night after night, with all it entailed. It was too easy to forget it in her arms. He fought for sanity. Fought to keep from losing himself. From free-falling into something that came as close to scaring him as anything could.


JENNIE ADAMS

Australian author Jennie Adams grew up in a rambling farmhouse surrounded by books, and by people who loved reading them. She decided at a young age to be a writer, but it took many years and a lot of scenic detours before she sat down to pen her first romance novel. Jennie is married with two adult children, and has worked in a number of careers and voluntary positions, including transcription typist and preschool assistant. Jennie makes her home in a small inland city in New South Wales. In her leisure time she loves long, rambling walks, starting knitting projects that she rarely finishes, chatting with friends, trips to the movies and new dining experiences




Her Millionaire Boss

Jennie Adams







www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


Dear Reader,

Like Chrissy Gable in this book, I enjoy growing plants and flowers—and, like Chrissy, I meet with mixed success. My latest gardening projects include six strawberry plants yielding lovely fruit—and two producing brown blobs—and a small flower garden, which I confess looks better since my daughter took over most of its care.

I love to hear from readers, and can be contacted through my Web site at www.jennieadams.net

Jennie Adams


For Mark, because my world needs your light.

For my children, my treasures always.

And for “the bats”—you know who you are.




CONTENTS


CHAPTER ONE (#u97a1475b-6d09-595d-8d7b-318320f79662)

CHAPTER TWO (#uf29be136-9a02-56a7-8c2f-e29a83b7414e)

CHAPTER THREE (#uc13cf4de-0c09-5585-b98a-168e4f9e81eb)

CHAPTER FOUR (#udf8be1d5-cfd0-57cd-9162-dc3e44907f39)

CHAPTER FIVE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER SIX (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)

EPILOGUE (#litres_trial_promo)




CHAPTER ONE


‘YOU’RE not going into Henry’s sick room, Margaret. Not like this.’ Not with a lawyer at her side and greed all over her face.

Chrissy Gable took a deep breath of antiseptic-laden hospital air, and looked her boss’s second wife right in her calculating eyes. ‘His health is too precarious to risk upsetting him. Surely you can understand that?’

With her heart pounding hard, Chrissy faced the other woman. Even the usual weight of waist-length hair bundled onto her head and bound with a couple of chopsticks felt leaden at this moment. If Margaret had cared even the slightest bit for her elderly husband’s health…

Instead, she had delayed her return to Melbourne until the end of her vacation at Mount Selwyn. Why let duty interfere with her fun?

Henry didn’t deserve a wife like Margaret. He hadn’t deserved to be deserted by his grandson six years ago, either.

Nate Barrett had transferred to the overseas arm of the company just weeks before Chrissy had commenced working for Henry. The man had shucked his grandfather off like excess baggage, even though Henry had all but raised him as a son.

Chrissy had wondered if her boss would ever get over the hurt. Henry may have been recently married, but Nate’s leaving had shredded the older man’s heart. Chrissy had made it her task to help her boss through the pain. She and Henry had formed a deep bond. She would watch over him now, too.

‘Get out of my way,’ Margaret grated.

I don’t think so. Margaret might have tricked Henry long enough once to get a ring on her finger. He might now be too proud, gentlemanly or inexplicably smitten to cast the fifty-year-old off.

To Chrissy’s mind, however, the woman lacked decidedly in redeeming features. ‘Lose the lawyer, and I’ll be happy to move.’

‘I’m Henry’s wife.’ Margaret’s hands curled into fists. ‘I have every right—’

‘Every right to what? Upset him? Cause a second stroke that could be fatal?’ Did Margaret’s greed know no bounds? ‘He’s too ill to deal with a lawyer right now, so I suggest you take your Power of Attorney form and—’

‘How do you know…?’ Margaret broke off and pushed forward. ‘Out of my way. You’re just his secretary.’

The man at her side followed.

‘It’s PA, actually, and I’m not shifting.’ Chrissy held her ground in front of the closed door of the hospital room but her nerves screamed. She couldn’t let Margaret coerce Henry into signing anything. Nor could she allow the woman to have Henry declared mentally unfit.

She had to stop this, but how? One thought formed. Desperately, she snatched at it. ‘Henry came around. Was completely lucid. Earlier. While I sat with him.’

A guilty heat stole into her face at the fib, but oh, how she wished it could be true. ‘He’s perfectly capable of looking after his own affairs.’

‘That’s a lie.’ Margaret leaned forward, her thin mouth pinched. ‘He’s been as good as a vegetable since they brought him here yesterday.’

Righteous anger roared through Chrissy at Margaret’s callous attitude. ‘If I’d started work for him just a few months earlier, I’d have stopped you ever getting your snares…’ She broke off. ‘You seem to think you know an awful lot about his condition, for someone who’s only just arrived.’

‘A nurse—’ Margaret clamped her lips shut, but Chrissy got the picture. Margaret had wasted no time in ensuring she had a spy in the place.

‘Mrs Montbank has rights,’ the lawyer announced. ‘You are attempting to stand in the way of her exercising those rights.’

‘Mr Montbank has rights, too.’ Forget the slimy legal eagle, she thought, and instead she turned to Margaret again. ‘I repeat, I won’t let you in. You just want to shove Henry into Assisted Care and go your merry way, spending all his money.’

‘How dare you?’ Air hissed through Margaret’s clenched teeth. The truth of Chrissy’s accusations filled her eyes. ‘What do you know? Who’s told you—?’

‘Mrs Montbank.’ The lawyer stepped forward. ‘Let me handle this.’

‘Don’t bother.’ Chrissy spread herself before the closed door. Feet apart. Arms out. In the most threatening manner she could manage, she waggled her head and deployed the only defence she had. ‘Observe the headgear. Those are real porcelain chopsticks in there. I’ll use them if I have to!’

Margaret almost laughed, then her eyes narrowed. ‘Are you threatening me?’

‘I simply know that Henry would never willingly give you control of anything more than your budgeted allowance, Margaret—not of his personal funds, and certainly not of his business dealings. I’ll testify to it if I have to.’

‘You little tramp.’ Fury radiated from Margaret. ‘You’re probably sleeping with him, hoping to take him from me.’ She raised a clawed hand.

Now, that was too much. How dared Margaret insult Henry that way? How dared she insult Chrissy’s relationship with her boss? Without conscious thought, Chrissy raised her arm toward the buried chopsticks.

‘Thanks for holding the fort while I got some air, sweetheart.’ A man strode toward the group. Tall. Compelling. Effortlessly confident.

His turbulent blue gaze locked with hers. ‘Showing off your hairstyling abilities again, huh?’

He gave an indulgent grin that didn’t reach his eyes. ‘You shouldn’t dislodge those valuable antique chopsticks though, babe. What if you dropped one and it shattered?’

Babe? Sweetheart? Antique chopsticks? Who was this man? He made absolutely no sense. Yet the tone of his voice, the slight caress in it, the height and breadth and strength of him, all swamped her senses.

Muted sounds of hospital, of metal trolleys on polished floors, of professionals conferring in lowered tones dimmed. She saw only the man before her. Heard only her heartbeat, drumming her confusion and awareness.

When the warning in his gaze gave way to sensual heat, she knew he felt the connection, too. Long moments of still, silent acknowledgement passed between them.

She didn’t know this man, yet everything within her screamed that she did. That she had always known him, and would always know him.

‘Missed me?’ He clasped her raised arm, drew it up and around until her fingers speared into the crisp black hair at his nape. His hand covered hers, held it there as her anger subsided and confusion and awareness rose.

‘Um, well—’

‘Indeed.’ One kiss on her forehead. Another pressed against the crease at the side of her mouth. A hint of lemon and ginger on his breath.

She tasted the flavour of it from the side of her mouth with her tongue.

His gaze followed the movement, darkened, then turned to warning as hot, firm lips moved to whisper into her ear. ‘Your name?’

‘Christianna. Chrissy. Gable. Chrissy Gable.’ Or should that be Chrissy Gabble? Her thoughts struggled through the veil of weariness and stress. Struggled to come to terms with him.

This knight errant. This rescuer who had scorched her with a look and the barest of touches. Only one identity made any sense, but it couldn’t be. No way would he have bothered to come back. When people left like that, they never returned. And she would never have this sort of feeling for—

‘Ah. Henry’s PA. I should have known.’ Lean fingers traced across her skin with an exploratory insistence that belied the businesslike tone of his words.

Chrissy’s eyelids drooped behind her glasses. Just when she thought she would give in to the call of her senses and tilt her face completely into his hand, he stopped and shifted away. Cleared his throat. Blanked his face into a mask of calm determination as he faced the tableau of lawyer and avaricious wife.

‘Get rid of the lawyer, Margaret, as Chrissy has suggested. Then you can see Henry. Otherwise, there’s nothing you can achieve here.’

Margaret puffed up angrily. ‘He’s my husband—’

‘Yes. And he’ll be watched over very carefully during every moment of his recovery. Do you understand?’

A look passed between him and Margaret. Burning anger on his part. Some other sort of burning on hers. Chrissy shivered at the impact of those clashing looks.

Margaret’s hard stare glanced off her, and turned back to the man at her side. Shifted subtly into something else. ‘You haven’t even been in the country. What is she to you?’

He looked at Chrissy, looked back to Margaret. ‘It’s none of your business.’

‘You didn’t think that way once.’

‘You’re delusional.’ He examined her face with a passionless look of his own.

Margaret looked as though she would like to say more, then clamped her mouth into an unflattering line. ‘This isn’t the end. I’ll see my husband with a thousand lawyers, if I want to.’ She spun and walked away, her companion silent at her side.

Chrissy reached for a businesslike approach to counteract the way this man had made her feel. Even now, she struggled to accept that he had brought out such reactions in her.

‘You’re Nate Barrett. Henry’s grandson.’ It was the only thing that made sense. No way would Margaret have given way to anyone else. Not even for a moment.

He inclined his head. ‘I’m afraid you had the advantage over me at first.’

Despite what Chrissy might have thought of Nate Barrett in past years, despite how he had made her feel just now, he had to be informed. ‘Margaret was trying to get Power of Attorney, or get Henry declared unfit. I’m not sure exactly which, but I doubt she would stop at much to get what she wants.’

The woman’s greed was legendary. ‘I discovered by accident that Henry put her on a budget twelve months ago, but her behaviour hasn’t changed much. Except to reveal her bitterness. I hate to think what could happen if she got control within the company, or of Henry’s personal funds.’

‘She won’t be allowed to try to get at him or his money again.’ He said it with absolute conviction.

Chrissy could see the similarities to Henry now. Nate shared the tall stature, the breadth of shoulders. The Montbank stamp had honed his features into a strong, to-die-for appeal.

He doesn’t hold a to-die-for appeal for me. He can’t, because I know what he’s really like. Who was she trying to convince, though? Besides herself?

The man abandoned his grandfather. Gave Henry years of heartache.

Why had he come? What had driven him? It couldn’t be more than a momentary guilt. Her resolve to dislike him stiffened. ‘Why did you pretend we’re involved?’

‘You do realise you were about to get yourself slapped with an assault charge? It doesn’t matter whether you intend to actually harm a person or not. If the threat is there…’ His mouth twitched. ‘Even if it is a threat of attack by killer chopsticks. What would you have done? Poked her eye out with one?’

‘Dear God.’ Suddenly she wished she could sit down. ‘I can’t believe—’

‘Hey.’ The humour left his face. ‘You’ve been under stress. I seriously doubt you’d have done her any harm.’

The stress might explain the chopstick idea. It didn’t explain why she had stood passively while Nate Barrett had kissed her.

To him it had been an act, of course. A way to stop her from getting into trouble with Margaret’s lawyer.

The surprise of it had got to her. That was why she hadn’t resisted. Now resentment and anger flared afresh. She met those feelings with relief. How dared he stroll back here after years of absence and kiss his grandfather’s PA just like that, anyway? ‘Couldn’t you have stopped me some other way?’

‘I had limited time and no idea who you were.’ Chrissy Gable had asked a simple question, yet Nate didn’t have a simple answer. Nothing had been simple since he got the message that his grandfather had suffered a stroke.

Wanting Chrissy was yet another complication. He didn’t want to admit that touching her hadn’t only been for the sake of expediency. ‘It seemed the best way to get that arm away from your weaponry without drawing the lawyer’s notice.’

A casual touch. Two simple kisses that should have meant nothing. Instead, that touch, those kisses, had started a slow burn in his gut. In truth, the burn had started the moment he’d locked gazes with her. And it hadn’t stopped yet.

‘I guess I should thank you, even if you’ve given Margaret the impression that we’re close, and that I go around wearing priceless artefacts in my hair, instead of store-bought kitchen implements.’ Chrissy’s mouth pursed. ‘I couldn’t find anything else, you see, so I thought the chopsticks would do.’

He gave a cursory nod. Wondered if her lateral thinking extended to other areas of her life. Like her love life. His interest in her burned, but it wouldn’t be wise to act on it.

Relationships—the ones that mattered—didn’t work out for Nate. He had proved it first with his mother, then later with Henry. Nowadays, he preferred to be alone and to keep his involvements casual. It was the sensible choice.

Chrissy Gable didn’t strike him as the casual type. ‘Very inventive of you to raid the kitchen for hairdressing implements.’

‘Sometimes innovation is the only way.’ She toyed with the frames of her glasses.

His gaze roved over her. Nut-brown hair sat in a coronet of braids atop her head with the two chopsticks poking out at angles. A grey business suit clung to her slender body and made her eyes seem brighter.

Those eyes behind the enormous horn-rimmed glasses changed as he watched her. Chilled. She might have responded to him minutes ago, but she clearly didn’t want to accept the attraction. It was more, even, than that. ‘You’ve chosen not to like me, haven’t you?’

‘That’s true. I don’t like you.’ Attraction aside, she clearly meant it. ‘I also don’t know that I can trust you with Henry, any more than I could trust Margaret. But you’re the only hope I’ve got.’

‘You have no choice but to trust me.’ I share the attraction, Chrissy Gable, and I wonder what we’re going to do about that?

The answer should be a clear-cut nothing, but he wanted to explore further. To test out these reactions they shared. A little curiosity never hurt anyone. So maybe he would test the waters. If he felt so inclined.

It was a choice, after all, not a necessity. ‘Your distress call brought me. Did you think I wouldn’t answer it when I received your message?’

Her face told him she had thought precisely that. And had damned him for it, for the years of absence.

It amazed him that he wanted to defend himself. What could he say?

When my grandfather’s new wife turned up naked in my bed, I decided Australia wasn’t big enough for the three of us and I left?

He had made the choice so Henry wouldn’t have to know of Margaret’s behaviour. Now he was back for a short time and uncertain of his reception. He certainly wasn’t going to tell this prickly woman any of that! ‘It’s time I saw my grandfather.’

‘I’ll come with you.’ She chewed on her lip, before saying grudgingly, ‘Thank you for stopping me before. It’s appreciated, but it doesn’t mean I won’t make you sorry if you upset Henry yourself.’

‘He’s awake? Lucid?’ His heart thumped. In moments he might be speaking to Henry. Would his grandfather look at him with those same wounded eyes that had begged an explanation Nate hadn’t been able to give?

Six years ago, when Nate had made it clear he had to go and refused to say why, Henry had sold him the overseas arm of the company for a pittance. Had insisted Nate take it. Nate had tried to be generous in return, but Henry had refused to accept any money from the business Nate had turned into a multi-million-dollar concern.

Then, three years ago, Henry had asked Nate to come back. To share once more in the running of the business here. Henry had seemed almost desperate. Nate had told his grandfather he didn’t want to make that step backward. ‘You said he’d spoken—’

‘I’m sorry. No. I made that up to try to keep Margaret at bay. He’s disoriented.’ Her mouth pursed into a ferocious moue. ‘That’s temporary. He’ll be back to his normal self and tossing cryptic clues around the office again before we know it.’

‘Clues about what?’ He shook his head. It wasn’t important. The only things that mattered were Henry’s health, and keeping the company in good order. Those, Nate could work on. If Henry would trust him with them.

‘Never mind. Look, if my grandfather’s condition isn’t temporary—’

‘Of course your grandfather’s condition is temporary.’ She said it with such passion that his body hummed in response.

Unnerved, he raised an eyebrow, feigning an indifference he didn’t feel. ‘Surely nobody can be sure of that at this stage?’

‘I don’t understand why you would say such things. Henry has to get better. Completely better. I refuse to contemplate any other option.’ On those heartfelt words, she opened the door of the hospital room, and entered.

Nate followed. His grandfather looked awful. Tubes and monitors covered Henry. His long frame seemed defenceless beneath the hospital-issue linens. Henry appeared to have aged ten years since Nate had seen him, not six.

This sick, vulnerable man would never run a company again. Henry was seventy years old, should have retired years before. It hit Nate hard that he should have seen that need when Henry asked him to come back. He would never have returned here, but he should have made Henry agree to retirement.

‘Gramps.’ The word caught in his throat. Hadn’t been used since Nate was a child and Henry had taken him in when his mother opted out.

Nate reached out a hand to touch Henry’s where it lay against the covers. Without raising his gaze, he said in a low voice to Chrissy, ‘Sit down. You’re feeling the strain more than you realise.’

‘How did you know?’ She sat abruptly.

How had Nate known? He had simply intuited her feelings, had felt connected closely enough to her even at opposite sides of a hospital bed that he just knew.

‘Surprised…you…came. No…need.’ His grandfather’s voice was slurred, his breath laboured, the words themselves full of the years of separation and hurt.

Nate closed his eyes and tried to block the pain. ‘I had to come.’

I had to come, but I don’t want to make things worse, so please don’t think I’ll stay past making sure you’ll be OK.

Chrissy clutched Henry’s other hand in hers. ‘You’re speaking. I’ve been so concerned. I’ll look after everything at work. You don’t need to worry—’

‘I’ll do it.’ Nate spoke over her, over rash promises she couldn’t possibly keep. His gaze sought his grandfather’s. ‘I’ll make sure everything is taken care of.’

‘Don’t…need….’ Henry stopped to draw a breath.

‘You can trust me.’ A muscle worked in Nate’s jaw. ‘I’ll fix things so it’s all right.’

Did his grandfather understand that he hadn’t wanted to hurt him six years ago, or three years ago? That he never wanted to hurt him?

I can give you this much, Gramps. Help when you need it. It’s all I have.

‘I’m sure Nate’s welcome to stay for a short time.’ Chrissy’s tone said the opposite, although her expression was bland enough. ‘But I can manage in your absence. The important thing is that you be free of worry and stress. Your only focus should be to relax and get better.’

‘I agree.’ Nate kept his tone calm and even. ‘But I’m more qualified to take control than your PA.’

‘Run…own…blasted…business,’ Henry grumped. ‘Sign…out…today…if…wanted to.’

Chrissy’s mouth trembled before she firmed it. At the sight, Nate’s frustration drained away.

‘You’ve had a stroke.’ Her voice trembled, too, just the tiniest bit. ‘If you don’t look after yourself, it could happen again and the next one could be much worse.’

She took a deliberate deep breath, then leaned forward to whisper, ‘Who’d test cryptic crossword clues on me then? Or take me out for lattes on Thursdays or argue with me about the different football teams?’

‘I…like…the…footy.’ Henry’s mouth turned down.

Her voice softened to warm affection. ‘We’ll be watching the footy matches on your big-screen TV again before you know it.’

How close were his grandfather and his PA? Before Nate could consider the question, Henry turned his gaze toward him.

The tired eyes searched his for a long time, then softened, the anger replaced by at least a tenuous acceptance. ‘You…can…run things…until I’m better.’

That was all Nate needed to hear. He ignored the hint of further expectation in his grandfather’s eyes. ‘I’ll make sure everything’s all right. Meanwhile, you get some rest.’

On those words, he unfolded his long legs from the chair and stood. Chrissy’s gaze followed his movements, tracked over his charcoal suit and matching shirt.

Not once since he had entered the room and sat by his grandfather had he managed to completely banish her from his consciousness. Now his body tightened in awareness of her.

A nurse glanced in at the door. ‘How are we doing?’

‘Henry’s making sense.’ A tiny dimple flirted with Chrissy’s right cheek. ‘He woke up and we had a talk. His speech was slow but lucid.’

‘Brilliant.’ The nurse’s smile was bright, winsome. It didn’t do a thing for Nate. ‘I’ll let his doctor know.’

‘Get well, Henry.’ Chrissy kissed his resting form, then stepped back.

Henry stirred slightly.

Nate squeezed the old man’s hand. ‘I’ll speak to your doctor about having you shifted out of here. The security’s not tight enough for my liking.’

Chrissy opened her mouth as though to question him. He gave a slight shake of his head, put his hand to the small of her back and eased her out the door.

‘Not here.’ He growled the words into her ear.

She shivered, and a reaction, warm and pleasurable, flowed through him.

A moment later, she stalked from the room. When they were far enough along the corridor that Henry couldn’t possibly hear them, she turned toward him, her eyes the liquid hue of mercury. ‘There’s absolutely no need for you to be here for more than a day or two. I can handle things, like I said.

‘And just where do you think you’re going to move my boss, anyway?’




CHAPTER TWO


‘HENRY will go into Acebrook Hospital. It’s a small private hospital outside the city.’ Nate spoke decisively from behind Chrissy.

She reached the end of the hospital corridor and opted for the flight of stairs instead of the lift. ‘Just like that, you have the whole thing organised? What makes you so sure Acebrook is the right place for Henry?’

What gives you the right to make the decisions for him? You’ve been away for six years without appearing to give a damn.

Her reaction wasn’t entirely rational. Nate seemed concerned with Henry’s best interests now. But this man made her want him on the one hand, while she disapproved of him thoroughly on the other.

Was it any wonder her feelings were divided about his care of Henry, too? ‘And if you had Acebrook in mind, why didn’t you mention it to Henry? Surely he deserved a say in his own care?’

‘My grandfather had exhausted himself.’ Assurance blazed on his face. ‘I saw no reason to burden him with something I could take care of myself.’

Grudgingly, she said, ‘I’ve heard of Acebrook.’

‘Then you’ll know it caters to a lot of celebrities. Their security measures go beyond the norm. Wife or not, Margaret won’t be allowed to upset him there.’

Henry could get better faster somewhere like that, and that was all that mattered in the end. ‘Margaret will demand to see him, no matter where he is.’

‘I’ll take care of that.’ Again, just simple fact. ‘A group of specialists will examine Henry to confirm his lucidity. Then my team of lawyers will inform Margaret’s that my grandfather has deputised me to operate the company in his absence. Margaret will realise she has no power to do anything other than wish her husband a speedy recovery.’

‘Henry only verbally said you could—’

‘Actually, the authority was arranged years ago. Just in case of an emergency.’ His words brushed, almost physically, across the back of her neck.

‘Oh.’

‘As for Margaret…’ His lip curled. ‘Provided her visits are in a controlled environment, she can go right ahead and play the loving wife.’

‘I’d like to see that.’ The back of Chrissy’s neck still tingled. For once she wished she had her hair down, to protect the vulnerable skin at her nape. Since she didn’t, she took the coward’s way out and increased her pace to put some distance between them.

Nate cleared his throat, then launched into further speech. ‘I realise you must be exhausted. I’d like to let you go home to sleep, but I could use your help today at the office. Can you manage?’

His thoughtfulness took her unawares. He wasn’t supposed to be nice, not even some of the time. She had been so certain he wouldn’t be.

‘My sisters sat with Henry earlier while I went home to shower and change. I can manage my work day.’

‘Thanks.’ His gaze roamed her face. The secrets in the depths of his eyes made her skin heat and her heart flutter. Had he just visualised her in that shower?

Why would a man of the world like Nate Barrett harbour more than a momentary interest in her?

He blinked, and whatever she had seen disappeared behind a wall of determined resolve. ‘I’d like to address a couple of issues before we arrive at work.’

See? Banished from his thoughts just like that. Why couldn’t she do likewise about him?

Then she noted the aggressive tone of his voice. Her instincts prickled and she unconsciously straightened her spine. ‘What issues?’

‘If you’re a power tripper,’ he growled, ‘if you intend to be difficult while I’m in charge of things—’

‘I am certainly not a power tripper.’ Had he really thought that? Put the shoe on your own foot, bozo! If anyone gave off the attitude of demanding to be in control, it was Nate.

She, on the other hand, aside from the tiny problem of not being able to ignore his effect on her, was at peace with herself. She didn’t need to prove anything. To him or to anyone else. Her personal dragons had been slain, thank you very much.

Dragon-slaying aside, you don’t want this man to hang around for weeks, getting underfoot and disturbing your peace. That doesn’t make you controlling. It just makes you smart.

‘I simply see no need for you to take over the running of the business when I can handle things myself while Henry gets better.’

‘What experience do you have? What are your credentials? What training do you have in high-level management?’ He fired the questions at her with the accuracy of a paint-ball champion. They hit and spread as quickly, undermining her shaky resolve. ‘What if Henry’s recovery takes months? What if it never happens?’

‘He will get better. Totally better.’ Henry was talking already. Surely that boded well for the future? ‘As for the rest, I’ve worked closely enough with Henry that I know—’

‘Watching isn’t the same as doing.’ His expression hardened, demanded that she accept his words. ‘It’s not enough. Not in the longer term.’

‘For a week or two—’

‘It’ll be longer. You saw how he looked.’

She wanted to argue, but he was right, darn him. Still, accepting that fact didn’t come easily. ‘OK, so suppose you’re right and his complete recovery takes longer. What happens?’

‘I take care of things. It’s what I told him back there, and I meant it.’ His words brushed off her concerns like unwanted lint on his pristine suit. ‘You’ll co-operate with me? While I straighten things out here?’

‘I’m surprised you’re willing to stay indefinitely, but, provided your actions are in the best interests of the company, I’ll do my best to support you.’

Who knew, she thought madly, maybe Nate would find a way to breathe new life into the company? Lately, she had begun to wonder if everything was OK. It was just a feeling, but—

‘I didn’t say I would be…’ He left the thought unfinished. ‘You said in your message that you were with Henry when the stroke happened. Do you usually work weekends?’

‘It was a social outing.’ She still felt guilty that her boss had been rambling through the treasure trove of Melbourne’s retail side-streets with her when the stroke happened.

A pause. Then a rapped-out, ‘Doing what?’

‘Examining aged silk.’ She could have explained about her sister Bella’s fetish for clothing design, but she doubted this man would be interested. ‘Henry knows about stuff like that. I took him to look at a piece of fabric that I found in a back-street shop.’

When he didn’t speak, she paused on the stairs, her gaze locked straight ahead. ‘Do you have any more questions, or is the interrogation over?’

His silence lasted long enough that she gave in to curiosity and glanced over her shoulder. She had thought he might be holding his fire until they were face to face.

What she hadn’t expected was to discover his gaze roving over her with undiluted interest. Even now, it lingered on her butt. Before she could tell him to stop looking at her most hated, far-too-large-in-her-opinion feature, he looked up, raw awareness in his eyes.

Any distance she had managed since they met disintegrated instantly. Forget his accusations, she decided frantically. They could wait until later. ‘I think we should move right along to discussing how to manage the office while Henry is recovering!’

Surely that would be a safe topic. One that couldn’t distract her into a molten mass of awareness of him. She turned her head frontward so fast she almost gave herself whiplash, then prayed he was no longer watching The Barging of the Behemoth Bum as she hurried down the rest of the stairs and pushed desperately at the exit door.

Fresh air. Thank God. She welcomed the sharp bite of the wind against her cheeks as she tried to reason out her reactions to him. ‘Well? Don’t you have anything to say about how we should tackle things in Henry’s absence?’

‘I have rather a lot to say about the way we should tackle things, actually.’ His growled words brought her no comfort. The look in his eyes hinted that he wasn’t thinking simply of the working relationship they would have to endure.

She stepped aside as a harried-looking woman passed them to enter the building. ‘Good. About work, then.’

So what if that hadn’t been all he meant? ‘There are always crises at the company. We’ll need to keep Henry informed, or he’ll worry, but we’ll make sure he understands that we’re coping.’

After a pause, Nate nodded. ‘There are things you don’t understand, but, for now, one last question.’

‘What is it?’

He leaned forward to touch a corkscrew curl that had escaped from her clump of braids.

Where was her ongoing antagonism toward him now? Her feet were frozen to the spot. She wanted very much to know what it would be like if he closed the distance between them and…Her breath hitched as he wrapped the curl around his fingertip, then let it spring free.

‘Your glasses are fogging up,’ he observed. ‘Maybe you should take them off.’

The glasses were her shield. ‘Oh, but my eyes—’

‘Are a very lovely shade of grey. I can’t help but wonder why you hide them.’

What big eyes you have, said the Wolf.

Wasn’t that supposed to be Red Riding Hood’s line?

‘Uh.’ They stood almost nose to nose. Nate’s large body shielded her from the worst of the wind, and she liked the feeling that engendered. Liked his closeness and the size and strength of him.

Good grief. I don’t want the Wolf to kiss me, do I?

Of course she didn’t.

Of course I do!

Nate leaned even closer. ‘Uh?’

She tried to clear her head, but couldn’t. Could only look at him now that the mistiness had left her glasses. ‘Was that your question? To ask me to take my glasses off so you could see my—?’

‘Big grey eyes?’ He shifted the tiniest bit closer. Blurred the lines between shelter and dangerous promise a little more. That was the trouble with attractive, wolfish men. They could get a girl confused without even trying. ‘I guess that depends.’

‘Depends on what?’ Despite all her reservations, despite resentment and suspicion and not being willing to trust his motives for being here for Henry right now, she leaned forward.

She wanted to feel the scratchiness of his day-old beard beneath her fingertips. Wanted to run her hands through his hair, and gauge the muscles hidden beneath that dangerous suit he wore.

Why did she want these things? This was Nate Barrett. She shouldn’t want these things from him. All he had done was kiss her forehead, and the side of her mouth. She shouldn’t have let him do that much. How could it leave her aching for more?

‘I’ve always admired black,’ she murmured. She wanted to run her hands over his midnight shirt, then wrap them around the strong column of his tanned, luscious-looking neck, bring his head down to hers, and…

It didn’t help that he watched her with all the focused interest of one very predatorial male.

‘You like black?’ He raised an eyebrow. A black eyebrow. ‘That’s not my final question, by the way.’

‘I meant I like the colour black. For clothing.’ Did she even own any black clothes? ‘I thought I might buy myself a, uh, a bowler hat. In, um, black.’

A bowler hat? In black. Oh, groan. ‘You know. For fancy dress and stuff.’

His mouth twitched. She saw it. A little twitcheroonie, right there at the left-hand corner. Despite herself, she liked that twitch.

She straightened, stepped back. Distanced herself as best as she physically could, and hoped her reactions would follow. ‘We’re wasting time. We should get to the office.’

‘We’re not finished, but I’ll get us a taxi—’

‘I have my car.’ Good manners insisted she offer to drive him. Henry would expect it.

She led the way across the parking bays to the elderly yellow bug, praying he would forget all about whatever question he’d had in mind.

‘Make yourself comfortable.’ With her seat belt clipped, she sat bolt upright in her seat. It was as relaxed as she was likely to get with this man in her vicinity. ‘It will take a couple of minutes for the engine to warm up enough for us to leave.’

She allowed the vehicle to idle, and looked anywhere other than at the man seated beside her. Awareness of his closeness, of the near-touching of their bodies, increased her nervousness. ‘At least we’ll get into the office nice and early. It’s important to keep things running well for Henry.’

‘Your commitment to my grandfather’s health,’ Nate drawled, ‘and to the smooth-running of Montbank Shipping, is…commendable.’

While she pondered the hint of doubt in what should have been a clear-cut compliment, Nate punched a number into his cellphone.

Moments later, he had arranged for his grandfather’s transfer to Acebrook private hospital. ‘Praiseworthy indeed, if somewhat questionable in intent.’

‘Yes,’ she mumbled, her attention distracted by his ability to plan and organise Henry’s transfer so seamlessly. This was clearly a man of action.

There’s no need to dwell on the appeal of that trait. Five minutes ago his attitude struck you as overbearing and annoying. Besides, he might not always use such power for good.

Suddenly her thoughts caught up with what he had said, not just with the tone of his voice and its mesmerising quality.

Indignation narrowed her gaze as she turned to glare at him. ‘Are you suggesting that my relationship with your grandfather is anything other than honest, respectful and completely appropriate on both sides?’

‘Is the relationship appropriate on both sides?’ His shrug was pure nonchalance. ‘You appear to be hugely protective of him. I can’t help but wonder what could possibly engender such a degree of commitment.’

‘Then maybe you should contemplate the concepts of kindness and mutual respect,’ she snapped, and crunched Gertrude’s gearbox as she tried unsuccessfully to get the old car into first gear.

One minute the man made her want him and almost like him, and then this! Ooh, it made her blood boil.

Never drive while you’re angry.

Bella’s words of warning rang in her head. Chrissy dropped the car back into neutral, irritated that she had gone so close to being irresponsible simply because this man had annoyed her. He stirred her way too much.

A firm hand closed over hers where it rested on the gear stick.

‘I see I was off base.’ His deep words, although quiet, seemed to fill the small car space. ‘I apologise.’

The warmth of that hand over hers was far too comforting and she thawed a little. But some of her anger remained. ‘I care deeply about my boss. If that’s a crime, then I’m guilty.’

‘I’m glad…you’ve been here for him.’ He squeezed her knuckles and let go.

Why hadn’t Nate been here for Henry?

He’s here now.

That’s nowhere near enough.

‘You’ll make sure he doesn’t feel as though things are out of his control, won’t you, while you’re running the company?’

She had intended to extract a promise. Instead, it came out as a plea, but she cared so much about Henry. He hadn’t been himself lately, and now with the stroke—well, she just wanted him to have every chance to get better, that was all.

The scent of Nate’s spicy aftershave came to her subtly as he turned to face her in the confines of the car. ‘I’ll respect his dignity as much as I can.’

‘More zesty smells,’ she muttered to herself. At least this one wouldn’t tantalise her taste buds. ‘We should leave now,’ she snapped. ‘The car’s warm enough.’

And I’m even warmer!

She clamped her mouth tight as she eased Gertrude into the traffic and headed straight for the slowest-moving lane, where she wouldn’t feel quite so bombarded by the volume of traffic.

‘It’s just that Henry hates to acknowledge that he’s getting older.’ She disliked the defensiveness in her tone. ‘And there’s no reason to think he won’t be able to come back to work. It was a minor stroke.’

‘Not so minor at his age and when he has other health considerations. Heart. Blood pressure…’

Henry would show him. Chrissy didn’t know anyone with the amount of determination her boss had. Except maybe…his grandson.

Henry would be OK, wouldn’t he? ‘It was my fault,’ she blurted. ‘He wouldn’t have had the stroke if I hadn’t dragged him all over Melbourne that day.’

‘Surely you don’t believe that?’ Nate’s tone was openly surprised. ‘If a stroke is going to happen, it happens. And, in fact, the hospital staff told me your swift actions probably prevented an all-out heart attack.’

‘Oh.’ The load of guilt lifted somewhat. ‘Well, what I did when the stroke happened was little enough.’

Her hands tightened on the wheel as she fought to suppress the memories of the frightening event. And acknowledged how ungracious she had been back in Henry’s hospital room. ‘I’m sorry I tried to discourage you from taking over Henry’s work. I was out of line.’

‘Perhaps we should both forget the way we started this morning, and begin afresh.’ The suggestion was almost toneless. Definitely uninterested.

Just like that, he had turned off all feelings of attraction to her?

So much for thinking they had both been whapped in the face by it earlier. Whatever had happened, Nate Barrett had apparently simply chosen to be over it.

A humbling thought, but then, she wasn’t anything special, was she? She certainly hadn’t been special enough to hold her parents’ interest.

That’s over, and this is now, and has to be dealt with now. Her pride swelled to her rescue. ‘I couldn’t agree more. The only things that matter are those that relate to my boss’s recovery.’

‘I’m glad we’ve achieved Feng Shui on the matter.’

Was he being sarcastic? Somehow she couldn’t see this man putting himself out to try to live in harmony with the natural elements and forces of the earth. He would be more likely to try to bend them to his natural force!

‘Uh, right, then.’ She accidentally tramped the brakes a bit too hard when a car in front of her slowed suddenly, but he simply sat there, apparently calm.

Bella always ground her teeth. She thought Chrissy couldn’t hear it, but she could.

Once she was comfortable in the flow of traffic again, Nate spoke. ‘I see you’re on your provisional plates. How long have you been driving?’

‘I spent mumble mumble years on my learner’s licence. I got my provisional one a month ago.’ It wasn’t that driving scared her, exactly. She just found it uncomfortable. ‘I don’t drive as smoothly as I’d like to yet, but Gertrude has been very forgiving when I’ve crunched her gears and things like that.’

‘Gertrude, huh?’

‘Well, Gertie for short, but yes. It suits her, don’t you think?’ What else could three sisters name a bright yellow, elderly bug they all adored, other than Gertrude?

When she finally parked, after three tries, almost neatly in an allotted space beneath the Montbank office building, she sighed with relief. Nothing was outside the lines, anyway.

Nate offered a smile. ‘You did very well. It’s better to be a bit careful until you gain more experience.’

After a moment—once she’d got over the impact of that smile and his encouraging words—she realised she was smiling back. ‘Thank you.’

Maybe having him here wouldn’t be so awful. Maybe his presence would actually lighten the load while Henry got better.

If she could just overcome her attraction to him.




CHAPTER THREE


WHILE Chrissy gathered her travel mug, notebook, large shoulder bag and the canvas holdall that held the latest potted plants she had rescued from the last-ditch discount table at the supermarket, Nate exited the car. His gaze lingered on the bag of plants, his expression quizzical.

So she tried to save lost plants. Was that a crime? Defensiveness made her sharp. ‘Is something wrong?’

‘Not at all.’ He glanced from her to the paraphernalia and back, almost smiled, then shook his head. ‘Would you like some help?’

‘I can manage.’ She locked her car door. ‘I always have this much stuff with me.’ Which made her sound like a pack-horse.

‘Just give me the holdall, then.’ He stretched out his hand, clearly expecting her to yield up some of her bounty for him to carry.

Admit it. You’d like to yield in other ways.

Bah! She really could do without these conflicting feelings. Yet he had such a nice hand. Lean, with long, straight fingers. The same fingers that had stroked her face earlier. That had covered her hand so comfortingly. Not that she was fixated about his hands or anything.

‘Chrissy? The holdall?’ he prompted.

‘Oh, fine. If you insist on helping, here you go.’ She allowed him to take the bag from her. After all, she had nothing to prove.

He offered a wry smile as he took the bag. ‘Thank you.’

When their hands touched, that zing happened again. It made her imagine all sorts of hand-related things she shouldn’t. Heat swarmed up her chest and into her face, because she had just proved something she really didn’t want to prove.

Ergo, that she hadn’t been able to distance herself from this very sensual man one iota.

‘Something tells me it’s going to be a very long day.’ She made the pronouncement as they travelled into the building via the key-coded lift. Travel by stairs would have been preferable, but those were inaccessible from outside the building.

Their reflections stared back solemnly from the steel-plated doors. She and Nate Barrett, side by side and looking far too right that way for her comfort. ‘I mean, the day will be busy and demanding.’

‘I imagine it will.’ His gaze skimmed the coil of hair on top of her head, moved to her mouth and returned to her eyes. She saw it all in the reflection of polished doors. Yet it felt as though he had touched her. Caressed her.

‘What’s on the agenda today?’ He barked it out. ‘Any big problems looming?’

Any big problems? How about the problem of this unwanted attraction? She had thought he no longer felt it, but now realised he still did.

‘There are several things that will need attention today.’ Not one specific matter would surface in her brain. ‘I’ll be happy to debrief you when we get upstairs.’ Her face heated again. ‘I mean, I’ll brief you. I mean—’

‘I get the picture.’

At the roughness of his tone, a part of her rejoiced. She told herself that was simply because she saw no reason why she should suffer the attraction alone.

When the lift eased to a stop she stepped out gratefully. Perhaps the distraction of work would overrule the responses he drew from her. ‘Here we are. The hub of Montbank Shipping. As you worked here before you made your move overseas, I guess it’ll be quite familiar to you.’

Despite all the years you’ve stayed away.

She would remember to keep him in the place of the deserting grandson yet. At the thought she sobered, because in truth he was that person, and she could never reconcile herself to that. No matter how much he made her want him, or how much she thought he might want her.

One abandonment in her lifetime was enough.

Nate nodded to several ancillary staff who obviously knew him. They all showed their shock at seeing him. He seemed a little unsettled, too.

‘How does it feel to come back after so long? Does it make you melancholy?’

‘There is a world outside these doors, you know.’ His retort labelled her as unadventurous and insular.

Chrissy gritted her teeth.

When they were alone again, he asked, with a hint of disbelief, ‘Are you the only new staff member since I left? I knew the firm was close-knit, but—’

‘On this floor, I am, yes.’ So what if they liked to build an atmosphere of family among the employees?

She had been welcomed when she’d started here. He had no idea how much she had needed that. ‘I got the job as Henry’s PA straight out of school when his previous PA retired to the Gold Coast. All the company members were sad to see her go.’

Unlike the PA, Nate had returned, albeit only for the duration of Henry’s recovery. She hoped people would understand the temporary nature of his visit.

On that surprisingly depressing thought, she flung open the door to Henry’s suite of offices and stepped inside. ‘I’ll just be one minute.’

This was her territory. Among her ceiling chimes and experimental wall art and, of course, potted plants, she felt secure. At home. In charge.

After quickly disposing of the killed-off plants in the corner stand—it was always a bit sad—she replaced them with the new ones. From now, she had only one choice. She must think business and nothing but business for the duration of Nate Barrett’s stay.

Given the mixed emotions he brought out in her, it was the only hope she had of holding on to her sanity. ‘The UK imports first, I think.’

‘By all means.’ His agreement smacked of condescension.

She ignored it and launched into a list of problematical import issues.

He was swift to pick things up. He had a sharp mind and a decisive attitude, and he knew the business.

‘There’s also this lot of stuff.’ She brought in a pile of files.

They worked almost seamlessly then broke for lunch. Aside from the odd distraction, such as when she noticed he had a tiny birthmark high on his forehead and wanted to trace it with a fingertip, she managed to remain acceptably aloof.

It was early afternoon by the time they had cleared through the bulk of the most urgent work.

He sat back in his chair and rolled his shoulders. ‘Now that the worst is taken care of, I want a meeting with all the department heads. I need to let them know about Henry’s stroke, and get a verbal status on each of their areas.

‘Hopefully one of them will fit…’ He turned his head to glance out the window at the fog-shrouded cityscape. ‘You mentioned a difficulty with the stevedore company?’

‘They’re usually very good, so I don’t know what the problem can be, but yes, a memo came through earlier.’ She gathered their used coffee mugs and headed toward the kitchenette just off their offices.

Instead of remaining at his desk, Nate rose and followed. Immediately her awareness of him cranked up, and she had been doing so well, too.

You mean you’d managed to live in denial for a few moments.

‘I’ll phone the company right after I organise the meeting with the department heads.’

‘No need.’ He prowled behind her. ‘I’ll speak to the stevedore people while you arrange the meeting.’

She considered protesting, then changed her mind. Why waste her breath? If he wanted to micromanage the matter, let him. ‘As you wish.’

‘That’s settled, then.’ But he kept pace behind her, and she remained deeply aware of him the whole time.

‘How old are you?’ he asked abruptly. ‘Twenty-four?’

‘Yes. How old are you?’ She looked over her shoulder at him. Her words had a hint of goading that she couldn’t quite control. ‘Thirty-five? Thirty-eight? Forty, maybe?’

‘I’ll be thirty in December.’

‘My condolences,’ she quipped, but the spark in his eyes undermined her efforts to keep her interest in him at bay.

She stopped in front of the sink with her back turned to him, and simply didn’t know what to do. His awareness of her was palpable, and she responded to that awareness on a deep, instinctual level.

Her life plan didn’t include involvements with men who dodged commitment. No matter how much those men might—incomprehensibly—attract her.

She remained still and silent, and hoped he would ease back. Give her the breathing space she needed. She did not want him to move closer and answer her earlier question of how it would feel if he closed the distance between them completely.

Instead of moving away, he made a soft sound of frustration and shifted closer. ‘What is it about you? I can’t be in the same room as you without—’

‘It’s nothing. Nothing at all.’ She spun around, aggravation, curiosity and awareness bursting out at her seams. She had to get away before she did something stupid. Like welcome his closeness.

He shook his head. ‘You don’t believe that.’

‘I have to.’ Instead of getting clear of him, in her haste she smacked straight into him.

They both gasped. His hands encircled her upper arms. His deep blue eyes stared into her grey ones. Desire burned for her in that gaze.

All right. She admitted it. She wanted him to kiss her until they both stopped breathing. So there. It didn’t mean they should actually do it.

As though sensing her confusion, he stepped forward. Feet braced apart, he brought her into the cradle of his body.

She should have resisted, but couldn’t. Could only speak words to try to negate her body’s betrayal. ‘I don’t want this. We don’t even know each other.’

‘Don’t we? I feel as though I know you.’ His confusion rang in his voice. ‘You’re so familiar to me that it seems I’ve always known you.’

His words echoed the feeling deep inside her.

He inhaled deeply against her hair and sighed. ‘Your hair drives me mad. I want to unwind it. Let it fall, and see how long it is. I want to tug out those damned chopsticks and—’

She finally found words. Resistance. ‘We shouldn’t be doing this.’ Her breath caught in a sexy little sound in the back of her throat. Hoping he hadn’t heard it, she pushed free of his hold. ‘We’re just two people brought together by a common goal. To get Henry better.’

‘I agree, but I think we both know there’s more at work here than that. I don’t understand it, really. In general I don’t go for women who…’ He waved a hand, apparently unable to articulate just how incomprehensible he found his attraction to her.

Well, thanks for nothing, Mr Nate Barrett! ‘It’s all right,’ she assured him with more than a hint of antagonism in her tone. ‘I find you repulsive on a personal level, too.’

‘I guess I asked for that. I’m afraid being around you—wanting you—appears to affect my communication skills.’ After a long moment spent searching her expression, he seemed to come to a conclusion.

‘Something about me, or about being attracted to me, scares you. What is it?’ Although the question was asked in a silken tone, it scraped over her like gravel shifting in a dry, abandoned streambed. Because it was way too close to the truth for comfort.

‘You don’t scare me. Why would you? You’re just here to fill in while Henry gets better.’ She tried to inject strength into her tone. ‘I can assure you—’

‘Something has you determined to keep me at a distance.’ He pushed one hand through his thick hair, ruffling it. ‘If not fear, then what, exactly? We’re attracted to each other. You clearly don’t want a deep involvement with me. I don’t want that, either, but we could enjoy the moment. What would it hurt?’

‘I’m not into casual liaisons with virtual strangers.’ His words had stung her, but she should have known. Should have expected exactly this from a man who had deserted his grandfather without the slightest hesitation.

His glance roved over her again—assessing, thoughtful. He spoke without acknowledging her words. ‘Or is it all men that you want to keep at bay?’

‘Just because I haven’t had any serious relationships…’ She would be able to commit if the circumstances were right. ‘If you must know, I simply haven’t met the appropriate man yet. When I do I’ll know it, and I won’t hesitate to put myself at his mercy.’

‘Well, well.’ His eyebrows lifted.

She wanted to knock that I know what’s going on inside your poor misguided psyche look right off his face.

The man was delving into her deepest secrets. Pulling them out to the harsh light of examination. He had no right to do that. Nor to expect her to fall into his arms for the day or week or two that he would be here.

Her temper flared and words poured out. ‘You don’t scare me, Nate. I simply don’t particularly like you.

‘You abandoned your grandfather for over six years. It took a stroke for you to return. What do you expect me to say? I’m not interested in the kind of relationship you just insulted me by offering.’

The more she said, the more her hurt and anger burned and the more words came out. ‘I don’t want any kind of relationship with you, outside the minimum needed for us to function together in the office while you’re here.

‘In fairness, I’m sure I’m not the kind of woman you could possibly want, either. I think it’s best if we forget all of this. Now, please excuse me. The business meeting needs to be organised.’




CHAPTER FOUR


‘AT LEAST Margaret has given it a rest today.’ Nate hit the appropriate key to shut off his computer with more force than finesse.

The screen went black, and he got to his feet, retrieved his suit jacket and shrugged into it. His outdoor coat followed. Five days had never been more of a trial. Nor more stimulating, a voice in his brain added, much to his disgust.

Hell, not because of Margaret. The woman was a pariah. He hoped he had finally convinced her to stop phoning the office and sending him emails in her pathetic, transparent attempts to rekindle something between them that had never existed in the first place.

Her barely veiled efforts to find out about the financial affairs of the company he brushed off utterly.

His firm of lawyers had made it clear that she would get nowhere if she tried again to have Henry declared unfit, or to get financial control of anything outside of her allowance. She simply needed to accept defeat.

‘Thank you, Mr Dimitri. Mr Barrett may not have time to attend, but I’ll bring your advertising affair to his attention.’ The sound of Chrissy’s voice as she wound up a call in the next room stirred Nate’s senses.

He heard her moving about the room, no doubt gathering the truckload of things she ferried to and from the office daily.

That use of the word affair brought instant recall of his heated words with her at the start of the week when he’d tried to make her see they could be good together.

‘Are you about finished in there?’ He rapped out the question as he snatched up his briefcase. ‘I can’t lock the strongroom until I know you’re done.’

And locking the strongroom and getting out of here is something I really want to do, because I’ve had about enough of trying to make sense of the discrepancies in the accounting that I discovered earlier today!

Nate hadn’t had time to discuss the matter with her. Wasn’t sure he would until he’d worked out the problem.

Getting away doesn’t work when you go home to Henry’s hideaway cottage each night. You think of her, anyway.

At least the cottage was one place Margaret wouldn’t find him. For some reason, Henry had never told Margaret of the small home, although Chrissy knew of its existence.

‘I’m noting a call.’ Chrissy’s arctic tone managed to convey both superiority and disapproval. ‘Forgive me if I take my job seriously!’

‘Fine. Whatever.’ He didn’t want to reminisce about the cottage. He just wanted to take her there and ravish her for as long as it suited him.

For the first time in his life he wanted a woman who was completely unsuited to him, and he couldn’t seem to stop the attraction.

Out of control was not a place Nate liked to be. He stalked into her office. ‘Who’s this Dimitri person, and what did he want?’ He stopped so abruptly that the tails of his coat flapped against the backs of his legs.

Chrissy had just stuffed a sheaf of papers into her holdall-style shoulder bag. Face flushed, gaze sliding anywhere but his way, she looked guilty as hell.

She might take a lot of things to and from the office, but they were personal items.

His mind leaped ahead. Supplied him with an answer to a question he hadn’t fully formulated yet. A sick feeling of disbelief started up in his stomach.

Tell me there’s some simple explanation, Chrissy, because I really don’t want to believe the worst of you.

The head of the stevedore company had phoned him again today. His concerns over last-minute alterations to shipping lists had been strong enough for Nate to instigate a discreet investigation of matters at the docks. He had suspected lax business practices on someone’s part. If it was more than that, if Chrissy was somehow involved…

‘Perhaps you might like to tell me what you just put in your bag.’ His tone was harsh, his expression no doubt as tight as it felt, but what could he do except demand an explanation?

She fussed with the bag, then slung it over her shoulder with a defiant flip of her hand. ‘It’s nothing. Just a few things I need to take home.’

‘The papers looked like computer printouts.’ He took a step toward her. ‘Why would you need to take your work home? You haven’t mentioned anything about it to me.’

Give me an explanation, Chrissy. Help me out here.

‘Well, I didn’t know you had bionic vision to see so much in one short glimpse.’ Sarcasm. A sweep of her desk with her gaze. She turned toward the door. ‘If I don’t cross paths with you at Henry’s hospital, I guess I’ll see you Monday.’

Dismissed. Just like that. Even though he was the one with the questions. The one who needed her to reassure him she had nothing to hide.

With a flounce and a sway of her bottom—covered in a red velvet skirt today, thank you very much—she strolled out the door. That bottom sway had been deliberate. He was convinced of it. Still, she was certainly cool under fire if she was hiding something from him.

‘You can’t get away from me that easily.’ He locked the strongroom, stalked out of the office and followed her into the corridor.

‘I’m not trying to get away.’ She cast a disgruntled look his way and kept walking, buttoning her burgundy coat with one hand as she moved. ‘I’m simply going home for the night. That is allowed, you know.’

He wanted her to be innocent of any wrongdoing. It was a demand somewhere deep inside him. From a place that wanted to believe in her, even though he shouldn’t care one way or the other.

It must be the knowledge that she cared so much for his grandfather. Nate’s own guilt at leaving Henry alone so much in past years ate at him.

Henry wanted him to stay. Permanently. It was in his eyes each time Nate visited him at the hospital. Nate couldn’t do that, and maybe he had comforted himself with the knowledge that Chrissy had been there for his grandfather. That she would go on being there for Henry.

How much did she really care, though, if she was hiding secrets? She can’t be hiding secrets. You must have it wrong somehow. ‘Why won’t you tell me—?’

‘There’s nothing to tell.’ She all but snapped the words, but that flush was there again on her face. ‘I’m only trying to help Henry.’

‘Then tell me what’s in your bag.’ He was a few steps behind her when she almost collided with Margaret Montbank as the woman emerged from the deserted tracking-department offices.

Aggravation coiled inside him. ‘What are you doing here, Margaret?’

Margaret’s initial shock gave way to arrogant bluster. ‘My husband owns this company. Why shouldn’t I be here? But, as it happens, I’m just leaving. Goodnight.’ She turned her back with the clear intention of suiting action to words.

Now Nate had two women trying to block his knowledge of what they were up to. His aggravation levels expanded accordingly. He stepped toward Margaret. ‘Wait a moment, please.’

Chrissy stepped forward, too. ‘Do tell us, Mrs Montbank. What brings you here?’

Nate hadn’t expected Chrissy to intervene. He should have realised she would.

Margaret’s polite mask slipped, revealing frustration and resentment. ‘Don’t question me in that tone, you snide little—’

‘That’s enough.’ It took Nate a moment to realise he had placed himself between his grandfather’s PA and Margaret in case the need to protect Chrissy arose.

Somewhat archaic of him. And Chrissy was probably the last person on earth who would need, or welcome, such a surge of protectiveness.

In a sudden change of tactic, Margaret tossed back her shoulder-length swathe of bottle-blonde hair and preened at him. ‘You’re so edgy, Nate. Couldn’t I have simply come here tonight to see you, darling?’

‘Bleurgh.’ Chrissy attempted, unsuccessfully, to turn her sound of disgust into a cough.

Surprisingly, much of Nate’s aggravation slid away in response to that small, sarcastic sound.

Henry’s wife offered a saccharine smile. ‘Oh, that’s right. The little secretary believes she has you all to herself, doesn’t she?’

Nate knew instantly where Margaret intended to take this. ‘Margaret.’

‘Don’t worry, Nate, dear.’ She lifted one arm, revealing a diamond-studded bracelet that had no doubt cost his grandfather a bomb. ‘I won’t tell Chrissy about our little affair six years ago. You were just a boy, really, not long out of university, and so smitten with me, the slightly older woman.’

‘Slightly older?’ He suppressed the ridiculing guffaw, but couldn’t stop the fury that was unleashed inside him. What gave her the right to put into words her own blatantly unfaithful attitude that had driven him away six years ago? He had left to save Henry from learning of it.

Yet she casually brought the subject up as though she didn’t give a damn who knew what she had tried to do.

‘This had better be the first time you’ve referred to that. And you damned well know there was no—’

‘Please tell me what you wanted in the tracking department, Mrs Montbank.’ Chrissy’s tone was pure office bland. The steam radiating from her was another thing altogether. She had clearly taken Margaret’s story and swallowed it whole.

Says a lot for what she thinks of you, Barrett.

Unaware of his thoughts, Chrissy addressed Margaret again. ‘It’s after hours now, as I’m sure you realised when you discovered the department was closed for the night, but I’d be happy to take a message for one of the tracking staff for Monday.’

‘I simply wanted to say hello to Janice Deanne. She should have been working late. I didn’t believe…’ She stopped abruptly.

Nate’s eyes narrowed. ‘Stay away from the company, Margaret. I won’t warn you again.’

Farther down the corridor, a senior staff member exited an office and wearily rubbed his eyes. Nate motioned the man over. ‘Would you see Mrs Montbank to her vehicle? She’s finished here and won’t be back.’

‘Certainly.’ The man gave Margaret a cool glance, and led her toward the lifts. ‘I’ll be happy to see you off the premises, Mrs Montbank.’

‘I only dropped in.’ Margaret glared at the man, then at Nate. ‘It was an idle visit, nothing more.’

‘Whatever you say, Mrs Montbank.’ The man clearly thought about as much of her as Nate did.

Nate grinned as the pair stepped into the lift and disappeared.

His grin faded when Chrissy turned on him, her expression fierce.

‘You had an affair with Margaret.’ Her voice shook. The disgust and accusation in her words filled the air. ‘She hinted at it the day I met you, but I didn’t want to believe it. She was Henry’s wife. Did he know?

‘Is that why you left so suddenly? Because he found out and banished you? It’s a wonder he even allows you a salary in the business, after what you’ve done to him.’

‘Actually, I own…’ He stopped abruptly. If Henry hadn’t told her of the situation, then she wouldn’t hear it from him. Besides, he didn’t want the knowledge of his wealth involved in this.

Even in anger, he wanted Chrissy’s reactions to be for him, not for his balance sheets. ‘You sure know how to jump to conclusions, don’t you? There was nothing between Margaret and me, not ever, and my reasons for leaving are none of your business.’

‘I don’t believe you.’ The mutinous sparkle of her eyes behind her glasses confirmed her statement. ‘Why would Margaret say such a thing if it weren’t true?’

‘Because she’s full of her own self-importance, doesn’t care about the feelings of those around her, and because she’s a troublemaker.’ Because she has somehow discerned the depth of attraction you hold for me, and she resents it.

She wavered, then lifted her chin. ‘Look me in the eye and deny there was anything between you.’

He saw it then. The jealousy behind the fury. In response he wanted to back her up against the wall and kiss her to oblivion. ‘Why do you care so much?’

‘I care because of Henry.’

‘My grandfather isn’t the only reason.’ He knew it as clearly as she did, and he was ready to deal with this. Forget trying to ignore it any longer.

Fighting still, she turned and stalked toward the lifts. ‘You egotistical…man.’

He followed. ‘Do you really think I could want that woman? Come on, Chrissy.’

Margaret was the antithesis of the woman before him. Shallow where Chrissy was deep and caring. Harsh where Chrissy was kind and soft.

He hadn’t realised until this moment that his attraction to Chrissy had reached beyond the purely physical, to delve into the personality beneath. It was a troubling knowledge, but not enough to stop him. Not now.





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