It Started With... Collection - Miranda Lee Mills & Boon e-Book Collections

Скачать книгу

      ‘You should have remembered.’

      ‘I’m not having you make love to me in your office.’

      ‘You gave me your word. You told me you were a woman of your word.’

      ‘That’s emotional blackmail.’

      ‘No one will notice if we slip away from time to time,’ he said softly. ‘My office is out of the way. And it has a lock on its door.’

      ‘But I wouldn’t be able to relax,’ she protested. ‘I’d be worried what people might be thinking.’

      ‘Who cares what they think? After Christmas, I won’t be the boss there any longer and no one will think a thing.’

      ‘They’ll always think you hired me because you fancied me.’

      ‘Mmm. Could be true.’

      ‘But it isn’t! You know it isn’t!’

      ‘Yes, I know. I was only teasing. We’ll be very discreet. Tell me you love me, Jessie Denton.’

      ‘No.’

      ‘But you know you do.’

      ‘All I know is that you’re a very arrogant man. And far, far too sure of himself. You need pulling down a peg or two.’

      ‘And you, missie, need a lot more loving.’

      ‘Is that what they’re calling it these days?’

      ‘Would you rather I used a cruder term?’

      ‘No.’

      ‘Good, because I’m not just talking about sex. I’m talking loving in the wider context. You need everything a man who loves you can provide. You need caring for. And protection. And support. And security. You need someone there to help you when things go wrong, someone you can turn to and rely upon.’

      Oh, how wonderful that would be, she thought with a deep sigh. But was it just a dream, a mad promise from a lust-crazed fool, or the offer of a man genuinely in love?

      Jessie had been cynical too long to accept what Kane was offering without any wariness whatsoever.

      ‘What you need,’ Kane finished, ‘is me.’

      ‘Yes, I certainly do,’ she agreed. ‘You’ve revitalised my libido with a vengeance. But we’ll both have to wait till Friday to tackle it.’

      He swore. The first time he’d sworn in front of her.

      ‘What you need, madam,’ he ground out, ‘is being put across my knee and having your bottom soundly smacked.’

      ‘Ooh,’ she said mockingly. ‘Is that a promise or a threat?’

      ‘You’re full of bulldust, do you know that? You’re scared stiff of me, that’s the truth. You’re scared stiff of what I can make you feel and what I can make you do. Come Friday night, you will tell me you love me. Right there, in that office. Even if I have to smack your bare bottom to get you to say it. And that’s a promise!’

      Jessie was speechless, her heart pounding at the images he evoked. And the feelings. This couldn’t be love, she told herself. This was just lust. He’d totally corrupted her last night.

      ‘That’s not love,’ she whispered shakily.

      ‘What is it, then?’

      ‘It’s torture.’

      ‘Aye, it’s that too, till you surrender to it. I’ve surrendered to my feelings for you. So when are you going to do the same? No, don’t answer that. I can be patient. Just remember I’m never going to let you go, Jessie Denton. You are mine. So get used to it.’

       CHAPTER FOURTEEN

      TEN o’clock Monday morning saw Kane sitting at Harry’s desk, feeling quite satisfied with the way his relationship with Jessie was going. Yesterday, he’d proved to her that they didn’t have to be making mad, passionate love to enjoy each other’s company. He’d also showed her—at least he hoped he had—that he had the makings of a good father for Emily.

      On the Saturday, he’d bought a child car seat so there’d be no objections to his driving them out to the rural outskirts of Sydney on the Sunday. After an hour’s investigation on the internet, he’d found a horse-riding establishment that catered for children, and had other entertainment as well. Bouncy castles and the like.

      Emily had enjoyed herself enormously, although by the time they arrived back home around six o’clock, she’d been very tired and a little out of sorts. She hadn’t eaten much of the take-away pizzas Jessie had allowed him to buy this time, which Jessie said wasn’t like her at all.

      Kane had insisted on taking Emily’s temperature—he’d heard horror stories of children coming down with meningitis lately—but her temperature proved to be normal. Jessie had said she was probably over-tired. They’d done a lot that day. After a bath, Kane had read Emily a story till she dropped off.

      Afterwards, even though Jessie had let him stay, Kane had made no attempt to make love to her. He’d watched the Sunday-night movie with her—a Harrison Ford action thriller which could bear reviewing—and chatted about various topics during the ads. Books. Movies. Music. Kane had discovered she had a wide taste and knowledge of all three, which didn’t really surprise him. She was a smart cookie. He’d known that from the first moment he looked into her eyes. She had intelligent eyes.

      Although he’d been dying to make love to her, Kane had contented himself with a goodnight kiss. He suspected Jessie wouldn’t have objected too much if he had seduced her, but he hadn’t wanted to take the chance. She always seemed so quick to believe the worst of him.

      By Friday, however, he wouldn’t be capable of being so noble. He wouldn’t be waiting till the party finished, either. Hell, no. Kane shuddered over the thought of how long this week would prove to be.

      When the phone rang, he reached forward and snatched it up.

      ‘Kane Marshall.’

      ‘Kane, I have a problem.’

      Kane snapped forward in his chair. It was Jessie, sounding worried.

      ‘What is it? I thought you were here, at work.’

      ‘I am. The day-care centre has just rung me. Emily has come down with conjunctivitis. Apparently, one of the other children had it on Friday. Anyway, because it’s so contagious, they want me to go and pick her up.’

      ‘That’s fine, Jessie. You go. No problem. I’ll square it with Michele.’

      ‘That’s just it. Michele’s not here. She had an appointment with her obstetrician this morning, and she’s relying on me to do this magazine layout by the time she gets back. I would really hate to let her down, Kane. I’ve tried to ring Dora but she’s out, too. Lord knows where. She’s usually home on a Monday. I can leave Emily at the centre but they’ll put her in a room on her own. It’s a kind of quarantine rule they have. They did this to her once before when I was working at the restaurant and she got very upset. She thought she was being punished. I…’

      ‘I’ll go get her, Jessie,’ Kane immediately offered. ‘Just ring them and let them know who I am and that you’re giving me permission to pick Emily up. I’ll take her to the doctor, too. Get her some drops for her eyes.’

      ‘Would you, Kane? Would you really?’

      Kane was amazed at the surprise in her voice. ‘Yes, of course. It would be my pleasure. Poor Emily. There’s nothing worse than having sore eyes. Does she have a regular doctor you take her to?’

      ‘Not exactly. I always go to a nearby twenty-four-hour clinic. They bulk bill, but you have

Скачать книгу