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address.

      Her heart thumped when she read it.

      You’re to meet Sebastio Rivas at his house tomorrow at ten a.m. He’ll talk you through what needs to be done and his legal team will draw up a temporary work contract. Good luck and Happy Christmas, Edie! Helen

      Once again Edie was stunned that her boss had sanctioned this move. Albeit temporarily. But, in fairness, it wasn’t as if Marrotts was short of display artists. She was one of many. And of course it would enhance their reputation to loan out one of their staff to a new and illustrious client.

      Edie quickly did an internet search on the address in Richmond, and five minutes later wished she hadn’t. It was an old hunting lodge that looked more like a mansion than a lodge, set in acres and acres of its own grounds. There were even wild deer. Her experience was in dressing spaces that ranged between ten and twenty-five square feet. Not grand country mansions!

      She felt a flare of panic and doused it, telling herself that she’d overcome far bigger challenges in the past. She wasn’t going to allow Sebastio Rivas to see that she was daunted by this project. He’d told her to run along once before. She wouldn’t give him the opportunity to do it again.

      * * *

      The following morning, Edie turned a corner in the long winding drive that led up to the house in Richmond, cursing herself for assuring the security guard at the gate that she wouldn’t mind the walk. He’d tried to get her to wait for a groundsman to give her a lift but she’d insisted, needing to get her wits about her. She hadn’t realised it would take quite so long, though.

      And now she stopped in her tracks. Dazzled by the sight before her. No picture could have done justice to the low winter sun glinting off hundreds of windows and the sheer stately magnificence of the house.

      It had two levels, and an elegantly grand front entrance. She could make out what looked like manicured gardens at the back, and as far as the eye could see to the front were rolling grounds, with a wood in the distance.

      As she approached the front entrance, feeling more and more intimidated, the huge front door opened and a dapper older gentleman dressed in a smart suit appeared.

      He came down the steps, smiling and holding out his hand. ‘You must be Edie.’

      She came forward, ‘Yes.’ She shook his hand. He had an accent that she guessed was from Italy.

      ‘I’m Matteo, Mr Rivas’s housekeeper. He’s on his way from his office in London, but some of his assistants are here to go through the contract with you in the meantime.’

      Edie barely had time to catch her breath before her coat and bag were taken and she was being ushered into a bright office off the entrance hall, where two men and a woman stood up to greet her. They were sleek and officious. Polite but brisk. No doubt they had better things to be doing back in the city.

      She’d just signed on the dotted line, and was still reeling with the knowledge that she was going to be paid a fortune for what was effectively a little over three weeks’ work, when a distinctive thwack-thwack sound came from outside.

      She looked out of the window to see a sleek black helicopter landing at the back of the property. She shivered slightly.

      Sebastio Rivas’s assistants packed up their things and said goodbye to Edie, and then they swept out, leaving her standing in the room, waiting for the man himself.

      As she waited, the tension inside her grew.

      What was she doing here? Thinking she could step into Sebastio Rivas’s world like this? This was on another level. The kind of level people like Edie never got close to. The man had taken a helicopter to get here, for crying out loud! She’d spent the best part of two hours on a packed Tube and had then taken a taxi from the station.

      At that moment she heard a noise and looked to the door, to see Sebastio Rivas easily filling its frame with his tall, broad body. His black hair was unruly, which she guessed was from the helicopter. He wore a three-piece suit and in spite of the messy hair he looked every inch a successful titan of international finance.

      And yet she could sense something far more elemental underneath—the barely leashed power of the fierce athlete he’d once been. It was very provocative.

      He came into the room. ‘You’ve signed the contract?’

      She nodded, wishing she was wearing something more daring than plain black trousers and a white shirt under a sleeveless grey top. She’d never felt less feminine.

      Yes, you have, reminded a voice. When the same man had looked at her as if she was an irritation that night in the club.

      Sebastio glanced at his watch. ‘I need to be back in the city for a meeting before lunch, so let me show you around now.’

      Edie followed him out through the door, hating that he made her feel so self-conscious. She tried her best to look around and not be distracted by his athletic build.

      He was pointing out the entrance hall. ‘This will be the first point of entry for guests, so I’d like something suitably festive in here. A big tree. Lights.’

      Edie took out a notebook from her back pocket, and a pen, and started making notes.

      Sebastio turned around and saw Edie’s downbent head as she wrote in a small notebook. Her hair shone bright auburn in the sunlight streaming through the window. She couldn’t have been less enticing in her very plain clothes, but from the moment he’d walked in and seen her, awareness had sizzled in his blood.

      She was having the same effect she’d had on him the previous day. So it wasn’t an anomaly. Or an aberration. It was irritating as hell—especially when Sebastio had always been in control of his libido.

      He also felt something tugging on his memory...that vague sense of déjà-vu he’d had yesterday. Had he met her somewhere before? It was relatively likely—especially in his rugby-playing days, when his social scene had been far more hectic and debauched.

      He was almost about to ask her, but then he told himself that it was four years of celibacy playing tricks on his mind, telling him he was attracted to this sprite. Telling him he might know her.

      Four years of celibacy. Was that enough of a penance? Sebastio felt bleak.

      Edie looked up at that moment, and her blue eyes widened as if she could see his thoughts. Sebastio cursed his reaction. He did not want to desire her.

      The women he was famous for favouring poured their curvaceous bodies into designer dresses and had long luxurious hair. Not a slender frame that looked as if it might snap in a strong breeze and a bright auburn cap of feathery hair that should have made Edie look androgynous but only enhanced her delicate femininity.

      All he wanted from her was to save him a lot of hassle by creating the illusion that he didn’t despise Christmas.

      Liar, whispered a voice. He ignored it.

      He reminded himself that she was his employee now, and out of bounds. ‘Let’s keep going,’ he said curtly.

      Edie followed Sebastio, stinging a little at the tone of his voice. It was as if she’d done something to irritate him. She was almost inclined to remind him that he’d brought her here, but he’d stopped in the middle of the main reception room now and turned to face her again.

      She quickly schooled her features into something she hoped was bland. She hated Sebastio Rivas at that moment, for making her feel so many things at once. Prickly, aware, defensive.

      She looked away from him and said briskly, ‘You said you have a meeting to get to—Why don’t you show me what you want done?’

      For a long moment there was silence, and then Sebastio responded, ‘You really don’t want to be here, do you?’

      Edie looked at him in shock. Had she been so transparent?

      He folded his arms.

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