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A Christmas Affair
Carole Mortimer
Carole Mortimer is one of Mills & Boon’s best loved Modern Romance authors. With nearly 200 books published and a career spanning 35 years, Mills & Boon are thrilled to present her complete works available to download for the very first time! Rediscover old favourites - and find new ones! - in this fabulous collection…Hot festive nights with the boss!Cathy Gilbert has worked hard for her dynamic boss, international tycoon Dominic Reynolds, for five long years—and she’s been in love with him for most of that time! But enough is enough. Cathy’s realised that if Dominic, with his supercool exterior, hasn’t noticed her by now, he never will. And it’s time to move on…But Dominic's reaction to the news of her leaving is a complete surprise. And soon Cathy finds herself being swept away in a hot, passionate Christmas affair…!
A Christmas
Affair
Carole Mortimer
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Table of Contents
Cover (#u622733b5-0d93-5528-a886-7c5d83f77438)
Title Page (#ub139d616-b39e-5b06-9a53-9652bfd93c8b)
CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_e53a71d7-fedd-58b6-b0ef-6091994ee8d3)
CHAPTER TWO (#ulink_67451f5d-3594-547b-8ec9-e7864d8eaa9e)
CHAPTER THREE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FOUR (#litres_trial_promo)
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)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_d28e6de5-784f-5103-8755-49e1b964e5c7)
WHAT were you supposed to do when the man you were in love with didn't even seem to realise you were female, let alone that you had lustful feelings towards him?
Cathy knew exactly what she was going to do, and Dominic Reynolds wasn't going to like it one little bit!
Even as the thought entered her mind—with a determination that was unshakeable—a bellow of rage came from within the adjoining office, quickly followed by the man himself exploding out of the room to cross to her desk with forceful strides.
Mary, one of the secretaries from the outer office, had been in the middle of a conversation with Cathy, but she took one look at Dominic's thunderous expression and scuttled from the room.
Cathy's own manner was as casual as usual as she continued to look through the papers strewn across her desktop, shaking her head derisively. �If Mary wasn't of a nervous disposition before she came to work for you, she certainly is now,’ she drawled in an amused voice, not at all perturbed herself by his obvious bad temper—or the reason for it.
Dominic scowled. �I don't give a damn about Mary's nerves.’
�That's the trouble with you,’ Cathy bit out tautly, her eyes flashing with anger, coloured a deep smoky grey by the emotion. �You “don't give a damn” about anyone else's feelings but your own!’
Dominic's mouth tightened: a finely chiselled mouth that looked too perfect to firm with temper or thin with displeasure—and yet Cathy knew it was capable of much worse than that; Mary hadn't got her nervous disposition for no reason during the last three months she had worked as one of Dominic's secretaries.
�What the hell do you call this?’ He waved a piece of headed paper in front of her nose.
Cathy didn't flinch, coolly raising blonde brows at the object that so offended him. �Well,’ she said with a casual lack of interest, �I don't know what you call it, but it looks decidedly like a letter to me.’ She looked at him challengingly.
His harshly indrawn breath showed he wasn't in the least amused by her levity at his expense. But at this precise moment Cathy didn't particularly care what he felt. Maybe she would later—she was sure she would later!—but right now she was only concerned with showing him she didn't give a damn.
Which was a complete fabrication. She had cared about Dominic from that very first interview with him five years ago, had loved him almost from the day she came to work for him. But, as she very well knew, Dominic didn't care about anyone or anything, only about being successful—which, with his varied and profitable enterprises, he certainly was.
Women were a non-event in his life, Dominic not even seeming to see them most of the time. Which Cathy had found, when she had been told on more than one occasion that she was beautiful enough to be a model, could be very frustrating.
Perhaps if she didn't love him, if Dominic didn't look like a romantic hero himself, with his slightly overlong dark hair, fierce green eyes, perfectly chiselled features, and tall, muscular body invariably clothed in a three-piece suit of one sombre colour or another, it wouldn't have mattered quite so much what he thought—or rather, didn't think—of women.
But Dominic had the sort of male good looks that could stop conversation in a room when he entered it, could have—and had had!—an Arabian princess promising him half her father's kingdom if he would marry her. The former he seemed genuinely not to notice, and the latter he had ignored as a childish prank—except that Cathy knew the princess had been perfectly in earnest!
But what could you do with a man who had never, to Cathy's knowledge, even invited a woman out with him for the evening during the whole time she had worked for him?
To Dominic, social occasions were just an extension of work, and if he required a female companion for one of those occasions then Cathy, as his personal assistant, would do.
He could be so flattering to a woman's ego!
And sarcasm wasn't going to get her anywhere, she acknowledged miserably.
Nothing she had done the last five years had got her anywhere with this man; to him she was just a second storage unit for all his business dealings, his right-hand man, his Man Friday. She might just as well have been a man for all the notice he took of her.
Which brought her right back to the reason for his fury with her now.
�You demanded to have time off for Christmas even though you knew it wasn't convenient,’ he rasped, his eyes glittering angrily. �You even persuaded me into letting you use the Audi Quattro when you suddenly decided you had to leave for your sister's home in Devon in the middle of the night while a snowstorm raged. And then,’ he breathed deeply, �after only one night away instead of the week you had insisted upon, you arrived back here to give me this!’ He slapped the letter angrily against the palm of his other hand.
�Let's just get the facts straight, shall we?’ She straightened, her gaze unflinching—one thing: no matter how arrogantly demanding he was, he had never managed to fray her nerves to breaking-point as he had poor Mary and the other secretaries. And he wasn't about to start now! �It's never convenient with you if I take a holiday, let alone want to spend Christmas with my family. Just because you don't believe in them—families or Christmas—there's no reason to think that the rest of the world isn't entitled to them either!’
His jaw was clenched tightly at her verbal blows. �I don't think the rest of the world——’
�All right, then, maybe it's just my wanting a holiday with my family that you find so. offensive,’ she snapped irritably.
�You took your damned holiday, two days early, no matter what my feelings were,’ he scowled. �So what's the problem?’
�I haven't got to that yet,’ she grated, eyes narrowed angrily. �Secondly,’ she said pointedly, �I did not persuade you into letting me take the Audi, you offered. Thirdly,’ she continued determinedly as he would have interrupted, �I went to my sister's so suddenly not because of some trivial female whim, which is what you seem to be implying, but because of an emergency!’
�An emergency that is obviously over now, or you wouldn't be back here,’ said Dominic impatiently. �So I still don't see what the problem is.’
Oh, yes, the emergency was definitely over now. Cathy smiled to herself as she thought of the ecstatic telephone call she had received from her friend Jade late the previous evening telling her of the wedding she and David were planning for the New Year. It could so easily have worked out unhappily for all concerned.
But the joy Jade and David had undoubtedly found in each other had only strengthened her own resolve where Dominic was concerned, which was why she had come into the office at all today.
�Fourthly,’ she told him firmly, �I gave you that——’ she indicated the letter he crushed so savagely in his hand �—because I no longer want to work for you.’
He drew in a harsh breath. �Just like that?’ He was outraged.
No, not just like that. She no more wanted to leave than he seemed to want her to go. But their reasons for that were completely different. She because just being close to him had to be better than nothing; he because, as they both knew, he didn't want to lose the best personal assistant he had ever had.
But, after five years of believing that being close to him was better than nothing, Cathy knew that was no longer true. She loved him, would always love him, but she was twenty-six, and if she wanted to make any sort of life for herself she knew she would have to make the break now. Had known it, and had difficulty accepting it, for some time.
She shrugged non-committally, continuing to pack the things from the top of her desk into the box in front of her. �After five years I think it's time for a change.’
�To do what?’ he said with angry scorn, crushing even more the letter of resignation that had been the start of his fury.
�Maybe I'll take up modelling,’ she shrugged after a moment's thought. �Everyone seems to believe I have the face and figure for it.’
�You would be bored out of your mind within a week!’ Dominic dismissed harshly, making no comment about what �everyone believed’ concerning her looks.
�As long as that?’ she returned consideringly, her head tilted to one side, her hair blonde and silkily straight to her shoulders. �Maybe I should give an agency a ring.’
�Cathy——’
�Yes, Dominic?’ she prompted smoothly, knowing that her own coolness in the face of his agitation was adding to his frustration with a situation that seemed out of his control; Dominic liked to be in control at all times.
He glowered at her. �If there's some sort of problem between us, couldn't you at least have come to me and talked about it instead of just leaving this on my desk for me to find when I went through my mail?’ Once again he slapped the crumpled paper against the palm of his hand.
�But there is no problem,’ she told him dismissively. �And where else would you have liked me to leave my letter of resignation? It wouldn't have done a lot of good sitting on my desk, now, would it?’ she chided reasoningly.
His eyes narrowed warningly at her continued flippancy. �I would rather you hadn't left the damned thing anywhere.’
�But then you wouldn't have known I was leaving,’ she pointed out practically, picking up the calendar from the side of her desk, debating whether or not it belonged to her personally or to the office, and finally throwing it carelessly into the top of her box.
�Will you stop being so damned—uncaring?’ Dominic exploded once again.
This volatile temper, joined by his razor-sharp brain, was something the City knew to be very wary of.
To Cathy, these occasional lapses of temper just showed he was human after all!
�Oh, lighten up, Dominic,’ she advised him impatiently. � “It's Christmas Eve, and all's right with the world,” ’ she quoted drily.
�Not my world,’ he rasped. �God, Cathy, no one gives immediate notice!’
She was aware of that; she also knew that her having done so, and insisting that it go through, could be serious enough to make Dominic refuse to give her a reference.
But she had made her decision to make the break and, having done so, she didn't want to be anywhere near Dominic, where her resolve could so easily be weakened, until she felt strong enough to cope with seeing him again. Maybe in a hundred years or so!
�We have a contract, Cathy,’ he reminded her hardly. �It states that there should be three months’ notice on either side. If you go ahead with leaving immediately I could sue you for breach of that contract.’
She winced, knowing that if he got angry enough he was as likely to do just that. �At Christmas?’ She shook her head disgustedly. �I always wondered what that middle initial “S” stood for in your name, and now I think I know: Scrooge could have taken lessons from you!’
Red colour stained his cheeks. �I've always been fair with you——’
�Of course you have,’ she cut in scornfully. �That's why I've worked a constant sixty-hour week without holidays for the last five years!’
His mouth tightened. �I always paid you for the extra hours.’
�Money isn't everything, Dominic,’ she snapped scathingly. �Oh, I'll admit I like the nice clothes and the apartment that money has allowed me to have, but at the rate I'm going I'll be too exhausted by the time I reach thirty to enjoy them any more! I'll just be a burnt-out money-grasper.’
�Like me, you mean?’ He met her gaze challengingly, his eyes as hard as emeralds.
�Not at all,’ she returned coolly. �You'll never be burnt out; you thrive on this sort of life.’ But they had both noticed, she was sure, that she made no comment on the second part of her description.
How much money did one man need? Dominic had far more money than one man could spend in a lifetime, in actual fact had no one to leave the money to when he was gone, so he didn't even have the excuse that he was doing it for his family. And yet he continued to work long hours, constantly pushing himself, and those around him, so that he could add more millions to those he already had.
Perhaps, if he actually seemed to go out and enjoy the money, Cathy could accept the way he was, but, apart from his luxurious apartment in town, his tailored clothes and his expensive cars, he spent very little on himself; not for him the playboy lifestyle his wealth could have afforded.
Not that Cathy relished the idea of his behaving in that cavalier fashion, but the way he forged forward, earning more and more money just to put it away and more or less forget about it, seemed to her to stem more from a compulsion than from any real enjoyment in the act, or in wealth itself.
His mouth twisted. �But apparently it no longer appeals to you?’
�No,’ she confirmed flatly.
He looked for a moment as if he would like to do her some sort of physical violence, although as usual he managed to keep himself under control.
�Even so,’ he bit out, �you must see that you have to honour the three months’ notice in the contract you signed when you first came to work for me.’
Her brows quirked. �The same way you've honoured the weeks’ holidays I was supposed to have had each year, stated in that very same contract?’ she reminded him without malice. �I'll tell you what, Dominic, you forget about the three months’ notice you say I owe you, and I'll forget all those weeks’ holiday you owe me. And you'll still come out very much a winner!’
His expression was grim as he looked down into her calm but determined face. �I'm beginning to realise I made a mistake in working you so hard all these years,’ he said slowly. �You're obviously very much in need of a holiday; you seem to be suffering from a form of nervous exhaustion.’
�Because I handed in my resignation?’ She smiled, her expression pitying. �You really don't know me very well at all, do you, Dominic?’ she added with sad stoicism.
�Of course I know you, damn it,’ he rasped. �I've spent almost every waking moment with you for the last five years!’
More than a lot of married couples, in fact, and yet Cathy knew she was still far from knowing the real man that was Dominic. Oh, she knew the basic things, such as his liking for black coffee for breakfast, the way he always wore black shoes, the fact that he liked to read The Times no matter what part of the world they happened to be in at the time; she was very familiar with all of his likes and dislikes in food, knew that he hated the farce of situation comedies on the television, that opera actually put him to sleep no matter whom he happened to be spending the evening with; and she also knew that alcohol was something he rarely indulged in. On a day-to-day basis she probably knew as much, if not more, than the average wife who'd known her husband the same number of years. And yet Dominic's real emotions he kept very low-key, and his past life was a closed book.
Dominic knew about her in just as much detail, but he was also privileged with the information that she had a sister called Penny with a family in Devon; he also knew about her life before the two of them had met and she had come to work for him.
As for her emotions, he didn't want to know about them!
�So you have,’ she accepted lightly. �Then you should know me well enough by now to realise that I haven't resigned lightly, without giving the whole thing serious thought.’
�Of course I realise that,’ he grated tautly. �Which is why I think it would be a good idea if you took the next week off, after all—two weeks, if you would prefer,’ he amended hastily at her derisive expression. �Take the time to rest yourself, to rethink your decision.’
�Two whole weeks, Dominic?’ Cathy taunted. �Are you sure you can spare them?’
�It has to be better than having you leave for good,’ he rasped irritably.
Once again she smiled. �Two weeks wouldn't be long enough.’ She shook her head.
�Then take three weeks, a month. Damn it, Cathy,’ he scowled. �Talk to me!’
Now he wanted to talk to her. Although she didn't delude herself into thinking he wanted to talk about anything other than persuading her into continuing to work for him.
�My letter of resignation says it all, Dominic’ She shrugged dismissively, looking through the drawers in her desk to see if there was anything she had forgotten, before moving across the room to the window-ledge where she had slowly nurtured plants over the years into healthy adult plants; to leave them behind now would be like leaving part of herself behind. And she intended no part of her to remain here once she had physically left.
Dominic followed her, and although Cathy didn't acknowledge his presence next to her as she filled the box with the plants, she could feel his nervous energy.
�You say you want to move on to something different,’ he quoted impatiently. �But why? You know you love this job!’
The statement had nothing to do with egotism; she had never made any secret of her enjoyment of the work she did for Dominic, which she had loved from the very first moment, and she would only be fooling herself if she didn't admit she was going to miss the constant excitement the work involved. But her ragged and bruised emotions knew best, realised when it was time to admit defeat in the face of indifference, and move on. Which was exactly what she intended doing.
Besides—and this was something Dominic would never understand—it had never been just a job to her; it had been the only sort of partnership she could ever have with him.
�So I'll learn to love a new job,’ she told him with confident bravado, looking out of the window at the greying sky. �It looks full of snow,’ she murmured to herself.
�You were born to be my personal assistant,’ Dominic said frustratedly in the face of her obviously wandering attention. �Maybe some shares in DomRey would give you more of an incentive to reconsider.’ His eyes were narrowed to emerald slits.
She laughed softly at the suggestion. �You don't need a partner, Dominic’
�I wasn't offering partnership,’ he snapped. �Just the interest of a few shares in the company you work for.’
�Thanks, but no, thanks,’ she refused without the slightest hesitation, glancing up at the sky again; if only it didn't look that awful white-grey colour that often preceded snow! �Just hold off another five or six hours,’ she requested of it pleadingly, turning with the box in her arms to knock Dominic full in the chest where he stood so close to her. �Sorry,’ she grimaced, stepping aside to make sure she missed him this time.
�But those shares you've just turned down are worth over——’
�I am a good PA, Dominic,’ she said without turning. �I know what they're worth.’
�Then——’
�I'm not interested, in them or in their worth,’ she stated firmly, glancing worriedly at her watch; the day was quickly moving on, and she still had a lot to do.
�Am I keeping you?’ Dominic demanded irritably as he saw that glance.
Cathy looked up at him, answering him calmly, �As a matter of fact, yes.’
�I'm so sor—good God!’ Sarcasm gave way to alarm as he once again followed her across the room. �Those mutterings about snow and hoping it will hold off for five or six hours don't mean that you're thinking of driving back down to Devon today, do they?’ He looked disbelieving.
Considering that she had driven down through the night two days ago, and then back again yesterday evening, Dominic could be forgiven for looking at her as if she must have taken leave of her senses. But she had had very good reasons for making both those unscheduled journeys, and if Dominic had ever shown the slightest interest in her personal life she might have been tempted to confide them to him.
As things had turned out she had more reason than ever for wanting to be back among her family for Christmas. She intended to be there with them all when Jade and David celebrated their engagement; those two, more than anyone else she knew, deserved happiness, and she was thrilled that they had found it together.
�And if it does?’ she challenged.
�Then I no longer just think I've been working you too hard, I know I have,’ he returned grimly. �You must know as well as I do that the long-term weather forecast is snow, snow, and more snow. You would have to be insane to go out into that again!’
She raised blonde brows. �I don't think I have to take that sort of talk from you now.’
Green eyes flashed. �I'm just offering you sound common sense.’
�Dominic, you never offer advice,’ she mocked lightly.
He stiffened, very tall and handsome in the navy blue three-piece suit. �Meaning?’
�Meaning that I intend going back to Devon today, no matter what the weather forecast, no matter what you have to say about it——’
�No matter what anyone says, by your reckless attitude,’ he bit out tersely. �When did you get to be so damned stubborn?’
�Oh, I've always been pretty determined,’ she dismissed casually. �You've just never taken the time to notice before now.’ As he hadn't noticed a lot of other things about her!
Like the very fact that she loved him madly, passionately—futilely.
There had never even been the faintest flicker of awareness on his part of her as a woman. It was all so—depressing.
But she wasn't about to let him see that emotion, today of all days. He might just misinterpret the reason behind that depression. Oh, she was upset at the thought of no longer working for him, but it was the thought of leaving Dominic as a person that was upsetting her more—the fact that her love for him had always gone by completely unrecognised by him.
Not that she wanted him to see her like some fawning idiot, either, with no hope of having him return her love. That was the trouble with loving Dominic; she couldn't ever come out the winner.
Which was why she had to go.
Now, before the flippant façade she had constructed over what she had just done cracked a mile wide and left her emotionally broken …
�Cathy——’
�I have to go, Dominic,’ she told him lightly, doing her best to shut out that huskily persuasive voice; if Dominic chose to put his mind to it he could charm the birds out of the trees. He just didn't feel so inclined most of the time and, even when he did, impatience and temper usually took over.
�The snow isn't going to hold off forever,’ she told him brightly, shaking back her hair as she picked up the box again in readiness for leaving. �I guess I'll have to forgo the usual leaving party,’ she added self-derisively; she had never envisaged leaving Dominic in quite these circumstances. She had never envisaged leaving him at all!
His expression darkened even more, almost black brows low over his eyes.
Cathy wished she hadn't looked at those eyes. They were incredibly beautiful eyes for a man, a deep emerald-green, surrounded by the thickest black lashes she had ever seen.
Oh, the dreams she had once had of one day holding a baby of her own in her arms with those eyes, Dominic's eyes …
She swayed slightly, her lids closed over the tears that had welled there. How foolish were her dreams!
�Damn the leaving party.’ The rasp of Dominic's voice steadied her, and she met his gaze calmly. �You're too tired to drive all that way again today; you're almost asleep on your feet!’
If she was honest, she didn't relish the journey for a third time in as many days, but there was no way she was going to miss being with the family for the festive season for the first time in years.
Where had she and Dominic spent Christmas last year? Oh, yes, in a hotel in New York, going over contracts that were finalised as soon as Christmas Day had passed. And the year before that they had been at another hotel, that time in Munich. And the year before that … Oh, what was the use of dwelling in the past? This Christmas she intended being surrounded by the warmth of her family, by people giving and receiving gifts in love and friendship.
She quickly banished from her mind the image she suddenly had of Dominic completely alone at his apartment, with no one to give him even one present and show him love. That was the way he wanted it, the way it always was.
�It's Christmas Eve,’ she said again brightly. �The thought of spending Christmas with the family will be enough to keep me awake and alert. Oh, I forgot to tell you——’ her eyes glowed with pleasure �—David is there, too.’
Dominic frowned. �You mean David Kendrick?’
�Mm.’ She smiled confirmation. �You knew my sister is married to his brother?’
�I believe you did tell me,’ Dominic nodded abruptly. �But I also thought he wasn't—into family occasions?’
�Oh, all that's changed,’ Cathy laughed happily at the thought of how loving Jade had changed David's life. �It promises to be a wonderful Christmas with all the family together again at last.’
Dominic thrust his hands into his trouser pockets, turning away to gaze out of the window at London's bleak skyline. �Then I'd better not keep you any longer.’
It should have been her turn to say, �Just like that?’ No matter what she had said in the last few minutes, she couldn't believe this was really goodbye. But she knew that it had to be, and the uncompromising set of Dominic's shoulders beneath the tailored jacket didn't encourage her to say the actual words to him.
She took one last lingering look at the room and the man before rushing out of the door.
How she managed to say goodbye to Mary and the other secretaries in the outer office she didn't know; her throat was aching with the effort of holding back the tears by the time she got outside the building, and she almost fell inside the taxi she hailed.
And then the tears fell like a waterfall.
The driver shot her a worried glance in his driving-mirror. �Christmas party?’
She would have laughed at the suggestion if she could have stopped feeling miserable long enough; the closest Dominic came to recognising Christmas was to let his staff leave an hour earlier than usual!
But she nodded anyway, because it was what the driver obviously expected to hear, and also because she was starting to cry again.
Thank God she had packed her case and done her few errands before going to the office this morning. Now she just wanted to get away, pausing only long enough to change into warm clothes for the journey ahead of her. The last thing she wanted was to be alone in her flat any longer than she had to be.
Which was why she muttered and mumbled to herself as the doorbell rang just as she was bending down to pick up her suitcase. It was probably the janitor calling for his Christmas tip!
She stared dazedly up at Dominic as he stood outside her door, no longer the suave executive in the formal suit, but looking just as devastatingly attractive in fitted black trousers and a thick Aran sweater worn beneath a black leather jacket.
Having resigned herself to the possibility of perhaps never seeing him again, Cathy could only stare at him in stunned surprise.
�As you're so adamant about going down to Devon again today,’ he told her in measured tones, �I've decided to drive you.’
CHAPTER TWO (#ulink_e710cdc0-09a1-5f69-8dd1-b36f900826cc)
CATHY forgot about how devastated she had been such a short time ago at the thought of not seeing Dominic again, completely forgot her joy of a few moments ago when she had opened her door and found him standing there, too.
All she could think of at the moment was his damned typical arrogance!
She made no effort to open her apartment door wider or invite him to come in. �Isn't it usual to ask?’ she snapped tautly, controlling her anger with great difficulty.
Dominic shrugged dismissively. �I knew you never would.’
Her eyes widened incredulously. �I wasn't talking about me!’ she gasped.
His eyes narrowed, and he walked past her into the apartment with easy familiarity, despite Cathy's unwelcoming attitude. �Why would I need to ask to drive you down to Devon?’ he said with genuine amazement. �I'm the one doing you a favour.’
Cathy had followed him agitatedly into the elegantly furnished lounge. �You can take your favour and——’
�I've already spoken to your brother-in-law, and he agrees with me——’
�You've telephoned Simon?’ she gasped again, her eyes even wider than before.
Dominic gave an arrogant inclination of his head. �Actually, during the course of the conversation he invited me to spend Christmas with you and the family,’ he revealed distantly.
Simon would. Her brother-in-law was one of the kindest, most warm-hearted, most generous people she had ever known, and the thought of someone spending the festive season on their own would easily move him to make the invitation to Dominic. And he would have meant it sincerely, too.
Goodness knew, Dominic was far from being a stranger to Penny and Simon; even though the other couple had never actually met him, Cathy had talked about him often enough!
And she hadn't yet had an opportunity to tell Simon and her sister that she was no longer working for Dominic.
She eyed him warily across the room. �And what was your answer?’
His mouth twisted mockingly. �Don't worry, I don't willingly go where I know I'm not wanted.’
�Oh, but I'm sure Simon——’
�I wasn't talking about your brother-in-law,’ he drawled dismissively.
Her cheeks burned with heated colour. �It has nothing to do with me whom Simon chooses to invite into his home,’ she told him stiltedly.
�Nevertheless,’ Dominic's mouth firmed, �despite your brother-in-law's kind invitation—which, incidentally, I'm sure was genuine—I have no intention of intruding upon the Christmas that means so much to you.’
Considering Dominic never acknowledged the festive season by so much as a sprig of holly in his office, Cathy couldn't imagine that he had ever seriously considered the invitation anyway! She certainly didn't feel as if she was depriving him of anything by being the real reason he had declined!
�All the more reason for you not to drive me down to Devon,’ she dismissed.
�I don't have anything else to do.’ He shrugged broad shoulders. �And as we are both well aware——’ his mouth twisted derisively �—the whole world grinds to a halt at Christmas.’
�That's never seemed to stop you before,’ Cathy recalled drily.
He shrugged. �This year I seem to be without my capable PA. And a few hours’ notice isn't time enough for me to be able to train up another one,’ he added hardily.
She didn't even blink at his sarcasm. �I have no wish to talk about work.’
�Neither have I,’ he drawled, glancing out of the window of her flat. �Snow looks imminent, so if you want to leave …’
�I'll go when I'm ready.’ She spoke with more stubbornness than good sense, because snow did look imminent.
�Strange.’ Dominic looked at her consideringly, just as if he were viewing a somewhat wayward child in his presence. �I never considered you a foolish person until today.’
Possibly because today was the first time he had seen her as even being halfway human, rather than just a business extension of himself!
�Stubborn and foolish,’ she derided. �What makes you think you're any more capable of driving to Devon than I am?’ she challenged, her eyes glittering a dark smoky grey.
�I don't,’ he surprised her by answering. �But at least with the two of us there we could take it in turns to do the driving, and in that way we could halve the strain.’
Cathy hated it when he made good sense, especially when it was about something as important as this! How could she refuse his help now without looking absolutely stupid? Especially when she was well aware of the fact that she couldn't possibly be upsetting any of his own plans for Christmas; he had probably intended to hibernate until all the �childish emotion', as she had once heard him describe it, was over.
�I'm still not prepared to talk about my resignation,’ she told him firmly.
The grimness relaxed slightly about his mouth, as if he was well aware that a victory of one kind was imminent. �I've already said I don't want to talk about it either. But if at some time during the journey you should decide you would like to discuss it——’
�I won't,’ she insisted abruptly. �It's a fact, irreversible, un——’
�I think I get the message, Cathy,’ he drawled at her vehemence.
�In that case, what's in this for you?’ She raised mocking brows.
�Nasty, Cathy,’ he said. �Very nasty.’
�Educated,’ she corrected drily.
His mouth quirked in a facsimile of a smile. �I trained you to be my right-hand man—you know me better than I know myself most of the time. And, knowing me as you do, you're right: I'm not going to give up hoping you'll change your mind.’
She knew he had invented the word �tenacious'; she had always believed that that elusively unexplained �S’ in his initials stood for stubborn—no matter what she might earlier have accused to the contrary! And yet she had also never believed him capable of needing anyone, or anything, enough to put himself to the trouble of chasing after it. But maybe he considered the five years he had spent training her to be worth his making the exception!
She met his gaze challengingly. �In that case, we had better get going, hadn't we?’
Dominic showed no surprise at her decision to accept his help after all, glancing across at her case and the wicker basket that stood ready in the hallway. �Is that all you're taking with you?’
She might have realised he had known from the onset that he would have his own way! Arrogant, dictatorial, self-assured, pigheaded——! �Yes,’ she bit out tightly.
�Just a polite query,’ he murmured tolerantly at her defensive attitude. �No criticism intended.’
Cathy watched him with troubled eyes as he crossed the room to pick up her cases. Five to six hours alone in the confines of a car with him in the circumstances; she had to be insane.
She muttered to herself as she pulled her full-length dark green coat on over her black jumper and grey fitted trousers, preparing herself to follow him out of the flat.
God knew what this drive was going to be like, and yet in a strangely masochistic way she was actually looking forward to it!
He drove the Audi with an assurance Cathy couldn't hope to imitate when her own turn to drive came, long, tapered hands moving confidently on the wheel. And the snow was no longer imminent; it was falling gently on the road in front of them.
Dominic's attention was all grimly on what was on the other side of the car window, leaving Cathy free to gaze at him to her heart's content without fear of his noticing what she was doing. Just to look at him made her heart beat faster. His profile was so strong and handsome. He——
Dear lord, they weren't even out of London yet, and already she was in the middle of a hot flush over the man! She was going to be a physical wreck by the time they reached Devon!
Dominic had always had the power to affect her this way, but usually during the time they spent together she didn't have a moment to think, let alone allow her emotions for him to have free rein. But now there was no work to distract either of them …
�I never realised Christmas was important to you,’ Dominic spoke suddenly in the strange stillness of late morning.
Cathy gave him a startled glance, sitting up straighter in her seat. �You never asked.’
�More criticism?’ He frowned darkly.
�Certainly not,’ she answered truthfully. �Why should an employer be interested in an employee's personal likes and dislikes?’ And, as her pained heart knew, the two of them had certainly never crossed over that finely drawn line.
Dominic drew in a harsh breath. �I thought we were at least—friends.’
Now it was Cathy's turn to frown. Dominic didn't have what she would have classed actual friends. He had a lot of acquaintances, but no one who was really close to him. And she had always believed he preferred it that way.
�Don't look so stunned, Cathy,’ he drawled self-derisively. �My obvious misapprehension doesn't bind you to anything.’
Friends? Dominic and she? If they were, it wasn't the sort of friendship she was used to—nothing at all like the friendship she had shared with Jade for so many years. With Jade, it didn't matter how long it had been since the two of them had last seen each other; they would instantly fall into a warm conversation as if it had been yesterday, talking about anything and nothing, whatever the two of them wished. She and Dominic had never talked like that together.
And yet she could see she had offended Dominic by her scepticism, and she wished there were some way she could undo her surprise at his assumption. It was the first time she had ever heard Dominic presume such a friendship existed between them, and now it looked as if she was throwing it back in his face!
�I've always hoped we were,’ she returned non-committally.
But she had always believed that friends confided things to each other, and other than what she had read about Dominic's personal life in magazine articles, plus the few brief glimpses he had given her himself, she knew little or nothing about him.
And anyone could find out that he came from a working-class background, that his parents had died while he was relatively young, and that he had been brought up by a spinster aunt after that. She didn't need to read it anywhere to know that he never went out with women, or at least, if he did, he was very, very discreet. As regarded his business life, she knew all about that to the last detail. What she didn't know was what devil it was that drove him.
And if he really regarded her as a friend he would have felt able to confide at least part of the reason for his single-minded attitude to life.
But she only knew that he was the man she loved. At the same time, she knew that he had memories buried inside him, memories that had scarred too deeply for him to share them with anyone. She knew that instinctively, not from anything he had ever said or shown from his actions. There was evidence enough in the closed man that he was.
The times that she had hoped and prayed he would open up to her! But all he had ever chosen to discuss with her was business. That was never likely to change now. And it had obviously been enough for Dominic all these years.
�As close as I've got to having one,’ he mockingly echoed her thoughts, as if he had found it all too easy to read them. He glanced at her. �Why don't you settle down and have a sleep? And don't say you aren't tired,’ he added softly as she went to protest. �Because I know damn well you must be.’
�I was just about to remind you that you had agreed we would take it in turns to drive,’ she said.
He shrugged. �As we've only gone about fifteen miles, I think I might manage to carry on for a while longer!’
His sarcastic sense of humour had taken a lot of getting used to when she had first gone to work for him, especially as the closest he ever came to acknowledging that humour himself was the occasional glitter of amusement in the dark green eyes!
�I'll wake you when I've had enough,’ he added drily.
She made a face at him, receiving a mocking quirk of his mouth in response. �Just make sure you do,’ she warned as she settled down more comfortably, closing her eyes.
�Yes, ma'am,’ he drawled.
Cathy opened one eye and looked at him. �Try and remember that in future I'm no longer restrained in my responses by the fact that I work for you,’ she said.
�I can't say I ever noticed that fact keeping you silent in the past,’ he mocked. �Your honesty, brutal or otherwise, has always been one of the things I've most liked about you.’
She had never even realised he did like her. He had picked a hell of a time to decide to tell her he did!
Not that it would have made any difference to her earlier decision. Liking wasn't loving, and she was no longer willing to settle for anything less, especially the scraps Dominic was able to give her. Lord knew she had flared up at Jade about appreciating the value of love when it was offered to her; she couldn't then opt for anything less for herself.
She had a feeling Jade was well aware of her love for Dominic, although, surprisingly, that was the one thing the two of them had never talked about. Jade was her best friend, but somehow her love for Dominic had always seemed too sensitive a subject to put into words, even to someone as close to her as Jade was. Maybe because she knew that love was so hopeless. The last thing she wanted was pity.
She chanced another glance at Dominic beneath lowered lashes. He looked grim again. What was he thinking about as he drove along so competently? She never had been able to even guess at his thoughts, the façade he showed to the world always enigmatic.
He was probably thinking of something quite mundane—such as how insane the two of them must be to be undertaking this journey at all! It might have been nice, just for once, to imagine they were a little in tune with each other. But, as she knew all too well, Dominic was a past master at hiding his thoughts, and feelings, from everyone.
Although he had certainly shown some reaction to her handing in her resignation, Cathy acknowledged ruefully. Though she certainly wasn't going to attempt to build any more hopeless dreams on that.
She closed her eyes determinedly, wishing the journey—and this torture—over. Beyond this lay the warmth of Penny and Simon and their home, the wonder of Jade and David's love for each other, the innocence of her two young nephews as they excitedly looked forward to Christmas.
She smiled at the thoughts, wishing herself there, longing for that enveloping warmth, not aware of the moment when the thoughts became a hazy dream and carried her off to sleep …
�Lunch, Cathy.’
Lunch? What did lunch have to do with the golden vision before her, all the family seated about the brightly lit Christmas tree? But even as the irritated question came to her Dominic appeared in the vision carrying a silver tray of food. And he looked so right there among her family and friends, so incredibly perfect, so——
�I said it's time for lunch, Cathy,’ that intrusive voice persisted.
So he kept saying. But she wasn't in the least hungry, and——
�Cathy, wake up.’ A firm hand shook her shoulder.
She frowned at the irritation, trying unsuccessfully to shake off the hand, only to have the action repeated, more vigorously this time. �Go away,’ she muttered impatiently.
�You always were bad-tempered when you woke up.’ Dominic was amused now.
Cathy was frowning as she reluctantly opened her eyes, the wonderful dream having disappeared as if it had never been. As it hadn't. Dreams were an impossibility.
Dominic was sitting turned towards her in his seat, not the smiling, loving man in her dreams, but the cynic she was more used to.
�You've been asleep almost two hours, and I need some lunch,’ he told her practically.
She moved stiffly, still frowning darkly as she straightened in her seat to look around them. Dominic had stopped at one of the roadside service areas, and outside the car the snow still fell softly, thick on the ground where there were no vehicles to churn it up and melt it into muddy slush. The sky was darker above them, too, as if the weight of the snow yet to come was hanging heavily above them.
�Stop complaining, when it was your suggestion that I sleep,’ she snapped moodily, looking in the overhead mirror and doing her best to straighten her appearance before they got out.
Dominic smiled at her bad temper, shaking his head. �Let's go and get something to eat. Fussing over your appearance isn't going to do you a lot of good when you get outside in the wind.’
The coldness outside did a lot to revive her spirits; she had always loved the snow. Large flecks of it landed on her face and hair, and she was gazing up at the featherlight flakes when her footing suddenly seemed to go from under her and she felt herself falling.
�Steady.’ Dominic's hand was instantly under her elbow as he kept her on her feet, easily supporting her weight beside him. �Perhaps you'd better hold on to me.’ He put her hand in the crook of his arm and held it there.
During the whole time she had worked for him, Dominic had rarely had a need to touch her, and having his hand against hers now made the cold completely disappear. Cathy suddenly felt too warm for comfort.
As was usual in these places, the service area was noisy and crowded, especially so as it was Christmas Eve, with everyone more than full of the joys of the season as they anticipated the holiday ahead.
The queue for food in the restaurant looked never-ending, and several people were so bored by the wait that they were indulging in horseplay that could only be described as juvenile, one teenage boy very free with his mistletoe as he moved among the queue looking for all the pretty young ladies.
Cathy winced as she glanced sideways at Dominic, knowing from experience that he hated anything resembling a fast-food restaurant at the best of times. And with the volume of people that passed through these service areas in a day they couldn't be classed as anything else!
But today Dominic didn't seem in the least concerned by their surroundings. Just as he seemed totally unaware of the fact that Cathy's hand was still tucked warmly inside his arm!
�Wow, my luck's really in today,’ murmured an admiring voice.
During her preoccupation with Dominic Cathy had completely forgotten the young man with the mistletoe, but unfortunately he seemed to have reached their place in the queue.
He was a young man of about eighteen, with an untidy mop of blond hair and mischievous blue eyes, wearing the customary jeans and thick jacket.
And he looked as if he had every intention of kissing her.
�I don't think so,’ Dominic drawled softly.
An irritated blue gaze was turned on the older man as he stood so commandingly at Cathy's side. The two gazes clashed challengingly but, whatever it was the younger man read in Dominic's eyes, he looked disappointed rather than rebellious when he turned back wistfully towards Cathy.
Then his expression brightened suddenly. �Well, there's no reason why the mistletoe shouldn't be put to good use.’ And he held the green sprig with its creamy berries over Cathy's and Dominic's heads, his intention obvious as he looked at them expectantly.
Cathy was too embarrassed by the action to even glance at Dominic.
How on earth were they going to get out of this one, and with everyone in the near vicinity turning to look at them curiously now? If Dominic tried to cry off by claiming she worked for him he was only likely to receive ribald comments from the over-enthusiastic crowd in here today.
But the idea of the two of them actually kissing each other was unthinkable too!
�I——’
�It is Christmas, Cathy,’ Dominic reminded her softly, the firmness of his lips softening into a smile as her mouth fell open in surprise at his remark.
The fact that her mouth had fallen open made the brief brushing together of lips that the kiss should have been virtually impossible, their mouths melding together in a kiss that took Cathy's breath away.
Dominic was actually kissing her, was standing in the middle of a crowded restaurant and kissing her! It was unreal. Incredible. Beautiful. Wonderful …
And over much too soon.
She swayed dizzily, her mouth still raised invitingly as Dominic straightened, looking as cool and in control as he usually did. And for all the world as if he hadn't just shattered Cathy's own control.
The young man with the mistletoe moved off down the queue in the search of more victims of his pranks, having no idea of the turmoil he had left behind him.
The focus was no longer on the two of them, and yet Cathy couldn't speak. Her lips still felt the touch of Dominic's, firm and oh, so sensual, not cold and unyielding as they had always appeared.
She was breathing hard, her fingernails digging into the sleeve of Dominic's jacket where she still clung to his arm, slowly forcing her grip to relax as Dominic looked down at her enquiringly.
�I——’ She moistened dry lips. �I'm sorry about that.’
�It doesn't matter,’ he dismissed shruggingly, turning to organise their food on to a tray. �It didn't hurt.’
It took a couple of minutes for Cathy to realise he was talking about her nails digging into his arm, and not the kiss!
How could he just carry on as if nothing unusual had happened, when to her it had been the single most breathtaking experience of her life? Because he wasn't in love, she acknowledged heavily.
But, whatever she had thought of the intimate side of his life during the past few years, the kiss he had given her had been that of an expert, practised and assured. And she was left wondering who he had done the practising with!
�You didn't mind what happened just now, did you?’ Dominic had turned and seen her frowning expression. �I thought it would cause less embarrassment to all concerned if we just humoured the young man.’
Of course he had; he certainly hadn't wanted to kiss her.
�I realised as much.’ She nodded abruptly. �The chicken looks nice,’ she murmured brightly, the slightly dry-looking poultry, despite the sauce that covered it, not really appealing to her at all. In fact, the thought of any food at all made her feel ill.
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