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To Become A Bride
Carole Mortimer
From the first, Danie clashed swords with Jonas Noble, realizing that he was determined not to disclose the reasons for his dealings with her family.But Danie also found Jonas incredibly attractive, which made her plan to discover his motives all the harder to follow; the closer she got to Jonas, the more she fell in love! However, her heart was quietly breaking because of the secret she was hiding…a secret that would surely prevent what she really wanted: to become Jonas's bride…
“Have you ever been married?”
“Have you?” he came back smoothly.
“Certainly not,” she snapped.
“Why not?”
Danie frowned at his persistence. “Why haven’t you?”
He shrugged broad shoulders. “Simple enough. I haven’t found the right woman yet.”
“The right woman?” she repeated dazedly.
“Of course,” Jonas replied.
Danie stared at him. The right woman! Was he serious?
Jonas chuckled. “Don’t look so horrified, Danie,” he grinned. “I’m one of an old-fashioned breed, I’m afraid. One man, one woman. As long as—”
“She’s the right one,” Danie finished for him huskily.
Some women are meant to wed!
Meet the Summer sisters:
Harriet, Danielle and Andrea (or Harrie, Danie and Andie to their friends!). All three are beautiful, intelligent and successful, but they’ve always found their careers more satisfying than their love lives…. Until now!
None of the sisters are looking for love—but then destiny causes Quinn, Jonas and Adam to cross their paths.
Will these exceptional men pop the question?
Don’t miss any of the fabulous BACHELOR SISTERS stories by popular Harlequin Presents
author
CAROLE MORTIMER!
Harrie’s story:
To Have a Husband
Danie’s story:
To Become a Bride
Andie’s story:
To Make a Marriage
To Become a Bride
Carole Mortimer
CONTENTS
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
EPILOGUE
PROLOGUE
�MR NOBLE?’
He slowly opened one sleepy eyelid above an even sleepier, bloodshot eye. Only to raise the other eyelid, above an equally bloodshot eye, and find himself looking into the most amazing green eyes he had ever seen.
They weren’t the green he usually associated with eye colour, that faded colour that could look a hazelly grey, but the deep, deep green of a clear-cut emerald. High cheekbones sided a pert nose, the skin was clear and smooth, the mouth had a mischievous quirk to it even though it was unsmiling at this moment, and the chin pointed and raised determinedly.
The rest of the woman was harder to distinguish, Jonas realised a little irritably. A black baseball cap was pulled low over those amazing green eyes, her hair tucked neatly inside it, although the lashes that surrounded her eyes were dark and long. Black combat trousers were worn beneath a black fleece top, the latter zipped up to her creamy throat.
Obviously a young woman who liked to be taken seriously, he noted with amusement.
�Is something funny?’ the woman prompted sharply.
�Not at all,’ Jonas drawled dismissively, swinging long legs from over the arm of his chair to the floor before straightening in his seat.
�Then I take it you are Mr Noble?’ the woman repeated abruptly.
He looked around the luxurious but otherwise deserted private lounge before glancing back up at the young woman with mocking brown eyes. �I would think that’s a pretty sure bet,’ he finally drawled caustically; he didn’t suffer fools any more gladly than this young woman appeared to!
Anger flared briefly in those dark green eyes, but was quickly brought back under control. �If you’ve finished your coffee—’ she looked down pointedly at the empty cup on the table in front of him �—your flight is ready to leave any time.’
He wasn’t sure he was going to be ready, in the full sense of the word, any time today. Despite the pint of strong coffee he had consumed since his arrival fifteen minutes ago! It had been a long night, involving no sleep, and flying off to God-knew-where, to meet a man he didn’t even know, was not high on his list of priorities at this particular moment.
But he had agreed—under pressure!—to today’s meeting yesterday when he’d received the telephone call from Jerome Summer, and he was a man of his word. So, despite the change of circumstances which meant he hadn’t actually been to bed yet, he had duly presented himself at this private lounge situated within the much larger complex of the airport. But that didn’t mean he had to like it!
He stood up, flexing tired muscles. �That’s some uniform you have there,’ he murmured derisively. If he had expected to be pampered by a sexy flight attendant on this short, but, his host considered, necessary flight, then he was obviously in for a disappointment!
�Uniform?’ the woman repeated abruptly, looking down frowningly at her dark clothing. �These are my own clothes, Mr Noble,’ she told him coldly.
Obviously Jerome Summer ran a relaxed ship, Jonas acknowledged. It was none of his business how the other man dealt with his staff, but Jonas’s own experience had taught him that familiarity bred contempt; become too relaxed with someone who worked for you, and you were heading for disaster. His own secretary, Dorothy, was prime proof of that!
At almost fifty, over ten years his senior, Dorothy had taken on a motherly role in his life. And like most mothers with a grown-up son, she treated him with bullying affection.
However, this young woman didn’t quite fit into that category! Jerome Summer was in his early fifties, and the young lady was probably only in her late twenties. Which begged the question, what role did she have in Jerome Summer’s life that led to such familiarity…?
�I’ll have to mention to Jerome that a flight attendant in a short skirt and silky blouse is much more conducive to comfortable travel,’ Jonas said silkily.
Dark brows rose over icy green eyes as his meaning obviously became clear. �For whom, Mr Noble?’
�Why, me, of course.’ He grinned, some of the strong coffee at last seeming to kick into gear as he felt a rush of adrenaline. It would only be a temporary thing, of course, he acknowledged ruefully, but hopefully it would be long enough to get him through his meeting. �And if, as you say, the flight is ready, where is Mr Summer?’ he added frowningly. �Or is he already on the plane?’
�Rome is at the estate, of course,’ the young woman replied caustically. �What would be the point of flying you there if Rome were already in town?’ she scorned.
�Rome’, was it? Jonas acknowledged sceptically. Obviously very familiar! �I meant Danny Summer, of course,’ he corrected briskly. �I was told he would be meeting me here. He’s some sort of relative, I gather?’ he added hardly as the annoyance seemed to be increasing in the young woman’s expression.
The mischievously slanting mouth curved. �You gather correctly, Mr Noble,’ the woman drawled. �Do you have any luggage?’
�Only this small case.’ Jonas bent down to pick up the compact black case that stood beside the chair he had been sitting in. �I’m not expecting to stay longer than a few hours,’ he added with grim determination. �Just until my—business with Mr Summer is completed.’
Especially if all the Summer staff turned out to be as arrogantly self-assured as this young woman! He simply wasn’t in the mood to bother dealing with such aggressive attitudes with any of the usual tact and diplomacy usually necessary in his work!
The young woman shot him a sidelong glance as they walked outside and in the direction of a small private jet that stood on the tarmac a few yards away. �Exactly what line of business is it that you’re in, Mr Noble?’ she voiced casually.
Too casually, Jonas decided. From the little conversation they had had so far, this woman did not strike him as the sort to indulge in politeness for its own sake—which meant there had been a reason behind her question…?
�Nothing illegal, I can assure you,’ he returned noncommittally.
She looked down the length of her upturned nose at him. �You wouldn’t be on your way to see Rome if it were,’ she told him with disdainful certainty.
From the little he had read and heard of Jerome Summer, she was right; the man was a business legend in his own lifetime, a doctor’s son who had worked his way to the top in every business enterprise he had ever been involved in.
But even so, Jonas had no intention of discussing his business with the other man with this less-than-polite young woman!
�I’m glad about that,’ he answered dismissively, grinning as he preceded her up the steps of the jet and found himself surrounded by the type of luxury he had only ever seen on celluloid before.
His own lifestyle was far from spartan, he ruefully acknowledged, but the inside of this jet was something else. It was more like a beautifully furnished sitting-room, with a comfortable cream sofa and chairs, a tan-coloured carpet on the floor, a well-equipped bar towards the cockpit. Any woodwork visible beside the doe-skin leather looked like well-polished mahogany. The only difference that he could see was that there were seat belts tucked neatly away inside the sofa and chairs.
�The bar is well stocked with food as well as drink.’ The woman stood slightly behind him now, having secured the door behind them. �Please help yourself to whatever you would like, once we have taken off, though there’s a little turbulence up there today so I would advise you to wait until we’ve flown above it,’ she added dryly as she stepped past him.
Jonas raised enquiring brows. �And exactly what are you going to be doing while I’m helping myself to the food and drink?’ he asked.
She turned in the open doorway to the cockpit, arching mischievous brows. �Why, flying the plane, of course, Mr Noble,’ she replied innocently.
She was the pilot?
To say he was surprised was an understatement—he was stunned. It had never occurred to him that—
Careful, Jonas, he inwardly taunted himself, your male chauvinism is starting to show!
But it wasn’t really a question of that, he instantly defended. A male chauvinist was the last thing he was. Hell, he knew, better than most, that women were much stronger, in some senses, than men!
But this young woman had realised exactly the assumption he had made earlier in the lounge—and she had chosen to let him go on thinking it! In fact, she was still smiling her satisfaction at his mistake…
Why…?
She hadn’t even known who he was when she’d come into the lounge, it had only been the fact that he’d been the only person there that had given away his identity. What had he done in the few minutes of their acquaintance to bring about such animosity?
Nothing that he was aware of. Unless…?
�Was Danny Summer not able to make the flight this morning?’ he enquired lightly, looking for some sort of answer there. If this woman had been asked to pilot this flight on short notice, that could account for some of her attitude. Some of it…
Her smile faded, her mouth tight now, green eyes sparkling challengingly. �I’m Danie Summer, Mr Noble,’ she informed him coldly. �Jerome Summer is my father. And, to put your mind at rest,’ she continued hardly as he simply stared at her, �I’m licensed to pilot all of his private aircraft for him.’
Not just a distant relative, but the man’s daughter, Jonas realised dumbfoundedly. Although how he was supposed to have realised that Danie Summer would be a woman, or indeed this particular woman, he had no idea.
He couldn’t have done, he accepted, irritable at having been disconcerted in this way. And this woman—Danie Summer—had enjoyed herself enough at his expense for one day, he decided hardly.
�Then I would advise you to start piloting this one,’ he bit out harshly. �Because my time is short, and, I believe, as valuable as your father’s!’
She looked ready to pass comment on the statement, and then thought better of it, drawing in a hissing breath before going through to the cockpit, slamming the door firmly shut behind her.
Damn! Damn, damn, damn. Jonas groaned as he dropped down into one of the armchairs. He was tired, regretted ever agreeing to this appointment, especially on a Saturday, and the last thing he felt like dealing with was a woman who enjoyed nothing more than flaunting her equality, an equality that he wasn’t even aware he had questioned—apart from the assumption that she had to be the flight attendant, a nagging little voice infuriatingly reminded him!—before he had even had time to indulge in a much-needed, and so far denied, late breakfast!
�Would you fasten your seat belt, Mr Noble?’ her voice came coolly over the internal intercom. �We’re about to taxi for take-off.’
Jonas did as he was asked, but it did not give him a sense of well-being to know that his life was now—literally—in the hands of Danie Summer—a woman who had shown him nothing but condescending contempt so far during their acquaintance!
CHAPTER ONE
WHO was Jonas Noble?
More to the point, what was he?
Until a couple of hours ago, Danie had believed she had a free Saturday, had planned on having lunch with her elder sister Harrie, and Harrie’s husband, Quinn McBride, before going into town to do some leisurely shopping.
But then her father had telephoned, and, despite her half-hearted objections, had managed, with his usual charming diplomacy, to talk her into flying Jonas Noble to his country estate instead.
But Rome had been less than forthcoming about his visitor, refused—again, charmingly—to be drawn as to the reason for Jonas Noble’s visit.
One thing Danie hated was a mystery. And Jonas Noble himself had been no help in explaining his reason for visiting her father’s home, either. He had proved just as closed-mouthed as her father when she had questioned him a few minutes ago, and his appearance was no help whatsoever in pinning down who or what he could be.
The man didn’t have the look of a businessman for one thing; his dark hair was a little too long. His casual clothing—black denims teamed with a black silk shirt and grey fitted jacket—exuded none of the formal efficiency that businessmen who dealt with her father liked to adopt. Her father excluded, of course. But then, Rome was way past the stage of caring what sort of image he presented—to anyone! Perhaps Jonas Noble was in that kind of position, too…?
Danie shook her head even as she went through the mechanics of flying; she had never heard of Jonas Noble before, and if his photograph had ever appeared in any of the business journals her father subscribed to, then Danie knew she would have remembered him. His was not a face it would be easy to forget!
It wasn’t strictly a handsome face, was too angular for that; his jaw was square and determined, with a firmly sculptured mouth, and slightly aquiline nose. It was his eyes that were so arresting, Danie realised: a deep dark brown, filled with a warmth that softened all those other hard edges.
Careful, Danie, she chided herself, or you might actually start to consider Jonas Noble as an attractive man!
Well, possibly he was, she conceded, but she wasn’t fooled by a man’s good looks. She knew those looks invariably hid a calculating selfishness. Her experience with Ben had more than shown her—
Damn it, where had that come from? She never thought of Ben any more, considered him a part of her life that was firmly shut away from prying eyes—and prying minds. Jonas Noble was the subject under question here, not someone from her past who had cured her of wanting any romantic involvement for the last two years!
Her passenger had one piece of luggage with him, a small case, too small for a suitcase, too large to be a briefcase. So what did it contain?
Well, she wasn’t going to get any answers from the man himself, she conceded wryly, so she might as well put away her curiosity until she saw her father.
She reached up to press a button above her head. �We’re levelling out now, Mr Noble,’ she told him coolly over the intercom. �This is a non-smoking flight, but please help yourself to the refreshments,’ she added mockingly, a smile curving her lips as she recalled the expression on the man’s face when she’d informed him she wasn’t the flight attendant but the pilot! Not exactly speechless, but close enough. Obviously women didn’t step too far out of their expected roles in Jonas Noble’s world, Danie thought tauntingly.
But planes, and flying, had been loves of hers since she’d been a child, having travelled all over the world with her parents by the time she was five. Instead of dolls, she had had models of planes in her bedroom as she’d been growing up, rapidly progressing to ones that had worked by remote control, taking them outside and flying them for hours. Her father’s pilot at the time, an older man called Edward, had been quite happy for her to accompany him in the cockpit on flights, even found a pair of overalls for her to wear so that she’d been able to help him when he’d looked in the engines.
By the time she was eighteen she had already decided exactly what she was going to do with her life. There had been a little opposition from her father, of course. But as they had recently lost her mother to cancer, those objections had been only half-hearted. Rome was so devastated by the loss. If he had thought about it at all, he would have probably expected Danie would tire of the pursuit during the months it had taken her to get her full pilot’s licence, but he would have been wrong. She loved flying, it was as simple as that.
Men like Jonas Noble were a prime example of the prejudice she had come up against during the time it had taken to attain her licence! Playing at it, seemed to be most men’s opinion of her chosen career, backed up, no doubt, by what they considered to be Daddy’s money.
Well, she had taken enough of that over the years, Danie reflected; if she were playing at anything, it was being polite in the face of the chauvinistic intolerance she had encountered towards her chosen career from men over the last seven or eight years!
Including Ben.
Not again, she told herself impatiently. She hadn’t given the man a thought for months and now she had thought of him twice in half an hour. Unacceptable!
And it was all Jonas Noble’s fault, she considered. There was something about him that brought Ben to mind. She could well do without it, thank you!
She pressed the button above her head a second time. �We will be landing in ten minutes, Mr Noble,’ she told him abruptly. �I advise you to place any debris from your food and drink in the container provided, and to fasten your seat belt.’ With any luck, his visit with her father would, as he had said, be a short one, and once she had flown him back to town she might just be able to go shopping, after all!
Her father had sent Charles out in the Rolls, and not the Range Rover, to collect his guest from the private airstrip on the estate, Danie noted with some surprise as she brought the jet in to land. Curiouser and curiouser. Rome rarely used the Rolls Royce, had bought it a couple of years ago on a whim, and now considered it a little too ostentatious for his tastes. But it had been brought out of mothballs today in Jonas Noble’s honour. Which again posed the question: who was he?
�Please remain in your seat until I’ve completely brought the aircraft to a stop, Mr Noble,’ she told him brusquely over the intercom. �I will then come back through to the cabin and open the door for you.’
She had done this trip dozens of times before, but, she had to admit, today was the first time she had found it slightly irritating to have a conversation—one way, at that!—with an unseen person. The only consolation was that Jonas Noble probably found it just as frustrating!
Not that any frustration on Jonas’s part was apparent when, a few minutes later, the plane parked on the end of the runway, she went back into the cabin area. Jonas Noble was fast asleep! From the totally relaxed look of him, he probably had been from the moment they’d taken off, Danie realised crossly.
He was still sitting in the chair he had dropped into as she’d gone through to the cockpit, although at least his seat belt was fastened. But there was no sign of him having had any of the food or drink provided, and he seemed completely unaware that they had actually landed at their destination, his lids closed, his breathing deep and even.
He looked younger in sleep than the forty or so Danie had thought him to be earlier, long dark lashes fanning out across the hardness of his cheeks, his face appearing almost boyishly handsome now that slightly mocking expression had melted from his face.
His clothes, she could see as she took her time to look at him, were tailor-made, and the black shirt was probably Indian silk. A wealthy man then?
He was really something of an enigma, Danie realised with an emotion akin to shock. Men, she had decided after her few attempts at relationships—which, for one reason or another, had always ended disastrously!—were a complete waste of her time. And she now resented having given Jonas Noble even a little of it!
She reached down and shook his arm vigorously. �Mr Noble, we’ve landed—’
�I sincerely hope so,’ he murmured as he opened his eyes and looked directly up into her face. �Otherwise there would be no one flying the plane!’
For someone who had been fast asleep seconds ago, he was a little too much awake now for Danie’s liking, and she stepped back from him as if stung, putting her hands behind her back. �There is such a thing as autopilot, Mr Noble,’ she bit out in reply.
He straightened in his chair, looking out of the window beside him. �Not when you’re on the ground,’ he derided, releasing his seat belt to stretch languidly.
Danie’s mouth twisted even as she registered the tightening and relaxing of muscles. �Are we keeping you up, Mr Noble?’ she scorned.
He turned to look at her with brown eyes. �As a matter of fact—yes!’ He stood up. �That half an hour is the only sleep I’ve had in the last twenty-four,’ he explained.
Danie’s eyes widened at this disclosure, her expression disapproving. �I hope she was worth it!’ It wasn’t too difficult to guess that a woman would have been the reason for his lack of sleep the previous night. Those warm brown eyes hinted at a certain sensuality about Jonas Noble!
His expression softened. �She was.’ He gave an inclination of his head by way of acknowledgement. �Now do you intend keeping me locked in here?’ he enquired. �Or do you plan on taking me to see your father some time today?’
At the taunt angry colour heightened her cheeks, and she moved to release the door, the steps sliding automatically to the tarmacked ground. �Can you manage your luggage, or would you like me to carry it for you?’ Danie did some taunting of her own.
His mouth quirked into a half-smile as he bent to retrieve the oversized briefcase from the carpeted floor. �I can manage, thanks. And thanks, too, for a good flight,’ he added lightly.
�How would you know it was good? You slept all the way through it!’ she came back tartly.
He shrugged broad shoulders. �Not until I knew we were safely up in the air,’ he rejoined. �I heard the bit about “non-smoking flight” before I zonked out. I’m afraid my earlier years spent as a junior doctor have meant I can usually sleep anywhere, at any time,’ he explained apologetically.
Danie didn’t hear any more of what he said after �junior doctor’—this man was a doctor? And he was here to see her father? Was Rome sick?
She found that very hard to believe, had never known her father to have a day’s illness in his life. But that didn’t mean he was well now…
She moistened suddenly dry lips. �And what line of medicine did you choose to specialise in, Mr Noble?’ She tried to make her tone of voice interested rather than demanding—although by the guarded look that suddenly came over Jonas Noble’s face, she had a feeling she had failed. Damn!
�I believe it’s called “life”, Danie; it’s the oath all doctors take,’ he returned enigmatically. �Is that car waiting for us?’ He indicated the gold-coloured Rolls Royce that was now parked feet away from the plane steps, the attentive Charles standing waiting with the back door open.
Danie flushed her irritation. �For you,’ she corrected tautly. �I have a few things to do here before coming over to the house,’ she amended reluctantly.
She would have liked nothing better than to arrive back at the house with him, to try and find out more about exactly what he was doing here. But, unfortunately, she had the plane to check over and refuelling to see to.
He nodded dismissively. �I’ll see you later, then.’ He moved lightly down the steps, grinning his thanks at Charles as he got into the back of the Rolls.
Danie stood at the top of the steps and watched the car—and Jonas Noble!—drive away, her thoughts in a turmoil.
Why did Rome need to see a doctor? Obviously because he was ill, she instantly chided herself.
But to have a doctor flown out here to see him…! Was her father’s illness that serious?
Danie suddenly felt unwell herself at the thought of that being the case. She couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to her handsome, fun-loving father.
But Jonas Noble’s visit certainly appeared ominous…
�I trust you had a comfortable flight?’
Jonas looked across at his host. The older man had greeted him at the door of the manor house a few minutes earlier, and the two of them were now seated in an elegant sitting-room. He had known what Jerome Summer looked like, of course, as he had seen the other man’s picture in the newspapers several times. But those photographs had only shown Rome Summer’s still boyish handsomeness, despite the fact that he was in his early fifties, and couldn’t possibly hint at the sheer vitality of the man.
But what did Rome expect him to say in answer to his question? The flight had been fine—it was Rome’s daughter that he hadn’t found comfortable.
Danie Summer—how could he possibly have known she would be female?—was as prickly as a hedgehog, with all the charm of a herd of stampeding elephants!
But she was beautiful, another little voice inside his head reminded him.
Yes, she was—if you managed to get past those prickles and the acidic tongue! Personally, he would as soon not bother.
�Fine, thank you,’ Jonas replied brusquely, waving away the offer of a cup of coffee poured from the pot on the table that stood between the two men. �You explained the situation to me on the telephone early yesterday evening,’ he continued in businesslike tones. �So perhaps I could carry out my examination, and then we can talk some more?’
Jerome Summer didn’t move, his expression agonised now, blue eyes clouded with worry. �Before you do that, could I just stress, once again, how delicate this situation is—?’
�I’ve already gathered that,’ Jonas assured him dryly. �Danie doesn’t know, does she?’ he prompted gently.
Rome grimaced, shaking his head ruefully. �Has my daughter been asking you awkward questions?’
Jonas shrugged. �One or two,’ he confirmed. �Oh, don’t worry,’ he assured as the other man began to frown, �a patient’s confidentiality is guaranteed as far as I’m concerned.’
Rome shook his head. �That won’t stop Danie.’ His frown deepened. �Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to have her fly you here. It just seemed the best option at the time—’
�I think it’s a little late in the day to worry about that,’ Jonas cut in. �Besides, Danie is your problem, not mine,’ he added firmly. �I came here to carry out an examination…?’ he prompted again pointedly.
The half an hour or so of sleep he had managed to get on the plane had temporarily refreshed him, but he was no longer a young �junior doctor’ when a couple of hours sleep grabbed here and there had been enough to keep him going. At the moment the previous night’s lack of rest made him feel every one of his thirty-eight years!
�I don’t mean to sound terse,’ he excused as he realised he had been exactly that. �I had a difficult case to deal with last night,’ he explained. �And lack of sleep means I’m a little short on patience today!’
�Of course.’ Rome Summer stood up quickly. �I’ll explain a little more to you as we go upstairs.’
Jonas picked up his case of instruments, listening politely to the other man as they ascended the stairs, realising Rome needed to talk, that he found all of this extremely difficult to deal with.
Jonas sympathised with him, could imagine how the older man must be feeling. For a man who had controlled his world, and that of his family, for the last thirty years, Jonas realised this must all have come as a bit of a shock to Rome Summer. It was something he had no control over whatsoever. But even if the other man’s suspicions proved to be correct, it wasn’t the end of the world. Other people, other families, had gone through this sort of thing before. And would no doubt continue to do so for a long time to come!
But Rome Summer looked less than capable of dealing with it, Jonas realised a short time later, Rome haggard now as the two men returned to the sitting-room, Jonas’s diagnosis conclusive.
�I just can’t believe it.’ Rome groaned, his face buried in his hands. �I had my suspicions, of course—’
�You wouldn’t have telephoned me otherwise,’ Jonas pointed out dryly, handing the other man a cup of the now cool coffee; in the circumstances, cold or not, the caffeine would do the other man good.
�But somehow I didn’t really believe it.’ Rome shook his head dazedly, sipping the coffee without even seeming aware of what he was doing.
Jonas let the other man sit quietly for several minutes, giving him time to get over his initial shock; no doubt the coffee would help do that, too. Once the other man had accepted the diagnosis as fact, the two of them could get down to talking over the practicalities of what needed to be done over the next few months.
Rome finally raised his head, looking across at Jonas with slightly moist eyes. �I’m sorry,’ he said heavily. �I realise I’m not taking this too well.’ He gave a rueful grimace. �I was wishing the girls’ mother were here. She would have known what to do.’
�How many daughters do you have?’ Jonas enquired politely, knowing the other man still needed to talk, and remembering having read somewhere that Rome Summer’s wife had died several years ago.
�Just the three.’ Rome sighed. �But sometimes it seems like twenty-three!’
Jonas imagined that Danie Summer could quite easily account for twenty of those in her own right; she was certainly spirited enough to cause any man a headache, let alone her harassed father!
�Do they all live at home with you?’ he asked lightly, curiosity prompting him to find out if Danie had some poor man as her husband somewhere in the background!
�None of them.’ Rome shook his head. �Harrie was married last month,’ he said with obvious pleasure and pride. �Andie is usually based in London, although she’s been staying here with me the last few weeks.’
�And Danie?’ Jonas persisted softly.
�I’m based, not wherever I hang my hat, but wherever I fly my aircraft!’ the woman in question told him coldly as she walked unannounced into the room.
Jonas stiffened at the sound of that caustic voice, although he literally froze with shock once he had turned to look at her. The black baseball cap was gone, and he found that those dark lashes and brows had been deceptive. Hair of the most gloriously deep red now cascaded in loose waves down the length of Danie’s spine.
If Jonas had thought her beautiful before, that red hair was definitely her crowning glory, giving prominence to her high cheekbones, bringing out the deep green colour of her eyes. There was no doubt about it—Danie Summer was one of the loveliest women he had ever set eyes on!
He stood up slowly. �Your aircraft?’ he questioned silkily, feeling suddenly defensive in the face of this woman’s arresting beauty.
A look of irritation darkened her features. �Rome’s aircraft,’ she corrected, before turning to her father. �Everything okay?’ she prompted sharply, looking at him searchingly.
Rome seemed to have undergone a transformation in the last few seconds, Jonas noted wryly, that boyish grin back on his face, his worried expression of a few minutes ago completely dispelled. For his daughter’s benefit, Jonas didn’t doubt. Although there was no way Rome would be able to keep the truth from Danie indefinitely…
�Everything is fine,’ Rome told Danie lightly. �Jonas and I were just discussing having lunch before he returns to town.’
Jonas hesitated at the totally erroneous statement. Considering he hadn’t even had breakfast yet…! But, he had to admit, food of any kind did sound rather tempting at the moment…
�As long as I’m not inconveniencing anyone…?’ he accepted questioningly.
Glittering green eyes were turned in his direction. �Since when has inconveniencing someone bothered you?’ Danie snapped.
Jonas’s mouth firmed at the insult, Rome chuckling softly as he saw his reaction. Well, Rome might find his daughter’s rudeness amusing, but Jonas found it exactly what it was—bad-mannered!
�You can have lunch with Harrie and Quinn any time, darling.’ Rome put his arm lightly about his daughter’s shoulders.
�But I was having lunch with them today,’ Danie complained.
So she had had other plans for today, after all… Jonas fumed inwardly; it wasn’t his fault she hadn’t been able to carry them through—her father was responsible for that.
�Wouldn’t you rather have lunch with two attractive men?’ Rome teased his daughter.
Danie turned to give Jonas a slowly dismissive glance from head to toe. �Not particularly,’ she finally replied, before turning back to her father.
What this young lady needed was a smack on the backside, Jonas decided grimly. If her father didn’t feel capable of administering it, Jonas was sure there must be plenty of other men who would!
Including him…?
Jonas frowned. He had never lifted so much as a finger against a woman in his life, and no matter how much Danie Summer might deserve a good spanking, he knew he wouldn’t be the one to give it.
He had grown up in a totally female household; his mother had been widowed while still in her early thirties, and left with the sole care of Jonas and his two older sisters. Beautiful and warm-natured though she was, she had remained a widow in the succeeding years, managing, with only the help of a housekeeper, to bring the three children up alone. Meaning that Jonas, as the only male in the household, had been cosseted and spoilt by not just his mother and sisters, but the housekeeper, too.
It had been a charmed and loving childhood, instilling him with a deep respect for his mother and sisters, and a liking of women in general.
Except Danie Summer! he realised irritably.
But that, he considered, was mainly her own fault. Danie was obviously, despite her own privileged background, an accomplished and capable woman, who took her work very seriously. It was just the sharpness of her tongue that needed a little attention. A little…? Make that a lot, Jonas corrected himself firmly.
�Pity,’ he drawled finally, easily able to meet the challenge in Danie’s dark green eyes.
Danie’s mouth twisted. �A little sincerity wouldn’t have come amiss in that statement!’ she countered.
�Danie!’ Rome chided. �Must I remind you that Jonas is here as my guest?’
Jonas watched as Danie underwent a transformation, the tension leaving that beautiful face, to be replaced by a smile of gentle concern as she turned to look at her father.
Jonas felt something lurch in his chest at the difference that gentleness made to Danie; it was akin to the sun coming out in the midst of a stormy sky. And well worth waiting for, he acknowledged a little dazedly. Stripped of the cynicism that seemed to temper most of her conversation, Danie Summer was incredibly lovely.
�Perhaps lunch would be nice,’ she finally conceded grudgingly. �Would you like to freshen up before we eat, Mr Noble?’ she offered with a politeness that had so far been lacking from their acquaintance.
He looked across at her with narrowed eyes, not fooled for a moment by her change in attitude, only to be met with a look of such innocence that he knew his suspicion was correct; Danie Summer had her own reason for her sudden politeness. And he had a feeling it could have something to do with the reason for his presence here today!
Well, she was wasting her time if she thought a little polite civility—something that should have been there from the beginning!—would charm out of him the reason for having come here to see her father. As he had assured Rome earlier, his relationship with his patient was always completely confidential.
As Danie Summer was going to quickly find out if she tried to pump him for information!
CHAPTER TWO
WHAT a complete waste of her time this had been, Danie muttered to herself as she pushed her food uninterestedly around her plate. She had intended originally to go upstairs and have lunch with her sister Andie. She’d only conceded to eating down here with her father and Jonas Noble in the hope of being able to find out a little more of the reason for the younger man’s visit. But her father was close-mouthed on the subject, and Jonas Noble was also like a clam!
Which only succeeded in making Danie’s imaginings even darker than they already were—and they were bad enough already!
Her father didn’t look ill. A little strained perhaps, his ready smile not always reaching the warmth of his blue eyes, but other than that he seemed his normal self.
The trouble was, Danie felt so alone in her wonderings. She couldn’t talk to Andie about it; her younger sister had been far from well herself since a bout of flu the previous month. Her other sister, Harrie, had only been recently married, and it would be a pity to spoil that happiness, especially if it should turn out to be unnecessary.
Audrey!
Of course, her father’s assistant of the last twelve years was sure to know exactly what was going on. She might not tell Danie, perhaps, but she couldn’t possibly be as clam-like as these two men had turned out to be!
�I think I’ll give coffee a miss, if you don’t mind.’ Danie put her dessert fork neatly down on her plate before standing up. �I have a few things to do before flying back this afternoon,’ she told her father as he looked across at her enquiringly.
They were seated very cosily around the dining table; Danie grimaced at the scene: her father at the head, Jonas and herself sitting either side of him, facing each other across the table. Jonas’s appetite, Danie had noted disgustedly, had been more than healthy in comparison with her own picking at the food. Obviously the seriousness of his work didn’t affect him!
�Of course, darling,’ her father accepted lightly. �I’ll give you a ring when Jonas needs to go. Oh, and I shouldn’t bother to go and see Andie,’ he added, looking concerned. �She was sleeping when I called in on her room earlier.’
�Perhaps you should get Dr Noble to look at Andie before he leaves?’ Danie suggested tauntingly.
�What on earth for?’ her father exclaimed.
She shrugged. �This flu seems to have been dragging on a long time. Or perhaps general medicine isn’t his field?’ she questioned challengingly.
Brown eyes levelly met the mockery in her gaze. �It’s been a few years,’ Jonas conceded dryly. �But I’m sure I could manage.’
�I—’
�And it’s Mr Noble, Danie,’ Jonas continued hardly. �Or Jonas, if you would prefer that?’
She would prefer to know exactly what sort of doctor he was! But she knew, especially since lunch, that she would get nowhere on that subject with either of these men. A talk with Audrey definitely beckoned!
�I’ll see you later—Jonas,’ she dismissed him pointedly—after all, he’d called her Danie without ever having been invited to do so!
It wasn’t too difficult to locate Audrey; the other woman was as much of a workaholic as Rome, busy dealing with some correspondence in his study when Danie entered there a few minutes later.
The older woman looked up with a warm smile, having become like another member of the family in the twelve years she had worked for Rome. At forty-two, she was tall, blonde, and beautiful.
�Uh-oh.’ Audrey grimaced, putting aside the letter she had been working on. �Who’s been upsetting you?’
Danie scowled, sitting on the side of her father’s desk. �Is it that obvious?’
�Yes!’ Audrey laughed unabashedly.
Danie chose her next words carefully. Very carefully. Because, although she knew Audrey was fond of all of them, the older woman was also completely loyal to Rome. And the last thing Audrey would ever do was break a confidence of his, business or private.
�Have you met Jonas Noble?’ Danie asked lightly.
Audrey frowned. �The man who was with Rome earlier?’
Danie looked at Audrey searchingly. Was she just delaying answering, or did she really not know anything? Danie would be surprised if it were the latter; Rome trusted his assistant implicitly. But if that should turn out to be the case… It made the whole situation seem even more ominous!
�That’s the one.’ She nodded casually.
�As a matter of fact, no,’ Audrey replied. �Who is he exactly?’
Danie frowned. �I was hoping you might be able to tell me that!’
�Sorry,’ Audrey said. �But I don’t have a clue.’
Damn, damn, damn! This was much worse than Danie had thought. Never having married herself, Audrey had become one of the family, and Danie knew that Rome had absolutely no secrets from the other woman. But it now appeared Rome hadn’t told Audrey anything about Jonas Noble, either…
�All I’ve managed to find out is that he’s some sort of doctor,’ she told Audrey.
�Oh,’ Audrey murmured slowly.
Was it her imagination, or did Audrey’s expression suddenly look guarded? But the other woman had told her she knew nothing about Jonas Noble, and Danie believed her. So why did Audrey suddenly look so wary?
�Any help?’ Danie went on, watching Audrey intently.
Audrey turned away from the intensity of that searching gaze. �Not particularly. Rome simply hasn’t mentioned him.’
Rome might not have mentioned Jonas Noble, but Danie was sure that revealing his identity as a doctor had given Audrey some idea of exactly what he was doing here…
And why shouldn’t it have done? Audrey spent more time with her father than anyone else, was sure to be aware if Rome was ill. Even if she wouldn’t talk to anyone else about it…
Danie stood away from the desk, knowing she would get nothing further out of Audrey. �I had better go and see if he’s ready to leave yet.’ She pulled a face at the prospect of spending yet more time in the company of Jonas Noble.
�Have fun,’ Audrey replied distractedly, her thoughts obviously elsewhere.
Were they with Rome? Danie pondered as she walked slowly back to the dining-room. Because she had no doubt whatsoever, now that Audrey knew Jonas Noble was a doctor, she also knew exactly what he was doing here!
Danie gave an impatient sigh. If her father was ill, then she had a right to know. She wasn’t a child; for goodness’ sake, none of them was, and, although it would be upsetting to find out Rome had serious health problems, it couldn’t be any worse than how not knowing was turning out to be!
�Why the long face, Danie?’ her father asked as he met her out in the hallway.
He was alone. Which posed the question; where was Jonas Noble?
Although, for the moment, Danie put that question aside, and looked intently at her father. �What’s going on, Daddy?’ she demanded.
Her father steadily held her eyes. �I—’
�And don’t try and fob me off by telling me you don’t know what I’m talking about,’ Danie cut in determinedly, her expression mutinous. �Because you know exactly what I meant!’
Her father raised blond brows reprovingly. �I wasn’t about to do that, Danie,’ he answered softly, that very softness telling her that he was becoming angry himself. �But I’ll talk to you—to all of you—when I’m good and ready.’
Danie drew in a sharp breath. Her father was tough when it came to his business dealings, had needed to be to become the successful man he was, but he rarely, if ever, became angry with any of his daughters. The very fact that he was angry with her now told Danie just how serious this all was…
�Where’s Jonas Noble?’ she asked tautly.
Her father relaxed slightly, a teasing light entering the blue of his eyes. �Unless I’m mistaken, you didn’t seem in too much of a hurry to spend time in his company earlier.’
Danie grimaced. �You weren’t mistaken. But as it appears I don’t have any choice in the matter—’
�Oh, but you do.’ Rome grinned. �I’ve had Charles drive Jonas back to London,’ he explained at her sharply questioning look.
Danie blinked her surprise. Jonas Noble had already left? He was being driven back to town?
�And whose idea was that?’ she snapped resentfully. Damn it, she might not have wanted to spend any more time in the man’s company, but it would at least have given her another chance to find out more about him!
�Mine, actually,’ her father replied matter-of-factly. �Although Jonas seemed quite happy with the arrangement too,’ he added.
Danie would just bet he had! She hadn’t been unaware of Jonas Noble’s dislike of her, knew that he had found her brash and rude. Which she had been, she conceded ruefully. But she had also been aware, when she’d entered the sitting-room before lunch, that he had been surprised by, if not attracted to, the difference in her appearance without the baseball cap, that he had been momentarily stunned by her looks. Only momentarily, she acknowledged wryly; she was sure that not too many things wrong-footed the arrogant Mr Noble for long!
�I was only talking to Audrey,’ Danie muttered resentfully. �You said you would give me a call when Jonas was ready to leave.’
Her father’s humour disappeared. �I preferred him to be driven back with Charles,’ he stated firmly.
Effectively removing any chance she might have to talk to Jonas Noble again!
She didn’t like this. Not one little bit. And if her father thought he had got the better of her, then he was going to be disappointed. Jonas could only have left with Charles minutes earlier, which meant they couldn’t have got very far yet.
�Where are you going?’ her father called after her as she turned to run up the wide staircase.
Danie glanced back only briefly. �I think I’ll go back to town too,’ she told him.
�But—’
�You’ll have to excuse me, Daddy,’ she interrupted his protest, turning to go up the stairs two at a time. �I’m in rather a hurry.’
It took very little time to collect the things she needed from her bedroom, and race back down the stairs again. On her way to the front door she heard the murmur of voices coming from the sitting-room.
�—will have to be told soon, Rome,’ Audrey was saying gently. �Very soon, I would have thought. This isn’t something you can keep to yourself for very much longer.’
It wasn’t in Danie’s forthright nature to eavesdrop, but those few words held her transfixed in the hallway, her heart beating faster, her eyes dark with apprehension as she listened to the rest of what Audrey had to say.
She’d believed Audrey when the other woman had told her earlier that she didn’t know who or what Jonas Noble was, or what he was doing here, but obviously the little Danie had told the other woman about him had given Audrey the answer to the latter at least…!
�I realise that,’ Rome groaned in a pained voice. �It’s just that— This isn’t the sort of thing you can just blurt out over breakfast one morning!’ he rasped impatiently.
Audrey sighed. �I know, but if I’ve been able to guess…’
�Yes, yes,’ Rome muttered heavily. �I will tell them. But in my own time,’ he said grimly. �I have to get used to the idea myself first!’
�I know, Rome,’ Audrey returned huskily. �I do know. I just— Oh, Rome!’ she choked emotionally. �It will only be a matter of weeks before they all realise—’
�It’s all right, Audrey,’ Rome soothed, appearing to be the comforter now. �It will be all right, you’ll see.’
Danie couldn’t stand and listen to any more, hurrying from the house, closing the door softly behind her, loath to let her father or Audrey know she had heard any of their conversation.
Weeks…! My God, did that mean—? Was her father—?
She didn’t care whether Jonas Noble wanted to see her again or not—he was damn well going to. Because she was determined to get some answers from somewhere—and at the moment Jonas Noble seemed to be the man who had them all!
It was warm and comfortable in the back of the Rolls Royce, and Jonas could feel the effect of that warm comfort as his eyes once again began to close sleepily. Thank goodness it was the weekend and he could sleep in late tomorrow.
You’re getting too old for this, Noble, he told himself. One sleepless night had reduced him to being almost a walking zombie. Almost, he smiled to himself sleepily. He had been awake enough to visit his patient today.
And he had certainly been awake enough to appreciate the beautiful, if caustic, Danie Summer!
He shook his head as it rested back against the leather seat, smiling slightly, his eyes closed. Not a woman to be trifled with, he decided, knowing that she believed he had done exactly that. And had resented him intensely for it. He—
�I’m going to pull over, Mr Noble,’ Charles announced from the front of the car, glancing in his driving mirror as Jonas opened his eyes to look across at him. �Miss Danie seems to want a word,’ Charles added helpfully.
Miss Danie—!
Jonas sat up straighter in his seat, turning to look out the back window of the car. But as far as he could see, �Miss Danie’ was nowhere to be seen. There was only a motorbike behind them, a huge monster of a black machine, with its rider bent low over the handlebars—
Jonas narrowed his eyes to look more intently at the driver of the powerful black bike, instantly recognising the deep green eyes that could be seen clearly beneath the black crash-helmet.
When she wasn’t flying planes, it seemed Danie Summer rode a motorbike that looked powerful enough to crush her if it fell on her! Not that it ever would, Jonas decided; it wouldn’t dare!
A woman who liked to live life dangerously, he decided.
He turned to sit patiently in the back of the car while Charles got out to talk to Danie. The back passenger door opened seconds later and Danie Summer herself climbed into the back of the vehicle to sit beside him.
Jonas raised dark brows as he looked at her. She had taken off the black helmet, releasing that cascade of flamered hair. The black leathers she wore seemed moulded to the curves of her body—and very sexy it looked too, Jonas realised as he felt a faint stirring of his own body in response to such feminine perfection.
�To what do I owe the honour?’ he prompted sarcastically, annoyed with himself for his own reaction to this woman. Beauty, he knew, was only skin deep; Danie Summer was the most outspokenly rude woman he had ever had the misfortune to meet.
Her mouth twisted derisively. �You forgot to say goodbye,’ she murmured huskily.
Jonas looked at her through narrowed lids. He didn’t believe for one moment that was the reason she had followed him. Although it was becoming patently obvious that was exactly what she had done…
�Goodbye, Danie,’ he said.
She smiled. �Very politely delivered, Jonas.’
He gave an acknowledging inclination of his head. �My mother made a point of instilling good manners into all of her children,’ he returned.
Danie nodded. �But does it have to be goodbye?’ She quirked dark brows, eyes gleaming brightly.
With what, Jonas wasn’t sure. A cross between challenge and flirtation, he thought; although the latter seemed unlikely in the circumstances!
He eyed her warily now. �What did you have in mind?’ he asked slowly.
Danie shrugged, colour heightening her cheekbones even as she spoke. �I was wondering if you would have dinner with me this evening?’
Jonas drew in his breath quickly. He wasn’t fooled for a moment into believing this young woman really wanted to have dinner with him—her motives for the invitation, in view of her earlier curiosity concerning the reason for his visit to her family home today, were all too obvious!—but at the same time, he was intrigued in spite of himself…
�In a word—no,’ he told her bluntly, his gaze becoming amused as he saw the way angry colour suffused her cheeks now; obviously not a young lady who was used to hearing that particular word!
She swallowed hard—doing her best to swallow down a blistering response at the same time!—eyes flashing with resentment. �Why not?’ she demanded.
Jonas smiled at the return to her previous bluntness. She certainly hadn’t been able to maintain that air of flirtatiousness for long! But, he realised, he thought he preferred her rudeness; it was certainly more honest, and at least he knew where he stood!
And there was no denying that Danie was amazingly beautiful…
�I wasn’t saying no to dinner, Danie, just not tonight,’ he heard himself say. �It probably hasn’t escaped your notice, but I’m having trouble keeping my eyes open!’
Her anger at his refusal rapidly faded, to be quickly replaced by scorn. �Of course.’ She nodded. �You mentioned earlier that you had very little sleep last night.’
And, of course, she had already drawn her own conclusions concerning that sleeplessness.
Jonas gave an inward smile at the knowledge. Not that he hadn’t had relationships in the past, and they had certainly quite often involved getting a minimum of sleep, but this particular period of time there wasn’t a woman in his life. Nor had there been for some while. Mainly because he had found he was tired of relationships that seemed, ultimately, to be leading nowhere.
In fact, he had found himself doing quite a lot of soul-searching in recent months. He enjoyed his work, and good relations with his mother, and his sisters and their respective families, but just lately he had wondered if there wasn’t something missing from his own life, had found himself possessed of a restlessness that neither his work nor his family could assuage.
But maybe it was the fact that there wasn’t a woman in his life at the moment that had caused that restlessness in the first place!
While he didn’t think having dinner with Danie Summer would help that situation, he had no doubts it would prove entertaining.
�Tomorrow evening, however, would be no problem—if that would suit you?’ he suggested.
And then wondered if he weren’t making a big mistake. While she might be breathtakingly beautiful, he hadn’t particularly liked Danie Summer so far in their acquaintance, and he was halfway sure she shared the feeling. Halfway? Damn it, she had given every indication she heartily disliked him!
Tomorrow evening should be fun, Jonas thought. If Danie accepted… Which, right now, she seemed to be having difficulty doing, Jonas noted shrewdly. From what Rome had told him about his daughters, Danie wasn’t married, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have someone in her life. Which might make seeing him tomorrow evening something of a problem…
Well, that was her problem, Jonas dismissed. If she could offer to see him this evening, then she could make it tomorrow evening instead.
Unless she just didn’t like the delay of twenty-four hours…?
Which was probably more than likely the case, Jonas decided. Danie Summer had come over to him as an �instant’ person. If something needed doing, then deal with it now, not later. Which probably accounted for the way she had followed him on her motorbike!
�Well?’ he prompted impatiently; his own time, as he had told her earlier, was no less valuable than was her own, or her father’s, and quite frankly he had used up enough of it on this family for one day. Besides, falling into bed—alone—beckoned.
Those green eyes flashed her anger once more before it was quickly brought under control. Danie even went so far as to force a smile to those poutingly inviting lips. �Tomorrow evening will be fine,’ she answered in measured tones. �In fact, it will probably be better,’ she continued as she warmed to this change of plan—her plan! �I’m sure I’ll have no problem booking us a table at my favourite Italian restaurant on a Sunday evening.’
And Jonas was sure, if Danie decided to eat at her favourite Italian restaurant on New Year’s Eve without a booking—one of the busiest evenings of the year—that a table would be found for her somehow! There was about her an assured arrogance that would ensure not too many people said that word no to her…
So it came as no surprise to him either that Danie would be the one to book the restaurant. �What time do you intend picking me up?’ he enquired tauntingly, laughing softly as she looked momentarily nonplussed at the suggestion. �I usually call and collect the people I’ve invited out to dinner,’ he informed her.
Danie looked irritated at the reminder that she had been the one to do the inviting. �Would seven-thirty suit you?’ she said tautly.
�That depends on what time you book the table for.’
Her mouth tightened at his deliberate awkwardness. �How about eight o’clock?’
�Then seven-thirty will be fine,’ Jonas returned, enjoying her momentary discomfort. Momentary—because he was sure she wouldn’t remain disconcerted for long! �In fact,’ he went on softly, �I’ll look forward to it!’
It was obvious from her expression that Danie didn’t share the sentiment.
Jonas laughed to himself. He did not think Danie was the answer to the restlessness that had been plaguing him recently, but she had certainly brightened up what might otherwise have been a very arduous day. In fact, he was even starting to look forward to continuing another verbal fencing-match tomorrow evening!
He glanced down at the plain gold watch on his wrist. �If you’ll excuse me, Danie,’ he told her briskly. �I have another patient to see before I call it a day.’
Impatience once again flared in those revealing green eyes at his obvious dismissal, only to be dampened down again as she made an effort not to lose the fiery temper he had already glimpsed more than once today.
�You’re certainly kept busy,’ she finally replied.
�Unfortunately, I don’t very often get flown around in luxurious planes!’
�Where exactly do you work?’ Danie asked casually.
She would never make it in the diplomatic corps, Jonas concluded; she was as transparent as glass. �Here and there,’ he answered enigmatically, having to stop himself from laughing out loud this time at the angry frustration she wasn’t quick enough to hide.
�Then I had better not keep you any longer,’ she said, bending to pick up her helmet and leather gloves from the carpeted floor where she had placed them earlier.
�Haven’t you forgotten something?’ Jonas reminded her as she threw the car door open with her usual impatience.
She turned back to him, looking puzzled. �I don’t think so…?’ She shook her head, red hair framing the loveliness of her face.
So much perfect beauty, Jonas mused. What a pity her only reason for wanting to see him again was the hope of trying to get him to be less than discreet about his visit to the Summer estate today…! A wasted hope, he was afraid, but it would be interesting to see how she went about it…
�You have no idea where I live,’ he told her, taking a pen and small notebook from the breast pocket of his jacket, quickly writing down his address before ripping the sheet from the pad and handing it to her. �I’ll be ready and waiting at seven-thirty tomorrow evening.’
Danie shoved the piece of paper in the pocket of her leather jacket, obviously annoyed with herself at the oversight. �I’ll try to be on time,’ she snapped before getting out of the car and slamming the door shut behind her.
Charles had barely had time to get back in behind the wheel of the Rolls Royce before the black motorbike, Danie bent grimly down over the engine, shot past them with a roar, then rapidly disappeared into the distance.
Jonas relaxed back onto his seat, a smile playing about his lips. Danie Summer’s tongue was as sharp as a knife, and she had an arrogance that bordered on contempt. But she was also incredibly beautiful, and the most intriguing woman Jonas had met for a very long time. If ever!
What a pity her only reason for wanting to see him again was the selfish one of wanting to know why he had been to see her father today.
And what a pity—for Danie!—that she was going to be unsuccessful!
CHAPTER THREE
�DRESSED to kill’, she believed it was called. Danie studied her reflection in the mirror. The short green sequinned dress clung so lovingly to her body that she could wear only the minimum of clothing beneath it; she had dispensed with a bra altogether, and her panties were of the sheerest silk. Her hair was loose about her shoulders, like a rippling flame—red, with the merest hint of gold as it shimmered down her spine.
She had applied a little more make-up than usual, too—in fact, she didn’t usually bother with it at all!—her lashes long and silky, her eyes outlined with black kohl, giving them a look of wide innocence, her cheekbones aglow with blusher, the deep red gloss on her lips a match for the colour of her hair.
If Jonas Noble didn’t find her appearance attractive, then he simply wasn’t a normal flesh-and-blood man!
She had been so irritated when he’d refused her invitation to dinner yesterday, even more so when he’d then suggested they meet over twenty-four hours later. She had wanted to know what was going on then, not the next day!
But, in retrospect, the delay had been fortuitous. She’d had time to calm down, to collect her thoughts, to think rationally about how she was going to go about finding out the reason for Jonas’s visit to her father yesterday. And the only problem with the plan she had come up with, that she could see, was if she would be able to hold on to her temper long enough to try and seduce the information out of him!
She knew Jonas found her attractive, had seen his admiration for her looks in his face. There was no doubting the fact that he was handsome enough himself for her not to find flirting with him too arduous a task. It was the fact that he also annoyed her intensely that could pose a problem!
Besides, finding her physically attractive and actually being attracted to her as a person were two entirely different things—and Jonas had given every indication that he found her as irritating as she found him!
Not exactly a recipe for success, she acknowledged ruefully. Oh, well, she would just have to set about changing his opinion of her…
If she could have done this any other way, then she would have. She had gone back to the estate earlier today intending to talk with her father, only to find that he and Audrey had driven up to Scotland in preparation for a deal he was to complete there early tomorrow. Andie had also gone—back to her apartment in town, Danie assumed. Which was no help at all; Danie still had no intention of worrying either of her sisters with this until she was more sure of her facts.
Jonas Noble alone, it seemed, was the only person available to give her them…
Time to go, she decided firmly, picking up her small evening bag before throwing a light black cashmere wrap about her shoulders; she didn’t want to add tardiness to the list of faults Jonas had no doubt already found in her!
The address he had given her was in Mayfair. But she had expected to find Jonas owned an apartment, and the tall imposing three-storey house came as something of a surprise to Danie. Obviously, whichever field of medicine Jonas Noble had chosen to go into, it was very lucrative!
Jonas looked absolutely stunning in a black dinner suit and snowy white shirt, Danie discovered a few minutes later, when he opened the door to her ring on the doorbell!
The suit was obviously tailored to his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long legs, the white of the shirt showing that he had a healthy tan. But it was his face, no longer looking fatigued, that took Danie’s breath away, the hard planes once again softened by the warmth of his deep brown eyes.
Perhaps seducing this man wasn’t going to be so easy after all—for her own peace of mind; she might actually find herself genuinely attracted to him!
�Danie Summer, I presume?’ he drawled, obviously mocking the change in her appearance from her workman-like garb of yesterday.
Steady, Danie, she warned herself as she instantly felt a flash of anger at his derision. �Jonas Noble, I presume?’ she returned with dry sarcasm at the change in his own appearance.
He smiled, eyes crinkling at the corners with genuine amusement. �You’re exactly as I remembered you, Danie!’
She wished she could say the same! But now that he was no longer exhausted by lack of sleep, showered and decked out in his own finery, relaxed with the prospect of the evening ahead of them, Jonas Noble was dangerously attractive!
She gave a nod of her head. �I’ll take that as a compliment,’ she returned—knowing it had been no such thing; Jonas’s remark was obviously referring to the sharpness of her tongue. Then she had better not disappoint him! �Are we going to stand here on the doorstep all evening, or are you ready to leave?’
His grin deepened. �I wonder if you would like to come inside for a drink before going to the restaurant?’
She was disconcerted enough by the change in his appearance and demeanour without finding herself alone in this beautiful house with him. She definitely would feel more comfortable going straight to the restaurant. Although she couldn’t help feeling an inner curiosity about his bachelor home…
�Perhaps we could come back for coffee after our meal?’ she suggested as a compromise—if she hadn’t managed to wheedle the information she wanted from him during the meal, perhaps she would stand more chance in the intimacy of his home…
�Perhaps we could,’ Jonas agreed, those brown eyes seeming full of laughter now.
At her expense, Danie guessed. Could she help it if this particular man brought out every defence she possessed? Besides, he was intelligent enough to realise that her about-face yesterday had to have a motive of its own!
Which didn’t bother her in the least, Danie mused on the drive to the restaurant. She would think him conceited in the extreme if he hadn’t put two and two together and come up with the right answer. But he was still here, accompanying her to dinner, and that was all that mattered.
�Danie!’ Marco, the Italian-born, but brought-up-in-England, owner of the restaurant greeted warmly as she entered at Jonas’s side. �It’s so good to see you again. And you too, Mr Noble.’ He turned to Jonas. �I didn’t realise the two of you knew each other,’ he added speculatively.
�We don’t,’ Jonas said, shaking the other man’s hand. �Yet,’ he amended with an enigmatic glance at Danie.
Danie forced the smile to remain on her lips, determined Jonas shouldn’t see that his remark had caused her any alarm. Even if it had!
She had no intention of getting to know Jonas Noble, tonight or any other night, and his own professionalism should have told him that to do so would be very indiscreet. She totally dismissed the idea that she was behaving less than fairly herself. She wasn’t the doctor in attendance to a member of her family, Jonas was, and if he didn’t feel it was unprofessional to become intimately involved with her, then perhaps he damn well ought to!
�You are looking as beautiful as ever, Danie—’
�Cut the flattery, Marco,’ she told the restaurateur shortly. �I’ve had very little to eat today, and I’m starving!’ she continued indelicately.
�You heard the lady, Marco,’ Jonas drawled, taking a light hold of her elbow. �I have a feeling Danie is a woman who may turn violent if she isn’t fed! What do you think?’ he bent to murmur softly in Danie’s ear, as they followed a smiling Marco through the noisily crowded restaurant to their table.
She arched dark brows as she turned to look at him from beneath her lashes. �I’ve been wondering for years why I seem to have this impatience with the rest of humanity—and you’ve solved the riddle for me only a short time into our acquaintance!’ she said with a sweetly insincere smile.
Jonas laughed huskily. �You only “seem” to have impatience, Danie…?’ he returned pointedly.
She shrugged, moving to sit down as he held back her chair for her. �Sometimes I’m merely baffled by their lack of imagination,’ she dismissed airily.
Jonas looked admiringly at her across the width of their window table once Marco had left them to peruse the menu. �And have you always had an answer for everything?’ he finally said.
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