The Millionaire's Agenda

‘Did I?’ She was quite touched by the note of sincere relief in his voice. Then she smiled teasingly. ‘Enough of a jolt to give me a pay rise?’

He laughed. ‘Yes, Chloe…definitely enough for a pay rise. I’ll get on to the accounts department first thing on Monday.’

‘Thanks.’ She smiled. ‘When I was trying to get a minute of your time today to ask you this I never thought for one moment our conversation would end in Beth’s bedroom.’

‘No…it’s been a bit of a strange day all around.’

‘How did you get on with Renaldo?’ she asked.

His lips slanted wryly. ‘OK…I think. Renaldo is one tough cookie.’

‘Did he mention the meeting with the bank last week?’ She put her hand up to her hair as she felt it escaping the confines of its clips.

‘Yes, he did…’

Her hair wouldn’t go back in the clips, so impatiently she just let it loose, running her hand through the silky length as it tumbled around her shoulders. ‘I don’t suppose he brought those extra accounts with him?’

Her mind was firmly focused on the conversation, but Steven’s wasn’t. He was distracted by the way her hair had fallen in a long swathe around her shoulders. He noticed the golden lights amongst the darker strands of honey, giving it a rich vibrancy.

‘Steven?’

‘Huh?’

‘Did he mention the extra accounts?’

‘Yes…’ Steven stared at her abstractedly. He could hardly believe how beautiful she looked with her hair down. He shook his head as he realised she was waiting for him to expand on the subject. ‘Sorry, Chloe, I’m really tired. My brain seems to have gone into shut-down mode.’

‘I’m not surprised; you’ve been in that office since eight this morning.’

‘Yes, well, hopefully I’ll just have a couple more weeks like this and then everything will settle down once this acquisition has gone through.’

Chloe nodded. She watched as he loosened his tie, then ran his hand over the back of his neck. ‘Do you want me to make you a sandwich while you freshen up?’ she asked impulsively.

He looked as if he was about to decline the offer, then he shrugged. ‘Thanks, Chloe; I reckon I’m well and truly in your debt today.’

‘Watch it or I might ask for another rise.’ She grinned at him, a hint of mischief playing in her blue eyes now.

He watched as she moved over to check on Beth. Her fingers brushed gently to sweep a stray strand of golden curls from the child’s face, and then she bent to kiss her forehead.

The gesture was completely natural and so tenderly instinctive that it startled him. Why, he couldn’t have said; there was just something in the picture she presented, something familiar about the tableau of the sleeping child and the woman watching over her that jolted something inside him. Maybe it was the long golden hair that hid her face… Stephanie’s hair had been long and golden, just like Chloe’s.

‘Was Beth good for you?’ Abruptly he tried to snap out of whatever held him transfixed. He was overtired, he told himself briskly.

‘Yes, she was fine.’ She straightened and looked over at him. ‘You’re very lucky; she’s a lovely child.’

‘Well…I think so.’ Steven shrugged. ‘But then, I’m biased.’ His eyes flicked to the book he had taken from her hand earlier. ‘How many times did she get you to read The Elves and the Shoemaker?’

Chloe laughed. ‘Only four.’

‘You’re obviously a soft touch—I bow out at twice.’ He grinned at her and she smiled back.

She had a lovely smile, he thought contemplatively, perfect white teeth and a soft, sensual curve to her lips.

Chloe noticed the way his gaze rested on her lips for a second too long. The dark gaze was so intent that she felt herself tingle with awareness. Then their eyes met and she felt a delicious, shivery sensuality jolt through her body from nowhere. She couldn’t have been any more surprised by the feeling than if she had reached out and touched an electric current.

As he switched off Beth’s bedside lamp she turned away from him and went out into the hallway. That feeling just now was all in her imagination, she told herself crossly. Steven never looked at her with anything but the most cursory of attention. In fact, although he was always polite and respectful, she got the distinct impression that he saw her more as a piece of the office furniture than a woman.

He followed her out onto the landing. ‘While we’re up here I’ll show you your room,’ he said cordially as he led the way further down the landing and opened another door.

Chloe glanced around, noting the restful lilac colour on the walls and the white bed linen on the enormous double bed. ‘Gina sometimes uses it if she has to stay over when I’m away on business. There’s an en suite bathroom through there.’ He nodded to a door at the far side of the built-in wardrobes. ‘Just make yourself at home. Go and have a shower if you want…that’s what I’m going to do now.’

‘OK…thanks.’ She smiled at him and then felt that awkward sensation of awareness again. What the hell was the matter with her? she wondered. Maybe it was just the unusual situation. She was used to standing across a desk from him, discussing work. Finding herself in a whole different environment was bound to make her a bit edgy, a bit shy of him. Possibly that was what had been wrong with her back in Beth’s room as well, she realised suddenly.

‘I won’t be long.’ As Steven headed into his bedroom Chloe made her way downstairs. There was no point having a shower now, she thought, because she had nothing to change into.

She made a pot of tea and quickly made some sandwiches with some ham she had found in the fridge earlier. Then as she waited for the tea to brew she flicked through the CDs sitting beside the small music centre. Steven had similar taste in music to her, she noticed, and on impulse she put one in the CD player and pressed ‘play’.

Upstairs in his room, Steven heard the distant sound of the haunting romantic ballad and he frowned. The song that was playing had been his wife’s favourite. He remembered when they had first been married how he’d used to tease her about the fact that she played it over and over again…

He saw her green eyes laughing at him.

He took off the jacket of his suit and then his tie, trying to ignore the prickling sensation that was running down his spine. Chloe was nothing like his late wife. He was just tired and Stephanie was close to his mind because of the anniversary…that was all it was.

Chloe flicked the ‘repeat’ button so that the song would play over again. She hadn’t heard the tune in ages and it was one of her favourites. She stared out at the snow falling past the kitchen window, so white against the blackness of the sky.

She wondered where Nile was. He could at least have got in contact to explain about the money, to apologise. Surely he owed her that much?

The music snapped off behind her and she whirled around. Steven was next to the music centre.

‘Sorry, Steven…was that disturbing Beth?’

‘No, Beth could sleep through an earthquake.’ He hesitated for a second before adding, ‘I’ve just got a bit of a headache.’

‘Probably all that paperwork today.’ Chloe went across to pour the tea.

‘I think I’ll have something a bit stronger than tea,’ Steven said, opening one of the cupboards. ‘I’ve got a bottle of whisky in here…somewhere.’

Chloe was about to tell him that if he had a headache whisky was not the best thing to drink, then thought better of the comment. Steven didn’t need her counsel.

She noticed that he had changed into jeans and a blue shirt and his hair was still damp from the shower. Chloe had never seen him dressed in such casual attire before; it suited him—made him look more boyishly attractive.

‘Care to join me?’ Steven asked, looking up from his perusal of the drinks cupboard.

She shook her head. ‘I’ll stick to the tea,’ she said with a smile. ‘I’m not a whisky drinker.’

‘In fact, no bad habits at all?’

‘I wouldn’t go that far.’ She wondered if there had been a dry edge to that question. Did Steven Cavendish think she was boring? The idea needled her. ‘In fact, I’ve got more than my fair share of faults.’