Darkness Into Light

‘Not too old to appreciate a beautiful woman; no man is ever that old!’

‘Am I beautiful?’

He gave a husky chuckle, looking younger, lines etched beside his eyes and mouth. ‘You would make a very good businesswoman, Danielle; you don’t miss the slightest slip.’

She shook her head, answering seriously. ‘Shrubs and flowers are much easier to understand than people, especially the sharks of the business world.’

‘You don’t seem to have had too much trouble with me,’ he drawled.

‘Oh, I didn’t mean—–’

‘I know,’ he mocked. ‘I’ll tell Benson you’ll be over shortly,’ he added briskly. ‘I don’t suppose there’s any need to warn you about the ferocious guard-dogs patrolling the grounds!’

She smiled at his derisive sarcasm. ‘You should have seen the look on your face when Fang and Killer ran towards us!’ She began to giggle, reliving the moment. ‘I wish I’d had a camera!’

‘I’m glad you didn’t,’ he said with self-disgust. ‘I can assure you I don’t usually make such a fool of myself.’

No, she could tell he was very uncomfortable with the fact that he might have looked remotely silly. He was a man who was ultimately in control of any situation, had a dignity that didn’t allow for errors, a sense of self-preservation that didn’t allow others to make them either. Which brought her back to Dave Benson.

‘I’ll come over to the house at two-thirty tomorrow afternoon,’ she told Pierce.

He shook his head. ‘It won’t do any good. The man is on a month’s notice.’

‘I didn’t know that,’ she gasped her dismay.

Grey eyes narrowed to steely slits. ‘What did you think had happened to him?’

‘He told me he had received a reprimand—–’

‘For what he did he should have received an instant dismissal!’

‘Then it’s lucky your uncle is a more reasonable man than you appear to be, isn’t it!’ she flashed. ‘Honestly, Pierce, how can you be so bloody-minded?’ she said impatiently. ‘Dave Benson is a good man. Good gracious, I’m as much to blame as he is!’

‘Perhaps you would like to be dismissed, too?’ he arched dark brows at her. ‘I’m sure it could be arranged,’ he added icily.

In control—this man was unreasonable! ‘Surely that’s for your uncle to decide?’ she challenged, her head back, her eyes glittering defiantly.