First Love, Last Love

‘Just yes,’ she said breathlessly.

He smiled, but it wasn’t a pleasant smile. ‘Do you always give in on such short acquaintance? If so I’m not surprised at your popularity with my male employees.’

His scorn shocked her out of the sensual enchantment she seemed to have fallen into. ‘I wasn’t saying yes to that!’ she denied hotly. ‘I was just saying that it—that that was a passionate embrace. And given by an expert, I have no doubt.’

‘Insults, Lauri?’

‘You deserve them. How dare you kiss me?’

He gave a throaty laugh. ‘I dare. Your name,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘It isn’t really Lauri?’

She frowned. ‘No. Lauren.’

‘Lauren,’ he savoured it. ‘Mm, I like it.’

What did she care what he liked! ‘I’ve always been called Lauri,’ she said defensively.

He nodded. ‘That accounts for it.’

Long after she was back at her desk the question still plagued her—‘accounted’ for what?

CHAPTER TWO (#ulink_c9cd9943-3bd6-531e-a567-910ed8a387f9)

STEVE sat at the table watching Lauri as she prepared their evening meal. ‘Had a good day?’ he taunted, leaning forward on his elbows.

‘Fantastic!’ she drawled sarcastically. ‘Really great. I crashed my uncle’s car into my boss’s Rolls this morning, had an argument with my boy-friend at lunch-time because I refused to go on his travels with him, and then—–’

‘Yes?’ Steve prompted curiously. ‘And then?’

Lauri’s cheeks were bright red. ‘And then the bus was fifteen minutes late tonight.’ She had no intention of telling anyone about that unexpected kiss Alexander Blair had given her. After all, the kiss had been given as an insult, and although she might have reacted to it the insult had still gone home.

‘Oh,’ he nodded, ‘I see. So Daryl’s been trying to persuade you to take off with him, has he? I’m glad you’ve decided not to go with him.’

‘I thought you liked him.’ She placed a mug of tea in front of him.

‘I do, he’s a great chap, I just don’t fancy him as a nephew-in-law.’

Lauri laughed, going back to her cooking. ‘I don’t think Daryl had marriage in mind.’

‘Really? Then I wouldn’t have let you go anyway.’

‘You wouldn’t?’ She turned from checking the vegetables. ‘You wouldn’t have any say in it if I’d wanted to go. I make my own mind up about things like that.’

Steve shook his head. ‘Not this time. You’re still a kid, Lauri, only seventeen, much too young to make those sort of decisions.’

‘And I suppose an old-timer like you knows all about these things?’ They had always found the eight years’ difference between them faintly amusing, more like brother and sister than uncle and niece.

‘That’s right.’ He stood up to ruffle her red-gold curls into disorder, tapping her lightly on the end of her freckled snub nose. ‘You’re just a baby.’

She grinned. ‘I’m old enough to have crashed your car for you.’

He sobered. ‘So you are. I’m still waiting for Blair to get back to me on that.’

‘Bit early, isn’t it?’

Steve shrugged. ‘I can’t see him driving around in a dented car for long.’

Neither could Lauri. It didn’t fit in with his impeccable appearance. Even after he had kissed her he had remained unruffled. But she didn’t want to think of that kiss—or her reaction to it!

‘Lauri?’

‘Mm? Sorry,’ she snapped out of her daze at Steve’s puzzled look. ‘It’s just been one of those days.’

‘Don’t I know it,’ he groaned. ‘Poor old Gertie will never be the same. The front of her looks—–’

‘Shush!’ she hurriedly interrupted him. ‘I hear Jane’s key in the door,’ she explained at his indignant look. ‘And I don’t want her to know about the accident.’

He grimaced. ‘If she’s seen my car she’ll already know about it, there’s brown paint mixed up with the red.’

Lauri groaned. ‘You didn’t leave it parked outside?’

‘Of course I did. I’m going out later.’

‘Oh God! I’ll just have to hope Jane isn’t feeling very observant. Can you imagine what she would say if she knew I’d smashed into her boss’s car?’

‘I can,’ he grinned. ‘And he’s our boss too,’ he reminded her.

How could she forget it! ‘At least we don’t work for him directly. If he knew I was Jane’s niece …!’

‘Mm, I see your point. Okay, I’ll keep quiet unless directly asked.’

‘Now is that likely? There’s no reason why Jane should make the connection—– Hello, Jane,’ Lauri turned to greet her young aunt. ‘Sit down, love,’ she encouraged, seeing her tired face. ‘You look worn out.’

Jane did as she suggested, literally collapsing into the chair. ‘I look worn out because I am worn out. Thanks, Lauri,’ she took the proffered cup of tea, and sipped gratefully. ‘Mr Blair was an absolute swine this morning.’

‘Perhaps his business trip to the States didn’t work out as he wanted it to.’ Lauri’s look was almost hopeful that that had been the reason.

‘Oh, it wasn’t that, that went fine,’ Jane instantly dismissed, slipping off her shoes to flex her tired feet. ‘No, it was something else that upset him.’

‘Oh?’ Lauri asked innocently.

‘Mm.’ Jane put her head back, closing her eyes. ‘Some idiot smashed into his car this morning.’

‘Some idiot—–!’ Lauri echoed indignantly.

‘Is that what he said?’ chuckled Steve.

‘Mm,’ Jane murmured wearily. ‘God, he’s been impossible to work for all day. He’d just started to get over it lunchtime, but when he came back he was in an even worse mood.’