Sultry Nights: Mistress to the Merciless Millionaire / The Savakis Mistress / Ruthless Tycoon, Inexperienced Mistress. Annie West

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СКАЧАТЬ daughter, and she guessed it went deeper than Tiarnan had let on. Rosie was picking at her food, and when she asked in a small, ever so polite voice if she could leave the table, Tiarnan said tightly, ‘You’ve barely said two words to Kate.’

      Kate directed a quick smile at Rosie and said, ‘I don’t mind. She can go if she wants. I remember how boring it can be, listening to adults.’

      Rosie immediately jumped up and ran out, her chair scraping on the ground as she did so, making Kate flinch slightly. Tiarnan made as if to go after her, but Kate caught his arm, jerking her hand away again when she felt the muscles bunch under the thin material of his shirt. ‘Really, it’s fine, Tiarnan. I don’t mind.’

      He sat down again and sighed heavily. ‘When we moved here from the outskirts of Madrid I changed her school. It’s not been the easiest of transitions, and I’m currently public enemy number one.’

      Kate thought of Stella again—Tiarnan’s ex-wife. She’d never really known why the marriage had ended, and Sorcha had never talked about it either, but then Tiarnan’s marriage break-up and subsequent fatherhood had coincided with a hard time in Sorcha’s life … Kate’s attention had naturally been taken up with her friend. In all honesty she’d used every and any excuse to avoid talking or thinking about Tiarnan. And the fact that she was thinking about his marriage now irritated her intensely.

      Just as that thought was highlighting the juxtaposition between how she’d always so carefully protected herself around this man and how much he’d already reeled her in, the door opened and a woman came in—someone Kate hadn’t yet met. She was middle-aged, and her face was white and tense. She looked as if she’d been crying.

      Tiarnan stood up. ‘Paloma, this is Kate—an old friend.’

      Kate stood and extended her hand. As the woman came in it was extremely obvious that she’d been crying. She shook Kate’s hand and managed a distracted watery smile.

      Tiarnan was looking from her to Kate. ‘This is Paloma—Rosie’s nanny.’ Belatedly noticing Paloma’s distress, he said, ‘What is it? Something with Rosie?’

      Kate could feel the tension spike, and guessed in an instant that Rosie had probably been giving Paloma a hard time too.

      The woman shook her head and fresh tears welled,

      ‘No, it’s not Rosie, it’s my son. He’s been involved in an accident and he’s been taken to hospital. I’m sorry, Mr Quinn, but I have to go there immediately.’

      Kate put her arm around the woman’s shoulders instinctively as Tiarnan quickly reassured her. ‘I’ll have Juan take you. Don’t worry, Paloma, you’ll be taken care of.’

      ‘Thank you, Mr Quinn. I’m so sorry.’

      He waved aside her apology, and with a look to Kate strode out of the room to make arrangements. Kate did her best to help out. They went to Paloma’s room and Kate helped her pack.

      A short while later, as they stood on the steps and watched Tiarnan’s chauffeur-driven Mercedes pull away with Paloma in the back, he turned and ran a hand through his hair. ‘I’m sorry, Kate. I invited you for a quiet lunch and it’s been nothing but drama. I didn’t intend for it to be like this.’

      Kate looked up into those glittering blue eyes and felt out of her depth. Tiarnan had taken control of the situation and despatched Paloma with an assurance that she must have as much time off as she needed. She’d heard him make a call to the hospital where Paloma’s son was to make sure that he was getting the best of treatment, arranging for him to be moved to a private room. Kate knew that he would personally oversee any payment. His innate goodness and generosity made her feel vulnerable.

      She shrugged a slim shoulder. ‘That’s OK. It couldn’t be helped.’

      A shadow passed over Tiarnan’s face and he swore softly under his breath. He looked out past her to where the car had disappeared.

      ‘What is it?’

      He looked back to her. ‘I’m due in Dublin this evening, for the AGM of the board of Sorcha’s outreach programme. I promised Sorcha and Romain I’d do it for them while the baby is so small.’

      ‘Oh …’ Kate would instinctively have asked what she could do to help, but she was due on her flight back to New York herself. She knew how important Sorcha’s outreach youth centre was to her. And while she’d no doubt Romain would jump on a plane to Dublin for an important meeting like this for his wife, she knew Tiarnan wouldn’t want to let them down.

      ‘Can’t Esmerelda help out?’

      Tiarnan shook his head. ‘She’s a lot older than she looks, and while she does live here, in an apartment out the back, her husband is old too and needs taking care of … I couldn’t ask her to take on Rosie.’

      ‘Your mother?’ Kate knew that Mrs Quinn had moved back to her native Madrid as soon as Sorcha had left home.

      ‘She’s down in the south, staying with her sister until the spring.’

      ‘Oh …’

      ‘The other problem is that I’m due to fly straight to New York from Dublin tomorrow. I’m taking part in talks with a senator, the mayor and one of the major banks. It’s something I couldn’t get out of even if I wanted to …’

      Kate’s conscience pricked her. She had to say something, because she knew when she got back to New York she didn’t have any work lined up. She’d told her formidable agent, Maud Harriday, that she wanted to start scaling back her work commitments, and Maud with typical brusqueness had declared that all she needed was a holiday. So now, for the first time in a long time, Kate had a few clear weeks of … nothing.

      ‘Look, I don’t have any work lined up for the next …’ she stopped herself revealing too much ‘… the next while. I could stay here and watch Rosie if you want. I mean, if that’s OK with you?’

      Kate couldn’t decipher the expression on Tiarnan’s face. She knew he was fiercely protective of his daughter. Perhaps he didn’t trust her? That thought lanced her.

      ‘I’d enjoy having an excuse to stay in Madrid—and a chance to see Rosie properly again …’

      Tiarnan looked down at Kate, taking in her clear blue gaze. She was surprising him again. Offering to take on responsibility for Rosie like this. A few lovers after his divorce had hinted at wanting to get to know Rosie, to try and become more intimate. He instinctively wanted to say no to Kate’s suggestion, but found himself stopping. The immediate feeling that he could trust her with Rosie surprised him.

      Kate saw him deliberate, and felt compelled to insist on helping him. She refused to investigate that impulse.

      ‘Tiarnan, you’re stuck. If you want to go to Dublin in two hours and New York tomorrow, who can you get to mind Rosie at such short notice? And you know if you say you can’t go then Romain will have to leave Sorcha on her own with the baby.’

      She was right. Tiarnan knew if Kate wasn’t here, offering this solution, he would have to take Rosie with him on his trip—and that was never ideal. Especially when her routine was of paramount importance right now. And Kate wasn’t some random stranger. Tiarnan knew that she’d spent time with Rosie whenever Sorcha had looked after her for him before, СКАЧАТЬ