A Kiss At Midnight: New Year at the Boss's Bidding / Slow Dance with the Best Man / The Greek Doctor's New-Year Baby. Kate Hardy

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СКАЧАТЬ went to see if we could leave and get back to London before the storm hits.’

      ‘Storm? But I thought the snow we had overnight was the blizzard you mentioned yesterday.’ Every nerve in her body was on high alert and she tried to tell herself it was because of the word ‘storm’ and nothing at all to do with the man himself or the way his dark eyes watched her.

      ‘Last night was just snow. We are due to have blizzard conditions and the weather warnings have been upgraded.’ He pulled out his phone, accessing the weather app. ‘Blizzard conditions due to sweep across Britain today, causing massive disruption. Travel only if essential.’

      ‘But...’ she began, now at a total loss for words until finally her worst fears came out almost as a squeak. ‘What if we are here for days?’

      ‘Va bene.’ He shrugged casually and then leant back against the kitchen unit, folding his arms across his chest. The action gave him domination of the entire room, as well as her thoughts. ‘We have plenty of food. We are warm and safe. Better to stay here, no?’

      No, she wanted to scream at him. It wasn’t okay. She had to get to Vanessa’s. She needed to be at that party. Vanessa had been there for her when her life had been turned upside down and now she had to be there for Vanessa, celebrating her friend’s engagement, even if it was the last thing she wanted to do. On top of that she didn’t want to be trapped in the countryside, snow all around, with a man who’d awakened something deep and unexpected within her. Especially as he was so unaffected by what had happened last night.

      ‘I have to go. I can’t stay here,’ she began, disbelief washing over her, making coherent thought difficult.

      ‘You do not have much choice, cara.’ He raised a self-assured brow, seeming almost amused by her reaction.

      ‘I can’t stay here—with you—after last night.’ She heard the words hiss from her lips and hated herself for the loss of control he’d provoked.

      ‘Because you kissed me?’

      ‘I did not kiss you.’ Indignation at his blatant comment made her words sharp.

      ‘You very definitely kissed me.’ The smoothness of his accented voice sparked on her nerves like flint against steel, then he laughed as she glared at him. ‘You have nothing to fear from me, Natalie.’

      How could he say she had nothing to fear from him? Kissing him last night had changed everything—for her at least.

      ‘I was working for you. You hired me to cater for your New Year’s Eve dinner.’ Her firm voice couldn’t hide the confusion that raged inside her.

      ‘And that is what you did, yes?’ He was mocking her, making fun of her for reading anything into a kiss he’d clearly forgotten all about.

      ‘Yes,’ she snapped, heat infusing her cheeks.

      ‘Then I see no problem. I contracted you to cater for New Year’s Eve and your contract was completed even before the stroke of midnight.’

      The outrage at his assumption sent her mind into turmoil, as did the knowledge he was right. She had completed her contract. She was no longer here in a professional capacity. ‘That doesn’t change anything.’

      * * *

      Xavier shrugged. He’d enjoyed the kiss last night, maybe even a little too much, but was he ready to get involved with another woman, especially one who wanted the full package, the happy-ever-after? Since the accident he’d only dated women, never going beyond dinner, unable to deal with their almost certain revulsion at his scarring.

      He sensed Tilly was different and had tested the boundaries she’d set. She may have kissed him back, may have been tempted by the passion that burned like glowing embers between them, but the fact she’d fled last night had given him a very clear message. She was off limits, he should heed that, instead of taking it as a challenge. He wasn’t the man he used to be.

      ‘I still can’t stay here—alone with you, Xavier. People will talk.’ A hint of resignation lingered in those last words and he knew she was right. People would gossip and make assumptions.

      ‘Does it really matter what people say?’ He stepped towards her and saw her eyes widen, saw the doubt and anxiety in them.

      ‘I’m not forcing you to stay, Natalie. Go if that’s what you have to do.’ He stepped back. He wasn’t going to make her do anything. Stay or go. It was a decision she had to make for herself.

      ‘It doesn’t look as if I have any choice in the matter. I’m going to have to stay here.’ She snapped the words out, agitation in every step as she walked back towards the kitchen.

      He turned in the doorway and looked at her, annoyed by the look of devastation on her face. Was spending time with him that bad? ‘Very well, cara. I will fetch more logs for the fire.’

      ‘That sounds like you expect us to be here for days.’ Her big blue eyes widened with incredulity.

      ‘At my home in the Italian mountains, if bad weather is forecast it is sensible to make such preparations.’ He opened the door, about to go back to the outbuildings, the chill from outside cooling the ardour that just thinking of her kiss infused through him.

      ‘We are not in the Italian mountains.’ Irritation rang out of every syllable and she fixed him with a fierce glare.

      ‘This is true, but the forecast is not good, so indulge me in this at least, cara.’ He injected light humour into his voice and was rewarded with the smallest of smiles, the irritation of moments ago seemingly forgotten. Her lips, which had felt so good against his last night, lifted fractionally.

      ‘Do what you feel necessary. I’m going to check the forecast for myself.’ The brashness of her voice as she picked up her phone from the neat pile of paperwork wasn’t lost on him, but he couldn’t resist the urge to provoke more of a reaction from her.

      ‘Don’t you trust me?’ The question hung between them as once again he came under her scrutiny.

      ‘Actually, no, I don’t.’ The matter-of-fact reply shocked him and if he were truthful, he would admit the same. He shouldn’t be trusted, not after her kiss had begun to melt his stern control. He didn’t trust himself. It would be wise to step back from whatever it was arcing between them. It was something he wasn’t ready for.

      ‘Va bene, cara. You check the weather, reassure yourself I’m telling the truth and not keeping you here for my own pleasure. While you do that I’ll fetch more logs.’ He turned and left through the back door, welcoming the cool air against his face.

      It had started to snow again as he crossed the courtyard and the sky was heavy and ominously grey. Tilly didn’t need to look up more weather forecasts—she should just step outside, feel the icy wind and see the snow beginning to fall again.

      As he loaded the basket with logs he kept his mind on the weather. Allowing it to wander elsewhere would mean going back to the moment last night just before he’d kissed her. The moment he’d stopped, reminding himself she wasn’t one of his usual female companions.

      She was different—and he’d known that from the first moment he’d seen her, but he’d lost reason and given in to the need to feel her lips beneath his. Any honourable intentions had СКАЧАТЬ