“Sorry I laid all that out on you. You’ve been with us a month and I just assumed you were the savior I’d been waiting for. My job has meant everything to me and the thought of it being given to some little tit who’s nothing more than a glorified tabloid reporter pisses me off.”
I felt bad for the guy. I really did. If I’d learned anything from my former night team it was to always stay ten steps ahead of the next generation. That rang especially true for the on-air talent. I could practically hear Cynthia Steele’s strong, melodic voice in my head saying there was always someone younger with no morals waiting in the wings. I was fairly certain she’d been exaggerating about the no morals part but there had to be a grain of truth in there somewhere.
“Well, I’m not going to spend my time there going through the motions,” I asserted, taking another sip of my drink. “I’m working my ass off to make sure you have the best produced news magazine show in all of Great Britain. If Sam and Robbie don’t like it, tough shit.”
“Lia Meyers,” Julian said loudly. “You are amazing. If they do end up sacking me, you and I will start our own program.”
I laughed, enjoying the level of passion he exuded for his craft. Grabbing my drink-free hand, he squeezed it.
“We’re going to get on just fine, you and I. And by the way,” he paused, “nice ring. I had a feeling we’d be celebrating an engagement soon enough. If you can melt the notoriously frigid Alastair Holden, you can work magic with my television show.”
Shocked, I stiffened a little. I shouldn’t be surprised though. The ring was like a beacon.
“Not to worry. I won’t pester you to get an interview with him for me right now. I’m a bit of prat but I’m not that callous.”
“And then,” I said, perching on the edge of the desk in Alastair’s home office, “he called himself a prat and ordered another round of drinks.”
Alastair half-smiled, looking up from the computer screen. “Sounds like you two got along quite well.”
“We did. Most television personalities aren’t as horrid as they appear.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he responded dryly. “Sorry I wasn’t able to meet you there.”
Swinging my legs around so they draped over the arm of his chair, I grinned. “You’re forgiven, chief. This time.”
He sighed, running a hand along my left calf. I hadn’t changed yet and the fuzziness from all the fruity drinks I’d had suggested that I give him a strip tease in the middle of the room. I would have if he hadn’t been staring so intently at the open file on his desk.
“Hey,” I said, nudging him with my foot, “come to bed. It’s late.” I sensed he was stressed and bothered by his day at work but I knew better than to pry. He’d tell me when he was ready, if he wanted.
Silence spread through the room. I tried to see if I could get a read on what was going on in his head. Obviously, that didn’t happen. Hopping off the desk, I hitched up my dress and straddled him on the chair.
“Amelia.”
The strained way he said my name triggered an immediate response in me. I kissed him desperately, feeling him shudder in my embrace.
“Come with me,” I requested, skimming my lips over his.
I melted when he smiled.
“You like stealing my phrases.”
“What can I say? You’re quotable.”
Squeezing my waist gently, he laughed. The sound of it always filled me with such joy. Leaning his forehead to mine, he closed his eyes. Bit by bit, the protective shield locked into place. I ran my hands down his chest, disheartened to feel him stiffen beneath my touch.
“Sorry, love,” he said flatly. “I have to be in London for the rest of the week. I leave early tomorrow morning. Paxton will be here to make sure you get to and from work safely.”
I swallowed down my disappointment like it was a spoonful of salt. “Why do y—”
“My fucking uncle,” he snapped. “He’s trying to undermine my decisions regarding the music division. He set up an investor meeting behind my back and now I have to go talk everyone off a ledge.”
“What happened?”
Scrubbing his face with both hands he grimaced. “My grandfather is trying to convince me to dissolve the music end of the business and use the extra funds to launch a production company. I told him no and gave him my reasons but fucking Jason keeps,” he paused, scowling. “My uncle and I don’t see eye to eye on this and he’s constantly up my grandfather’s ass about it.”
Not really knowing what to say, I could only play with his hair in the hopes it would calm him down. He never talked about work and I never asked so I knew nothing of the intricacies involved with running a worldwide media empire.
“Well,” I said, “you’re the boss. Jason has to answer to you and your grandfather is retired so he really has no say, right?”
Alastair laughed bitterly. “If only it were that simple.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know—”
“My dad created the music division about a year before the accident,” he interrupted. “I was so young, I had no idea what it was but I do remember him being rather excited about it. He’d play records really loud on the weekends and my sister and I would dance around the living room. I think,” he paused, swallowing hard, “I think this was my dad’s dream. I think maybe he’d started it because he wanted to step out of my grandfather’s shadow. Jason was strictly the business minded one and yessed Samuel to death. My dad was the creative one.”
He looked up at me. “Since Jason and Katherine have no children, I’m the last one in line. If I fuck up the business, it dies along with all the hard work my dad put into it.”
“You’re not going to fuck up the business. You’re too smart to let that happen.”
His frosty exterior thawed. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”
“No, you shouldn’t have. Watch those sore spots, chief.”
“Fair point.” He pulled me closer so our faces were inches apart.
I kissed him because I could and because that’s really all I’d been wanting to do since I returned home.
“Tell me to stay here with you.”
His quiet words ripped through me, shredding my soul into a thousand pieces. Oh, Alastair. I hugged him, marveling again at the tremors shaking his body. He never failed to surprise me with the strength of his affection.
“I love you so much, it hurts,” I whispered against his neck.
Gently breaking our embrace, he looked at me with clear, bright eyes. We didn’t have to say anything for us both to know what I’d meant. “Come with me to London. I don’t want to be away from you for one second.”
I smiled, completely aware of how easy it was for him to disarm me. “You know I can’t.”
“Then come down this weekend. I’ll have the plane ready and waiting for you after work on Friday. We’ll go stay at the May Fair and never leave the room” -he kissed me- “or I’ll send you to the spa and do whatever else you want.”
“Tempting,” I murmured, tracing my fingers along his jaw. “Why don’t we go to your cottage here instead?”
He frowned. “I may not be back