That sounded exactly like his mother! ‘Wouldn’t that be a little boring—for your wife?’ she mocked, having visions of herself as another Mrs Fulton. Oh dear, no!
He looked affronted. ‘I don’t think so—Why are you laughing?’ he frowned at her humour.
Because if she didn’t laugh she would cry! This conversation had become too serious for her liking—she had no doubt that Lester saw her as the ‘little woman’ who would stay at home and look after him and the children. She was fond of him, but the thought of being the sort of wife he wanted filled her with horror.
‘I’m only teasing you, Lester,’ she smiled. ‘I’m sure the woman you choose to be your wife will be happy to take care of you and your children.’ But it certainly wouldn’t be her!
‘You think so?’
‘I’m sure of it,’ she said briskly, standing up to put an end to the evening. ‘It’s getting late, Lester …’ she told him pointedly.
‘Oh yes.’ He accepted her words at face value, having no idea of the almost-panic he had caused within her. He put the empty coffee cup down on the table in front of him, and stood up to face her. ‘Lunch tomorrow?’
‘Fine,’ she agreed brightly, knowing she would have to end this relationship slowly if she wasn’t to appear too obvious in her fright.
He bent to kiss her softly on the mouth. ‘Twelve-thirty?’
‘Lovely,’ she nodded, edging him towards the door.
He left a few minutes later—much to her relief. What a day it had been! That awful meeting with Adam Thornton, her sister’s stubbornness, and now she had found out that the current man in her life was secretly a male chauvinist.
And tomorrow didn’t promise to be any better!
Surprisingly her morning passed quietly enough. She had appointments with a couple of clients, ones she had a feeling she was desperately going to need if she lost the Thornton contracts.
She heard nothing from Adam Thornton, and she was loath to call the man herself. If he had already spoken to Jason Dillman and the other man had refused to end the affair, as Judith had, then he could put the ball back in her court. Ignorance was bliss in this case. At least it was peaceful!
A red-faced Dee came into her office shortly after eleven. ‘I don’t think he’s going to be put off much longer, Natalie,’ she said worriedly.
‘Hm?’ Natalie looked up vaguely.
‘Adam Thornton, he—–’
‘Has he been calling?’ Her eyes widened, deeply aquamarine.
‘All morning,’ Dee nodded. ‘At least, his secretary has. I managed to put her off, but this last time he called himself. I don’t think he believed me when I said you weren’t in.’
Natalie frowned. ‘But I—Damn, I forgot to tell you I’d take his call,’ she groaned, cursing herself for her stupidity. She had completely forgotten to tell Dee to divert his calls.
‘You mean I’ve been putting him off all morning and your really wanted to talk to him?’ Dee grimaced.
‘Sorry,’ she said ruefully. ‘Has he telephoned a lot?’ She sat back, her make-up as perfect as always, her hair a gleaming ebony bob, the turquoise of her silky dress seeming to match the colour of her eyes.
‘Half a dozen times at least,’ Dee moaned. ‘And this last time he sounded furious!’
Natalie gave a worried sigh. ‘You’d better call him straight back. I’m really sorry about this.’
‘Don’t be silly,’ her friend dismissed. ‘You have a lot on your mind.’
Even more so now! ‘That may be so, but I don’t have to be stupid with it,’ she derided. ‘How’s Tom today?’
‘The same,’ Dee grimaced. ‘Men!’
It was a statement Natalie heartily echoed. Men! And one man in particular.
Dee buzzed through on the intercom a few minutes later. ‘He isn’t there,’ she told Natalie ruefully.
‘Really? Or is his secretary just saying that?’ It would be just like Adam Thornton to decide not to talk to her now that she had called him.
‘Well, she said he wasn’t in the office before I told her who I was,’ Dee explained. ‘So I would say he really isn’t there. Do you want me to keep trying?’
‘Please.’
A glance at her wrist-watch told her it was almost eleven-thirty. Maybe he had gone to an early lunch. He was probably tired of having to trouble himself with such a nonentity as Natalie Faulkner. She doubted if he usually bothered himself with such things, and wouldn’t have become involved this time if it weren’t for his sister’s happiness.
She had no warning as five minutes later Adam Thornton strolled forcefully into her office, no knock, no call from Dee, just the arrogantly overpowering man suddenly standing in front of her desk.
She had forgotten how tall he was, how dominating. The whole room seemed to be filled by him, and his savagery was even more apparent today, his expression impatient as he looked down at her with steely blue eyes.
Natalie noticed everything about him in that shocked first few seconds—the cut of the navy blue three-piece suit he wore with the pale blue shirt, the rugged handsomeness of his face, the distinctive grey hair at his temples, the black sheen to the rest of his thick over-long hair. Yes, he was everything she remembered—and more.
‘I’m sorry, Natalie,’ a flustered Dee had followed him. ‘He just walked in.’
Natalie was aware of the arrogant challenge in steely blue eyes as she tried to look at Dee. ‘It’s all right,’ she soothed. ‘This is Mr Thornton—Mr Adam Thornton,’ she added pointedly, her mouth twisting at the awed Oh! Dee gave.
He turned to look at the other woman. ‘And you’re the competent young lady who’s been baulking my secretary all morning,’ he drawled huskily. ‘I could use someone like you in my own office,’ he smiled.
Natalie gave a dazed blink as she too was caught up in the charm of that smile, mentally shaking herself to break the spell he was casting. Just because the man looked ten years younger when he smiled, the grooves in his cheeks deepening, the sudden warmth of blue eyes, it was no reason to feel any less nervous of him. This man was dangerous, ruthless, and she would have to remember that.
‘Thank you, Dee,’ she dismissed the other woman, seeing her friend’s grimace of disappointment before she went into the outer office, closing the door behind her. ‘Now, Mr Thornton,’ she looked up at him coolly. ‘What can I do for you?’
He pulled up a chair, lounging back against the white leather, taking his time in answering as he lit one of the cheroots he favoured, having the look of a slumbering black leopard about to spring.
Finally he looked up, his eyes narrowed against the smoke. ‘Well, you can call me Adam for a start,’ he drawled softly. ‘I have a feeling we’re going to be working closely together in future, close enough for you to call me Adam, anyway.’ He looked at her challengingly.
Natalie eyed him warily. ‘What do you mean?’
‘It’s quite simple,’ he mocked. ‘I’ve decided to personally handle any work connected with this company. I would also like to accept any of the fringe benefits you might be inclined to offer with those contracts.’
NATALIE