Текст книги "Seducing the Billionaire's Secretary"

Автор книги: Marquita Valentine

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Текущая страница: 4 (всего у книги 5 страниц)

Chapter Seven

Once they had rehearsed the ceremony a few times, the wedding planner allowed them to break for dinner. At least, Ella hoped that was what the woman had planned.

Her stomach growled.

If not, then she would stage a protest in the kitchen.

“If everyone would follow me,” a server announced, and Ella wanted to kiss the woman in relief.

As one, the group began to walk, as eager for dinner as she was.

Despite the awkwardness of earlier this afternoon, Ella wanted to talk to Blake. She wasn’t sure why he’d stalked away after they’d had sex... made love. Whatever. But she needed to find out. Something had changed between them, and she wasn’t sure what to make of it.

The only thing she was sure of—she didn’t hate him anymore. There were no feelings of animosity or dislike that made her see red whenever she heard his voice. In fact, it was almost the opposite.

“My, my, Ms. Simpson, don’t you look positively delectable in your dress?” Coming up from behind her, Blake gave her right cheek a crude squeeze. “Damn, I want to bite that ass.”

“Stop it.”

“Afraid your lover might see us?” He squeezed her again.

“He’s not my lover, and you are despicable,” Ella hissed, shoving his hand away from her butt. “What’s wrong with you?”

Blake gave her a wicked smile. “That’s not what you said this afternoon, love.”

The reminder of what had transpired between them made her blush. She hated how easily she turned red around him because her blushes showed how vulnerable she was to his insults. His response was most definitely an insult and not a compliment.

“Obviously, I was out of my mind.” To ever think we could work, she added silently.

“Multiple orgasms tend to do that, I hear,” he said loud enough for his voice to carry.

Her palm itched to slap that wicked and cocky smile off his face, but she couldn’t. Andrew was watching... and so was his wife. A woman that Ella had tried desperately to hate, but ended up practically loving. Only the most hardened of hearts wouldn’t be able to recognize that Hannah and Andrew were perfect for one another.

She wanted that, desperately.

“Damn it, Ella. Stop mooning over Andrew. He’s not yours. He’ll never be yours,” Blake said softly.

Tears sprang to her eyes, but she refused to let Blake see her upset. Once had been more than enough for her.

“No. Damn you, Blake. Stop blackmailing me into sleeping with you. I’m not yours. I’ll never be yours.” It wasn’t a fair thing to say, or even accuse him of doing. She’d willingly slept with him—multiple times—and after he’d admitted the emails had been permanently erased by him. But she was hurt by his comment, and that he thought she could sleep with one man while loving another.

His gaze narrowed, and his sexy lips thinned. “You will be.”

“I might have considered it, but now... you’ll never know.”

He swore, and then reached for her hand, but she stepped back, shaking her head as she did.

“I’m sorry, Ella.”

“I am, too.” With that, she stormed off, heedless of who saw her tears.

She had only gotten halfway down the hall when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Damn it, Blake. Leave me alone,” she said, spinning around, only to find Hannah standing there. The kindness in her eyes made Ella cry harder. “Oh, I didn’t know it was you. Sorry.”

Hannah didn’t say a word. Instead, she lurched forward and caught Ella up in a hug. The shorter woman was surprising strong, but she had been a maid who, according to Drew, had worked her ass off most of her life.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Ella miserably whispered.

“Because I know how it feels to be in love with someone who doesn’t love you back,” Hannah said, leaning back a little. “It sucks.”

“But Drew’s loved you for years.”

“I thought I was in love with another man, but he loved fishing more,” Hannah replied. “It hurt that he only made time for me when it was convenient for him.”

Ella sniffed. “You wouldn’t be so nice to me if you knew the truth.”

“That you were in love with my husband?”

The blood drained from her face. Blake had to have been the one to tell her, but he’d said that he hadn’t told anyone.

“I’m not in love with him. I used to be, but he didn’t know and nothing ever came of it. Nothing at all. Ever. I promise.” She loved her job at MI, and there was no way she would lose it over a suspicion. Plus, she didn’t want to lose her new friend.

Hannah gave her a gentle smile. “I know. Drew told me months ago.”

Ella’s stomach twisted up in knots. “How did he know?” Had her emails been sent after all?

“Because you’re like me—you wear your heart on your sleeve,” Hannah simply said. “But now, someone else holds your heart and he’s too prideful to realize it.”

“Blake,” she said miserably.

“Exactly.”

“I don’t know what to say. It seems rather sudden to feel this way.”

“Maybe you felt this way all along, but you were focusing on the wrong guy and didn’t know it.”

It sounded perfectly reasonable to Ella, but it also made her sound utterly stupid.

“Did you know Blake always worked late when I did?” she said slowly. “He said he did it because he was positive my sharp tongue would scare away any intruders and therefore keep him safe... even in the parking garage.” Which she now knew was ridiculous considering his background. He had worked when she did to keep her safe.

Hannah patted her arm. “You’re probably not feeling up to it, but there’s a seat with your name on it beside mine for dinner tonight. I’d love for you to join us.”

“You want me to join you, even after I’ve admitted I used to love your husband?” Ella asked. Why bring that up when Hannah was trying to move on? Clearly, it was because she was a glutton for punishment.

“Yep,” Hannah chirped, linking her arm through Ella’s, just like she had the first time, as she propelled her back to the private room. “I have to admit that knowing the two of you were never romantically involved makes it a heck of a lot easier.”

“Makes it easier for me, too,” Ella said, silently thanking God for Drew’s strict rule for himself when it came to dating employees. “He’s never had affairs at work, you know. You’ll never have to run into anyone and question that.”

“I do know. He’s very hard on himself, but that’s what makes Drew... Drew. He puts the good of the company before himself. I think Blake is a lot like him. I know he teased you a lot and sometimes does really stupid things to make you cry, but from what I’ve seen and what I’ve been told, it seems to me that Blake has put his self-interests second. He’s thrown his entire life into Montgomery Industry,” Hannah said with a sigh. “It would be nice to see him settle down with a woman like you.”

Before Ella could reply to that, she found herself back where she started. Blake’s gaze crashed into her, and then went immediately to Hannah. She could plainly read the look of confusion on his face.

There was no way she could answer him right now, not with so many confusing feelings of her own. The only positive at the moment was that she was not in love with Drew.

During the rehearsal dinner, Hannah kept everyone entertained with stories about her and Drew as children. Ella laughed despite the lingering nerves as Blake sat directly across from her. He never looked at her directly, but she could feel his heated, questioning gaze.

Despite years of training to expect the unexpected, Ella and Hannah’s recent friendship, especially tonight, was utterly mystifying to Blake.

Why in the hell would Ella allow herself to become friends with the other woman... unless she thought to—

He gave himself a mental shake. No, Ella didn’t need to get close to Drew through Hannah. Ella already knew everything about the man.

In that instant, Blake hated Drew more than he thought possible. How could he command such undying love from a woman like Ella? She was impossibly strong-willed and goal-oriented as well as fair-minded.

In his heart and head, it made no sense at all for her to scheme to—do what exactly? Convince Drew that Hannah was no good? That his wife and childhood companion had an ulterior motive for marrying him? Drew had been the one to go to Hannah and beg her to marry him, not the other way around.

Ella had years to convince Drew to fall in love with her, to send those bloody emails, but she hadn’t. She’d been strictly professional, only faltering once, when she found out about Hannah and Drew’s hasty marriage.

If he didn’t know Ella’s middle name was Miranda, he would have sworn it was Integrity because she had it in spades.

Damn, he’d mucked things up between them. However, that look on her face this afternoon, right after they’d made love, when he’d mentioned the rehearsal dinner, had been like cold water to his system.

Then later, when he saw her expression grow wistful over a man she could never have, while Blake stood there, offering her everything... it was more than his ego could take.

Whatever Ella’s endgame was, it didn’t include him. He knew that now. While she loved what he could do to her body, she didn’t love him.

He speared a bite of vegetable, not really tasting it as he ate.

Connor, Drew’s brother, nudged him in the side. “You’re exceptionally quiet tonight.”

“Reckoned I’d save the chitchat for the best man,” Blake replied. Usually, he enjoyed joking around with Connor, but tonight, he wasn’t good company for anyone.

“Don’t feel much like saying anything... and my father would approve of that. Hell, he’d approve of you as his son.” At twenty-eight, Connor Montgomery was the designated black sheep of the family. Judging by his debouched lifestyle, he was damned proud of it.

Privately, Blake thought the man was wasteful with the money he’d inherited so far. Perhaps more so because Blake knew what it was like to have to be responsible for many on so little.

“I very much doubt that. He says I spend too much time at work and not enough time finding a woman to settle down with.”

Connor sucked in air through his teeth. “He’s determined to get us all married off. Except for London, but she has a couple of years.”

Blake turned his attention to the youngest Montgomery. The only girl in the family, London was beautiful with long, dark hair and expressive green eyes like her oldest brother, Drew. Unlike Drew, London actually laughed more often than not, and her eyes seemed to laugh with her.

God help the man who attempted to date her.

“Not happening, York,” Connor growled.

“I’m thirty-five... not interested in girls fifteen years my junior.”

Connor must have heard the truth in Blake’s voice because he said, “My apologies. Most men stopped giving a damn about London’s age once she turned seventeen.” He tipped his drink in Ella’s direction. “As for me, I prefer a more mature woman.”

“She’s thirty-four, hardly what I’d call mature.”

Connor leveled him with a blue-eyed gaze. “You know what I mean, and since I don’t work for Montgomery Industry, that fucking rule doesn’t apply.”

Blake wanted to argue with the man, but what would he say? That Ella belonged to him? That Ella was in love with his brother? “Perhaps not, but she doesn’t date Montgomerys.”

“Shame.” Connor took another drink. “Always had a thing for women like her.”

“Redheads?” Though Ella’s hair was a deep, rich auburn.

“Intelligent.”

Nonplussed, Blake stared at Connor for a moment. “Never took you for a brain man.”

Connor gave him a grin, the kind that made every available female in the room take notice. “I like other parts, too. But eventually, we’re going to have to talk. Prefer it’s with someone who can hold their own.”

“Cheers, mate.” Blake lifted his glass to Connor’s.

“You know, I just remembered the funniest thing,” Connor said in a low voice. “When you were hired, Ms. Simpson asked William about you, and she must have shown more interest than what my father liked, so he told her that you liked men.”

Blake nearly choked on his drink. “Pardon?”

Connor’s grin grew. “Then he said he was joking, but that you were involved with someone.”

“The hell he did.” Blake hadn’t been involved with anyone, not for years now. His last relationship had been six months before he started at Montgomery Industry. His former career hadn’t lent itself to permanent relationships.

“Thought you’d want to know she was interested in you first.”

“My thanks.”

Blake wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do with that knowledge. Punching out the man who initially hired him seemed wrong, especially given that William was pushing seventy and had recently been hospitalized.

He ground his teeth together, something he hadn’t done since childhood when he was stressed.

When he risked another glance at Ella, she caught him staring at her. That familiar pull called to him. She was lovely in the extreme. Now that he knew every inch of her body, he wanted more. He wanted it all with her.

But fucking hell, she wanted another.

The room became stuffy, suffocating.

“If you’ll excuse me,” he murmured to Connor, needing to get away from the dinner.

As he left the room, he could feel Ella’s gaze on his back, but she didn’t come after him. However, at this moment, he wasn’t sure he wanted her to.

Chapter Eight

Ella didn’t see Blake again until the wedding the next morning. Since they weren’t walking together, she didn’t have the chance to ask him to have dinner with her that night.

They needed to talk. They needed to discuss everything. Every misunderstanding needed to be unraveled until the truth was all either of them could see or hear.

Ella craned her neck, looking for Blake, but he seemed to have disappeared.

“Dance with me,” Drew said, taking her hand and leading her to the dance floor. He and Hannah had already shared their first dance together, and there were numerous guests dancing.

With a beautiful smile, Hannah caught Ella’s gaze and waved. Ella smiled back, but she continued to look for Blake.

Where was he? She needed to talk to him.

Then she caught herself. Here she was, dancing with the man she’d written hundreds of emails to, with the man she’d spent countless hours daydreaming about, and yet, all she could think about was Blake.

“He left, Ella.”

She almost stumbled, but Drew spun her around. “What? When?”

“Ten minutes after the ceremony. He had to deal with some family stuff back home.”

“As in Ravenswoodshire?” she asked.

“Yes, and I’m afraid he won’t be coming back. You see, he turned in his resignation and...” Drew began, but Ella was already out of his arms.

“Thank you for the dance. Best wishes to you and,” she ran over to Hannah and gave her a kiss on the cheek, “you as well. I want nothing but happiness for y’all.” She meant every word. Finally, she was truly happy for them.

“Go get him, sweetie,” Hannah whispered, hugging her tightly.

Picking up her dress at the hem, Ella raced for the front of the hotel, hoping to catch Blake before one of the shuttles left with him on it. Several shuttles serviced the resort each day, taking guests to and from the dock where they would travel by boat to the larger island that held the international airport.

But just as she got there, the shuttle pulled away.

“Blake,” she screamed over and over, running after it as she waved her hands in the air like a wild woman, but the van didn’t stop. It kept going and going until it disappeared around a bend in the road.

She stopped running and bent over, resting her hands on her thighs as she caught her breath. It wasn’t easy running in heels.

“That’s okay. I’ll pack my things and take the next one. He’ll have to wait for a flight,” she mumbled to herself as she turned to go back inside.

“He won’t take a commercial flight,” Drew said, meeting her at the door. “You’re welcome to take my private jet instead. I can call ahead and have it ready for you.”

“Thanks, but—”

“Allow me to do this for you. You’ve been an amazing personal assistant, Ella, but even more than that, you’ve been an incredible friend to me over the years.” Drew’s face was serious. “And you’ve done what I never could have for Hannah.”

She scrunched her nose. “What’s that?”

“You gave her a peace of mind that goes beyond having faith in me or in what I say. That is something I’ll never forget and never be able to repay,” he said. “Get packed, but take your time. I’ll arrange everything for you.”

Tears filled her eyes, but they were ones of gratitude. Rising up on her tiptoes, she lightly kissed his cheek. “Goodbye, Drew. Thank you for everything.”

*

The jet couldn’t travel fast enough for Ella’s liking. Yes, it was luxurious and filled with amenities that weren’t even available in her uptown apartment, but all she could think about was getting to Blake.

Never in her life had she made such a rash decision to go after a man, but her heart and mind were of one accord on this.

“How much longer do we have?” she asked the attendant.

“Four hours, ma’am.”

Ella’s heart sank.

Blake had a three-hour start on her. By the time he arrived at Heathrow, he would be well on his way to the country estate where his family lived.

However, Drew had promised a car would be waiting to immediately whisk her away to Ravenswoodshire. Whether her appearance would be welcomed was another matter.

She tipped up her chin and accepted the glass of white wine from the attendant, determined to relax. There was nowhere she could go, and this was the fastest way to get to him.

Maybe she could take the remaining hours to practice what she would say to him. Only, she had no idea how to start. The always-prepared-for-any-situation-type-A personality in her rebelled at the thought.

“I can always practice on the drive,” she said, thinking of Drew’s warning that it was another three hours to Blake’s estate from London.

And if he sends you packing? a small voice whispered in her head.

“Well, at least I won’t spend the rest of my life wondering what if,” she said and downed the contents of the glass.

Chapter Nine

Blake walked in the garden of Ravenswoodshire, down a path that led to the forest. He’d always been a fan of walking. It helped cleared his mind and focus.

Until today.

Turning left at the rectory, he headed back to the house, exhaustion hitting him hard. He hadn’t slept in twenty-four hours, something he hadn’t done in years, not since he’d served. Perhaps that was what he needed to clear the fog from his brain, not exercise.

The wind blew through the trees, bringing a smattering of rain with it. The sky was grey, dreary, just as a proper spring day in England should be. No tropical birds of paradise flying about, no drinks served in coconuts, and certainly no statuesque redheads lying about on massage tables.

He groaned at the image of Ella, her legs spread, her thighs wet as he sank into her over and over. An image of her laughing on the boat he’d chartered for them. Her cheeks were flushed a bright pink and her eyes sparkled.

His gut clenched.

Yeah, he was an absolute fool for leaving the resort early. He could have talked to Ella, like an adult, apologized for his crass behavior until she forgave him, and confessed his love.

Instead, he’d flown back home. “Where it’s bloody fucking cold,” he shouted at the sky.

Birds scattered from the treetops, taking flight like one massive black blanket.

“Blake,” he heard a voice scream.

He turned around.

The unmistakable shape of a human being ran toward him, but there was no one around for miles. His staff had the weekend off.

“Blake!”

He stood there in complete shock as the sun pierced the clouds and shone on hair that was a deep, lustrous red. “Ella.” Her name fell from his lips.

“Blake!” She waved her arms wildly.

“Ella!” he shouted her name and threw his walking stick down, pumping his arms and legs. He didn’t give a damn if he were hallucinating or even dreaming. She was here and he wanted her in his arms, if only until he awoke, or became lucid once more.

She rammed into him, a flash of pain making him grunt. Dreams didn’t hurt. “Ella. You’re here,” he said slowly.

“Blake,” she cried, covering his face with kisses. “Yes. I’m here.”

He kissed her back, hungry for a taste of this dream girl in his arms.

“I had to see you again,” she said between kisses. “I don’t love Drew. I don’t even want him.”

“I don’t understand,” he said stupidly.

Blake set her away from him, hope blooming inside, but he knew how dangerous that could be. He couldn’t stop staring at the vision standing in front of him. Her lips were swollen from his kisses. She was bundled up in a coat that covered her from neck to knees while her hair was wild, curling everywhere.

She was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen.

“I know you don’t, which is why I came.” She framed his face in her cold hands, and he pressed his own against hers, trying to warm them. “I had to tell you the truth.”

“And that would be—wait.” He shook his head. “Allow me to go first and apologize.”

“But I—”

“Please Ella,” he all but begged. “I can’t allow you to continue until I’ve set things right between us.”

As if sensing the desperation in his voice, she said, “Go on.”

“I’m sorry for being such a damned fool. I’m sorry for being so crude and crass before the rehearsal dinner. You deserve a hell of a lot better than me, but I love you. Desperately and unconditionally.

“I am the man who wants you. I am the man who needs you, and I am the man who has loved you for years, who has forsaken all women but you. I had to be ready, in case you finally changed your mind about Drew and looked my way once more,” he said.

Her lips parted, and her eyes widened. She was silent for what seemed like an eternity before she said, “I’ve changed my mind about Drew.”

He grinned and then laughed, picking her up around the waist and whirling her around. She threw her arms around him, kissing his cheek, his ear, and jaw.

“I’m in love with you, Blake York,” she said as the world stopped spinning. “Don’t you dare quit Montgomery Industry because of me.”

“I haven’t. I won’t,” he vowed. He never wanted to leave her side again.

Confusion filled her eyes. “But Drew said you handed in your resignation.”

“He lied.” Ah, but what a wonderful lie he told, Blake thought.

Her face flushed. “So I didn’t need to come rushing to your side?”

“You most certainly did.” Blake kissed the tip of her cold nose. “And now, I don’t have to fly back to the States to propose to you.”

“No, you can still do that—wait, what did you say?”

“Marry me, Ella,” he said. “Make me the happiest man on earth by saying yes.”

Her mouth dropped open. White puffs of air filled the space between them.

“I don’t have the ring with me, but I have one... inside. It’s an antique I managed to hide from the creditors,” he said, starting to ramble. “Before my father gambled away our fortune, we had loads of nice things. I’ve tried to find them all so I can restore the estate.”

“I don’t care about a ring. Ask me again,” she said.

He set her on her feet and dropped to one knee in the middle of a muddy path, taking her hand in his. “Will you, Ella Simpson, marry me?”

“Yes.”

He jumped to his feet, feeling more alive than ever. “I promise to make grilled ham and cheese sandwiches the rest of your life, even if they are not a family recipe.”

She gasped. “You knew?”

“Not at first, but later, I checked, and I don’t give a damn that you’re not from there. I don’t give a damn about your past, only your future,” he promised.

She laced her hands with his, giving him a hot look. “How about you take me inside and give me the grand tour of the master bedroom?”

“There’s not—ah, yes.” He flushed. “I see.”

“You won’t see anything if you let me turn into an ice cube,” she said teasingly.

Together, they ran to the house. At the last minute, Blake swept her up in his arms and carried her inside, her laughter and love filling him.