by Marie Kelly
The noise and confusion from the outside had made him scowl; leaning forward as the door to the office had burst open and the young woman had strode purposefully forward her arm outstretched in accusation.
“You…you conniving cowardly thief” she had hurled angrily at him. Craig Thompson’s eyes opening wider at the woman before him
“How dare you just walk into my family home…how dare you”
Wearing riding jodhpurs with a shirt tucked neatly inside, black knee high boots completing the ensemble she stood rigidly before him. Her figure was stunning, showed off to its best in the tight fitting jodhpurs, her curves defying anybody to argue them as anything but perfect as her ample breasts had risen with the anger filling her.
All this he had taken-in in a fraction of a second, but it was her face that had really held him. That beautiful face he had admired for so long, her perfect porcelain complexion slightly reddened with the fury that held her, her large green eyes flashing with hatred within them. Like a wild panther this woman was both breathe-taking and deadly as she had held his look with contempt and real hatred.
“Well well Miss Campbell”
He had crooned softly, his knowing smile filing her with a murderous anger as she had snarled at him
“Get out of my brother’s chair….NOW!!”
Rising slowly he had moved around the desk to stand before her, a smile growing on his arrogant face.
“I think that you will find that it is not his anymore Miss Campbell” his soft voice full of satisfaction, as he had smugly grinned back at her.
“And I think that you will also find that this is no longer your family home”
He had not expected the whiplash smack as her hand had struck him on the cheek, the sound ricocheting off the walls, his eyes briefly showing surprise before cold anger had filled them, his voice harder as his eyes had bored into hers.
“Finally, our little ice-cube shows her real nature…and what a little hell cat she is”
Fiona Campbell had blinked in stunned shock. She had never before struck another person, and had seen as his cheek had glowed red where her hand had made contact, feeling shame not satisfaction at inflicting such a mark on another person, even if that person was the arrogant American.
She had understood what he meant as he had smirked down on her.
“For weeks I have been trying to get you to come out with me for a meal, a nice simple let’s get to know each other meal. But you have treated me as though I was something beneath you. That icy exterior of yours goes deep…but finally it turns out that you are not such an ice maiden after all”
Glaring back at him the green of her eyes full of loathing she had bitten out through tightly clenched teeth
“You are scum. I would never be in the company of a bottom feeder like you”.
His humorless laugh had caused her hands to clench tighter into balls as he had moved even closer
“And yet here you are” his tone full of sarcasm “Not such a bottom feeder when you want something am I?”
“The only thing I want from you…is you out of my brother’s office and out of my home”
With a voice full of self satisfied humour he had smiled evilly, every hair follicle on Fiona’s head rising.
“Well princess I have news for you…this is not your brother’s office any more. Nor is it his Company, or his home. In fact he now works for me” His dark eyes flashing brightly with victory.
“And I guess so do you” his eyes trailing lecherously down her, as Fiona had gasped.
“So what role would you be best filling in the new corporate structure?” the innuendo in his voice so obvious. This time as her hand had flown to his face, he had caught her wrist, easily twisting it behind her back hauling her hard up against him, Fiona gasping as she had tried to twist away from him, the shooting pain running up her arm causing the fight to leave her as she had remained still in his hold. He had looked down at the woman in his arms, the strongest sensation of lust filling him as he had ran his nose along her cheek breathing in the smell of her.
“You don’t get a second chance Fiona…ever”
His arm pulling her in even tighter against him as his mouth had dropped to her, his kiss hard and demanding. Fiona had pushed against him with her free hand, her whole body writhing within his hold as she had sought to escape. With as little warning as his kiss had began he had released her, pushing her from him as she had stood shaken and trembling her breasts rising and falling as she had panted, her eyes confused as her hand had wiped all trace of him from her mouth.
“You animal…” she had snarled, her voice holding a quiver that had not been there before as she had glared vehemently at him “H…how dare you”
Stepping further back from her he had once more stepped behind the desk before sitting on the chair, needing to move to not allow her to see the way the kiss had affected him, his whole body still buzzing from just that one touch, anger filling him at the way he wanted this woman. This woman who had treated him with such disdain.
“Bored now” his voice had drawled, while his eyes had continued to hold her with a keenness that defied his tone, both regarding each other warily for several seconds.
“What are you going to do?”
Fiona had finally broken the silence, her voice sounding less sure, the anger still deep as he had shrugged.
“As I told your brother I was not interested in his company for the usual reasons. I wanted a foothold into a very specific niche market”.
Another smirk on his handsome features “Your world…the world of aristocracy and royalty”.
Scowling, Fiona had regarded him contemplatively.
“Are you telling me that you don’t intend changing anything?”
Her voice full of disbelief as he had shrugged again
“No…I said I did not intend changing the Company. However, the corporate set up…that is different”
Fiona had moved forward her eyes narrowing
“This company IS my brother…do not make the mistake of believing otherwise. Without him this Company is just a shell….It was started by the Campbells and has had a Campbell at its head ever since. Nobody will accept anything less”.
Giving yet another annoying smile he had inclined his head
“That may be so…but I’m sure that I can find some acceptable blue blood pauper puppet, even one with the name Campbell, who will be a lot easier to handle than your brother”.
Slamming the flats of her palms onto the shining surface of the oak desk she had glared at the American, her distaste for him oozing from every pore.
“That would be a mistake. These aristocrats and royalty you sneer at like what they are used to…and they are used to my family at the head of the Company. Let me tell you something Mr Thompson. If you replace my brother then we WILL start up again. It might take us a few years but we know what we are doing and believe me our customer base is loyal to us”
For several taut seconds the two had regarded each other, her look smouldering with seething anger, his contemplative. Finally he had once more sat forward, his words carefully chosen and slow.
“There may be some truth in what you say. I certainly seem to be having problems getting the ‘right people’ to talk to me, maybe because of my dispute with you and your brother”.
Once more letting his look move down her, this time full of a thoughtfulness s she did not understand.
“Your family are certainly mainstays of this establishment”.
Frowning, her voice had been wary “Are you saying that you are going to leave my brother in charge?”
Craig’s smile once more filing his handsome features “And how would that look Miss Campbell? Our rivalry is not exactly a secret”
Fiona once more frowning as he had ran a finger along his lip thoughtfully watching her, she scowling softly.
“To sell that story there would have to be one hell of a compelling reason for us to be seen as in a position to work togeth
er”
Fiona had remained silent allowing him to think, knowing that somehow things had changed. She had come to see him to let him know what she thought of him. She had known that he would throw them onto the street the first change he got, this her only opportunity to vent her anger before he once more moved back to the US.
“There might be one reason” his eyes fixing her steadily. Frowning she had muttered
“What?” her expression wary as so calmly he had dropped his bombshell
“If people thought you were my mistress”
Fiona had gasped loudly, her body stiffening in indignation.
“Never…I would never be your mistress” she had bitten out, angry eyes glaring accusingly at him, as he had given a deep laugh.
“Calm down princess…I said thought”
Fiona’s eyes narrowing
“I want into the circles you travel in, and having you by my side will open doors that I seem completely unable to kick down”
Frowning she had clamped her mouth shut, her eyes showing the battle raging within her
“So you are talking about a business arrangement. Not…”
Her hands had flapped nervously as he had once more laughed
“Miss Campbell, as lovely as you are your main value to me is based on your contacts. I have no interest in taking an unwilling woman to bed, and from just one moment ago….you seem unwilling”.
She had flushed hotly, her legs wanting to turn and flee from the room that she had so recently and so spectacularly entered. She was not prepared to admit either to herself or him the way his kiss had brought chaos to her body, still feeling the way his body had felt against hers knowing how close she had been to returning that kiss, a hot flush rising to her cheeks, reminding herself once more in whose arms she had been.
Her mind had flown to the phone call she had received as she had ridden her horse, her brother’s voice so dead, flat and cold “It’s over Fiona…he won”
She had tried to console him, to tell him that finally he would be free of his expected role in life, free to do other things, but he had been inconsolable his soft voice saying only “But I was doing what I most wanted too”.
Fiona had not known what to say. Not prepared to tell her brother that she had thought that he had played the whole situation wrong. When Craig Thompson had first approached the Company to purchase it and bring it into his empire, he had made promises to Scott that he did not intend to change the Company but to leave it as it was. He however, knowing the reputation of the billionaire had not trusted him, immediately cutting off all conversation and choosing instead to fight the American. She had felt that this was not wise as the Company had been affected badly by the recession as all businesses had, however her brother had been determined that the Company, one of the largest producers of tartan cloth in the world would remain in private hands.
“This Company has been in the hands of the Campbells’ since its creation” he had cried angrily at her “and I’m damn sure that no American asset stripper is going to get his dirty hands on it”.
While Fiona too had distrusted him, she had tried to get Scott to open up talks and to ensure that what he said was written down legally, but she had only been met with hostility from her brother who was as stubborn as Craig Thompson.
Unfortunately for the siblings, he had proven a formidable rival and now he had taken over not only the Company but also the country estate which Scott against Fiona’s advice had put up as collateral to try to fight the billionaire businessman.
As though sensing the thoughts running through her head he had spoken more gently.
“It did not have to come to this Fiona. I really meant what I said to your brother when all this started”
Dropping her eyes from him she had moved to sit on one of the large leather seats her eyes scanning the all too familiar room as she had considered his words.
“So…if I pretend to be your mistress…then you will allow Scott to remain in charge of running the Company?” This time her voice holding no animosity towards the man across from her.
Craig Thompson had been surprised at the change in the woman. He had always thought that Fiona Campbell would have been a better person to deal with when he had initially approached them to buy out the Company. Whereas her brother had refused to speak, she had seemed more willing only silenced he knew by her older brother.
When he had tried to meet with her however, her attitude had become more hostile remembering the night they had first met at a charity dinner. He had not known what to expect from the stuffy Campbell family, but Fiona Campbell was not it. From the moment he had first seen her he had been intrigued by the woman. Not only incredibly beautiful, she was smart and funny, although the moment she had realised who he was her attitude had changed, becoming cold and hostile towards him.
He did however remember the first and only time that he had pulled her onto the dance floor before she had found out the truth. Her warm smile and brightly shining green eyes sending strange signals through him as she had joked about the Scottish weather, recommending places to visit as the tourist she believed him to be.
When they had returned she had looked at him apologetically extending her hand
“I’m Fiona Campbell…we really should have been introduced”
As he had taken it and given his name the difference in her had been instant as she had stood in shock, her beautiful face growing colder as those same warm eyes had become glacial, her hand pulled quickly from his
“Craig Thompson? THE Craig Thompson right now trying to steal my family’s business?” her tone disbelieving as he had nodded softly giving her one of his most charming smiles
“One and the same”
He had remembered how she had moved stiffly away from him as with a sigh he had watched her go. From that day on she had remained aloof whenever they had found themselves at the same functions, and he had never managed to get her to talk with him again despite many offers of meals and requests to talk.
Now she was sat silently, her eyes staring blankly out of the large window showing the luscious green rolling Scottish countryside, a thoughtful frown on her lovely face.
“For how long would we need to maintain this pretense?”
She had finally spoken her eyes travelling back to him. With a small shrug he had replied
“Till the end of the month…then I have to return to the US”
His eyes becoming very serious
“But there are two conditions Fiona. One you bring your brother into line and two you spend that time introducing me to your friends. Like I said your value to me is in your contacts”
Giving a small scowl she had nodded slowly
“I will talk to Scott. But I want it in writing that you will allow him to continue running the Company his way with no interference?”
Craig had felt his lips twitch. He knew that his gut instinct about Fiona had been right. Demanding the agreement to be in writing was something he too would have insisted on in her place, and standing he had moved back around to stand before her, Fiona rising also as he had extended his hand.
“I think that we have a deal Miss Campbell” Fiona hesitantly taking his hand as the two had firmly shaken hands.
With no more hint of the arrogance previously on his handsome features, he had given her a dazzling smile, the same he had given her once before when they had first met as he had fished into his pocket for a card handing it to her.
“Phone me later and lets the three of us have breakfast together and discuss plans in more detail”
Wordlessly taking the card he held out she had watched as he had turned leaving the office, Fiona dropping back down into the chair stunned as to what had just happened. She had believed all to be over for her and her brother and now somehow she had managed to ensure that Scott remained at the head of the Company. A small disquieting voice filling her head “Yes but only by promising to have all of your friends and family believe you to be the man’s m
istress” Fiona sighing with pain, knowing how old fashioned the establishment could be. Raising her head defiantly she had grimaced. If it meant saving her and her brother’s business then she would be nice to Old Nick himself.
Two hours later a stunned Scott had sat behind the self same desk listening to the story of what had happened earlier, his eyes narrowing hearing the demands of the American who had stolen his Company.
“I don’t trust him Fiona. How can you believe a man like that?”
Giving a long weary sigh she had stared back
“What other choice do we have? He has promised to put the agreement in writing. Scott he isn’t interested in our Company. The only thing he is interested in is using us to make the right connections”
Scowling once more he had sat thoughtfully, watching his young sister. Many suitors had tried to catch her eye, but none had succeeded in interesting her, not since…, Scott worried that his 24 year old sister would never meet the right man.
“He is a lot older than you too” he had finally bitten out “He is 33 Fiona”
She had given a laugh, her eyes dancing
“This is pretense Scott. We are just pretending…besides nine years is not that much!!”
Still he had regarded her uncertainly, as she had moved to softly cover his hand.
“Scott, if we don’t agree then he WILL put somebody else in charge and he WILL find somebody else to make those introductions for him. This way we keep the Company and as an added bonus have access to a backer to tide the business over. You know things have been hard”
Looking away his expression had been one of self recrimination.
“I just feel that you are the one being asked to make the sacrifice here Fiona”
Squeezing his hand she had given a small chuckle.
“What is the worst that can happen Scott? I have to attend some more boring parties…for us I am prepared to make the sacrifice”
Scott for the first time laughing back pulling his sister in for a hug
“OK…make the call. I promise to play good” Fiona smiling lovingly at him
“You will see it will be fine…and in less than a month’s time he will be back in the States and will have forgotten all about us” Scott nodding softly “Amen to that”.