Until last night Hannah would have told him that her son enjoyed their life the way it was, but now her cheeks became tinged with colour as she remembered Daniel asking whether this man could be his new father.
‘Is there something you’re not telling me?’ Her embarrassment did not escape him.
‘Of course not. Please, I don’t want to talk about my son.’ She had never been more aware of Jordan. There was so little space in the car that it was impossible not to feel his aura of power and strength, to inhale his own particular brand of masculinity, to feel a need to open the door and fling herself out. She did not want any of these feelings, she did not want this awareness, she wanted to keep a distance between them. Yet it was becoming increasingly impossible!
When they found the road blocked by an accident Jordan did a swift and unexpected U-turn, glancing at her with a pleased grin as he did so, then frowning when he saw her pale face. ‘Did I scare you?’ he asked.
Hannah shook her head. ‘No, it was the accident. I feel sick inside every time I see one.’
‘Of course―your husband! I never thought,’ he said quickly.
‘I actually saw his accident,’ she admitted, a shudder of horror riding down her spine at the memory. ‘He wasn’t in our car at the time, he was on business for the farmer, that’s why I didn’t know it was him. Apparently the brakes failed on the other car and Roger never stood a chance.’ There was a quiver in her voice as she spoke, and her eyes smarted with unshed tears.
Jordan’s hand reached out and touched hers. ‘That’s tough,’ he said gently.
Hannah jerked away, not needing his sympathy, not wanting any physical contact at all. ‘It’s a long time, I should be over it, but I don’t think I ever will be.’
‘Not if you don’t let yourself,’ he offered softly. ‘Or let someone else help you. I’d like to help, Hannah, I really would. Won’t you let me into your life?’
CHAPTER THREE
JORDAN was already intruding into her private life far more than Hannah wanted or expected, and the strange thing was that she had no idea how it had happened. He was insidiously getting closer to her, and it was up to her to put a stop to it before things got out of hand.
‘Haven’t you forgotten Riva?’ she asked bluntly, wishing they would hurry up and reach the office and thus put an end to this uncomfortable conversation.
‘Riva doesn’t mean a thing to me.’
Hannah threw him a swift disbelieving glance. ‘That isn’t what she told me in the office the other day.’
‘Oh? And what did she tell you?’ He looked amused that the blonde had been discussing him, but Hannah did not find it the least bit funny.
‘She warned me off you, as a matter of fact.’
‘And is that what all this hands-off stuff is about?’
‘Goodness me, no,’ she scorned. ‘Her warning was a waste of breath. She’s welcome to you.’
Her answer did not please him. His hands gripped the wheel until his knuckles grew white. ‘Has it ever occurred to you that I may not want Riva to be a permanent part of my life?’
‘What are you saying?’ she taunted. ‘That she’ll do until someone better comes along? Am I the next one in line for the specialist treatment, except that things are not going according to plan because I refuse to succumb?’
Jordan gave a snort of anger, but his response was cut off when he was forced to brake heavily as a dog ran out into the road in front of them.
Hannah took the opportunity to add, ‘Do you want to know what else Riva said?’ She was far too wound up to exercise caution. ‘She said that you’ve taken every single one of your previous secretaries to bed. So you see, I know exactly why you’re chasing me. But it will never work. I would never be disloyal to my husband.’
By this time they had reached the office gates, and the second he stopped the car she jumped out. But it was futile thinking she could run away from him, because the main doors were locked and she had to wait for him to catch up with her and open them.
‘You should never listen to gossip, Hannah,’ he said as they walked sharply along the corridors side by side. ‘People make it up to suit their own ends.’
‘People like Riva, you mean?’
‘If you like.’
‘Why do you encourage her if your intentions aren’t honourable?’ she wanted to know.
His lips quirked. ‘It depends what you mean by honourable. I’m not intending to marry her, if that’s what you’re thinking, and she knows it, but she’s an amusing young thing and very good company.’
And probably very good in bed, decided Hannah bitterly. She couldn’t imagine Jordan remaining celibate for any length of time. ‘Do you plan never to get married?’ she asked with great daring. She had always thought it odd that he was still a bachelor.
His mouth twisted derisively. ‘People usually get married for love, but as I don’t happen to believe in it then I’d say it’s very doubtful. Unless the girl were willing to settle for something less.’
It was at least an honest answer, if not one Hannah had been expecting. ‘I shouldn’t think you’d have much chance of that, Mr. Quest. I’d never marry a man I didn’t love, nor would any other girl I know.’ Although she supposed there were girls around who would marry a man for the state of his bank balance. And Jordan Quest was certainly no pauper.
‘It all depends on the interpretation of the word love, don’t you think? It’s a word that’s used loosely in a lot of directions. I don’t think it has one single connotation.’
He sounded cynical, and Hannah wondered if he had suffered a bad experience in the past that made him like this. But she did not dare ask any further questions.
The day sped, but as Jordan was locked up in a meeting for most of the time she saw nothing more of him for which she was thankful, and she hoped against hope that he would forget he had promised to take Daniel out in his car this evening.
But her prayers were not answered. He turned up at ten to six, and Daniel dived across the room to answer his knock, his face red with excitement. ‘It’s Mr Quest, it’s Mr Quest!’
Hannah turned down Jordan’s offer to accompany them; it would be nice to have a few minutes to herself. But if she had hoped to think of other things while he was away she was mistaken. He seemed to have taken over her mind. If she closed her eyes she could see a picture of his strong-boned face on the backs of her eyelids, if she looked around the room she could picture him sitting in the armchair where he had waited for her this morning. It was impossible to dismiss him. And all too soon they were back.
Daniel came running to her. ‘Oh, Mummy, it was super! We went fast―you should have been with us!’
He swung back to Jordan, who had followed him into the room. ‘Can I have another ride some time, Mr. Quest?’
‘Danny!’ exclaimed Hannah at once, ‘that’s very rude!’
‘Your son’s excited,’ said Jordan, ‘don’t scold him,’ and to Daniel himself, ‘I’ll see if I can find the time.’
Hannah knew that none of this was for her son’s sake; it was simply another way of getting through to her. He was using Daniel. Though why he was being so persistent when she kept telling him she wasn’t interested she did not know. Unless it was for that very reason? Perhaps he saw her as a challenge? Perhaps no other girls turned him down? Perhaps his ego was dented?
‘Can Mr Quest stay for tea?’ asked Daniel eagerly. He had been far too excited to eat earlier. ‘We’re having boiled egg and soldiers.’
‘My favourite.’ Jordan’s face was serious. ‘But it’s really up to your mother.’ He switched his attention to Hannah. ‘Would it be a great inconvenience?’
Not inconvenient―but very disturbing. No other man had joined them for a meal since Roger died, and although she knew she was being unreasonable she did not want him there. But how to say it without appearing rude? She really had no choice but to agree. She nodded. ‘You can stay.’
Daniel whooped with joy, and Jor
dan gave a pleased smile. ‘Thank you,’ he said.
‘Come and have a look at my train-set,’ said Daniel, adding, with one eye on his mother, ‘if you’d like to.’
‘I’d be delighted,’ agreed Jordan. ‘Lead the way, young man.’
Hannah let out a deep breath when they left the room and stood for a moment with her hands on the table to steady herself. Their flat consisted of two bedrooms, a kitchenette, and a living room. They ate in the livingroom and she had laid the table ready for their light tea. The room also held a small cottage suite which she had recovered herself in flowered chintz, a small bookcase, and a TV set in the corner. The brown carpet had been in the flat when they’d rented it, as were the faded yellow curtains.
She looked around it for a minute, trying to see it with Jordan’s eyes. It must seem very poverty-stricken. Not for the first time she wished that she and Roger had not been so lax about taking out life insurance. She had never thought she would find herself in such a position. And Roger had never cared about material possessions, so their few sticks of furniture were second-hand and none of it worth very much.
The pan of water was boiling, and she put in three eggs, spreading some bread with margarine but not cutting Jordan’s into fingers as she did for Daniel. She had some fruit cake that she had baked at the weekend, and she put that on the table as well.
Once the eggs were boiled she spooned them out and sat them in eggcups―with pictures of Garfield painted on them! Then she pushed open the door of Daniel’s room to tell them that tea was ready. The sight that met her eyes made her turn away in tears.
Jordan had stripped off his coat and was sitting cross-legged on the floor. Opposite him sat Daniel in a similar position. Between them ran the trains that Roger had set up for his son at a very early age. Jordan had a whistle in his mouth and was obviously acting the part of the guard, Daniel was in charge of the controls. It was a scene Hannah had seen so many times before.
There was really no comparison between Roger and Jordan. Roger had been much shorter, with fair hair and a fresh, ruddy complexion due to working all his life out of doors. He had been powerfully built, but he certainly hadn’t Jordan’s excellent physique. Nevertheless, seeing him sitting there like that brought memories flooding back.
‘Is tea ready?’ asked Daniel.
She swallowed hard and nodded, and by the time they were seated at the table she had regained her composure.
‘Mr Quest’s brilliant. He knew the names of all my engines without me telling him,’ announced Daniel.
‘That’s nice,’ she smiled.
‘Daniel tells me he’s had no one to play with his train-set since his father died,’ said Jordan.
‘That’s right,’ answered Hannah sharply. ‘Most of the little boys around here are too rough. I don’t want it to get broken. My husband built the layout for Daniel. I sometimes play with him myself.’
‘But not often, Mummy,’ accused Daniel. ‘You always say you’re too busy.’
‘Eat your tea, Daniel,’ said Hannah, and the tone of her voice warned him that he was going too far.
It felt strange, Jordan eating with them, and she noticed that he cut his bread and butter into fingers, dipping them into the yolk of his egg in exactly the same fashion as her son. He would make a good father, she thought; it was a great pity he had no intention of getting married.
He ate with relish, his eyes on her frequently, sending a flurry of warm feelings through her, making her feel uncomfortable in his presence. He took a slice of cake when it was offered, complimenting her on her cooking. ‘You must give my housekeeper the recipe; this is excellent.’
‘I’m quite sure she can bake better cakes than me,’ said Hannah.
‘Nothing like this,’ he assured her.
‘Can Mr Quest come to my birthday party?’ asked Daniel, feeling that he had kept quiet long enough.
Hannah gave him a look enough to kill. ‘I don’t think little boys’ birthday parties are quite the sort of thing Mr Quest would like.’
‘On the contrary,’ said Jordan at once, ‘I haven’t been to a birthday party in years. It should be fun. When is your birthday, Daniel?’
‘On Saturday, and I shall be nine,’ he answered importantly.
‘And are you holding your party here?’
‘Yes,’ said Daniel. ‘We’re having hot dogs and beef-burgers. Do you like them?’
‘I love them, but I have a better idea―providing your mother approves, of course. How about having your party at my house? We could have it out in the garden if it doesn’t rain, and you can still have your hot dogs. I have a swimming pool as well, if it’s really hot. What do you say to that?’
Daniel clapped his hands and looked at his mother pleadingly. ‘Can I, Mummy? Can I? It would be the best party I’ve ever had. Oh, please say yes!’
It would have been cruel to deny him such pleasure, so she nodded, even though she felt even more sure now that Jordan was using her son to get through to her. Why else would he take so much interest in the boy?
When they had finished eating Hannah sent Daniel to his room, and once they were alone she turned on Jordan. ‘You had no right interfering in Daniel’s party arrangements! ’
‘I felt sorry for the boy. It can’t be any fun stuck in this flat all the time. You’ve made it very comfortable, but even so―’
‘It is our home,’ she told him coldly. ‘By inviting Daniel to your house, which I’ve no doubt is very large and very opulent, you’re going to make him unhappy here. He’ll want better things, and I can’t afford to give them to him.’
‘You think I have an ulterior motive?’
‘That’s right.’
‘What sort of a motive?’
‘For some reason I fail to understand I think I’m your target. Haven’t I made it clear that I have no interest in you?’
His smile was warm and amused. ‘Very clear. But the pursuit is part of the attraction.’
‘And you intend to use my son to get through to me?’
‘No, I wouldn’t do that, it’s hardly fair. But I did think a party in my garden would be an extra special treat for him. He’s a good lad, Hannah, you’ve brought him up well. He knows his manners and never speaks out of turn.’
‘But he needs a man in his life―that’s what you’re still trying to tell me?’ she asked bitterly, ‘Please go, Mr Quest. I thank you for your offer, and I won’t disappoint Daniel now, but please don’t put any other tempting offers in his way.’
She walked with him to the door, but before he opened it he turned and put his hands on her shoulders. ‘You’re a courageous woman, Hannah Carpenter, determined and independent, and very, very attractive.’ Before she could anticipate his actions he lowered his head and dropped a light kiss on her mouth. ‘Goodbye, and thank you for the tea. You’ll never know how much of a treat it was for me.’
The second the door closed behind him Daniel came bouncing into the room. ‘He kissed you, Mummy, I saw him! Does that mean he loves you? Does that mean you’re going to marry him? Is he going to be my new daddy?’
‘No, Danny, it does not, and you shouldn’t have been watching,’ snapped Hannah.
He looked hurt by her brusque tone. ‘But when you and Daddy kissed you said it was because you loved each other.’
‘Mr Quest’s kiss was a friendly kiss, nothing more―a thank-you for the tea. Have you tidied your room? If so I’ll read you a story.’
Not until Daniel was tucked up in bed and asleep did Hannah let herself think about Jordan’s kiss. It had been brief, and yet it had shocked her to the core. She had expected to feel repulsed; instead it had awoken feelings she had thought long since dead, feelings she did not want to experience where this man or indeed any man was concerned. Why, oh, why wouldn’t he leave her alone?
She was almost afraid to go into the office the next morning, but Jordan had another meeting to attend and she was spared the embarrassment of facing him. It was just after lunch
when her outer door opened and a fresh-faced young man came waltzing in without so much as a knock. He was heading for Jordan’s door when he stopped short and looked at her, a broad appreciative smile curving his lips. ‘You’re new!’ he announced.
‘And you’re out of order if you think you can walk straight into Mr Quest’s office without an appointment,’ Hannah told him sternly. She wasn’t going to disclose that Jordan wasn’t in his office.
‘Mmm, fierce as well as pretty. A lethal combination.’
He continued to study her, and Hannah lifted her chin in swift irritation. ‘Would you mind telling me your name and what your business is with Mr Quest?’
He laughed and carried on with his assessment. ‘Mr Quest. Personal business.’
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