‘I have a private life,’ he bit out. ‘Benson and Bridgeman were outside, what happened between us was completely private.’
‘You don’t need much of an imagination to know what happened!’
Pierce’s mouth was tight, his jaw clenched. ‘If you can’t live with the way I am maybe we had better end this now.’
Her fiery protest died on her lips as she saw the expression in his eyes, a puzzling mixture of desperation and wariness. And suddenly she realised how nervous Pierce was of a relationship between them.
‘I can live with it,’ she told him softly. ‘About tonight…?’ she prompted his half-finished statement.
‘I have an appointment in London this afternoon, I’m not sure what time it will end. I may spend the night in town,’ he added coolly.
The business appointment hadn’t seemed that important a short time ago, in fact they wouldn’t be out of bed now if Danny hadn’t insisted she had to get to work. Pierce was backing away from what they had between them!
Danny moved in to his arms, feeling his instant reponse to her as she pressed her body close to his. ‘I shall be waiting up for you.’ She placed butterfly kisses along the hard line of his jaw.
‘I told you—’
‘I’ll wait up for you, anyway,’ she murmured against the lobe of his ear. ‘You might manage to get home.’
‘I’ll try.’ He put her firmly away from him, his expression bleak. ‘Don’t love me, Danielle.’
‘You know I already do,’ she stated softly.
‘I’ll only hurt you.’
Danny shrugged. ‘It’s all part of living.’
‘You’re too young to really mean that,’ he rasped.
‘My parents would tell you I was born old.’ She shook her head. ‘I was philosophising on life while still in the cradle!’
His silver gaze lingered on her slightly swollen lips before he went to the top of the stairs. ‘In experience, and I don’t mean physically,’ he rasped bleakly, ‘you’re still in the cradle. Life doesn’t fall into such neat little patterns.’
‘I know that,’ she grinned. ‘No one could call us a neat relationship.’
‘Danielle…’
‘Go outside and assure Bridgeman I haven’t poisoned you while you slept,’ she mockingly interrupted his impatient exclamation. Pierce looked even angrier by her taunt, and she laughed softly. ‘If I kill you with anything it will be with love!’
He shook his head, running lightly down the stairs, the back door closing softly seconds later as he left. Danny stood at the window and watched as Pierce and Don Bridgeman walked back to the main house, the two men chatting easily together.
Embarrassed or not she intended making a special point of seeing Dave Benson and Don Bridgeman as soon as she could, liking both men, and still wanting their respect.
* * *
Her heart gave an excited leap when she heard the return of the helicopter shortly after nine, running to the window just in time to see the huge metal bird hover before landing.
She expected Pierce to be over to see her as soon as he had showered and changed, but when ten o’clock came round and he still hadn’t made an appearance she felt the anger rise within her. If Pierce thought he could treat her like a one-night stand he was in for a shock; she wouldn’t be treated that shabbily.
Kilpatrick and Ferdinand accompanied her over to the manor house as she strode across the perfectly kept lawn, a furious figure in white shorts and white lace top, her hair once more secured in the single braid, her eyes sparkling with temper. Pierce wouldn’t find her a meek insecure woman who stayed away because she thought he didn’t want her any more. She knew he wanted her.
She didn’t hesitate at the french doors that led into the brightly lit lounge, striding furiously inside. The next few seconds would have been funny if they weren’t so disastrous. Kilpatrick and Ferdinand had followed her into the lounge, their teeth baring as they began to growl at the man and woman in the lounge with Pierce. The young woman took one look at the huge dogs, gave a shrill scream before climbing up on the sofa, the middle-aged man moving warily behind the sofa, his gaze never leaving the two dogs. Pierce looked coldly angry for several seconds before humour took over, and then he had trouble holding back a smile.
‘Now that you’ve treated my guests to a scene straight out of a horror movie, perhaps you wouldn’t mind dismissing the dogs,’ he drawled softly, ‘then Clarissa can get down off the furniture!’
She ordered the dogs outside, having no difficulty stifling her own humour as she turned to see Pierce helping the petite blonde down off the sofa, his arm about her protectively as she leaned in to him, looking up at him gratefully.
‘Where did you come from?’
Danny hadn’t been aware of the man’s approach until she turned at the sound of his Texas drawl, looking up into a face still handsome despite being in its forties, the blond hair silvered to grey at the temples, the blue eyes twinkling merrily. ‘Well, I’m not the“fairy from the bottom of the garden",’ she mocked her stature. ‘Although I do live there.’
‘Are the dogs yours?’
‘Pierce’s,’ she answered abruptly, the beautiful blonde patting delicately at her cheeks with Pierce’s handkerchief now. ‘They’re guard-dogs,’ she added absently, still watching Pierce with the other woman.
‘And do they guard you for Pierce?’
She frowned at the suggestion in his tone. ‘I can look after myself,’ she snapped.
He smiled. ‘I’ll just bet you can.’
‘Which is more than your girlfriend seems able to do,’ she bit out as Pierce murmured soothingly to the other woman.
‘Clarissa is my daughter,’ he corrected softly. ‘I’m Paul Banyon,’ he introduced.
‘Danny Martin,’ she returned heavily, wishing Pierce would stop touching the beautiful Clarissa.
Paul watched his daughter, too. ‘She tends to over-react; I blame it on the Swiss finishing-school I sent her to,’ he drawled. ‘I quite enjoyed your little show with the dogs.’
‘Is that why you hid behind the sofa?’ she taunted.
He laughed softly. ‘It isn’t polite to remind a man of a moment of weakness.’
Her mouth twisted. ‘Have I seemed very polite to you so far?’
‘You’ve seemed delightful,’ Paul chuckled. ‘I can’t remember the last time a woman interested me so much.’
‘Then you must lead a very dull life!’
‘On the contrary,’ he smiled without rancour, ‘I was a hell-raiser before you were born.’
Paul Banyon! She remembered him now, heir to his grandfather’s oil empire in Texas he had inherited billions at the age of eighteen, had been involved in more scandals since then than Danny could possibly remember, married at twenty to a Las Vegas showgirl he had managed to have one child, a daughter, in the brief two-year marriage before his wife ran off with a rodeo star. There had been an endless succession of women since then. And the way he was looking at her she had the feeling he had chosen her to be the next one!
‘I see you’ve realised who I am,’ he mocked as she looked at him warily now.
‘Mr Banyon.’ She shook his hand politely. ‘And I’m Pierce’s gardener.’
He chuckled disbelievingly. ‘Really?’
‘Yes—really.’
Blond brows rose. ‘I had hoped he had provided you for me.’
She looked up at him with cold eyes. ‘Pierce may provide those sort of services for his guests, I wouldn’t know, but you can be assured I’m not one of them!’
Contrition darkened his eyes, his humour instantly gone. ‘Danny…’
She pulled away from him to cross the room, coming to a halt in front of Pierce, his arm still about Clarissa Banyon. ‘I don’t know what sort of games you’re playing,’ she snapped contemptuously, ‘but I want no part of them!’ She turned on her heel.
‘Danielle!’
She turned back to Pierce with tears in her eyes. ‘What we
re you doing, Pierce, trying me out first before recommending me to your friends?’
‘Danny, I didn’t mean—’
‘You can tell me later exactly what you said to her to make her believe such a thing.’ Pierce turned savagely on the other man. ‘And you can consider our business deal off; I don’t deal with people who insult special people in my life.’ He put Clarissa firmly away from him. ‘Danielle…?’
‘Business deal…?’ Danny repeated shakily.
His gaze was gentle on her face. ‘I told you I had a business meeting this afternoon, Banyon was it. I invited them back to conclude the deal before they return to the States tomorrow.’
‘Oh dear,’ Danny grimaced at her wrong assumptions. ‘I thought—Oh dear,’ she groaned again.
‘I was going to come over later,’ Pierce told her gently.
She looked at him pleadingly. ‘You see, I thought, because of earlier…’
‘I know what you thought,’ he acknowledged softly, ignoring their audience. ‘And maybe with some women I might have acted that way, but not with you.’
She looked at Paul Banyon and his daughter. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said awkwardly. ‘You must think I’m some sort of escaped lunatic.’
‘I think Sutherland is a very lucky man,’ Paul smiled.
Clarissa Banyon, a complete antithesis to her father, looked shocked by Danny’s aggression. ‘Could I possibly go to my room now, Pierce?’ Her Texas drawl wasn’t as strong either, probably mellowed by her Swiss education. ‘I feel a little—tired.’
‘Stop being so damned delicate,’ her father snapped irritably. ‘Maybe you’ve been too protected.’
‘Daddy!’
‘Her husband-to-be doesn’t know what he’s getting,’ Paul said disgustedly, turning to Pierce and Danny. ‘We can go back to London tonight if you would prefer it.’
‘No! Please!’ Danny was the one to answer, looking up pleadingly at Pierce. ‘This whole silly thing is my mistake. Mr Banyon was very polite. But I took one look at you with Miss Banyon…’
‘And she almost called back the dogs,’ Paul drawled with relish. ‘I think I’d question their loyalty, Sutherland.’
‘I don’t need to,’ Pierce said softly. ‘They would protect Danielle to the death. And that’s the way I want it,’ he added grimly.
Danny gave him a sharp look, but his expression was unreadable. ‘Please don’t dissolve your business deal because of me,’ she pleaded with him softly. ‘I was a bit too hot-headed.’ And she had never felt so damned stupid in her life, just wanted to get away from this nightmare. And she never ran from a situation.
His eyes narrowed on Paul Banyon. ‘Is that the truth?’
‘I may have been a little too familiar—’
‘It was only harmless flirtation—’
‘How much of a flirtation?’ Pierce cut in on her defence of the other man.
‘It was nothing—’
‘I let her know I’d like to sleep with her,’ Paul told him calmly. ‘I had no idea she was important to you.’
‘And now that you do?’ Pierce grated icily.
The other man shrugged. ‘I will, of course, treat her as a friend, and nothing more than that. Damn it, Sutherland, I don’t cut in on other people’s relationships.’
Danny couldn’t believe she was the cause of this scene; Pierce must think her a complete fool. As well as a nuisance. ‘I—er—I have to go,’ she said awkwardly. ‘I’ve—er—I’ve left the coffee percolator on,’ she invented desperately.
‘Does that matter?’ Clarissa looked confused by the statement.
‘Shut up, Clarissa,’ her father ordered wearily.
‘But—’
‘Are we staying or leaving, Pierce?’ Paul asked impatiently. ‘If we’re staying we could go to our rooms and give you some privacy.’
‘That isn’t necessary.’ Danny hurried to the door. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said again before running out into the night, the two dogs running along with her.
Oh, she was so clever, she had known Pierce wanted her! She had made a complete fool of herself—and Pierce. She doubted he would ever forgive her. She doubted she would ever forgive herself!
She had been expecting the knock on the back door ever since she returned home ten minutes earlier, her face full of misery as she opened the door to look out at Pierce. ‘Can you ever forgive me?’ she groaned, swallowing hard. ‘I didn’t know you had guests, and then when I did I—’ Pierce cut her off by pulling her into his arms, his kiss gentle. ‘Oh, Pierce!’ she moaned shakily, burying her face in his chest. ‘Did the Banyons leave?’
‘No, they’re staying the night, as planned.’ He kissed the top of her head, his hands moving restlessly over her back. ‘And our business deal will go through as planned, too.’
She looked up at him. ‘Then shouldn’t you be back at the house with them?’
He shook his head, his eyes a warm blue-grey. ‘They don’t need me to get to sleep.’
‘But—’
‘Danielle, I’m staying here with you tonight,’ he interrupted firmly. ‘And every other night.’
‘Aren’t you angry with me for bursting in on you the way I did?’ she frowned.
‘No.’ His mouth quirked. ‘I was quite impressed, especially once I realised you had come to get me and then decided to save me from the clutches of the sweet Clarissa.’
‘How on earth did a man like Paul Banyon raise such a daughter?’ she derided.
‘I have no idea—and I’m not really interested,’ he added firmly. ‘I’m not interested in anything but you at this moment. I missed you today,’ he told her raggedly.
‘Surely my greeting tonight was beyond expectations?’ she said with self-disgust.
Pierce began to chuckle. ‘It was spectacular. Although it might have been more impressive if you had come in wearing a leopard-skin bikini, looking like Jane of the Jungle! On second thoughts, perhaps not,’ he rasped grimly. ‘No man needs that sort of stimulation when looking at you!’
‘Jealous, Pierce?’ She expressed surprise. ‘Intensely.’ He nodded.
She put her hand in to his. ‘Let’s go to bed, hm?’
‘Benson is standing outside again,’ he warned, his eyes hard.
‘I don’t care.’ She shook her head, already knowing he wouldn’t break that particular rule for her.
‘I called New York again today,’ he revealed abruptly. ‘Nigel and Cheryl will be back tomorrow; I’ve invited the two of them down here for the night.’
‘Oh.’
‘You don’t sound too happy about it.’ He frowned.
She grimaced. ‘I just don’t want Cheryl to get the idea I’m spying on her—even if I am!’
‘It’s worrying you, Danielle,’ he said tersely. ‘And that’s rather silly when you and Cheryl could sort all this out with a brief conversation.’
‘You’re right,’ she agreed with a sigh. ‘I know you are. I just won’t know what to say to Cheryl.’
‘I think your sister is the one who should do the talking—don’t you?’
‘I suppose so,’ she agreed, nodding slowly. ‘Although she isn’t going to like it.’
‘Well, as she’s over eighteen and perfectly free to do what she wants I have to sympathise with her on that. But I don’t approve of her worrying you,’ he added darkly.
‘She probably doesn’t even realise she has,’ Danny realised ruefully.
‘Let’s not talk about them any more tonight?’ Pierce encouraged throatily.
No, tonight, as last night, was theirs.
CHAPTER SIX
IT seemed idiotic to feel nervous about seeing your own sister, and yet she was. She and Cheryl seemed to have grown apart lately, what other reason could Cheryl have for going to New York with Nigel Patrick without telling anyone; her sister must have realised the family would worry when they couldn’t reach her on the telephone. Danny had had her distraught mother on the telephone only this morning, concerned because Cher
yl hadn’t answered any of her calls. It hadn’t been easy convincing her mother that there was nothing to worry about.
Pierce had sent the helicopter to collect Cheryl and Nigel from the airport, and Danny was waiting in his lounge for them now, Pierce called away to an urgent telephone call. And Danny still had no idea what to say to Cheryl, or even if her sister was aware she was going to be here today.
It had been a hectic day so far, spending part of the morning with Pierce as he entertained Paul and Clarissa Banyon, the older man’s easy charm erasing any awkwardness that might have occurred from the evening before.
‘Calm down,’ Pierce urged softly as he came back into the room, coming up behind her to nuzzle into her throat.
‘I can’t help it.’ She turned into his arms. ’Cheryl has always been impulsive, but this time she seems to have gone too far.’
‘She’s old enough to know her own mind.’
‘You’ve never met her,’ Danny warned. ‘She’s very young for her age in some ways, and your nephew is thirty.’
‘I think your sister might retaliate to that accusation by pointing out that the age difference between us is a lot more than that,’ he said drily.
‘That’s different.’
‘That’s probably the way Cheryl feels about Nigel,’ Pierce warned.
Danny sighed. ‘If she’s really happy with Nigel then it’s her decision.’
‘You don’t sound very sure,’ he teased lightly.
‘It’s her lack of total commitment to either Gary or Nigel that bothers me,’ she admitted. ‘I don’t think she really knows what she wants.’
‘Probably not,’ Pierce drawled. ‘But you can be sure that if Nigel wants her he’ll be doing a very good job of convincing her he’s what she wants!’
‘As forceful and determined as his uncle, hm?’ she mocked.
‘I like to think of myself as persuasive,’ he murmured against her throat.
For the next few minutes he attempted to ‘persuade’ her that they had time to go back to his bedroom before their guests arrived, only the sound of the helicopter preventing her from being persuaded.
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