‘I didn’t want to be your mistress, and I was smarting from thinking that Amanda…’
‘I’m sure she’ll make a fine partner for some guy out there, but for me she was less than nothing. In fact, the minute you came along, I couldn’t even remember what the point of any other woman could be. It just took me a long time to work that out.’
Elizabeth’s face was glowing. She was finally understanding the depth of emotion it must have taken for him to ask her to move in with him, all the more powerful because he would not have recognised its source at the time.
‘When James told me about that party, hell, I didn’t want to come but I couldn’t help myself. I had to come. I realised that I had to do something to get you back. Anything. But I wouldn’t rush you. Then Mr Water Boy came along. James hinted that he might have been after your money. I didn’t believe him, but I wasn’t going to pass up a golden opportunity to come down here…to see you again. Now you know why I’m insane with jealousy.’
Elizabeth smiled a broad, goofy smile. ‘I never thought I’d hear you say something like that.’
‘Frankly, neither did I. Just goes to show that, when you think you’ve got life mapped out, you turn your back and the directions have all changed.’ He rested his stunning eyes on her shining face and finally succumbed to the temptation to reach out and caress her satin-smooth cheek. ‘I don’t want to ask you to live with me. I want you to marry me. That’s the only way I won’t go crazy thinking that I might lose you. But there’s one little condition.’
Elizabeth tensed, but he smiled at her, and in that smile she could see love and tenderness and an awkward vulnerability that stole all his natural arrogance.
‘You have to tell me that you love me as much I love you.’
‘You know I do.’ She leaned across the space dividing them, and as his firm mouth touched hers she gave a little whimper of pure ecstasy.
‘Good,’ Andreas growled, pulling her towards him. ‘I’ve never made love in a lay by off a country lane in my car, but I think I’m about to change that…’
Against his mouth, Elizabeth giggled, and gasped as his hand made its way under her clothes to find her burning skin underneath. ‘What,’ she asked breathlessly, ‘do you think James is going to make of this?’
‘I think,’ Andreas replied, while still capable of coherent speech, ‘that the wily old fox will think that his best-laid plans have gone exactly as he hoped.’
All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.
All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
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First published in Great Britain 2009
Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited,
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
© Cathy Williams 2010
ISBN: 978-1-408-91891-3
Table of Contents
Cover Page
Excerpt
About the Author
Title Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Copyright
Powerful Boss, Prim Miss Jones Page 18