New Year at the Boss's Bidding

‘You looked it up?’

Her gorgeous blue eyes widened in shock and she drew in a quick breath, but she didn’t move. After what felt like an eternity she finally spoke again, her voice holding an unsteady quiver. ‘Yes.’

‘And what did you decide?’ This was his worst fear. She blamed him, believed he was guilty. Why else would she look him up on the internet?

‘That you are being too hard on yourself.’ Firmness entered her voice and as he looked into her eyes he could see determination there and a strength he’d never noticed before. Her words echoed Sofia’s.

He realised that right now he had the biggest fight of his life on his hands. The fight for the woman he loved, the woman he wanted in his life for evermore. This was worse than being on the track, pushing the bike harder and faster to win. If he lost this fight, he’d lose everything.

‘Why are you here?’ The sharp question fired at him, dragging him from his thoughts, focusing his attention on what he was there for—the woman he loved.

‘To talk to you.’ It was all he could do not to reach for her, not to draw her close and kiss the surprise from her beautiful face, but already he could see her backing away emotionally. She was slipping behind the wall she’d built to keep everyone out and he couldn’t let that happen.

‘Why? It won’t serve any purpose.’ She stepped away from him, trying to put as much distance as possible between them. For the first time in his adult life he was unsure how to read a woman’s actions, especially as he still hadn’t worked out what he was going to say. All he knew was that he’d had to say something.

‘We are no longer strangers, Tilly. Dio mio, we have spent two nights in each other’s arms like lovers.’

Lovers. The word raced in his head. He hadn’t wanted to love her, but it had happened and now all he wanted was her love. She’d touched something deep inside him. She had changed and healed him.

When it had happened he didn’t know, but it had. He recalled the first moment he’d seen her standing in the courtyard at Wimble Manor as the snow had drifted to the ground around her, landing on her red woolly hat, which he’d found so very amusing. Had that been the moment?

‘No, Xavier. We agreed. Those nights meant nothing.’ Was she really dismissing what they’d shared as nothing?

That first moment her lips had met his rushed back. He was there once more, standing by the Christmas tree, loaded tension swirling around them, dragging them deeper and deeper under the spell of love.

Now that spell was no longer. The harsh glitter in her eyes didn’t hold any softness, any love. If anything, they held contempt.

‘It doesn’t have to stay that way.’ He moved towards her but she stepped back.

‘It does, Xavier. You are not the type of man I need. You would never make me happy. We have to say goodbye.’

He frowned, trying to process her words. ‘Goodbye?’

‘Yes, goodbye.’ She stood firmly in the middle of her living room, glaring angrily at him. What had changed in such a short time? ‘So, if you don’t mind, I’d like you to leave.’

CHAPTER TWELVE

TILLY’S HEART BROKE as she stood there, knee deep in deception. She had to be strong, had to keep her emotions under control, anything that would stop her going to him, throwing her arms around his neck and herself at the mercy of the love she had for him. Love that had overshadowed every other emotion she’d experienced in those few days at the manor.

What had happened over the New Year had been deeper than the passion, more addictive than the sensual feel of his touch. It had also happened with such speed it seemed impossible, but there was no doubt. Not any more. She’d fallen in love with a man who’d been looking for nothing more than a distraction to while away the hours of being snowbound at New Year.

‘There isn’t a future for us, Xavier, there never was.’ She kept her voice devoid of emotion as his eyes narrowed. He was watching every move she made. Did he suspect she wasn’t telling him the truth?

‘Do you seriously expect me to believe that?’ He moved towards her, his voice heavily accented and becoming softer. ‘When you were a virgin?’

Stunned, she could only look at him, knowing the truth of his words. She’d given herself to him, believing, even though they didn’t have a future, there wasn’t anyone else in their lives. It had meant so little to him he’d gone straight to the arms of another woman.