Happy Mother's Day!

‘Yes, I can see that. I have been staggered by you

r resourcefulness.’ His brows lifted. ‘No smart comeback? You must be tired.’

‘I’m fine.’

Despite the claim she lost the battle to stay awake a few minutes later.

A hand on her shoulder woke her. Disorientated, she fought her way back to wakefulness, blinking as the dark features of her rescuer swam into focus.

She shot upright in her seat. ‘I fell asleep … where?’

Erin opened her gritty eyes fully and saw they were driving through the hotel gates. She stifled a yawn and turned to look at her rescuer; the breath snagged in her throat as his incredible good looks hit her afresh.

She wondered who woke up and saw that face each morning. She knew there had to be someone—this was not a man who slept alone!

Her eyes slid to his left hand.

‘No, I’m not married,’ he said without looking at her.

Maybe not, but he was spookily perceptive.

‘Which makes it all right for you to be interested, cara.‘

The guilty colour flew to her cheeks. ‘I’m not interested!’

His smile was insolent and so confident that she could have screamed. ‘Of course you’re not,’ he drawled.

‘My God, you really do think you’re God’s gift!’ she choked in disgust, while privately conceding that he had more justification for thinking it than most men. ‘I’m not looking for a holiday romance.’

‘I’m not offering you one.’

He drew up beside a Mercedes and, switching off the engine, ignored the red-faced doorman who was waving his arms energetically.

‘I think he’s afraid you’ll lower the tone.’

The possibility appeared not to bother her chauffeur. His long, curling lashes brushed the angle of his cheeks as his gaze slid speculatively over her slim figure. ‘I scrub up pretty well,’ he revealed modestly. ‘Maybe I’ll show you some time.’

Erin, conscious of her heart thudding hard behind her breastbone, tried to appear amused by the comment. It wasn’t easy when in her head she was seeing him standing naked under the jets of a shower.

Outside on the forecourt a second uniformed figure had joined the near apoplectic footman. Each appeared to be urging the other to approach the truck, but neither seemed too eager to do so. Erin welcomed the diversion.

‘I think they,’ she said nodding out the window, ‘are trying to get your attention.’

His dark eyes remained on her face. ‘You have my attention.’

And I so wish I didn’t!

Erin swallowed. A wave of heat enveloped her as their gazes meshed. ‘Lucky me.’

‘As it happens it was lucky for you that I happened by today.’

‘Oh, gosh, yes!’ She felt stupid for realising that, far from flirting with her, he wanted compensating for his time. A mortified flush spread over her skin. ‘Of course I’ll pay you for your time and the petrol. My wallet is in my room—if you’ll just wait I’ll—’

He caught her arm. ‘I’m not sure you could afford me … but, no matter, you can have this one on the house.’

She shook her head, very conscious of his cool fingers on her overheated skin … Her skin wasn’t the only thing overheated; her imagination was working overtime. Was the sexual tension she was feeling real or a figment of that imagination?

‘Look, I’ve taken a big chunk out of your day. I’m sure there were other things that you needed to do and—’