An Innocent, A Seduction, A Secret

A little desperately, she tried to tell herself again that the man she’d just seen outside couldn’t be him. But she’d never forget that face. Sculpted from stone. All slashing lines and sharp bones. Hard jaw. Deep-set eyes under black brows. Thick dark hair flopping messily over his forehead. Curling around his collar.

And a mouth made for sin. Full and sensual. Softening those hard lines and the stern demeanor he’d exuded like a force-field.

‘Edie... Earth to Edie... Can I come down now?’

She whirled around, aghast at her reaction to someone who probably wasn’t even the man she was thinking of. She was losing it.

‘Of course, Jimmy.’ She gabbled, ‘I think the man in the window—I mean, the man in the moon decoration works better than the star.’ She hoped Jimmy wouldn’t see her face flaming at her Freudian slip.

‘Not that anyone will see it,’ grumbled the young man as he came down the ladder. ‘We’re all the way around the corner from the main windows.’

Edie said brightly, ‘It means we can be more creative with our wee display.’

‘Wee being the operative word. I hate the way the big designers get to dress the main windows now. It’s so...commercial.’

‘I know,’ said Edie, hiding a smile at the art student’s dismay and forcing her mind away from the past. She’d never got to college herself and had worked her way up the ranks to be a creative display artist. ‘That’s the way it is now, and I’m sure they’ll be beautiful.’

‘Yes, but they won’t be magical.’

Privately Edie agreed. She too loved the magic and fantasy surrounding Christmas. She loved everything about Christmas. She was trying to create a little of that magic in this window, in spite of the fact that not many people would see it.

But, times had changed, and now the big fashion designers had more sway than the in-house creatives—especially at Christmas time.

She pulled out another box full of decorations and said, ‘Right, we’ll have a quick tea break and then get started with this lot. The window has to be finished by this evening.’

Jimmy mock saluted her. ‘Aye aye, boss.’

Edie smiled at his cheeky grin as he escaped for his break. She looked at her watch and sighed. She knew she should take a break too, but if they wanted this window to be finished... She decided to keep going.

As soon as her mind was occupied with nothing more than unwrapping decorations, though, it invariably wandered back to the man—to him.

Edie looked up at the drapes suspiciously. She got up from the stool she’d perched on and went over cautiously, peeking out through a gap.

Of course the street was empty now. Strange to feel disappointed. And silly. Maybe she’d conjured him up out of some subconscious fantasy she’d never admitted to harbouring?

Edie pulled the curtains closed firmly and turned around, ready to put all random thoughts of disturbing men and memories out of her mind. She heard a sound and looked up with a smile on her face, expecting it to be Jimmy.

But it wasn’t Jimmy. The smile promptly slid off her face.

Her supervisor, Helen, was standing in the doorway to the window space and behind her was...him. Even taller and more intimidating than she remembered. Not a fantasy. Real.

Helen, a no-nonsense blonde woman, came in, looking more than a little flushed and starry-eyed. And she was married with four children.

‘Edie, I’d like to introduce you to someone.’

Edie’s feet were glued to the floor. She could not believe this was happening.

And through the shock all she could think was, Would he recognise her? Her rational brain told her, Of course not. They’d barely spoken that night. She’d looked far different from how she looked now. And yet she couldn’t deny the tripping of her pulse, the breathless sense of anticipation.

Her boss said, ‘Edie, this is Mr Sebastio Rivas—Mr Rivas, this is Edie Munroe, one of our display artists.’

She stepped forward. The space, which was small anyway, now felt Lilliputian. Edie forced herself to look at him and her heart thudded to a stop. He was exactly how she remembered. Albeit slightly more groomed. His hair was still too long, but not as messy. The top button of his shirt was closed and his tie was pristine. She felt the strangest impulse to loosen it for him, as if she could sense that he felt constricted.

Crazy. He was a stranger. He had been then, and he still was. He was looking at her intently, but with no apparent spark of recognition. She wasn’t sure if she was disappointed or relieved.

He held out his hand. It was big and masculine. She had a memory flash of that hand on her bare upper arm, steadying her. When she’d walked over to him in the club someone had bumped into her from behind, pitching her forward. His hand had circled her whole arm.

She realised that he was looking at her a little quizzically and that her boss was clearing her throat discreetly. Mortified to have been caught in her moment, Edie quickly put her hand in his. It disappeared. That same jolt of electricity she’d felt four years ago sizzled in her blood and she pulled her hand back, doing her best to hide her reaction. And her shock.

‘It’s nice to meet you.’

She forced herself to look at him again. She noticed how grey his eyes were. Almost like steel. He had long dark lashes that only enhanced his physicality. Much like that ridiculously sensual mouth.

‘It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Munroe.’

Her toes curled at his deep and accented voice.

Her boss spoke. ‘Mr Rivas has a proposition for you, Edie. Will you come with us to discuss it?’

She knew this wasn’t a request. ‘Of course. Jimmy will be back soon—he can get on with the rest of the decorating.’

Her boss made a small approving noise and went back out into the main shop. Sebastio Rivas indicated for Edie to go before him. She slipped out through the door, acutely conscious of him behind her, and she spotted more than one woman do a double-take as they walked past.

It brought back a flood of memories from that night. The way her heart had been pounding so hard after she’d walked over to him. Pounding with desire and nerves. It had been at that moment when someone had jostled her from behind and she’d pitched forward helplessly.

He’d put his hand around her arm to steady her and looked at her. ‘Who are you?’ His voice had been sharp. Almost accusatory.

Edie had stuttered out, ‘N-no one. I just... I wanted to come and speak to you. I saw you...from across the room. You were looking at me too...and I thought... I thought you might want to speak to me...’

His gaze had swept her up and down with an almost clinical disregard. The connection that had borne her aloft to do such an audacious thing had suddenly felt very tenuous. Suddenly she’d been very aware of her hot itchy head and the skimpy dress that felt far too skimpy.

She’d also become acutely conscious of the thick VIP rope, separating him and his friends from everyone else. And her. She’d become aware of the stunning women orbiting around him—women Edie couldn’t hope to compete with. Women with abundant curves and thick luxurious hair. Confident.

One of those women had come up to the man and slid an arm through his, pressing close. He’d glanced down at her, and then back to Edie, letting her arm go while saying, ‘There’s nothing for you here. You should run along.’

Edie had stood there, her arm tingling from his touch and her insides seizing with humiliation that she’d got it so wrong. He’d pulled the woman into his body and bent his head to kiss her, so explicitly that the men in his party had started cat-calling and wolf-whistling.

It had taken witnessing that final humiliation before Edie had turned blindly away and pushed her way back through the crowd...

‘Sorry, I’ll just be a moment.’

Edie blinked. She hadn’t even noticed the journey to her boss’s office, or the fact that Helen had obviously been called away by another staff member. But suddenly she became aware, as the door closed behind her, that she was now in a tiny room with Sebastio Rivas.

She’d only known who he was after she’d realised that he and all his friends were the Argentinian rugby team. After she’d got home that night she’d looked them up on the internet to find out that he was the captain. Their most prized asset. And the world’s most successful rugby fly half.

Sebastio Rivas was looking at her.

Edie pushed aside the onslaught of memories and cleared her throat. ‘Er... Helen said you had a...proposition?’

Instead of answering her question he asked, ‘Your accent—where is it from?’

Edie’s face grew warm. ‘It’s Scottish. I’m from a town just outside Edinburgh.’

He was looking at her so intently that she held her breath for a moment—he couldn’t possibly be remembering her...could he?

But then he said, ‘I do have a proposition, Miss Munroe. I want you to come and decorate my house for Christmas.’

It took a second for his words to sink in, they’d come so far out of left field. Edie’s mouth opened and shut again, in shock. Opened again. ‘I... I’m afraid I don’t do private work... I work for the store. This is our busiest time.’

‘Nevertheless, I’d like you to work for me.’

His tone suggested that he fully expected to be obeyed. Edie’s hackles went up. As if she needed reminding that he was a man used to issuing orders...

There’s nothing for you here...run along.

She crossed her arms over her chest and saw his eyes drop there momentarily, before rising to meet hers again. She hated feeling self-conscious, but it was hard when she knew she was...lacking. Small breasts, slim hips. And she’d been even skinnier four years ago.

Edie had put on weight and filled out since that time, but she’d never be able to compete with the kind of woman he evidently preferred, if the tall buxom woman he’d kissed that night had been an example of his tastes. No wonder he’d told Edie to run along.

That whole weird connection thing she’d felt? Clearly it had all been in her head...and it was even more mortifying to think of it now. She was thankful he didn’t remember her.

‘I’m afraid that’s just not possible. I’m contracted to work here.’

‘I’ll match whatever your pay is for a year and triple it.’

Edie’s breath stalled for a moment at the audacious offer—and the prospect of making more money than she’d ever made in her life. But then she shook her head.

‘I’m sorry, Mr Rivas. I can’t just leave and work for you... I’d lose my job if I left them in the lurch at Christmas.’ She saw an obdurate expression come over his face and blurted out, ‘Why do you want me to decorate your house? There are companies that hire out staff to do that specific job every year.’

She could see the flare of irritation in his pewter eyes—more evidence that he wasn’t used to being questioned. She had the curious urge to stand up to him at all costs, not even sure why it was so important. Maybe because she didn’t want to be so dismissable this time?

‘I have a large house in Richmond, where I’m due to host some social functions in the run-up to Christmas. I saw your work. I like the level of detail you’ve put into a window that—let’s face it—not many people will even see.’

Edie flushed, not expecting the compliment, nor that he would have recognised that their efforts were largely in vain. ‘I’m trained to dress windows and spaces around the store. I’ve never dressed an entire house before.’

Edie knew a couple of her colleagues did work on the side for some clients—decorating their Christmas trees and the like. But not a whole actual house. And he’d mentioned that it was in Richmond, where houses were mansions.

He shrugged that aside. ‘I just need to dress the rooms being used for the functions and the exterior. I have no desire to decorate the entire property.’

His mouth tightened, as if in distaste at the very thought, and Edie had to push down her curiosity to know why. ‘But it’s just three weeks to Christmas—’

‘And I have my first function the week after next. So you can see why speed is of the essence.’

Edie felt bewildered. ‘Why me?’

He countered, ‘Why not?’

CHAPTER TWO

SEBASTIO COULD SEE the woman worrying her lower lip between her teeth, and he had to curb an urge to reach out and free that lip. He quashed the desire. If she was going to work for him then theirs would be a purely professional relationship. He felt a pang of regret and quashed that too.

She wasn’t his type. She might have sparked something, but surely it was just the resurgence of his dormant libido. Slightly above average height, she was even more delicate up close. Yet once again he had an impression of steeliness underneath her slender frame.

Their dialogue bore that out. He wasn’t used to meeting anyone who didn’t say How high? when he asked them to jump. In fact, she had an air of palpable reluctance to deal with him. It intrigued him as much as it irritated him—not a reception he was used to.

Sebastio forced himself to focus. He needed this woman to take care of things he didn’t want to think about. The more reluctant she was, the more determined he became.

He spoke with a patient tone that belied his frustration that this conversation wasn’t going as easily as he’d planned. ‘Are you telling me you couldn’t do with a considerable bonus in the run-up to Christmas?’

He glanced up and down at her very functional but boring workwear. He could appreciate that she had the kind of elegant figure that would look good in anything. And suddenly he had a desire to see her in something altogether more feminine and soft.

She glared at him now, and Sebastio’s desire sky-rocketed. It mocked his assertion that she wasn’t his type. Apparently, right now, she was.

‘It’s not about whether or not I need a bonus. I’m afraid it’s just not an option to walk away from my job here and work for you, no matter how much you’re offering.’

Edie had a vision at that precise moment of her parents up in Scotland. They both looked a lot older than their years and her conscience pricked. That was because of her. They’d worried about her so much... And then, just when her father had retired and should have been looking forward to some time off, he’d had a heart attack. The Caribbean cruise they’d spent their savings on had had to be cancelled, and with no insurance and an indifferent travel company they’d lost out on the trip of a lifetime.

With the kind of money Mr Rivas was offering so casually Edie could afford to send them on three cruises! And she could afford to pay for private health insurance—something that would make them a lot less anxious in the future.

But there was no way she would jeopardise her job to work for a man who was arrogant enough to demand that she do so. She ignored another prick of her conscience telling her it was for far more varied and personal reasons that she felt disinclined to work for him.

‘I’m sorry, Mr Rivas. As intriguing as your offer is, I’m afraid I can’t just leave my job here at the store.’

‘Well, yes, you can, actually—for a brief time.’

Edie blinked and turned around. She hadn’t even heard her boss come back into the room, she’d been so engrossed by the man in front of her.

Her stomach fell. ‘But, Helen—’

The women lifted her hand. ‘Mr Rivas is newly located to London from Argentina, and we welcome him as an esteemed client. We would be more than happy to release you to work privately for him in the run-up to Christmas, with the understanding that once the work is complete you will return to your job here.’

Edie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Do a private commission for Sebastio Rivas and keep her job? He had to be verging on royalty to precipitate this kind of fawning... She’d never seen any sports star get this level of treatment before.

Edie tried again. ‘Helen, I really don’t think that—’

But the woman was now ignoring Edie and opening the door to let Sebastio Rivas out of the office, saying officiously, ‘Leave it with us, Mr Rivas. We’ll do everything necessary to get Edie released from her schedule here as soon as possible.’

The door closed on an image of Sebastio Rivas looking directly at Edie with unmistakable challenge. She shivered at what that challenge might be—to do a job, or to let her know he’d noticed her reacting to his presence and could see all the way through her skin to where there was a pulse of something intimate.

It reminded her of that night in the club, when she’d felt as if he was looking right into her soul. It was galling that he had the same effect on her now.

Her boss turned around to face Edie. ‘Do you have any idea who that is?’

Edie swallowed, feeling curiously flat now that he had left the room. ‘He’s a rugby player with the Argentinian rugby team.’

Helen waved a dismissive hand. ‘He retired as a rugby player a few years ago. Sebastio Rivas is now CEO of Rivas Bank—he’s descended from one of the most powerful banking families in the world.’

Edie absorbed this. That would explain his air of arrogance and entitlement. He came from a rarefied world.

Her boss went on to explain breathlessly what an important addition to London society he was. How generous he was to charity. Then she said, ‘So, the fact that he wants you to decorate his house for Christmas is obviously something we will facilitate.’

Edie recognised Helen’s steely tone. She also recognised that this was an amazing opportunity. She’d been offered a ridiculous amount of money and her supervisor had just assured her that her job would still be there when she came back.

So why was she so reluctant?

Because, said a small voice, that man rejected you at a time when you ached to be normal and know what it was to feel like to be a woman. And because he’s a reminder that you still don’t know what it is to be a real woman.

It was humiliating to think that within the last four years she’d obviously changed and matured on many levels, but on a very private and intimate level she was the same girl she had been that night. Gauche and inexperienced. Desperate to fit in. Desperate for experience. Desperate to live.

‘Edie? If you’re reluctant to do this I can always find someone else...’

Edie’s attention snapped back to the present and her boss, who was looking at her, clearly impatient to have this dealt with. Edie knew she’d have no hesitation in asking the next person.

A determination settled in her gut not to allow this opportunity to slip away just because seeing Sebastio Rivas again had been disconcerting. To say the least.

‘No, of course I’ll do it. I’d be crazy not to.’

Helen smiled approvingly. ‘Good. If you like, you can go home early—you’ll be very busy up till Christmas. Mr Rivas said he’d send further instructions via his assistant.’

Edie didn’t fancy the long bus journey home to her bedsit in north London, with too much time to think about things, so she said, ‘No, I’ll finish the window with Jimmy. It’s almost done anyway.’

Helen shrugged. ‘Whatever you want, Edie. Most people would jump at the chance to go home early.’

Edie smiled weakly. She wasn’t most people and she didn’t need the reminder.

For the rest of the day she and Jimmy worked in companionable harmony. Thankfully he didn’t seem to notice her tension. When they were leaving work he asked if she’d like to join him and his friends at a nearby bar, but she smiled and declined. Her brain was addled after everything that had happened that day. Seeing Rivas again. Feeling the same things.

As she sat on the crowded bus, heading north from the centre of town, she told herself to stop being so trepiditious. Maybe getting to know Sebastio Rivas a little would help her to topple him from the almost mythic place he’d taken up in her consciousness, where no other man could touch him.

After all, he hadn’t ever known her circumstances, had he? That night in the club she’d been just another woman approaching him for a sliver of attention... He couldn’t possibly have known just how fragile she’d been then.

But she wasn’t fragile any more.

Edie forced her mind away from the past and pulled her phone out of her pocket when she felt it vibrate. There was a text message from Helen, with an address in Richmond. Sebastio Rivas’s address.

Her heart thumped when she read it.

You’re to meet Sebastio Rivas at his house tomorrow at ten a.m. He’ll talk you through what needs to be done and his legal team will draw up a temporary work contract. Good luck and Happy Christmas, Edie! Helen

Once again Edie was stunned that her boss had sanctioned this move. Albeit temporarily. But, in fairness, it wasn’t as if Marrotts was short of display artists. She was one of many. And of course it would enhance their reputation to loan out one of their staff to a new and illustrious client.

Edie quickly did an internet search on the address in Richmond, and five minutes later wished she hadn’t. It was an old hunting lodge that looked more like a mansion than a lodge, set in acres and acres of its own grounds. There were even wild deer. Her experience was in dressing spaces that ranged between ten and twenty-five square feet. Not grand country mansions!

She felt a flare of panic and doused it, telling herself that she’d overcome far bigger challenges in the past. She wasn’t going to allow Sebastio Rivas to see that she was daunted by this project. He’d told her to run along once before. She wouldn’t give him the opportunity to do it again.

* * *

The following morning, Edie turned a corner in the long winding drive that led up to the house in Richmond, cursing herself for assuring the security guard at the gate that she wouldn’t mind the walk. He’d tried to get her to wait for a groundsman to give her a lift but she’d insisted, needing to get her wits about her. She hadn’t realised it would take quite so long, though.

And now she stopped in her tracks. Dazzled by the sight before her. No picture could have done justice to the low winter sun glinting off hundreds of windows and the sheer stately magnificence of the house.

It had two levels, and an elegantly grand front entrance. She could make out what looked like manicured gardens at the back, and as far as the eye could see to the front were rolling grounds, with a wood in the distance.

As she approached the front entrance, feeling more and more intimidated, the huge front door opened and a dapper older gentleman dressed in a smart suit appeared.

He came down the steps, smiling and holding out his hand. ‘You must be Edie.’

She came forward, ‘Yes.’ She shook his hand. He had an accent that she guessed was from Italy.

‘I’m Matteo, Mr Rivas’s housekeeper. He’s on his way from his office in London, but some of his assistants are here to go through the contract with you in the meantime.’

Edie barely had time to catch her breath before her coat and bag were taken and she was being ushered into a bright office off the entrance hall, where two men and a woman stood up to greet her. They were sleek and officious. Polite but brisk. No doubt they had better things to be doing back in the city.

She’d just signed on the dotted line, and was still reeling with the knowledge that she was going to be paid a fortune for what was effectively a little over three weeks’ work, when a distinctive thwack-thwack sound came from outside.

She looked out of the window to see a sleek black helicopter landing at the back of the property. She shivered slightly.

Sebastio Rivas’s assistants packed up their things and said goodbye to Edie, and then they swept out, leaving her standing in the room, waiting for the man himself.

As she waited, the tension inside her grew.