The Reluctant Tycoon

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‘No.’

‘Good.’

Before she could ask him why it was good, he turned away and walked out, leaving her no choice but to follow. And, bizarrely, as though the room knew they had left, the door closed silently behind her. All by itself.

Staring at it, and then after the retreating Garde, she hurried to catch up with him. As though needing the reassurance of something solid, she trailed her hand across the uprights of the staircase and glanced up at the old maps decorating the rise to the landing. ‘You collect them?’

He didn’t answer. But then she hadn’t expected him to. No doubt it was a hobby, or something. What other hobbies did he have? Apart from taking on unknown landscape artists and allowing dogs to visit? ‘Do you really not believe I am who I say I am?’

He ignored her question, and she sighed. Subject closed? And why hadn’t he pursued the subject of references? He wasn’t a fool, so why take on someone—unknown? It didn’t make sense.

‘Don’t worry about it,’ he ordered with the same indifference as he turned at the study door. ‘Just think of all that money you’re going to charge me.’

‘It isn’t the money,’ she denied quietly.

‘Isn’t it?’ he asked as he opened the door and indicated for her to go inside. ‘What else will you need?’

‘Need?’ she queried as she took two steps into the room and turned warily to face him.

‘Yes.’

‘Nothing until the sketches are approved.’

‘Labourers?’

She shook her head. ‘I usually do all the work myself.’

‘Accommodation?’

‘I’ll book myself into the little hotel where I stayed last night.’

He nodded. ‘An advance?’

Staring at him, feeling awkward—because she always hated this part, talking about money—for some silly reason her heart began to beat extraordinarily fast.

His regard was direct, penetrating, and those slate-grey eyes seemed to see into her soul. ‘Why have you been working in a garden centre?’

Avoiding his gaze, she mumbled, ‘Oh, well, you know, the winter and everything. People don’t usually start thinking about their gardens until the spring.’

‘It’s now summer,’ he pointed out drily.

‘Yes, well…’

‘Which presumably means your cash flow is—’

‘Non-existent, right,’ she interrupted staunchly. She still had a little in her savings account—what had been left from the sale of her house—but with rent and bills to pay for her tiny flat, it was being eaten away at an alarming rate. Her wages from the garden centre hadn’t been very much.

‘Then I’ll arrange to pay your bill at the hotel, and when you’re ready for any outlay—turfs, plants—let me know.’

‘Yes. Thank you.’

‘Why so troubled?’

‘I don’t know.’ And she didn’t, not really, but Jen’s words kept coming back to haunt her. Was she such a lousy judge of character? From wanting the job so badly, she now felt extremely troubled. Something just wasn’t right about this. ‘I didn’t expect…I mean, I thought I would be leaving today. That I wouldn’t see you again…’ With a funny little shrug, she added, ‘I’ll need to go home, get my things…’

‘When will you be back?’

She’d need a few days to get herself organised, do some washing and ironing… ‘Monday?’ she offered.

‘Monday’s fine.’

‘I do know what I’m doing,’ she insisted.

‘I hope you do.’ It sounded like a warning.

‘But what I don’t understand is why!’ she exclaimed.

‘No,’ he said unhelpfully as he stared down into her wide eyes, ‘I don’t suppose you do.’

‘And you aren’t going to tell me?’

‘Not yet. Don’t worry about it, Miss James,’ he mocked. ‘I thought they were green.’

‘Sorry?’ she murmured, beginning to feel almost mesmerised.

‘Your eyes. I thought they were green, but they aren’t; they’re blue with green flecks.’

‘Yes.’

He gave a small, slow, smile that held not a trace of warmth, and then he kissed her.

CHAPTER THREE

A SLOW deliberate kiss that left her reeling.

‘Why did you do that?’ she gasped.

‘Checking the height differential. What’s the name of the garden centre?’