CHAPTER FOUR
With a spring in his step. Guy left his fiery-red F-type Jaguar in the car park and headed for the front entrance of the hotel. He’d called ahead, so hopefully Maddie would be available—not that he cared if he had to wait. The prospect of spending some time in her company, no matter how short, was worth it.
He gave the doorman a nod and made straight for reception, from where he was escorted to Maddie’s office. As he entered, she rose to meet him, her arm extended for a handshake. This time, he held on a little longer than might be the norm for a business greeting. He looked straight into her eyes, claimed her gaze, and held it until she broke the contact by glancing down in a classic gesture of submission. His interest in her hit a new high.
“Sir Guy, how lovely to see you again. Would you like to take a seat?”
“Thank you, Maddie, and it’s still just Guy.” He waited until she resumed her seat, then took the same chair as last time.
She returned his smile with a radiant one of her own. “I’ll try to remember that. What can I do for you?”
“I’m here on an errand.” He reached into the interior pocket of his jacket and brought out the stiff white envelope. “One contract, signed, sealed and delivered. Given the timescale, I thought it might be advisable to return it in person.”
She nodded and took the envelope from him. “Do you mind if I…?”
“By all means.” He was content to watch her as she checked the signatures on the document. Simon had barely set foot inside Stonehaven before Ros had shoved the contract under his nose, with an unequivocal instruction to sign on the dotted line.
“Everything seems to be in order. Given the timescale, I’ll start the ball rolling immediately. It’ll be our pleasure to provide Ros and Simon with a wedding day to remember.”
“Thank you. After you were kind enough to give us the guided tour, and go through all the options, she said it was no contest.”
“And what about the bridegroom? I assume he’s happy with the choice?”
Guy gave a wry smile. “He’s given her free rein and a blank cheque. He’s a wise man.”
Maddie raised her eyebrows. “I see. Even so, we’ll endeavour to keep costs reasonable.”
“Thank you. Ros did have one stipulation.”
“Yes?”
“At our original meeting, you mentioned the planner we were supposed to see wasn’t available.”
“I remember. She’s back at work now, and I’m sure her schedule could accommodate Ros and Simon.”
“That’s the thing. Ros would prefer you to handle the arrangements—if possible.”
Ros hadn’t said anything of the sort, but Guy had his own agenda for manipulating the truth. He was willing to use any remotely feasible excuse to remain on Maddie’s radar.
“I can assure you all members of my team are highly competent and experienced. Between them, over the last five years, they’ve handled some very high-profile weddings.”
“I don’t doubt it, but you impressed my niece so much, she’d like you to manage her big day.”
Maddie appeared to weigh up his words. At least she hadn’t refused outright… yet. Although he didn’t think it was the kind of decision that warranted quite this much consideration.
“It’s unusual, but I don’t see why not.” Her smile warmed him from the inside out. “I should probably keep my hand in occasionally, anyway.”
“Good. Now that we’ve settled that, I have a request of my own—have dinner with me.”
Whatever reaction he might have anticipated, Guy hadn’t expected her face to drain of all colour.
“I… I’m not sure it would be a good idea, Sir Guy.”
He noted the use of his title to put distance between them. He didn’t like it. His Dom side bristled. “Does the hotel have a policy of non-fraternisation with clients?”
“Not exactly—there’s nothing in the code of conduct, but…”
“But?” he pressed when she fell silent.
“I’m not sure it would be a good idea.”
“So you said—without much conviction, if I might add? Go on, admit it—you’re tempted.”
“Yes, but—”
“All you have to do is give me a definite no, and I won’t mention it again.”
It was a risky strategy, but he’d seen enough indecision in her expression to consider pushing her a little a chance worth taking. There were dozens of ways she could have declined the invitation, but she hadn’t flat out turned him down. Now he’d presented her with the perfect out—if she chose to take it.
“Thank you for the invitation, Guy. I… I think I would like to have dinner with you.”
The gamble paid off, in spite of the element of disbelief in her expression. She looked as if she couldn’t quite work out how much trouble her mouth had just got her into. Still, she’d accepted, and that was all that mattered. Not one to waste time congratulating himself, Guy struck while the iron was hot. “Excellent. What time shall I pick you up?”
“Er, when were you thinking of—”
“Ah, forgive me. This evening, unless you’re busy, in which case, when are you free? What’s up? Cat got your tongue?” The smile he gave her had been known to coax the shyest of willing subs into dropping their inhibitions as well as their clothing.
“You’re not one to let the grass grow under your feet, are you?”
“Not when I see something I want.”
“Something?”
“Dinner with you, of course. What did you think I meant?”
She’d relaxed enough to flirt with him a little, as much as he was flirting with her. God, it felt good, like exercising a muscle he hadn’t used in a while. Maybe it was a little whimsical, but he almost imagined Liz nodding in approval, satisfied that she could leave him to manage his own life. Maybe there was something to that afterlife business, after all.
He sent Maddie a look that dared her to answer.
“I think you’re a man who’s used to getting exactly what he wants.”
He shrugged. “We all like to get what we want. Don’t we?”
“Sometimes, Sir Guy, getting what we want is dangerous. Sometimes it’s better for us to get what we need.”
He leaned forward, pinning her with a gaze she wouldn’t be able to escape. “So tell me, sweet one—what is it you need?”
>>><<<
The memory of her expression when he’d asked that question still held him captivated some hours later, on his way back to the hotel to pick her up for dinner. As a passenger in the Rolls-Royce Phantom he’d recently acquired for his collection, at least he didn’t have to divide his concentration between that and driving.
For what he hoped would be the first of many dates, he’d chosen to go formal black tie, rather than the Hollywood version Ros had dared to suggest. The twinkle in her smile had given away the deliberate teasing behind the inflammatory remark. He was both glad and relieved to see the smile back on her face after her uncertainty of a few days ago. And he still wasn’t sure how he’d managed to keep the identity of his date from her.
As he’d tied the bow tie and fastened the immaculate black waistcoat, he’d done a final mental run-through of the arrangements for the evening. That they’d got this far without Maddie calling to cancel was promising. In the hours since she’d accepted his invitation to dinner, he’d been a little disconcerted to discover how much a successful outcome for the evening meant to him.
The flowers sitting beside him on the rear passenger seat were a minor triumph. Tracking down a florist who could supply a bouquet that emulated the colours of the flowers in Maddie’s office at such short notice had been an interesting mission.
The car pulled up outside Remington Grange half an hour ahead of their reservation at the Michelin-starred restaurant about five miles away. He’d been surprised to learn Maddie lived in the hotel’s staff wing, but in one way, he couldn’t blame her. His London pied-à-terre was close enough to his old office to be considered “living over the shop”. The convenience had been useful whenever a security crisis had arisen.
Not his circus, not his monkeys, not anymore. A different set of challenges awaited him in his new role, and he was more than ready to get his teeth into them.
He was accompanied to the staff wing this time, to a quiet hallway with four doors. The last on the left was Maddie’s. As his escort left, he knocked and waited.
The phrase “vision of loveliness” didn’t come close to doing her justice. She’d asked him where they were going for dinner, so she could dress appropriately. He hadn’t revealed the name of the restaurant, but her halter-neck evening gown was perfect, both the style and colour. Deep plum-red suited her down to the ground. When they reached the restaurant, heads would turn and jaws drop.
“Good evening, Si—Guy. Would you like to come in?”
“Good evening, Maddie. If I may say so, you look amazing.”
Pink tinted her cheeks. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you for agreeing to join me.” He offered her the bouquet.
Her response was unexpected. Given that he’d matched the flowers to the colours of the ones in her office, he’d hoped for pleasure rather than shock. Strangely, her reaction reminded him of the kind that usually came with the exposure of a deep, dark secret. “Maddie?”
“I’m sorry. They’re beautiful, thank you. And my favourite colours, too. How did you know?”
Whatever had caused her unexpected reaction, she seemed to have recovered. She took the flowers from him and headed for the kitchen. Guy followed.
“I remembered seeing something similar in your office. Here, let me.”
She’d removed a crystal vase from one of the cupboards. Guy took it from her and filled it with water, then watched as she arranged the blooms to her satisfaction.
“Where would you like them?” He picked up the vase.
“Thank you. There’s a table in front of the window in the sitting room—they’d be perfect there.”
But not as perfect as you.
Guy carried the flowers to the designated spot. Maddie made a few minute adjustments to the positioning of the stems, then bent her head, and closed her eyes to inhale the scent.
“They’re wonderful.”
“I’m glad you like them. Are you ready to go?”
“I think so. I just need to collect my wrap from the bedroom.”
As she disappeared into the other room, Guy took the opportunity to assess his surroundings. Neat and tidy without being minimalist, feminine without being flowery, her apartments suited her, and were exactly what he would have expected.
“I can understand the convenience of living here, but why?” He offered Maddie his arm. “Isn’t it a little too convenient for the hotel’s management, having you on the doorstep, so to speak?”
She tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. “Perhaps, but I like being here in case anything does go wrong with any of our events.”
“Does that happen often?”
“No, not often, but even with the best preparation in the world, unforeseen circumstances can lead to incidents you haven’t allowed for. When it does happen, we use whatever it is as a learning experience in the hope that it’ll improve our service. Do we need to call a taxi?”
“Not at all. I have a car waiting. Shall we?”
Together they retraced Guy’s route through the hotel. When they emerged from the building, Maddie gave him a puzzled look. He glanced in the direction of the Rolls-Royce, where the suited and booted driver was standing by the open rear door.
“You’re not serious? Guy, you didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”
She sounded almost horrified, which added to the mystery that was Maddie. Every interaction he had with her only attracted him more. Fortunately, her horror didn’t prevent her from accompanying him to the car and taking her place on the back seat.
“It’s no trouble. I like to make a good impression on a first date.”
“Yes, I remember.”
“Excuse me?” Her murmured words almost made it sound as if they’d been on a first date before, which wasn’t only ridiculous, it was impossible.
“From the last time I went on a first date. He tried so hard to impress me.”
That should have made sense, but Guy’s instincts sniffed hurried improvisation rather than truth in the words. Any suspicions he might have had, however, were crushed by his reaction to the concept of her dating another man. The mere thought made him want to snarl and growl and beat his chest, which was bloody uncivilised behaviour in a knight of the realm. And over a woman he’d only just met, to boot.
“And in case you’re wondering,” Maddie continued as she fastened her seatbelt, “my last first date was so long ago, I can only remember the edited highlights. It was also a last date.”
“Ah.” On the whole, fist-pumping wasn’t something he did on a regular basis—or any other basis, come to that. Just as well it remained a purely mental expression of satisfaction. “Where did he go wrong? So I know what not to do when I’m working on getting a second date with you.”
“Isn’t that a little presumptuous?”
“Not at all—it’s forward planning, and highly recommended for any campaign.”
“Oh, so I’m a campaign now?”
Damn it, but he was out of practice when it came to seducing the opposite sex. Take a breath, and next time you open your mouth, try not to put both feet in it.
“You’re the woman I’m planning to see again after tonight.”
“As I said, a little presumptuous. You may find you can’t wait for tonight to end.”
“I couldn’t wait for it to begin. And nothing I’ve seen so far leads me to believe I’ll be even remotely happy to see it end.”
“So when do you envisage it ending?”
After breakfast tomorrow. Guaranteed to freak her out. He’d save that for another time. “When I leave you at your door after a successful first date, with a firm commitment to a follow-up.”
“There’s nothing like confidence.”
“Maybe so, but that’s definitely a smile on your face, Ms. Scott.”
Over the course of dinner, Guy saw that smile an awful lot more, and the more he saw it, the more he liked it. He listened to Maddie’s stories about the weddings and other events she’d planned, and his enchantment with her flourished. At the end of the evening, it was with great reluctance that he returned her to Remington Grange.
Never anything less than a gentleman, he escorted Maddie to the hotel lobby, where he came to a halt. “Would you care to join me in a nightcap? The bar’s still open.”
“I shouldn’t—I have work tomorrow. Although I don’t suppose a small one would do much harm. What about the car and driver, though?”
“The car’s mine, and the driver only turns into a pumpkin at midnight. We still have over an hour before I’ll have to walk home.”
“Do you live far from here?”
“Twenty miles or so.” He’d yomped further on joint exercises with the Royal Marines, but a taxi would get him home faster. “Don’t worry. Let’s go and get that drink.”
The bar was still fairly busy, but Guy managed to find a table for two in a quiet corner. A couple of the chairs had been whisked away by guests at other tables, leaving only a low-backed leather sofa. An obliging waiter delivered their drinks—a cognac for Guy and an Armagnac for Maddie—and after the first sip, Guy prepared to ask the question that had been preying on his mind for the last half-hour.
“Given that you’re here with me now and you haven’t slapped my face, dare I ask if I’ve earned the privilege and honour of a second date?”
“I haven’t slapped your face yet,” she corrected, with a smile more mischievous than reassuring. “The jury’s still out on that one.”
They made small talk for a while, and by the time their glasses were empty, the bar was too. Only one barman remained, and he looked none too happy about it.
“It’s getting late,” Guy observed. “I’d better escort you to your quarters.”
“You don’t have to. It’s not as if I have far to go.”
“I don’t care. I’ve never not seen a lady to her door, and I don’t intend to start with you.”
Arm in arm, they made their way back to Maddie’s accommodation. Guy wished the night could go on a little longer, but there were no more excuses.
“Thank you for agreeing to see me tonight,” he said as they approached the door. He released her arm but caught hold of her hand, lifting it for a kiss. “It’s been a great pleasure, Maddie.”
“The pleasure was all mine. It’s a long time since someone asked me out to dinner. You made it a very special evening—thank you for asking me.”
“And has the jury delivered its verdict yet?”
“It has, and I’m afraid that verdict is…. guilty. Very, very guilty.”
“Of…?” Though he projected an air of calm confidence, Guy was more nervous than he’d thought possible.
“Not giving me any reason at all to slap your face.”
“Then the chances of you agreeing to a second date…?”
“Better than even.”
“In that case, you’d better give me your mobile phone number, so I can call you tomorrow and sweep you off your feet for date number two.”
“I have to supervise an event tomorrow evening, but after that, I’m available for the rest of the week.”
“Excellent. One question—do you have a valid passport?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Of course. Why do you ask?”
“No reason. Before I go, though, there is one more thing.”
The question was in the tiny frown that creased her brow. This, however, was one of those occasions where actions spoke louder than words. A finger under her chin tilted her head to precisely the right angle. All evening he’d wanted to kiss those lush, pink lips, and he was done waiting. Startled by the unexpected intimacy, she stiffened for a fraction of a second, before surprising him in turn by parting her lips and inviting him to deepen the kiss.
Impulse and instinct overwhelmed gallantry. A step forward, and he’d backed her against the wall, limiting her escape routes. Still she didn’t protest. Flames of desire licked through him—desire not for a woman, but this woman. She engaged his mind and his senses the way no other woman had, not since Liz, and he wanted her.
“Are you going to slap my face now?”
“Why do you want to know? Afraid you’ll like it?” She stroked his cheek, smiling when her palm encountered his beard.
Interesting. “Tease. I should spank you for that.”
Her breath hitched, her pupils dilated, and colour stained her cheeks. Even more interesting. Guy stroked the blush with his knuckle, as if he could feel the heat in it. “But I’m not that easy. I never spank on a first date.”
“How about the second?”
“That depends, but if we get to a third, all bets are off.”