The apartment was large, luxurious and lonely. The fancy art on the walls, the rich jewel colors in the lounge, the state-of-art appliances in the kitchen mocked Laura. Money didn’t purchase contentment. Happiness came from within. Happiness came from friendship, from mutual trust. Happiness was the emotion she experienced with Dallas.
She should’ve argued when he’d kissed her cheek and said goodbye.
The phone rang and she absently answered it.
“You’re home,” her mother said in an aggrieved voice.
“I am.” Her mother had rung every day since the weekend. Two days of interrogations and nagging.
“You should be here. James is looking lonely.”
He missed his lover. If his boyfriend had any sense, he’d give James grief for even considering marriage to a woman. If Laura was the boyfriend, she’d pop James on his aristocratic nose. “I told you the pass is still closed because of the third slip. The council is still dealing with several big landslides in the area. It’s impossible for me to get to Clare.”
“I could have sent the helicopter. You will attend the wedding.”
Laura hesitated. Maybe she should speak with James instead of avoiding him. And meanwhile, she’d go to Dallas, their agreement in hand. The document worked both ways, and he wasn’t getting away from her this easy. No matter that he’d wanted written agreement, spelling out her lack of coercion. She didn’t blame his caution. Her family wasn’t above using dirty tactics—or paying someone to do their muck playing.
She glanced at the document, which was sitting on the kitchen counter. She made a mental note to hide it in case one of her family popped in without warning. Dallas had tossed it in the trash. She’d rescued the crumpled pages, instinct propelling her to stuff it in her bag.
“Laura, are you listening to me?”
“Yes, I’ll be at the wedding, but I won’t arrive until Friday night. I have work to do.” She didn’t bother telling her mother she’d handed in her notice. The head of the charity had said they were sorry because she’d worked out better than they’d anticipated. They’d written a reference, which also sat on the kitchen counter. Something else to hide from prying eyes.
“I’ll ring your boss—”
“No, you won’t. Mother, doesn’t Aunt Janet require help with the arrangements? How are Suzanna and William? Are you babysitting this week?” In desperation, Laura lobbed questions to distract her parent. Her mother launched into a description of her niece and nephew and their stunning brilliance. Score.
“I’m sure it won’t be long before you and James have children of your own,” her mother added.
They’d be a long time coming when Laura dreamed of little boys with inky black hair and blue eyes. “I’ll see you on Friday,” Laura said, firmly ignoring her mother’s comment and her over-active imagination. “Work is busy. I’m going to be in and out of the apartment. There are several work functions and a training course, so don’t panic if you get the machine.”
“I’ll ring your cell phone.”
“Okay, but I have to turn it off during the meetings. Leave a message on the voice mail.”
“Make sure you return my calls.” Parental directive issued, her mother hung up.
Laura sighed and reached for her winter-white coat and stuffed her feet into warm boots. Hard to believe it was officially spring. She wound a red woolen scarf around her neck, placed the agreement and the reference in her handbag and went outside to wave down a cab.
Dallas’s pub was in a rough area. She studied the uninspiring public house from the outside. Square and black, the building stretched upward about three, perhaps four floors. The sole color was a turquoise sign illuminating the entrance above the door. O’Grady’s.
Due to the weather, the outside seating was abandoned, the tops of the wooden tables bearing a layer of damp from the recent shower.
“Are you sure this is the right address, miss?” the cabbie asked.
“Positive.” She beamed and handed over the fare. “Thank you.”
Bracing herself against the cold, she climbed from the cab and stood for a second. After a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and navigated the puddles to the pub entrance. She’d decided to come unannounced and, at eleven in the morning, hoped to find the place fairly empty.
An elderly woman manned the bar, her deft hands stacking bottles, labels-front, in the chiller.
“Excuse me,” Laura said. “Is Dallas O’Grady here?”
The woman halted her task and straightened to regard her with sharp eyes. “Do you have an appointment?”
“I’m afraid I don’t,” Laura said. Blast! Why hadn’t she thought of that? “Is he busy?”
The woman’s expression was shrewd. “You don’t look like a debt collector or someone about to serve a legal notice.”
Laura made a choking sound. “Do they come here often?”
“No. What do you want to see him about?”
“I’ve come about a job.”
“O’Grady’s doesn’t seem like a good match for you.” The woman didn’t mess around with social niceties. “What’s your name?”
“Laura D… Leigh.” There was no sense asking for trouble. “We’ve spoken before. Please tell him Laura is here to see him.”
The woman gave her another considering glance, checked out the two male customers who entered the bar and nodded. “Wait over there.” She reached for a phone.
Laura huffed out a breath. Now that she was here and waiting, nerves jumped across her skin like fleas having a trampoline party. They taunted her, called her stupid, tempted her to turn and run.
Instead, she took a seat and clenched her hands in her lap. The urge to flee didn’t take her by surprise. She’d thought long and hard about approaching Dallas on his turf. One, it gave him home advantage. Two, she ran the risk of meeting one of his brothers. While they mightn’t recognize her, the Drummond name would act like a punch in the nose. An announcement that the foolish enemy had strolled into their territory.
Her gaze took in her surroundings—the wooden floors, scarred from years of wear and spilled drinks, were swept clean, the faint scent of disinfectant on the air. Pictures of pastoral country scenes and crumbling castles decorated the walls, and at the far end of the pub, two dart boards invited use. The clack of pool balls told her the tables were around the corner, out of sight but in use. Unable to remain still a second longer, she jumped to her feet and paced.
“He’ll be down in ten minutes. He said to offer you a drink.”
Drink? It was too early for a glass of wine to drown her nerves. “Do you have coffee?”
“Sure,” the barmaid said. “Won’t be a tick.”
When the coffee arrived, Laura picked up the cup to keep her hands occupied. Two customers entered, both sending her looks full of curiosity. She drank some of her coffee and pretended she didn’t notice their attention.
“Laura.”
Her coffee slopped over the rim of her cup before she managed to set it on the table. “Was it necessary to sneak up behind me?”
“I don’t sneak. What are you doing here?” His gaze slipped past her, and he cursed under his breath. “Damn, we can’t talk here. You’d better come with me.”
“Of course.” She pretended calmness when inside fears and hope and nerves now gamboled like excited puppies. “Roll out the welcome mat.”
He barked out a laugh. “Still the smart-arse.”
Where he was concerned. Something about him made her brave and unbeatable.
He held the door open and ushered her up a set of stairs. Masculine voices drifted from an office to their left. Dallas bypassed the room and indicated another flight of stairs. Finally, he showed her into an apartment on the top floor.
“I thought we’d decided we wouldn’t see each other again.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. His gaze, however, ran over her face, her body and back to her face, hunger flaring then scooting behind his impassive expression.
He still wanted her. The insight squared her shoulders.
Laura reached into her handbag and pulled out their agreement. “We signed on for a month. I signed in good conscience, and I’m here to fulfill my part of the bargain.”
Dallas stared, powerless to resist the plea in her face, powerless to rip his gaze from her flirty ponytail, just powerless against her lure. He’d missed her, their parting after two short nights leaving a sinkhole of loneliness, one he’d had no idea how to fill. He’d tried cramming the empty space with work, by interacting with his brothers. Hell, he’d even made a date for later in the week. One glimpse of Laura and he realized he’d been kidding himself.
He was no more finished with her than she was with him.
“This is a bad idea. People will get hurt. Not just us, but our families. Our being together will stir old history.”
“I know,” she whispered, darkness clouding her pretty whiskey-colored eyes. “Don’t you think I’ve wrestled with this? Why do you think I’ve waited to come to you?” She gave an audible swallow, and even that damn ponytail seemed subdued. “I’ve thought about this, about us for two days. I can’t stop thinking about you. I need…I want more than a weekend.”
Hell.
His hands clenched at his sides as he battled the urge to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight. Safe. “My brothers are downstairs in the office. They’ll be wondering what’s keeping me.”
“Oh.” Her shoulders slumped in clear defeat. “I’m sorry I’ve caused problems for you.”
“I’m not.” He gave in to the demand pulsing inside him like a cattle prod and closed the distance between them in two swift strides. He breathed in her scent—flowers with a hint of the Orient—pressed his face against her blonde hair. “Besides, I’m as much to blame as you. Look, I need to go back to the meeting, otherwise my brothers will ask questions. Can I meet you later? Your apartment?”
She wrinkled her nose, and he got it. Meeting there would prove difficult. “I wanted to know if you still needed an admin person. I figured I’d wear a disguise if necessary.”
“Damn it, Dallas.” The masculine voice snapped from the doorway. “We don’t have time for you to conduct your romantic affairs.” Irritation rippled through Quinn’s voice. “Patrick needs to meet the supplier at noon.”
Dallas cursed under his breath and kept her pressed against his chest so Quinn wouldn’t glimpse her face. “I’ll be there in two minutes.”
“Make it one,” Quinn snapped.
“That would have to be an older brother,” Laura whispered, “because that’s how my older sisters speak to me.”
“You’d be right,” Dallas said. “Can you wait for me? The meeting will be done by midday.”
“I’ll watch TV,” she said. “Maybe make myself another cup of coffee.”
“Thanks.” He dipped his head to steal a quick, unsatisfactory kiss. “Don’t go through my bedroom drawers. I want to keep some surprises.”
“You know the temptation might prove too much.”
“Remember the spanking I gave you at the cabin?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll give you twice the number of strokes if I learn you’ve snooped in my bedroom. In fact, stay out of my bedroom.”
“Wow, that many strokes. That’s gonna make me think twice.”
“Excellent. See you soon.” Dallas left before he acted on the temptation to kiss her pretty mouth.
Patrick slid him a glare when Dallas strode into the office. “Jeez, Dallas. Can’t you keep it in your pants for the length of a business meeting?”
“Sorry. I’m here now.” Dallas dropped onto a chair and tried to focus on the papers in front of him—the spreadsheets and cash flows. “So you guys still think we should take on this Clare pub? I’m having trouble keeping up with the admin work now.”
“Hire someone, Dallas,” Quinn ordered.
“I have someone interested in the job. I’ll contact her later this afternoon.”
“Good,” Patrick said. “An extra set of hands will make a difference. I can take charge of the new pub and train the staff while Quinn sorts out the stock. All you’ll need to do is take care of the paperwork.”
“Why do we need this pub again?” Dallas asked.
“It’s a good business opportunity,” Quinn said, a trifle defensively now that Dallas had focused on the why of the reasons.
“Who pointed you in the direction of this good business opportunity?” Dallas asked.
“I don’t think—”
“Male or female?” Patrick asked.
“Why does it matter?”
Dallas narrowed his eyes, scanned his brother’s face. No doubting the trace of guilt in his older brother. “It matters if you’re trying to pull one over on Heather. She wants to buy the pub.”
“I…what if she does? This is business, and the truth is I discovered this pub before Heather. She saw the real estate papers on my desk,” Quinn said.
Dallas glanced at his watch. Not long until he could hustle his brothers out of here. “I think it’s a good opportunity, and we’ll get to see the family more, once they get back from holiday. I vote yes.”
Patrick nodded. “I’m in.”
“Done deal then,” Quinn said. “We’ll let you get back to your girl. Not your usual type, Dallas. Looked too classy for you.”
“I don’t have a type,” Dallas said. “I like women full stop.” Thank god Quinn hadn’t seen her face.
“You have a type,” Patrick said. “Curvy, nice arse. A woman who knows the score and won’t get upset when you turn them loose through your revolving doors. You’ve been that way since Maria kicked your arse.”
“She didn’t give me the flick. She cheated on me.”
“And you’ve been trying to replace her ever since,” Quinn said. “This one looks different. She’s not dark for a start.”
“Redhead or blonde?” Patrick asked as he straightened his stack of papers.
“Blonde,” Quinn said. “I wonder if she’s a natural blonde. Do you know? I have a soft spot for blondes. Maybe she’d prefer a more mature man.”
“Jaysus.” Dallas stood in a hint for his brothers to leave him the hell alone.
“Did you notice how he didn’t answer your question?” Patrick’s blue eyes gleamed with silent laughter.
“Don’t you have an urgent meeting?”
Quinn dumped a pile of papers into his briefcase. “When are we meeting her?”
Dallas didn’t have to think about it. “You’re not. We’re friends.”
“I’m fond of blondes too,” Patrick said.
“No, you don’t. You’re going to be late to your meeting.” His brothers left and his breath eased out in a sigh. Instead of diverting them, he’d made them curious. Not ideal.
He’d thought about getting a place away from the pub, somewhere to relax and have women over without inviting nosy questions from his brothers. Maybe it was time. Mind churning over the benefits, he realized he’d decided to continue with Laura, had scarcely put up a fight once she’d walked into his lair.
He found her pacing his living room, reruns of Murder, She Wrote on the television providing background sound.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t even consider running into your family. Have I made things difficult for you?” Her brows drew together in a frown. “I was going to sneak out but I thought I might make things worse.”
“Shush,” Dallas said, his mind clear. “Neither of us wants to cause problems with our families. I’ve been thinking about getting a flat of my own rather than living on the job.”
“Can we start looking for somewhere today?”
Dallas laughed and reached for her, trying not to think about how right it felt being with Laura.
“Are you still looking to hire someone?”
“I am, but I don’t see how we can swing that without alerting my brothers to your identity.”
Laura sighed. “I guess I’ll keep looking. No one wants to hire me the second they learn my name.”
Dallas ran a hand over his head. “You know, there’s no reason why the work needs to be done onsite. Let me think about it some more. Have you tried a temp agency? That might be a way for you to gain some experience.”
“Good idea,” Laura said, brightening. “I’ll ring around and make some appointments this afternoon.”
Dallas admired her enthusiasm, her determination to gain independence and willingness to find a job. Most people in her position would be content to coast through life. “Would you have time to look at apartments? I want a two-bedroom apartment, reasonable area, preferably with parking and a decent kitchen.”
“How much rent are you willing to pay?”
Dallas named a figure. “Draw up a shortlist for me, and we’ll check them out later tonight.”
She beamed as if he’d presented her with an expensive jewel. “You trust me to do that for you?”
“I do.”
Her smile widened and it was like watching the sun creep from behind a cloud. “Thank you. I won’t let you down. I’d better leave now.”
“Wait.” His hand snapped out to grasp her upper arm. “I haven’t told you how pleased I am to see you.” And he lowered his head, taking her lips, drinking deep. She met each thrust of his tongue, stood on tiptoe to get a better angle. She tasted of mint and coffee and sweetness, and he couldn’t get enough. “I’d better check to see if my brothers have gone. Here, put this on.” He handed her a wooly hat his grandmother had knitted for him.
“Should I ring you?”
“Do you have your cell phone?” When she handed it to him, he programmed in his number. “Ring me around four.”
They walked into the first property, a two bedroom house rather than an apartment. Since it was on the outskirts of Napier, the rent was lower than the others. The real estate agent gave them a rundown of the house and left them to wander. The two bedrooms were a decent size and there was a third room that would work great for an office. The lounge and dining room were small, but functional and the kitchen was recently modernized.
“This one has a yard,” Laura said, staring out the double doors leading from the lounge. “It looks miserable at the moment, but it could be pretty in the summer. A few flowers. Some garden furniture. Think about barbeques. Oh, sorry. That was presumptuous.”
“No, I like your enthusiasm. It’s a good distance from the pub. My brothers are less likely to drop in unannounced.”
Dallas glanced around to locate the real estate agent, saw she was in the kitchen taking a call, and pulled Laura close. “It means when you stay with me here, we can indulge in kinky without interruptions.”
Laura’s expression shouted intrigue, and a tiny shiver worked through her when she met his gaze. “That sounds interesting.”
“Well, what do you think?” the female real estate agent asked in a bright voice.
“This one looks promising.”
“Do you still want to look at the others?”
“Yes, please.” Dallas took possession of Laura’s hand and led her outside to his vehicle.
It took another three hours to view the rest of the apartments.
“I’ll take the house,” Dallas said after a cursory look through the last property. It was nice, but he’d noticed the nosey elderly neighbor, and it was too close to the pub.
“Don’t you want to discuss it?” The real estate agent sent Laura a puzzled glance.
“No,” Dallas said, and half an hour later he’d signed the rental agreement and arranged the move-in date.
“I wish I could ask you up to the apartment,” Laura said.
“I understand. We’ll have dinner, and I’ll drop you off. In two weeks time, I can move into the house.”
Laura sighed. “I wish I could shift. My parents will ask questions if I move out of the apartment.”
Dallas reached over to pat her knee. “Don’t worry. You’ll get there soon.”
Dinner was bittersweet. Dallas chose a quiet pub where no one knew him. They sat side-by-side in a booth, touching each other while they ate their fish and chips.
“Did your brothers ask questions? I didn’t even think about them being there, which was stupid. I’m younger than Patrick. I doubt I even reached his radar since he was classes ahead at school.”
“Oh, they asked questions, but Quinn didn’t see your face.” His lips twisted at the memory of their pointed questions. “Family always know the right buttons to poke.”
She flashed a quick grin. “I learned this from experience. No one gets me angrier than my mother.”
“How did you get on at the temp agency?”
“They’re short of temps, so I have a job for tomorrow. The woman at the agency said they run classes several times a month, and I can attend to add new skills to my résumé.”
“Good for you.”
“It’s only filing and answering phones, but I’m proud of myself. It’s my first real job.” She paused. “I’m ashamed to admit that, but you’ve no idea how difficult it was to persuade my parents I wanted a job.” She placed her knife and fork down, sighing. “I’m grateful to my parents for the opportunities they’ve given me, and the education I’ve received, but I want normal. I hate people pointing at me and saying I’m a Drummond, as if I’m royalty or something. Is it wrong to want more, to want to make my own mistakes?”
“Of course not.”
“Are you going to tell your brothers about your new house?”
“Only if they ask,” he said. “I’ll still stay at the pub some nights. If I have to work late it’s easier.”
“And you’re going to invite me to stay with you at the house?”
“Are you chickening out on me?”
“No. I mean I want to see you again. All of you.”
“Good.” Relief shot through him, acute in a physical rush. “We’ll continue with our agreement.”
“And if we both want more?”
“We’ll face that when we come to it. We might find we don’t suit.”
She averted her gaze to her plate. “We’ll keep family stuff out of our relationship.”
“Hell yeah.”
“The next two weeks can’t go fast enough.”