Boss Meets Baby(117)
‘Thanks, I’d really appreciate that…And I’m sorry if I added to your sleepless night with that slamming door.’
‘Think nothing of it. The truth is it gets harder to get a decent night’s rest as a body gets older so I’m not blaming you. Now, sit yourself down and I’ll get you that cup of tea.’
Pulling out a shaker-style chair from the large pine table, Georgia picked up a pot of marmalade standing with the rest of the jams on the square placemat which had a picture of the Scottish Highlands imprinted on it, and absently read the contents label—her mind preoccupied with the fact that her boss could walk through the door at any minute.
During the night, after he’d left, she’d been kept awake far more by thoughts of him than the thunderous— storm. Her lips had ached without cease for the touch of his mouth against hers, for his inviting, addictive— taste, and she wondered what would have happened if Moira hadn’t knocked at the door when she had. What perturbed Georgia even more was that she would have welcomed Keir’s kiss instead of repelling— it. What did that mean?
She’d always avoided becoming involved with men she worked for and for very good reason. She was responsible for her brother, and that responsibility took precedence over everything else. She had to give Noah the sense of security that had been so devastatingly snatched away from him by the deaths of their parents. And trying to make a living and keep a roof over their heads and not get into debt was hard enough, without making things even harder by getting romantically involved with her boss!
But now it seemed as though all her previous common sense was suddenly coming under serious fire. It must have been the storm, Georgia told herself…That was why she’d acted so uncharacteristically. Storms were her Achilles’ Heel. Plus the fact that she had truly believed someone had broken into the house. If she hadn’t been so jumpy and on edge about those two factors she would never have allowed Keir to even enter her room…let alone comfort her and then try to kiss her!
But even as her mind tried desperately to defend her actions, she knew she was only kidding herself. The fact was that she had seriously missed him when he’d been away in New York, and she hadn’t been able to wait for him to return. Even though she knew her feelings weren’t at all sensible, or even welcome, Georgia couldn’t help them. She just hoped that in the cold light of day what had happened wouldn’t make things too awkward between them for them to continue to work together. The bottom seemed to drop out of her whole world even at the thought that she might have to leave Glenteign sooner than she’d planned…
‘Oh, by the way…the Chief is back from New York, dear. He returned late last night in the middle of that terrible storm! What a homecoming! Come to think of it…it was probably him coming home that woke me up! I don’t suppose there’s much chance of you having a quiet day today with him back, though,— dear. He had his breakfast and then went straight out to see if there was any damage to the gardens. That wind was fierce! No doubt there’ll be a few branches thrown about the place—and he was concerned about some rare plants and shrubs that your brother planted too. Anyway, he came back a little while ago, and he’s in his study now.’
Swallowing hard, Georgia contemplated the news that Keir was already in his study with mounting trepidation. ‘Well, then, I’ll have my tea, give Hamish a quick walk, and then join him. By the way, where— is Hamish?’
Glancing around her, Georgia guiltily realised that she’d forgotten all about the Labrador. That was how distracted Keir’s appearance last night had made her!
Moira was quick to reassure her. ‘Young Lucy came in early, to help me prepare a few meals I’ve got planned for the next few days. She asked if she might walk Hamish, and I’m afraid I told her yes. Was that all right, dear?’
Georgia rose to her feet again wanting to delay facing Keir until she’d got herself properly together, and— saw her last excuse emphatically disappear now that Lucy was walking Hamish.
‘Of course it was all right. Be sure and thank her for me when she gets back. Don’t worry about the tea, Moira. I’ll get one later. I’d better just go and see if the Chief needs anything.’
Keir was surprised to see Georgia enter the room when she did. He hadn’t expected her to make such an early-morning appearance—especially when he knew intimately what sort of a disrupted night she’d had. God knew she’d ‘disrupted’ his night too…in more ways than one.
But now, as she carefully closed the heavy oak study door behind her, Keir’s examination of her eye-catching— figure, and her slim, tanned legs in the knee-length— red linen dress, was swift and hungry. Because of that, and because his desire had been frustratingly thwarted last night, his tone was brusque.
‘Nobody instructed you to make such an early start. Have you had breakfast?’ he demanded.
‘I’ll get something later.’ She frowned as if it was hardly significant. ‘Chief Strachan, I—’
‘Chief Strachan?’ Unable to keep his mockery at bay, Keir twisted his lips grimly. ‘Is this how things are going to proceed between us, then? Are you forgetting— that I was in your bedroom after midnight, drying— your tears because of your terror at the storm, with— you dressed in a robe that barely concealed the fact that you were naked underneath it? Under the circumstances, don’t you think it a little ridiculous to resort to calling me “Chief Strachan”?’