Falling for the Boss (18 page)

“
We have enough tourists underfoot as it is. We don’t need star-crossed lovers using the garden for their activities.”

“
What about renting the garden for weddings? Can you imagine how lovely the pictures would be?”

“The only wedding
that has the slightest chance of taking place in the garden of Bradford House is my own,” Marcus stated firmly.

Leaving the garden,
they stopped to rest in a gazebo placed conveniently beside a small pond. Collin appeared as if on cue with a tray of drinks which he placed in front of Marcus and a bag of bread crumbs which he handed to Maggie.

“I thought you might enjoy feeding
our pond residents.”

“How did you guess?”
she asked with obvious delight.

“
Everyone likes to feed ducks, don’t they?”

Marcus would have
denied such an absurdity. He hadn’t done such a mundane activity since he was a boy. He wondered what had made Collin do such a thing. However, as he watched Maggie, he realized she was genuinely enjoying herself. He had never been around someone who found pleasure in simple things, never displaying the boredom he so often observed in other women.

When the bread was gone, Maggie
made her way back to where Marcus sat waiting. She could tell nothing from his expression.

“
I hope you didn’t mind me doing that,” she remarked.

“Why would I mind?” he asked in surprise.

“I don’t know. You seem sort of removed from things like feeding ducks.”

He laughed.
“I suppose that’s a polite way of saying I’m stuffy.”

She laughed, too. “I wasn’t implying that at all.”

“That’s a relief. Now, are you ready to go swimming?”

At her happy nod,
Marcus smiled faintly. He spoke little during their return to the house. Stopping just outside her door, he flicked her cheek with a careless finger.

“Meet me downstairs when you’re ready.”

As Maggie undressed and slipped into the new swimsuit, she thought about the other women who had accompanied Marcus here in the past. She walked over and stood looking at herself in the full-length mirror, seeing nonexistent flaws. A vision of Felicia rose before her eyes and she sighed deeply. Grabbing a towel, she reluctantly left the safety of her room.

Marcus
was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. His glance swept over her with an impersonal quickness that reassured Maggie, but in actuality missed nothing of her appearance.

“
Much nicer than anything I would have picked,” he commented as she joined him.

“
I’m glad you approve since you bought it,” she added primly.

“It was worth every penny.
You continue to surprise me, Maggie.”

“Is that a good thing?” she asked lightly as he held open the door that led outside. She heard his low laugh
as she passed by him.

“
In this case, yes,” he countered softly.

O
nce outside, they walked in silence along a smooth path enclosed by tall hedges that led to the pool area. Though the sun was shining, the air was cool, making Maggie wonder if swimming at this time of year was really such a good idea.

Without
a word, Marcus dropped his towel on a deckchair, dove in and started swimming laps in the sparkling water. As she stood watching him, making no move to enter the pool, he stopped long enough to call out, “Jump in. I’m not going to bite.”

Shedding her wrap, she walked over to the steps
, descending slowly into the pool. Marcus watched her for a moment and then resumed his laps apparently satisfied that he’d coaxed her into the water. Maggie began to paddle about enjoying the sensation of the warm water on her skin. It really was invigorating.

She was floating on her back when a rippling in the surface of the
water indicated Marcus was approaching. She quickly dropped her feet to the bottom, turning to watch as he swam lazily toward her, stopping a few feet away.

“
I really miss swimming; do you think the historical society would let me put in a pool at Bradford House?”

Maggie laughed and shook her head.
“I don’t think so, but you can try. You’re a very persuasive person.”

“
Can I persuade you to come a little closer?” he asked softly.

Her
eyes, almost as blue as the water she stood in, flew up to meet his. “Is that necessary?”

He tilted his head to one side.
“No, but it’s infinitely more enjoyable.” Marcus closed the distance between them and stood looking down at her. “You’re really quite lovely. I wonder that I missed it all this time.”

Willing herself to remain calm although her heart was racing, she demurred.
“I’m not lovely at all, but it’s nice of you to say so.”

“Nice?
Have you been in my company this long and not discovered that nice is the last word to describe me. I’m sarcastic and selfish and moody.”

“
Only sometimes; you’re not as bad as you like to believe.”

“Many p
eople, particularly women, will tell you different. I’ve not always been very kind to your sex.”

“
And yet to some you’ve been inordinately so.”

He smiled faintly and reached out to touch her cheek. “There are those to whom it is easy to be kind. So easy that one finds
oneself doing it without realizing it and powerless to stop.”

“
You don’t really believe that?” she asked skeptically.

“I didn’t until recently.”

“I can’t imagine you being so influenced by another.”

Marcus looked away from her for a moment. “It
’s not something I thought would ever happen.” He laughed then, a very amused laugh. “It’s somewhat disconcerting to find you’ve been wrong about something you believed for so long.”

“Yes
, it is. I’ve experienced it myself.”

His hands came to rest on her shoulders and something in the way he was looking at her told
Maggie what was going to happen. She could easily have moved away, but nothing in the world would have induced her to do so. For another moment, his eyes searched hers and then he bent down and kissed her the way he’d wanted to earlier in the store.

“That was nice,” he
murmured softly against her lips. When Maggie said nothing, he drew back. “Well, wasn’t it?”

Striving for a calm that had deserted her, she managed a light,
“Yes, it was, but we’re supposed to be swimming.”

Marcus
smiled slowly, and Maggie’s breath caught in her throat. “Is that what you would rather be doing right now?”

Her eyes dropped immediately
and a becoming tide of color washed over her face. “No, I like when you kiss me.”

The simplicity of her answer startled him. He tilted up her chin with gentle fingers and waited until she looked at him. “I’m glad there’s something I do that you like.”

They actually did do some swimming, but Maggie couldn’t hope to keep up with him so after a while she made herself comfortable on a deck chair, well wrapped up in a towel. She hadn’t been there long when Marcus called to her.

“You don’t have to wait for me, Maggie.
Go back to the house. It’s too cold for you to sit out here in those wet things.”

Though
she would have gladly braved the temperature to stay and watch him glide effortlessly through the water, she could hardly say so. Instead she made her way into the house where she promptly ran into Collin.

“Had a
nice time?” he asked with a knowing grin.

“The
water was heavenly, but when you get out, it’s cold.”

“Have some hot chocolate. It will warm you up.” He
indicated a thermos sitting on the table behind him. “I was just going to get marshmallows. Would you like some in yours?”

“
Yes, I would. Wow, you think of everything.”

“I certainly try to do so.” With a nod, he left her.

Marcus found them sitting in the breakfast nook, sipping hot chocolate and talking with the ease of old friends. He found he didn’t entirely like it. “You’ve not changed yet?” he asked quietly, coming up behind her.

Maggie was very aware of his fingers
running through her wet hair. It was a gesture that spoke of intimacy and made her wish she didn’t have to remember it was all make-believe.

“
No, Collin had hot chocolate ready and I couldn’t resist trying some. Would you like a cup?”

“No
, thanks.”

“Well, I suppose I should
get out of this wet suit.”

Maggie was aware of Marcus right behind her going up the stairs
. The silence seemed oppressive making her wonder if he was annoyed at finding her with Collin. Knowing it wasn’t something she could ask, she looked back over her shoulder and settled for a more acceptable question.

“
Did you swim in college?”

He glanced at her quickly and then shook his head. “High school.
And you?”

She chuckled as they reached the top of the stairs. “Hardly at all – couldn’t you tell?”

He said nothing until they stood outside the door of her room, though his smile was coy enough. “You managed to stay afloat and looked very appealing doing it. I hate to admit this, but I’m famished.”

“Oh, me too. Isn’t it awful? After that delicious lunch we had.”

“We’ve done quite a bit of exercising since then. I’ll come back in an hour or so and show you where to go for dinner.”

Maggie emerged
from a long soak in the tub refreshed and excited about the evening ahead. Clad in a robe the same deep blue of her eyes, she exited the bathroom and began to sift through the contents of her suitcase. At the soft knock on her door, she turned and called out, “come in.”

Marcus stepped into the room and
came to an abrupt halt as his eyes came to rest on her. “I almost sent Collin up here. I’m glad I didn’t.”

“Why is that?” she asked
with a grin.

He didn’t answer at first, but instead came over to where she stood. “Because of how
you look in this thing.” He touched the silky material covering her arm.

She laughed.
“It’s a robe, Marcus.”

“
Does it matter what it is?” he asked softly. “You look fantastic in it.”

“
Thank you, but I can’t wear it to dinner.”

Marcus frowned heavily.
“Damien has horrific timing. I’ve always thought so and now I know so.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It seems he’s trying to finish preparations for the party, and Tiffany is in the way. He asked me to get her out of his hair for a while. I’m on my way to pick her up and bring her here for dinner.”

Trying not to show the disappointment she felt, Maggie made a business of closing her suitcase. “Oh! Well, that’s fine. I
can finish getting ready while you’re gone.”

“It’s not fine with me,” he added grimly.
He didn’t say why he felt this way, but he did reach for one of her hands and gently turn it over. Then he bent his head and placed a kiss on the palm. Maggie felt a shiver run through her at the touch of his lips against her skin.

“I’ll be as quick as I can
,” he assured her in a voice that wasn’t quite steady.

As she watched the door close, Maggi
e’s smile faded. There was nothing she wanted less than to have to spend the rest of the evening with Tiffany. It might prove to be a most uncomfortable few hours.

Chapter
Thirteen

Marcus
’ day had been going well until Damien called. Driving fast along the almost deserted road, his mind replayed the scene in the pool. It was as if the final piece of a puzzle had fallen into place and something he’d searched for and long since given up had finally been placed within his reach.

His
previous relationships had been no more than relentless pursuits of pleasure, a series of meaningless episodes that never passed beyond the physical. With so little substance, it was no surprise they all ran aground which was how Marcus had always wanted it. Until now, that is.

Sweet, gentle Maggie had penetrated the walls of his defenses
without even trying. Were these tumultuous and confusing feelings inside of him love? Marcus was beginning to believe they were. This admission didn’t come easy or willingly. It went against every idea he’d held close for most of his adult life.

T
he idea of sharing his life as well as his innermost feelings with another had never appealed to him. And yet now he felt an almost feverish impatience to do just that. Only a fool would deny the bewitching idea of being in love, the satisfaction of finding the one person you care enough about to commit to for life.

C
ould he convince Maggie, not only of his altered feelings, but of his changed outlook? Everything he’d said to her on the subject of relationships floated through his mind. A wry smile tugged at his lips.

He
’d scoffed at her notion of true love being worth any risk. He’d openly laughed at her idea of marriage. He knew now those were the embittered protests of a man who had already begun to lose the battle. Maggie had been right all along.

W
hen Marcus arrived at Damien’s house, expecting Tiffany to be ready, he was annoyed to learn she’d only that moment gone to her room to change. Knowing her habits of old, he resigned himself to a long wait. He and Damien retired to the library where they were soon immersed in the technicalities of an ongoing court case and during which they both lost track of time.

When Tiffany did make her reappearance,
she was, as usual, ravishingly beautiful. Marcus spared her hardly a glance as he looked impatiently at his watch. He was astonished that over an hour had passed while he’d been with Damien, and Maggie had been left alone.

Practically dragging
Tiffany to the car, he opened the door with more force than was necessary and slammed it shut with equal disdain for its future operation. He let the insipid conversation flow over him as he drove, nodding from time to time, and making suitable replies as his mind raced ahead to Maggie. A hand on his arm broke his concentration, and he turned to see Tiffany leaning toward him expectantly.

“
Darling, you’ve not heard a word,” she purred softly.

Her hand slid up his arm
to his shoulder. Marcus controlled the urge to push it away; she was his brother’s wife after all.

“
I apologize, Tiffany. What were you saying?” He tried to contain the impatience in his voice and infuse some interest in it instead.

“
I was suggesting you take me somewhere for dinner. It will give us a chance to really talk.”

“
I think you’re forgetting Maggie is with me.”

“
Collin will have taken care of Maggie. I know this wonderful place where we could have dinner; just the two of us.”

“Maybe another time
. There’s no question of doing that tonight.”

Tiffany laughed
and the sound grated on his already frayed nerves. “You seem determined to play out this farce to the bitter end. At some point you’re going to have to put Maggie out of her misery.”

“That’s a strange way to talk about getting married.”

“Marcus, you’ve had your fun, but the joke is getting old.”

“A joke? Why would I become engaged for the sake of a joke?”

Here she paused and threw him a mocking smile. “You would rather I believe you’re in love?”

“
I have no preference either way.” Though he spoke softly, Tiffany heard a steely note enter his voice.

“I never thought you could be so foolish.
You’ll tire of all that wide-eyed innocence soon enough.”

“That will be my problem
,” he retorted in a dangerously quiet voice.

Tiffany shook her head. After a few minutes she expressed a desire to return home.
Marcus was only too happy to comply, despite knowing how much Damien still had to do. As he drove through the white gate once more, he felt a stab of pity for his brother; Tiffany was a handful. All that beauty hid a vain, selfish woman.

Curled up on the loveseat next to the fireplace, her book long discarded, Maggie had ceased to wonder what could be keeping Marcus. Collin had been attentive, first bringing coffee and then inviting her down to the kitchen to sample his cheese soup.

His undemanding conversation had helped pass the time, but nothing could remove the somber mood hanging over her. She sighed as she settled deeper into the soft leather.

Downstair
s Marcus let himself into the house just as Collin emerged from the kitchen. “What happened to you?” He pointedly looked beyond Marcus. “And where’s Tiffany?”

Marcus grimaced, tossing his
coat onto a side table in the foyer. “It doesn’t bear repeating, and I would just as soon forget it. Is Maggie still upstairs?”

“
I believe so.”

“
What are the odds she’ll talk to me much less agree to eat with me?”

C
ollin smiled widely. “I’ve no doubt you know just how to smooth her ruffled feathers. I’ll do my part with the food.” He slapped Marcus on the back and disappeared into the kitchen.

When Marcus reached Maggie’s room, the door
was ajar a few inches and obeying an impulse, he peered through the crack. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, he could just discern a figure draped in the corner of the loveseat.

The table lamp cast a dim glow
which caught the lighter strands of gold in Maggie’s hair. What did she think of him? He knew enough about women to know she wasn’t indifferent, but that was a far cry from what he wanted.

Slowly p
ushing the door open, he moved stealthily across the room never taking his eyes from the slumbering form. The only sound was her breathing. He took a seat close by content for the moment to watch his very own Sleeping Beauty.

Maggie’s neck
felt stiff and she moved to attain a more comfortable position, her eyes half-opening before closing again. In that brief glance, she could have sworn Marcus was beside her. Knowing this to be impossible, she nevertheless couldn’t resist taking another peek. Her eyes widened, glowing like sapphires in the light from the lamp. A slow smile spread across Marcus’ handsome face.

“
You’re adorable when you’re sleeping.”

She sat up and rubbed her eyes, looking so
lovely that Marcus had the greatest difficulty in staying where he was. “I’m sorry I fell asleep. How long have you been here? Is Tiffany waiting downstairs?”

“
No, Tiffany decided to stay home.” He moved a little closer. “Maggie, I should be the one apologizing. It was unforgiveable for me to leave you alone so long.”

“Don’t worry about it. Your family comes first.”

“But you’re my guest.”

“I’m your employee; that’s not quite the same as a guest.”

“Is that how you think of me? Only as your boss?”

This was dangerous ground
, and Marcus could feel Maggie’s instinctive withdrawal. “How else should I think of you?” she countered.

“
I like to think we’re friends although I never thought men and women could be friends.”

“
You didn’t? I don’t see why not.”

“I
t’s a state that’s almost impossible to maintain. One of two things will happen – either the two people will draw closer or they will drift apart.”

“Do you always see everything in such black and white terms?”

“Life is black and white. Those gray areas are an illusion.”

“You keep your black and white and I’ll keep my gray
,” she asserted smilingly.

“Don’t you mean pink?”

Maggie watched as Marcus closed the final few inches between them. “Pink? What are you talking about?”

He reached out and
ran his fingers lightly through her hair. “I like you in pink. And blue, too.”

“Is this how you confuse opponents on the witness stand?”

His hand fell away. “You’re not confused, Maggie. You are, however, just as skilled in the use of evasion tactics as I am. Collin is at this moment preparing our dinner. Can I persuade you to join me? Or have I gone beyond the point of forgiveness?”

She stood up suddenly, startling her companion, who
’d been contemplating the pleasure of kissing her. “It wouldn’t matter if you had. I’m absolutely starved.”

With a faint smile, he came to his feet.
“So you’re willing to put up with my company as long as there’s food. I can see I have some work to do.”

M
arcus led the way downstairs bypassing the dining room and entering through a wide archway a smaller room that contained several comfortable armchairs and a couch. Maggie’s glance went to the trays of food set out invitingly on a low table.

“Did Collin do all this?”

Handing her a plate, Marcus replied, “He’s a trained chef. My father hired him away from one of those exclusive New York restaurants.”

“How in the world did he get him to leave the big city?”

“My father is also very persuasive.”

A
fter they’d eaten, Marcus lit a fire in the brick fireplace before inviting Maggie to join him on the couch. Neither of them seemed inclined for conversation as they watched the flames in companionable silence.

After a while, Marcus spoke of
the plans for the following day, before suggesting she might like to retire. Maggie found herself inside her room in no time at all, her lips still tingling from the brush of masculine lips as Marcus bid her goodnight.

O
n the edge of sleep in the huge bed, Maggie went over the events of the day. Here she was staying in a home one only saw in magazines, eating food prepared by a New York chef, and best of all, spending time with the man she loved. Earlier when she’d sat alone in this room, waiting for Marcus and dreading the arrival of Tiffany for dinner, her spirits had been low. And now, just a few hours later, they had undergone a complete transformation.

Marcus had been different
– so different that Maggie felt his behavior needed some thought. The teasing manner had been mixed with something more potent. If the idea hadn’t seemed so farfetched, she would have said he was trying to make her fall in love with him. More than once she’d caught something new in his expression, a look of admiration mixed with tenderness. If he had wanted to enslave her, he couldn’t have done it more effectively.

She knew she could
be guilty of misinterpreting the signs. And yet, what if he was starting to care for her? Gaining even an element of affection from him was enough to quicken her breathing. She couldn’t imagine her reaction should he actually profess to love her.

A
s they faced each other across the breakfast table the next morning, each was wondering what the day would bring. Marcus, trying to be patient for the first time in his life, was determined to proceed slowly. He knew Maggie’s concerns about his affluent background as well as his reputation. She might care for him, even love him, but knowing her like he did, she wouldn’t aspire to become part of his world. He would have to convince her that his world was her world.

A
leisurely stroll after breakfast ended at the stables. Maggie’s only experience with horses had been in high school. She had been urged to go riding with a neighbor. It had been a disaster. After falling off the horse, she’d nearly been trampled.

Knowing none of this, Marcus proceeded to give
her a tour of the stalls, showing her the various horses. Maggie was trying desperately to hide her fear. At his suggestion that they might ride, her face went completely white.

“
It’s just that I – oh, how can I say it without sounding foolish? I once fell off a horse – I’ve never wanted to repeat the exercise.”

Marcus
chuckled before lifting her chin with his fingers, his amused eyes looking tenderly into hers. “Is that all? Everyone falls off now and then. You can’t give up on something just because it didn’t work the first time.”

“Don’t tell me it’s like riding a bike. The situations are
n’t similar.”

“
You’re right – you can’t talk to your bike or feed it carrots. The bond between horse and rider can be a special one. Put yourself in my hands, and I guarantee that within a few days you’ll be wondering how you ever could have been afraid of such docile creatures.”