Falling for the Boss (5 page)

Why this mattered was something she
’d spent considerable time pondering. When had his actions assumed such importance? She couldn’t even remember when she’d ceased to dislike him. Entering the kitchen, she spied Mrs. Griffin, Marcus’ friendly housekeeper, speaking earnestly to a teenager Maggie recognized as one of her granddaughters.

“
There you are, Maggie. Nancy, go along and make sure everything is okay with her room. I need to call the caterer. They’ve made a mistake with my order, and I must get the problem resolved before tomorrow.”

Following
Nancy upstairs, Maggie gave some thought to something that had just occurred to her – in which of the various rooms would she be staying? As only part of Bradford House was actually on tour, there were numerous “bedchambers” available. Having seen all of them at one time or another, Maggie had her favorite - the Rose Room. It wasn’t the most lavish, but it was certainly the most romantic.

The room was
a study in soft rose pink from the old-fashioned floral wallpaper to the silky rugs scattered invitingly across the hardwood floors. The lace-covered canopy bed with matching vanity was dark mahogany as was the wardrobe and small writing desk. The oversized bay window with its built-in seat invited its guests to relax and enjoy an unparalleled view of the garden.

Nancy
sauntered past the entrance to the Rose Room without pause, opening the door of the Blue Room further down the hall. Maggie hid disappointment as well as surprise since the room in which she now stood was enormous in size and seemed a waste for only a single occupant.

“
Can I get you anything?” Nancy asked shyly.

Maggie
smiled reassuringly at the girl. “Some iced tea would be nice.”

With Nancy’s departure, Maggie set
her suitcase on one of two double beds and began unpacking. Her head was inside an enormous wardrobe when she heard the door open. Thinking it was Nancy, returning with her tea, she called out, “Just set it down anywhere.”

“
What, exactly, am I supposed to have?”

The
sound of those deep tones brought Maggie out of the wardrobe in a hurry, her eyes colliding with a pair of laughing green ones. Dressed in a black suit that must have cost the earth and accentuated the color of his eyes, Marcus looked the answer to every woman's dream. Maggie felt a lump in her throat.

“I thought you were Nancy, bringing my tea.”

“You could have a long wait. She was cleaning the silver when I passed through the dining room just now.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

He took a few deliberate steps in her direction. “We’ve not crossed paths lately. Has that been by design?”

Though the
question sounded innocent enough, Marcus’ eyes had a gleam in them that gave Maggie pause. She stepped back, forgot where she was, and fell through the open door of the wardrobe. After a second’s hesitation, during which he carefully removed the grin from his face, Marcus reached in and helped her back on her feet. Though the contact lasted just a few seconds, Maggie tingled all over.

“
You look like a frightened mouse trying to escape a very hungry cat. What do you think I’m going to do?”

Maggie
bit her lip and tried to look anywhere but at the man standing so close she had only to reach out to touch him. Marcus sank down on one of the beds with the air of knowing exactly what had happened and being amused by it. No doubt he was fully aware of his effect on women. When the silence had gone on too long, he spoke again.

“
Keeping in mind the way we parted, I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“
Why would I risk getting fired for the sake of a disagreement?” Maggie offered irritably.

“
There would be no risk. I’m not quite as unreasonable as that. Only a few things would actually get you fired.”

“Such as?” she asked leadingly.

“Lying comes immediately to mind.  I have a violent dislike of deceit – a product of my profession no doubt. By the way, how did you come to be in this room?” The green eyes were all at once serious. 

“Nancy brought me. Why? Am I not supposed to be here?”

“My room is being repainted. I’ve been using this one for the past week.” He waved a hand to the dresser upon which rested several masculine articles.

Maggie’s eyes widened in dis
may. “She must have misunderstood which room I was to be given.”

“
Either that or she was trying to be cute. In any case, it’s a mistake that is easily corrected. You’re supposed to be in the Rose Room.”

“Now that
makes more sense. I can’t see you sleeping in there.”

His fascinating eyes narrowed slightly.
“The incentive would have to be prodigious.”

“
Leave the all-pink rooms to romantic females like me.”

“
Aren’t most females romantic with their dreams of white lace and happily ever after? They hunt and hound every man that crosses their path until they find one fool enough to marry them.”

In the act of removing her clothes from the wardrobe, Maggie stopped and glanced back at him with a wry smile.
“You paint a grim picture of women and marriage. I’m old-fashioned enough to believe that in marriage two people can attain a joy and fulfillment not found anywhere else.”

Marcus laughed
derisively. “Few, if any, marriages ever reach such lofty heights. The entire venture has overwhelming odds of failure.”

“
One has to be willing to take a few chances in life.”

“
I’d have to believe your view of marriage is the right one.” He stood as if to indicate that the conversation was over. “Can I help you get your things moved next door?”

“
No thanks; I’m sure you have other things to do.”

“
Not really – that’s the beauty of hiring such excellent staff. I’m left with nothing to do but entertain myself as best I can.”

Maggie began
throwing things haphazardly into her open suitcase, wishing all the while that Marcus would leave. Hesitating briefly, she darted him an annoyed glance which should have sent him out of the room. Marcus ignored the look and didn’t move an inch. He continued to watch her movements as if there was nothing else in the world worth doing.

Just as she threw in the last item, a bedroom slipper, she
allowed herself another peak his way. His eyes were alight with a devilish gleam that made Maggie feel very strange. No wonder he had no problem with women, she thought idly. It was impossible to resist such determined charm and downright sex appeal.

“
I believe you’re a dark horse, Maggie Pelham,” he said softly.

“Am I? How so?”
Maggie knew better than to look his way again. That smile was deadly and she had no doubt Marcus knew precisely when to use it.

“I don’t want to say just yet.”

She slammed the suitcase closed and walked to the door, not realizing she’d been followed until his fingers touched her shoulder.

“
With anyone else, I might have thought this mistake in rooms to be deliberate.”

“
Deliberate? For what purpose, for goodness sake?” she asked in an ironic tone.

“
Not everyone is as fastidious as you appear to be about how they further a relationship with their boss.” Taking the suitcase from her, he opened the door and started down the hall.

“
Were you always this cynical?” she quipped from just behind him.

He deposited he
r suitcase on the bed and returned to where she stood waiting just inside the door, a faint smile pulling at his lips. “It’s called being realistic. Here you are, delivered safe and sound to your room. It even contains a window seat perfect for reading. That reason, among others, made this the obvious choice for you.”

“
Is that an oblique reference to the fact that this was at one time the governess’ room?”

“
You should be impressed that I paid such close attention during that tour you gave me. I wonder why you chose to leave out the part about her being more than a governess.”

“
Because the tour is supposed to be appropriate for all ages. And we’re really only speculating. In all events, in those days she probably had no choice. I hope he was good to her.”

“If he was willing to
spend any amount of time in this room, he must have been crazy about her.”

“You really don’t care for pink, do you?”

“No, I prefer blue – like the blue of your eyes after you’ve been kissed for instance.”

Despite the fact that she knew she was blushing, Maggie could
n’t let this go. “In light of your recent comments, and my own feelings on the matter, it would be better if we forget those lapses of judgment.”

“
It’s a relief to find you as sensible as I’d supposed.”

“
My degree of sensibility has little to do with it. We barely know each other and if that isn’t enough, there’s Felicia to consider.”

“
Maggie, our degree of acquaintance has little to do with it either. And while I hesitate to further blacken my character in your eyes, I can’t let you think that any opinions of Felicia would serve as a guide to my own behavior.”

“
That’s a strange way to talk about your girlfriend!” she exclaimed.

“
I’ve made Felicia no promises nor required any of her. She’s free to behave as she pleases and so am I.”

Maggie’s reaction to this statement was all Marcus could have wished. She looked as if he
’d just announced that the world was going to end. “You don’t feel that your relationship with her places you under any kind of obligation regarding your behavior toward other women?” she managed to get out.

“
I answer to no one,” he stated softly, but firmly.

Maggie bit her lip and added diffidently,
“I begin to feel a little sorry for Felicia.”

“
Because you’re thinking about the situation romantically and in terms of commitment.”

“Which you are not
,” she added scornfully.

“
I think we can agree on the fact that we view this subject very differently. But for the sake of your concern for Felicia, and not in any attempt to mitigate my own actions, I’ll admit that I do confine myself to one woman at a time. I’m not foolish enough to do otherwise.” He paused for a moment, his eyes looking intently into hers. “Kissing you was out of character.”

“
I’m not sure how to take that.”

He shrugged elegantly.
“At least do me the favor of taking it in a positive light. I don’t run across women like you every day.”

A
s she watched him leave, Maggie could only shake her head. She didn’t run across men like him every day either which was probably a good thing. She’d never met a man so competent at defending his own position and at the same time making it sound so logical. But none of that discounted the fact that he seemed to possess a disdain for the devotion he so effortlessly inspired. His words about hounding females had been enlightening to say the least.

With a long sigh, Maggie leaned against the door, making no move to do anything. She kept seeing his face as he spoke those hateful words. It was impossible not to compare it to another picture she carried in her
head – the way he’d looked at her that evening just before he kissed her. Did it belong to the same person? Could he look like that and feel this way?

One thing was certain; Maggie would
n’t be part of the answer. She could imagine nothing worse than to fall for a man who seemed incapable of giving his heart. It was as well that she was as sensible as he thought. Only a fool would let the tiny spark of liking that had begun to grow inside her go further. A wise person would extinguish it with all speed.

Walking purposely to her suitcase, Maggie began to unpack once more, but with nothing
close to the same anticipation.

Chapter Four

By the time Maggie finished unpacking, it was almost time to make an appearance downstairs. Deciding what to wear took time since for some reason she didn’t want to examine too closely, it was important not to appear as she always did. So at the last minute she pinned up her hair, hoping for elegance, and gaining a depth and maturity to her features that was equally attractive.

Her time was
n’t wasted. Marcus gave her a long, thoughtful glance when she silently entered the room. Excusing himself with difficulty from a talkative guest, he approached a man stationed near the window, discreetly alerting him to Maggie’s presence. Despite her comments to the contrary, Marcus was certain that her altered appearance was for the benefit of his friend. It was unfortunate that that gentleman hadn’t been able to attend.

Maggie smiled
into the dark brown eyes of Luke Bryant. Here was a friendly face in a crowd of strangers. Noting wryly that his curly red hair was suitably subdued for the occasion, she greeted him with pleasure not unmixed with relief. Luke didn’t possess the pulse-racing attractiveness of Marcus, but his impersonal kindness was just what she desired at the moment.

“
I’m glad Marcus was able to persuade you to join us,” he said as he came to a halt at her side.

“
Was there any doubt? He’s a hard man to refuse.”

“
He has a gift for managing people that beats anything I’ve ever seen.”

“That must come in handy for his work
,” Maggie quipped with a grin.

“It has helped him in other situations as well
,” Luke responded wryly.

“I
don’t doubt it.” Her eyes roved over the various groups of people dispersed throughout the room. “I didn’t think there would be so many people.”

Shrugging,
Luke said, “I don’t imagine this conference normally draws this number of participants. I think the fact that Marcus is the host is a large part of the attraction. He’s been an unexpected boon to Charleston’s historical society.”

Maggie
didn’t doubt that either, but before she could reply, her attention was caught and held by a couple across the room. From the back, the man could have been Marcus. When she pointed this out to Luke, he smiled widely.

“
That’s not surprising – Damien is Marcus’ brother. And the lovely lady with him is his wife, Tiffany.”

The couple turned
to speak to someone else, and Maggie got a better view of both of them. The similarity between the brothers was marked, but Damien wasn’t in the same class as Marcus. It was his wife who drew one’s eyes. Long, wavy hair the color of copper cascaded over one shoulder and framed a face made sensational by a pair of large hazel eyes.

“She
is lovely,” Maggie agreed. “That hair and those eyes make a stunning combination.”

Luke smiled faintly. “
I agree. I’ve always had a thing for red hair.”

Maggie laughed as her eyes instinctively settled on Luke’s similarly hued head. “Do you also admire the temper that is supposed to accompany it?”

“That’s a myth, at least in my case. You couldn’t meet a milder man than me.”

As she listened to Luke’s amusing conversation about similar gatherings he attended in the past, Maggie found herself watching Tiffany.
As was her habit, she gave her imagination full reign, and Tiffany was a good target. Her body language told Maggie that she was restless and bored. Who could blame her? This wasn’t the most exciting way of spending an evening. Breaking into these musings was Luke’s voice.

“
They’ve opened the buffet. Are you hungry? I could go get us something.”

Maggie brought her wandering attention back to Luke. “That would be great – I’m starved.”

When she glanced to the side again, Damien was still deep in conversation, but there was no sign of Tiffany. With a slight shrug, Maggie turned away and met the amused gaze of Marcus. He closed the distance between them.

“Are you behaving yourself?” he asked.

“Of course. In this crowd, that’s not a difficult thing to do.”

“
Maybe I should have asked if Luke is behaving. He hasn’t left your side since you arrived.”

Before Maggie could reply, Tiffany materialized
behind Marcus. “Where have you been hiding?” she asked as linked her arm through his.

A
brief flash of what could have been distaste crossed Marcus’ face before being replaced by the suave, impersonal smile Maggie was accustomed to seeing. “The duties of a host are numerous.”

“
I think you’ve more than done your duty,” Tiffany said softly. “There are other people here who want to talk to you.”

“Talk away, but first let me introduce you to one of my tour guides. T
his is Maggie Pelham. Maggie, this is Tiffany Seymour, my brother Damien’s wife.”

The two women acknowledged each other politely, but
Tiffany had no time for anyone but Marcus. Her replies to Maggie’s attempts at polite conversation were offhand and brief. Friendly by nature, Maggie was surprised at the wave of dislike this woman engendered in her. And though she couldn’t claim to know him well, she received the impression that Marcus shared this feeling. She felt nothing but relief when Tiffany drew Marcus away on the pretence of finding Damien.

After a
few moments, Luke rejoined her with their food. As she took the plate he offered, she said, “You got all my favorite things. How did you know?”

“I have a simple strategy. I get one of everything.”

Later in the evening, Marcus found her alone again. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet,” he informed her with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

Not trusting that look, Maggie shook her head.
“If it’s that friend of yours, forget it. I’m not in the mood.”

“
No, it’s not him. Now quit stalling and come with me.”

Marcus led her out of the main salon and into the library. Here
was the white-haired gentleman of her imagination, a replica of the mental image she’d originally created for Marcus.

“Maggie, this is Stanford Lytton. He’s the president of Charleston’s historical society.”

Determinedly not looking at her boss, Maggie expressed delight at meeting their most honored guest and agreed that they would have to find time to get better acquainted during the course of the conference. With a slight smile, Marcus escorted the man to the door and then returned to where Maggie stood waiting.

“How do you like Mr. Lytton?” he asked teasingly.

“Are you never going to let me live that down?” she asked irritably.

“Probably not. I’m enjoying it too much.”

Friday morning dawned with a cloudless blue sky and a sultry breeze that promised a warm afternoon. Maggie picked her way carefully along the smoothly raked paths gazing contentedly at dew-drenched flowers. The sun shone bright on her golden hair and surrounded by flora of all shades, she made an attractive picture. At least one male watched her appreciatively from his window before going to take a shower. He knew without a doubt she would find an opportunity to read before the day was finished.

Reluctantly leaving the garden behind,
Maggie entered the house, the mouth-watering aroma of breakfast leading her to the dining room. It was still early, so when she glanced through the open doorway, she was surprised to see two people already seated at the table. Her slight hesitation was her undoing. Marcus caught sight of her and to pass on would have been rude.

“
Were your ears burning? I was talking about you. Come in and have something to eat.”

Maggie entered the room
reluctantly, taking the seat Marcus held. To her further discomfort, he proceeded to fill a plate for her with enough food to feed three people.

“
I can’t possibly eat all that,” she protested as she took the plate from him.

“Nonsense; a good breakfast is important.
I was just telling Tiffany how fortunate I am to have you on hand this weekend.”

“Any of the guides would have done as well,”
Maggie said.

Marcus shook his head slowly. “I think not.”

Tiffany laughed shortly. “You’ve evidently made a good impression on Marcus – something almost impossible to accomplish. He’s a perfectionist, you know.”

“
Do you agree, Maggie? Am I so difficult?” asked Marcus with a mocking smile. “You can answer truthfully – I can’t afford to fire you.”

“
Who’s getting fired?” None of them had seen Luke arrive.

Tiffany
smiled in Luke’s direction. “No one; we were discussing the fastidiousness of Marcus.”

“
A strange topic for the breakfast table,” Luke commented as he headed toward the buffet table.

Marcus pushed back his chair
and stood up. “It’s a strange topic any time, but feel free to discuss it in my absence. I need to make a phone call. Maggie, after you finish, please come to my office.”

Tiffany wasted no time
making her exit. Once they were alone, Luke said, “Did you have trouble sleeping or are you a morning person? I saw you walking in the garden almost before the sun rose.”

“
If I had this yard to walk in every morning, I would never sleep in.”

“
That’s easy - marry Marcus, and you can have the yard.”

“Is that all? He might have something to say to that.”

“I didn’t say it would be easy. He’s very happy as a bachelor.”

“
He certainly gives a good impression of being so,” she retorted with a grin.

Luke threw her a quick sideways glance
. “Then again, Felicia might manage to drag him to the altar.”

“
Do you think that likely?” Maggie could hardly believe this to be possible considering Marcus’ comments to her about marriage.

“
I’m positive Marcus isn’t thinking along those lines, but Felicia isn’t one to give up easily.” He hesitated a moment before going on. “She’s used to getting what she wants.”

“That must be nice. I’ve never had that luxury.” Thinking she
’d recently met another female who appeared to share that quality with Felicia, she asked about Tiffany and Damien.

Luke’s face broke into a
wide smile. “They’re the picture of wedded bliss, aren’t they? Tiffany answered Damien’s advertisement for a secretary, and it was apparently ‘love at first sight’ for both of them, at least until Marcus came along.”

“
Why am I not surprised to hear that?”

Luke
shrugged. “Marcus does have an unusual effect on women, but in this case he was hardly at fault. By one of those strange twists of fate, he and Tiffany literally ran into each other outside the courthouse in downtown Atlanta. I don’t know where Damien was at the time, but he must have been out of town, otherwise what followed wouldn’t have been possible. Tiffany recognized Marcus and introduced herself as Damien’s secretary. You can probably guess some of the rest.”

“
Marcus invited her out, I suppose.”

“
To dinner. In his defense, Tiffany never mentioned that she and Damien had progressed well beyond a business relationship.”

“
Of course not. I could never get away with something like that even if I was tempted to try it in the first place.”

“
Neither could I, but I suppose she couldn’t resist the challenge. And she eventually had to do some explaining. Damien was easily convinced that her intentions had been misunderstood because he adores her. Marcus bore the brunt of it, taking the blame for the entire situation. But I think it deepened a mistrust of women that had been growing in him for some time.”

Into Maggie’s mind flashed a picture of Marcus’ face the previous evening
when Tiffany approached him. Was she one of the reasons he was so negative about marriage? She realized with a rush of guilt that while they had been discussing Marcus’ private life, he was in his office waiting for her. Excusing herself, she left Luke finishing his breakfast.

The
“come in” she received in answer to her timid knock sounded annoyed, and Marcus continued to give his attention to the papers scattered across his desk even as Maggie quickly crossed the room and sat down. Only then did he lift his head, his expression reflecting his dislike of being kept waiting.

“
Luke must have been more talkative than usual. I began to think you’d forgotten why you’re here.”

M
aggie’s face slowly paled during this quietly spoken rebuke, and she sat silent as he outlined a tentative plan for her day. This outward show of meekness hid a growing flame of resentment and only fooled Marcus for a few minutes.

He
asked abruptly, “Are you pouting?”

“
I never pout,” Maggie retorted through slightly clenched teeth. “Is there anything else?”