Heat in the Kitchen (24 page)

Zander got the nod and walked out onto the shallow stage where they would all later perform.

He welcomed everyone to the charity ball and with some lighthearted banter gave them a run-down of the auction, saying he hoped they'd been practising raising their hands for when the bidding started. Having thanked the individuals and organisations who'd generously donated auction items, he moved to the secondary reason they were there.

'Ladies and gentlemen, if you've taken the time to check the programme at your table place, you may have spotted that we will be joined this evening by Miss Daniella Lewis-Cannon when my brother, sisters and I
attempt
to entertain you.' There were noises from different points of the room at that comment. They did far more than 'attempt' - their short concert was one of the highlights of the evening. Zander was always modest in his abilities. A noticeable handful of people throughout the room reached for their programmes to see for themselves that Ella was listed.

'You may be wondering why we are including someone else in the family concert.' With a huge smile on his face, Zander checked the wings to make sure Matt and Ella were ready.

'Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honour to introduce to you Mr and Mrs Matthew Duval-Adams.' His arm went up in the direction of Matt and Ella as they walked on to the stage hand in hand.

There was a moment of surprised pause before the room erupted with shouts and whistles and thunderous applause.

Matt and Ella stood centre front with their arms around each other, grinning and laughing at the response. Matt looked at his wife with an expression filled with love before leaning in to give her a lingering kiss on her lips. A cacophony of cat calls greeted the loving display. There wasn't one person in that room who couldn't fail to feel the emotion that emanated from them.

It took longer than normal to get to their table as so many people moved in to congratulate them.

From then on, the evening followed the expected path. The sumptuous meal met the usual high standard they'd come to expect at a Two's Company catered event and the wine and champagne flowed throughout.

The family concert garnered huge praise as a selection of classical and popular tunes were played. Ella and Matt played a piano duet and Tess performed a medley of her jazz hits. The finale had Zander on the saxophone, Matt on the drums, Ronnie on the guitar and Tess and Ella on the piano. After much foot stomping and calls for more, Matt compered the auction raising over a quarter of a million pounds for the Duval-Adams Foundation.

*

Zander took to the stage for the final time to announce the dancing.

'… and as this has doubled up as a wedding reception, Matt and Ella will take to the floor for an opening waltz. But just before they do, Matt has a message for his bride.'

Matt came up to the stage, with Ella holding his hand behind him, and took the microphone. Zander moved across to sit at the piano and Ronnie came on with the guitar.

Ella wasn't sure what was happening but now she understood Zander's earlier comment. Matt brought her into the circle of his arms. As the music began she looked up at Matt. What she saw reflected in his eyes brought tears to hers. She felt blessed that this beautiful man loved her. With one arm round his waist, she placed the other over his heart.

As the introduction to the song commenced, Matt whispered in her ear. 'I love you.'

Then he started to sing, his voice rich and strong. The words of the song were so perfect for all that they'd been through since they'd met. She became aware of another voice and realised Tess was singing parts in harmony. Through the song he promised to love her and hold her until the day he died.

During a musical interlude they kissed - a kiss full of the promise of the words. 'You complete me. Thank you for loving me,' he whispered, just before he started to sing again.

By the time Matt brought the song to a close on a renewed promise of his feelings, tears were streaming down her face. Through them her eyes shone with the depth of her love. The song could have been written with them in mind but in fact it had been written some years previously for a pop group.

'Thank you,' she mouthed.

So lost in each other were they, they were oblivious to the tears that silently fell down many a hardhearted face. It seemed an age before the thunderous applause came.

Zander sat at the piano and looked across to Tess and Ronnie. They seemed united in feelings and thoughts - that one day they hoped to find the one person that loved them so unconditionally, so meaningfully and so deeply.

Song sung by Matt

I had done a brief search online for the perfect song and drawn a blank. Then, one day when I was looking for something else, I just happened across this song.

I have gone through the appropriate channels to seek permission to embed a recording of this on my website and, as I publish the novel, await a reply. In the meantime, there is a recording on YouTube that the songwriter has added to his own 'favourites' folder.

If you would like to hear a recording, of the song that Matt sang to Ella, by the original artists and songwriter, go to http://duvaladams.moonfruit.com/#/matt-ella/4567099475 where you will find a link to the YouTube video.

I hope you agree it's the perfect song for them.

Book Two in Duval-Adams Series

Book Two continues the story of the Duval-Adams family with the focus on Zander.

Zander is CEO of 'Two's Company', the company he runs with his identical twin, Matt.

Whilst Matt is the creative chef and international face of the business, Zander is the business brains behind the scenes. In addition to Two's Company, Zander has his own Investment firm.

Zander has received phone calls from a newspaper threatening to expose money laundering and fraud, claiming they have evidence of wrongdoing in the company. Coinciding with this news, the Finance & Investment Director has a near fatal crash whilst on holiday, leaving Zander with a gaping hole in expertise.

Lexie, a qualified accountant and investment analyst, phones on the off chance of getting work, which instantly makes Zander suspicious of her motives. The accusations, the accident and her arrival are all just too coincidental for Zander.

There is an instant spark between him and Lexie which Zander finds hugely annoying. He has a policy of never dating his employees and he is particularly disgusted with himself that he is attracted to a woman he doesn't trust.

Is Lexie as innocent as she seems? Does the spark ignite or does it all implode amidst the deceit and betrayal?

——————————————

Book Two is scheduled to be released at the end of 2012. To keep abreast of Zander's story and the actual release date, why not sign up to follow the Duval-Adams Facebook page?

https://www.facebook.com/DuvalAdamsFamily

Extracts from Book Two - Sleeping with a Traitor

Zander was having difficulty taking his eyes off her.

Convinced she was some kind of undercover reporter, she wasn't at all what he had expected. His hand still tingled from their handshake - he resisted the urge to touch it.

He'd followed her across his office to the comfy chairs along the wall, mesmerised by the graceful and sexy way with which she walked. The long, slim legs disappearing into an above knee length pencil skirt hadn't helped him drag his eyes away. Side on to him, her golden coloured blouse hugged her curves, accentuating high breasts. Tiny pearl buttons adorned the front of her blouse from her skirt up to the vee of her blouse where there was a hint of her cleavage. He really had no cause to notice such details about a potential employee and forced his gaze away.

His eyes fell upon her face and were drawn to her full mouth with a plump bottom lip.
What would that feel like beneath his own?

He shook his head to clear it and the lock of hair that was the bane of his life fell forward. His gaze continued its upward appraisal and he found himself being lost in the depths of her dark brown eyes, so similar in colour to his own. He hardly noticed the subtle eye shadow and mascara. His periphery caught dark brown hair that shimmered as the early morning sun shone in through the window. Her straight hair brushed her shoulders with a full fringe falling at an angle over her right eye.

He watched as a myriad of emotions flashed across her face. In another setting at another time of day he'd think she was turned on. But at half eight in the morning, the first day of a new job? He continued looking at her, acutely aware of the tension that zapped between them, trying himself not to be affected.

'Here we are now. A strong pot of coffee to kick start the day.' Liz almost laughed at the speed at which two sets of eyes alighted on her as she stood alongside.
Hmm, interesting atmosphere! I'd swear neither of them knew I'd come in.
As she put the tray of coffee on the table she looked from one to the other.
Definitely an atmosphere. I think they've both surprised each other,
she thought.
But there's something else going on here too.

Liz smiled at them both. 'Well I'll, er, just leave you to it.' As she left the room, Zander's lack of comment hung in the air. He'd never ignored her before. Being a lover of romance novels, Liz had high hopes for the coming weeks and crossed her fingers that Lexie would get to stay and be all that her CV claimed her to be. She had a feeling in her water that Lexie was just what Zander needed in his life. She'd had the same feeling when she'd met her dear departed Jim and when she'd met each of her daughters-in-law for the first time.

As the door shut Zander cleared his throat and reached for the coffee pot, unaware of how much time had passed since he'd invited her into his office, but sure it could only have been moments.

'How do you like your coffee?' He asked as he pushed his hair back in place.

'Weak, with lots of milk please.'

Zander added hot milk to her mug. 'Don't let Liz hear you say that. She thinks everyone should enjoy coffee hot, strong and black! This pot of warm milk is more for show that anything else.'

Lexie smiled at his comments and felt herself relax. The normality of the conversation cooling her aroused body.

Zander wished she hadn't smiled. He'd thought her stunning to look at before but her smile pulled him in to the beauty and warmth of her eyes.

To distract himself he asked her inane questions about her previous work and experience and concentrated on drinking his coffee. He had to force himself to keep believing she could not be trusted to stop himself pulling her onto his lap and kissing her senseless, or worse, stripping her bare.

'Right then.' He placed his mug on the table and picked up a plastic folder.

'Let's get down to business. Before I take you down to Finance here's a Confidentiality Agreement. I'm sure you'll understand the need for this to be signed as you're here as a temp.'

Zander passed her the two page document he'd had his lawyer draw up and watched her reaction with interest as she read it.

Her hand shook slightly as she reached the final paragraph. Zander looked at her face and thought he caught a look of concern before she carefully masked it.

'Any questions?'

Lexie shook her head.

'I'm sure you'll understand the specific reference to the media. As a family we guard our privacy carefully and as a business I have no desire for our practices to be made known to our competitors. Rest assured, we will carry out the action noted in that Agreement.'

Lexie tried to stay calm. He couldn't possibly know who she was. This must be a standard Agreement. She cleared her throat, not willing to challenge his comments.

'If you have a pen, I'm happy to sign this.'

As she wrote her signature she prayed hard to anyone who was listening that there was nothing to find. If she got hauled through the courts there was no doubt her father would disown her. She cursed the economy, her father and Mac for the mess her life was currently in as she gave him his pen back.

*

Lexie looked up and caught Zander staring at her. His gaze was intense as if he'd just seen another side to her. What had she given away? She couldn't think, she was too enraptured by the look on his face.

Afterwards, neither one of them could have said who moved first. It was as if an invisible thread between them was shrinking, pulling them in.

Lexie felt his breath against her face moments before she felt the softness of his lips brush across hers.

Some invisible force drew them closer. Zander's lips became firmer in their caress. His tongue moistened her bottom lip as he changed the angle of their mouths.

His kiss was everything she'd imagined it would be, and more. Her blood was pounding in her ears as she kissed him back. How long did they sit there? Seconds? Minutes? It felt like an eternity. No other kiss had ever felt like this, stirred her like this.

A sigh whispered through her lips. Zander took advantage and slipped his tongue inside. Lexie melted into him as their tongues met, explored. He tasted of rich coffee. Lexie was lost in a maelstrom of feeling. Sparks of light were exploding behind her eyes.

He pulled her across to his lap. She could feel the heat from his hands seep through her top. What would they feel like on her flesh? She wanted to know. She thread her fingers through his hair as the kiss grew wilder, wetter. His hand moved under her tee shirt.

'Yesss,' she breathed out. At last. And the reality of feeling his hand on her hot flesh was so much more than she had imagined. His hand moved on her bare flesh. It caressed her side on the way round to her front. Desire zipped to her core and she felt herself dampen as her body responded. She broke the kiss and adjusted her seat to give him access.

As quickly as she registered his erection beneath her, she realised his hand was no longer there.

'Wha…?' She tried to focus on Zander.

He looked at her with regret. 'I'm sorry. That shouldn't have happened.'

He moved her back to her own chair and pulled her tee shirt back in place.

Lexie was still floating somewhere in nirvana at his touch and his taste - her body heated to a slow boil. 'But wha… why…?' She put her hand up to her head, confused.