His Secretary: BBW Romance (Her Second Chance Book 1) (9 page)

At that moment, in any other circumstance he would have kissed her, she was sure of it. However he didn’t act, his lips stayed a couple of irresistible inches away from hers. With a sigh she pulled herself away, and feeling utterly confused she went over to the table she was using as a desk and began to leaf through the paperwork one last time.

He stood in his uncles hospital room, with nothing concrete to go on. For the first time in years he felt like a helpless tear away again. The one his uncle had taken and moulded into something worthwhile, instead of worthless.

“I’m sorry, Uncle Bob. I can’t offer you anything more than my gut feeling.”

Bob Pierceson, one of the most respected and influential men in London, sank back against the pristine white pillow of his bed, and looked as if he would fade away. Oliver wished he hadn’t had to come here, hadn’t made this harder for his uncle.

“Well, my boy, I’m not sure what I can do. It would look unprofessional if I simply cancelled the loan on your hunch. No matter how much I trust your judgement.”

Oliver shook his head. “There’s something not right. Perhaps if I had more time, to research Clarkson.”

“There is no more time, this deal has been in the making for months. Until you took it fully on your shoulders you were happy with it. What’s changed?”

Again Oliver shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s to do with their previous loans.”

“Are you sure it’s not just you?”

“What do you mean?” He tried to keep his voice even.

“I’m not having a go at you Oliver. Perhaps it’s the responsibility of someone else’s money that’s affecting you.”

“It never has before.” He stood in silence, looking out of the window at the harbour below. Only here could a hospital have such a great view. “But perhaps you’re right. I don’t like second guessing you, Uncle Bob. It feels disrespectful somehow.”

“Nonsense. I appreciate you watching my back on this. If my damn health hadn’t let me down it would never have come down to this would it? So the buck rests right here.” He sank lower into the pillow, a low groan leaving his lips.

“You’re tired. I am going to leave you to rest. I would still like to sit in on the meeting, but I give you my word I will keep my opinions to myself, unless you ask for them of course.”

“Deal,” Bob said tiredly. “Now, I have one more favour to ask of you.”

“Whatever you want, Uncle Bob.”

“There’s this pretty doctor I’d like you to take to dinner.”

“A doctor. Uncle Bob, I kind of already have dinner plans.” He had asked Helen to have dinner with him, and she had agreed. To phone her now and let her down would be verging on cruel, especially when she heard it was so he could take another woman out. It would blow his chances once and for all.

“Ahh, here she is.”

Oliver took one look at the pretty doctor his uncle was referring to, and knew he would indeed have to change his dinner plans. There are some things, and some people you simply can’t turn down. And the woman standing in the doorway was one of them.

He walked forward and kissed her on the cheek. “Hello, Oliver, it’s been a long time.”

“Too long. It’s so very good to see you, Kat.” He laughed, and she threw her arms around him, hugging tightly.

She’d dressed carefully for dinner, changing her outfit twice. First she had erred on the side of caution, dressing as though they were heading in for a business meeting. The warm Mediterranean breeze had wafted in through the open windows leading onto the balcony, and she had felt ridiculously overdressed.

Carefully hanging the skirt and jacket back up, she flicked through the meagre wardrobe she had brought with her, and settled for the only summer dress she had packed. Max had suggested it, and now Helen was glad she had taken her advice. Taking it out she held it up, wondering if it might give him the wrong idea, about her intentions. Was it right to look so feminine and pretty when they were here for business?

Helen hung it back up in the closet, and wrapped herself up in a robe, taking her cool drink to the balcony for some air. She took in the magical view, the scent of the ocean, and closed her eyes, imagining Oliver coming to meet her for dinner. He would smile, her heart would skip a beat as his dark eyes softened in his handsome face. She would go to him, stroke her fingers over the rough stubble on his chin, and then find his full lips, soft and receptive to her mouth as she reached up to kiss him.

Damn it. Take a risk. She turned abruptly away from the serene scene below her, and headed for the bedroom. The pretty dress stared at her, and she stared back at it. “Put it on,” she ordered herself.

Mechanically she forced herself to take it off the hanger, and she slip into it, feeling the soft fabric fall around her. It was perfect. And now bitten by the desire to attract him, she sat down and combed her long blonde hair. She and Dan shared similar colouring, but her blue eyes were never as piercing as his, it always left her feeling bland and boring. She was pale, such a contrast to Oliver, the light and the shade. Would they ever be compatible?

He knocked on the door. Because of her indecision, she wasn’t ready, and was still battling with her necklace when she opened the door for him.

“Sorry. I’ll be one minute.” She stepped back, allowing him to enter her room, but he stood stock still. Glancing up at him, she stopped, and then looked down at her dress. “Too informal? I can go and change if you want me to.”

He slowly shook his head. “No. You look beautiful.”

She laughed. “It’s OK. You don’t have to flatter me. It was this or a business suit.”

He moved forward into the room. “I’m glad you went with this. You look stunning.” She turned to look at him, and wanted to believe the look in his eyes. “Really,” he confirmed.

“Thank you.” Her heart rate had increased, the thumping in her chest so loud he must have been able to hear it.

“Shall I do that for you?”

His took the small necklace out of her hands, and she let him, her brain had switched off. All she could do was close her eyes while his warm fingers trailed over her neck, brushing her hair out of the way so he could do the clasp up. Shivers of delight ran down her spine, and set off a chain reaction of tremors through her body. This evening was going to be a lesson in self control. She could easily embarrass herself by letting on how much she wanted him to kiss her, to touch her, and more than anything, make love to her.

“How did it go with your uncle?” she asked him, when she felt capable of speech.

“Alright, he’s going ahead with the meeting tomorrow, he thanked me for what I’ve done. What we’ve done,” he corrected. “But says, quite fairly, that he can’t cancel the deal because of my hunch.”

“Did you expect him to?”

“No. I certainly wouldn’t have. If there’s no real proof it could be damaging for the bank to back out. We’re out of time.”

“Couldn’t he blame his ill health and put it off?”

“He wouldn’t do that. He’s too proud.”

“That runs in the family too?”

“Probably. Anyway, the good thing is he’s happy to let me sit in on the meeting anyway. So if the CEO is hiding something, I might be able to figure it out. Without needing to participate in the meeting, I can sit back and watch him.”

“Intimidation. I like it. You might be able to make him crack with just your presence in the room.”

“I doubt it,” he said, still managing to laugh. “Come on. Enough business for tonight. Let’s go and have dinner. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

“We’re not eating alone?” she asked, suddenly very self conscious of her dress. Perhaps she should go and change. But there was no time, he was out of the room, his fingers curled around hers, not realising the effect he had on her. She grabbed her purse, pulling the door shut behind her and trying to keep her composure as they rode the elevator to the ground floor.

The doors opened, and he stepped out, smiling at a woman who came towards them. She was dressed in simple clothes, a skirt and loose shirt, but these did nothing to take away her beauty. Her colouring was as dark as Oliver’s, in many ways they were a perfect couple, their closeness obvious in the way they were so familiar with each other.

He embraced her, kissing both her cheeks, and she giggled, bumping into him, their body language relaxed. Helen suddenly felt like the fifth wheel, the odd one out at a party for two. Feeling totally stupid in the effort she had made, and the thoughts that had invaded her mind about an intimate dinner for two, she almost turned tail and ran.

However, at the moment she decided to bolt, the other woman turned to her, not with eyes full of resentment, but curiosity.

“Hello. You must be Helen. Oliver has been singing your praises all afternoon.” Her voice was low and seductive, and Helen felt all her self confidence melt away.

“Hello,” she answered politely.

“Oliver ... you need to introduce us.” She nudged Oliver into action.

“Sorry. Helen, this is Katrina. Katrina, I think you’ve already gathered this is Helen.”

“For an astute business man, Oliver sometimes forgets the fundamental politics of social behaviour.”

“Katrina is always trying to put mumbo jumbo in my head.” He smiled at Katrina again. “She is the reason I’m so good at reading other people.”

“Oh, he’s tried that on you has he? I studied psychology before I decided to become a doctor. Oliver and I spent many hours debating what I learned and whether it was of any use. Trust him to turn it into a business tool.”

“I see. So you’ve known each other for a long time.” All her fears were compounded. She had assumed Oliver didn’t have friends, especially not female friends. He had always given the impression of being a loner. It appeared she had been rubbish at reading him, he had been hiding Katrina from her all this time.

“Forever,” Katrina said. “I could tell you things about Olly that he’s probably forgotten himself.”

“I haven’t been called Olly since I was sixteen,” Oliver said rather sulkily.

“Except by me. I know you hate it, but it’s the perk of being your cousin, there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

“Cousin?” Did her voice really come out like that?

“Yes. I’m Bob’s daughter. The black sheep of the family.”

“Come on. I’m starving. You can tell Helen your life story over dinner.” Oliver ushered them out of the hotel, they walked along the quiet roads to a restaurant with tables facing the sea. In minutes they were seated, menus in hand, and wine in their glasses. Helen relaxed, Katrina was so friendly, and for a little while she could allow herself to believe this was real, that she fitted in with this class of people.

Only once in a while did she pick up her phone and check for messages. Or a missed call. Because despite everything, Oliver’s company, and Katrina’s jokes, she missed her children more with each passing moment. Perhaps the stories of Oliver and Katrina’s childhoods were the thing that triggered it, but she hated the thought of missing a single moment of their precious lives.

“So why are you the black sheep of the family?” Helen asked as their main course arrived. “I thought you said you were a doctor.”

“I am. But that’s not what my father had in mind for a child of his. Unfortunately I was his last hope. None of my siblings have followed him into banking. Luckily for us, he took Olly under his wing and moulded him into a business man he could be proud of.”

“He’s proud of you Kat. You know that.”

“Yes, but not in the same way.”

“You go around the world saving lives. That has to trump making millions.”

“Funny. You know dad doesn’t think of things that way.”

“I bet he thinks differently now he’s having to put up with being in hospital,” Oliver said.

“I don’t know. The way he was talking today, he can’t see why he’s still in there. He thinks they’re only keeping him in to bump the bill up. It always comes down to money with him.”

Helen looked up at the tone of Katrina’s voice. For a woman who had grown up with money, it seemed odd to hear her speak like that.

“Don’t worry. Helen isn’t being a hypocrite. The worst thing she’s ever done to offend my uncle is to refuse his money.”

“It’s his money. After the arguments we had about me not following in his footsteps I vowed I’d do things my own way and with my own money.”

“She even has the students loans to prove it,” Oliver said. “You see, Helen, it’s not only poor people who have pride.”

“It’s been a long time since you’ve had to think about money, Olly.”

“I know, you also know I’d pay your loans off for you, or fund your next mission to whatever god forsaken place you’re off to next.”

“I know you would, that’s why you’re my favourite cousin.” She placed her hand on his and smiled at him. Helen sat and watched the interaction, enjoying seeing Oliver in a different light.

And then Katrina’s pager started beeping. She looked down at it hurriedly. “It’s the hospital, I asked them to page me if there’s any change in Dad. I have to go.” She stood up abruptly, looking worried. “I never knew how bad it feels to see someone you love in danger.”

“I’ll come with you Kat.”

“No. I don't want to run your evening with Helen.”

“Don't be silly,” said Helen. “Family is the most important thing in the world.”

Oliver went to settle the bill, when he returned he kissed Helen on the cheek, and hoped she could read the regret there. He had wanted this evening to be special, but things never seemed to turn out right for him where she was concerned. Perhaps it was an omen. But Oliver had never believed in superstition, and now wasn't the time to start. He would make it up to her.

Dejected and subdued she made her way back to the hotel. Not even the beautiful warm evening and the gentle sounds of the sea could bring her out of her depressed state. In some ways she blamed herself. Maybe she had jinxed the whole evening. Perhaps if she had missed her children more, instead of looking forward to dinner with a good looking man, none of this would have happened.