thinking about what you said. And you were right. Leaving last night was my decision. So I did something about it.’
Sean breathed in, his heart thudding so loudly that he suspected that she must be hearing it from where she was standing so quietly, dressed in her kimono. ‘I know now that I will always love you, Dervla Flynn, and it doesn’t matter where I am in the world.’ He licked her lips. ‘I want to be with you. Love you.’
Her mouth opened to reply but he pressed one finger on her lips and smiled, breaking the terror. ‘You see, I’m not as brave as you are. As soon as I left you last night, I knew that I couldn’t leave the woman I have fallen in love with without trying to come up with some options.’
He grinned at her and slid forward so that both of his hands were cupped around her face as tears pricked her eyes. ‘I love you way too much to let you go. I need you, Dee. I need you so much. Nothing else comes close. What would you say if I told you that I would be working out of London for the next twelve months?’
Her reply was to fall into his arms and he swept her up, holding her body tight, tight, before tilting his open mouth onto hers in a hot, hot kiss.
He cupped her face with both of his hands, his thumbs wiping away tears and water from her cheeks, and then he poured into his kiss the passion and devotion, the fear and doubts, which came with giving your heart to another human being.
‘I didn’t expect to be saying this standing in a cake shop, but it doesn’t change a thing. I am so in love with you.’
‘Oh, Sean. I wasn’t sure I could go through with today without you. Can you forgive me? I have been such an idiot. Of course your family need you. You love them and want to do the right thing. I know what that’s like.’
‘Better than you think. I have done something rash—there’s a limo on the way to the airport at this very minute to collect two very special first-class passengers from a flight from Sri Lanka. I knew that you wanted your parents with you today to see all that you have done. Are you okay with that?’
‘Seriously?’ she asked, stunned. ‘You flew my parents to London for the festival? You did that for me?’
He nodded. ‘Seriously.’ His thumb was still moving across her cheek. ‘It’s time that I met your parents. Because I am thinking of taking a break for a couple of months and Sri Lanka is on my list of destinations. If you come with me.’
‘Oh, Sean. Do you mean it? Yes? Oh, I love you so much.’
He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to hers, his entire world contained within his arms.
They were still standing there, kissing passionately, when there was the sound of loud voices breaking into their private world. Lottie had opened up downstairs and the first customers had arrived.
‘But what about your work? Chicago? Brazil?’
‘I had a long conference call with my dad and Rob last night, and we have agreed to give some senior managers a chance to show us what they can do. Plus, my dad offered me a new job this week. Could be challenging.’
‘Difficult?’
‘Very.’ He grinned. ‘Apparently he needs a new manager for the Richmond Square hotel who can fit in a bit of training now and then. Within walking distance of this cake shop and the woman I’ve fallen in love with. And all the tea I can drink. How could I say no?’
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from NO TIME LIKE MARDI GRAS by Kimberly Lang.
The Tycoon’s Delicious Distraction
Maggie Cox
The day MAGGIE COX saw the film version of Wuthering Heights, with a beautiful Merle Oberon and a very handsome Laurence Olivier, was the day she became hooked on romance. From that day onwards she spent a lot of time dreaming up her own romances, secretly hoping that one day she might become published and get paid for doing what she loved most! Now that her dream is being realised, she wakes up every morning and counts her blessings. She is married to a gorgeous man, and is the mother of two wonderful sons. Her two other great passions in life—besides her family and reading/writing—are music and films.
IN A FIT of pique, Henry Treverne—Hal to his friends—wheeled himself along the parquet hallway up to the wall panel in the door and buzzed the concierge.
‘If anyone else turns up for an interview today tell them I’ve come down with malaria, will you? I’m done with talking to fawning women who are convinced they can magic my problems away like Cinderella’s fairy godmother, and I’ve also had my fill of the ones that gaze at me like I’m some kind of longed-for early Christmas present!’
‘But, Mr Treverne, your next applicant is already here... Do you really think you’ve got malaria? If that’s true, shouldn’t you be in the hospital?’
The concierge of Hal’s building—a down-to-earth young Londoner called Charlie—sounded understandably perturbed. Hefting a frustrated sigh, Hal tunnelled his fingers through the mane of coal-black hair that was in dire need of a proper cut and bit back a curse.
‘Of course I haven’t got malaria. I’ve just got back from Aspen, Colorado, not the damn Amazon!’ He brought himself up short. ‘What do you mean my next applicant is already here?’
Impatiently unfolding the scrunched-up piece of paper lying on his lap, he couldn’t help but succumb to a ripe curse, when he saw there was one more person the agency had scheduled him to see. A woman named Kit Blessington. God save him from one more insincere female desperate for the chance to be his ‘carer’ and in all probability make herself a nice little bonus by selling a story about her experience to the press when he was back on his feet again.
‘The lady arrived early and is waiting to see you, Mr Treverne.’
‘Well, you can tell Ms Blessed, or whatever her name is, that I’m too tired to see anyone else today. Tell her she can come back tomorrow.’
‘I’d rather see you now, if I could, Mr Treverne? After all, that was what was arranged. Plus, it’s not convenient for me to come back tomorrow.’
Hal was taken aback by the assertively toned female voice that sounded in his ear. ‘What do you mean, it’s not convenient?’ he growled. ‘Are you in the market for a job or are you not?’ His already bad mood plummeted even more. The woman clearly hadn’t taken him seriously when he’d said he was too tired.
‘I wouldn’t be signed on with the agency if I wasn’t interested in a job, Mr Treverne. And, by the way, my name is Blessington—not Blessed.’
‘What’s the reason you can’t come back tomorrow?’ Even as he ground out the question the back of Hal’s neck prickled with intense dislike for this woman he hadn’t even come face to face with yet.
‘If you must know, I have another interview to attend in Edinburgh. I can’t see you tomorrow if I’m travelling up to Scotland.
