‘Although the fact that he’s obviously ill does rather change things, doesn’t it?’ Rosie suddenly opined.
Hawk eyed her warily. ‘It does?’
‘Well, of course it does,’ she came back waspishly. ‘Apart from the fact that he’s ill and will need looking after, he’s obviously also unable to work. As I understand it, you’re expecting the rest of your family to descend on you in the next few days…?’
‘Yes…’ Hawk confirmed, wariness in his own tone now.
‘And Don—my father,’ she corrected awkwardly, ‘was supposed to shop for food, put up the decorations and things?’
‘Yes.’ Hawk nodded, very aware of the fact that she seemed to be having difficulty actually calling Donald her father.
Damn it, why did Donald have to get the flu now? Because Hawk was pretty sure he was going to have to wait until his assistant was better before he got any helpful answers to his questions!
No matter how much she was determined not to answer Hawk’s questions, Rosie was also aware that if he chose to tell Donald she couldn’t stay on here her father would have no choice but to ask her to leave. And the truth was, at this moment in time, she didn’t have anywhere else to go to…
In the circumstances, it wasn’t in her best interests to be completely uncooperative…
‘Well, I could do those things for you instead—if you would like me to,’ she offered lightly. ‘If you’ll just point me in the direction of the nearest supermarket and tell me where you keep the Christmas decorations…?’ she prompted, at Hawk’s lack of a response to her offer.
He raised dark brows over mocking blue eyes, a slightly derisive smile curving the sculptured mouth that was set so arrogantly in his ruggedly handsome face. Rosie’s pulse fluttered slightly as she was once again forcibly reminded of exactly who this man was.
Only a woman who was deaf, blind or totally insensitive to blatant sexiness could fail not to tremble slightly with awareness in his presence.
But she was a woman running away from her wedding day, from a man she neither loved nor wanted to marry, which should have made her totally immune to the attractions of any other member of the opposite sex.
But it didn’t…
She tried to break her gaze away from the compelling blue of Hawk’s eyes. And failed. Instead she felt as if she were drowning in their dark depths, as if she were trying to swim against the tide, and the effort to resist rendered her slightly breathless and trembling.
This wouldn’t do, she told herself firmly. Joshua Hawkley might be one of the most dangerously attractive men she had ever met, but he was also her father’s employer—her father’s over-curious employer! She would be wise to keep that in mind.
It took some effort, but she finally managed to drag her gaze away from his, staring at a point somewhere over Hawk’s left shoulder. ‘Unless you would prefer to do those things yourself—?’
‘Hell, no! You feel free to carry on, if that’s what you want to do,’ he bit out as he stood up.
Rosie sighed. ‘I merely offered because I’m sure my father would expect it,’ she explained.
‘I’ve already said it’s fine, Rosie,’ Hawk drawled. ‘I still have to shop for gifts, anyway. One more to add to the list now,’ he added pointedly.
Rosie gave him a startled glance. Surely he didn’t mean her…?
‘Please don’t bother on my account,’ she told him hastily.
She’d brought some cash with her, which she had changed into Canadian dollars at the airport, but those funds were limited, and certainly wouldn’t last very long if she had to go out and buy Christmas presents for Joshua Hawkley and his family. She’d had no choice but to use her credit card when she booked her air ticket, but was loath to use it now. Canada was a big country, but paying with her credit card would certainly give away her location to anyone unprincipled enough—determined enough—to use that method to track her down.
Her caution would probably seem a little dramatic to anyone else, but she had come to know only too well the ruthlessness of her pursuer…
In the last few minutes Hawk had watched all the different emotions as they’d flickered across the beauty of Rosie’s face. Emotions too fleeting for him to be able to fully comprehend. But he had registered her slight panic at his mention of buying Christmas presents. What was this woman hiding? Hawk wondered frowningly, as he continued to watch her anxious features.
Because he was pretty sure from the way she avoided answering his direct questions that she was hiding something…
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