secrecy, not allowing her to tell even his daughter, Nicole, who had subtly taken up the reins of the company when Charles first got sick, any of the details of this trip. The cone of silence rankled, especially when Nicole was her best friend and they all not only worked together, but lived under the same roof, as well. Anna couldn’t help but feel that she was betraying Nicole by doing all of this behind her back.
It was for Charles’s sake, she reminded herself. And Charles deserved her very best efforts to convince his son to come home. If only she knew what the best approach was for her to take!
Instinct told her that Judd might be more receptive if she hid her true purpose for a little while longer and got him to open up to her more before she revealed the truth of her visit. But the purely female part of her worried that the longer she put off her business, the harder it would be for her to resist the powerful draw pulling her toward him. She chose her response to Judd Wilson’s suggestion carefully.
“Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to impose on you. It’s my first visit to the region and I can already tell I haven’t left myself enough time to enjoy it fully.”
Judd leaned in closer. “Maybe we can entice you to come back again.”
His words sent a shiver of anticipation across her skin. If the man got any more enticing she’d need a chillingly cold shower before the night was through. This visceral reaction to Judd Wilson was an unexpected complication she wasn’t quite sure how to handle. But at least his reply showed her one thing—he was definitely willing to let her get to know him better … at least for as long as she hid the truth.
A dinner bell sounded down the hall, saving her from making a response. Judd offered her his arm.
“May I escort you to the table?”
Anna hesitated a moment before tucking her hand in the crook of his arm. “Are you always this formal?” she asked.
He shot her a look, a fierce blue blaze of fire in his eyes that let her know in no uncertain terms that he himself could be very informal, indeed. Her body reacted on an unconscious level. Her nipples tightened, her breasts suddenly full and aching with a desire to be touched. Everything in her body tensed, drawing her into a heightened state of awareness.
“When I need to be,” he responded with a smile that was pure wicked intent from the curve of his lips to the light that gleamed in his eyes.
Anna forced herself to break eye contact. The compelling power of his male beauty was quite enough to take her breath away and to addle her wits along with it. Maybe getting to know Judd Wilson wasn’t such a good idea after all. As Charles’s assistant, she had the opportunity to interact with many powerful and compelling men, but never before had she dealt with a man with such effortless charisma.
The next few days suddenly took on an edge of uncertainty. What on earth had she let herself in for?
Two
The long wooden table in the formal dining room had been set with a dazzling array of china, crystal and cutlery. Anna sent a silent prayer of thanks that her upbringing in Charles Wilson’s home meant that such a setting didn’t faze her. Charles had insisted she have all the same social advantages Nicole enjoyed, even if—with her mother’s position as Charles’s housekeeper and companion—she hadn’t had anywhere near the same financial background.
Seated near the top of the table, at Judd’s right, Anna could observe the family dynamics in action. It was clear that Cynthia was very much the female head of the household. If Judd Wilson physically resembled his father, his estranged sister, Nicole, was her mother personified.
Anna studied Cynthia from her vantage point at the table. This was what her friend would look like in another twenty-five years—without, perhaps, the faint lines of bitterness that bracketed the older woman’s mouth. That said, and despite the swish of gray at her temples that contrasted to her thick, dark hair, Cynthia Masters-Wilson was still a striking woman.
She carried herself with an almost regal air—expecting everyone to defer to her wishes and not holding back her disapproval if those wishes were not observed. Anna wondered briefly what Cynthia had been like early in her marriage to Charles, and found herself caught by the older woman’s very intent gaze. Giving her hostess a smile, Anna tore her eyes away, mildly horrified that she’d been caught staring. The last thing she wanted to do was attract attention to herself.
There was a strong bond between Cynthia and her son, too, Anna observed. Judd, it seemed, was the only one capable of defusing his mother’s rather autocratic attitude and bringing a genuine smile of warmth to her fine features. So why then, when her son was obviously so important to her, had Cynthia left behind her one-year-old daughter, Nicole, when she’d returned to Australia? Had she ever taken a moment to think about the baby girl she’d left behind and what impact her abandonment would have on that infant’s life?
Anna had come to Australia full of sympathy for Charles, who had been so hurt by Cynthia’s actions during their marriage. But seeing the woman now just brought home how badly Nicole had been cheated, as well.
“You’re looking serious. Is everything okay with your meal?” Judd asked softly in her ear.
The gentle caress of his warm breath made her skin tingle, and she forced her concentration back from where she’d let it lead her. Anna shook her head.
“No, everything is wonderful, thank you.”
“Is it something else that’s bothering you?” he pressed, reaching across the table in front of him to lift a bottle of wine to top off her glass.
Just you, she thought before giving her head a shake.
“I’m perhaps a little tired, that’s all.”
“We can be a bit overwhelming, can’t we?” he commented.
“No, it’s not that. Actually, I envy you this. I’m an only child, as were both my parents. To have so many family members all in one place … Well, you’re lucky.”
“Yes, we are lucky—and equally cursed at the same time,” he said with a charming wink that took the sting out of the latter part of his statement.
And Nicole should have had the chance to be a part of this, too, Anna added silently. Not for the first time, she wondered what had happened to drive Charles and Cynthia, and their children, apart. Whatever it was, Charles had flatly refused to discuss it, aside from saying that Cynthia had betrayed his trust—something she knew that Charles considered unforgivable. Whatever it was, Anna knew that it had not only ruined his marriage, but it had led to a major rift between himself and his business partner also. So many lives altered. And here she was, trying to mend a fence. Boy, was she ever out of her depth.
By the time the meal had progressed to coffee and dessert, Anna asked to be excused from the table, pleading tiredness. The gentlemen at the table stood as she moved her chair back, and she found herself completely charmed by the effortless old-world manners.
“Thank you all so much for your company tonight, and for dinner,” she said.
“You’re very welcome, Anna. Just let housekeeping know tomorrow if you’ll be joining us again during your stay,” Cynthia said graciously. “Do you have anything special planned for tomorrow?”
“We’ll be doing some sightseeing
