exception, been aged in their mid-thirties, petite, blonde, and curvaceously feminine—not twenty-six, tall and slim, with red hair.
In other words, even without the severe hairstyle, no make-up, and the shapeless business suits she wore, she just wasn’t Marcus Maitland’s type. It was—
‘Give me a call when you get back,’ Andrea Revel snapped as she suddenly stormed out of the inner office. ‘I may decide to see you again—but then, I may have something else more important to do!’ she ended before slamming the door behind her. Her face was an ugly, angry mask as she leant over Kit’s desk to thrust it inches away from Kit’s. ‘You think you’re so clever, don’t you?’ she hissed furiously as Kit could only blink her surprise at the attack. ‘But we’ll see who has the last laugh,’ she scorned as she straightened and, with one last flounce of her rich blonde hair, swayed provocatively from the room.
Now what on earth had all that been about? Kit wondered dazedly as she watched her leave, slightly shaken by the vehemence behind the woman.
The door to Marcus’s office opened again, gently this time. He stood framed in the doorway. ‘Has she gone?’ he enquired.
‘Are you referring to Miss Revel?’ Kit prompted innocently.
His gaze narrowed as he looked at her assessingly, a smile tugging at the corners of that sensuously curved mouth. ‘Yes, I’m referring to Miss Revel,’ he confirmed dryly, his earlier fury seeming to have abated as his normal good humour asserted itself.
Kit gave a slight inclination of her head. ‘She appears to have gone, yes,’ she confirmed evenly, still feeling totally stunned by Andrea’s verbal attack.
Marcus’s eyes gleamed deeply blue as he looked at her consideringly. ‘You know, Miss McGuire, sometimes I’m not sure you’re altogether quite what you seem…’
She remained outwardly composed, but inwardly her stomach was clenched, her thoughts were racing. What if he knew…what if he had guessed at her connection to…? But there was absolutely no reason why he should have done, she instantly consoled herself.
‘Miss Revel seemed—upset, when she left just now?’ she said briskly, deliberately changing the subject.
Marcus smiled more openly now, leaning against the doorframe to fold his arms across his chest. ‘Furious, you mean?’ he drawled.
‘Well…yes,’ Kit confirmed coolly.
He gave an acknowledging inclination of his head, his hair gleaming blue-black in the overhead light. ‘Your fault, I’m afraid,’ he derided.
Her eyes widened. ‘Mine? But—I was only doing my job just now,’ she defended. ‘Besides, she was rude to me first,’ she added quietly.
Marcus raised dark brows. ‘She was?’
‘Yes, she—’ She broke off, her frown deepening as she realised from his curious expression that he had no idea what she was talking about. ‘Exactly why is Miss Revel furious with me?’ she asked slowly.
He shrugged broad shoulders beneath the white silk shirt and dark tailored jacket he wore. ‘She’s taken exception—and I very much doubt we will see each other again—to the fact that you’re the one coming away with me this weekend rather than her.’
Kit stared at him blankly.
When had he—
When had they—
When had she—
What on earth was he talking about?
CHAPTER TWO
‘WELL, Marcus’s last PA did warn you that you might have to go away on business with him occasionally,’ Penny, Kit’s flatmate, teased her later that evening as the two of them prepared a meal together.
Yes, Angie Dwyer had told Kit that travelling with Marcus Maitland on business was part of her job description; it was just that it hadn’t been an issue over the last six months because, until this weekend, Marcus had preferred to take Lewis with him when he went on a trip.
Not that going away on business with Marcus Maitland was actually a problem. It was just the way he had told her and then chuckled at her stunned reaction that had thrown her slightly.
In fact, a lot!
‘Don’t look so worried, Miss McGuire,’ Marcus had grinned as she’d stared across the office at him after his announcement that he and Andrea Revel had parted company, and that he was taking Kit away for the weekend with him. ‘I’m not suggesting that I’m about to make indecent advances upon your person,’ he’d told her mockingly. ‘I just happen to need your capabilities more this weekend than I do Andrea’s rather more obvious charms!’
Kit hadn’t been too sure she found that an altogether flattering summing-up of the situation, but as she had made a point of deliberately playing down her own looks there wasn’t too much she could say in her own defence.
What would Marcus say if he could see her now? she wondered. Her hair was loose like silken flame past her shoulders, her skimpy tee shirt and fitted denims clung to her slender curves and there were no heavy glasses, either, to hide the large deep grey eyes that were surrounded by thick dark lashes. She looked a good ten years younger than the primly efficient Miss McGuire!
But knowing Marcus’s preference for tiny blondes, he probably still wouldn’t be impressed, she allowed ruefully.
‘So where exactly are the two of you going this weekend?’ Penny enquired with deliberate innocence as she sliced up tomatoes to go in a salad.
Kit paused in opening a bottle of wine to wince at her friend’s teasing. ‘We aren’t going anywhere,’ she corrected irritably. ‘Marcus has accepted an invitation from Desmond Hayes—’
‘The airline tycoon, Desmond Hayes?’ Penny cut in speculatively, blue eyes glowing interestedly.
‘Is there another one?’ Kit came back evenly—briefly enjoying her moment of glory as she could see that her friend and flatmate was impressed by the name of their host for the weekend.
‘None that matter,’ Penny acknowledged. ‘Wow. So you’re going to be spending the weekend with Desmond Hayes,’ she admired enviously.
Kit pursed her lips. ‘I am no more spending the weekend with Desmond Hayes than I am with Marcus Maitland; this is simply a working trip,’ she stated firmly.
‘Yes, but you’re still going to be there, alone, with two of the most gorgeous men—’
‘There’s apparently going to be a few other people staying too over the weekend,’ Kit quickly interrupted.
‘Stop bursting my bubble!’ Penny exclaimed disgruntledly, taking a sip from her glass of wine before looking sharply at Kit. ‘Don’t, for goodness’ sake, tell me that you’re going there as Miss McGuire, the PA from No-Nonsenseville? You are, aren’t you?’ she accused incredulously as she saw Kit’s raised brows. ‘Oh, Kit, you can’t—’
‘Of course I can,’ Kit said a little crossly. ‘This is a working trip,
