impersonal look. “I happened to be in the neighborhood and thought I’d look you up,” she lied. “But your secretary said you were tied up all day. So”—she slowly backed away toward the elevator—“I’ll just be on my way.”
She had to get out of here before the tears started, which would be any second.
“ Natalie , I’d like to talk to you for a minute. Would you come into my office?”
She wanted to get as far away from Chase Danning as possible. She’d come here for answers and now that she had them, she wanted to run away and bury them. It was more than obvious that whatever attraction he’d felt for her was over as soon as the remodeling of her house was done. She’d been a side benefit, a silly woman foolish enough to fall in love with him.
Natalie followed him into an office that was almost as large as her house. What an idiot she’d been to believe he’d be happy with a plain simple person like herself.
“Why didn’t you tell me the truth about you and Derek?”
“What truth?” Now she was not only stupid but confused as well.
“Come on, Natalie,” his voice rose in agitation. “I was there. I heard the machine. You spent the night with him.” His accusation was full of pain.
Natalie stared. And then she began to laugh.
“I’m glad you think this is funny,” he snapped, glaring at her.
“You thought”—she laughed again—“Derek was serious?” The murderous look on Chase’s face said he did. “I told you he was an actor. He was auditioning for me. That’s all. Didn’t you listen to the whole message where he tells me it’s his latest script?”
“No.”
Natalie’s mood changed suddenly as she remembered the reason for her visit. “I thought you weren’t calling me because you didn’t want to see me anymore.” She shrugged. “You know, done with the job and the woman all at the same time.”
Chase moved toward her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “That couldn’t be farther from the truth.” His blue gaze covered her. “I thought I’d been played for a fool. I love you, Natalie and I’ve missed you. Your laughter, your smile… your sassy mouth.”
She smiled and moved her lips lightly over his. “I love you, even if you’re too handsome and too charming for your own good.” Their lips melted together. “Oh, and too rich. Don’t forget too rich.”
Chase laughed low in his throat. “You make me sound like an affliction.” He drew away slightly, his voice suddenly serious. “I’m just me, Natalie. If the money were all gone tomorrow, I’d still be rich as long as I had you by my side. “
“That’s sounds like a proposal.” She threw her arms around his neck, urging him closer as she brought her mouth to his.
“And that sounds like an acceptance,” he murmured, lowering his head to meet her kiss.
“Yes,” she sighed. “It certainly does.”
Chapter 5
Oh Christmas Tree…
“And Nicole says he’s ridden on elephants in Africa and surfed in Bali.”
“ Mmm ...that’s nice,” Maggie said, removing the tissue paper from another Christmas ornament. Our First Christmas, 1983, stared back at her in the shape of a twinkling star.
“And he’s skied the Alps.”
“Really?” Maggie re-wrapped the ornament and stuck it in the bottom of the box. Jeff had been like that star, all glittery on the outside and hollow on the inside. Too bad she hadn’t found out sooner. No, then she wouldn’t have Danielle.
“Mom! Did you hear anything I said?” Danielle slid down the soft cushions of her chair to land seated, cross-legged on the floor next to her mother.
“I am listening, honey,” Maggie said, lining up her collection of snowmen. Paper mache beside ceramics, ceramics beside wood. “You were telling me about one of your friend’s fathers who likes to ski.”
“No, Mom. See, I knew you weren’t listening,” Danielle said, rolling her eyes like a typical twelve year old.
“Okay.” Maggie put down a
She had to get out of here before the tears started, which would be any second.
“ Natalie , I’d like to talk to you for a minute. Would you come into my office?”
She wanted to get as far away from Chase Danning as possible. She’d come here for answers and now that she had them, she wanted to run away and bury them. It was more than obvious that whatever attraction he’d felt for her was over as soon as the remodeling of her house was done. She’d been a side benefit, a silly woman foolish enough to fall in love with him.
Natalie followed him into an office that was almost as large as her house. What an idiot she’d been to believe he’d be happy with a plain simple person like herself.
“Why didn’t you tell me the truth about you and Derek?”
“What truth?” Now she was not only stupid but confused as well.
“Come on, Natalie,” his voice rose in agitation. “I was there. I heard the machine. You spent the night with him.” His accusation was full of pain.
Natalie stared. And then she began to laugh.
“I’m glad you think this is funny,” he snapped, glaring at her.
“You thought”—she laughed again—“Derek was serious?” The murderous look on Chase’s face said he did. “I told you he was an actor. He was auditioning for me. That’s all. Didn’t you listen to the whole message where he tells me it’s his latest script?”
“No.”
Natalie’s mood changed suddenly as she remembered the reason for her visit. “I thought you weren’t calling me because you didn’t want to see me anymore.” She shrugged. “You know, done with the job and the woman all at the same time.”
Chase moved toward her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “That couldn’t be farther from the truth.” His blue gaze covered her. “I thought I’d been played for a fool. I love you, Natalie and I’ve missed you. Your laughter, your smile… your sassy mouth.”
She smiled and moved her lips lightly over his. “I love you, even if you’re too handsome and too charming for your own good.” Their lips melted together. “Oh, and too rich. Don’t forget too rich.”
Chase laughed low in his throat. “You make me sound like an affliction.” He drew away slightly, his voice suddenly serious. “I’m just me, Natalie. If the money were all gone tomorrow, I’d still be rich as long as I had you by my side. “
“That’s sounds like a proposal.” She threw her arms around his neck, urging him closer as she brought her mouth to his.
“And that sounds like an acceptance,” he murmured, lowering his head to meet her kiss.
“Yes,” she sighed. “It certainly does.”
Chapter 5
Oh Christmas Tree…
“And Nicole says he’s ridden on elephants in Africa and surfed in Bali.”
“ Mmm ...that’s nice,” Maggie said, removing the tissue paper from another Christmas ornament. Our First Christmas, 1983, stared back at her in the shape of a twinkling star.
“And he’s skied the Alps.”
“Really?” Maggie re-wrapped the ornament and stuck it in the bottom of the box. Jeff had been like that star, all glittery on the outside and hollow on the inside. Too bad she hadn’t found out sooner. No, then she wouldn’t have Danielle.
“Mom! Did you hear anything I said?” Danielle slid down the soft cushions of her chair to land seated, cross-legged on the floor next to her mother.
“I am listening, honey,” Maggie said, lining up her collection of snowmen. Paper mache beside ceramics, ceramics beside wood. “You were telling me about one of your friend’s fathers who likes to ski.”
“No, Mom. See, I knew you weren’t listening,” Danielle said, rolling her eyes like a typical twelve year old.
“Okay.” Maggie put down a
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