tight.
His face lit up when he saw her. ‘Hello there!’
‘Good morning,’ she answered quietly and took her seat at the opposite desk.
‘Is everything all right, Miss Lowell?’ he asked, looking at her over his PC. She wished he would call her by her name. She felt as though she was back in school.
‘Yes, yes, fine.’ She lied, unsure of how to proceed. Should she tell him about Marcus?
‘You just seem a bit quiet today. Are you absolutely sure nothing’s wrong?’ he inquired gently.
‘Oh, just finding my feet, trying to settle in, that’s all.’
‘Okay, well, it’s an easy day today. I just need you to familiarize yourself with the client portfolio and chase up some menus for forthcoming functions. You’ll find everything you need under the Client doc on your desktop. If you need any help, just shout.’
‘Right, no problem, I‘ll get on with that.’ Marisa decided to keep Marcus’s antics to herself. No harm was done, and she was sure he’d got the message.
* * * *
James felt Marisa was hiding something. She seemed very subdued, not her usual cheery self. It had only been a few days, and he hoped she would soon settle in. He liked her a great deal. He remembered she said the bed was uncomfortable. Maybe that’s all it was?
‘How was the bed last night, still not comfy?’ he asked.
‘No, not really, it’s very hard on my back; I’m used to a softer mattress, that’s all.’
He looked at her with concern. ‘Well, we can’t have that. Please order yourself a new mattress from Sanderson’s in Marlow. We have an account, just go and choose something suitable for you. Take the staff car after lunch. Mrs. Reed will give you the keys.’
‘Oh, thank you, I’d like that. I will go at lunchtime, though, no need to go during office hours,’ she said.
He wondered if maybe he should take her himself. Would that be appropriate, or was he being too familiar? He couldn’t stop himself. Seeing her so tired and anxious made him feel uncomfortable. He stood suddenly and grabbed his car keys.
‘Tell you what, I’ll take you myself now, then that’s out of the way. Hopefully they will deliver it today.’
‘Oh, that’s very kind of you, Lord St. John, that’s wonderful, thank you,’ Marisa said, smiling.
He loved the way her face lit up when she was excited. He found her very endearing, and he felt himself soften.
‘Please call me James. No need for such formalities here, and I shall call you Marisa.’
‘Okay, sounds good to me.’ She smiled as he placed his hand on the small of her back and steered her towards the door. He liked the feeling of touching her. His fingertips lingered on the gentle curve of her waist for a moment, but not for so long as to be deemed inappropriate. He did not want to appear too familiar.
* * * *
They went straight to town, and Marisa had fun trying out the beds. She found the perfect mattress but was horrified by the price tag.
‘What’s wrong, I thought you liked that one?’ James asked as she got off the bed and went to a cheaper one.
‘Yes, I do, but this one looks just as good.’ She bounced on the cheaper bed, knowing instantly why it cost less. ‘Marisa, please don‘t be concerned with the cost. It‘s a company account, and everything is tax deductible against the business, so it‘s quite irrelevant what’s on the price tag.’
He sat down on the expensive bed. Stretching out horizontally, he put his arms behind his head and closed his eyes, smiling.
‘Ah, yes, I can see why you like this one. It’s very comfy, divine. I may have to get one for myself!’ He sat up, patting the bed. ‘Come on, try it again.’
She sat beside him, and he bounced a bit, making her fall backwards. She giggled as she struggled to get back up, and he continued bouncing until they both fell back laughing.
‘Ah, that’s better. Nice to see you smiling again.’ He stood and reached for her hand. She allowed him to pull her up,
His face lit up when he saw her. ‘Hello there!’
‘Good morning,’ she answered quietly and took her seat at the opposite desk.
‘Is everything all right, Miss Lowell?’ he asked, looking at her over his PC. She wished he would call her by her name. She felt as though she was back in school.
‘Yes, yes, fine.’ She lied, unsure of how to proceed. Should she tell him about Marcus?
‘You just seem a bit quiet today. Are you absolutely sure nothing’s wrong?’ he inquired gently.
‘Oh, just finding my feet, trying to settle in, that’s all.’
‘Okay, well, it’s an easy day today. I just need you to familiarize yourself with the client portfolio and chase up some menus for forthcoming functions. You’ll find everything you need under the Client doc on your desktop. If you need any help, just shout.’
‘Right, no problem, I‘ll get on with that.’ Marisa decided to keep Marcus’s antics to herself. No harm was done, and she was sure he’d got the message.
* * * *
James felt Marisa was hiding something. She seemed very subdued, not her usual cheery self. It had only been a few days, and he hoped she would soon settle in. He liked her a great deal. He remembered she said the bed was uncomfortable. Maybe that’s all it was?
‘How was the bed last night, still not comfy?’ he asked.
‘No, not really, it’s very hard on my back; I’m used to a softer mattress, that’s all.’
He looked at her with concern. ‘Well, we can’t have that. Please order yourself a new mattress from Sanderson’s in Marlow. We have an account, just go and choose something suitable for you. Take the staff car after lunch. Mrs. Reed will give you the keys.’
‘Oh, thank you, I’d like that. I will go at lunchtime, though, no need to go during office hours,’ she said.
He wondered if maybe he should take her himself. Would that be appropriate, or was he being too familiar? He couldn’t stop himself. Seeing her so tired and anxious made him feel uncomfortable. He stood suddenly and grabbed his car keys.
‘Tell you what, I’ll take you myself now, then that’s out of the way. Hopefully they will deliver it today.’
‘Oh, that’s very kind of you, Lord St. John, that’s wonderful, thank you,’ Marisa said, smiling.
He loved the way her face lit up when she was excited. He found her very endearing, and he felt himself soften.
‘Please call me James. No need for such formalities here, and I shall call you Marisa.’
‘Okay, sounds good to me.’ She smiled as he placed his hand on the small of her back and steered her towards the door. He liked the feeling of touching her. His fingertips lingered on the gentle curve of her waist for a moment, but not for so long as to be deemed inappropriate. He did not want to appear too familiar.
* * * *
They went straight to town, and Marisa had fun trying out the beds. She found the perfect mattress but was horrified by the price tag.
‘What’s wrong, I thought you liked that one?’ James asked as she got off the bed and went to a cheaper one.
‘Yes, I do, but this one looks just as good.’ She bounced on the cheaper bed, knowing instantly why it cost less. ‘Marisa, please don‘t be concerned with the cost. It‘s a company account, and everything is tax deductible against the business, so it‘s quite irrelevant what’s on the price tag.’
He sat down on the expensive bed. Stretching out horizontally, he put his arms behind his head and closed his eyes, smiling.
‘Ah, yes, I can see why you like this one. It’s very comfy, divine. I may have to get one for myself!’ He sat up, patting the bed. ‘Come on, try it again.’
She sat beside him, and he bounced a bit, making her fall backwards. She giggled as she struggled to get back up, and he continued bouncing until they both fell back laughing.
‘Ah, that’s better. Nice to see you smiling again.’ He stood and reached for her hand. She allowed him to pull her up,
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