very easy to be around, Marisa. It makes the working day very pleasant, don’t you think?’ He looked at her again softly as she watched his lips moving. She was enchanted by him, by his eyes, his face. His skin looked so soft...so touchable...
‘Yes, I feel very comfortable around you; it certainly helps if you get along with your boss.’ She laughed lightly.
‘It does indeed,’ he said.
His gaze lingered on her, and she instinctively shifted a little bit closer to him, drawn like a magnet.
For a heart-stopping moment, his face moved closer to hers, and she instinctively tilted her chin up to him.
He cleared his throat suddenly and stood up, much to her disappointment.
He thrust his hands into the pockets of his smart chinos and paced back and forth. She wondered where this was going. He turned around and flashed his Hollywood smile again, and she felt herself responding instantly. She felt hot, and her heart stampeded, making her catch her breath. She felt like a teenager deep in the throes of her first crush.
‘I was thinking it may be a good idea to take you up to London soon.’
‘Oh, yes, I’d like that a lot.’ Marisa beamed at him.
‘Well, then, that’s settled. I was starting to worry you were about to run off. You looked so unhappy this morning. I’m glad we are all right. We shall go up to London as soon as possible. It’s about time you met the city team.’
‘Fantastic, I’ll look forward to that,’ she said softly.
They began to walk back towards the house. Marisa felt a little confused and somewhat disappointed. For a moment there, she thought he was going to kiss her.
Chapter Five
Marisa soon developed a routine at Highcroft, and on Saturdays, straight after lunch, she liked to catch up with the world news on Sky before going to the kitchen to help Meryl bake her fabulous cakes. Sometimes the children helped, too, and Marisa loved that. They had quite a bond already.
Upon entering the snug, she was surprised to see a young man she had never met before. He immediately jumped to his feet and offered her his hand to shake.
‘Hello there, I’m William, James’s younger and better-looking brother! You must be Marisa, the new PA!’ he enthused as he grasped her hand and shook it firmly.
‘Oh, hello. Yes, I’m Marisa, nice to meet you, William,’ she said.
‘I’m here for a few days. I try to pop up from London every few weeks. James says it’s time to show me the estate ropes, family duty and all that.’
‘Oh, right, well, he’s around somewhere. Shall I get him for you?’
‘No, that’s all right, thanks; he knows I’m here, no work today for me. I never work on weekends. I’m off to Marlow in a minute to meet some of the rugby lads.’
‘Right, sounds fun; do you mind if I check the news?’
‘Not at all.’ William handed her the remote control and sat down on the large, squishy sofa.
Marisa sat down opposite him in an armchair and flicked on Sky News.
She felt William looking at her, and she smiled. He seemed to be checking her out, and she felt flattered by his interest.
‘Hey, as you are new around here, I could take you up to London for a night out sometime. I know all the best places.’
‘Oh, thanks, that sounds great.’ Marisa smiled. What a lovely guy, how sweet, she thought.
Marisa looked at him in his jeans and blazer, a pale pink shirt open at the neck, a younger version of his handsome brother. What an attractive family!
‘Okay, great, here’s my number. He handed her his card, and she slipped it into her pocket.
‘Just give me a shout when you fancy a trip to the big smoke.
‘I will, thanks, William.’
‘My pleasure. Well, I’d better head into town, see you later.’
‘Okay, see you later,’ Marisa said, smiling at him. He grinned at her before leaving, and she felt really happy suddenly. She put the TV off and headed towards the kitchen.
* * * *
James St. John sat at his desk. He was thinking about Marisa
‘Yes, I feel very comfortable around you; it certainly helps if you get along with your boss.’ She laughed lightly.
‘It does indeed,’ he said.
His gaze lingered on her, and she instinctively shifted a little bit closer to him, drawn like a magnet.
For a heart-stopping moment, his face moved closer to hers, and she instinctively tilted her chin up to him.
He cleared his throat suddenly and stood up, much to her disappointment.
He thrust his hands into the pockets of his smart chinos and paced back and forth. She wondered where this was going. He turned around and flashed his Hollywood smile again, and she felt herself responding instantly. She felt hot, and her heart stampeded, making her catch her breath. She felt like a teenager deep in the throes of her first crush.
‘I was thinking it may be a good idea to take you up to London soon.’
‘Oh, yes, I’d like that a lot.’ Marisa beamed at him.
‘Well, then, that’s settled. I was starting to worry you were about to run off. You looked so unhappy this morning. I’m glad we are all right. We shall go up to London as soon as possible. It’s about time you met the city team.’
‘Fantastic, I’ll look forward to that,’ she said softly.
They began to walk back towards the house. Marisa felt a little confused and somewhat disappointed. For a moment there, she thought he was going to kiss her.
Chapter Five
Marisa soon developed a routine at Highcroft, and on Saturdays, straight after lunch, she liked to catch up with the world news on Sky before going to the kitchen to help Meryl bake her fabulous cakes. Sometimes the children helped, too, and Marisa loved that. They had quite a bond already.
Upon entering the snug, she was surprised to see a young man she had never met before. He immediately jumped to his feet and offered her his hand to shake.
‘Hello there, I’m William, James’s younger and better-looking brother! You must be Marisa, the new PA!’ he enthused as he grasped her hand and shook it firmly.
‘Oh, hello. Yes, I’m Marisa, nice to meet you, William,’ she said.
‘I’m here for a few days. I try to pop up from London every few weeks. James says it’s time to show me the estate ropes, family duty and all that.’
‘Oh, right, well, he’s around somewhere. Shall I get him for you?’
‘No, that’s all right, thanks; he knows I’m here, no work today for me. I never work on weekends. I’m off to Marlow in a minute to meet some of the rugby lads.’
‘Right, sounds fun; do you mind if I check the news?’
‘Not at all.’ William handed her the remote control and sat down on the large, squishy sofa.
Marisa sat down opposite him in an armchair and flicked on Sky News.
She felt William looking at her, and she smiled. He seemed to be checking her out, and she felt flattered by his interest.
‘Hey, as you are new around here, I could take you up to London for a night out sometime. I know all the best places.’
‘Oh, thanks, that sounds great.’ Marisa smiled. What a lovely guy, how sweet, she thought.
Marisa looked at him in his jeans and blazer, a pale pink shirt open at the neck, a younger version of his handsome brother. What an attractive family!
‘Okay, great, here’s my number. He handed her his card, and she slipped it into her pocket.
‘Just give me a shout when you fancy a trip to the big smoke.
‘I will, thanks, William.’
‘My pleasure. Well, I’d better head into town, see you later.’
‘Okay, see you later,’ Marisa said, smiling at him. He grinned at her before leaving, and she felt really happy suddenly. She put the TV off and headed towards the kitchen.
* * * *
James St. John sat at his desk. He was thinking about Marisa
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