THE BRIDES OF BELLA LUCIA

A family torn apart by secrets,

reunited by marriage

When William Valentine returned from the war, as a testament to his love for his beautiful Italian wife, Lucia, he opened the first Bella Lucia restaurant in London. The future looked bright, and William had, he thought, the perfect family.

Now William is nearly ninety, and not long for this world, but he has three top London restaurants with prime spots throughout Knightsbridge and the West End. He has two sons, John and Robert, and grownup grandchildren on both sides of the Atlantic who are poised to take this small gastronomic success story into the twenty-first century.

But when William dies, and the family fight to control the destiny of the Bella Lucia business, they discover a multitude of long-buried secrets, scandals, the threat of financial ruin, and ultimately two great loves they hadn’t even dreamed of: the love of a lifelong partner, and the love of a family reunited….

This month Jack Valentine’s back—

and he’s as gorgeous as ever.

Crazy About the Boss

by Teresa Southwick

MILLS & BOON

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Crazy About the Boss
Teresa Southwick

www.millsandboon.co.uk

THE BRIDES OF BELLA LUCIA

A family torn apart by secrets, reunited by marriage

First there was double the excitement as we met twins Rebecca and Rachel Valentine

Having the Frenchman’s Baby—Rebecca Winters

Coming Home to the Cowboy—Patricia Thayer

Then we joined Emma Valentine as she got a royal welcome in September

The Rebel Prince—Raye Morgan

There was a trip to the Outback to meet Louise Valentine’s long-lost sister, Jodie

Wanted: Outback Wife—Ally Blake

On cold November nights, we caught up with newcomer Daniel Valentine

Married Under the Mistletoe—Linda Goodnight

Now, snuggle up with sexy Jack Valentine this Christmas

Crazy About the Boss—Teresa Southwick

In the New Year join Melissa as she heads off to a desert kingdom

The Nanny and the Sheikh—Barbara McMahon

And don’t miss the thrilling end to the Valentine saga in February

The Valentine Bride—Liz Fielding

For the Romance readers—without you

there would be no happy endings!

Contents

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

PROLOGUE

New York—December 23

HEARING his sister’s voice always made Jack feel like that eighteen-year-old who’d left home in disgrace.

How bloody stupid was that? He was Jack Valentine of Valentine Ventures, the reckless genius who had challenged conventional wisdom and made a fortune. And she was asking him to come home again.

Jack squeezed the phone until his fingers ached. “It’s been twelve years, Emma. That’s a lot of Christmases. Why should I come home for this one?”

“Do you have something better to do?” she said, her soft, cultured voice dripping with irritation.

A muscle jumped in his jaw. It was almost as if she knew he had no plans at all. “Anything’s better than that.”

“It’s time, Jack.”

He heard London in her voice. Americans loved the accent. But he heard silk and steel in the soft, firm tone that tapped into an accumulation of loneliness he hadn’t realized was there.

Swiveling his chair around, he stared out his office window and concentrated on the New York skyline instead. It was dark, but across the city lights dotted the windows in the tall buildings. Out there someone was staring at his window and coveting this office with its expensive art, plush carpet, fine furniture and the latest electronics. Standing on the street they were cold and scared and staring, wondering what it felt like to have everything you ever wanted.

He knew because twelve years ago this city was where he’d run and he’d once been down there with nothing. He’d looked up and vowed that one day he’d own the whole damn building. Screw-ups didn’t grow up to be millionaires, but he had.

“It has been twelve years, after all. Are you listening, Jack?”

“Yes. And what I hear is that something’s wrong. What is it, Em?”

There was a big sigh from the other end of the line. “All right. There is a problem here. The business is in trouble. We need your help.”

The precious business Robert Valentine prized above everything? Good. It was about time the womanizing bastard paid for his sins where it hurt him most. “I’m not sure why I should care.”

“Because no matter how stubborn you insist on being, you’re still part of this family.” This time censure mixed with the steel in her voice.

“Did he put you up to this?”

“No.” Another big sigh. “Jack, what happened between the two of you?”

Jack had protected his mother. And it had cost him.

“It doesn’t matter any more, Em.”

The unladylike snort on the other end of the line told him his sister was probably rolling her pale blue eyes in disgust as she fiddled with a strand of curly light brown hair. The vivid image made him miss her.

“I hear in your voice that it still does matter,” she said quietly.

“You’re wrong. Now, if that’s all—” He turned away from the window and leaned back in his chair.

“It’s not,” she snapped. “We need you, Jack. Your job is investing in companies. The family business needs money and quite literally you’re our only hope to keep it going.”

“Lots of investors would love to get their hands on a piece of the action.”

“But they wouldn’t be family. And none of us want to give a non-Valentine a piece of the action because you don’t turn your back on family. It simply isn’t right.”

Even if family turned their backs on him? he wondered. “They’ll survive, Em.”

“I wish I could be as sure.” Sadness shaded her voice. “As you said—it’s been a dozen years. Twelve seems like a good round number to make peace. Tis the season. Peace on earth. Charity begins at home and all that.”

“I’m not feeling charitable.” Jack rested his elbows on his cluttered desk.

“Neither am I.” Frustration laced with anger making her tone more clipped. “You disappeared,” she blurted out. “Dad wouldn’t discuss it and Mum was fragile. I was sixteen when you left me with the whole mess. Big brothers are supposed to take care of their little sisters.”

Little sister knew how to stick the knife in and twist. He’d loved her. Hell, he still loved her.

“I had no choice, Em. I had to leave.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that you abandoned me, but you did what you needed to, I guess. Now I need something from you.” She hesitated a moment, then said, “I got married, Jack.”

It took him two beats to pull himself out of the past. His little sister was a married woman? He hadn’t heard. “Congratulations. Who’s the lucky man?”

“He was a prince—”

“Of course he’d be a prince of a guy,” he teased.

She laughed, a happy sound, so different from a few moments ago. “No, Sebastian was actually crowned King of Meridia.”

Meridia. Jack knew it was a small European country and recalled something in the news recently about a scandal in the line of succession. “I’ve heard of it.”

“It’s very important to me that you meet him.”

“Look, Emma—”

“I’ve never asked you for anything,” she interrupted, her voice firm. “But I want this and, quite frankly, I think you owe me, Jack. Come for Christmas. The usual place for the family toast. I’ll be expecting you.”

Before he could decline again, the line went dead. Jack let out a long breath as he replaced the phone. His little sister married a king?

And he’d missed it.

That made him wonder what else he’d missed. But Emma had never told him that she’d felt abandoned. And she hadn’t ever asked him for anything. Until now.

“Jack, you’re out of your mind.” His associate, Maddie Ford, walked into his office without looking up from the proposal he’d given her earlier. “You can’t seriously want to put money into this. It’s crazy. It’s risky. And so like you it makes me want to shake you until your teeth rattle.”

She kept talking, but he was only half listening to blonde, blue-eyed, brainy Maddie. His sensible and down-to-earth, tell-it-like-it-is Maddie. In the two years since he’d brought her into his company, she’d become more his partner than his assistant. He’d come to rely on her sound judgment. For better or worse she’d become the voice in his head.

She was also the only stunningly beautiful woman he’d never hit on. And he planned to keep it that way because the women who gave in to him were here today and gone tomorrow. Sometimes they were gone in the same day. He wouldn’t do anything to lose Maddie because he needed her around, although what he had in mind wasn’t business related. The thing was, he hadn’t made a fortune by not listening to his gut and it was telling him now to take her with him to meet Emma’s husband.

When she stopped talking to catch a breath he said, “How do you feel about Christmas in London?”

CHAPTER ONE

London—Christmas Day

“I SUPPOSE millionaires have problems, too.”

Maddie Ford waited for a reaction from the bachelor millionaire in the town car beside her and Jack Valentine didn’t disappoint.

He glared at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m sorry. Did I say that out loud?” she asked, making her eyes as wide and innocent as she could manage.

“You know good and well you did. Was that a blonde moment? Don’t go blonde on me now, Maddie,” he said, irritation in his voice. Or was it tension?

Definitely tension and that wasn’t like Jack. Whatever business had made him insist she come along on this trip must be really important because the strain was showing.

And that was starting to concern her. Jack Valentine was rich, handsome, charismatic and often touted as New York’s most eligible bachelor. He did the charming British thing with overtones of brash American and it worked way too well. From his short, black, carefully mussed hair to his dark blue eyes with the bad-boy gleam that promised trouble in a most appealing way, he exuded the same exciting vibes that had brought down her heart not once, but twice.

In the beginning, she’d had a crush on him but quickly learned he wasn’t a one-woman man. So the fact that he’d never tried anything had convinced her she wasn’t his type. He wasn’t likely to turn his charm in her direction, which was just fine with her. She liked her job.

For the last two plus years she and Jack had worked well together. Her sensible side balanced Jack’s tendency toward rashness. They had been a team. Until he’d messed with her Christmas plans. Although he hadn’t smiled or teased her since leaving New York. The way he was acting made her feel guilty for giving him a hard time. Maybe a little teasing of her own could lighten him up because he normally didn’t do tension.

“If by ‘going blonde’ you’re referring to my current state of irritation, let me assure you I have a very good reason. It’s Christmas. And I’m on the wrong continent. Is there a reason this trip couldn’t have waited?”

“It’s one day and I did promise to make it up to you.”

That was a non-answer. “How do you make up for missing Christmas? I had plans.”

“I know. You’ve made that quite clear.”

He didn’t need to know that her plans hadn’t been with family. Her married siblings alternated holidays with their spouses’ families and this year her parents had taken a cruise. They’d invited her because they felt sorry for their twenty-eight-year-old unmarried-and-not-dating daughter. She’d declined because it seemed too pathetic for words, but she hadn’t shared any of that with Jack. He’d have teased her unmercifully and teasing from Mr Bachelor-about-town regarding her non-existent love life would be too humiliating.

“It’s good of you—”

“No, it’s not. I’m not good.”

“Okay. You’re bad. I can live with that.” For a split second, he flashed his carefree, charming Jack Valentine grin.

Was his grin always that potent? Or did his uncharacteristic tension just make it seem more thrilling than usual? Not going there, she thought. “I can’t believe you played the because-you’re-the-boss card to get me here.”

“Our difference of opinion showed no signs of letting up. In the interest of time, it seemed the expedient thing to do.”

She’d disagreed because she hadn’t liked his attitude and now it was time for his reminder that he couldn’t walk all over her. “My being here makes no more sense now than it did before. Since when do you want me to come along? And what business couldn’t wait a day? More important, who does business on Christmas? It’s un-American.”

“Then it’s a good thing we’re in Britain.”

Did he just snap at her? That was out of character, too. But before she could demand to know what was going on with him, the car smoothly pulled to the curb in front of a restaurant. It was then she realized that by continuing their disagreement on a different continent, she’d missed seeing anything of London. It didn’t matter that it was too dark to see all that much, she really wanted to see London. At least he’d promised her a couple days there. That had finally broken down her resistance.

“Why are we stopping here?” she asked.

“It’s something I have to do.” There was an edge to his voice that said whatever he had to do was tantamount to a firing squad at dawn.

There was an angry, dark look on his face that frightened her, mostly because she’d never seen it before. “What’s going on, Jack?”

“I have to see my sister.”

“Your sister?” If Maddie hadn’t been so shocked, she’d have come back with a brilliantly clever retort. But she was shocked and said exactly what she was thinking. “I didn’t know you had a sister.”

“Well, now you do.”

“What else don’t I know?” she asked as the driver opened the door for them to get out.

A lot, Jack thought, and he ignored the question, as he didn’t plan to enlighten her. He would see Emma and meet her husband. Duty fulfilled and he’d leave.

Cold London air filled his lungs as he slid out of the car before her. He walked slowly toward the Bella Lucia restaurant he hadn’t been able to get out of fast enough twelve years ago. The gate he pushed open was familiar, as was the courtyard in front of the building. Small white lights twinkled in the shrubs and a subdued glow coming through the frosted windows pooled gold at his feet. There were people inside.

His family. And he was on the outside looking in, a thought that opened up an empty feeling deep inside him.

“Jack?”

He looked at Maddie, grateful for her presence and determined not to let her know. It was just this once, because he wouldn’t let himself need anyone.

“Let’s get this over with,” he said.

“Way to make me even more joyful about missing out on the biggest holiday of the year.”

Her sarcasm made him smile. Brutal honesty was what he counted on from Maddie. She’d never been more indispensable to him than she was at this moment.

He pushed open the door, walked inside the restaurant and looked around. It was all different. Gone was the original Italian style and in its place was a trendy, smart, fashionable restaurant. A restaurant that went dead quiet as everyone turned and silently stared at him.

He recognized his uncle John, in the center of the room with glass in hand for the traditional holiday toast. Robert Valentine stood beside him and Jack met his father’s gaze across the room. The rest of the family clustered on either side of the two men and looked from him to Robert. Jack would swear every last one of them were holding their breath. He could almost reach out and grab the friction out of the air.

Maddie leaned over. “They’re all staring at us, Jack.”

“I know.”

“Do you realize everyone is looking at us as if I’m Scrooge and you’re the Ghost of Christmas Past? Are we crashing a private party?”

“We are, yes.”

Jack didn’t take his eyes off his father. Every muscle in his body tensed as he waited for the man who’d sent him packing to make the first move. The young woman beside Robert looked anxiously between them and the seconds ticked off like the timer on an explosive device.

Finally she rushed over to him. “Jack, you came. I didn’t think you would.”

“Emma?” He recognized the voice, but the petite, curvy young woman in front of him had been a gawky sixteen-year-old when he’d left. Now she was glamorous and sophisticated, her hair no longer light brown, but blonde shot with honey-colored highlights. “You’re all grown up.”

“As are you. You’re just in time for the family toast.” She handed first him then Maddie a flute of champagne.

“Merry Christmas, everyone.” His uncle John continued as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. “Here’s to a holiday season filled with health, happiness and success.” He held up his glass. “To family.”

Murmurs of agreement filled the room as everyone sipped from their crystal flutes. Without drinking, Jack set his glass on the white linen cloth covering the table beside him.

“Welcome home, Jack,” Emma said, even as she frowned at the champagne he’d abandoned.

“This isn’t my home.”

And as soon as he met his sister’s new husband, he and Maddie could get the hell out of here. He looked at her bright blonde hair and big blue eyes, letting himself feel the familiar tug for a beautiful woman. In her case he’d never given in to it because he respected her too much. She was different from the women he dated and his relationship with her was as sacred as the separation between church and state.

Emma ignored his sharp words as she looked at Maddie. “Who’s this, then?”

“Madison Ford. I’m Jack’s assistant.” Maddie held out her hand. “Call me Maddie. Or better yet, Scrooge,” she finished.

“No Christmas spirit?” Emma asked.

“I left it back in New York. I had plans.”

“After you called,” Jack said to his sister, “I decided to move up a scheduled business trip and convinced Maddie to come along. Where’s your husband?”

Emma turned to look, then smiled at the man just joining them. He stood military straight, even as he slid his arm around her waist. Not quite as tall as Jack, he had wavy dark hair and brown eyes.

Adoration shone on Emma’s face as she leaned into the man. “His Highness Sebastian Marchand-Dumontier of Meridia meet Jack Valentine, my brother.”

They shook hands and Jack noted the prince’s firm grip. Always squeeze a man’s hand as if you mean it. No one respects you if your hand feels like a limp codfish.

When his father’s words flashed through his mind, Jack knew it had been a mistake to come. Then he looked at Maddie as the prince kissed her hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness,” Maddie said.

“Please, Sebastian is fine,” he said graciously.

Maddie looked at Emma. “That would make you what? Queen? Princess Consort? I can never keep that straight.”

“Emma will do,” she said with a twinkle.

“Quite nicely,” her husband added, smiling down at her.

Maddie was studying his sister. “I think there must be something in the royal rulebook about fabulous jewels. If you show me your tiara, it might almost make up for the fact that I’m missing Christmas in the States.”

Laughing, Emma leaned into her chuckling prince. “I’m afraid the tiara’s at home in Meridia’s royal vault. But do come for a visit, Maddie. I’ve a feeling you and I would get on very well together.”

“I’m not sure I could spare her,” Jack cut in.

“I’d love to visit Meridia,” Maddie countered, shooting him a look. “His Lordship will just have to get along without me.”

“Jack.”

He turned and recognized his older brother, Max, and pleasure shot through him. He put out his hand and Max took it, then the two of them grinned at each other.

Emma cleared her throat. “I’ll let you and Max catch up, Jack.”

“How long will you be in London?” Maddie asked her.

“We’re on holiday for several weeks.” She looked at Jack. “And you? How long will you be here? Are you planning to see Mum?”

“I hadn’t thought about it,” he said.

“You should.” Emma stood on tiptoe and hesitated a moment before kissing his cheek. “You look well but not happy, Jack.”

The casual comment brought the same rush of emptiness that had washed over him when he’d looked through the window. Why now? He’d managed fine without them all these years, proving he didn’t need them or anyone else.

“Not happy? And you can tell that in five minutes?”

“Less.” She slid her hand into her husband’s and their fingers intertwined. “Now that I know what happiness looks like, it’s easy to see when it’s not there. We’ll talk later.”

She and her husband walked away and mingled with the rest of the family. Then he looked at Max and felt again that soul-deep, overwhelming loneliness. They were half-brothers and had been best friends. Max had been the one to introduce him to parties, girls and fast cars.

Jack realized how much he’d missed him. “It’s good to see you, Max.”

“You, too.” Max looked at Maddie. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your significant other?”

“I’m significant and Jack has many ‘others’, but I’m not one of them,” Maddie retorted.

“Excellent news. I’m Max Valentine.”

“Jack’s brother?” she guessed.

“Indeed.”

“Maddie Ford,” she said. “Jack’s assistant as opposed to his significant other. Upon occasion, to my dismay, I’ve dutifully smoothed the ruffled feathers of his significant others. Which I guess would then make them insignificant.”

Max grinned. “You’re a feisty one.”

Jack was taken by surprise when an unreasonable flash of resentment ripped through him. “You’re not her type, Max.”

“How do you know?” she asked.

“Max actually has a personality.”

Maddie finished off the champagne in her glass. “Then maybe I should get to know him and his personality better,” she shot back.

Before Jack could figure out how he could be so pleased to see his brother at the same time he wanted to wring his neck for flirting with Maddie, his father joined them.

The older man rested his hand on his Max’s shoulder. “And so,” Robert Valentine said, “the prodigal son returns.”

CHAPTER TWO

THE last time Jack had been face to face with his father, Robert Valentine had been enraged. Now he showed no emotion, not even surprise. He was still handsome, the silver flecks in his black hair giving him a distinguished look. His black eyes revealed nothing about his feelings for the son who had spent eighteen years trying to get his notice. The son who had struggled to control his natural enthusiasm. The son who now controlled the fate of this restaurant.

The irony of that almost made him smile.

Jack had literally looked up to his father twelve years ago, but now he looked him straight in the eye. He’d made himself a powerful man and was no longer that unsure boy who craved his father’s good opinion.

“Hello, Dad.”

“Jack.” Robert smiled his practiced smile. “It’s been a long time. To what do we owe this unexpected surprise?”

“Emma called.”

Something flickered in Robert’s eyes. “Did she now?”

“Yes. To tell me she got married.”

“Did she say anything else?” A muscle jumped in his father’s jaw.

In anyone else that tightening of the mouth would be nothing. For his stiff-upper-lipped father it signaled nervousness in the man Jack had once thought invincible. Satisfaction surged through Jack. If it made him a bastard that he took pleasure in the old man’s problems, so be it.

“She said she wanted me to meet her husband,” Jack answered.

“Sebastian. Nice chap.”

Jack shrugged. “Hard to tell in a few minutes, but my sister seems happy.”

“She’s blossomed, our Emma has, into a beautiful, self-confident young woman.”

“She has, yes.”

Funny how leaving Robert Valentine’s shadow had that effect.

“I hear you’ve done well for yourself, Jack,” Robert said.

“Does that surprise you?”

Instead of answering, Robert turned his gaze to Maddie. “And who’s this, then?”

She held out her hand. “Maddie Ford. Jack’s assistant,” she added before his father made the “significant other” assumption.

“Robert Valentine,” he said, shaking her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Bella Lucia.”

“Thank you.”

“Have you been to England before?”

She shook her head. “This is my first visit.”

“And Christmastime in London is a fine introduction.” Robert smiled at her.

“I have business,” Jack said.

“I do hope work won’t keep you from seeing some of London.” His father’s voice oozed charm.

“It won’t. Jack promised.” Maddie smiled brightly, a clear indication that the Valentine charm was working on her. “It would be a shame to come all this way and not take in the sights. Traveling has always been on my list of things to do.”

“Don’t put things off, Maddie,” Robert warned, “All work and no play…”

Hypocritical bastard! Vibrating with anger, Jack took a step forward and stopped inches from his father. “And how would you know about balancing work and play? For all the time you gave your family, we might have been pet frogs. When you weren’t buried in work, you played with women who were not your wife.”

Maddie put a hand on his arm. “Jack—”

He barely felt the touch, but her tone got his attention. The shocked expression on her face cleared the red haze of rage from his head. He blew out a long breath. “We’re leaving, Maddie.”

Shock turned to surprise and there were questions in her eyes. “But it’s just been—”

“We can’t stay,” Jack interrupted.

Robert frowned. “You’ve come a long way. Surely you can have dinner—”

“We have other plans,” he snapped.

Jack had come because of Emma, but he didn’t owe this man a thing and this place held no good memories for him. Right here the world as he’d known it had come apart. He’d rebuilt his life, but no one would be that important to him again.

As Jack hustled Maddie back out into the cold he acknowledged irony for the second time and didn’t appreciate it. Just like that night a dozen years ago, he couldn’t get out of Bella Lucia fast enough.

The difference was that this time he was leaving with Maddie, the only woman he trusted.

After checking into a suite at Durley House, Maddie couldn’t wait to get out of her travel clothes and into something more comfortable. If only she could get out of her thoughts as easily. The scene at Bella Lucia had really shaken her.

She’d never seen Jack like that. The repressed violence she’d felt in him had shocked her because she was accustomed to his easygoing charm, a trait she suspected he’d inherited from his father after meeting the man. This darker Jack with an aura of danger hanging over him was someone she didn’t know at all. And she couldn’t stop thinking about him.

She didn’t like thinking about Jack outside of business because, by definition, outside of business meant personal. On a personal level, men like Jack were toxic to her. After getting to know him, she’d filed him in the well-to-do womanizing wastrel category. But after seeing his volatile reaction to his father, it was harder to keep him there. The little he’d said revealed that Jack had probably inherited his father’s fondness for women as well as the charm to reel them in.

And here she was sharing a suite with the man. He had the master bedroom with a living room in between, but suddenly it was too close.

Damn it. She should have told him what he could do with his Christmas in London.

An unexpected knock on her door made her jump. She walked over and opened it. “What?”

“I’ve taken the liberty of ordering dinner.” He indicated the dining table behind him set with linen, china, candles, flowers and two plates.

That was all very lovely, as was Jack. He’d slipped into something more comfortable, too—jeans that fit his toned body as if they’d been made for him. As they probably had. The navy pullover sweater made his eyes look very blue especially with traces of his earlier hostility still darkening them. And it hit her like a bolt of lightning from a clear blue sky that her crush could be resurrected without him lifting a finger.

His brother had called her feisty, but she didn’t feel that way at the moment. She could meet men in business and go toe to toe. She could talk capital and investments with Jack and give as good as she got. But something had shifted for her tonight and she wasn’t entirely sure what it was or how it happened. She just knew the sight of him produced a tickle low in her belly and she was aware of him in a way that she shouldn’t be.

“I’m not very hungry. It’s getting late. I’ll just—”

“We’re still on New York time. And after leaving the restaurant you clearly expressed your displeasure about not staying because the unbelievably scrumptious smells made your mouth water.”

Not as much as now, she thought, forcing her gaze from the width of his chest. She’d seen him in sweaters before. She’d seen him in jeans. But she’d never seen him angry enough to do battle. And after battle warriors had an overabundance of adrenaline to channel into other activities. Physical, intimate activities. How inconvenient for her that she was handy, yet exciting for her at the same time, which just meant that she needed serious therapy.

“The scrumptious smells are gone. And since when do you pay attention to my whining?”

“Did I say whining?”

“No, but that’s what you meant. It’s a flaw. I’m working on it,” she informed him.

“Speaking of work, I’m the boss. And you need to eat. I’m not a heartless slave-driver.”

“And you’re attempting to prove that by making sure your indentured subordinate is well nourished and has the strength to give you the last ounce of blood?” she asked, indicating the food on the table.

One of his dark eyebrows lifted. “When did you develop a flair for the dramatic?”

“I’ve always had it.”

But seeing a different side of Jack had unleashed it. She knew his business background and venture-capitalist-on-the-rise story, but until today she hadn’t realized how little she knew about him personally. She’d shared details of her life but he never had, unless it had been about the female of the month. The arm candy never lasted much longer than that before he ended things and it didn’t affect her. Except for the occasional overly emotional cast-off who had trouble dealing with Jack’s rejection and came to Maddie for consolation, in the form of an old-fashioned session of male-bashing.

But this male didn’t look as if he’d take no for an answer. If he ever made up his mind that he wanted more from her than simply sharing a meal, she’d be in a lot of trouble. She’d never been more grateful that she wasn’t his type.

“Okay, Jack. Let’s eat.” She picked a chair, then sat and lifted the metal covering over the plate. “Christmas dinner,” she said, surveying turkey with all the trimmings.

When she started eating, Maddie found she was hungry and the food was delicious. “Who’d have guessed hotel room service on a holiday could be so yummy?”

“In a five-star hotel one doesn’t have to guess. One counts on it, which is why one stays there.”

“If one can afford it.” She knew Jack could afford it.

They ate in silence for a few moments, then Maddie made the mistake of looking at him. The brooding expression on his face tugged at her, because Jack didn’t brood, and again she was amazed by how little she knew him. On the one hand she was safer not learning anything new. On the other, that damn dark expression on his face made her want to do something to make it go away.

“So can we talk about your family?” she asked.

“No.”

She dragged her fork through the mashed potatoes so the dammed up gravy could escape. Glancing at Jack, she realized he looked like a man with dammed-up feelings in need of release. And that was why she couldn’t take no for an answer. “I thought you were going to deck your dad.”

His gaze narrowed on her. “Did you now?”

She noted that he’d elevated the non-answer to an art form. “You never told me you had parents.”

“Everyone does. It seemed that confirming the obvious was an insult to your intelligence.”

His smile held no humor and made her shiver. But that didn’t stop her. “I guess your parents are divorced? So where’s your mother?”

“Dublin.” He cut a piece of turkey and forked it into his mouth, his gaze not leaving hers as he chewed.

“Are you going to see her?”

“I suspect I’ll have occasion to visit.”

She took a hearty drink of the wine he’d poured. “I meant while we’re here.”

“Technically this isn’t Ireland. London is in England.”

“Thanks for the geography lesson.” She knew he was deliberately trying to sidetrack her. She knew he could chew her up and spit her out if the focus he turned on her got personal. But she’d developed a tough façade so that he didn’t walk all over her and was never more grateful than right now. “Just so you know, the British accents were a big clue for me. To put a finer point on it, I meant since we’re so close, are you going to visit?”

“There’s a time issue. I’m not sure—”

“For God’s sake, Jack, we came all this way. To pop over to Ireland is like going from New York to New Jersey.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Maddie studied the dark look. Jack acted on instinct, gut feeling, deciding yes or no in a split second. He didn’t think about it. That was her job. She knew he’d already made up his mind and decided to change the subject. For now.

“I liked Emma.” She finished the wine in her glass and he refilled it. “She seems nice.”

“I don’t want to talk about my family.”

As if she needed it, there was another red flag that something wasn’t right with him. He was normally open and honest, too honest. On a regular basis he told her more than she wanted to know about his current woman. But now he was closed off and detached. What was up with that?

And the way he was looking at her… Maddie had shared dinner with him before, but not like this. They’d ordered in at work, and on the intimate scale it had never even registered. But this was intimate. God knew she wasn’t experienced, but she’d have to be a moron not to feel the pent up sexual energy in him. And all that energy directed at her seemed to be affecting her brain function, which no man had managed to do since college. She had to deflect it somehow.

“Tell me about Max?”

Something flared hot in his eyes, burning through the shadows. “What about him?”

“Well, for one thing, he’s very cute.”

“Looks can be deceiving.”

“Speaking of looks,” she said, “there’s a family resemblance. Does he treat women like tissues, too?”

“Tissues?”

“Disposable—like tissues.”

“Max isn’t your type,” he said again.

“How do you know what my type is?”

“I’ve met one or two. The accountant.” He sipped his wine as he thought for a moment. “The computer geek. The chemistry professor. There was no chemistry. With any of them.”

“Like they’re going to show chemistry in front of my boss.”

“If the spark is there, one can’t hide it.”

“A lot you know.” She was hiding her feelings from Jack right now she thought, as he focused those amazing eyes on her. Her pulse stuttered and she took a deep breath. “Going from one woman to the next doesn’t exactly satisfy the prerequisites for advanced chemistry.”

He leaned back in the chair and twirled his wineglass. “Just think of me as a scientist—experimenting until I get it right.”

“Don’t even go there with me. You wouldn’t know chemistry if a science experiment blew up in your face. And it does on an annoyingly regular basis.”

“And you know this how?”

“Two words. Angelica Tedesco.”

“Ah. A lovely girl.” He rested his elbows on the table and smiled his big-bad-wolf smile.

“Girl being the operative word.” She shook her head. “I had to pick up the pieces when she came to the office in tears.”

“While it lasted, the relationship was mutually satisfying.”

“It never lasts, Jack. Why is that?” She folded her arms on the table.

He lifted one broad shoulder dismissively. “I’m not looking for anything permanent. Don’t I get points for sending roses and breaking it off before someone gets hurt?”

“You’re a hit-and-run player. How do you know there’s no such thing as love at first sight?”

A dark eyebrow arched. “Maddie, I had no idea you were such a romantic.”

She ignored the way his words pricked her. “You may not get hurt, but how do you know others don’t?”

Maddie hurt for all the Angelica Tedescos in his life. And roses wouldn’t mend a broken heart. She knew for a fact only time would do that. Time and a promise not to make the same mistake. Jack had mistake written all over him.

She met his gaze. “It occurs to me that you’re a lot like your father.”

“You’re wrong.” His voice was sharp enough to cut glass.

“Am I? What was it you said to him tonight? Buried in work and playing with women? You described yourself, Jack.”

His gaze jumped to hers as the muscle in his jaw flexed. “Aren’t you just full of questions and observations.”

“It’s part of my job and what you expect from me,” she shot back. “And here’s an observation for you. In spite of that, he seems like a charming man.”

He scowled. “Believe me, he’s not the nice man you think, Maddie.”

She waited and hoped he’d say more, but he’d shut down tighter than an airport in a blizzard. If he expected them not to talk about what happened tonight, he’d brought the wrong woman to London.

“Jack, we all have flaws. Yours is a reckless streak that makes you very good at what you do.”

“Your point?”

She stopped and waited until he looked at her. “Your father is no doubt imperfect, but he loves you.”

The dark look got darker still and his blue eyes glittered with something dangerous. “And you got that from an observation?”

“No. I got it when he told you it’s been a long time.”

“I’m not following,” he said, shaking his head.

“That meant he’s missed you.”

“Oh, really?” He leaned forward.

“Yes, really. And when he said you’ve done well, that meant he’s proud of you.”

“I had no idea you were gifted in reading between the lines.”

“It’s easy to read between the lines when one isn’t emotionally involved,” she told him. She set her fork down on her empty plate.

“And you think I am?”

“Oh, please.” She rolled her eyes. “He’s your father. You love him and he loves you.”

“And you know this—how?”

“When you abruptly announced it was time to go, he tried to get you to change your mind.”

“Translation?”

“I love you. I’ve missed you. I’m not ready for you to leave so soon.”

He laughed, but the sound was bitter and harsh and completely humorless. “Not that I buy into such a lunatic theory,” he said, “but how do you know this?”

“My father.” She pushed her plate aside. “He used to tell me I looked like a college football quarterback and I found that fairly offensive as I prided myself on being feminine.”

“And doing a fine job.”

There was that gleam in his eyes again as he let his gaze boldly roam over her. Along with the compliment, it produced a warm glow in the wasteland of her heart. She wished she could blame the feeling on the wine, but that simply explained the buzz. This sensation was so much more. It was all that attention zeroed in on her. It was exciting. It was scary. It was a stepping-stone to heartbreak.

“I complained to my mother and she explained it was approval. That he was actually saying that I’m trim and fit.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” Jack’s gaze lowered for a fraction of a second.

His attention was more than scary. It made her want to run but she wouldn’t because she’d be humiliated and Jack would win. She forced herself not to look away. “That’s when I started translating male speak,” she explained.

“Fascinating.”

“I’m convinced your father was trying to reach out—”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” He stood abruptly. “Did you leave room for pie? I had it made specially. Let’s have it in the sitting area.” He took one of the pieces on a dessert plate and walked over to the sofa.

And just like that the conversation was over. “All right.”

She took the other piece of pie and followed him. The suite, ironically enough, was decorated in the color of money. Thick jade carpet cushioned her bare feet and furniture covered in varying shades of green was arranged in a conversation area on one wall. Maddie sat on the sofa at a right angle to him and concentrated on eating her dessert.

“This is really delicious. Almost as good as my sister Susie’s. The whipped cream is to die for,” she said, closing her eyes. Memories of a past holiday flitted through her mind and she started to laugh.

“What?” Jack set his untouched pie on the table, then rested his arm on the end of the sofa.

“I was just remembering the time my mother caught us squirting the whipped cream straight from the can into our mouths.”

“A hanging offense if I ever heard one.” This teasing man was more like the New York Jack.

Relaxing, she set her plate with half the pie uneaten beside his, then curled up on the love seat. “It’s funny now, but my mother was not amused.” She rested her chin in her palm as she looked at him. “Do you remember what your favorite Christmas present was?”

He grinned. “A bike. Top of the line. I’d been lusting after it for months. Cut a picture out of a catalogue and hung it in my room. What about you?”

“A doll house. With furniture.” She sighed. “It was—”

“What?”

“You’ll think it’s silly.”

“No, I won’t,” he vowed. “Give me a chance to screw up before you make me guilty.”

“You’ve got a point,” she agreed. “Okay. It was that tweener time—”

“Excuse me?”

“That time between when you believe in Santa Claus and when you suspect the truth. I wanted to believe, but I’d heard the ugly rumors.”

“Gossip does spread.”

“I was like you and the bike, wanting that doll house so badly it was all I could think about. But I knew my parents couldn’t afford much that year. My sister got braces. We needed a new car. Money was tight.” And why was she spilling her guts? It wasn’t what she and Jack did. But she’d started this. “Anyway, I decided to go see Santa with my younger brother, Dan.”

“Dan was a believer?”

“Yeah. But he was intimidated by the beard and suit. I sat on Santa’s lap to coax him into it. Mom wanted a picture.”

“And you told Santa what you wanted?” he guessed.

“On the off chance that he was magic, I sort of whispered it in his ear.” She shrugged and self-consciously toyed with a strand of hair. “Pretty silly, huh?”

“On the contrary—” He reached over and put his hand on hers.

The touch was warm, strong, sweet, and stopped her heart. It could have been the wine, the buzz, or sharing a suite with Jack, but the feel of his hand on hers was like a punch to the gut and it took two deep breaths to get everything moving again.

That had never happened before.

“Did you get it?”

“What?” she asked.

“The doll house?”

“Oh. No. Anyway—” she eased her hand from beneath his “—tell me about your bike.”

“It was blue. And it didn’t come from Santa,” he teased.

“I knew you thought I was being silly. It’s very sad when you have to grow up.”

“It is, yes.” He looked at her, an odd expression on his face. “If you still believed, what would you ask Santa for this year?”

“Florence,” she said.

“Who?”

“Not who,” she said, laughing. “Italy. I’ve always wanted to go there.” She shrugged. “I’m not sure why. I’ve seen pictures, but I just have a feeling it’s one of those places you have to see with your own eyes.”

“Who knows? Maybe Santa will make it happen.”

“Maybe.”

When he smiled, the scary exciting feeling came back with a one/two punch. It was time to call it a night before she said something else she’d regret.

“I’m exhausted. Funny how sitting for hours on a plane can do that. I think the traveling has caught up with me.”

Amusement disappeared from his eyes, replaced by what looked like regret. “I’m sorry, Maddie. I shouldn’t have made you travel on Christmas. You had plans. With someone special?”

“Yes.” Not quite a lie; her friends were special. “But it’s okay. Actually, this turned out to be a nice holiday after all.”

The brooding look was back, as if he were remembering the ghosts of Christmas past. Quite frankly she’d never seen a man more in need of a hug.

He stood and held out his hand. When she took it, he tugged her to her feet and into his arms. They were pressed together from chest to knee and it felt really good. If he hadn’t looked so lonely, she might have been able to resist but she couldn’t help herself. She put her arms around his neck and held him close.

“No matter what you think,” she said, “your family was happy to see you.”

“I’ll take your word for that.”

She looked up and his eyes flared with something hot as his gaze settled on her mouth. Was he going to kiss her?

She held her breath, suddenly wanting to feel his lips on hers more than she’d ever wanted anything—including that doll house. But she didn’t dare toy with Jack.

He looked at her for a long moment, before lowering his head to settle his mouth on hers. One soft touch and her breathing went from zero to ragged in a heartbeat. He tightened his arms around her, fitting her body more closely to his, setting off sparks inside her. The needy moan trapped in her throat threatened to make her go up in flames. This was a place she’d never been before and didn’t want to ever leave.

But this was Jack. Her boss.

She would never know how she managed to find the willpower and presence of mind to pull her mouth from his and disentangle herself from his arms. “It’s time to turn in.”

That breathless, needy voice couldn’t really be hers, could it?

He ran his fingers through his hair. “Merry Christmas, Maddie.”

“Same to you, Jack.”

She hurried into her room and shut the door, heart pounding as if the devil were after her. The devil in the form of Jack Valentine? She’d certainly seen his dark side, a side she hadn’t known he had. A side she’d have been better off never finding out he had because she was drawn to it. The dark side was what made her hug him. And that led to…

She leaned against the door and pressed her fingers to her still-tingling lips. If only it hadn’t been a good kiss. But it was without a doubt the best kiss she’d ever had.

Now she hoped there wouldn’t be the devil to pay.