Secret Affair With A Billionaire Read online

  She pointed a finger at Daniel's plate. "There's still some food left at the buffet, is there?"

  "I'm a growing boy."

  She doubted that. He had always been tall, but she couldn't help but notice he had grown since she last seen him. He was six feet three, maybe six feet four and even behind the strong material of the suit she could clearly see that he was practically all muscle. His thick mop of dark hair and piercing brown eyes along with the permanent hint of a smile as his mouth turned upwards at the edges, all caused her to catch her breath every time she caught sight of him. Why was she so aware of his close proximity? Why did her palms feel clammy? What was it that caused her pulse to beat ever stronger and caused the room temperature to feel so much warmer?

  She tried to blame her edginess on her nervousness at having to meet him again. She did understand why he might dislike her as much as he did.

  "We will need to raise the ceilings if you get any taller." A statement made all the more ridiculous given the size of the room they were in.

  "Small packages aren't always the best. We all know that size does make a difference."

  Emma couldn't help but shoot a cheeky smile towards him as they shared a rare moment of humour. He grinned devilishly and caught her eyes and they held the look between them just long enough to know they had made contact. She felt herself give out a burst of laughter as she turned towards her brother and Hannah to see if they had heard the joke. They were too focused on each other so she turned back.

  "Did you actually just say that? And in polite company too."

  "I did. But I'm not in polite company, I'm with you."

  "I always understood that it was size doesn't matter."

  He continued chewing on his food whilst answering. "No, that's what they say when they are with a man. Once they have split up then size matters."

  Emma's mouth dropped open, then she had a good look round the room to see if anyone had noticed. She was constantly aware of her position as family hostess and of how she was expected to behave. There would be many people in the room waiting for her to make a mistake and some who would be hoping for her to make a mistake. But then as she was the one member of the Hartington family who was most relaxed she could actually enjoy such impolite conversation. She just had to avoid being spotted enjoying it.

  "Does it indeed?" She knew she was taking the bait but was intrigued to find out where this was going. "And you'd know because...?”

  "I'm sure you know more about it than me." He carried on eating. "Particularly with the guys you dated when you were last home. The last one fell a little shorter of the mark than you had planned on, didn't he?"

  Her mouth gaped open even further than before. 'Why you cheeky -'

  Emma"s sentence was cut short with the arrival of Toby and Hannah.

  "And I will be discussing your childhood with your sister so I know all the embarrassing stories about you."

  They all turned towards Toby as he held his hands in the air and exclaimed, "my childhood? There's not a lot to tell. I was the perfect child, that's all there is to know."

  "There's not a lot to add to that," said Emma, "it's all absolutely true."

  "All the bad bits ended up with the female sibling."

  She ignored that dig and continued with her conversation. "There are plenty of embarrassing photographs which should keep you amused."

  Here was Emma making every attempt to be all that her parents wanted. It was the new Emma, the mature Emma and all he did was make sniping comments about the old Emma. Everyone else in the room was allowing her to be her new persona. They hadn't forgotten the old Emma and they were waiting for her to slip up but at least they were quiet, it was only in their thoughts that the old Emma was allowed to exist. But Daniel was there as a constant reminder of past mistakes. He had been there and he was the one who had felt the full brunt of her old character. Here she was flashing her brightest smile holding her head high and all she really wanted was to discard the flashy jewels and expensive dress and slip in to her old worn jeans and baggy sweater that she felt so much more comfortable in.

  She noticed that Daniel Kendrick had changed noticeably on the outside but the ability to wind her up the wrong way was still firmly in place. It had taken him two minutes. Her time in Italy had been the first time in her life she truly felt comfortable with herself and she didn't want him to set her off on the track of self-destruction. He could keep his rugged good looks, he could keep his computer like memory and throw himself off a cliff. She had made the effort to be nice, she had tried to make peace between them but he had made it clear that it wasn't going to happen.

  She remembered when their relationship had changed forever. He had been twenty-two, she was just eighteen and they had been to a party very similar to this. He found her in the garden kissing some boy whose name she had forgot.

  But she would always remember what happened next.

  Chapter 2

  Daniel had dragged her along the gravel path as they argued. Emma protested. "Leave me alone, I love him."

  "For goodness sake, what do you know about love? You're eighteen. You have no idea what love is."

  "I know that he loves me."

  His large hand was clenched firmly around her wrist as he hauled her along behind him. "It isn't love that he's looking for Emma, you can trust me on that one."

  She tried to dig in her heels as he continued to yank her away, continuously tugging her forwards and ignoring her protest. "What would you know? You've never even had a girlfriend."

  The insult caused him to pull her towards him all the more forcefully and before she knew it she crashed into his back. He spun round before she had time to rebalance herself and they found they were face-to-face just a few inches from each other. She had never despised him as much as she did now. Who did he think he was to decide who she can see and who she can't? Who was he to tell her who she can and cannot go out with? He had just humiliated her, sent a boy she fancied running away scared and she had just had enough of being lectured.

  This is my life, she told herself, and he is ruining it.

  "How do I have time for a girlfriend? You consume all my time. Not only do I have to work, I have to keep you out of the trouble you find. It was obvious to her he was angry. But it was more than anger he was mad with fury. But his foul mood didn't bother her.

  "Leave me alone."

  "I won't."

  "You will!"

  "No." He turned and noticed an ancient swing hanging from the largest oak. He pulled across to the dangling ropes, sitting on the worn plank and pulling her towards him making her sit across his lap. "You need to understand that everything I do is for your own benefit. That idiot didn't bring you outside to this secluded part of the garden to declare his eternal love. His motives were not good ones, he only wanted to use you."

  "You are wrong, he loves me, he told me and I know it's true."

  "You have known him for half an hour and he loves you already?" He clasped her tightly with his arms to prevent her wriggling free.

  "People can fall in love at first sight, you know nothing about love." She struggled all the harder pushing at his chest as Daniel laughed. "And you can tell from a kiss if someone's declaration of love is real."

  "You can? Of course you can." He responded sarcastically.

  "Yes you can." And then came one of those fateful moments when she challenged him. "If you and I were to kiss I wouldn't feel anything."

  He gripped more tightly as the swing moved. His arms were so tight she was short of breath while she grabbed his shirt so she could remain balanced with what little control she had. "Whatever feelings you had with him, I can make you feel the same and more. A little physical attraction, kissing and whatever else he intended have nothing to do with love."

  She moved on quickly to mistake number two challenging him again. "Go on then prove it. Kiss me."

  He had resisted the first challenge but with the second invitation being more direct, it was
not an opportunity he was going to let pass. He pulled her head towards him as he pushed his own head towards her. Their lips met.

  She had barely finished uttering the sentence when she felt him press his lips against hers. Daniel was kissing her. She had no time for any other thought as her body was swallowed up in pure sensation. Her stomach seemed to float, her back tingled as she felt a warm glow throughout her body. As the pleasure engulfed her and intensified she became aware of the whirlwind of sensation as a new experience. As her lips reached out for more she tried to describe in her mind what she was feeling. It was like... what was it like? She didn't have a clue what this was like.

  And the man doing this to her was Daniel!

  Lost in new sensation and the realisation of who was causing this sensation caused her to pull away from the kiss, but he raised his hand pushing his fingers through her hair as he adjusted their heads and kissed from a new angle.

  This was heavenly.

  His lips were firm, insistent and his mouth was warm and inviting. Emma just responded with no thought required. Had she thought about it she would have realised it didn't feel wrong in the way that it should have. They had crossed a new line and it felt good, it felt really good. And she wanted more.

  As their lips danced with each other her tongue found its way to his bottom lip, he groaned with a pleasing sound. Had he made the noise at any other time she would have thought he was protesting, but she knew it was a noise meant to say 'don't stop' or 'yes, more.' But what was this effect she was having on him and why did she feel so excited. This was nothing like the kiss she had had just five minutes ago, nothing resembling this sensation had occurred then.

  As his fingers increased their pressure against her head she felt a change in gear as her heart raced. He deepened the kiss, his tongue pushing out to meet hers and as their tongues tangled she heard herself give out a soft moan. Her actions became involuntary as she lifted her hand from his shirt and pushed her fingers into his head so she could bring him ever closer.

  She shuffled on his lap to squeeze her body closer to his and the swing rocked. Daniel steadied the swing with his feet as his other hand moved across her lap to her leg above the knee where he found the long slit in her skirt. He pressed on the firm muscle of the naked leg and slid his hand upwards.

  Emma gave out a second louder moan, a noise she was not aware of wanting to make. Her body was pulsing and throbbing, the events of the past few seconds being all too much whilst at the same time not being enough. Daniel touching her like that: Wow.

  Time seemed to have stopped. Yet her pulse and heartbeat were racing so fast she felt breathless. Her skin was tingling and her breasts ached. Her body was responding in such strange and unusual ways, surely she should want him to stop, shouldn't she? Shouldn't she?

  This was Daniel!

  She so desperately wanted his hand to keep moving upwards; and she felt the need to move her knees apart to make it easier for him. She was feeling out of control as her head began to spin. Her rapid pulse, her breathlessness, his soft fresh scent and that knot in her stomach all collided and forced her to get lost in the moment. And each time she gathered a thought all she could think was his name. This is Daniel. What is he doing to me? Why is he doing this? And oh my God I will never be able to look him in the face again. How could he?

  She was brought back to reality by the sound of giggling.

  "Emma, what do you think you are doing? Have you gone mad? That's the housekeeper's boy!"

  Events turned rather nasty after that.

  "Cats are far less trouble."

  She went through a list of pet options which were far less trouble than that of small dog. She was muttering to herself as she went from room to room in search of Leila – a big house does have a lot of rooms and that is not always a good thing. But Leila loved the large house and she loved the large garden even more. From the moment she'd got out of the car after the long trip from Italy she had ran around the Georgian mansion as if it was paradise. And such is paradise when there is so much space to get lost in that you can avoid a bath.

  This was payback time for Emma as she had locked her in the stable the night before because of the party.

  There was a loud crash and a bang followed by number of muffled curses. Oh dear thought Emma, someone is injured and being a Hartington she was only too aware of people's willingness to sue the family. She offered a quick prayer and hoped that this wouldn't be an incident which would place her further in debt with her father.

  Barefoot, she ran swiftly along the hall to find Daniel on his back, Leila on his chest as he playfully wrestled with the small dog. His laughter echoed around the large room as he put the dog to one side only for her to jump on him again. Emma stood with a shocked silence. His laughter was mesmerising and his playfulness with her dog enchanting.

  She couldn't think of a time that she had heard him laugh, at least not in the way he was laughing now. I wish he laughed like that more often she thought to herself as another deep sounding rumble came up from his chest and echoed against the walls and ceiling. His broad smile and his deep brown eyes, with his open mouth and stunningly straight white teeth were set in contrast with his tanned skin.

  The image of him on the floor took her back to the Daniel she had known as a child. That memory triggered a smile in her as she looked at him. But as he lay there ruffling Leila's wiry hair, he glanced upwards and his laughter ended. He saw her and of course the laughter ended.

  Emma strode towards them rolling her eyes and waving the towel in their direction. With a glance in Leila's direction she said: "She ran away, it's bath time."

  Daniel ruffled the dogs head again: "Who's a clever girl, then?"

  She found the compost in the stable and had a good roll in it. She should have been in the bath before being in the house." Why was she making excuses? "She certainly seems to think you are a friend. Guess there is no accounting for taste."

  Daniel rolled over and sprung to his feet with surprising ease for someone so large. He swiped the palms of his hands down the jeans on his thighs to dry his hands.

  "What more can I say? Animals, children, they tend to like me."

  His deep brown eyes checked her over from her feet to her forehead in a way she found irritating. His intense gaze had quickened her pulse and when his eyes paused on her breasts where her wet shirt was clinging to her bare breasts, she knew he would be seeing the outline of her hardened nipples.

  She was uncomfortable. If you do not like someone you should not have such a physical response to them unless it is sick in the stomach or a bad taste in the mouth.

  His gaze then returned lower towards her slim waist where she had tied the knot in her shirt. He continued to take in the exposed flesh as he seemed absorbed by her long slender legs, revealed by her own, so short cut off jeans. She felt he was invading every part of her and as his eyes looked she felt as if she was being physically touched, it was as if he actually put his hands there.

  But as much as she was annoyed that it made her feel this way, there was also a basic feeling, an animal urge because he had this very male... it was a kind of physical...he just looked as if... damn him. Damn that Daniel Kendrick.

  She crossed arms in front of her breasts, hiding the physical reaction as she leaned her head to one side throwing him a glare.

  His brown eyes smiled back at her as he subconsciously acknowledged his very obvious ogling of her body. But he moved on quickly turning his attention back to Leila, giving her ears one more quick rub before putting back the small table which had been knocked over due to the collision. Emma knew this was the moment to pick up the dog and leave but it seemed to her that would be running away. She didn't want to run away.

  She didn't realise she was tapping her foot on the wooden floor as she frowned at her disloyal dog who was following Daniel back and forth as he cleaned up. Leila's face was one of absolute loyalty to her new-found friend. All Emma could think was that her own dog was a traito
r.

  Yet she was almost jealous of the dog who was quite openly showing her affection. Because she herself couldn't help but follow Daniel with her own eyes as he went back and forth. And she stood there wondering and with some sense of awe, what it was about Daniel that made her just stand there watching him. After all it wasn't as if he was the only good looking man she had ever seen.

  Yes he was tall and that would make her own five feet nine seem a little more feminine and fragile than most men made her feel. She couldn't help notice the size of his hands and how they would be perfect if they were cupping her breasts, assuming he was the last man alive of course. Did she really care that his movement had a kind of grace and style she'd never noticed on anybody else? So what? Big deal.

  So what if he is sexy? There are plenty of sexy men. She waved her head as if to get rid of her thought and took a sharp intake of air. My dog is a traitor, my body is a traitor reacting in such a way but still nothing will ever change.

  This is Daniel.

  She started picking up a few pieces of paper and placing them on the table. "So you are getting helpful now it's almost finished." He said.

  "If it means you leaving quicker then that can only be a good thing." She responded.

  "Be careful, you'll make me think you don't find me attractive anymore."

  Once again he was really pushing her buttons. Those buttons which said annoy, tease or irritate.

  "And when exactly is it I am supposed to have found you attractive?"

  "Oh come now, are you rewriting history?" He glanced over at her and irritated her some more as he shook his head by saying, "I remember you used to call me 'my Daniel.'"

  "Was that when I was about six? I also believed in Santa, granted I believed in you a little longer but your magic still wore off."