Maid For The Untamed Billionaire (Mills & Boon Modern) (Housekeeper Brides for Billionaires, Book 1)

by Miranda Lee

  He swallowed before he spoke, lest a thickened voice betray him. ‘You don’t have to do anything, Abby. It was my pleasure to follow through with Craig’s wishes. He obviously liked and admired you a lot.’

  She flushed prettily. ‘Not as much as he liked and admired you. Look, I thought that perhaps I could cook you dinner one night. I know that’s not much in the way of a thank you present, but I’m actually a very good cook.’

  ‘I’m sure you are, Abby, but truly, it’s not necessary.’

  Her face fell again, which made him feel dreadful. After all, she didn’t know the battle that was going on inside him. It was obvious she wanted to do this. A thought suddenly occurred which would hopefully save his sanity.

  ‘Very well,’ he agreed. ‘Dinner it is. But not just for me,’ he added. ‘For my sister as well.’

  Abby blinked her confusion. ‘Your sister?’

  ‘Yeah, my sister, Sophie. I promised to take her out to dinner next Friday night. She’s the only one in my family who knows about Craig’s letter and she was saying the other day that she’d love to meet you. We could kill two birds with one stone. What do you say, Abby? Would you mind cooking for her as well?’

  ‘I wouldn’t mind at all. But maybe your sister would mind.’

  ‘Good heavens, no. She’d love it.’

  ‘Well, if you’re sure…’

  ‘I’m very sure.’

  ‘Your place or mine?’

  Jake almost choked on the spot. ‘What?’

  ‘Do you want me to cook the dinner at my place or yours?’

  What had he been thinking? About sex, of course. What else?

  ‘I don’t mind either way, Abby, but then I don’t have a problem with neighbours. Perhaps we should have this dinner at my place?’

  ‘Yes, I think that would be best.’

  He looked at her and thought none of this was for the best. But Sophie’s presence would at least stop him from doing something stupid—like piling on the charm and plying Abby with wine before carrying her up to bed and having his wicked way with her all night long.

  ‘I presume you’ll be okay to drive home alone in your new car,’ he said. ‘You won’t be nervous, will you?’

  ‘Maybe a little. But only because it’s new. I really am a good driver. And the car has GPS. Even if it didn’t, I know the roads around here like the back of my hand. I used to live out this way. The fish and chip shop I worked in for years is just around the corner.’

  Jake was suddenly overwhelmed with curiosity about her life before coming to work for him, especially about her marriage and, yes, her drowned husband. The temptation to invite her to go for coffee with him somewhere was acute, but he resisted it.

  Just.

  ‘In that case I won’t worry about you,’ he said instead. ‘Off you go then.’

  Abby sighed. ‘What a shame. I would have loved another ride in that gorgeous car of yours.’

  Don’t say a single word, his conscience insisted firmly.

  Suddenly, Abby beamed up at him. ‘But I’m going to enjoy driving my own gorgeous little car even more. Bye, Jake. And thanks again.’

  ‘My pleasure,’ he returned. And, despite everything else, it had been. How perverse was that?

  He shook his head as he watched her drive off with surprising confidence, not hesitating before joining the traffic and changing lanes quite assertively. Naïve and vulnerable Abby might be in some ways, but in practical life skills she seemed experienced and assured.

  Once again, he wondered about her life before she’d been widowed, and even before that. What kind of child had she been? What were her parents like? Had she been good at school? Possibly not, if she’d ended up working in a fish and chip shop. But she certainly wasn’t dumb. When Raoul had been showing her all the features of the car, she’d been very quick on the uptake. She also claimed to be a good cook and Jake came to the conclusion that Abby would be good at anything she set her mind to.

  Inevitably, his own mind shifted to other areas at which Abby might excel. She’d been married for quite a few years, after all. And she hadn’t gone to work during all that time. Clearly, she’d been content to stay home and be the kind of old-fashioned housewife a lot of men craved, always being there when hubby came home. He could see her now, waiting on the man she loved hand and foot, giving him everything he desired, in bed and out. As much as Jake didn’t want that kind of life—or wife—for himself, he could see its appeal. He could see Abby’s appeal. He could feel it, right now. He didn’t want to marry her, but he did want her.

  ‘Damn and blast,’ Jake growled to himself as he marched off to where he’d parked his own car. He virtually threw himself behind the wheel, slamming it with both fists in a burst of frustration unlike any he’d ever felt before.

  When he eventually calmed down, he just sat there, thinking.

  Jake decided he should never have broken up with Olivia. He wasn’t the sort of man who liked to sleep alone for too long. And she would be a good distraction from Abby. But there was no going back now. And if he was honest he didn’t really want to.

  Maybe he should give Maddie Hanks a call. She was still in Sydney, he knew. Okay, so her charms were rather obvious but, on the plus side, she wasn’t interested in becoming Mrs Jake Sanderson. She just wanted some fun and games whilst she was here. A man would have to be a fool to knock that back, especially one who was climbing the walls with frustration. She’d given him her number after the show and he’d politely put it in his phone, even though at the time he’d had no intention of acting on her none too subtle invitation.

  But lots of water had gone under the bridge since then.

  Jake pulled out his phone and brought up her number, his lips pursing as his finger hovered. Did he really want to go to bed with someone like that?

  Jake could not believe it when he abruptly deleted Maddie Hanks’s number and rang his sister instead.

  Sophie answered quickly. ‘Hi, Jake, darling. How are you bearing up? You know, I watched you yesterday on that silly show you do, and I thought you looked a bit down.’

  ‘What do you mean, calling my show silly?’

  ‘Perhaps silly is not the right word. Lightweight, then.’

  ‘Still, hardly a compliment.’ But she was right. It was lightweight. No wonder he was bored. He’d meant it to be a hard-hitting current affairs show when he’d conceived it, but it hadn’t turned out that way.

  ‘If the cap fits, wear it, Jake. Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call? You’re not going to call off our dinner date next Friday, are you?’

  ‘Not at all. But I have a favour to ask you…’

  And he told her everything.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  ABBY FELT SATISFIED as she surveyed the dinner table in Jake’s formal dining room. She had copied the exquisite setting from one of her sister’s magazines, having known straight away it would suit the polished wooden floors and white walls of Jake’s dining room. She’d used Jake’s cutlery and glassware, but she’d bought the snow-white tablecloth and white napkins, along with the red and black table mats and matching coasters from the magazine, which Abby had found in a city store.

  Since Jake’s dining table could seat eight she’d only set one end of it, with Jake at the head, his sister to his right and herself to his left. That way she was nearer the door and the kitchen. Abby had also bought a crystal candlestick as a centrepiece, which held one red candle. A vase of fresh flowers from her own garden sat on the carved wooden sideboard, along with a vanilla-scented candle which she hoped would mask any smell which might waft from the kitchen once she started cooking the prawns and scallops.

  It had taken ages for Abby to settle on a menu for the dinner party. She didn’t want to be dashing in and out to the kitchen all the time but, having been reassured by Jake over the phone that neither he nor S
ophie were fussy eaters, she’d chosen a seafood platter entrée, rack of lamb for the main and a passionfruit-topped cheesecake which she’d cooked in advance and which she knew from experience tasted better after spending a day in the fridge. The various wines had come courtesy of recommendations from the man who owned her local wine shop.

  A quick glance at her watch warned her that she only had twelve minutes before Jake and Sophie were due to arrive. Abby had told Jake over the phone that she didn’t want him around whilst she was cooking, which hadn’t seemed to bother him. Jake had said he’d go to his sister’s place after work and they would drive to Balmain together.

  Abby had had another reason for wanting Jake to be absent during her preparations for the evening. She’d wanted to surprise him with the table setting, not to mention the fact she was actually wearing a dress. When Jake had let slip that his sister was a professional stylist, Abby had gone shopping again, knowing instinctively that jeans were not the right sort of thing to wear for the dinner.

  She did feel some guilt that she’d gone and bought some more clothes, but there was no denying the pleasure she got every time she looked at herself in the large mirror in Jake’s hallway, which was what she was doing at this very moment, staring at herself and hoping Jake would like what he saw.

  In one way, Abby wished it was just the two of them tonight. Though, really, that was all so much pie in the sky, hoping that he would suddenly fancy her the way Megan said he would. Abby knew how men acted when they fancied a woman and it certainly wasn’t to organise a third person to be present when they could easily have been alone. On top of that, she wasn’t at her best making conversation with strangers. And Jake’s sister was a stranger.

  No sooner had this wimpy thought entered Abby’s head than it was banished.

  ‘No more negative thoughts!’ came her firm lecture as she stared at her reflection in the mirror and put on an assertive face. ‘So you’re a bit nervous about meeting Sophie. That’s only natural. She’s a professional stylist—a sophisticated career woman who’s no doubt as good-looking as her brother. But you’ll be fine. You look darned good yourself. And you’re no dumb blonde. You’re smart. You know you are. Jake’s uncle thought so too.’

  Whirling on her new high heels, Abby marched back into the kitchen determined to be more confident.

  ‘You’re not very talkative,’ Sophie said after she parked her car outside Jake’s place right on seven. ‘If I didn’t know you better, I’d think you were nervous.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Jake snapped. ‘I don’t get nervous.’ Which was true. He was, however, apprehensive about the evening ahead.

  Despite having physically avoided Abby during the week, they’d talked a couple of times over the phone. Nothing personal, just Abby asking him about what foods he and his sister liked. But even her voice did wicked things to him. How was he going to cope with the real thing tonight? During one phone call he’d been so turned on, he’d been seriously tempted to tell her Sophie couldn’t make it and it would just be the two of them.

  If only Abby wasn’t so darned sweet he might have done exactly that.

  ‘Then what is your problem?’ Sophie persisted as they walked up to the front door together. ‘The girl said she didn’t want to get married again. What’s to stop you from dating her, if that’s what you want?’

  Jake threw his sister a convincingly exasperated look. ‘Come on, sis. Abby only thinks she doesn’t want marriage and children, but she’ll change her mind about that eventually. Besides,’ he added, ‘she doesn’t fancy me.’

  Sophie laughed. ‘Not only nervous but delusional. You’ve got it so bad your brain is addled. Of course she fancies you. That’s why she offered to cook you dinner, you fool. You’re not very good at reading between the lines, are you? And I thought you were a smart guy where women were concerned.’

  ‘You don’t understand,’ Jake muttered as he inserted his key in the front door. ‘I’m trying to do the right thing here.’

  ‘Mmm… The road to hell is paved with good intentions, you know.’

  ‘Yeah, I know. I’m already there.’ And he pushed open the door.

  ‘Something smells nice,’ Sophie said on entering the hallway. ‘Oh, look, it’s a scented candle,’ she added after peeking into the dining room. ‘My, doesn’t the table look lovely. Your Abby’s gone to a lot of trouble.’

  Jake heard the innuendo in Sophie’s voice. ‘Please don’t start reading anything into this evening’s dinner, sister dear. Abby has no romantic feelings for me whatsoever. She’s just a very nice woman. This is gratitude, not lust.’ He was the one in lust.

  ‘Abby, we’re here!’ he called out as he took Sophie’s arm and steered her down the hallway into the kitchen.

  ‘My goodness!’ he exclaimed. ‘You’re wearing a dress.’ Or almost wearing one. His eyes clamped onto her cleavage and didn’t budge.

  Sophie winced at Jake’s tone. Heavens, he made it sound as if wearing a dress was a crime.

  Sophie watched the dismay on the girl’s face quickly change to defiance.

  ‘I am indeed,’ she said as she came closer and twirled around for him to see her better.

  Sophie tried not to smile at the look on her brother’s face. Truly, the poor idiot was more than just smitten. If she didn’t know him better, she might have thought he’d fallen in love. And she could see why.

  Abby was one seriously attractive girl, with a delicately featured face with lovely greenish eyes, perfect skin and the most dazzling smile. There was nothing wrong with her figure either, which was most eye-catching, its hourglass shape shown to advantage in a floral wrap-around dress, the bodice crossing over her bust before tying into a bow on her left hip.

  Of course, if Sophie had dressed her, she would have chosen a block colour rather than floral, and the V neckline would have been much lower. Why have great boobs if you didn’t flaunt them, especially when you were young?

  But all that was beside the point. The point at this precise moment was the way her brother was acting. Which was totally unacceptable.

  Sophie decided to step in and smooth things over till Jake could get control of his hormones.

  ‘I’m Sophie,’ she introduced herself brightly, coming forward to give Abby a brief hug and a kiss on the cheek. ‘That’s a fab dress you’re wearing. You’ll have to tell me where you bought it. Did Jake mention that I’m in the fashion industry?’

  Abby knew she would never give Sophie that information. The little black dress Jake’s sister had on screamed luxury designer whereas Abby’s dress had been cheap as. But Sophie’s kind compliments did make her feel better in the face of Jake’s obvious disapproval. She did, however, feel somewhat comforted by the fact that Sophie wasn’t drop dead gorgeous like her brother.

  ‘Jake,’ Sophie said sharply, ‘stop glaring at Abby and tell her how lovely she looks.’

  ‘She looks very nice,’ he bit out. ‘It was just a shock, that’s all. I’ve never seen her in a dress before. How’s the food going, Abby? I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.’

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  ABBY CONTROLLED HER temper with difficulty. ‘Sorry. Horse isn’t on the menu for tonight. You’ll have to make do with lamb. Now, if you’d like to follow me into the dining room, I’ll show you where you’re both sitting.’

  Jake winced when she swept past him with a hurt look cast his way. He knew he was behaving badly but he couldn’t seem to find that much vaunted charm he was famous for. His social skills had completely deserted him in the face of a sexual attraction which was as cruel as it was powerful. Thank heavens he’d put his suit jacket back on before leaving Sophie’s place. And thank heavens he would soon be sitting down.

  Sophie came to his rescue, saying all the right things about the table setting, plus Abby’s choice of wine. Jake finally opened his mouth to agree with his sister about the win
e, which brought another cool look from Abby.

  He fancied her even more when she was like this!

  Jake tried not to stare when she poured Sophie some wine, but the action required her to bend forward, making the neckline of her dress gape a little. When she moved around to pour his wine, he kept his eyes firmly on the tablecloth. He knew his thank you sounded forced. He didn’t want to thank her. He wanted to have sex with her, right here, on this table.

  Jake sighed with relief when she left the room to cook the entree. Picking up his wine, he downed half the glass; he needed to do something to calm the storm raging within him, because if he didn’t he might do something he’d bitterly regret in the morning.

  ‘You’ve really got it bad, haven’t you?’ Sophie said quietly. ‘You implied as much over the phone but seeing it is worth a thousand words.’

  Jake glanced over at his sister, who was studying him over the rim of her glass with an intuitive gaze.

  ‘I’ll survive,’ he returned before swallowing another large gulp of wine.

  Sophie smiled knowingly. ‘We’ll see, Jake. Like I said before, your Abby’s gone to a lot of trouble tonight.’

  ‘She’s not my Abby. She’s still in love with her dead husband.’

  ‘Maybe. But he’s dead, Jake. And you’re one handsome man.’

  Jake sighed. ‘Could we stop this conversation right now, please?’

  Sophie did stop, but only because Abby entered the dining room carrying with her two plates which exuded the most delicious smell. When she placed his in front of him, Jake saw that it contained a mixture of prawns and scallops over which had been drizzled the source of that tantalising aroma.

  ‘If this tastes as good as it looks,’ he said, unable to restrain his admiration for her cooking, ‘then we’re in for an amazing treat.’

  When Jake looked up and saw Abby’s delighted face he was consumed with guilt over his earlier bad manners. He hadn’t meant to hurt her.

  ‘And, for what it’s worth at this late stage,’ he added, ‘I think that dress you’re wearing is stunning. If you ever wear it outside of this house, you’ll be fighting the men off with sticks.’