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

by Miranda Lee

  ‘You can get just about everything over the internet these days.’

  Happiness radiated from her truly lovely green eyes. ‘Would you watch it with me?’

  ‘It would be my pleasure. It’s a great film. Craig loved it, though not as much as the book.’

  ‘Your uncle was an incredibly well-read man, wasn’t he?’

  ‘Yes. And he read books right across the spectrum from literary works to popular fiction. He was the same with music. He absolutely adored the classical composers, but he loved all music, from Country and Western to rock and even rap. There wasn’t a snobbish bone in his body.’

  ‘You loved him a lot, didn’t you?’

  Jake’s heart squeezed tight in his chest. He scooped in a deep breath then let it out slowly. ‘I’m still angry with him for not telling me he was terminally ill.’

  Abby nodded. ‘You’re right. He should have told you.’

  Jake shrugged, not wanting to spoil their weekend together by talking about sad things. Thinking of Craig, however, had reminded Jake of what his uncle had told him in that last letter, about living life to the full. Suddenly, he didn’t want to wait to take Abby overseas with him. Time to seize the day!

  ‘Do you have a passport, Abby?’ he asked.

  ‘What?’

  ‘A passport. Do you have a passport?’

  ‘No. Why?’

  ‘You’re going to need one when we go to Hawaii in January.’

  She blinked over at him. ‘Are you serious? You want me to go to Hawaii with you?’

  ‘Not just Hawaii. I also want to take you to mainland America. California first, and possibly Vegas, then later over to New York. After New York, we’ll go on to Europe, but only after the weather turns kinder. Europe in the winter is not for a girl who’s never been out of Australia.’

  ‘But…but…don’t you have to be here in Sydney to do your show?’

  ‘No. I don’t want to do it any more. I’m going to sell it. I have a buyer who’s been after the show for ages. You’re going to love Europe, Abby,’ he swept on, feeling the excitement already building. ‘And Asia. Especially Japan.’

  When he glanced over at her, she was shaking her head at him, her expression troubled. ‘Maybe by January you won’t want to take me anywhere.’

  Jake could not have been more startled. ‘And why would that be?’

  ‘You might grow bored with me.’

  He smiled over at her. ‘I find that highly unlikely. What’s the matter, Abby? Don’t you want to go?’

  ‘Yes,’ she said after a heart-stopping space of time. ‘Of course I do. It’s just that…’

  ‘Just that what?’

  ‘What if you grow bored with me when we’re overseas? You won’t dump me in some strange city, will you?’

  Jake was so shocked he almost ran off the road. As it was, he hit the shoulder, sending gravel spurting out behind them.

  ‘Hell, Abby, what kind of man do you think I am?’ he threw at her once he’d righted the car. ‘I would never do anything like that. And I won’t grow bored with you. Where on earth is all this talk of boredom coming from?’

  ‘According to Megan your girlfriends don’t last very long.’

  Jake rolled his eyes, inwardly cursing the tabloids for reporting every time one of his relationships broke up, even the ones that never really got off the ground. They made him sound like a playboy of the worst kind. He realised Abby would take some convincing that he wasn’t that bad.

  ‘Firstly, let me say that it’s not always me who ends the relationships. The women I’ve dated always claim they don’t want marriage, but in the end they do. That’s a deal breaker for me, Abby. You sounded very sure last night when you said you didn’t want to get married again and I believed you. Was I right to believe you?’

  ‘Absolutely,’ she said with a little shudder.

  Jake still couldn’t make up his mind whether her aversion to marrying again was because she’d loved her husband too much to contemplate marriage to another man, or because her dead husband had done something to turn her off the institution.

  He decided to find out.

  ‘But why is that, Abby?’ he asked. ‘What happened to turn you off the idea of remarrying?’

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  ABBY STIFFENED. SHE hadn’t expected their conversation to take this path. She hadn’t expected Jake to offer to take her overseas, either. She certainly hadn’t expected him to ask her to explain why she didn’t want to get married again.

  Clearly, she would have to tell him something, or he might rescind his offer. The thought of travelling to all those exciting places with Jake was way too tempting. But what to say? Not the truth, that was for sure. Just when she was getting desperate, Abby remembered something she’d recently read.

  ‘If you must know, my reason is like what Scarlet told Rhett in Gone with the Wind, when he asked her to marry him.’

  Jake frowned. ‘Sorry. I can’t remember what she said. Enlighten me.’

  ‘She said she didn’t like being married.’

  ‘Ah, yes, I remember now. But Abby, that reason was about her not enjoying sex. Maybe you didn’t enjoy sex with your husband but you sure as hell enjoy it with me.’

  Which means, Jake thought, that she might change her mind at some future date and want to marry him.

  ‘No, no, you’ve got the wrong end of the stick,’ Abby said firmly before he could explore that rather worrying thought. ‘It’s not the sex part of marriage that disappointed me. Not really. I quite liked sex with Wayne, even if I didn’t come the way I do with you. What I didn’t like was my loss of independence, plus my total loss of freedom. In the beginning, I thought I wanted to be an old-fashioned housewife, but the truth is I was just running away from life because I had no self-esteem. I thought I would be happy staying at home twenty-four-seven and being a good little wife and mother. Wayne was a very nice man and he loved me to death, bad teeth and all. But in the end I wasn’t happy.’

  Which was a huge understatement, Abby thought as she swallowed the lump in her throat then gritted her teeth so she wouldn’t cry.

  ‘I’m glad now that we didn’t have children,’ she lied. ‘Once I got over my grief I decided I had to get out there and get myself a job. But first I had to get my teeth fixed or I simply wouldn’t have the confidence to go for an interview. Not that I was all that confident when I first showed up at your house,’ she added with a rueful little laugh.

  ‘You were a bit nervous,’ Jake admitted.

  ‘I was surprised when you gave me the job. Surprised and grateful. It did wonders for my self-esteem. But it was meeting your uncle, Jake, which changed me the most, not just on the outside but on the inside. He made me see myself as an intelligent woman with a lot of potential. He made me braver. It was wonderful of him to give me a new car and some travel money, but his legacy is much more than that. The old Abby would never have dared go to bed with you last night or come away with you this weekend, let alone contemplate going overseas with you. The new more adventurous Abby, however, simply can’t say no. I want to do all the things I’ve never done before—to go places I’ve never been before. I want to be carefree, not committed. I want to have fun. Is that terribly selfish of me?’

  ‘Hardly, since it’s the credo I live by. Why do you think I don’t want marriage and children? During my growing up years I witnessed two ways of life with my father and my uncle. When my father died at forty-seven, a worn-out shell of a man, I knew which one I would choose. I was only a teenager when I made a conscious decision to live the life of a bachelor and I’ve been very happy doing that.’

  Up till now, came a sudden and rather perturbing thought. He eased off the accelerator as he brought his attention back to the road.

  ‘If ever there was a car designed to corrupt it’s this little baby,’ he said rue
fully.

  ‘Same as its owner then,’ Abby quipped.

  Jake’s eyebrows shot upwards. ‘You think I’ve corrupted you?’

  Abby smiled. ‘Don’t sound so shocked, Jake. Of course you’ve corrupted me. And I dare say you haven’t finished yet. But not to worry, I’m enjoying every single moment.’

  Their eyes locked, Abby finding it difficult to maintain her saucy attitude in the face of Jake’s intense gaze. She could talk big all she liked but underneath her bold facade the old Abby still lurked. Even the new Abby had trouble accepting the strength of Jake’s sexual interest in her. She was glad when his eyes swung back on to the road.

  ‘No more talk now,’ he said abruptly. ‘I have to concentrate or I really will lose my licence.’

  Abby didn’t mind not talking. That way she could get back to living in the moment. She certainly didn’t want to discuss her marriage any more, because inevitably it made her remember her miscarriages and the pain associated with them.

  Maybe Wayne’s death was a blessing in disguise, Abby decided. Because she knew she could not bear to ever lose another baby. That was why she didn’t want to marry again. That was why she couldn’t. But of course she could never tell Jake that. He would think she was emotionally damaged. Which, admittedly, she was. She’d always wanted children—wanted to give them the kind of secure and loving upbringing which she’d never had.

  Failing to fulfil this most basic human need had been devastating for her. Her last miscarriage had nearly broken her, as had Wayne’s tragic death. She’d been dreadfully depressed for months. But eventually she’d begun to recover, finding a resilience and a courage which surprised her.

  Signing up with the Housewives For Hire agency had just been the first step in her plan to embrace a different life than that of marriage and children. As soon as she’d got her job with Jake, she’d begun putting that plan in action by saving every cent she could. Even if Jake’s wonderful uncle hadn’t left her all that money in his will, she would eventually have saved up enough to travel. In the meantime, she would have done a course to help her with her finances. Something in hospitality. A barista course perhaps, and a bar course. There was always work for an attractive girl in pubs and cafés.

  And she was attractive, Abby conceded, as she smiled at herself in the side mirror of the car. Attractive enough for Jake to consider her girlfriend material. In truth, he seemed well and truly smitten now, enough to consider taking her away on a grand tour with him. Her mind still boggled a bit at that one. Obviously, he genuinely enjoyed her company. It came to Abby that Jake was somewhat jaded with life at the moment, hence his desire to sell his television show and travel overseas. And who better to go with but a female companion for whom he currently had the hots and who would be oh, so impressed by all the places he took her? Which, no doubt, she would be. No use pretending she wouldn’t.

  But how long before her lack of worldly experience and serious lack of education wasn’t quite so appealing? Would it irk him when he couldn’t have the same kind of intellectual conversations which he’d had with his very clever uncle and that last newsreader girlfriend who probably had a degree in journalism or communication or whatever degree newsreaders had to have? Female newsreaders weren’t just pretty faces these days. They were also smart. Super smart.

  Abby realised all of a sudden that silence wasn’t good for her. It led to too much negative thinking. She’d come a long way lately in feeling good about herself and she didn’t aim to go backwards.

  After glancing around, Abby was surprised to realise she actually recognised where she was. On the long avenue which led to the centre of Canberra. She felt sure that soon they would go over a bridge and then past lots of famous buildings before ending up in front of a grassy hill on which stood the houses of parliament—both old and new.

  ‘I remember more of this than I thought I did,’ she said as they approached the bridge which crossed Lake Burley Griffin, named after the man who’d designed the city of Canberra. Abby recalled vaguely that he was an American architect who had won some sort of competition to have the honour, but she didn’t say so in case she was wrong.

  ‘Well, the layout of Canberra is very memorable,’ Jake remarked. ‘And quite beautiful.’

  ‘Yes, it is,’ Abby said as she gazed at the expanse of lovely blue water they were crossing. ‘It was a marvellous idea to put a lake in the middle of the city.’

  ‘Did you know you can go for a balloon ride over the city?’

  ‘No, I didn’t. But no, thank you. A balloon ride would scare the life out of me.’

  ‘You only live once, Abby.’

  ‘I’d still prefer to keep my feet on the ground, thank you very much.’

  He threw her a questioning glance. ‘Does that attitude apply to planes as well? Because, if it does, it’s going to be a slow boat ride around the world next year.’

  ‘No. I’m prepared to fly, but only on a very reliable airline, one with an impeccable record for safety.’

  Jake smiled. ‘I wouldn’t dream of letting you fly any other way. You’re too precious to me for that. Now, I think we’ll whip into this car park over here. It’s only a short walk to the National Gallery, where there is a very nice café.’

  Less than one minute later, Jake had zapped into an empty space in the underground car park, a dumbstruck Abby still not having recovered from his remark about her being too precious to him. She wondered if he really meant it or if he said that kind of thing to all his girlfriends. Whatever, it had done things to her insides which were perturbing. She didn’t want to fall in love with Jake, but it seemed a futile wish if just a few words could send her into such a whirl.

  ‘Don’t do that,’ he said when she went to open her own door. ‘Let me do it for you.’

  He jumped out from behind the wheel and strode round the bonnet of the Ferrari with a few long strides, opening the passenger door with a masterful flourish and holding out his hand to her.

  Abby almost told him that he didn’t have to play the gentleman with her. He hadn’t done this when he’d taken her car shopping. Or at any other time today. Though she hadn’t exactly given him the opportunity, had she? This morning she’d driven her own car home, with Jake following in the Ferrari. Then, after she’d changed outfits, she’d hurried out of the house and practically dived into the passenger seat before any of the neighbours saw her. Jake had rolled his eyes at her at the time but she hadn’t twigged to why.

  ‘Do you treat all your girlfriends like this?’ she asked him as she placed her hand in his.

  His fingers closed tightly around hers as he helped her out of the low-slung seat. ‘Only when the woman deserves it. Which you do, my lovely Abby. You deserve the best of everything.’

  ‘Wow,’ she said. ‘But really, Jake, you don’t have to overdo the compliments. Trust me when I say I’m already a sure thing tonight.’

  He laughed, then pulled her into his arms. ‘Goodness, but I adore you!’

  Abby stared up into his glittering blue eyes and thought that maybe he did. For the moment. But the moment was all that she could rely on. History invariably repeated itself and Jake’s history with women was not good.

  Abby pushed aside this painful thought, telling herself firmly that she wasn’t going to worry about the future. She was going to live for the moment. And this moment felt quite wonderful.

  ‘As much as I would like you to kiss me right now,’ she said, ‘I am in desperate need of the ladies’ room. And then something to eat.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  AS JAKE TOOK the last swallow of his coffee he began wondering how best to spend the afternoon. He had no intention of arriving at the hotel he’d booked till after five, well aware that he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off Abby once they were alone. He didn’t want this weekend to be nothing but a sex-fest. He wanted to show Abby that he enjoyed her company
out of bed as well as in. Hopefully, that would allay her fears that he would quickly get bored with her.

  ‘Did you visit this place when you came down with your school?’ he asked. ‘Not this café. The National Gallery itself.’

  ‘No, I don’t think so. We weren’t here all that long. Only two days. We drove down one morning and had lunch in a park somewhere. Then in the afternoon we visited both parliament houses. Then they drove us out to a kind of tourist park for the night. The next day they brought us back in here to visit a science centre. Can’t remember what it was called. It started with a Q.’

  ‘Questacon,’ he said. ‘It’s not far from here. I went there once. Great place.’

  Abby rolled her eyes. ‘For you maybe. I found it boring.’

  ‘Well, you won’t find the National Gallery boring. The art in here is fabulous. Not just paintings either, but sculptures as well.’

  Abby looked a bit worried. ‘I don’t know all that much about art.’

  ‘That’s probably better then. You won’t have any preconceived ideas. Promise me you won’t say you like something just because it’s in here, okay? Some of the purchases have been very controversial over the years. Have you ever heard of Blue Poles?’

  ‘It rings a vague bell,’ she replied, frowning.

  ‘It’s a very famous painting by an American artist, Jackson Pollock. It was bought by this gallery in 1972 for one point three million. They had to get special permission from the Prime Minister at the time to spend that much money. Caused a massive stir. Still, it’s reputed to be worth up to twenty million now so I guess it was a good investment after all. Come on. I’ll take you to see it,’ he said, standing up and reaching for her hand.

  ‘It’s huge!’ was Abby’s first comment when she stood in front of the painting, which measured approximately two by five metres.

  ‘It certainly is.’

  ‘The artist must have had to stand on a ladder to paint the top bits.’

  ‘Actually, he did it whilst it was lying flat on the floor. But that’s all beside the point. Do you like it?’