The Boss Who Stole Her Heart

by Jennifer Taylor

  He placed the coffee pot on the table then took some mugs off the dresser and found the milk and sugar. By the time that was done he had managed to calm himself down. ‘Coffee?’ he asked, resuming the role of host as it was a much safer option than exploring any more crazy ideas.

  ‘Please.’ Eleanor popped the last bit of bread into her mouth and sighed. ‘That was delicious. Oh, I know folk go on and on about the meals they’ve had at all those fancy restaurants but you can’t beat what we’ve just had.’

  ‘I’m glad you enjoyed it. I don’t feel so guilty now for egging you on to buy so much,’ Daniel declared, rustling up a smile.

  ‘It’s my own fault,’ she replied, laughing. ‘One of the dangers of having eyes bigger than my belly, as mum used to warn me.’

  ‘I can’t imagine you needed warning,’ he observed lightly. ‘You’re a perfect weight from what I can tell.’

  ‘Thank you.’ She coloured at the compliment. ‘I wasn’t always, though. I was quite a podgy teenager and mum was worried in case I put on too much weight.’

  ‘Really? Had it something to do with your home circumstances?’

  ‘Yes.’ She sighed. ‘It wasn’t a very happy period in my life and I consoled myself by eating. Fortunately, things improved once I went to university.’

  ‘I’m glad,’ he said softly, his heart aching at the thought of the struggle she’d had to find her rightful place in the family dynamics. It made him see just how devastating it must have been for her when she had found her fiancé in bed with another woman. Eleanor had been through the mill and he must never forget that.

  They drank their coffee, keeping up a carefully casual conversation. Daniel sensed that she was reluctant to reveal anything more about her past and respected her decision even though he longed to learn all he could about her. When Eleanor announced that it was time she left, it was a relief. Even though he had enjoyed the time they had spent together, he needed to take a step back. He had just unhooked her coat from the back of the door when the telephone rang.

  ‘I’ll just get that. Won’t be a moment,’ he said, hurrying into the hall. Picking up the receiver, he listened while the caller identified herself, a wave of coldness enveloping him as she briskly explained that she was the sister in charge of the Accident and Emergency unit at York. The coach carrying Nathan and his fellow students had been involved in an accident: could Daniel come?

  Daniel hung up, his hand shaking so that he had difficulty placing the receiver on its rest. He heard footsteps behind him and turned round, his heart hammering so hard that he thought he was going to pass out.

  ‘What is it? What’s happened?’ Eleanor took hold of his arm and shook it. ‘Daniel, tell me!’

  ‘There’s been an accident... Nathan’s in hospital,’ he managed at last.

  ‘Which hospital?’

  ‘York.’

  ‘Right, we’ll go straight there.’

  ‘Oh, but you don’t have to come,’ he began, but she shook her head.

  ‘There’s no way that you can drive in that state. And no way that I’ll let you. I’m coming with you, Daniel, whether you like it or not!’

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  A AND E WAS frantically busy. It turned out that the coach was just one of several vehicles that had been involved in the collision. Nobody seemed to know what had caused it, but that was less important than how Nathan was. He was currently undergoing a CT scan for a head injury and Ellie knew that Daniel was beside himself with worry.

  ‘It shouldn’t be long now until we hear something,’ she said, trying to keep up his spirits, although she suspected it was a waste of time. Which parent wouldn’t be scared stiff at the thought of their child being injured?

  ‘It seems to be taking ages!’ Daniel exploded, leaping up from his seat. They had been shown into the waiting room attached to Resus and he strode to the door and stared through the glass. ‘He should have been back by now. Obviously, something’s wrong...’

  ‘Or maybe it’s just taking that bit longer because of the number of casualties they’re having to deal with,’ Ellie countered.

  ‘I suppose so,’ he conceded, coming back and slumping down in the chair. He ran his hand over his face and she could see that it was trembling. Reaching out, she covered it with hers. She hated seeing him like this—so afraid and filled with angst—but there was little she could do apart from be there and offer her support.

  ‘Sorry. I know I’m behaving like a complete idiot, but I’m just so scared.’ He turned his hand over and captured hers. ‘I don’t know how I’d cope if anything happened to him.’

  ‘I understand. But the registrar said that the CT scan was more a precaution than anything else. He thinks Nathan has a concussion but that it isn’t serious,’ she reminded him gently.

  ‘He did. But things can and do go wrong when it comes to head injuries...’ He broke off and leapt to his feet when the sister appeared and beckoned to him. Ellie stood up as well, her own heart racing. She may be a doctor but it wasn’t easy to take a balanced view when one knew the people involved.

  ‘You can come through and see your son now, Dr Saunders. The CT scan was clear, you’ll be happy to hear.’

  ‘Thank heavens!’ Daniel exclaimed. He went to follow the sister into Resus, pausing when Ellie stayed where she was. ‘Aren’t you going to come with me?’

  ‘If you want me to,’ she said uncertainly, not wanting to intrude.

  ‘Of course I do!’ He held the door for her, placing his hand under her elbow as they followed the sister to a screened-off area in the corner. Nathan was having his obs done by a young male nurse so they stood to one side and waited. Although there was a huge bruise on the side of his face, Nathan managed to smile at them.

  ‘Hi, Dad... Eleanor. Sorry about this.’

  ‘It’s not your fault,’ Daniel said gruffly. He went over to the bed once the nurse had finished and squeezed Nathan’s hand. ‘Or at least I don’t think it was!’

  ‘Thanks very much!’ Nathan laughed then grimaced. He had a broken rib as well as the head injury, although that would heal in its own time, as Ellie knew, and shouldn’t cause any major problems.

  ‘So what happened? Do you know?’ Daniel asked, sounding better now he knew that Nathan wasn’t in any immediate danger.

  ‘Apparently, a tanker overturned and a couple of cars ran into it. We ploughed into the back of the pile-up.’

  ‘Was anyone badly injured from your group?’ Daniel asked. ‘What about Jack?’

  ‘Not a scratch. He’s waiting for Sandra and Tim to collect him. There were a couple of others with bumps and bruises, and one of the girls has a broken wrist, but that’s it. We were very lucky.’

  ‘How did you hit your head?’ Eleanor asked, curiously.

  Nathan sighed. ‘I’d just got up to get a can of cola out of my bag when it happened and I went flying. If I’d been sitting down then I’d have been OK.’

  ‘Typical, although it could have been worse.’ Daniel squeezed the boy’s shoulder. ‘Thank heaven it wasn’t is all I can say.’

  ‘Me too.’

  Ellie felt a lump come to her throat as father and son exchanged a look. There was no doubt that they knew exactly how much they meant to each other. It was hard to tamp down her emotions so she excused herself when the registrar came to speak to Daniel. At the end of the day, they weren’t her family, even though she would have loved to be part of their lives. The thought shocked her so much that it was hard to dismiss it when Daniel came to find her a short time later.

  ‘They’re going to keep him in overnight. It’s purely a precaution—they’re not anticipating any problems. But they’d prefer to cover all bases.’

  ‘So what are you going to do?’ Ellie asked, trying to get herself together. There was no chance of her becomin
g a permanent part of Daniel’s family and it was pointless thinking that she could. His life was mapped out and, to put it bluntly, she didn’t feature in his plans. ‘Are you going to stay here or go home?’

  ‘There’s not much point in my staying. Nathan is being moved to a ward soon and he needs to rest.’ He glanced at his watch and frowned. ‘Is that really the time? I had no idea it was so late. No, I’ll go home and come back tomorrow morning to pick him up.’

  ‘Sounds like a good idea,’ she agreed. She led the way to the car park, shivering as rain gusted across the open ground as they left the building. ‘It’s so cold, much colder than when we arrived.’

  ‘Winter’s on its way. It’ll get colder than this in a few weeks’ time.’

  ‘What a cheering thought!’ she exclaimed, and he laughed.

  ‘Sorry!’

  They got into the car and drove back to Beesdale. Ellie took her time, not wanting to risk them having an accident as well. The roads were slick with rain and with the wind blowing more rain against the windscreen it was difficult to see. It was a relief to pull up outside Daniel’s house.

  ‘Come in and have a cup of tea,’ he instructed, forcing the door open as the wind tried to slam it shut. ‘You’ve had nothing since lunchtime and you must need a drink.’

  ‘I really should get off home,’ she demurred, not sure it would be wise to prolong her stay. Far too many crazy thoughts had invaded her head today and she needed to be on her own while she got things straight again. She must never forget that she was only here for a limited period of time and after that she would move on.

  ‘Please.’ Bending, he looked at her through the half-open door and she couldn’t fail to see the plea in his eyes. ‘I could really do with some company, Eleanor. What happened today really shook me up.’

  ‘In that case a cup of tea would be very welcome.’

  Ellie got out of the car, unable to resist the appeal for support. From what she knew, Daniel didn’t ask for help very often. Rain lashed at them as they ran up the path and he grimaced as he let them into the house.

  ‘What a night! You’re soaked. Go into the sitting room while I fetch you a towel.’

  He ushered her inside, pausing only long enough to light the gas fire before he went to find the towel. Ellie took off her wet coat and draped it over the back of a chair then sat down next to the fireplace, holding her hands out to the blaze. He came back a few seconds later with a towel and handed it to her.

  ‘Here you are. I’ll pop the kettle on and be right back.’

  Ellie started to rub her hair dry as he disappeared again. With it being so short, it didn’t take very long. She could have done with combing it afterwards but she hadn’t thought to put a comb in her bag when she had set out that morning. She did her best, using her fingers to smooth the short dark strands into some semblance of order. Daniel came back with a tray of tea as she was checking her appearance in the mirror and grinned at her.

  ‘You’ve missed a bit.’

  ‘Have I?’ Turning her head, she attempted to find the wayward strands but couldn’t spot them.

  ‘Just here.’ Daniel placed the tray on a table and came up behind her. Lifting his hand, he smoothed down the tufts of hair and Ellie stiffened when she felt his fingers sliding down her skull. She bit her lip as she waited for him to move away but he stayed right where he was. ‘Your hair is beautiful, Eleanor, so soft and silky.’

  His deep voice rippled through the silence, the words charged with so much emotion that she shivered. When his hand returned to her hair, she didn’t move. Couldn’t. It was as though his touch had cast a spell over her. When his fingers came to rest on the nape of her neck and began to stroke it too, she closed her eyes, letting the sensations pour through her. She could feel her skin tingling, feel the heat building wherever his fingers touched, and sighed. She knew that she should stop what was happening but it was beyond her. How could she call a halt when it felt so good to be touched this way, so right?

  ‘Eleanor?’

  There was a question in his voice when he said her name and even though he didn’t say it out loud, she knew what he was asking. Her heart caught, panic and excitement bringing it to a halt. All she had to do was to say no and that would be the end of the matter, but for some reason it seemed like the hardest thing she had ever been asked to do. If she refused then she had a feeling that she would always regret it, always wonder what she had missed.

  She turned to face him, watching the firelight playing over the strong planes of his face. When he bent towards her, she kept her eyes open, wanting to remember every second of what was happening. Whether it was the shock of Nathan’s accident that was responsible for what was happening, she had no idea, but she needed to store away the memory of this moment. It would be something to look back on, something to cherish. His lips were so gentle as they settled over hers and yet beneath the tenderness there was a hunger that shook her. Daniel wasn’t kissing her because he was seeking comfort. He was kissing her because he wanted her!

  Daniel felt desire surge inside him and gasped. In the space of a heartbeat the kiss had gone from a need for closeness to something far more urgent. He drew Eleanor to him, shuddering when he felt her breasts pushing against his chest. It was a long time since he had been this close to a woman. Camille had been so ill that lovemaking had been out of the question. Now his senses seemed to be swamped by the feel and shape of the woman in his arms.

  He drew her closer, marvelling at the fact that they fitted so perfectly. It was as though each curve and hollow had been created so that it would accommodate the shape of the other. Eleanor was quite tall, just a couple of inches shorter than him, and her head rested so comfortably in the crook of his shoulder, the perfect angle to allow him to deepen the kiss. His mouth plundered hers, tasting, testing, savouring the sweetness of her lips. When his tongue began to explore the delicate curve of her mouth, she moaned, the tiniest sound imaginable, but unmistakable all the same.

  Daniel shuddered as a wave of desire swept over him. The fact that he was responsible for causing her this pleasure was a heady feeling and he did it again, letting the tip of his tongue trace the perfect curve of her upper lip and the tantalising fullness of her lower one. Her mouth was beautiful, so beautiful that he could have stood there and kissed her for ever and a day, but there were more delights to explore.

  His hands slid down her body, skimming over the slender curves. He had never touched her this way before and yet there was a strange sense of familiarity, of rightness, that shook him. Had he unconsciously imagined doing this, pictured himself exploring her body and getting to know its shape and feel? He knew it was true and it was a revelation to realise that she had got under his skin to such an extent. He hadn’t realised he was so vulnerable where Eleanor was concerned.

  Fear suddenly rose to the surface of his mind as he wondered if he was making a mistake, but then she moved, just slightly, and his seeking hand came to rest on the side of her breast. Daniel felt a red-hot flame of desire shoot through him as his hand stilled for a moment before it moved on, sliding down from her breast to her waist then onto the softly rounded curve of her hip as he drew her closer and let her see the effect her nearness was having on him. Maybe he should have tried to hide what he was feeling but he didn’t have the strength.

  ‘Daniel...’

  His name was little more than a rush of air as it escaped her lips, but it was nonetheless potent for that. Daniel felt a tremor pass through him. There was such hunger in the sound that he could almost taste it, such need that he was overwhelmed. This wasn’t all down to him and his needs: Eleanor wanted him too. When he took her hand and led her to the door, she didn’t hesitate, and his heart swelled with joy. Why should they pretend that this wasn’t what they both wanted?

  Light spilled into the room from the landing, just a pale glimmer, but it
was enough. Eleanor stood at the end of the bed and waited as Daniel reached out to her. His hands were trembling as he drew the sweater over her head but she understood. He hadn’t planned this; it had simply happened. It was little wonder he felt so shocked. She did too.

  He dropped her sweater onto the floor then reached for the hem of the T-shirt she wore beneath. That too was quickly dispensed with. Eleanor watched as his eyes grazed over her breasts, barely concealed by the lacy bra she was wearing. When they rose to her face his pupils were dilated, filled with so many emotions that she couldn’t have put a name to half of them and didn’t try. She didn’t need to wonder what he was feeling when she felt it too.

  ‘You’re beautiful. So very beautiful.’

  The words stroked along her flesh like a caress and she shuddered. When he unfastened the snap on her jeans and started to slide them off her hips she closed her eyes. She didn’t need to watch what he was doing now when she could feel it—feel his hands trembling, feel the touch of his fingers smoothing the fabric down her thighs. Bending, he cupped her foot in his hand and eased off first one leg of her jeans and then the other. All she had on now was her underwear and she waited, wondering when—not if—he would remove that as well, but instead he gathered her into his arms and held her close, held her so that she could feel exactly what her nearness was doing to him.

  ‘I want you so much,’ he whispered hoarsely. ‘I want to hold you, touch you, be inside you, but are you sure it’s what you want? It isn’t too late if you want me to stop...’