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CHAPTER ONE

STEEL LANDRY WAS running out of patience Asorting out what he ter’s ear’ of a mess Since his property business had mushroomed into ainto a dozen major cities in the UK, out of necessity he’d been forced to rely on the personnel he employed in the various offices he had all over the country He couldn’t be everywhere at once—ers had let hi the na had been a dah the matter was now resolved it had left a nasty taste in his ht before—his brother-in-law had phoned an hour ago to say Steel’s sister was in hospital with a threatened iven in her notice due to her husband’s jobto the States—and it summed up the perfect Monday

He glared at the smoked salmon sandwiches his secretary had fetched for his lunch and called the hospital for the second time in twenty minutes The ansas still the same: Mrs Wood was as coon probablythe torments of the damned

As soon as Jeff, his brother-in-law, had phoned, Steel had contacted the hospital and arranged for a private room and the top consultant Now he resolved he’d put all further business for the day on hold and go across London to the hospital hi the best treatuy and devoted to Annie, but a typical high-brow academic as so absorbed in his job as an astronoency work at a top avionic company, that he barely saas in front of him on planet earth

Decisionthat couldn’t wait And then he frowned Although there was that wo at the end of the day for the post of interior designer, the one James had personally recolanced at the gold Rolex on one tanned wrist Getting on for three o’clock, and Mrs George was due to arrive at five-thirty

Steel flexed hishis head to ease the tension in his neck The hospital was only a stone’s throw fro back to the office after he’d left there only to retrace the journey once the intervieas over Flicking the switch on the intercom on his desk, he said, ‘Joy, this interview later with Toni George See if you can contact her and arrange for her to call atthe hospital about that time Do it noould you?’

Less than two minutes later his secretary tapped on the door and put her sleek blonde head into the rooh I didyour sister in hospital close to your aparte of location She was fine after that’

He surveyed Joy through aht think he had ulteriorfor his suit jacket on the back of his chair, he stood up ‘Thanks,’ he said briefly ‘Oh, and give Stuart ratulations on the promotion’

‘Will do’ Joy regarded hiht the world of his sister and this news had knocked hih as ever the hard, handsome face showed little emotion She had worked for hienerous boss she’d ever had, but the most attractive too If she wasn’t so in love with her husband she could have fallen for Steel in a big way, she thought—for possibly the thousandth time Perhaps she was in love with him a little, but he’d always been so businesslike and correct in his dealings with her it had been easy to conceal it

Outside, the warm June air carried city dust and fumes in its embrace, but once in his black Aston Martin Steel relaxed a little He liked driving and the car was a drea the experience pleasurable even in the worst London snarl-ups He drove auto for this baby for a long time; ever since they’d married, in fact, three years previously At twenty-six, Annie elve years younger than hiht her up when their parents had been killed in a car accident when Annie was six years old He’d been about to go away to university but he’d got a job instead, and this inco which his parents had been accu in the bank, had meant he could continue to pay the rent on the three-bedroomed house that had been home Annie had lost their parents, he hadn’t wanted her to lose the familiarity and security of the home she’d lived in all her life Annie’s half of the estate had been in trust until she was eighteen and had been a nice little inheritance for her

They had ed His mind wandered to the years of Annie’s childhood Their paternal grandparents had already died, but his mother’s mother and father had stepped into the breach and looked after Annie every day after school until he collected her frohbours and friends had also been kind And now Annie was a beautiful, well-adjusted young woood place Independent, autono on him

Not that he’d resented caring for Annie His h someone had put the idea to him He’d done it because he wanted to Pure and si years until she hadHe didn’t want to be responsible for another huain He wanted a life free of eation A life where he could take off at the drop of a hat No involved arrangements No explanations No … accountability He’d done his tihteen until he was thirty-three Fifteen years And now he relished his freedom, fed on it

He’d had girlfriends fro term, most ships that passed after a couple of months, due—he had to adle state once his parents had died Now he dated sophisticated, career-obsessed women: females ere as wary of commitment and

for ever as he was It worked—ent, fiercely independent—or so he’d thought—lawyer, had suddenly decided she wanted to move in with him

Barbara flashed on the screen of his mind: sultry, voluptuous—the sort of attorney who could have the opposition ad with one look fro had been less than harh heand provocative body in his bed he had no doubts he’d done the right thing in ending their relationship

His hand touched the back of his neck briefly as he recalled the resounding slap she’d delivered It had all but cracked the bones in his neck as his head had jerked back with the force of it, and this from the woman who had insisted forever was a dirty hen they’d first got together

Wohtened for a iven up on them; what red-blooded man would? And nine times out of ten it worked out fine When the end of the relationship came there were no tears, no scenes, no recriminations He was still friends with the

It wasn’t as if he was ever less than completely honest He made it a rule to be clear about his intentions from the first date No pros sharing their lives and beds for a while Straightforward and simple Just the way he liked it

The traffic was a nightmare It took him nearly an hour to reach the hospital When he pulled into the car park he found his heart was thudding with anxiety and his stoht find inside It was further proof—if he’d needed any—that he didn’t want anyone else other than Annie to have a piece of his heart

Steel straightened his shoulders, reached for the enormous bouquet of yellow roses and white freesias he’d picked up en route and got out of the car

Her hands were shaking, not so that was likely to inspire confidence in a prospective employer And from what she knew of Steel Landry he would expect a cool, composed and completely professional approach

Toni willed the tre slowly and deeply She’d read somewhere that worked for nerves

It didn’t All it did do was to ht-headed and now she was ten times more panic-stricken What if she fainted at Steel Landry’s feet?