Bargaining With The Boss

CATHERINE GEORGE

Литагент HarperCollins EUR

PENNINGTONMoment of truth!Eleri worked hard at being levelheaded, to make up for one solitary mistake in her teens. But there were times when being sensible was difficult! Take the situation with James Kincaid….Eleri had been in love with James, her former boss, for ages, and now not only was James begging her to return to the job from which she'd resigned, he made it clear he found her very attractive, too!Eleri longed to give in to her feelings for James, but forced herself to keep her distance. She had to, because of her secret: what if James discovered that Nico, the boy he thought of as her younger brother, was actually her son?PENNINGTONA place where dreams come true

Letter to Reader (#ua19de363-fbc2-5d78-a50b-99a5aa35c67f)Title Page (#u9635636b-c8a9-5ca0-b715-36d8214c3cf2)Dedication (#u26e4ec1c-2aef-5798-97a6-c06993cb1a4b)CHAPTER ONE (#u23da8f3f-2c4f-53f1-b7a9-6ac19c8cee76)CHAPTER TWO (#ua98e610d-0c72-55ee-a7e6-318cd8ec3170)CHAPTER THREE (#u85455e97-ca0a-5b19-ac9d-0be885fde992)CHAPTER FOUR (#litres_trial_promo)CHAPTER FIVE (#litres_trial_promo)CHAPTER SIX (#litres_trial_promo)CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)CHAPTER ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)CHAPTER TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

“You don’t know how relieved I feel at the prospect of having you back working with me. I’ve missed you...”

Eleri’s heart thumped as she looked down at their clasped hands, knowing she should pull away. “You were used to me, that’s all.”

He reached up to turn her face to his, and their eyes met. “You mean I took you for granted.”

Eleri didn’t trouble to deny it, because his nearness was affecting her so badly she was afraid to trust her voice. With a smothered groan James pulled her into his arms and kissed her hungrily.

Dear Reader,

Pennington, my favorite location, is my own creation. Having lived near two attractive towns in the heart of England, I combine the best features of both, not least the picturesque buildings from olden times. My fictional town has wide streets, quaint tearooms and public gardens ablaze with flowers; there are irresistible shops with elegant clothes and jewelry, while others are filled with bargains in antique furniture and porcelain. Surrounded by lush countryside, Pennington is full of charm—a place where dreams come true.

Sincerely,

Bargaining With The Boss

Catherine George

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

To Claudia Lucia Capitanio, with my thanks.

CHAPTER ONE

A BITING east wind blew flurries of snow across rolling uplands where Northwold Breweries blended with such ecological care into its Gloucestershire surroundings. The various specialist buildings and linking walkways were masked by skilfully landscaped banks and trees, and normally the sixty-acre site was a green and pleasant place. But on this particular January morning the stark white view from the managing director’s office resembled a lunar landscape.

Eleri Conti arrived early, as she always did, and went into James Kincaid’s office with her usual glow of anticipation for this first, private part of the day alone with him.

He was standing at the window, tall, loose-limbed, dressed in one of his dark custom-made suits and a flamboyant tie as usual. But when he turned his face wore a grim, haggard look so dauntingly different from usual that Eleri’s smile of greeting died a sudden death. In her favourite black gabardine suit and white shirt, her dark hair caught back with a large ebony clasp, she faced him across the desk as she’d faced him at this hour almost every working day for the past year. But today something was obviously wrong. The atmosphere was bleak enough to rival the day outside.

‘Good morning, Eleri. I think you’d better sit down.’ He waved her to a chair.

‘