Mills & Boon Christmas Delights Collection. Rebecca Winters

that cute little arse of yours off, and right now, Katie Stone, my statement still stands.’

      My brain was processing as fast as it could. ‘You thought I was…’

      ‘Gorgeous. Yes.’

      ‘But you were…’

      ‘Unforgivably rude? Yes. Arrogant? Yes. Blind? No.’

      ‘Well, you hid it well.’

      He tipped his head towards me as we approached the door to where the main function was being held. ‘There are lots of things I do well.’

      ‘Such a shame being modest isn’t one of them.’

      ‘There’s a time and a place for modesty.’ His eyes flashed at me with mischief.

      ‘Just get in there and win that contract.’

      ***

      From the looks of things, Michael was doing exactly that. All evening, he’d been charming and funny: the Michael I now knew him to be. And they appeared to be loving him. Judging by the look on the face of the man I’d been informed was his main competition for the contract, David Heath, he obviously thought Michael was doing pretty well too. I’d actually be feeling bad for him if he’d been a little more polite during our own interaction. When he’d asked what I did for a living, he’d tossed a superior look around, making some comment about how he wish he’d known tidying his room as a child could have turned into something that people would actually pay good money for. Michael’s arm had been resting on my waist, just lightly, his body close to me. At the jibe, I’d felt him tense, but he’d remained silent, taking on board our conversation of earlier.

      As it was, Ed Solway, the man whom both men were trying to impress gave me a smile. ‘People will always pay good money for a service that they find useful, David.’ Mr Solway then turned to me. ‘Mrs Solway is so looking forward to her first appointment with you in the New Year.’

      As Heath paled and made an attempt to laugh off his faux pas, Mr Solway gave me a conspiratorial wink and Michael gave me an almost imperceptible squeeze, his face betraying nothing.

      It was true. I had indeed picked up the Solways as clients this evening, although I’d had no idea who the lady I’d been talking to was initially. She’d just introduced herself as Erin. I was already looking forward to having her as a client – straight talking, funny, with that down to earth outlook Australians often seem to possess. We’d hit it off immediately. It wasn’t until she’d called over her husband to fill him in and let him know that I was the woman who was, and I quote, ‘going to organise the shit out of us’, that I’d realised who she actually was.

      ‘You know, I was dreading this.’ Michael leant close to me, his fingers walking across the tablecloth on a mission to pinch my after dinner mint.

      ‘And now?’ I asked, swiping the mint from his reach, before unwrapping it and popping it in my mouth.

      He grinned as I did so. ‘It’s been good. Apart from Heath being a dick to you.’

      I laughed. ‘Oh, don’t worry. I don’t think I’m the exclusive recipient of his rapier wit. And I think he rather skewered himself in that instant, anyway.’

      ‘His face was quite the picture, that’s for sure.’ Michael moved his hand from where it was lying on the tablecloth and covered mine. ‘I hated that he said that to you though. I can’t lie.’

      ‘I know. But believe me, growing up like I did was good training. I’ve heard a lot worse.’ His face was serious and without thinking, I laid my hand on his cheek. ‘Really. I’m tougher than I look.’

      ‘I don’t think you’re that tough.’

      I frowned and let my hand drop. He caught it quickly.

      ‘Shit. Why is it I can chat up a random girl in the pub no problem, but every time I try to give you a compliment it comes out all wrong?’

      ‘Probably because you’ve had a lot of practice at the former.’

      He heard the tease in my voice and that heart-stopping smile slowly spread onto his face.

      ‘Maybe I just need a bit more practice at the latter then?’

      ‘Oh, you definitely need more practice at that, if your efforts so far are anything to go by. Although, in the interest of fairness, you did say I looked nice earlier, so you’re not entirely failing.’

      I looked up as he stood.

      ‘Actually, I seem to remember I said you looked stunning and that you were the most beautiful woman in the room. Which you then questioned. Of course.’ He pulled a face. ‘But having entered said room, I was immediately proved right. Of course. And now, if she would agree to it, I’d love to dance with the most beautiful woman in the room too.’

      He held out his hand. I hesitated a moment, wondering what line, if any, we were crossing here. But the fact was, in front of me stood the most good-looking man I’d ever seen and he was asking me to dance. Maybe it wasn’t the most logical thing, maybe it wasn’t what sensible, risk averse Kate would do, but right now, I didn’t care. I didn’t want to be her. I wanted to be the woman in Michael O’Farrell’s arms.

      ‘I’d love to.’

      ‘I was really hoping you’d say that.’ He grinned, a flash of insecurity momentarily showing on his face. I loved that. Not that I’d caused it, but that, contrary to what he’d initially shown me, he wasn’t cocky enough to believe that no woman could say no to him.

      Michael took my hand and held it firmly as we wound our way through the throngs of people and dinner tables onto the dance floor. Once there, he retained it, his other coming to rest at my waist, gentle enough to feel relaxed but firm enough for me to feel its warmth through the silk of my dress.

      ‘Are you having a good time?’ Michael asked, pulling me a little closer so that I could hear him over the music and general chatter.

      ‘I am,’ I replied. ‘Thank you for inviting me.’

      He laughed. ‘Thank you for giving me a second chance.’

      I shook my head. ‘You need to forget about that. We’re past it all now…aren’t we?’ I looked up at him, finding his eyes already on me.

      ‘Way past.’ He smiled that smile again and moved the hand at my waist, splaying his fingers, brushing my spine with the tips of them, sending sparks of heat up and down my entire body. ‘Katie, I – ’

      ‘Mike?’

      He shifted his gaze from mine to where the voice had come from and a look of surprise replaced whatever it was he’d been looking at me with. That part I hadn’t quite figured out yet. I turned my head to see what had caused the change.

      I recognised her immediately: Glamorous, elegant and stunningly, classically beautiful, Michael’s ex-wife was even more striking in the flesh than she was in the photographs.

      ‘Angeline.’ His voice didn’t hide the surprise, but none of us missed the cold edge of his tone. I glanced back at him. The softness had gone and in its place were the hard lines I’d been greeted with at our first meeting.

      ‘How are you?’ she asked him. Her eyes flicked to me and then focused fully back on him. ‘You look great.’

      ‘What are you doing here?’ he asked. We’d stepped apart a little but his hand was still at my waist.

      ‘I came with a friend. I…had no idea you’d be here.’

      I studied her under my lashes in as surreptitious manner as I could employ, and I wasn’t buying that last bit at all. My eyes shifted to Michael and it was obvious immediately: He completely believed her.

      ‘I think I’m going to go and sit down,’ I said, pulling away.

      His fingers skimmed my back and dropped away as I moved. ‘I’ll