Mallorcan Magic – Episode 18
Danny sat back, watching her expression. She didn’t know what to say. Certainly she knew one person who fitted that category. But would he have gone to such lengths?
“This isn’t the playground, Eira. Nor am I as green as I’m cabbage-looking!”
“Sorry?”
“Don’t pretend. Raoul’s fallen for you, hasn’t he? I suspected as much. You might as well talk so we can sort things out.”
“You shouldn’t have ordered that carafe of wine! I didn’t drink any, in case it made me feel sleepy, but Raoul…” She broke off, unwilling to incriminate someone.
He frowned.
“I definitely didn’t order wine. So, there we are. My chauffeur brought it in but you didn’t act as he hoped. He had too much to drink and made a pass at my nanny – or Girl Friday, to be more accurate. Hmm, let me guess. She slapped his face? Hard?”
Eira kept her eyes lowered. She should have realised and been on the alert. Should have locked the study door.
“Come on,” Danny urged. “I don’t blame you and he was definitely out of order but this is a storm in a teacup. Tomorrow I’ll have a word with Raoul. It won’t hurt to let him sweat for a bit.”
“But he’ll know I’ve said something. Won’t that make it even more difficult for him and me to remain in our positions?”
“Raoul’s not the sharpest tool in the box but he’s not too thick to know he has to be the number one suspect. I intend to tell him my office has been ransacked, see how he reacts and take it from there. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am he’s the culprit. So he’s been a naughty boy and compounded it by another stupid act.” Danny rose from his chair and held his hand out to her. “Come on, let’s go and eat,” he said, “before my housekeeper decides to throw a tantrum.”
“You won’t sack him, will you, please, Danny?” She took his hand and got up from the settee. “I’d have it on my conscience for ever more.”
“I promise not to sack him but if anything like this happens again, I might reconsider.” He hesitated. “Tell me one thing, Eira. Do you have any feelings for him?”
She tilted her head to look him in the eye.
“Of course I haven’t.”
His lips twitched.
“He has those Latin good looks, I suppose. Also, you two are around the same age.”
“He’s nice enough – up till now, anyway − but I’ve only just come out of a relationship, as you very well know.”
The chauffeur’s taunt over her feelings for the boss still stung. Even if the two men’s positions were reversed, she’d always think of Raoul as a friend, whereas her feelings for Danny, unless curbed, could only lead to trouble with a capital T.
“Then we’ll say no more. I’ll have a quiet word with him in the morning and I’ll help you put things to rights tomorrow.”
He smiled down at her. Neither spoke. Eira couldn’t. The tenderness she glimpsed in Danny’s eyes stole her voice.
But there was worse to follow. He raised his hand and tucked a strand of her silky hair behind her left ear. She knew he’d read her body language and reacted in a way that would do neither of them any favours.
“Darn it, I’m sorry,” he said. “That was a tactless thing I just did. I can’t begin to imagine what you must think of me, let alone my chauffeur. You – you must think…” He was struggling.
Eira knew very well what tortured him. His eyes asked a question. She need only take a step closer and he’d respond. She knew it.
He’d take her in his arms and she’d melt like butter in sunshine as they each gave in to the attraction between them.
Such a tempting interlude might result in her combining her nanny duties with the role of Danny’s girlfriend. As Raoul had taunted, she’d become the next one on his arm at business functions and parties thrown by his friends on their yachts and in their mountain villas. It was the stuff of gossip columns and she could write her own headline.
Mallorcan Millionaire Romances his very own Mary Poppins!
The worst scenario would be rejection when, inevitably, he met someone he preferred.
Eira couldn’t contemplate staying on as nanny when that happened.
“I’m looking forward to hearing about your plans,” she said. He must never know how close she’d come to revealing her true feelings for him.
The moment had passed. Danny headed for the door, opened it and waited for her to go through.
“I think we need to reconsider your position within my household,” he said as they entered the dining-room.
Eira’s heart thumped like a drum. Now what?