His Secretary Mistress(17)

And with that thought in mind she invited Jenna to lunch.

Jenna had given up any hope of seeing Alex that day, and had almost convinced herself that it was a relief to be spared his sardonic humour. It was now four o’clock, she had worked like a Trojan all day, and was idly sketching a few ideas of illustrations for a children’s book that she had written for Maisie when a voice in her ear made her jump.

‘Very pretty—but it’s not exactly work, is it?’

‘Alex! I didn’t hear you come in.’ He moved with the stealth of a panther, she thought irritably, mortified to have been caught slacking.

‘That’s obvious,’ Alex replied dryly. ‘Although it beats me why you’re here at all. I specifically told you to take the day off to allow your shoulder time to recover.’

There was no warmth in his blue eyes, and Jenna gave up. It seemed that she could do nothing right in this man’s eyes. He was the boss, she reminded herself, and he had every right to expect high standards from his staff. If only he had returned to the office an hour earlier, he would have found her hard at work.

‘These are exceptionally good,’ he commented, flicking through her pages of drawings and ignoring the hand that tried to snatch them from him. ‘You’re very talented. Did you ever study art?’

‘I was studying for a degree at St Martins,’ she admitted, referring to the famous London art college. ‘My work was often criticised for being too finicky, but I love intricate drawings and sketching minute detail.’

‘So you have a degree in art?’

‘No, I wasn’t able to finish. There were problems, and studying didn’t fit in with married life…’ She tailed to a halt, unable to explain that her unplanned pregnancy had put an end to her dreams of being an illustrator. It would have been possible for her to return to college after Maisie’s birth, but Lee had been adamant that if she had spare time on her hands she should find a job.

Alex gave her an assessing look and then glanced back at the sketches, curious to know what kind of a man she had married—one who didn’t encourage her talent, obviously. ‘That’s a pity,’ he said quietly. ‘Perhaps you’ll have an opportunity to complete your studies in the future?’

‘Perhaps,’ she agreed, aware that there was no chance. That part of her life was over, and the hopes and aspirations she had once held seemed like childish dreams compared to the reality of life as a single mother.

‘I’m only here briefly.’ Alex moved away from her desk and distanced himself from the soft grey eyes that tugged at his heart. There was sadness in those eyes, a hint of regret, and he wanted to ask if her husband had forced her to give up studying the subject she loved.

It was none of his business, he reminded himself. Jenna Deane was married, had committed herself to another man, and he would do well to ignore the flare of awareness that dilated her pupils whenever their eyes met.

‘Margaret has filled me in on most things. Were there any other calls I should know about?’

Jenna flicked through her diary. ‘Selina Carter-Lloyd, Victoria Patterson, Sara Mittford. Although Miss Carter-Lloyd was the most persistent. You’re obviously a popular guy.’

Her sniff, the tilt of her small nose as she gave him a disdainful stare said it all, and a smile tugged the corners of his mouth. ‘You know what they say about all work and no play!’

His smile was her downfall, Jenna acknowledged ruefully. When he smiled his stern features softened, and she couldn’t drag her gaze from the sensual curve of his mouth. Her tongue unconsciously traced the outline of her lips. Suddenly the air was charged with a tension that was almost tangible. Alex’s smile had faded, his eyes narrowed, and there was a curious stillness about him, reminding her of a hunter stalking its prey. It was just a look, he wasn’t even standing close to her, yet her body burned. She could feel her nipples harden, and to her shame she was aware of a melting warmth between her thighs.

‘Alex, we weren’t expecting to see you again today.’ If Katrin was aware of the fraught tension in the office she ignored it, but Jenna recoiled from the look of sheer dislike she received from the other woman.

‘I only stopped by to collect a few papers.’ The spell was shattered and Alex strolled into his own office, knowing that his excuse was pathetic. There was nothing so vital that he needed to work on it that evening, but it had been a long day, and he had searched for a reason to return to his office, furious with himself for his need to see Jenna again.

‘Alex! This is a surprise. Is everything all right?’