Lusty Billionaires Bundle(174)

‘It’s about Lucy…’





CHAPTER NINE




REFLECTING back, Tessa was amazed that those three little words, unintentionally aimed straight at her heart, hadn’t resulted in an immediate breakdown. Right there, half standing, half sitting, with Curtis’s firm hand closed over her wrist. In fact, her utter composure had been a great reminder to her that she would be able to get through this and put it behind her. An ability to keep up appearances was everything. After all, didn’t you eventually believe the myths you started creating about yourself? Show the world that you were strong, that you hadn’t been hurt, and sooner or later you would find yourself no longer having to pretend.

She had smiled brightly and exclaimed that there was no need to launch into this particular conversation about her sister, that she already knew. And then, when he had still been in his stunned phase, she had managed to release herself from his fingers and return to the noisy bustle of the party, where several people had conveniently been paying their respects to the hostess before taking their leave.

She and Lucy had managed to slip out before she could be cornered again by him and forced to hear the quiet let-down, the rueful sheepishness that her sister’s attractions were just so much greater and more inviting. She had even managed to avoid the worst-case scenario, which was being asked, urgently and passionately, whether she would mind not saying anything about what they had got up to just in case it jeopardised his chances with her sister.

However, she had known what she had to do.

Nevertheless, she could feel a wave of nauseous nervousness sweep through her as she walked through the familiar doors of the office building.

The feeling intensified on the ride up, where she maintained a glassy-eyed, fixed stare in front of her, ignoring every other person in the lift.

She had decided to arrive as early as possible, in the hope that she would get to the office before him. Time for a strong cup of coffee and a few stern lectures to herself before she had to face the reality of his overwhelming presence.#p#分页标题#e#

As luck would have it, he was there. Tessa spotted him the minute she walked into her office, through the open door that led to his. He was sprawled back in his chair, legs propped up on the desk, surveying something on his computer. His jeans were faded to almost white in patches and he was wearing a long-sleeved black tee shirt. Conservative dressing by his standards and he looked shockingly sexy.

‘God, you’re early!’ His eyes crinkled in an appreciative smile. ‘Half the staff are off for a couple more days and the other half will be taking their time getting here.’ He beckoned her with one finger and, though he was still smiling, his eyes were serious.

Just in case he was thinking of continuing the conversation he had been obliged to abort the evening before, Tessa rooted through her bag and carefully placed the envelope on the desk in front of him.

He looked at it for a few seconds, then said brusquely, ‘What’s this?’

‘Open it and you’ll find out. Can I get you some coffee?’

‘No, you can stay right there until I see what you’ve given me.’ He dropped his feet to the ground, leaned forward and took the envelope, opening it in one swift movement as he slid back into his reclining position.

Tessa didn’t look at him as he read, and re-read and re-read again. She focused on her fingers instead, spread clammily on her skirt.

‘It’s a letter of resignation,’ Curtis said eventually, his voice devoid of any intonation, and this time she did look at him. His lips were narrowed in a thin line and he was frowning, but not in a puzzled way. More in a savagely grim way.

‘I know what it is. I wrote it.’

‘Mind telling me why? Or do I have to guess?’

‘Well, as I mentioned in the letter, the job is brilliant, but it’s just not for me.’

‘Why not?’

‘We did say from the start that there would be a three-month probationary period,’ Tessa hedged. ‘You would be free to give me my walking papers if you didn’t like what you got and I would be free to do the same.’

‘And you’ve decided to go down that route even though you’ve spent, let’s see now, eight lines extolling the fabulous nature of the work.’ He leaned back, folded his hands behind his head and proceeded to give her the full benefit of his attention. It was like being hosed down in freezing water. His eyes were chips of ice.

In her head, Tessa had imagined that her resignation, after the first few platitudes of regret and maybe a token attempt to tempt her to stay, would be happily accepted. After all, wasn’t she freeing him up to commence a full-blown affair with Lucy, without having her around like a guilty conscience draped round his neck?