Taming Her Billionaire Boss(43)

“She’s good,” a female voice murmured, and he glanced sideways at an attractive woman in her late thirties who’d come to stand beside him.

He wasn’t interested. “Yes,” he said, looking back at Samantha.

“You’re new here.” She thrust a manicured hand in front of him. “I’m Clarice, by the way.”

It would have been rude not to shake her hand, but he still wasn’t interested. “Blake.” He wished the woman would leave him alone so that he could concentrate on Samantha.

“Do you know the guest of honor?”

For a moment he thought she meant Samantha, then he realized she was talking about the birthday lady. “A casual acquaintance.” He didn’t feel the need to explain.

“I went to boarding school with Anne. We’ve been lifelong friends.”

“That’s great.” The music ended on a high note and everyone started to clap and it gave him the chance to move away. “Excuse me,” he said, taking a step.

Clarice put her hand on his arm, stopping him. “Would you care to have a drink later?”

He’d been approached like this many times but for some reason now he found it distasteful, though he hid it. He only wanted to see Samantha. “I’m sorry,” he said, being as nice as possible so as not to offend. “Not tonight.” He walked away.

And headed straight for Samantha getting up from the piano. She was laughing as some people rushed to talk to her, and as Blake weaved his way through the tables he could only think how much she lit up the room.

Then she saw him. “Blake,” she murmured, her blue eyes lighting up for him, sending an extraordinary feeling soaring inside his chest.

He reached her and put his hand on her elbow. “I think the lady needs a drink,” he told the group at large, making no apologies as he led her away.

“What are you doing here?” she said as he took her over to the bar.

“I could hear the music upstairs. It drew me to you.” He paused. “I’m totally in awe of you,” he murmured, pleased to see a hint of dusky rose color her cheeks.

“Thank you,” she said in a breathy voice.

For a moment they held one another’s gaze.

“Samantha,” Erica said, rushing up to them and kissing Samantha on the cheek. “You were wonderful!” In her excitement she kissed Blake’s cheek, too. “Isn’t she wonderful, Blake?”

For a split second he froze at Erica’s friendliness, but then he found himself relenting toward her even more. Anyone who liked Samantha so much deserved a little more consideration.

He gave his half sister his first ever warm smile. “Yes, she’s pretty wonderful.”

Erica seemed a little taken aback at his friendliness, but her self-possession soon returned as she spoke to Samantha. “The minute you started playing this afternoon, I knew you were good.”

Samantha laughed as she looked from one to the other. “Do either of you have an ear for music?”

“We know a class act when we see it,” Erica said, then winked at her half brother. “Don’t you agree, Blake?”

Blake nodded, his gaze returning to Samantha and resting there. “I couldn’t agree more,” he said, as everything inside him went still.

Samantha was class all the way.

Just then, the real guest of honor and her husband came up to thank Samantha for playing so beautifully. Then Anne asked Samantha if she’d play her a special piece of classical music.

And as Blake watched Samantha start to play the piano again, he realized this woman could be destined for better things than being his assistant. He wasn’t an expert at piano playing by any means, but he knew when something sounded good. It hit home then that he had no right to keep her here and hold her back from what could be her true vocation. He really did have to let her go. Somewhere at the back of his mind he’d still believed she wouldn’t leave. Now he knew different.#p#分页标题#e#

“You’re amazingly good at playing the piano,” he said later, once they were inside Pine Lodge and alone together.

She sent him an amused glance as she took off her coat. “Don’t start that again.”

He frowned as he took off his own coat and hung it on the rack. “I don’t understand why you didn’t take your music further. I’m sure you could be a world-class pianist.”

She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “I’m an average pianist. I know my limitations.”

He’d been raised to push himself to the limit. “Aren’t you putting those limitations on yourself?”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t think I am. There are lots of mildly talented people who don’t take it all the way. It doesn’t mean they’re wasting their lives. They can use it in other ways. Some people teach. Some people play for themselves. Others play at parties,” she said, her lips curving wryly.