Kitabı oxu: «Maid for a Magnate»

A huge thanks to the Mills & Boon Desire team for including me in this amazing continuity.

And a special thanks to Janice, Kat, Katherine, Andrea and Charlene.

I loved working with you all on this project.

Contents

Cover

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Extract

Copyright

One

JUAN CARLOS SALAZAR II TRUE HEIR TO THRONE

Will Rowling stared at the blaring headline as he sipped his coffee and thanked every star in the sky that he’d dodged marrying into the royal family of Alma. Between the Montoro siblings and their cousin Juan Carlos, that was one seriously messed up group.

Of course his brother, James, had wedded the beautiful Bella Montoro. Will’s father may have had hopes of Will and Bella joining forces, but those devious plans obviously had fallen through when James fell in love with Bella instead.

Love. Such a fickle thing that botched up nearly every best laid plan. Not that Will had ever been on board with the idea of marrying Bella. He’d rather remain single than marry just to advance his family’s business interests.

The Montoros were a force to be reckoned with in Alma, now that the powerful royal family was being restored to the throne after more than seventy years in exile. And Patrick Rowling was all too eager to have his son marry into such prestige, but thankfully that son was not to be Will.

Bella’s brother had been heading toward the throne, until shocking letters were discovered in an abandoned family farmhouse, calling into question the lineage of the Montoros and diverting the crown into the hands of their cousin.

Secrets, scandal, lies... Will was more than happy to turn the reins over to his twin.

And since Will was officially single, he could carry out his own devious plan in great detail—his plot didn’t involve love but a whole lot of seduction.

First, though, he had to get through this meeting with his father. Fortunately, Will’s main goal of taking back control of his life involved one very intriguing employee of his father’s household so having this little meeting at the Rowling home in Playa del Onda instead of the Rowling Energy offices was perfectly fine with him. Now that James had married and moved out and Patrick was backing away from working as much, Patrick used his weekend home more often.

“Rather shocking news, isn’t it?”

Still clutching the paper in one hand and the coffee mug in the other, Will turned to see his father breeze into the den. While Patrick leaned more toward the heavier side, Will prided himself on keeping fit. It was just another way he and his father were different though some around them felt Will was a chip off the old block. At one time Will would’ve agreed with those people, but he was more than ready to show everyone, including his father, he was his own man and he was taking charge.

“This bombshell will certainly shake things up for Alma.” Will tossed the newspaper onto the glossy mahogany desktop. “Think parliament will ratify his coronation?”

Patrick grunted as he sank into his leather desk chair. “It’s just a different branch of the Montoro family that will be taking the throne, so it really doesn’t matter.”

Will clutched his coffee cup and shook his head. Anything to do with the Montoros was not his problem. He had his own battles to face, starting with his father right now.

“What did you need to see me so early about?” his father asked, leaning back so far in the chair it squeaked.

Will remained standing; he needed to keep the upper hand here, needed to stay in control. Even though he was going up against his father’s wishes, Will had to take back control of his own life. Enough with worrying about what his father would say or do if Will made the wrong move.

James had never bowed to their father’s wishes and Will always wondered why his twin was so against the grain. It may have taken a few years to come around, but Will was more than ready to prove himself as a formidable businessman.

Will was a master at multitasking and getting what he wanted. And since he’d kissed Cat a few weeks ago, he’d thought of little else. He wanted her...and he would have her. Their intense encounter would allow for nothing less.

But for right this moment, Will was focusing on his new role with Rowling Energy and this meeting with his father. Conquering one milestone at a time.

“Up till now, you’ve had me dealing with the company’s oil interests,” Will stated. “I’m ready to take total control of the real estate division, too.”

His father’s chest puffed out as he took in a deep breath. “I’ve been waiting for you to come to me with this,” Patrick said with a smile. “You’re the obvious choice to take over. You’ve done a remarkable job increasing the oil profits. They’re up twelve percent since you put your mark on the company.”

Will intended to produce financial gains for all of the company’s divisions. For years, he’d wanted to get out from under his father’s thumb and take control, and now was his chance. And that was just the beginning of his plans where Rowling Energy was concerned.

Finally, now that Will was seeing clearly and standing on his own two feet, nothing would stand in his way. His father’s semiretirement would just help ease the path to a beautiful life full of power and wealth...and a certain maid he’d set in his sights.

“I’ve already taken the liberty of contacting our main real estate clients in London,” Will went on, sliding his hands into his pockets and shifting his weight. “I informed them they would be dealing with me.”

Will held his father’s gaze. He’d taken a risk contacting the other players, but Will figured his father would be proud and not question the move. Patrick had wanted Will to slide into the lead role of the family business for years. Slowly Will had taken over. Now he was ready to seal every deal and hold all the reins.

“Another man would think you’re trying to sneak behind his back.” Patrick leaned forward and laced his fingers together on the desktop. “I know better. You’re taking charge and that’s what I want. I’ll make sure my assistant knows you will be handling the accounts from here on out. But I’m here anytime, Will. You’ve been focused on this for so long, your work has paid off.”

Will nodded. Part one of his plan was done and had gone just as smoothly as he’d envisioned. Now he needed to start working on the second part of his plan. And both aspects involved the same tactic...trust. He needed to gain and keep the trust of both his father and Cat or everything would blow up in his face.

Will refused to tolerate failure on any level.

Especially where Cat was concerned. That kiss had spawned an onslaught of emotions he couldn’t, wouldn’t, ignore. Cat with her petite, curvy body that fit perfectly against his. She’d leaned into that kiss like a woman starved and he’d been all too happy to give her what she wanted.

Unfortunately, she’d dodged him ever since. He didn’t take that as a sign of disinterest. Quite the opposite. If she wasn’t interested, she’d act as if nothing had happened. But the way she kept avoiding him when he came to visit his father at the Playa del Onda estate only proved to Will that she was just as shaken as he was. There was no way she didn’t feel something.

Just one kiss and he had her trembling. He’d use that to his advantage.

Seeing Cat was another reason he opted to come to his father’s second home this morning. She couldn’t avoid him if he cornered her at her workplace. She’d been the maid for his twin brother, James, but James had often been away playing football—or as the Yanks called it, soccer—so Cat hadn’t been a temptation thrust right in Will’s face. But now she worked directly under Patrick. Her parents had also worked for Patrick, so Cat had grown up around Will and James. It wasn’t that long ago that Will had set his sights on Cat. Just a few years ago, in fact, he’d made his move, and they’d even dated surreptitiously for a while. That had ended tragically when he’d backed down from a fight in a moment of weakness. Since their recent kiss had brought back their scorching chemistry, Will knew it was time for some action.

Will may have walked out on her four years ago, but she was about to meet the new Will...the one who fought for what he wanted. And he wanted Cat in his bed and this time he wouldn’t walk away.

Will focused back on his father. “I’ll let myself out,” he stated, more than ready to be finished with this part of his day. “I’ll be in touch once I hear back from the investors and companies I contacted.”

Heading for the open double doors, Will stopped when his father called his name.

“You know, I really wanted the thing with you and Bella to work,” Patrick stated, as he stared at the blaring, boldface headline.

“She found love with my brother. She and I never had any type of connection. You’d best get used to them together.”

Patrick focused his attention back on Will. “Just keep your head on your shoulders and don’t follow the path your brother has. Getting sidetracked isn’t the way to make Rowling Energy grow and prosper. Just do what you’ve been doing.”

Oh, he intended to do just that.

Will gave his father a brief nod before heading out into the hallway. Little did his father know, Will was fully capable of going after more than one goal at a time. He had no intention of letting the oil or real estate businesses slide. If anything, Will fully intended to expand both aspects of the business into new territory within the next year.

Will also intended to seduce Cat even sooner. Much sooner. And he would stop at nothing to see all of his desires fulfilled.

* * *

That familiar woodsy scent assaulted her...much like the man himself had when he’d kissed her a few weeks ago.

Could such a full-on assault of the senses be called something so simple as a kiss? He’d consumed her from the inside out. He’d had her body responding within seconds and left her aching and wanting more than she should.

Catalina kept her back turned, knowing full well who stood behind her. She’d managed to avoid running into him, though he visited his father more and more lately. At this point, a run-in was inevitable.

She much preferred working for James instead of Patrick, but now that James was married, he didn’t stay here anymore and Patrick did. Catalina had zero tolerance for Patrick and the fact that she worked directly for him now only motivated her more to finish saving up to get out of Alma once and for all. And the only reason she was working for Patrick was because she needed the money. She knew she was well on her way to leaving, so going to work for another family for only a few months didn’t seem fair.

Years ago her mother had moved on and still worked for a prestigious family in Alma. Cat prayed her time here with Patrick was coming to an end, too.

But for now, she was stuck here and she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about that kiss. Will had silently taken control of her body and mind in the span of just a few heated moments, and he’d managed to thrust her directly into their past to the time when they’d dated.

Unfortunately, when he’d broken things off with her, he’d hurt her more than she cared to admit. Beyond leaving her when she hadn’t even seen it coming, he’d gone so far as to say it had all been a mistake. His exact words, which had shocked her and left her wondering how she’d been so clueless. Catalina wouldn’t be played for a fool and she would never be his “mistake” again. She had more pride than that...even if her heart was still bruised from the harsh rejection.

Even if her lips still tingled at the memory of their recent kiss.

Catalina continued to pick up random antique trinkets on the built-in bookshelves as she dusted. She couldn’t face Will, not just yet. This was the first encounter since that night three weeks ago. She’d seen him, he’d purposely caught her eye a few times since then, but he’d not approached her until now. It was as if the man enjoyed the torture he inflicted upon her senses.

“You work too hard.”

That voice. Will’s low, sultry tone dripped with sex appeal. She didn’t turn around. No doubt the sight of him would still give her that swift punch of lust to the gut, but she was stronger now than she used to be...or she’d been stronger before he’d weakened her defenses with one simple yet toe-curling kiss.

“Would that make you the pot or the kettle?” she asked, giving extra attention to one specific shelf because focusing on anything other than this man was all that was holding her sanity together.

His rich laughter washed over her, penetrating any defense she’d surrounded herself with. Why did her body have to betray her? Why did she find herself drawn to the one man she shouldn’t want? Because she hadn’t forgotten that he’d recently been the chosen one to wed Bella Montoro. Bella’s father had put out a false press release announcing their engagement, but of course Bella fell for James instead and Will ended up single. James had informed Cat that Bella and Will were never actually engaged, but still. With Will single now, and after that toe-curling kiss, Cat had to be on her guard. She had too much pride in herself to be anybody’s Plan B.

“That spot is clean.” His warm, solid hand slid easily onto her shoulder. “Turn around.”

Pulling in a deep breath, Catalina turned, keeping her shoulders back and her chin high. She would not be intimidated by sexy good looks, flawless charm and that knowing twinkle in Will’s eye. Chemistry wouldn’t get her what she wanted out of life...all she’d end up with was another broken heart.

“I have a lot on my list today.” She stared at his ear, trying to avoid those piercing aqua eyes. “Your dad should be in his den if you’re looking for him.”

“Our business is already taken care of.” Will’s hand dropped, but he didn’t step back; if anything, he shifted closer. “Now you and I are going to talk.”

“Which is just another area where we differ,” she retorted, skirting around him to cross in front of the mantel and head to the other wall of built-in bookcases. “We have nothing to discuss.”

Of course he was right behind her. The man had dropped her so easily four years ago yet in the past few weeks, he’d been relentless. Perhaps she just needed to be more firm, to let him know exactly where she stood.

“Listen.” She spun back around, brandishing her feather duster at him. Maybe he’d start sneezing and she could make a run for it. “I’ve no doubt you want to talk about that kiss. We kissed. Nothing we hadn’t done before.”

Of course this kiss was so, so much more; it had penetrated to her very soul. Dammit.

“But I’m not the same girl you used to know,” she continued, propping her hand on her hip. “I’m not looking for a relationship, I’m not looking for love. I’m not even interested in you anymore, Will.”

Catalina nearly choked on that lie, but she mentally applauded herself for the firmness in her delivery and for stating all she needed to. She wasn’t about to start playing whatever game Will had in mind because she knew one thing for certain...she’d lose.

Will stepped closer, took hold of her wrist and pulled her arm gently behind her back. Her body arched into his as she gripped her feather duster and tried to concentrate on the bite of the handle into her palm and not the way those mesmerizing eyes were full of passion and want.

“Not interested?” he asked with a smirk. “You may be able to lie to yourself, Cat, but you can never lie to me. I know you too well.”

She swallowed. “You don’t know me at all if you think I still like to be called Cat.”

Will leaned in until his lips caressed the side of her ear. “I want to stand out in your mind,” he whispered. “I won’t call you what everyone else does because our relationship is different.”

“We have nothing but a past that was a mistake.” She purposely threw his words back in his face and she didn’t care if that was childish or not.

Struggling against his hold only caused her body to respond even more as she rubbed against that hard, powerful build.

“You can fight this all you want,” he said as he eased back just enough to look into her eyes. “You can deny you want me and you can even try to tell yourself you hate me. But know this. I’m also not the same man I used to be. I’m not going to let you get away this time.”

Catalina narrowed her gaze. “I have goals, Will, and you’re not on my list.”

A sultry grin spread across his face an instant before he captured her lips. His body shifted so that she could feel just how much he wanted her. Catalina couldn’t stop herself from opening her mouth for him and if her hands had been free, she probably would’ve fully embarrassed herself by gripping his hair and holding him even tighter.

Damn this man she wanted to hate, but couldn’t.

He demanded her affection, demanded desire from her and she gave it. Mercy, she had no choice.

He nipped at her, their tongues tangling, before he finally, finally lifted his head and ran a thumb across her moist bottom lip.

“I have goals, too, Cat,” he murmured against her mouth. “And you’re on the top of my list.”

The second he released her, she had to hurry to steady herself. By the time she’d processed that full-on arousing attack, Will was gone.

Typical of the man to get her ready for more and leave her hanging. She just wished she still wasn’t tingling and aching all over for more of his touch.

Two

Will sat on his patio, staring down at his boat and contemplating another plan of action. Unfortunately his cell phone rang before he could fully appreciate the brilliant idea he’d just had.

His father’s name popped up on the screen and Will knew without answering what this would be about. It looked as if Patrick Rowling had just got wind of Will’s latest business actions.

“Afternoon,” he greeted, purposely being more cheerful than he assumed his father was.

“What the hell are you doing with the Cortes Real Estate company?”

Will stared out onto the sparkling water and crossed his ankles as he leaned back in his cushioned patio chair. “I dropped them.”

“I’m well aware of that seeing as how Dominic called me to raise hell. What were you thinking?” his father demanded. “When you steamrolled into the head position, I thought you’d make wise moves to further the family business and make it even more profitable into the next generation. I never expected you to sever ties with companies we’ve dealt with for decades.”

“I’m not hanging on to business relationships based on tradition or some sense of loyalty,” Will stated, refusing to back down. “We’ve not gained a thing in the past five years from the Corteses and it was time to cut our losses. If you and Dom want to be friends, then go play golf or something, but his family will no longer do business with mine. The bottom line here is money, not hurt feelings.”

“You should’ve run this by me, Will. I won’t tolerate you going behind my back.”

Will came to his feet, pulled in a deep breath of ocean air and smiled because he was in charge now and his father was going to start seeing that the “good” twin wasn’t always going to bend and bow to Patrick’s wishes. Will was still doing the “right thing,” it just so happened the decisions made were Will’s version of right and not his father’s.

“I’m not sneaking at all,” Will replied, leaning against the scrolling wrought iron rail surrounding his deck. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know, but since I’m in charge now, I’m not asking for permission, either.”

“How many more phone calls can I expect like the one I got from Cortes?”

His father’s sarcasm wasn’t lost on Will.

“None for the time being. I only let one go, but that doesn’t mean I won’t cut more ties in the future if I see we aren’t pulling any revenue in after a period of time.”

“You run your decisions by me first.”

Giving a shrug even though his father couldn’t see him, Will replied, “You wanted the golden son to take over. That’s exactly what I’m doing. Don’t second-guess me and my decisions. I stand to gain or lose like you do and I don’t intend to see our name tarnished. We’ll come out on top if you stop questioning me and let me do this job the way it’s meant to be done.”

Patrick sighed. “I never thought you’d argue with me.”

“I’m not arguing. I’m telling you how it is.”

Will disconnected the call. He wasn’t going to get into a verbal sparring match with his father. He didn’t have time for such things and nothing would change Will’s mind. He’d gone over the numbers and cross-referenced them for the past years. Though that was a job his assistant could easily do, Will wanted his eyes on every report since he was taking over. He needed to know exactly what he was dealing with and how to plan accordingly.

His gaze traveled back to his yacht nestled against his private dock. Speaking of planning accordingly, he had more personal issues to deal with right now. Issues that involved one very sexy maid.

It had taken a lifeless, arranged relationship with Bella to really wake Will up to the fact his father had his clutches so tight, Will had basically been a marionette his entire life. Now Will was severing those strings, starting with the ridiculous notion of his marrying Bella.

Will was more than ready to move forward and take all the things he’d been craving: money and Cat. A beautiful combo to start this second stage of his life.

And it would be soon, he vowed to himself as he stalked around his outdoor seating area and headed inside. Very soon he would add to his millions, secure his place as head of the family business by cementing its leading position in the oil and real estate industries and have Cat right where he wanted her...begging.

* * *

Catalina couldn’t wait to finish this day. So many things had come up that hadn’t been on her regular schedule...just another perk of working for the Rowling patriarch. She had her sights set on getting home, taking off her ugly, sensible work shoes and digging into another sewing project that would give her hope, get her one step closer to her ultimate goal.

This next piece she’d designed late last night would be a brilliant, classy, yet fun outfit to add to her private collection. A collection she fully intended to take with her when she left Alma very soon.

Her own secret goal of becoming a fashion designer had her smiling. Maybe one day she could wear her own stylish clothes to work instead of boring black cotton pants and button-down shirt with hideous shoes. Other than her mother, nobody knew of Catalina’s real dream, and she had every intention of keeping things that way. The last thing she needed was anyone trying to dissuade her from pursuing her ambitions or telling her that the odds were against her. She was fully aware of the odds and she intended to leap over them and claim her dream no matter how long it took. Determination was a hell of a motivator.

She came to work for the Rowlings and did her job—and that was about all the human contact she had lately. She’d been too wrapped up in materials, designs and fantasies of runway shows with her clothing draped on models who could fully do her stylish fashions justice.

Not that Catalina hated how she looked, but she wasn’t blind. She knew her curvy yet petite frame wasn’t going to get her clothing noticed. She merely wanted to be behind the scenes. She didn’t need all the limelight on her because she just wanted to design, no more.

As opposed to the Rowling men who seemed to crave the attention and thrive on the publicity and hoopla.

Adjusting the fresh arrangement of lilacs and white calla lilies in the tall, slender crystal vase, Catalina placed the beautiful display on the foyer table in the center of the open entryway. There were certain areas where Patrick didn’t mind her doing her own thing, such as choosing the flowers for all the arrangements. She tended to lean toward the classy and elegant...which was the total opposite of the man she worked for.

James on the other hand had more fun with her working here and he actually acknowledged her presence. Patrick only summoned her when he wanted to demand something. She hated thinking how much Will was turning into his father, how business was ruling him and consuming his entire life.

Will wasn’t in her personal life anymore, no matter how much she still daydreamed about their kisses. And Patrick would only be her employer for a short time longer. She was hoping to be able to leave Alma soon, leave behind this life of being a maid for a man she didn’t care for. At least James was pleasant and a joy to work for. Granted, James hadn’t betrayed Cat’s mother the way Patrick had. And that was just another reason she wanted out of here, away from Patrick and the secret Cat knew about him.

Catalina shoved those thoughts aside. Thinking of all the sins from Patrick’s past wouldn’t help her mood.

Patrick had been deceitful many years ago and Catalina couldn’t ignore her mother’s warning about the Rowling men. Even if Will had no clue how his father had behaved, it was something Catalina would never forget. She was only glad she’d found out before she did something foolish like fall completely in love with Will.

Apparently the womanizing started with Patrick and trickled down to his sons. James had been a notorious player before Bella entered his life. After all, there was nothing like stealing your twin brother’s girl, which is what James had done to Will. But all had worked out in the end because Bella and James truly did love each other even if the way they got there was hardly normal. Leave it to the Rowlings and the Montoros to keep life in Alma interesting.

Catalina just wished those recent kisses from Will weren’t overriding her mother’s sound advice and obvious common sense.

Once the arrangement was to her liking—because perfection was everything whether you were a maid or a CEO—Catalina made her way up the wide, curved staircase to the second floor. The arrangements upstairs most likely needed to be changed out. At the very least, she’d freshen them up with water and remove the wilting stems.

As she neared the closed door of the library, she heard the distinct sound of a woman sobbing. Catalina had no clue who was visiting. No women lived here, and she’d been in the back of the house most of the morning and hadn’t seen anyone come in.

The nosy side of her wanted to know what was going on, but the employee side of her said she needed to mind her own business. She’d been around the Rowling family enough to know to keep her head down, do her job and remember she was only the help.

Inwardly she groaned. She hated that term. Yes, she was a maid, but she was damn good at her job. She took pride in what she did. No, cleaning toilets and washing sheets wasn’t the most glam of jobs, but she knew what she did was important. Besides, the structure and discipline of her work was only training her for the dream job she hoped to have someday.

The rumble of male voices blended in with the female’s weeping. Whatever was going on, it was something major. Catalina approached the circular table in the middle of the wide hall. As she plucked out wilted buds here and there, the door to the library creaked open. Catalina focused on the task at hand, though she was dying to turn to see who came from the room.