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Authors: Erica Matthews

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BOOK: Falling for the Boss
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What an evasive answer! What are you afraid of? Your secrets are safe with me. In my profession I’ve seen and heard everything.”


I don’t have any secrets,” she said defiantly.


At least none you’re willing to share,” Marcus countered softly. “I have enough for both of us. Most of which I’m not so proud. My regrettable reputation with your sex is well-earned.”

“So you keep telling me.
But I think you’ve got a healthy dose of sincerity and kindness yourself.”


Do I?” he asked moodily. “Maybe it’s all part of the act. Gaining someone’s trust requires a bit of artifice.”

Her
smile was completely disarming to the man watching her closely through narrowed eyes. “Then you’ve been remarkably successful in my case, because I trust you completely.”

Marcus abruptly
laid his book aside and stood up, his face unsmiling. “And I trust no one. How’s that for unburdening my soul?”

“Compliments of your
job, no doubt.”

He
nodded his head. “As well as years of involvement with women. I’m going to the kitchen for a drink. Can I bring you anything?”


No, thanks.”

Marcus
stood in the kitchen, making no move to do anything. He kept seeing Maggie’s face when she told him she trusted him. He didn’t want her to look at him that way; especially if it produced his present state of mind. Things were complicated enough already. Something would have to be done, but just what that might be, Marcus had no clear idea.

When he
finally made his reappearance upstairs, the subject of his troubled thoughts had fallen asleep. She appeared so absurdly young and vulnerable that Marcus winced. Why did she have to be so sweetly innocent? And why, after all these years, did he find it so appealing?

With a heavy sigh, he
picked her up and carried her back to her room. Laying her on the bed, he removed her slippers and tucked her up with a tenderness that bespoke deep feeling, though he didn’t recognize it as such. As he stood staring down at her, a look of wonder and longing spread across his taut features.


You have a peculiar fascination for me,” he whispered. “I wish I knew why.” As if he couldn’t help himself, he bent down and brushed her mouth with his lips before leaving the room.

The
uncomfortable sensation of sleeping in her robe caused Maggie to wake earlier than usual. Marcus must have carried her back to her room. Despite all his comments to the contrary, he really was a nice person. She hurriedly got out of bed and went into the bathroom to shower and dress.

As she made biscuits and fried bacon, she hummed to herself, unaware that Marcus had
also come downstairs. He watched her in silence, enjoying the picture she made with Mrs. Griffin’s ample apron tied around her small waist, her hair pulled into a ponytail, and an adorable half-smile hovering on her face. He could have stayed like that for hours.

The next moment he was frowning
; things were getting out of hand. Where was all his detachment? “Something smells appetizing,” he said, entering the kitchen.


Breakfast will be ready in a minute.” As she scooped bacon and eggs onto a plate, she said, “You didn’t have to carry me back to my room last night.”

Taking a seat,
Marcus looked up, his green eyes full of mischief. “You would have preferred to sleep in my room?”

Her cheeks flamed with pretty color. “No, all you had to do was wake me up.”

“That would have been nothing short of cruelty. I didn’t have the heart to do it.”

She smiled at the teasing note in his deep voice. “I tried to stay awake, but you were gone a long time.”

“I seem to remember having trouble finding the hot chocolate,” he added after a moment, perjuring himself without a qualm.

Maggie shook her head
and turned to go. “You can talk your way out of anything, can’t you?”

She did
n’t wait for his reply which was just as well since Marcus didn’t have one. He knew talking wasn’t going to extricate him from his present difficulty. Time was what he needed; time away from a situation that was growing more tangled by the minute.

Chap
ter Seven

Over
dinner that evening, Marcus told Maggie he would be attending a legal conference in Savannah. He planned to leave early the next morning and be gone for several days. Maggie hardly heard the rest of what he said because she suddenly remembered that Felicia lived in Savannah. It was bad enough that he would be gone. Now she had to worry whether he would be spending time with Felicia.

In the midst of helping Marcus pull together what he needed to take with him, Maggie
forgot everything else. It was enough to be near him. She must cherish these last moments in his company. When he returned, she would be preparing for her own departure. Her time as an inmate of Bradford House was drawing to a close.

Despite his assurance that it wasn’t necessary, Maggie was determined to see him off. Accordingly, she set her alarm and was down in the kitchen well before Marcus. He drifted in as she was taking a batch of muffins out of the oven.

“You take your duties as fiancé seriously, don’t you?” he asked teasingly.

“I think a good breakfast is important for anyone about to embark on a busy day,” she said rather primly.

He chuckled and gave her hair a tweak as he passed by. “Well, no matter what your motivation, I appreciate it.”

They spoke little over the meal. Marcus was in a hurry to get on the road. With murmured thanks, he disappeared in the direction of his office. Maggie never moved from the table. She listened to the sounds of his departure; the closing of his briefcase, the
placing of his luggage in the hallway, and then the footsteps toward the side door. Only his footsteps were coming back to the kitchen. Marcus came over and stood looking down at her, a faint smile on his face.

“I take my duties as fiancé seriously, too
.” Bending down, he kissed her lightly. “Don’t work too hard while I’m gone.”

Working hard was exactly what Maggie was determined to do. Only by keeping busy would she be able to keep her mind off
him. This plan was initially successful. In Marcus’ absence, Luke had more work than he could handle. He was only too happy to offload some of the more routine tasks to Maggie. The next few days passed more quickly than she’d expected.

Marcus called the following afternoon. He talked to Luke for a few minutes before asking for Maggie. Luke handed her the phone with a wink and left the room, closing the door behind him.

“Hello, Marcus,” she said as calmly as she could.

“How are things there?” he asked in a friendly tone.

“Fine. Luke and I are getting quite a bit of work done.”

“That’s good. Maggie, I’ve decided to stay on a few more days. I’m not sure when I’ll be home.”

“Oh! Is the conference not over?”

There was the merest hesitation. “The conference ends tomorrow.”

Maggie just stopped herself from saying ‘Oh’ again. Her position didn’t give her the right to question him and begging him to come home because she missed him wouldn’t do at all. She had to settle for something impersonal. “Well, I guess I’ll see you when I see you.”

“Goodbye, Maggie.”

As she hung up the phone, Maggie could only think of one reason that would delay his return - Felicia.

If Luke noticed anything different in Maggie’s demeanor, he kept it to himself. She could be forgiven for being down.
He did wonder why she insisted on returning to her apartment. Surely she should wait until Marcus returned.

In view of her plans,
Maggie decided to give the Rose Room a thorough cleaning. This would save Mrs. Griffin having to do it and be a way of showing her appreciation for being able to stay there. It was almost midnight before she finished and instead of being tired, Maggie found herself starved.

After a sandwich had been consumed,
she felt better. She was clearing the few things she’d used when she heard a loud thud followed by the sound of something rolling heavily down the stairs. Running into the hall, she was met with the sight of Mrs. Griffin lying in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. One look at the unconscious figure was enough to send Maggie into Marcus' office to dial 911. After being assured that help was on the way, she returned to find Luke bent over Mrs. Griffin.

“Oh, Luke, I’m
glad to see you!” Maggie exclaimed. “Has she come around?” she asked in a hopeful voice.

“No, but that’s not unexpected considering what happened.”

“I hope she’ll be alright.”

Luke
patted her arm. “She’s a tough little lady.”

The ambulance crew arrived sho
rtly thereafter and took over. In a short space of time, all was quiet again. Mrs. Griffin’s daughter had been notified and would meet the ambulance at the hospital. Her usefulness at an end, reaction set in and Maggie started trembling from head to foot. Luke led her into the kitchen, seated her at the table and proceeded to make her some hot tea; a beverage his mother claimed cured everything.

A
s they waited for the water to boil, he said in his calm way, “Everything’s going to be fine. You heard what the paramedic said; Mrs. Griffin sprained her ankle and may have a concussion. She’ll be back with us in no time.” Handing her the cup, he watched in silence as she took a few tentative sips.


I know, but I can’t help thinking this is my fault.”

“How could this be your fault?”
he asked in a reasonable tone.

“Well, I was down in the kitchen. She must have heard me and came to see what was going on.”
Tears began trickling down her cheeks. It was too much on top of everything else.

Feeling
the male helplessness in the presence of a crying woman, Luke awkwardly put his arm around Maggie’s shoulders. “If you’d been making that much noise, I would have heard you. I wasn’t even asleep yet. Now, let’s forget these foolish thoughts. We’ll know more about everything in the morning.” He urged her upstairs to her bedroom.


I don’t know what came over me,” she said shakily. She managed a rather pathetic smile. “You can go Luke, I’ll be fine.”

Luke doubted
it, noting the red, puffy eyes and the lost look on her face. “Before I go, let me get a cold cloth for your face. It will make you feel better.” As he went into the bathroom, he couldn’t help thinking there was more to Maggie's reaction than Mrs. Griffin's fall.

Neither of them heard Marcus
making his way into the house. Though the hour was late, he’d decided to return home instead of staying over another night. Leaving his briefcase in his office, he strolled tiredly into the kitchen to get a drink, his eyes lighting on the half-filled cup of tea sitting on the table as well as the tea pot resting on the stove. This was unusual since Mrs. Griffin was meticulous, almost too much so, about putting everything away. Shrugging his shoulders, he walked slowly up the stairs, wanting only his bed.

Muted v
oices coming from the direction of Maggie’s room reached his ears. Wondering who she could be talking to at this hour, he unconsciously quickened his steps. He wasn’t sure what he expected to find, but the sight that met his eyes when he arrived at the door of the Rose Room was enough to drive every coherent thought from his mind.

L
uke, who had urged Maggie to lie on the bed so that he could bathe her face, was bent over her. In the dim light, it appeared to Marcus that they were embracing.

His tanned face went completely white
as a rush of rage engulfed him. Before his common sense could come to his rescue, he took a few steps into the room and said in a deadly quiet voice, “Am I interrupting? I came to check on Maggie, but I can see she’s in good hands already.”

For a moment
both Luke and Maggie appeared to be struck dumb by Marcus’ sudden appearance. And then Luke stood up slowly and turned to face Marcus, a faint smile just visible on his calm features.

“Y
ou, more than anyone, should know better than to jump to conclusions,” he stated mildly.


You know nothing about what’s in my mind,” Marcus countered.

Luke’s smile grew mocking.
“Don’t I? This situation is more ironic than you know.”


Please enlighten me,” Marcus murmured, his eyes following Maggie, who without looking at either of them, escaped to the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Luke
had had enough – he walked toward the door. “It’s late and we’re all tired. I’ll be glad to tell you everything you want to know in the morning.”

Marcus stared at the bathroom door
. “Don’t let me keep you then.”

Luke
started to say something, thought better of it and simply left the room. Taking a deep breath Marcus walked to the bathroom door, unsure of whether in speaking to Maggie he might only engineer the type of scene he normally tried to avoid. He’d already appeared foolish with his dramatic entrance. A few minutes observation would have made it obvious that the suspicions racing around in his head were ridiculous.


You don’t have to hide in there, Maggie. I’m leaving, too.”

The door slowly opened. That she
was distressed was obvious; her trembling lips were his undoing. Marcus pulled her into his arms, holding her close just as he had done before. The momentary pleasure of being held by the man she loved slowly faded. If only he could love her.

Overcome
, Maggie buried her head against his chest and sobbed. Having no idea as to the true reason for her tears and feeling like a first-class heel, Marcus let her cry, murmuring assurances from time to time, until she finally drew away.

“I’ve ruined your shirt,” she whispered
, not looking at him.

Marcus tipped up her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Forget the shirt, Maggie.
You can cry on all of them if it will make you feel better.”


No, thank you. I’ve made a fool of myself as it is.”

“You could never do that,” he said gently.
“You’re almost perfect.”

She waved this aside, her eyes focusing on his face for the first time. “Y
ou look exhausted. Has it been a bad week?”

Marcus had to smile – this was more like it. He
’d never met a woman who more readily put someone else’s concerns before her own. “Just tediously long. I’m glad to be home again.” He smoothed back the hair from her face with gentle fingers. “You need to be in bed and so do I.” Bending down, he kissed her with a tenderness that made her catch her breath. “Goodnight, darling.”

It wasn’
t until the following morning when Maggie was taking her walk in the garden that her mind fully registered what Marcus had called her. She’d been so bemused by his kiss that she hadn’t really listened to his words. Had he meant to call her darling? Or were they just words, slipping off the tongue of a practiced charmer.

It was doubtful whether she would ever find out the truth.
Today she was returning to her apartment and though she would still see Marcus occasionally, it wouldn’t be the same. She felt like a boat cut adrift on a stormy sea.

Mounting the
steps of the gazebo, her thoughts were in such disarray she didn’t notice the person seated to one side, his face in shadow. By the time she did, it was too late to turn back.


Come join me, Maggie. You and I need to talk.” Waiting only until she’d obeyed his request, Marcus continued. “Luke explained everything to me this morning, and I want to apologize. The only excuse I can offer for my behavior last night is I was exhausted and not thinking too clearly. The news on Mrs. Griffin is mixed. She didn’t suffer a concussion as they originally thought, but she did sprain her ankle in two places. She’ll be coming here this afternoon. I know you’d planned on going home today, but would you consider staying until Mrs. Griffin is back on her feet?”

Relief was her initial feeling. She wouldn’t have to leave Bradford House yet.
“Certainly. I’m glad I can offer both of you some tangible help.”

T
he next few weeks flew by for Maggie. Mrs. Griffin proved to be an excellent patient, but all the same, she was limited in what she could do without assistance. And for most of those tasks, Maggie was the natural one to help. In addition, Maggie also made herself responsible for the duties normally performed by the injured housekeeper. She hardly had a moment to spare for Marcus or anyone else.

Even so,
she noticed a subtle change in Marcus’ behavior toward her. The teasing remarks that had so thrilled her became politely worded questions the goal of which was to ensure she had everything she needed and wasn’t overworked. He seemed to be retreating to the detached, courteous manner that had characterized their first few meetings. The man she had fallen in love with was vanishing behind the mask of a stranger.

She
was loading the dishwasher after a long, tiring day when she overheard Marcus telling Luke that Felicia was coming for the weekend. Here was an added complication to an already frustrating situation. Felicia treated Bradford House as her second home, making more work for everyone. The one who could have limited or stopped these visits any time he chose remained silent. And yet, when she was there, Marcus treated Felicia with an indifference that made Maggie feel almost sorry for her.

BOOK: Falling for the Boss
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