Free In Bed with the Enemy by Janet Woods Page A

she’d gone back to the ugly town in the North of England where she’d been born, leaving her child to be raised by her former husband. Of course, there had been another man involved in her life, but Darcie hadn’t known that when she’d been small.
    Her mother had kept in touch with cards and presents for Christmas and birthdays, and later - when Darcie learned to read and write - with letters. There had been a couple of visits when she’d grown older - but if any close bond had existed between them it had been lost in the passing of time.
    Darcie had been completely happy with her father, who although he’d had girlfriends from time to time, had never shown any inclination to remarry.
    Now she was on her own. Except for Leon, her custodian. She’d been staring at his name for five minutes without really seeing it. Now it jumped out at her in bold blue letters. LEON PRICE LTD.
    ‘Your name’s on the side of a building over there,’ she said, pointing out the obvious as she turned to him in astonishment.
    His eyes lit up with amusement. ‘Not for much longer if I can help it.’
    Feeling foolish, she turned away, only to encounter his reflection in the glass - he was exchanging a smile with his lawyer. She poked her tongue out at the reflection and immediately felt slightly better.
    ‘There’s going to be difficulty about that, the lawyer was saying. Martin wants to retain the company name - and he wants you to stay as chairman on the board of directors.’
    ‘No to the first. The name can be incorporated without the company suffering damage. Price and Grainger for the first two years, then it reverts to Martin Grainger. As for the second request. ‘I’ll serve on the board for one year only. After that, he’s on his own.’
    ‘He should go for that.’
    ‘Another thing, Leon.’ The lawyer’s pencil tapped on the desk. ‘Martin wants his sister on the board.’
    ‘Helen?’
    Darcie’s ears twitched at the sound of her name.
    ‘He intends to make her a partner in the future. She already owns a fair number of shares and wants to learn the ropes.’
    Darcie watched Leon frown for a second, and then he nodded. ‘I guess I’ll be able to handle it. Helen’s got more sense than her brother when it comes to business. I’ve got no objection.‘
    Leon’s ability to sort out the personal from the professional and make an instant decision awed her.
    ‘Right, I’ll set up a meeting with his lawyer to thrash out the financial details. Will next week suit?’
    ‘Fine. Just give me a ring.’ The two men stood up and shook hands - then she and Leon were outside the office and were being conveyed to the ground floor in an elevator plush enough to be a lounge room.
    They emerged into the April sunlight and the bustle of the street.
    ‘Will you mind working with Helen?’ she said, voicing her concern straight away.
    ‘What’s more to the point, will you mind me working with Helen?’
    ‘Why is that the point?’
    ‘Because you’ll be my wife.’
    Their glance collided with a suddenness that made her struggle for breath. What had she got herself into? She didn’t want to become Leon’s wife so he could prove something to Helen. She wanted to marry him because –! No, it was ridiculous. She’d only just met him. Love at first sight was a myth. Besides, once he got together with Helen again ...
    ‘Wrong,’ she said faintly. ‘I’ll be your kitchen-hand. And the thought of you working with Helen doesn’t affect me one way or the other.’
    ‘It doesn’t affect me one way or the other, either.’ He threw her a wicked grin. ‘The first meeting might prove to be a bit embarrassing though.’
    She couldn’t return his grin. The thought of Leon and Helen thrown together again had suddenly brought a nasty taste to her mouth. From what she’d seen of her, the woman would eat him alive and spit out the crumbs. Perhaps it would be best to leave Helen and Leon to fate. After all, they were both adults,