The Boss's Stolen Bride by Natalie Anderson

Author:Natalie Anderson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2022-12-07T15:27:14+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

‘HOLIDAYS?’ ELIAS ECHOED, assuming a perplexed air. ‘What are these “holidays” you speak of?’

She giggled again and he couldn’t resist kissing her. But when he lifted his head and gazed down at her he realised she was right. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d bothered to take a sustained break from work. But why would he? Work was energy and excitement. He liked moving from one project to the next without time to take a breath—it was breath to him. But Darcie thought that he was worse than she was, which meant she’d take a break if she could. He’d been so very blind when it came to her. And in so many ways.

‘In all this time working for me you’ve not taken any time off,’ he mused. ‘I probably should have been sued by an employee’s federation or something. I’m pretty sure it’s been illegal.’

‘It was a privately negotiated contract,’ she said valiantly. ‘I wanted to work.’

Wanted to or had to? Because there was a difference. And he didn’t like thinking of her having to. Nor did he like her trying to make him feel better about it. ‘Doesn’t make it okay, though. When did you last have a holiday?’

She dropped her gaze. ‘School holidays.’

Well, that was a while ago. And also not true. ‘You worked all of them,’ he said. ‘From your mid-teens you took whatever job you could—fast-food outlets, then data entry. Once you got your first job you never had a break. I rechecked your agency CV on the flight to Vegas.’

Her gaze shot back to his. ‘You did? Why?’

‘Because I realised that despite working alongside you for almost three years, I barely know anything substantial about you.’

She swallowed. ‘You could’ve just asked me.’

‘And you’d answer properly?’ He watched her with wry amusement, feeling an odd ache in his chest at the same time. ‘You’re reticent about anything personal.’ And now he just wondered all the more about her background. He had the horrible feeling she’d been very lonely. ‘That was understandable in our working relationship, but now we’re married...’

Her blue eyes turned intense. ‘Well, you don’t exactly offer up much personal, either.’

True. ‘Perhaps it’s a “work on” for us both. Let’s trade.’ He leaned back. ‘You go first. Tell me, have you ever really travelled?’

‘Frequently.’ She shot him an impish grin. ‘I’m very used to your private jet and still appreciate it, every time. Thanks to you I’ve seen the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum in Rome, even the Hollywood sign in LA.’

‘Those were literally fly-bys and not for recreational purposes.’ He fiddled with the edge of the sheet, wary about asking too much too soon and uncertain as to why he suddenly wanted to know so badly. ‘You never went on holiday with your foster family?’

Her expression instantly shuttered. ‘It wasn’t something many of them could afford.’

How many foster families had she been placed with?

‘But you can afford it, yet you don’t go on holiday either.’ She deflected the focus back to him.

And yes, she had him there.

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