I am not a team player, Dianne. I don’t deal with collaboration. You will get your centre but you will not have the opportunity to mess up the renovations.’"I am not going to mess this up!" she shouted.He gave her a measured stare. Control your temper. It is most unattractive.’"Do you think I care what you find attractive?"You should, considering the project hasn’t even started yet.She knew exactly what he meant. "Are you seriously serious? If I don’t toe the line, then you’ll pull the plug. ’‘If necessary, But as I’ve said numerous times, if you fulfill your side of the bargain, then I will fulfil mine.’You lied to me.’"No." You made assumptions.’ He rose from his seat and rested his hand on the desk, leaning forward. ‘I made it very clear that I would be taking control. I will be in charge and you will be by my side. Look at it from a positive perspective—this time you’ll see how a project is conducted properly all the way to its conclusion.’The anger inside her had risen s

Beatrice and Audrey Moore, Taylor’s mother and sister, respectively, were in the drawing room awaiting their arrival. Both were dressed impeccably, as if they were heading off to a night at the opera, something Taylor had once taken Dianne to and which, to her shame, she had fallen asleep through.She wondered when Taylor would comment on her own attire. He’d given her a sharp glance but hadn’t said anything.If she’d known they were coming here before she’d got in the car, she would have made a greater effort than the casual inky-coloured silk trousers with the tapered legs and the silk blush-pink roll-neck top. On her feet were flat snakeskin-effect sandals. She knew her outfit would hold its own at any restaurant, but in the Moore household, she might as well have come dressed in her pyjamas.It shouldn’t matter to her. In the days after she’d left, she’d gone through her wardrobe and removed every item that had been purchased for its suitability for Taylor Moore’s wife and not for

Where did family loyalty come into his sister’s thinking? When Chris had ended his relationship with Audrey, Taylor had been ready to kill him, not suggest they share cosy lunches together.But then, Audrey hadn’t had loyalty drummed into her as he had. For Audrey, childhood and life itself had been a charm; she’d been doted upon by a father who only spoke to his son to pick fault with him."Audrey didn’t want to upset you," Dianne said softly. ‘She said you would think she was being disloyal.’"You’re damn right she was disloyal. But I’m not upset.’‘Then what are you?’He forced his features into neutrality and glanced at her. "I’m not anything."Silence rang out, not even a whisper of sound to be heard until Dianne said, "Nothing changes, does it?""What are you talking about?"Her voice was sad. ‘Nothing is allowed to be less than perfect, not even your own feelings.’The silence was suddenly filled with a roaring noise. It took a moment for him to realize the sound was in his own

Dianne’s cheeks flushed at the unexpected compliment.She hadn’t expected that.She became even more flustered when Morgan carefully refolded her plans along the seams she’d made and tucked them into his large carry-case. ‘Next time, you roll them.’"Sorry?" She didn’t have the faintest idea what he was talking about.Next time you create plans, roll them, don’t fold them.’She bit into her bottom lip to stop the smile that was fighting to spread over her face. Morgan was a renowned architect with over twenty years’ experience, and he was complimenting and advising her as if she were, if not an equal, then a promising student.So stunned was she that the rest of the conversation passed her by, right until the moment came for them to leave.While Taylor and Morgan headed outside, she gave the place one last look, imagining how bright and fabulous it would be when the renovations and subsequent decoration were completed. Her heart swelled thinking of the children’s faces when they saw i

Heat bubbled deep within her, a sweet yet torturous sensation that begged for attention, and she dragged herself to her knees, taking in every part of him, from his toes to his cropped dark hair, as she unclasped her bra and threw it to one side, not caring where it landed. Then, finally, she pulled her underwear down past her hips, as Taylor’s eyes watched every move she made, his strong throat moving as he swallowed."Lie down," he instructed, his words guttural.She did as she was bid and lay back, posing provocatively for him with one arm hooked over her head, a hand clasping a breast that was practically crying for attention, deliberately encircling a hard nipple.A muted groan came from his throat, and he yanked at his boxers and tugged them down past his muscular thighs, freeing his erection.More moisture filled her, the heated ache in the apex of her thighs now nothing but a mass of sensation begging for his touch.A warning thought rang out, breaking through the haze."I’m n