Cal couldn’t really blame her—but that didn’t mean he was going to change his tactics. He and Heather had a plan, developed in the dark of night, curled up together in his bed. It was simple. Keep the reporter as far away from the children—and from Heather—for as much of her visit as possible. Mrs Peterson would handle the history of the castle and the family and so on, using the usual sanitised version, and Cal would do a proper interview—enough to keep her happy.
They’d fulfil the letter of the contract, but not the spirit. Because there was no way in hell Cal was allowing his nephew and niece to be exploited in some gossip magazine, however high-class the editor insisted it was.
And he wasn’t letting Anna Jenkins find out about Heather and the baby, either.
Not if he could help it.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
‘HOW’S IT GONE TODAY?’ Heather asked, slipping into Cal’s office late on Thursday night.
His eyes widened. ‘You shouldn’t be here!’
Dropping into the chair opposite him, Heather rolled her eyes. ‘Anna’s already gone to bed for the night. Annoyed, according to Mrs Peterson. I do worry that if we frustrate her too much she’ll go digging around for a scandal just to get back at us.’
For four days now Heather had kept the kids as far away from the castle as possible. There’d been picnics and day trips and long hikes—even a train ride into the city for the day. Anna had tried to suggest she accompany them on that one, but Cal had put on his best aristocratic voice and said, ‘I thought you were here to cover life in the castle, Anna?’ and that had been that.
Even Heather had been able to sense the journalist’s annoyance although, as per the plan, she’d only seen her at breakfast and dinner each day. The children had stayed on their best behaviour for meals, answered Anna’s questions in boring monotones, and basically helped create the impression that life at Lengroth Castle was nothing to write home about.
It was working, and Heather was glad.
But that did mean she’d barely seen Cal alone since the night she’d spent in his bed, and she missed him. More than she’d thought possible given that they were still living in the same castle.
‘We just can’t risk getting caught now, Heather. Not when we’re so close to getting this over and done with.’
‘I know,’ Heather replied. ‘I just...needed to see you.’
‘I know the feeling,’ Cal said, giving her a wry smile that reassured her he was suffering every bit as much as she was.
‘I’ll just sit here,’ Heather promised. ‘With a whole desk between us, getting into no trouble at all. We can talk about the children’s educational progress, if you like.’
‘Okay.’ Cal sat back in his chair, arms folded across his chest. ‘What have they learned this week?’
‘Basically nothing—because we’ve been here there and everywhere, staying out of Anna’s way.’
‘Right. So we’re done with that topic, then?’
Heather sighed. ‘Cal...’
‘I know. I know. I just... If you stay, I’m going to kiss you. I won’t be able to help it. You’re the ultimate temptation, and you know how bad the men in my family are at resisting that.’
‘I do,’ Heather agreed. ‘But would it really be all that bad if you kissed me right now?’
She licked her lips. Her insides felt warmer just thinking about it. As if her blood was heating up inside her veins.
Cal’s amber eyes darkened, and she knew he felt the same.
‘Maybe not,’ he said. ‘But I wouldn’t be able to stop at kissing you—you know that.’
‘No?’ Heather smiled dangerously. She knew this was a game they could ill afford to be playing right now, but maybe Cal wasn’t the only one who had a problem with temptation. ‘What else would you need to do?’
‘Need is the right word,’ Cal said, shifting in his seat. ‘Because I need you so much right now, Heather. I need you naked on my desk. I need your skin against mine. I need you in my arms. I need—’
‘I need you inside me again,’ Heather interrupted, and Cal let out an honest-to-God growl at her words and got to his feet.