Kate Hardy: Temporary Boss, Permanent Mistress

Praise for Kate Hardy’s writing:

‘Kate Hardy’s ONE NIGHT, ONE BABY is a terrific attraction-at-first-sight story. He’s hot, sexy and vulnerable, and she’s patient because, in the end, she knows he’ll be worth it.’

— Romantic Times BOOKreviews

‘Kate Hardy is a writer readers can count on in order to deliver an entertaining page-turner which they will devour in a single sitting. BREAKFAST AT GIOVANNI’S is certainly no exception, so take the phone off the hook, put your feet up and lose yourself.’

— Cataromance.com

‘Lydia.’ He touched the back of his fingers lightly against her cheek. ‘I think we need to talk.’

Uh-oh. Here it came.

‘I need to be fair with you, Lydia. Whatever this thing is between us—and I can’t explain it either—I can’t offer you a future. But there’s no reason why we can’t have a mad fling and blow each other’s minds for the next few days. Well, apart from the fact that I’m your boss, and ethically that makes this completely wrong.’

But at that precise moment he couldn’t give a damn about ethics.

The only thing that filled his head was the need to touch her again.

‘I have a suggestion.’ He paused. ‘We spend a week here. Together. And this thing between us…we can get it out of our systems.’

‘You’re saying we should have an affair?’

‘With limits. So we know the deal right from the start.’

‘An affair,’ she repeated. ‘For a week. A seven-night stand.’

‘Put like that, it sounds tacky.’ He grimaced. ‘I’m trying not to be dishonourable. I can’t offer you more than an affair, Lydia. I can’t offer anyone more than that.’

She licked her lower lip, and he almost lost control again.

‘This is mad,’ she whispered. ‘You’re my boss. ’

Dear Reader

I’ve always, always wanted to see the Northern Lights—ever since I was a tiny child. I’ve seen pictures and films, but the real thing must be amazing. I’d dearly love to visit the Arctic Circle on a February night (that’s the best time for seeing the lights), to see the heavens shimmering among the stars.

Lydia, my heroine, shares this dream. But the man who can make it come true for her is a workaholic who refuses to commit to a relationship: Mr Wrong. Or is he? When they agree to spend a week in Norway together it teaches them a lot about themselves, about love, and about possibilities. Not to mention discovering a passion that could melt the ice hotel!

I thoroughly enjoyed discovering the glamorous side of Norway: the art and architecture, the history and the amazing ice hotels. And I did some physical research, too: while I was writing the book the UK had its coldest snap for years, so when I fed the birds in my back garden I could experience precisely what the temperature was like inside an ice hotel. My daughter was delighted to help me cook and taste-test Norwegian waffles, and we all went to see some reindeer. And that set me thinking about the perfect fairytale wedding in a land of ice and snow…

I’m always delighted to hear from readers, so do come and visit me at www.katehardy.com

With love

Kate Hardy

Kate Hardylives in Norwich, in the east of England, with her husband, two young children, and too many books to count! When she’s not busy writing romance or researching local history, she helps out at her children’s schools; she’s a school governor and chair of the PTA. She also loves cooking—see if you can spot the recipes sneaked into her books! (They’re also on her website, along with extracts and stories behind the books.)

Writing for Mills & Boon has been a dream come true for Kate—something she wanted to do ever since she was twelve. She’s been writing Mills & Boon ®Medical™ Romances for nearly five years now, and also writes for Modern Heat™. She says it’s the best of both worlds because she gets to learn lots of new things when she’s researching the background to a book: add a touch of passion, drama and danger, a new gorgeous hero every time, and it’s the perfect job!

Kate is always delighted to hear from readers, so do visit her at www.katehardy.com

BY

MILLS & BOON ®

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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For Nicola Cornick—whose friendship and books I value enormously—with thanks for letting me grill her about her own Arctic Circle adventure.

‘MATT rang in first thing this morning. The kids have brought a bug home from school and he’s been throwing up practically all night—he doesn’t think he’ll be back until Friday at the earliest,’ Judith explained apologetically.

It was much better that the head of the legal department should stay at home rather than struggle into work and share the virus with his colleagues. Jake had no problem with that. He didn’t bother asking about Adam, because he already knew where Matt’s second in command was. On paternity leave.

Babies and kids everywhere.

Everywhere except…

He pushed the thought away. With Matt away, he needed to make alternative arrangements. ‘So that leaves Lydia and Tim.’

‘I’m sorry.’ The secretary made a face, looking embarrassed. ‘They’re both at lunch right now.’

‘Don’t keep apologising. It’s not your fault.’ Jake frowned. He could reschedule the trip to Norway, but he was keen to get this deal sorted. And out of the two remaining members of the legal team…Tim could talk the talk, all right, but he didn’t have Lydia’s experience or knowledge, and he was perhaps a little too hungry for results. Jake needed someone calm, someone confident, someone who would pay attention to detail.

‘Lydia will have to do. Ask her to come and see me when she gets back from lunch, would you, please?’

‘Yes, Mr Ande—’

‘Jake,’ he cut in gently. ‘We don’t do formality at Andersen’s.’ It was the first thing he’d changed, the day his father retired and he took over as CEO: dropping the formality and opening things up a bit. But, nearly two years later, some of the staff still hadn’t quite got used to calling the boss by his first name.

‘Yes, M—Jake,’ the secretary corrected herself quickly.

‘Thank you, Judith.’ He gave her a swift smile, and headed for his office.

Lydia will have to do.

That said it all.

And it rankled, even though Lydia acknowledged the justice of the remark. Jakob Andersen was sharp enough to know exactly what was going on in every single division of the company. To know what every member of his staff was capable of doing, to know what worked and what didn’t, and where things needed moving around. He’d spent six months working in each department before he’d taken over as CEO, so he knew what every part of the company did and what challenges his employees faced. Anyone who’d been tempted to grumble that he’d only walked into the job because he was the boss’s son had quickly changed their minds. Jake wasn’t a delegator who spent all his time wafting around or in long lunches. He was a hands-on leader who saw what needed doing and made sure it was done and, if need be, he rolled up his sleeves and did it himself.