His Rules: Ludlow Nights - Book1 (A Ludlow Nights Romance) by CC MacKenzie Read Free Book Online

Ferranti drawled in her ear, his deep voice held a silky tone that made her wince.
    "Hey, Nico," she responded in an upbeat and very cheery voice. "What's up?"
    Linda rolled her eyes to heaven.
    Maybe too cheery?
    "I am delighted to see that you and Olivier are getting on so well together. I knew you would make a good team."
    Stunned, she blinked.
    Nico sounded pleased.
    Nico sounded... happy.
    Not what she'd been expecting.
    What about a lecture on professionalism at all times?
    What about a lecture on no fraternising with clients?
    Anastacia blinked again, her eyes glued to a wide-eyed Linda.
    "Um... yeah. We're... um... getting on well. Really well."
    "Anastacia," came the silky drawl again. A drawl that basically said, do-not-shit-with-me-sister. "You make a lovely couple. I am pleased and Bronte is pleased for you, too."
    They were?
    Alarm bells were ringing nice and loud in Anastacia's head now.
    Oh no, no, no.
    Nico Ferranti had a streak of something that was very unusual in a man.
    He had a romantic streak a mile wide.
    He'd finagled award winning chef, Oscar Kamani and Emma Ludlow together.
    And he was very proud of the way he'd managed to get head of Ferranti Security, Marc Atelier and Elena Kennedy together, too.
    And now, it appeared it was Anastacia and Olivier's turn.
    No way in hell.
    No way.
    "Look, Nico. It was just a kiss. One kiss. It meant nothing. Honest."
    Anastacia knew she sounded desperate.
    And by the way Linda's brows winged into her hairline, her PA knew it, too.
    " Si , you are both young and ripe and ready for love."
    Ripe and ready for love?
    Jeez, her boss should take up a new career and start writing lurve songs for a living.
    "Nico," Anastacia said in a severe voice, asserting her shaky authority over a man she both liked and respected. But there was no way she was going to permit Nico Ferranti to start interfering in her private life. "Seriously, there is absolutely nothing between Olivier and me. I..."
    "And what is wrong with the boy?" demanded Nico, sounding outraged.
    Bloody hell.
    Her hand raked through her hair.
    "There is nothing wrong with him... exactly. It's just..."
    "Olivier comes from a wonderful family. He looks after his mama and his sisters. He is a good man."
    Now that Nico had the bit between his teeth, Anastacia just knew he'd be throwing Olivier and her together every chance he got.
    Oh God.
    How the hell was she going to get out of this?
    Now she thrust her hand into her hair and pulled.
    "Nico. I'm sure Olivier is a good man. But he's not the man for me. Capisce? " And with that, she hung-up on her boss and turned to a wide-mouthed Linda. "Right, we've wasted enough time on this nonsense this morning. Let's get back to work, shall we?"
    "You know you're going to have the paps on your heels as soon as they find out who you are and where you live and where you work."
    "The paparazzi are not in the least bit concerned with me," Anastacia said with a helluva lot more conviction than she felt. "They're concerned with Olivier Conti."
    "Actually, you're wrong there. And you know it. They're fascinated with any woman who's caught in a clinch with Olivier Conti. And since that would be you at the moment they'll be very intrigued with Anastacia Morgan."
    Which meant the gossip press might dig into her past and God knew what they'd find.
    The anxiety that now tickled her belly seriously annoyed her.
    Who had time for all this crap?
    However, there was nothing she could do about the press. She'd deal with shit if and when it happened. There was no point in worrying about what ifs in life.
    And as for Olivier himself?
    Hadn't she known as soon as she'd set eyes on him that he was nothing but trouble?
    How the hell had one lip-lock turned into this?
     
     
    ***
    Nico Ferranti was sitting behind his huge desk at Ludlow Hall and mulling over the events of a very interesting day. He grinned as he recalled the frustrated irritation in Anastacia's voice before she'd put the phone down on