Time Travel Romances Boxed Set by Claire Delacroix Read Free Book Online Page A

perfectly accentuated by her slim black
suit. A pretty woman, she was impeccably groomed, as always, and
right on time. Morticia was not such an unlikely moniker for her,
with her preference for black clothes, her fair skin and love of
dark lipstick.
    Marissa raised one hand to pat the elegant
coil of her glossy black hair and smiled at the sight of him.
“Baird!” She waved with her fingertips, her high heels clicking as
she crossed the new granite floor. Baird wondered whether he
imagined the accentuated sway of her hips.
    Marissa Witlowe had been hired by a human
resources expert who hadn’t lasted long at Beauforte Resorts. All
the same, Marissa had remained, and shown rare determination in
working her way to the top. She was a competent designer, though
not brilliant, but even Baird was quick to admit that hotels seldom
require decorating brilliance.
    Marissa not only understood the Beauforte
look, but she was good at digging out new suppliers and good prices
for the materials that the resorts needed. Baird gave her credit
for that - and no more.
    There certainly was nothing else between
herself and Baird - never had been - they simply weren’t each
other’s types. Marissa was simply Too Much Trouble. She took hours
to get ready for the smallest occasion, she invariably broke nails
or lost eyelashes or found minute snags in her stockings that
required long sojourns in the women’s room to repair. Marissa was
allergic to a change of plans and was almost as fussy an eater as
Julian.
    And apparently, somewhere and sometime,
Marissa had adopted a flowery, extravagant way of expressing
herself - not to mention a glaringly phony British accent - that
she obviously thought suited a creative personality like her
own.
    Having Marissa on the Beauforte team for the
even most mundane business function was such a huge pain that it
cured Baird of any desire for female company for a good month
afterwards.
    The sight of her, here in Dunhelm but
dressed as though she were popping out for a goat-cheese-and-endive
salad at one of Julian’s chichi bistros, was a tangible reminder of
the real world that should have been more welcome than it was.
    But Baird had to force his smile. He found
himself half wishing that the real world had stayed safely
ensconced in head office, where it belonged.
    “ How was the flight from
London?”
    “ Uneventful.” Marissa waved
the question off dismissively, then leaned closer. The move granted
Baird a view of her cleavage and a waft of her musky
perfume.
    Before Baird could do more than wonder
whether the view was deliberately offered - much less why -
Marissa’s gaze dropped to his jeans. Baird hoped she hadn’t noticed
what he thought she had noticed.
    He knew he should have gone for relaxed-fit
jeans.
    Silently, he blamed Aurelia for getting
under his skin in a way that no woman ever had done. And more
quickly than Baird would have thought possible.
    Aurelia was going to be trouble with a
capital T. Why had Baird listened to impulse and invited her to
stay? He was never impulsive!
    Worse, he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
He couldn’t even concentrate on Marissa’s chatter, his mind
replaying that hot kiss over and over again.
    And Marissa evidently had noticed the
result.
    “ The gates look simply
divine! And this place is absolutely fabulous!” Marissa smiled with
something more than professional respect gleaming in her dark eyes.
Baird felt the back of his neck heat in embarrassment, but Marissa
continued merrily along, kissing her fingertips dramatically. “Of
course, you always have the most impeccable taste, darling, you
truly do.”
    “ The logo on the gate was
your idea,” Baird reminded her, his tone coolly professional. “I’m
just glad it worked out so well. Did you get pricing on the
travertine marble?”
    Marissa’s lips thinned ever so slightly
before she ducked her head and dug into her briefcase. “Why, of
course, darling! Why else would I be here other than to