Outside, Ben watched Megan run into the house, admiring her long slim legs and flying hair. She was not only lovely, but transparently honest. And he loved her body, a real woman’s body with soft curves, not a stick insect like the female lawyer he’d been dealing with in Chicago who had been brittle and defensive, always ready with sharp answers, always suspecting his meaning.

No, Megan was very special. And even thinking of her made him feel happy.

Memories of other women made him scowl suddenly. Because he was rich, some of them had expected expensive presents, utter luxury, wasteful extravagance that was against his nature. One in particular had been very difficult to deal with, so beautiful and apparently caring that it had been a while before he had realised how rapacious she was underneath that beautiful exterior.

He sighed, looked at his watch and began pacing up and down. Only ten minutes had passed. Funny. It seemed longer.

Did he dare he trust his instincts about Megan? He shook his head in bewilderment. How could you ever tell for certain about another person?

The trouble was, he was booked to leave for Australia in just over a week and had intended to stay down under for a while. He could postpone the trip, though it’d be inconvenient, only he didn’t want to. What he really wanted was to snatch Megan Ross up and carry her away with him. Cave man revisited.

A wry smile curved his lips. It was an unusual feeling for him.

He looked up to see her coming out of the house and pure happiness flooded through him as her face lit up at the sight of him. He took the suitcase from her and tossed it into the boot, then opened the car door, and flourished her a bow. ‘Your chariot awaits, milady.’

She dropped him a curtsey. ‘Oh, milord. I am vastly obliged to you.’

He threw back his head and laughed. It felt so good.

Chapter 4

When they arrived in Brighton, Megan watched in amazement as the reception clerk fell over himself to accommodate Ben’s needs and the manager herself came over for a word. There was an aura about this man, she was beginning to realise. He had charisma, and it affected everyone he met – not just her.

He’d booked a suite, of course, and this one consisted of a spacious sitting room that separated two large double bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. Megan felt embarrassed when her battered suitcase was brought in side by side with Ben’s matching leather luggage.

‘Choose whichever bedroom you like,’ Ben said.

‘They both look lovely.’ She whisked her shabby case off into the nearest bedroom, unpacking quickly so that she could hide it in the wardrobe.