Page 1 of Rufus

CHAPTER ONE

“Good morning! Welcome to—” Molly’s cheery greeting halted abruptly once she’d looked up and instantly recognized the man standing on the other side of the reception desk.

Because…

Well…

Silver fox alert!

The silver fox of all silver foxes, to be exact, Molly’s rapidly beating heart reminded her.

If she’d needed any reminding, which she didn’t.

Being struck speechless was a common occurrence whenever Molly set eyes on this man.

Rufus Wynter.

One of the four owners of Wynter Security, the others being his three cousins. The successful security company was based in London, but had several other offices globally.

From the small amount of research Molly had done online—she really didn’t want to appear to or feel as if she was stalking this man—she had learned that Wynter Security was employed around the world to keep VIPs and their property safe.

The four owners, Rufus and three of his cousins, were reputed to have individual personal wealth in the high millions.

Rufus was also the father of Mia Kingston, Molly’s employer and the owner of this animal shelter and boarding kennel where Molly had worked and lived in an apartment above the main office building for the past three months.

An employer who hadn’t turned up for work this morning at nine o’clock as she usually did, Molly realized after a glance at the clock on the wall near the door revealed it was already fifteen minutes past that hour.

A frown creased her brow. “Is everything okay with Mia, Mr. W?”

He gave a rueful smile. “She was fine the last time I saw her. Which was an hour or so ago—as she was being wheeled to the delivery room and threatening Darius with castration if he ever came near her again.”

“She’s gone into labor,” Molly gasped, instantly filled with excitement for the event.

“She has,” Rufus Wynter confirmed dryly. “But before they wheeled her away, she made me promise to come here this morning to help out with…well, anything you need help with, as she isn’t able to be here today.”

Molly could think of several things this man could help her out with. Helping her out of her clothes would be a good start! But she had lots of other options too.

Instead of saying any of that, she eyed him questioningly. “Wouldn’t you rather have waited at the hospital for the birth of your first grandchild?”

“Mia wants me to be here for now.”

And Molly knew that whatever Mia wanted would be given to her, either from her very-much-in-love-with-her husband or her doting father.

Something Molly envied, but didn’t feel resentful of.

Father and daughter had only reconnected a couple of years ago, so the level of their affection for each other was completely understandable. As wonderful as the way Darius Kingston worshipped Rufus’s daughter and the child they were about to have together.

“Darius has promised to call me the moment the baby is born to let me know how they all are. The title of grandfather is still taking a little getting used to,” Rufus admitted with a wince.

Molly could understand that. Rufus might be the epitome of a silver fox, with his dark hair liberally streaked with gray. But his face had a handsome cragginess that indicated not all of his forty-four years had been happy ones.

She knew the main reason for that had been his wife dying in a car accident twenty-two years ago. He had never remarried, so he must have loved her very much.

Circumstances at the time meant he had also missed the first twenty years of his daughter’s life, and after their reunion two years ago, he was probably still trying to acclimate to the title of dad, let alone grandfather.

“Don’t worry, Mr. W, you’ve still got it,” Molly complimented, and then inwardly winced at the sound of her overly enthusiastic tone.

A single brow rose over the same green-and-turquoise-colored eyes as his daughter. “Still got what?” Rufus looked genuinely puzzled.

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