Page 59 of Signed, Sealed, Married

Adam started. She couldn’t know what had convinced him was the film clip ofher, arousing every possessive instinct. Making him want.

‘What do you mean?’

‘You once spoke about it being an elite company. About that being important and I wondered...’

When he didn’t respond she turned to stare through the windscreen rather than at him. Much as he disliked being probed, he preferred her attention on him.

‘I should have known better,’ she murmured.

‘What do you mean?’

‘You’re good at asking questions and demanding answers. But you don’t give much away about yourself.’

Whereas she’d laid herself open with her revelations of past pain. Despite her vulnerability, Gisèle had been strong enough to share her trauma with him. But when she asked the simplest question he avoided answering fully.

Because admitting to weakness or pain threatened the image he’d built of himself over the years as capable, able to overcome any difficulty, always successful.

Your success isn’t doing you much good now, is it? Gisèle isn’t interested in the tycoon, just the man. Which sets her apart from most women you know.

‘You’re right,’ he admitted. He overtook a lorry then changed lane, eyes on the road. ‘When my dad died I told myself I was the man of the family, responsible for looking after my mother and sister. I got in the habit of keeping troubles to myself, dealing with problems alone.’

He paused. ‘You really want to know what drew me to Fontaine’s?’

‘Of course.’

Adam’s pulse quickened as he let himself remember those early days. The perpetual struggle to prove himself with the odds stacked against him.

‘We had some tough years, very tough. Mum didn’t earn much as a cleaner and some families she worked for ripped her off, paying less than they should. I told you about the rich kids at the school near our place and that I didn’t envy what they had. That was true. But I suppose I developed a chip on my shoulder, dealing with some of them.’

He paused before continuing. ‘It got worse when I left school to work full time. I got a job for a wealthy local and worked hard. But he found creative ways to exploit his workers and overcharge his customers. Eventually I left and set up in competition. It was David and Goliath stuff. I wasn’t a threat to him, not then. But that didn’t stop his son and some mates trying to beat me into deciding to stop when I won a small contract he’d assumed he’d get.’

‘Oh, Adam!’ The warmth in her voice was all he could wish for. ‘Is that when you broke your nose?’

He hadn’t realised he’d lifted one hand from the wheel to rub his nose. It was a habit from the old days, one he’d left behind years ago.

‘It is. Three against one wasn’t good odds. But I’d got some of my startup money as a bare-knuckle fighter and knew what I was doing. They were pampered louts.’

Unlike the aggressors, he’d walked unaided from the scene.

‘It made me even more determined to make a go of it. As for the nose... I could have got it reset, but it didn’t bother me. In fact, it was a reminder that I could face anything. That was useful every time I took a big risk, or some privileged git tried to put me in my place.’

‘That happened often?’

‘Enough.’ It was surprisingly easy to share with Gisèle, sitting in the dark together. ‘In the early days Iwasrough and ready. I didn’t try to fit in or play nice. I was too focused on winning at all costs, to help my family and build the company.’

Because he wouldn’t rest until his family was safe and his mother could stop the draining hours of menial work.

‘Maybe I was too proud, playing up that maverick image rather than trying to fit in with the sleek, self-satisfied oligarchs who dominated the commercial world. I’d go to business functions and hear comments about being uncouth, undesirable, lacking in class. The sort of thing those thugs had said when they tried to beat me into giving up my dream of success.’

His skin burned as he recalled their smug contempt. ‘Now my corporation is thriving and I wanted another challenge. I decided this time I’d find something that stood out. Something with a renowned, revered name.’

‘Something to show the establishment you’d made it?’

Adam shrugged. ‘It wasn’t quite that simple. I had a hankering for something different.’

‘A perfume and cosmetics company is definitely that. It’s nothing like the rest of your portfolio.’

‘Variety is the spice of life.’

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