Page 37 of The Powerful Boss She Craves

THENEXTMORNINGElla and Micah came downstairs to find Jabu laying two places at the end of the sixteen-seater wooden dining table on the veranda. It was another stunning day, hot and sunny, and the sky was a deep blue.

She was going to miss days like this when she left South Africa, she thought, wincing at the sharp pang somewhere around her heart. She greeted Jabu and, when he handed her a mug of coffee, she gave him her biggest smile. ‘You’re an angel, thank you.’

Jabu had no idea how much she needed caffeine after she’d spent most of the night being expertly loved by Micah. Or, judging by the twinkle in his eyes, maybe he did. Ella blushed. God, it was like trying to sneak out of your boyfriend’s house after staying the night and finding his father standing at the front door.

‘Morning, Mkulu,’ Micah said, squeezing Jabu’s shoulder. Micah, she noticed with amusement, had to pour his own coffee from the carafe on the tray.

‘What would you like for breakfast?’ Jabu asked her as he gently eased two gorgeous white roses into a slender vase.

Ella didn’t feel comfortable asking the elderly man to cook for her, especially on a Sunday. But she was starving, so what would be easy to prepare and would require no effort? ‘Cereal would be great, thanks.’

She saw disappointment flash across Jabu’s face. Hewantedto cook, she realised. He wanted to do something for them. Not because he had to, not because it was his job, but because he adored Micah and seemed to take pleasure in looking after him. Ella held up her hand. ‘Actually, I’m really hungry and cereal isn’t going to make a dent. What do you suggest, Mr Mkhize?’

Her use of his surname, the respect she showed, pleased him. ‘Please call me Jabu. I have some smoked salmon in the fridge, some organic duck eggs, home-churned butter. What about smoked salmon, a poached egg and hollandaise sauce on a bagel?’

Her mouth started to water and her taste buds tingled. ‘That would be amazing, thank you.’

Jabu nodded regally and walked into the house with a spring in his step. As soon as he was out of sight, Micah swiped his mouth over hers. ‘Thank you for that. If I was here on my own, he probably would’ve tossed a piece of stale bread at me.’

‘Nonsense,’ Ella briskly told him. ‘He adores you and just wants to look after you.’

‘You’re a wise woman,’ Micah told her, kissing the tip of her nose before stepping away to look at the Sunday newspapers that Jabu had placed on the coffee table behind her. Micah’s voice had held more depth of feeling than a comment about breakfast required, and Ella knew he wasn’t talking about her observations about Jabu but referring to what she’d said last night. She looked at him, sitting on the couch and reading the headlines, and her heart triple-thumped in her chest. He wore a red T-shirt, plain black board shorts, his feet were bare and he looked younger than he had yesterday. Lighter.

After making love this morning, she’d touched his cheek and asked him how he was feeling. He’d smiled, low and slow, and gently asked if they could take the day for themselves, if they could lock out the past and the future and just enjoy being together. Thinking they both could do with an easy, stress-free day, she nodded. His gentle ‘thank you kiss’ had led to her straddling him and rocking them to another orgasm.

It was a miracle that she could still walk and talk.

Taking her coffee, Ella walked to the steps that led down to the pool and looked over the garden. She still thought Hadleigh House would be the perfect place for a wedding—rich and sumptuous, completely lovely.

A country house wedding... That sparked a memory.

Spinning round, she walked back over to where Micah was sitting and saw a black tablet, one of many she’d seen scattered throughout the house. The tablets, Micah had told her, ran a programme that controlled the alarm, lights, temperature and everything else in the house.

She picked it up and waved it under Micah’s nose. ‘Can I use this to access the Internet?’ she asked.

Micah nodded. ‘Sure.’

She switched it on, did a general search, didn’t find anything and tried another route. After ten minutes she found the article she’d remembered.

The Grand Old Lady is Getting a Makeover...

The owner of one of Johannesburg’s oldest mansions has caused controversy by gutting the inside of his newly inherited mansion and knocking down the non-load-bearing walls of the historic home without consulting the authorities trusted with preserving old buildings. The walls of the once-famous Cathcart House ballroom, its three reception rooms and dining room have been knocked down to form an extensive open-plan living space, much to the horror of architectural historians.

The owner of the property, Mr Samuel Dobson, has agreed to suspend the renovation of the historical home, but sources close to Mr Dobson tell us that the lack of progress is due to Dobson’s financial issues and not because he has any interest in maintaining the historic importance of Cathcart House...

Ella did a picture search for Cathcart House and scrolled through the many photographs of the property. The gardens, she established, had been a showpiece even back in the late eighteen-eighties, a few years after the house had been built. As per an arrangement made by a previous Cathcart in the nineteen-nineties, the gardens were maintained by the local gardening club, and the club was host to a rather important flower show in the spring.

Beautiful gardens, a vast space indoor space that could be used as a wedding reception venue, close to the church... Cathcart House could possibly, with a little imagination and some cash, be the perfect venue for Thadie’s wedding.

‘Micah?’

Micah lifted his head and sent her that warm, soft smile that liquefied her organs. It was a ‘I’m happy you’re here’ smile...a ‘I like seeing you in my home’ smile.

‘Another pretty dress, sweetheart.’

Ella looked down at her cheap-as-chips dress, a Boho-inspired loose cotton shift that ended above her knees. It wasn’t designer, or anywhere close, but he didn’t seem to care. ‘Thanks.’

He stood up to pour more coffee into his mug. He looked down at her screen and lifted his eyebrows. ‘Why are you looking at pictures of Cathcart House?’ he asked. ‘Do you want more coffee, by the way?’

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