Page 16 of The Boss's Forbidden Assistant

‘I owe you an explanation.’ He said the words with a frown, as though he was surprised to find himself in a position of owing anyone anything.

‘Okay.’ She bit down on her lip, waiting for him to continue.

‘You are a very attractive woman,’ he said slowly after a beat, his brows close together. ‘And it’s obvious that I’m interested in you. What did you call it? Chemistry? Yes, we have chemistry,’ he muttered, with something like disgust.

Harper frowned.

‘Do you know anything about me, Ms Lawson?’

She pulled a face, considering that. ‘I know you own the company,’ she responded tartly, earning a look of impatience from Salvador.

‘Do you know about my wife?’ The words were wrenched from him, but she didn’t hear his pain, only his mention of a wife. Suddenly it was history repeating itself, the moment of realisation that she’d been with another woman’s husband. She made an awful noise, like an animal in pain, and lifted her hand to her lips, eyes immediately filling with tears.

‘I didn’t know! Oh, my God, I didn’t know. I... Where is she?’

His lips were pressed together, his skin pale, and was it any wonder? She’d basically seduced a married man! Okay, he’d gone along with it, but she’d been so completely blown away by their shared desire that she hadn’t stopped to think! Beyond the fact he didn’t wear a wedding ring, she’d made no effort to ascertain his marital status. How could she have been so stupid, so bloody foolish? Butsurelyshe would have heard that Salvador da Rocha was married? Nothing made sense.

‘She died.’ The words were spoken quietly, and her heart was racing so fast, so loud in her own ears, that at first she barely heard what he’d said. But slowly the penny dropped, the horror of that admission cutting through to Harper, who lifted her gaze to his face and saw the anguish there, the pain, and realised it was all so much worse. ‘A little over a year ago,’ he continued, though she hadn’t asked. And then, for good measure, ‘Cancer.’

‘Oh, Salvador,’ she mumbled. It was no time for the formality of his surname. ‘I’m so sorry. I had no idea.’

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, emotions obviously rolling through him.

‘So you can see why I’m not in the mood to get involved with another woman, can’t you?’

It was so sad, and such a shock, she found it impossible to know how to respond at first, so she simply nodded slowly while letting his words sink in.

He’d been married.

He’d loved someone enough to marry. And then she’d died.

‘I don’t— How come I’ve never heard your wife mentioned.’

His lips were a grim slash in his handsome face, his skin paler than usual. ‘Our relationship was not publicised. She preferred it that way.’ His eyes assumed a faraway look for a moment, as though he was reliving a long-ago pain. ‘Still, it’s no huge secret. I presumed gossip might have reached your ears.’

She shook her head sadly. It was all so awful, so tragic. Suddenly, Salvador wasn’t just a rude jackass, but a guy who might have been perfectly nice once upon a time, until life came and messed it all up. She stood, because she could no longer sit, and moved close to him because it felt as though that was where she had to be.

‘Salvador,’ she repeated, though what else could she say? She searched for something, anything, and finally heard herself whisper, ‘Thank you for explaining.’

He left her office without another word.

Something about his confession changed everything. Harper had gone from feeling as though she had to fight what was happening between them to understanding why she needed to respect his decision to stay single, while no longer seeing a reason to avoid him.

She was interested in him. Interested in what made him the success he was, in what made him tick.

And it had nothing to do with sex.

Well, that was what Harper told herself as she walked out onto the terrace a little past eight that night to find Salvador sitting at the table alone, holding a single glass of red wine, no meal there yet.

‘Hello.’ Her voice was soft, but he turned immediately. Almost as though he’d been waiting for her.

His eyes flicked over her, there was a ghost of a smile and then, ‘I eat alone, remember?’

‘You live alone,’ she corrected quietly, moving to the seat she’d occupied the night before. ‘That doesn’t mean you have to spend every minute of the day without company, does it?’

His eyes met hers and held, locked in a silent challenge, each waiting for the other to back down, then finally, reluctantly, he gestured to the seat opposite.

‘If you wish.’

---