The Playboy's Proposal. AMANDA BROWNING

      Contents

      CHAPTER ONE

      CHAPTER TWO

      CHAPTER THREE

      CHAPTER FOUR

      CHAPTER FIVE

      CHAPTER SIX

      CHAPTER SEVEN

      CHAPTER EIGHT

      CHAPTER NINE

      CHAPTER TEN

      CHAPTER ONE

      KATHRYN TEMPLETON was wrapped in a pleasant haze, floating somewhere between sleeping and waking. The virtually silent engine and the gentle music issuing from the car’s speakers had had her sinking more comfortably into her seat and closing her eyes some time ago. It was the sudden cessation of noise as the music was turned off which brought her eyes open with a start, and she turned puzzled green orbs towards the driver, her Titian hair swinging about her face as she did so.

      ‘What’s up?’ Glancing ahead, she expected to see trouble in the form of an accident, but the road, winding through a Lakeland landscape clad in a late-winter fall of snow, was empty.

      ‘We’re almost there,’ declared Drew Templeton, her cousin and the reason she was sitting here heading into the Cumbrian wilds, as if that explained everything.

      As far as Kathryn was concerned, it left a lot to be desired. Sitting up, she glanced at him curiously. ‘So what’s turned you so serious all of a sudden?’

      Drew’s fingers tapped out a nervy tattoo on the steering wheel. ‘Nothing, really,’ he denied, then added, ‘I thought I’d better warn you about Joel, that’s all.’

      Finely arched brows rose questioningly in a heart-shaped face. Drew had been fairly reticent about his employer. All she knew was that he had trouble with his computer, and, because she cared for her cousin, she had agreed to help. She ran a small but flourishing business sorting out problems with computer programs.

      ‘What about him?’ It seemed to her a fine time to start issuing warnings, when they were almost at journey’s end, but she guessed Drew hadn’t wanted to risk her running out on him. The rat. Not that she would have. ‘OK, tell me the worst. Is he some sort of monster?’ she teased lightly, and he gave her a sombre look.

      ‘Not exactly. I think the best way to describe Joel Kendrick is as a wolf in wolf’s clothing,’ he declared seriously.

      The description had her ears pricking up. Really? She had never met an honest-to-goodness real life wolf before. What would he be like? Handsome, of course, with sex appeal dripping from every pore, or how else would he attract women? How did he go about seducing them? What, she wondered, with a quickening of her heart, would it be like flirting with him? The thought sent a tiny tremor of anticipation along her spine. There was nothing she enjoyed more than a light-hearted flirtation with a handsome, like-minded man. The weekend, which had offered only some interesting work, now took on a different complexion entirely. Smiling to herself, Kathryn folded her arms and gave Drew her full attention.

      ‘How interesting. Do tell me more!’ she invited with barely suppressed enthusiasm.

      Her cousin groaned, not at all surprised by her response. Kathryn was cheerful and vivacious, and generally saw life as an adventure. Instead of viewing Joel Kendrick as someone to be avoided, she was more likely to see only the challenge of flirting with him. Unfortunately, his employer wasn’t like most men she met. It worried him that there was a real danger here, and he didn’t want to see her hurt.

      ‘Listen, Kathy, I’m being serious. Joel is my employer, and I like him, but I don’t have to approve of his attitude towards the opposite sex. He has a predatory eye for beautiful women. When he sees one he wants, he goes after her with single-minded intent. Oh, he treats his women well, but he’s only interested in an affair. Marriage is quite out of the question. Which, incidentally, is why you’re here.’

      Far from being put off, Kathryn felt her curiosity sharpen. ‘You mean, one of his women caused this computer malfunction?’

      ‘Apparently she took exception to his ending their affair, and we think she slipped back into the house whilst he was out and deleted everything she could lay her hands on. Then the system crashed, and…. Well, this isn’t my field. God knows what else she did, but according to Joel it’s a mess.’

      ‘I see,’ Kathryn mused, silently praising the woman’s ingenuity. It certainly beat cutting his suits to shreds. The woman had style.

      Drew sighed and flicked on the indicator before turning off the main road. ‘Joel called me and asked if I knew anyone who could help. He doesn’t want just anyone raking around in his business. I knew I could trust you, but it wasn’t until we were on our way that I realised taking you to Joel was like throwing you to the wolf.’

      ‘Because you think he might be interested in adding me to his list of conquests?’ Kathryn enquired teasingly, and Drew turned troubled eyes on her.

      ‘You certainly fit his criteria.’

      She grinned. This was sounding very promising, ‘You mean I’m breathing?’ she taunted wryly.

      ‘I mean, you’re beautiful,’ Drew corrected heavily, and she quickly reached out and squeezed his arm.

      ‘Thank you for the compliment,’ she said warmly, and, unable to resist her patent affection, he grinned back at her.

      ‘You’re entirely welcome.’

      Sitting back in her seat, Kathryn studied the starkly beautiful landscape. They were on a lakeside road, and the view was breathtaking. She liked winter. Everything seemed so sharp and clean. Eventually, though, her thoughts turned back to Joel Kendrick.

      It was as well he wasn’t looking for a wife, because he didn’t sound her type at all. She was looking for that one man she would want to spend the rest of her life with. She knew that one day she would meet a man and fall in love with him in an instant, because love was like that. Whilst she waited, though, she wasn’t averse to having some fun. So what if Drew’s boss wasn’t husband material? As a