Lost Treasure

Chapter 7 - Contemplation & Planning

POV = Ambrose

I sat back in my office chair, stretched my arms, then placed them behind my head and let out a long, slow breath. I needed a moment or two to process the events of the morning in my head before Karim arrived for our meeting.

The apology had worked - very well judging from her expression and reaction. The relief I felt was almost overwhelming. I hadn't realised exactly how much I'd missed Lillian until I had my arms wrapped around her, inhaling her beautiful, unique scent. Karim was right and I'd been such a fool.

I folded up the map on my desk and tidied up the files I'd been through with Mr Linton. Then I grabbed my security file from my drawer ready for Karim's arrival. I made it look as though I was busy in case anyone came in, before settling myself to think through everything that had happened.

I thought back to the moment Lillian had knocked on the door that connected our offices. When I heard her voice asking to come in, my mouth went dry and my stomach flipped. I was nervous! How ridiculous for a grown man.

For some reason, Lillian was struggling to believe that the gift box on her desk was indeed for her. I have no idea how I managed to keep my face straight as she struggled with the reality that someone had left a gift for her. She looked so distracted as she went back to her own office that I had to know what happened next.

Quietly, I rose from my chair as soon as the door closed behind her. As I listened at the door I could hear nothing. I took a chance and very carefully opened it, peeking through - she was standing, looking at the box, clearly distracted. I decided to sneak in. Just as the door closed silently behind me, Lillian removed the lid. She then chastised herself out loud for having her eyes shut which made me smile and shake my head in disbelief. Then I heard her gasp, so I assume that she'd opened her eyes. I silently moved closer but my desperation to know what was going through her head got the better of me.

When I asked her if it was anything interesting, she jumped quite visibly before turning to look at me. I struggled to keep a neutral expression on my face as she stood there with her mouth opening and closing like a fish in an aquarium.

She was struggling too - to work out who had sent her the chocolate apology. I had to say, I was quite proud of my handiwork, but I wanted Lillian to work out for herself where they came from. With a little prompting, she finally got there.

I thought that I would feel uncomfortable apologising to my secretary in person, but I didn't. It felt just right at that moment, much to my relief. She on the other hand looked thoroughly confused and dumbstruck ... and utterly divine. She actually asked me to pinch her to convince herself that she wasn't dreaming!

I ran through our conversation in my head and I suddenly felt sick. When she told me how unhappy she had been at work recently, I was flooded with guilt. Then when she explained that she had almost decided to resign from my employ, I felt myself panic. I could feel it again just thinking about it. How could I have gotten things so wrong? Okay, my motives were sound, but it was glaringly obvious that I'd gone about things in completely the wrong way. Well it was now.

Holding her in my arms at that moment, I wouldn't have cared who walked through the door and saw us because I felt as though I didn't want to let go - ever. Feeling her warm body, inhaling her delicious scent and feeling her arms around me just felt so right.

We sat and talked. I knew she'd bring up South America so I had to make sure that she understood why I had behaved as I had. I couldn't tell her the full story about Dalgliesh's threats - I wasn't ready for that yet - but I had to tell her that there was a problem.

Lillian took it all in her stride, but the look on her face when I told her about Karim changing my mind, made me smile. I tried hard not to, but this woman makes me do things I never expected to. She is smart, brave and I realised that I should have had this talk a lot sooner.