An Irresistible Temptation: Master of Fortune / The Temptation Of Rory Monahan

“My mum contemplated naming me Mick after Mick Jagger, but in the end she said she wanted to name me after the man who always loved her.”

“That’s sweet,” Astrid said. She had to wonder how hard it was on Henry growing up the way he had. “Why did you play rugby? Wouldn’t it have been easier for you to try to be a musician?”

Then she covered her mouth with one hand as a thought occurred to her. “Or can’t you sing?”

“I can sing,” Henry said. “Not very well, but I can sing.”

“So why not music?”

“I’m a stubborn cuss,” he said, starting the car. “I didn’t want anyone to say I had anything given to me. I started playing rugby when I was eight. I’d already grown up in the glare of my mum’s spotlight and the infamous circumstances surrounding my birth.…If I achieved anything I wanted it to be on my own terms.”

He pulled out and started driving toward Astrid’s car. “Where are you parked?”

“Near Waterloo,” she said, giving him directions to the location.

“You were very wise to make that choice so young,” she said. “Bethann is like that. She’s a solicitor. Always knew she wanted to be one.”

“What about you?”

“I always knew I wanted to live in London,” she said with a little laugh. “I love the excitement of the city and being so close to everything.”

“Why don’t you live in town?”

“Well, Woking was all I could afford on my own and all my mates are married now. Anyways, that’s why I have a flat in Woking.”

“I meant how did you find your way to the music industry?” Henry pulled into the car park where she’d left her car.

“My car’s in the second level,” she said. “I took a job out of university as a receptionist. It was with Mo Rollins Group, and I just sort of worked my way up. The funny thing is the longer I worked there the more at home I felt.

“It’s that green Ford Fusion.”

He pulled up behind the car and she gathered her bag to get out. But he wasn’t ready to say good-night just yet.

“And now you’re working for me. Still like this industry?” he asked.

“After a night like tonight? You bet. I loved the raw sound of XSU and once you sign them it’ll be exciting to watch their transformation into a solid band.”

“I agree. I had thought of being a sports agent or a recruiter.”

“Why didn’t you? I remember that telly show you had a few years ago that featured child protégés of the sports world.”

“You do? Did you watch it?” he asked.

“Sometimes,” she admitted. “How did you get into doing that?”

“My mum knows all kinds of people in the entertainment industry and after my injury she started putting me in touch with them.”

“She sounds like she’s very helpful.”

Henry laughed. “She’s a meddler. I told her I was going to live off my investments and just party all the time. That motivated her to use every contact she had to get me in touch with someone who could put me to work.”

“And she got her way, didn’t she?”

“Yes, she did. So I had the show, and I was talking to my own agent from when I was with the London Irish, but it was a frustrating job and I didn’t really enjoy it.”

“Is that when you turned to music?”

“Yes. I had the contacts in this world,” Henry said.

“And it gives you something in common with your mum.”

“Yes, it does. Want to come back to my place for a nightcap?”

“Um…what?”

“I don’t want this night to end. I don’t think you do either,” he said.

She hesitated and then sighed. “No, I don’t want it to end. But I have a busy day tomorrow.”

“I know your boss.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of. It’s hard to balance working together with a personal relationship.”

“Is it? Everest Group has no policy against fraternization, so your job isn’t in jeopardy at all.”

“Will that still be true if I say I want to go home?” she asked.

“Of course it will be. I think you know me better than that,” Henry said. “And if you don’t, then going home is definitely what you should do.”

She bit her lower lip. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I guess I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” she said, climbing out of the car. He watched her walk to her vehicle, and she opened the door, tossing her purse inside before looking back at him.

“Do you really want to pursue a relationship with me?” she asked.

He nodded. He couldn’t get her out of his mind and he was tired of trying. He was going to have Astrid Taylor if for no other reason than they might be able to work without the tension of wondering what they’d be like together.

“I’m going to be honest with you, Henry. I’m not sure sleeping with you is in my best interest.”

“Well, when you put it that way, I’m not either,” Henry said. He reached out and tugged on one of her curls. He didn’t want her to say no to him, but he knew that she had a lot more at stake than he did. He was trying to go slowly with her, but he was used to just reaching out and taking what he wanted.

And damn the consequences.

“Come to my country home this weekend,” he said. “We can ride horses and play rugby and get to know each other.”

She shook her head. “I already have plans.”