Buch lesen: «Their One-Night Christmas Gift»

CHAPTER ONE

CHARLES ROSS-WYLDE WAS a selfish, cold-hearted liar and Harriet Bell was better off without him. At least, that was what she’d spent the last twelve years telling herself.

The reality of seeing him again was very different from the scenario she’d imagined. She’d been shocked to see him here, but so far she’d resisted slapping him, throwing a drink in his face, or announcing to the rest of the conference attendees that he was the reason she couldn’t risk loving anyone again. Perhaps she’d matured or, more likely, hadn’t expected to feel anything other than pure hatred towards him.

She watched him now from the other side of the room as the assembled medical community enjoyed the tea break between lectures. It gave her time to study him unnoticed and decide what she wanted to do—if anything. If she chose to she could walk out of here and he’d be none the wiser, with nothing changing their current status quo.

Impossible when there was so much she wanted to say, so much she wanted him to explain.

Physically, he hadn’t changed much from the man who’d once promised her their lives would be spent together except he looked older...more manly.

He was still trying to sweep that floppy dark hair back into a neat style befitting a professional man, though she remembered all too well how it had looked first thing in the morning tousled by sleep. And, as always, he was dressed impeccably, the navy suit tailored to his exact measurements. The beard was new, the dark shadow along his jawline making him look even more masculine, if that was possible. It suited him—as did the glasses he was sporting.

Damn it, he was still gorgeous, and apparently still able to make her heart flutter maniacally as though she’d just run a marathon.

‘They really should have an open bar,’ she muttered to the bewildered woman serving refreshments to the masses, turning away from the view of her ex-fiancé and wishing for a tot of whisky in her coffee.

Not that she drank often, but she’d make an exception to help her escape memories of her and Charles—good and bad. She’d have to make do with an extra spoonful of sugar in her tea to help with the shock.

‘I didn’t expect to see you here.’ That soft, Scottish burr capable of rendering her into a gibbering wreck tickled the back of her neck. He’d found her.

Harriet fumbled with her cup and saucer, spilling the contents over herself right before she turned around to face him. ‘Charles. What a surprise.’

‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.’ He grabbed a napkin from the buffet table and started dabbing at the stain darkening the front of her dress.

‘I can do that, thanks.’ She didn’t mean to snap but she couldn’t bear to have him touch her after all this time when she didn’t know what emotions it would unleash.

‘Sorry.’ He handed over possession of the napkin so she could tend to the ruined dress herself. ‘It was just nice to see a familiar face. How have you been, Harriet?’

There was no sign of remorse for the relationship and future he’d thrown away. He was talking to her as though they were old school friends, who had no real emotional connection and had simply happened to run into each other.

She set the wet napkin and coffee back on the table and took a moment to consider her response. If she kicked off and made a scene it would be clear she’d never got over him and that would most likely send Charles running. She didn’t know what she wanted from him, but it wasn’t that.

‘Oh, you know, keeping busy. You?’ She plastered on a smile, willing to play along with this game until one of them broke. Her, probably.

‘The same. I took up a placement in Glasgow to complete my medical training and set up a clinic at Heatherglen. It was initially to help army veterans, but we’ve extended to provide state-of-the-art medical facilities for physical and emotional rehabilitation to a wider range of patients.’

‘Sounds impressive.’ Inheriting his father’s fortune and the family estate had signalled the end of their engagement so it was difficult for Harriet to be as enthusiastic about his accomplishments as she should have been.

‘I wanted to do something worthwhile to honour my brother and father, but it takes a lot of upkeep. I don’t get to make as many trips to London as I’d like.’ His older brother, Nick, had served with the military in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, he’d been killed by a roadside bomb before Harriet had had the chance to meet him. That family tragedy, followed by the death of his father about a year later, had proved too much for Charles and their wedding plans.

‘I’m the same, too many responsibilities here to even take a holiday these days.’ Needless to say, she hadn’t been back to Scotland since his father’s funeral, when Charles had gone back on his promise of making a life with her. At the time she’d believed grief had driven his decision, but when he’d failed to follow her back to London she’d soon realised he was serious about no longer wanting to marry her. It was difficult to reconcile that man who’d broken her heart with the one stood before her now, making small talk.

‘So, you did stay here after all? I’d hoped you would.’ He was smiling so Harriet didn’t think he was trying to rub salt into the wound he’d inflicted on her that day. She’d never received a proper explanation as to why he’d called things off. Goodness knew, she’d been desperate for one, but she’d eventually had to accept the simple truth that he didn’t want her any more. She’d seen that happen between her own parents when she’d been young and had watched her mother torture herself trying to figure out what she’d done wrong when her father had walked out on them. There was no way she was spending the rest of her life beating herself up about it, the way her mother had until her death.

‘Yes. I’m an orthopaedic surgeon.’

Top of my field, she wanted to add, piqued by the fact he’d never bothered to check up and see what she’d been doing. Then again, she hadn’t done that either, afraid she’d start obsessing over him or what could have been between them. In his case it seemed it was merely down to a lack of interest.

‘Neurologist,’ he countered. ‘I thought it made sense to take that path, so I’d be able to better treat veterans.’

What a team they would have made working together but perhaps she wouldn’t have pursued her career so doggedly if they had married. When she and Charles had been together she’d imagined she could have it all—a career and a family. She’d thought they were a team, on an equal footing and willing to share the responsibilities of raising children. Except the moment Charles’s circumstances had changed he’d backed out and left her to pick up the pieces of her broken heart. She’d paid the price for his actions.

Perhaps she’d had a lucky escape. If he’d proved so unreliable further down the line, he could have left her raising their children alone once he’d decided he didn’t want her after all. As it was, she’d poured her heart and soul into her career because that was the one thing she could count on always being there. Things happened for a reason and she had no regrets when it had moved her focus back onto her work. It didn’t look as though he had any either.

They fell into an awkward gap in conversation, neither apparently knowing what to say to the other but not wanting to make the first move in walking away.

‘Could all attendees please make their way back to their seats for the next talk, please?’

The announcement over the loudspeaker filled the silence on their behalf and left them with the decision of whether to say goodbye temporarily, or for ever.

‘Listen, why don’t we go for a proper drink? The hotel bar should be quiet enough with all the reprobates locked in here for another few hours of telling us things we already know.’ Charles rested his hand lightly at her waist, leaning in so his comment reached only her ears. She could barely feel the pressure of his fingertips on her skin, but it was sufficient to awaken every erogenous zone in her body until she was sure she’d follow him to the ends of the earth.

‘Sure,’ she squeaked.

Damn, she was in trouble.

Charles didn’t know what he hoped to gain by getting Harriet on her own, except having her to himself for the first time in over a decade. When he’d spotted her across the room there had been no great plan, just a need to be near her. Much like the first time they’d met in medical school and had instantly become inseparable. Being each other’s first loves, they’d become serious quickly. In hindsight, that youth and inexperience would never have worked in a world where tradition and duty to the family name was everything. He’d just wanted to be with Harriet and had given no thought to Heatherglen back then.

Now he considered himself lucky she’d agreed to go for a drink with him instead of throwing a cup of hot coffee in his face.

‘There’s a seat in the corner. I’ll get the drinks. White wine?’ He led her into the bar, where one or two other hotel guests had sought refuge.

‘Yes, please.’ Even that knowledge of her preferred drink brought back memories of times together it was difficult to ignore. Those early student days of being silly and partying too hard. Later, when it had been a bottle of wine to accompany a romantic meal they often hadn’t bothered to finish...

‘Charles, what are you doing?’ he muttered under his breath, and stole a glance back at Harriet as she settled into the corner.

Those days of acting only in his own interests were supposed to be far behind him. He didn’t make any decisions now without thinking through how it might affect those around him. It had been a tough lesson to learn when the consequences of his past actions had come at the price of his brother and father’s lives. He’d sacrificed his relationship with Harriet for her benefit—his first act of selflessness when he’d inherited Heatherglen. Not that she’d known, and he couldn’t have told her it was because he’d wanted her to stay on in London and pursue her career instead of getting dragged into his mess. She would’ve insisted on going to Scotland with him.

Although, seeing her now and realising everything he’d lost, regret weighed heavily on his shoulders along with his threefold burden of guilt.

Approaching her this evening and getting her to agree to join him for a drink had been entirely for his own benefit without considering her feelings. Yet, so far, she’d shown him nothing but friendliness in return. It was entirely possible he’d over-inflated the idea of what they’d had together in his head and she’d forgotten him the second she’d got on that train without him.

‘You look good, by the way. Have I said that already?’ He’d certainly thought it as he’d headed back to her.

Harriet had always been pretty with her slim figure and long, dark blonde hair but now she was a stunningly beautiful woman. The emerald-green dress she was wearing wasn’t particularly noteworthy except for the womanly figure it clung to, accentuating her every curve. It was understated and sophisticated, but on Harriet it was as sexy as hell.

‘You haven’t but thank you.’ She sipped her wine, leaving a trace of ruby lip gloss on the rim of her glass, and...he really needed to keep his libido in check. She was his ex-fiancée, not an anonymous one-night stand.

‘So, are you married? Any kids?’ He took a gulp of lager, making the question as nonchalant as he could. Why should it matter to him what her marital status was, other than cooling his jets if he found out there was someone waiting for her at home?

‘No. I decided my career was the only long-term relationship I needed in my life. I’m too busy to fall for all that again.’

Ouch.

Harriet’s brown eyes glittered with a dark challenge for him to bite back. Charles didn’t want to go down that route, going over old ground and spoiling the moment they were having now, but she deserved some sort of explanation.

‘What about you? Did you settle down?’

‘I’m too busy with the clinic and, to be honest, Mum isn’t the best advert for marriage. I’m not sure what number husband she’s on now since Dad. Three, I think. She spends her days sailing around in his superyacht. We don’t see very much of her. I think Heatherglen holds too many sad memories for her.’

‘I know the feeling.’ Harriet took another sip of her wine, apparently needing to dull the mention of his family home with alcohol.

‘Harriet, about all that...’ There had to be some way of saying ‘It wasn’t you, it was me’, without sounding completely insincere.

She saved him the trouble, reaching out her hand to still his, which was currently ripping up the cardboard beer mat. ‘This is much too serious a topic for this evening, Charles.’

Suddenly his mind was spinning, trying to come to terms with the way his body was responding to her touch after all this time apart and to what she was saying to him.

‘I don’t do serious any more.’ She held him with her ever-darkening gaze, making no attempt to break contact.

‘No? What do you do?’ He leaned in closer, hoping that if she was actually coming on to him, it wasn’t simply a ploy to get revenge.

‘I have fun, Charles. You do remember how to do that, don’t you? If so, I’m in Room 429.’ With that, she got up and walked away. Leaving Charles with his mouth open, his heart hammering, and battling with his conscience, which was telling him that following her was a really bad idea.

Harriet’s legs shook on her way towards the elevator. She’d never been so brazen in her life and couldn’t even blame it on the alcohol when she’d only had a sip. From the moment she’d seen Charles, she’d wanted what they’d had in the past. Wanted him. What she didn’t want was to rake over the ashes of the past and be reminded of how he’d rejected her. It was important to know he was still attracted to her. As though that would somehow erase the previous damage he’d caused her self-esteem.

One night with her ex, on her terms, might give her closure on the relationship that had spoiled her for any other.

Except he hadn’t immediately jumped up and begged to take her there and then. She’d merely succeeded in humiliating herself and now had an extra chapter to add to their tragic story.

She jabbed and jabbed at the button for the lift, wishing it would somehow make it come faster. Then it would swallow her up and transport her away from view as soon as possible.

‘Harriet, wait!’ Charles shouted after her as she stepped inside the lift. It was tempting to let the doors shut in his face and be done with him once and for all, but he jammed his foot inside and stole that option from her.

The only scenario worse than being stood up when you’d offered yourself on a plate to a man was having him tell you why he didn’t want to sleep with you. She fought off the tears already blurring her vision because she was determined not to re-create their last mortifying goodbye.

‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ His brow was furrowed, and she could see he was actually contemplating her proposal, not attempting to let her down easily at all.

That reassurance buoyed her spirits once more, along with her intention to seduce him. ‘It’s not a big deal, Charles. We’re both single, hard-working professionals who want to let off a little steam in a hotel room.’

Now that she knew she had his interest, she stepped so close to him they were toe to toe.

‘We both know it would be more than that.’ There was a thread of resistance left in his words, yet his eyes and body were saying something different.

They’d spent enough time together for her to know when he was aroused, and vice versa.

‘It doesn’t have to be.’ She didn’t have to fake anything to convince him she wanted this no-strings fling when her breathy voice was a natural reaction to having him so close again.

‘I know I hurt you, Harriet. Sleeping together now isn’t going to change that. It isn’t going to change anything. I’m still going to go back to Heatherglen and your life is here.’ He was pointing out the obvious to her, they weren’t getting back together no matter what happened tonight. It wasn’t an outright rejection, though, because he was reaching out to her, caressing her cheek with his thumb, letting her know this was her decision. She was all right with that, safe in the knowledge she was in control of what happened next.

‘I’m not looking to rekindle a romance. The past is done with but it’s clear that the chemistry is still there between us.’ She stroked a finger down the front of his shirt, revelling in the desire darkening his eyes until they were almost black. This was what she wanted—confirmation that she still affected him as much as he did her. More importantly, she needed this to give her some closure.

She’d used Charles as an excuse not to let anyone else get close to her but recently she’d begun to wonder if she was missing something in her life. If she was ever to entertain the notion of a serious relationship, or even a family, she had to put Charles’s memory to rest first. One more time together and a chance to say a proper goodbye should finally close that chapter of her life.

‘As I remember, that was never a problem for us, but we do have a long, complicated history. Is it really a good idea to go back there?’

‘Now isn’t the time to start getting chivalrous, Charles.’ Harriet let her finger trail down until she reached his belt buckle, then started to undo it.

Charles let out a groan. ‘I just don’t want us to do anything that will end up with you getting hurt again. I can’t give you any more now than I could all those years ago.’

‘All I’m asking for is tonight. I’m not going to beg.’ She popped open the button on his trousers then stopped. If he wanted more he was going to have to say so.

‘One night?’

‘We never got to say goodbye. Let’s think of it as us both getting closure.’

‘Going out with a bang?’ he asked with a smirk, but he was close enough she could hear the hitch in his breathing. Clearly, he wasn’t as composed as he was making out.

‘Something like that. A one-time offer never to be repeated or spoken of again.’

‘Deal.’ His voice was a growl as he wound his arm around her waist, pulled her tight to his body and covered her lips with his.

Just like that the touch paper was lit, their passion reignited in an instant. The kiss so urgent and demanding it took her breath away. She didn’t remember Charles being quite so...masterful. Perhaps it was that knowledge they were being reckless that added an extra frisson to their passion. This was definitely the last time they’d be together and would be a sweeter memory, she hoped, to hold onto than the last one.

He backed her against the wall of the lift, his mouth, his tongue never leaving hers. Arousal swept through her, showing no mercy or regard for their location or history. Harriet felt along the wall for the control panel and hit the button for the fourth floor. Charles paused their amorous reunion to hit the one for the second floor instead.

‘My room’s closer,’ he whispered against her neck, and she felt the effect of his warm breath on her skin all the way down to her toes.

The thing about being her past lover was that he remembered exactly where to strike to make her weak at the knees. He knew all her sensitive spots and she shivered with anticipation at the thought of him using that advantage. Two could play that game and it wasn’t long before they were both gasping with pleasure as they began to reacquaint themselves with each other. If either of them had booked the penthouse suite she doubted whether they would’ve made it out of here without consummating their renewed acquaintance.

The doors opened, and they were soon fumbling their way down the corridor, steadfastly locked in their passionate embrace. Charles smiled against her lips as he tried to unlock the room door behind her. They were giggling young lovers again, driven by their hormones and lust, and Harriet was ignoring her adult brain telling her otherwise.

‘Have you got any protection?’ As they fell through the door her mind was racing ahead. She didn’t want to interrupt a crucial moment to track down some condoms in case it gave either of them time to think about what they were doing and change their mind.

‘Somewhere.’

He backed her over to the large bed, raining kisses along her neck and collarbone until she fell onto the mattress in a puddle of ecstasy. With one hand he fished in his pocket for his wallet and produced a foil packet. Harriet was glad he didn’t have a drawer full of condoms by the bed stocked up for a weekend of bedroom antics with faceless women. A hook-up had come as much of a surprise to him as it had to her but now it was happening she was glad one of them had come prepared.

She helped him shed his jacket and set to work unbuttoning his shirt, longing for the feel of his skin beneath her fingertips. Finding that patch of hair on his chest reminded her how familiar his body was to her but, oh, how she wanted to get to know it intimately again. Her hands at his fly, she began to undo his trousers.

‘Harriet? I want to make this last,’ he gasped as she pulled him free from the constraints of his clothes.

‘I want you. Now,’ she demanded. This had to be on her terms, so she remained in control. The only way she could justify bedding her ex was to treat him as casually as he had her. She had needs and though she’d taken lovers since Charles, only he could give her what she truly wanted.

Charles didn’t protest. Instead, he slid his hand beneath her dress and tugged her underwear away. With their clothes half on, half off, and Harriet’s dress hitched up around her waist, she waited with bated breath for him to sheath himself. There was something daring and incredibly sexy about the spontaneity of it all. She was risking everything she had by bedding him one more time when he’d had the power in the past to topple her world around her.

‘I guess we do have all night to get to know each other again.’ Charles smiled at her in the darkness and Harriet arched to meet him at their most sensitive parts. She wanted their bodies to do all the talking tonight. That way there could be no confusion about what she expected from him. This was only about sex. An area she knew he excelled in.

They clung to one another, perspiration settling on their skins as they raced towards that moment of utter bliss they knew they could find with each other. Harriet was already on her way to hitting that peak as though she’d been waiting for twelve long years to do this with him again. Those years apart certainly hadn’t diminished their appetites for one another, not on her part at least. No other man had come close to satisfying her the way Charles had. Perhaps because she’d never allowed herself to get as emotionally involved with a man as she couldn’t bear the pain that came with it, or perhaps because he’d been the best lover she’d ever had.

He knew exactly where to touch her to drive her crazy and exactly where she needed him to be. Charles too seemed to be making up for lost time, lust setting the heady rhythm of his every stroke inside her. It was as out of control as she’d ever seen him, or indeed had ever felt herself.

When her orgasm came it hit fast and hard, and as Charles’s cries echoed hers she knew she never wanted this night to end. There was no more living in the past when the present was so much more enjoyable.