Merry & Seduced (14 page)

“There’s no hurry,” he said. “Stay here for Christmas and the New Year. Longer if you want. We’ll work out something.”

She sniffed, and he lifted his hands to ward her off.

“You’re not gonna cry?”

She chuckled—a watery gurgle—then yawned. “Nope. Man, I’m tired. I flew nonstop with a four-hour layover in LA.”

Marcus stood. “Come on. I’ll show you to your room. Where’s your luggage?”

“My bag is just inside the front door.”

“Wait there, and I’ll grab it.”

Ten minutes later, Marcus decided to go to bed himself. He fell asleep for a while but woke again an hour later. He missed Amme.

Chapter Seven

A
mme didn’t sleep well, and before she considered the early hour, she commed Camryn.

“What’s up?” Camryn asked, her tone thick with fatigue.

“Sorry. Did I wake you?”

“It’s okay. Just a sec, let me put the com on speaker so Ry can hear.”

“No!” Amme blurted. “I don’t want to talk to Ry. Just you.”

“Oh?”

Amme prowled across the floor of her bedroom and turned to pace back to the bed when she ran out of floor space. “Marcus didn’t use a condom last night.”

“But you can’t… Oh,” Camryn said. “I guess the conversation became sticky.”

“I saw his reaction. He thought I was trying to trap him.”

“Did he say that?”

“No, he tried to apologize but I moved back to my room.”

“What do you want to do?”

“I want him to trust me,” Amme said. “I like him.”

“Oh, Amme.” Compassion filled her friend’s voice. “We’re leaving at the beginning of January.”

“Don’t you think I know that? I keep telling myself we have no future, but…but…” Amme blinked to stop the weird tingling currently messing with her vision. “That’s not all. I’m sure I’m malfunctioning. My heart-pump keeps going too fast. My sight goes blurry at the oddest moments. And my receptors seem to be faulty. Remember I told you my system attaches to a child and I feel a compulsion to look after them and keep them safe?”

“Yes,” Camryn said.

“Well, I’m getting the same compulsion with Marcus. My tronics need a service.”

Camryn snorted out an abrupt laugh. It stopped mid-sound, as if she’d slapped a hand over her mouth.

“It’s not funny.”

“Amme, I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you. Well, I am, but in a good way. I think you’ve fallen in love with Marcus.”

“What?” No. “It isn’t possible.”

“Think about it. You have the same symptoms I had with Ry. Apart from the tattoo business. That’s what falling in love feels like. Your pulse races. Your emotions go up and down. You’re in love with Marcus.”

“Well, it’s annoying. How do I self-correct?”

Camryn chuckled. “Unfortunately that’s not an option. Don’t worry. We have a lot to keep us busy. We’ll keep your mind off Marcus. Should Ry and I come for breakfast?”

“Yes.” Amme didn’t think for one min Camryn was right, but it wouldn’t hurt to have her friend—all her friends—around to act as a buffer. She issued a heavy sigh as she disconnected the com to Camryn. Never had two weeks seemed so long.

M
arcus was up early, despite approving of a Sunday morning lie in. Might as well get up now because he wasn’t sleeping. He dressed in shorts and a T-shirt and checked on Autumn. She was awake.

“Hi, sweetheart. Do you want to get dressed?”

She nodded. “You need to do my hair.” She shot him an uncertain—no, doubtful glance, one that pricked at his ego. “I want pigtails.”

He found her clothes—a bright pink T-shirt and denim shorts—and even managed to brush and bunch her hair into pigtails as per her little girl instructions. Bossy much? She probably got that from him.

“Do we need to do anything else?”

“No. Where’s Amme?”

“Amme is sleeping late today.”

The color fled from her cheeks. “Is she sick?”

Hell. He sought to reassure her. “No, she’s not sick. My sister arrived last night and we all stayed up late. Your aunt.”

“I have an aunt?”

“Yes, Aunt Olivia is looking forward to meeting you.”

“Is she sleeping?”

“Yes. We’ll see both Amme and Aunt Olivia when they wake up.”

This was the first time he’d spent so much time with Autumn, and he found himself unaccountably nervous. Him—the man who wielded so much power in the business world. Part of him wanted to chortle at himself. Frightened of a little girl.

“I feel like pancakes today.”

She wrinkled her cute nose. “Do you know how to make pancakes?”

“Ye of little faith.” They entered the kitchen. “Why don’t you sit up here at the breakfast counter, and I’ll show you how to make pancakes.”

Marcus set the coffee going first and poured Autumn a glass of juice before he started on the pancakes. Pretty easy since he had a packet of mix in the pantry. Adding milk and egg didn’t take much brainpower. He paused, suspecting Amme’s friends would arrive for breakfast, and tipped in more mix. In five minutes flat, he had the first one sitting in front of Autumn.

“Do you want syrup?”

“I don’t know,” she said.

“I’ll show you how I make mine, but you can put on any topping you want. Your Aunt Olivia used to eat hers with ice cream.”

“But you can’t have ice cream at morning time.”

“I know, but your Aunt Olivia is naughty.”

“Hey! I heard that,” Olivia said.

Autumn turned to study his sister, her mouth pursing on seeing Olivia’s hair.

“Olivia, this is Autumn,” Marcus said.

Olivia grinned. “You look just like me when I was younger, except you have Marcus’s eyes.”

A small frown grew on Autumn’s brow. She glanced at him then at his sister. “Will my hair go like that?”

Marcus barked out a laugh.

“Hey, what’s wrong with my hair?” Olivia demanded, but amusement stretched her mouth wide in a toothy smile.

“You have rainbow hair,” Autumn said.

A rapid tap came and then footsteps sounded. More than one set.

“That will be Amme’s friends. Grab some plates and cutlery, will ya? I’ll get the cereal and coffee mugs,” Marcus said.

“Morning,” Gweneth said, her steps slowing when she didn’t see Amme. “Where’s Amme?”

Nanu bumped into the back of her and grabbed Gweneth before she fell.

“Still asleep,” Marcus said. “This is my sister Olivia.”

“We made some muffins,” Kaya said, striding into the kitchen, carrying a container. “Blueberry. Cool hair.”

“This is my sister Olivia,” Marcus said again. “Anyone for pancakes?”

“What are pancakes?” Jannike asked.

Marcus was becoming used to their questions and equally convinced none of them had ever set foot in Romania. “Autumn is eating the first one.”

They all peered at Autumn’s plate.

“Yes, please,” Mogens said.

In a well-synchronized procedure, Amme’s friends set the table and added the contributions they’d brought with them. Gweneth handed him a mug of coffee, doctored with a dash of milk, just as he liked it. She put on another pot while Nanu took care of Autumn’s needs, the big man with beaded dreads at ease with the small girl.

Olivia sidled up to him as he cooked pancakes. “You have a family,” she whispered, and there was a wistful note in her voice.

She was right. Marcus didn’t know how it had happened, but he felt comfortable with Amme and her friends. They helped each other, each of them pulling their weight in different ways.

“I love the tree and the decorations,” Olivia said.

Another tap sounded at the door.

“It’s Camryn and Ry,” Kaya said without even turning.

He was becoming used to their intuitive remarks too. They each seemed to possess spidey senses. Disconcerting at first, but now he didn’t so much as blink an eye.

“Morning,” Camryn said. “Where’s Amme?”

“Still upstairs. This is Olivia, my sister,” Marcus said.

“I’ll take over cooking,” Camryn said. “You go and see if she’s all right.” She seized the spatula out of his hand and edged him out of the way.

Marcus hesitated then strode from the kitchen. He wanted to see Amme.

Her bedroom was empty, the bed neatly made. He found her in Autumn’s room, busily making the bed and sorting laundry.

“Amme, I’m sorry,” he burst out. “I was stupid and insensitive and I couldn’t sleep without you in my arms. Please forgive me.”

She studied him for a long moment until he wanted to fidget. “I don’t wish to argue either,” she said finally. “I will leave soon and I don’t wish to waste the time fighting with you.”

Relief charged through him, leaving him strangely breathless. He was at her side in two giant steps and swept her into his arms. His lips met hers and he didn’t let her go for a long, long time.

* * * * *

Christmas Eve

“T
here is something strange about Amme and her friends,” Olivia said. “Sometimes they communicate in weird clicks and grunts, usually when I’m not in the room with them. And even weirder, sometimes you’re there when they do it and you seem to understand them.”

Marcus frowned and pulled up outside his parents’ house in Remuera, a suburb of Auckland, not far from the city center. “I noticed the weird language when they first arrived, but I haven’t heard it for weeks now. Autumn always seems to understand them.”

“They don’t come from Romania,” Olivia said. “Do you have a key for the house? I can’t find mine.”

“Sure, there’s one on my key ring. I asked my neighbor Max about them. He said he trusted his sister with his life, and although he hadn’t met her friends before, if she said they were okay, he wasn’t going to ask questions.” Marcus unlocked the door and they stepped into the family home.

Olivia tapped in the security code. “I don’t get a dangerous vibe from them, but something is…off.”

“They’re great with Autumn,” Marcus said.

“You’re good with her too,” Olivia said. “I couldn’t imagine you as a father, but you’re great. Autumn is a lucky girl.”

Marcus had to clear his throat before he could reply. “If it wasn’t for Amme, I wouldn’t know what to do. Everything I know, I’ve learned from her.”

“They’re leaving on the second of January.”

“I know. Every time I think about it my gut tightens,” Marcus said. Things were perfect between him and Amme now. Really good. In fact he’d never felt this level of intimacy with anyone else.

“Don’t let her go,” Olivia said, as if that were the easiest thing in the world. “You know I hesitated about coming to you, but I didn’t have anywhere else to go. I’m glad I did. This is the best Christmas I’ve ever had and we haven’t even had our Christmas day yet. Have you bought your secret Santa gift?”

“No, not yet. I thought we might do some quick shopping on the way home. I’ve ordered something special for Amme, and I need to pick it up.” He paused to grin at his sister. “This is the best Christmas I’ve ever had too. Amme and her friends make it so much fun. Go and pack your stuff and we can hit the shops before they get crazy busy with last-minute panic shoppers.”

Olivia giggled. “That would be us.”

“Appears so.” Marcus wandered through his parents’ house, deep in thought. His phone rang and he pulled it from his pocket and glanced at the screen. Sophie Robinson. Again. He hesitated then answered. “Sophie, what do you want?”

“I forgive you,” she said in a tearful voice. “I forgive you, Marcus, and I want to spend Christmas with you.”

“What?” He’d dated her twice and hadn’t asked her out a third time because she’d turned into the clingy type.

“I’ve been invited to the Carricks for lunch and to the Mackintoshs for drinks tonight. I’ve accepted for both of us,” she gushed. “You can pick me up at my apartment. I’ll bring a bag so I can stay with you overnight.”

“No,” Marcus said in a hard voice. “Sophie, I made it plain we weren’t suited. I’m seeing someone else. I have a child.”

“But I sent you my favorite underwear.”

“Unsolicited mail,” he snapped. “Don’t try to contact me again because I’m not interested.” He hung up with a low curse.

“Problem?”

“I dated a woman called Sophie Robinson. Twice. I didn’t ask her out a third time because she’s a nutter.” In the past, he would’ve brushed off the question from his sister, but he didn’t consider censoring himself today. It was a measure of how much closer they’d become—all due to Amme and her friends and his daughter. “She seems to think I’m spending Christmas with her and has accepted invitations on my behalf.”

“Have you mentioned it to Amme and the others?”

“No.”

“You should, just in case she turns up at your place. If she’s a bit weird…” Olivia shrugged. “You never know.”

His phone rang. “It’s her again.”

“Give it to me,” Olivia said. “Hello. Is this Sophie? Please leave Marcus alone. He’s not interested in you.” She hung up and handed over the phone. “You’re right. She’s weird. Maybe you should report her to the police.”

“I don’t think it’s bad enough to warrant that sort of step. She’s harassing me by phone, the odd e-mail and sending me packages, but that’s all. Are you done? We should hit the shops.”

“I promised Gweneth I’d give her some makeup tips and help her color her hair,” Olivia said. “I need to buy supplies. She gave me some money.”

“Just buy the basics, enough to tide her over until tomorrow,” Marcus said.

“She’s your person in the secret Santa.”

“Maybe,” Marcus said, and Olivia offered him a conspiratorial grin and tapped one finger to her nose.

They arrived back at the house to find everyone clustered in small groups with Christmas paper, tape, ribbons and gift tags in evidence. Amme and Autumn were in the kitchen making some sort of cookies or cake. The scent of ginger and cinnamon and allspice scented the air.

“It smells like Christmas in here,” Olivia said.

“What’s going on?” Marcus asked.

“Everyone is wrapping stuff to go under the tree. They’re also sorting out S. A. N. T. A. things for later,” Amme said with a nod at his daughter.

“Hello, Daddy.” Autumn smiled at him, splotches of chocolate decorating her pink T-shirt and her chin. His chest squeezed tight with pleasure and he grinned back.