Authors: Kim Lawrence

Wedding-Night Baby (4 page)

BOOK: Wedding-Night Baby

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âI can well believe the females in
your
life feel that way,' she responded tartly. She had rehearsed the tender scene of Alex turning up begging her forgiveness once too often to look him directly in the eye. âI don't find the role of plucky little victim to my taste; that's the
only
reason you're here. I have no wish to make Alex jealous, which, considering what I got for my money, is just as well.'

The deep blue eyes narrowed to slits and his lips twisted with scornful amusement. âYou're comparing me unfavourably to that?' he said with a scornful lift of his shoulders and a flickering glance in Alex's direction.

âYou really do think a lot of yourself, don't you?'

âMy self-esteem was fairly healthy last time I looked,' he agreed.

âIf I had a large pin I'd like to deflate it,' she murmured longingly. âOnly I'd call it ego.'

âYour nose was never constructed to be looked down, sweetheart.'

âI'm well aware of my physical deficiencies, thank you!' she replied tartly. With a mother who was an acknowledged beauty she couldn't help but be. Her nose was unremarkable, her mouth too big. She gave a small sigh. People who were obsessed with their appearance often neglected their personality, or so she often foundâif they had any at all. She wasn't about to fall into that trap.

âI wouldn't say it's a deficiency. I'd call it kind of cute.' The blue eyes which examined the sudden rush of colour that stained her cheeks looked remarkably guileless. âSay, I know today's a real traumatic experience for you, so why don't we forget the rotten mongrel who humiliated you and relax? The food's good, the wine could be better but it's plentiful, and I won't blow your cover. Lighten up, eat,
drink and dance a little. Enjoy the charming company you've paid for.'

âCharming?' She couldn't help smiling.

âI have a reputation to uphold,' he told her solemnly. âIs it a deal?'

The smile bordered on the irresistible, so recklessly she raised her glass and found herself agreeing.

CHAPTER THREE

âG
EORGIE, he's absolutely gorgeous, darling. Where did you find him?'

âYellow Pages, Alice,' she told her drooling school-friend with a grin. Callum was dancing with the bride, displaying remarkable grace and co-ordination for such a large man.

âYou never used to be so enigmatic,' her friend grumbled, her eyes on Callum's progress across the floor. âYou even look different.' Her eyes moved critically over her old friend's slender figure.

Georgina hardly heard. The man might be abominably conceited, she reflected, her eyes too on the tall figure, but he did have some reason. Controlled power, languid grace and an ability to make everyone present hang on his every word were all attributes that she privately thought could be put to better use in some other capacity than that of hired escort. He had something indefinable but potent; she had given up trying to classify him into any category she had ever come across.

He still remained something of an enigma. Although he had, true to his word, been charming and amusing over the remainder of the meal, he had managed to learn quite a lot about her life, her work and friends whilst unobtrusively redirecting any questions about himself. Why the mystery? she wondered.

He looked up suddenly, his dark features turning intuitively in her direction. Rather than avert her gaze and look
elsewhere, she kept her eyes level and her chin square. There was enquiry, a challenge in his bold stare, transmuted as he held her eyes to stark and unadulterated desire.

No man had ever, as far as she could recall, looked at her so brazenly before. The message in his stare was a blatant admission of desire. She had certainly never experienced this flash fire of wildly conflicting sensations. She stood stock-still, caught in the current that passed between them. She recognised that she was a victim of her own primitive cravings, but felt powerless to resist.

With a soft word Callum extricated himself from his partner, who showed an inclination to pout, and moved purposefully across the room.

âThis is Alice,' Georgina said nervously as he reached her side.

âHello, Alice. I haven't danced with Georgina yet. You don't mind if I steal her away, do you?' His eyes only left her face for a second. She was drawn onto the dance floor without even realising she'd relinquished her role as wallflower. âThis day is not turning out at all as I'd expected, Miss Campion.'

âIt isn't?' she said thickly. The numbness that had hit her seconds before was slipping away to be replaced by a swamping awareness of her body and its reactions and this man, this stranger who held her, his body. She'd drunk too much. She'd been building up to this day for weeks; it was the stress, the entire cocktail of emotional havoc that was responsible for the sexual awareness that had sprung to life.

âYou were described to me as very efficient. I wasn't expecting hair like glossy autumn leaves, soft, buttermilk skin and sultry lips like ripe strawberries.'

She swallowed, frighteningly aware of how much a captive she was of the deep, resonant voice and the glittering eyes. Excitement and a totally alien exhilaration were
swirling in her veins. Common sense, with which she knew she was amply endowed, told her that her bruised ego was lapping up this attention because of its traumatised state. But it was difficult to reconcile common sense with the feverish clamour of her blood. She was aware of tremblingâa fact he too couldn't have failed to notice.

âVery poetic,' she replied, injecting scorn into her voice and pulling her eyes from the magnetic tug of his gaze. âThis really wasn't in the job description, you know.' She swallowed. How wrong had she been when she'd thought this man was ill-equipped to act as an escort! She'd almost disastrously forgotten that that was what he was. It was the height of stupidity to fall for a look of desire. Do I need to be wanted that much? she thought bitterly. It must be genetic!

'And I'm certain you made that quite clear at the outset.' His voice held a degree of almost amused affection which made her glance up.

'Perhaps that's why the agency described me as efficient.'

âThe agency...?' he murmured sharply. âOh, yes, the agency. I never mix business with pleasure.' Perhaps this occasion called for a little flexibility, he told himself.

âI'm pleased to hear it,' she said uncertainly. God, how could she be such a fool as to fall for a slick chat-up line and blue eyes? This was superficial attraction, basic. She wished hard that she hadn't addled her senses with all the free wine.

âI'd be more than happy to be your escort on an unpaid basis.'

She was almost sure he was teasing her and the mockery helped her fight the spell that the music, the atmosphere... and Callum were weaving. âI'm flattered, but you're not the sort of man I'd go out with.'

Callum neatly avoided a collision with a couple who
were both much the worse for the champagne. âI was thinking more along the lines of staying in,' he admitted with a devilish gleam in his eyes.

The breathless sensation could not be solely attributed to the neat manoeuvre that had swung her around one hundred and eighty degrees. âI hardly think we're compatible.' She couldn't recall ever being propositioned before so the correct response was difficult to gauge. She was
almost
sure he was joking and it would make her appear ridiculous if she made too much of the incident.

âStrange. I've been getting quite different messages,' he murmured. One hand slid down her hair, letting the heavy, silky strands slide through his fingers. âCould it be you're afflicted with the great British disease of being unwilling to mingle outside your own class? Would I be a social embarrassment for an upwardly mobile career woman?' Mild but damning contempt liberally coated his words.

âAre you insinuating I'm a snob?' she replied, registering that his scornful words identified him as probably not being British. âI take it from your smug, egalitarian tone that you don't hail from these shores?'

The slight friction of his hand against the nape of her neck was sending flurries of warmth tingling through her body. His other hand had pulled her body close enough against his own for her to be aware of how taut and muscular his spare frame was. The effort to keep her head from flopping forward against the invitation of his solidly muscled chest made tiny beads of perspiration break out along her upper lip.

âAre you trying to tell me that if I was an eminently respectable professional like your stuffed dummy you'd still be fighting against this attraction?' His eyes gleamed with disdain.

To compare this temporary insanity with what she had felt for Alex might have made her smile under less stressful
circumstances. She might have worshipped Alex uncritically and, in retrospect, pathetically, but she had never felt anything nearly so insidiously primitive in his arms. Sometimes she thought her self-restraint had had a lot to do with his seeking comfort elsewhere.

âI've given up on emotional complications in my life.' She wished she sounded as confident about this as she had hoped she would.

âThis is more
instinctive
than emotional, don't you think?' he mused, a lick of grim humour in his voice.

When she looked up there was something far more fierce than humour in his eyesâhunger. Her eyes moved of their own volition to his mouth, and the sensuous curl of his lips made her throat close over. The hot, liquid sensation in her belly expanded to flood her already unsteady limbs. The fantasy that passed before her eyes was full of texture and taste. In fact, all her senses seemed to be involved in the concept of this simple, imaginary kiss.

âThere speaks the male of the species,' she retorted, her voice all the more angry because of the diversions her mind was taking. âA physical experience without emotions is an unrewarding one for a woman.'

âI thought you'd given up on emotions?' he said with a quirk of one eyebrow. âDoes this mean you've taken a vow of chastity?'

âIs that so outrageous?'

âI think for some people celibacy might be a possible solution. People with a genuinely asexual personality, that isâthose who pretend things they are incapable of feeling just to conform. It's not the answer for someone as sensual as you. Repressing your true nature is no answer.'

âAnd you'd know all about my personality!' she snapped scornfully.

âI think you're the sort of woman who is afraid to stand up for what she believes in. You're big on independence
and self-sufficiency, but when an opportunity to display the fact is offered you, what do you do? Rush off to hire a body to wear a suit so you blend in prettily. It takes guts to stand out, Georgina,' he drawled. âIt seems to me you like to take the safe option.'

His words had homed in on the disquiet she had felt about the entire face-saving exercise. Damn him! she thought, raising her turbulent eyes to his impassive face. âI take it I'm meant to be forced to display that I'm full of radical action by sleeping with youânot the safe option.'

He appeared unfazed by her hot accusation. âYou have been thinking about it, then,' he said with a small, disturbing smile playing about the corners of his lips.

Her vehement denial died as she met the cynical knowledge in his eyes. She acknowledged she'd just been manoeuvred into a corner by something of an expert. The music had stopped and they stayed stationary in the middle of the floor. Her attention was so concentrated on her partner than she didn't hear Alex the first time he spoke.

âCan I have the next dance, Georgie?'

She spun around, eyes wide, her cheeks still flushed from the stimulation of her fencing with Callum.

âGo ahead, sweetheart,' Callum urged, his hand comfortably patting her behind encouragingly. He regarded the slightly younger man in an almost indulgent manner that visibly grated on Alex. âThe least I can do, as indirectly you're responsible for my meeting Georgina. Incidentally, she hates being called Georgie; didn't she ever tell you?' The music started up and he slipped away, his long strides taking him swiftly out of sight into the crowd.

âShall we?'

Georgina pulled herself together with a tense smile. She'd been staring after Callum like a hypnotised idiot; embarrassment at this bizarre behaviour brought a fresh
rush of colour to her skin. She thought wistfully of the bland partner she'd imagined.

âYou look well, Georgie...Georgina,' Alex stumbled awkwardly. âI hardly recognised you.'

âShould I be flattered? But it's still the same old me, Alex.' Or was she? she wondered, still in daze. The nights of bitterness and heartache, the sense of betrayal and the deep sense of inadequacy she'd fought against with all her will seemed oddly distant as she faced the object of all those thwarted desires.

âYou seem different.'

She glanced at him curiously, surprised that she could be objective. He sounded faintly piqued at the transformation, which consisted mostly of a sophisticated outfit and an air of self-confidence that was three parts artifice.

Had Alex ever looked beyond the surface? she wondered. She'd been very young when she'd met him and malleable in many ways. That had suited Alex. The only contention that had ever arisen between them had occurred when she had insisted she wanted more careerwise than a receptionist's job. When she'd insisted on going on her business-studies course, commuting home at weekends, he'd been stiffly disapproving.

âEveryone grows up, Alex,' she observed now, with a wistfulness partly reserved for her lost naÃ¯vety. Everyone had known about Alex and Harriet for weeks before she had caught on. The constriction in her throat swelled.

âI treated you pretty badly.'

âYes,' she agreed, noticing he was the first one to look away. She'd wanted to make him wonder whether he'd made the right decision and, if she read the signs correctly, that was exactly what he was doing. Strange how little pleasure it afforded her. âLovely wedding.'

âI wanted something simple.'

âHarriet didn't,' she observed with a faint smile. What Harriet wants, Harriet gets, including my man!

He shrugged awkwardly and she worked hard not to tangle her feet with his. Dancing with Callum had been as easy as breathingâa strange combination of instinct and rhythm. The contrast made her frown.

âEmotional hothouses, weddings,' she said lightly.

âI miss you. I didn't realise how much...'

The words she'd longed to hear filled her with a sudden deep panic. âI don't think you should be saying this, Alex.' He'd manoeuvred them into a quiet alcove and the drop in volume meant that her voice sounded loud.

âNeither do L'

Startled, she spun around to see Callum watching them, leaning with negligent ease against a fake Doric pillar.

âI was just...' Alex blustered, letting go of Georgina and backing off a step.

BOOK: Wedding-Night Baby

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