The Eleventh-Hour Groom

‘Yes…isn’t it?’ She glanced away from him uncertainly, and continued with her conversation.

‘They close at twelve,’ she said a few minutes later as she put the receiver down. ‘And I said I’d collect it tonight.’

Jay glanced at his watch. ‘I’ll collect it for you.’

‘Would you?’ She met his eyes gratefully, wondering if she had imagined the derisive tone in his voice a few moments ago. ‘It’s just that if I set out to do it I’ll have to take two tubes across the city.’

‘It’s no problem.’ He nodded. ‘There will just be the small fee of a coffee and the use of your phone so I can book a hotel room.’

‘You’ve got yourself a deal.’ She took off her coat and walked through to the small, modern kitchen. ‘Help yourself to the phone book,’ she called to him.

When she brought the tray of coffee back through to the lounge Jay was just putting the phone down.

‘Did you find a hotel?’

‘Yes, I got the one I stayed in last time.’

She wondered if he had been on his own the last time he’d come to London on business. Maybe he had brought Lisa? She was his secretary…amongst other things. He could have combined business with pleasure…he was good at that.

She veered her mind away from that particular direction. ‘It’s snowing pretty heavily outside now,’ she remarked lightly as she put the tray down.

‘Yes.’ He stood with his back to her looking out of the window. ‘Let’s hope we don’t get snowed in.’

‘I don’t think there is much chance of that.’ She went to stand beside him. ‘It doesn’t usually stick.’

He looked down at her. ‘Pity,’ he drawled, a teasing light in his eye. ‘We could have warmed ourselves by the fire and reminisced over the good old days.’

‘What good old days?’ She tried to make her voice flippant.

‘Oh, come on, Beth.’ He shook his head and turned to face her. ‘We did have some good times together,’ he said gently. ‘Surely you haven’t forgotten?’

She felt her heart miss a beat, felt suddenly breathless as she met the velvet darkness of his eyes. Then she looked hurriedly away, confusion clouding any memories.

He reached out a hand, tipping her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

The touch of his hand on her skin made her tremble. Very slowly he allowed his hand to move caressingly down the side of her neck.

The sensation made a shiver of awareness tingle through her body. She felt rooted to the spot, unable to think, unable to even breathe properly.

She felt his gaze resting on her mouth. It was almost like a physical caress, she could feel her lips tingle with anticipation, feel his breath warm against hers.

His eyes moved to the scoop neck of her top, noting the creaminess of her skin over the ripe soft curves of her breast, before moving back to her face.

The idea of seduction ran tantalisingly in his mind, just as it had done these last few months as he had drawn up the papers for her to sign. It would be good to possess her one more time, look down into her eyes as he enjoyed her. Then walk away without a backward glance, just as she had done, his papers signed.

It would be the ultimate retribution for the way she had so nonchalantly broken their bargain.

He looked into her eyes. They seemed incredibly blue, incredibly large for her small face. He bent closer.

‘Jay, stop it.’ Her voice was a whisper. There was no forceful rejection, just a husky, ragged plea.

It tore at his heart. He frowned, his hand dropping to his side as he moved back, the idea of retribution melting, like the snow outside on the pavement.

‘Perhaps you’re right.’ He shrugged, his lips curving in a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. ‘Perhaps we should forget the past.’

She didn’t answer.

‘So, tell me, are you seeing someone else?’ His bantering tone lashed against fragile senses.

‘I don’t really think that is any of your business, do you?’ She tried to compose herself, tried to forget the sudden rush of need that had assailed her just moments ago.

‘I’m just curious.’

‘It’s none of your business.’ She flared again. She shook her head. How dared he come here with his divorce papers, and then bait her about old times, with that gleam of seductive charm in his eye? ‘And let me tell you, Jay Hammond. If you came in here with any intentions of having a roll in the sack for old times’ sake, then you can think again. I wouldn’t want to go to bed with you if you were the last man left alive in the universe.’

He smiled. ‘And this from the woman who was begging me to marry her just eighteen months ago.’

The mocking words made her temper rise even further. ‘I didn’t beg you to marry me.’

‘Didn’t you? Must have been some other raven haired beauty.’

‘I suggested a business plan,’ she murmured tightly.

‘Ah, yes, the wonderful business plan, that you were deriding over dinner in holier than thou tones…it’s all coming back to me.’

Her cheeks felt as if they were on fire, her blood racing wildly through her body. ‘So, are you making business plans with anyone else?’ he murmured derisively. ‘Is that the question I should really be asking?’

‘No! But I am seeing someone else. Someone very special.’ She flung the words at him.

‘Well, good for you.’ In contrast to her he was perfectly cool. ‘I hope you’ll be very happy, Beth. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy.’

She wanted to say, Is that why you screwed your secretary behind my back? But she held her tongue, furious with herself for losing her temper in the first place. She would never lower herself to make a comment like that, or show in any way that she cared one damn about his affair.

Silence fell between them.

‘You’d better go,’ she told him heavily.

He nodded. ‘I’ll fetch your briefcase and drop it into the office for you to pick up in the morning. If that’s all right with you?’

‘Perfectly.’

She walked to the door with him. Now he was going she wished even more that she hadn’t lost her temper. And what had been the point in lying about her private life? He probably didn’t give a damn who she was seeing, anyway. He wanted a divorce, for heaven’s sake!

Pride, that was why she had lied, she told herself as she watched him put on his coat. Pride had always been her downfall. It was the reason she hadn’t told him the truth when she’d asked him to marry her; it was the reason she hadn’t told him the truth when she’d walked out on him. It was a dreadful emotion, yet she couldn’t help it.

She didn’t want him to think she cared. And she didn’t want him to know that no one had taken his place, either in her heart or her bed.

‘Leave my briefcase at the reception area of my office in the morning. I’ll sign the papers and send them on to you,’ she told him stiffly.