eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work. This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental. Samhain Publishing, Ltd. 577 Mulberry Street, Suite 1520 Macon GA 31201 Tea For Two Copyright © 2008 by Shelley Munro ISBN: 978-1-60504-212-1 Edited by Laurie Rauch Cover by Scott Carpenter All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: October 2008 www.samhainpublishing.com
Tea for Two Shelley Munro
Dedication
Paul—for being my rock and helping me to hold it together. You’re the best. For my wonderful editor, Laurie Rauch—thank you. This is our first book together. May it be the first of many.
Tea for Two
Chapter One
“I see a line of dots.” Hayley Williams peered solemnly into her customer’s white china teacup. Outside her colorful curtain-partitioned area of the tea tent, children shrieked with excitement as they lined up for the Ferris wheel and merry-go-round. Her assistant chatted to one of the ladies in charge of the tea, extolling the high points of a reading by Madam Deveraux. Somewhere in the distance, a toddler howled and a brass band played “Rock Around the Clock”. Closer, touts shouted spasmodically about the exciting things available at their stalls. The clatter of china and the muted gossip of the ladies in the makeshift café added to the cacophony of fairground sounds. “What do the dots mean?” Wide-eyed, the young woman didn’t take her attention off Hayley. She held her breath in excited anticipation, delicate rose shading her cheeks and echoing the swathe of pink in her blonde hair. “Are they important?” “Usually the dots mean the arrival of money,” Hayley said with an inward smile. After participating in several fetes, it wasn’t as difficult to fake reading teacups, and her panic about being labeled a phony had lessened, especially since she’d found a great book at the library. Since then, she’d collected a variety of books on the subject. Now, if anyone asked her a question, be it on the history of reading tea leaves or the meanings of the symbols left behind in the cup, she had a ready answer for them. “Are you in line for a promotion at work?” “Yes! Well, I’m taking over the duties of personal assistant now I’ve finished my secretarial course.” “Ah,” Hayley said with authority. “That will be it, then. I’m sure you’ll receive a pay rise in the near future.” “Wonderful,” the girl said. “I’ll be able to afford the new pair of shoes I’ve been eyeing, and I can save for my Greek holiday. I’m going with my boyfriend.” www.samhainpublishing.com
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“You should definitely be able to save more money,” Hayley agreed, her long earrings swaying against her cheeks when she nodded in encouragement. “Thanks so much, Madam Deveraux. A promotion is exactly what I need. You’ve made my day.” “All part of the service,” Hayley said, accepting the pound coins the girl handed her. She dropped them into her tip jar, her smile lasting until the beaded door curtains swished back into place after the girl left. If only she could sort out her own problems in a similar manner. A home of her own. Maybe a man to go with it. Heck, she could count the number of dates she’d had this year on one hand, and she could hack off her thumb because it wasn’t required for counting calculations. And as for sex, she hadn’t found a man she liked enough to move into that territory. “My womanly parts have probably atrophied through lack of use,” she muttered with a rueful roll of eyes. Her birthday. No man. No date. Great way to pass the time, feeling sorry for herself. “Pssst! Hayley, do you have a minute?” Hayley scrubbed the backs of her hands over moist eyes and hurriedly stood. She parted the beaded curtain and pasted a welcoming smile on her face. “Suzie, what are you doing here? Caren,” she paused to smile at her assistant, “just holler if someone else arrives for a reading, and I’ll shunt my friend on her way.” “Will do,” Caren said. “It’s almost time for a break anyway. I’ll put up the ‘back in ten minutes’ sign. Do you want anything to eat or drink? I’m starving. I didn’t have time for breakfast.” “I’m good. Thanks, Caren.” Suzie entered the tent and took possession of the chair across the table from Hayley, giving a loud yawn. Her haphazard ponytail and the blue shadows of tiredness beneath her eyes did nothing to detract from her dark beauty. Her tight black jeans and blue midriff-baring top showcased a lithe and sexy figure, while her black leather backpack lent a touch of individuality. Suzie blinked and smiled. “You know, I don’t think your mother would recognize you in that getup. I scarcely recognize you, especially with the
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makeup and brown contact lenses. And your hair—it looks so different when you wear it down and don’t straighten it.” “I’ve grown rather fond of my gypsy persona,” Hayley said, shaking her wrist to set her charm bracelet clinking. “Who knew teacups could be so profitable? Soon I’ll have enough money to buy my own flat.” “And I can pay you rent,” Suzie finished with a laugh. “I know, and I can’t wait. Does anyone know you moonlight as a gypsy?” “Are you kidding? My boss at the Home Office would have a fit. Management frowns on anyone working two jobs. They’re ultra-conservative, but I put up with it because the money’s good. I haven’t told anyone but you. And you know what my parents’ reaction would be. They’re so snobby.” They seemed to automatically disapprove of anything she did. Hayley had given up trying to please them. Nothing she did was good enough. Suzie shrugged. “What they don’t know won’t hurt them. I wanted to catch you before you left this morning. I slept in.” She bent to retrieve a bright lime green parcel from her backpack. “Happy birthday!” Hayley leaned over the small wooden table to hug Suzie, tears suddenly filling her eyes. Her friend was the only one who’d remembered her birthday. “Thanks, Suzie. It could have waited until tonight.” “I won’t be there. I’m heading into work, and tonight I have a work function. In fact, why don’t you come to the party?” She clapped her hands together and bounced up and down on her chair. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. It’s at the private rooms of the pub just down the road from work. You know the one we met at last week?” “Oh, I don’t—” “I insist. I’ll even spring for a cab home. I’m staying at Gareth’s tonight. Please come. You can’t stay home alone on your birthday. And don’t tell me you didn’t intend on doing that. You’ve been working so hard you haven’t had time to meet a man, let alone get up to any mischief.”
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Hayley hesitated. Perhaps it was a good idea to get out instead of moping at the flat and feeling sorry for herself. She could always sneak out of the party early if she started to feel uncomfortable. “All right,” she said finally. “What time?” “Party starts at eight in the Navigator Room. I’ll leave an invitation for you at the door in case you can’t find me. The place will probably be packed since the boss wanted some of the clients invited as well as staff.” Caren stuck her head through the curtain. “There’s someone waiting.” She held a pack of sandwiches in her hand. “Do you want a longer break or should I collect their admission fee?” “You’re busy,” Suzie said. “I’ll leave you to it. Ooh! One more thing, I almost forgot. The boss is letting me put together the conference program for Wainwright Teas. I want you to come along and read teacups. It’s a paying gig, and I can schedule your part for the evening and weekend so it doesn’t clash with your job.” The price she named made Hayley’s mouth drop open in astonishment. “But I’m not the real deal.” Hayley lowered her voice in case anyone was eavesdropping. “Fetes and market days are one thing, but a conference is entirely different. They’re business people. What if your boss finds out and sacks you because of me?” She hadn’t met Suzie’s new boss, but she’d heard about him. The man played as hard as he worked, much to the delight of the gossip magazines. “Oh, pish-posh.” Suzie waved her hand in disparagement of Hayley’s protest. “They put on their trousers one leg at the time like everyone else. You’re a great listener and very intuitive. You have a natural gift for seeing people for who they are and that’s why your gypsy act is so successful. Please, Hayley. This is the first conference where I’m doing all the organizing. I need you.” “I suppose I could do it,” Hayley said in clear doubt. “Excellent. See you at eight tonight.” With a wave, Suzie sauntered away, pushing through the beaded curtain and leaving Hayley in a state of turmoil. Sometimes Suzie left her feeling like a wrecked city after an earthquake. She’d hurried away on purpose so Hayley couldn’t change her mind about the conference or the party. With a loud sigh,
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Hayley removed the last customer’s cup from the table and put it out of sight with the other dirty crockery before standing to usher her next customer inside. Maybe today of all days, she needed a bit of a shake up, a change in routine. After all, how much trouble could she stir up on a budget?
Love at first sight. Sam Norville snorted and signaled the bartender for another beer. He didn’t believe a man and a woman could fall in love the moment they first clapped eyes on each other, despite his family’s evidence to the contrary. His grandparents, his parents, his older brother and, according to his grandmother, his great-grandparents as well. Only he dared to buck the happy trend, along with his twin sisters who, at twenty, were too young to marry. According to his grandmother, they were all safe until they hit twenty-five. After that, all bets were off. Normally he didn’t let family traditions bother him, but everyone had ganged up on him at the family dinner they’d had to celebrate his grandfather’s eightieth birthday the previous weekend. What they didn’t know was he’d already disproved the theory with Amber. He wasn’t about to put himself through the same hell again. Sam tipped back his head and drank, allowing the crisp flavor of hops to dance across his taste buds. He enjoyed his single status, refusing to toe the line and follow in his brother’s footsteps, meeting and marrying the woman of his dreams in mere days. Wasn’t gonna happen, not when he had more important things to do with his life. Like carving his niche in the business world and enjoying himself. So what if he’d turned twenty-eight last month? There were lots of beautiful, single women in London who liked to party and have fun as much as he did. Besides, he thought with a grimace, the local gossip magazines would suffer if he picked one specific woman. Quite possibly go out of business, according to his mother. Sam thought about it again and shook his head. Nah, wasn’t gonna happen, no matter how many dinners and lectures on family history and happy-ever-after he had to sit through. Turning to lean against the polished wooden bar, he scanned the interior of the crowded private room. The steady beat of Salsa music throbbed through concealed
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speakers, and on the makeshift dance floor several customers and his employees strutted their stuff. Normally, he loved to dance, but tonight he wasn’t in the mood. Sam’s attention strayed to study the occupants in the room. He knew the majority of them. A few, like the dark-haired woman sitting in the corner on her own, were strangers. Two women standing at the opposite end of the bar waved and started to thread their way through the crowd. Alarm skittered through him. Both were nice enough, but it was easy to see they wanted a permanent man. Without conceit, he knew his bank balance and family connections made him a valuable commodity. Not tonight. No, tonight he didn’t want to play the mating game. All he wanted was pleasant company with no commitments. No promises or obligations. A third woman stopped the two who had waved at him. As one, they turned to scrutinize him, clear speculation written across their faces. Determination. Sam knew what a wild animal felt like, trapped with nowhere to hide. His gaze darted back to the dark-haired woman sitting on her own, and he came to a quick decision. His savior—although she might not appreciate the fact. A soft smile played across sensual lips while she watched both the dancers and the people at the bar. There was an intriguing stillness about her, as if she were content with her own company, but that didn’t stop Sam from striding away from the bar, navigating the dancers on the floor, to reach her side. Up close, she had a quiet beauty with creamy soft skin and sapphire blue eyes surrounded by a mass of dark lashes. She wasn’t a woman who screamed, “look at me,” but her full curves appealed to him. Nothing worse than a string-bean woman with jutting hipbones and stick arms. No, he preferred someone healthy and robust, who didn’t look as if she’d break when he held her. “Hello, darling,” he said and he lifted her off the chair, hauling her into his arms. Before she had a chance to react, he lowered his head and kissed her. To anyone else, to the three women stalking him, it would appear like a quick peck between friends, but with this woman, something changed. Shock roared through him and he froze. He pulled back enough so he could stare down at her, trying to fathom the sense of possessiveness that had blindsided him without warning. Yes, her eyes were beautiful. Stunning. The
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freckles across the bridge of her nose were cute. She smelled of wildflowers, a light, natural scent that didn’t make his eyes water or bring on a sneeze. This woman was… No way. No how! Not possible. He wasn’t going to act on the instinct screaming through him. He’d traveled that road before. No, all he intended to do was chat, maybe dance and reassure himself that this love at first sight stuff really was a load of crap. And of course, avoid the three stooges stalking him at the same time. He released the woman and offered her a grin, the charming type his mother and sisters accused him of using whenever he wanted something. “Hello, I’m Sam. You don’t know it yet, but you’ve just saved my life. I can’t thank you enough.” “If you wanted an original pickup line, you’ve found it,” she said dryly, cocking her head slightly to the side to look up at him. Her voice was low and throaty. Seductive. And her mouth. Oh, yeah. Her bottom lip glistened, the plump pink curve highlighted with a gloss of some kind. Sam wanted to touch, but curled his hands to fists to halt the impulse. “You haven’t heard my best ones yet.” Sam held out his hand and waited for her to acknowledge his greeting. “Oh?” The beginnings of a grin twitched at the corner of her sexy lips, but didn’t go any farther. Slowly, she stepped back to put a more respectable distance between them. Sam’s heart thudded violently without warning, and he found himself wanting to make her smile. He could imagine her face lighting up and wanted to see if his imagination matched the truth. “How much will you charge me for a smile?” “You’re funny.” Slowly, she placed her hand in his. When she tipped back her head to study him and their hands touched, a sharp spark of desire flared up his arm. His sharp inhalation sounded loud, harsh to his ears, but the woman didn’t seem to notice. Her attention centered on his lips, in the same way he’d looked at hers. She seemed mesmerized, certainly as interested as he was in touching, tasting her mouth and making her smile. Suddenly Sam felt like he was back at school, a teenager with a crush on the
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most popular girl in his class. He wanted to swallow and shuffle his feet. He wanted to caress her mouth again in the worst possible way. This time he’d make the kiss slower. Deepen it. Explore. Conquer. The unwanted thought registered, and he frowned, drawing back and releasing her hand. “And yet I haven’t made you smile,” he said. “I can’t be as funny as you thought.” Sam had to clear his throat, something that surprised him since he hadn’t felt uncomfortable or ill at ease with a female for as long as he could remember. He frowned inwardly. “I’m going to have to kiss you again. Should I apologize first? Oops, no time.” He grasped her shoulders firmly and, with his fingers, gently lifted her chin. Their eyes met and his pulse jumped. Incredible, he thought. The shuffle of feet behind them and a wave of cough-inducing designer perfume told him he was out of time. His mouth swooped to capture hers—his mystery lady. He’d kissed many women. He liked kissing women, and thought he was pretty good at it. This kiss felt different. Heat flared between them, and he felt her shiver in the conflagration. Pleasure radiated outward and he stepped right into the fire, letting his hands wander across the silky fabric covering her shoulders, her back. The blood roared through his veins. His eager response, fueled by her equally natural reaction, sent shockwaves skittering through him. And surprise. This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t, wouldn’t trust his instincts with women again. That way lay trouble. He pulled back subtly, easing away from the kiss. Aware his trio of stalkers hovered in the vicinity, waiting for an opportunity to approach, he tightened his grip on the woman and took her hand. Crazy. He should thank her for the save and leave. But he didn’t. “Would you like to dance?” A slight frown creased her forehead. She opened her mouth, as if she might reject him. “Please,” he said hurriedly. “You haven’t even given me a smile yet. I look upon that as a challenge.” “Women don’t say no to you, do they?” Amusement sparkled in her beautiful blue eyes. He wondered idly what her dark hair would look like without the pins and jeweled combs that restrained it so tightly. Probably really good against his sheets.
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“Not often,” he said, guiding her to the dance floor with a hand at the small of her back while battling his instincts to pounce. Too bad. He was losing the fight. Big time. “You wouldn’t want to spoil my good image. Word might get around. My reputation would suffer.” She chuckled, the sound rich and musical, without artifice. “Your reputation seems quite healthy. I’ve seen you in the gossip magazines with a different woman on your arm each time.” “You recognize me?” Damn, a woman he instinctively liked, and she had preconceived notions. The wrong ones, if she read the gossip mags. Damn, he hated this, although he couldn’t change the fact his mother was minor royalty and his father had more money than most people dreamed about. Their fairy-tale marriage had sparked public interest that had never waned over the years. If anything, the arrival of children brought more attention. It seemed, in this world of throwaway relationships, a lot of people craved happy endings. “You’re a very photogenic figure, Mr. Norville.” “Sam,” he said, taking her into his arms. “You can call me Sam.” She was about six inches shorter than him—the perfect height. Nothing worse than a sore neck from bending at an awkward angle. They moved together easily, bodies brushing in time to the music. At least she hadn’t flounced off in disgust, he thought while he navigated the crowded floor. “Are you going to tell me your name?” He offered her his best smile, infusing it with charm and sincerity, when all he really wanted to do was bite. His smile slithered into a smirk at the thought. It wouldn’t be a problem. Laving away the sting with the lash of his tongue would be half the fun. “H-Helen,” she said. Cute stutter. Combined with the freckles and perfume, it added up to compelling— for him at any rate—and a woman who didn’t do casual. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Yeah, right. Try telling that to his body. “You can’t believe everything you hear or see, especially in the media,” he said, returning to their earlier conversation.
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“Is that so? But the stories seem fairly consistent. There must be an element of truth.” The sparkle in her eyes gave away the fact she was teasing. A couple bumped into them. Sam gathered her closer and moved them out of the main traffic area on the dance floor. Their legs glided together and his unruly hormones leapt to full alert. Difficult to hold back his groan of pleasure. “You can’t let my reputation scare you off. That would be like trying a man without giving him a hearing. Innocent until proven guilty, remember?” Helen lifted her head and her mouth stretched into a wide grin. It echoed in her blue eyes, taking her from quietly attractive to striking. Sam stared, fascinated by the difference a smile made. “Just what do you intend to do with me, Sam? We’ve only just met.” Strange how the stutter had disappeared. He’d rather liked the small imperfection. “We can discuss our relationship over a drink.” “A drink sounds nice.” Her full lips twitched with amusement. “But really, it’s too early to call what we have a relationship.” He chuckled, attracting the attention of several couples near them on the dance floor. For once he didn’t care about the public scrutiny. “I respond well to a challenge. I also bite. You should take that as a warning.” Helen grinned. “I must update my immunization shots.” Sam led her to an empty table, smirking inwardly. The woman was refreshing. Interesting. A waiter strolled past, carrying a tray of margaritas, and he took two, handing one of the salt-encrusted glasses to Helen. Sam sat, not wanting to leave her side now he’d seen her close up and held her, despite his inner warning system blaring at full alert. His fascination overrode his survival instincts, which meant he didn’t intend to go anywhere. His employees had things under control with their bigger clients, so the rest of the night belonged to him. He watched Helen over the rim of his glass, trying to work out what made her different from every other woman. She wore her dark hair up in a knot at the back of her head. A few chocolate brown wisps softened her face, curling across her temples. Golden
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freckles dusted her nose, giving her a touch of innocence and freshness. Every single item of her clothing was black. A black blouse skimmed her body and a long black skirt hit her below the knees. Nothing clung to her curves or overtly displayed her body, but he knew she possessed very sexy curves. He’d touched them when they danced together. Her skin felt as soft as it appeared and made Sam want to stroke his fingers across her cheek. And that was just for a starter. Hell, it made him yearn to rip off her clothes and explore the curves beneath. He was positive her skin would feel soft all over her body. The delicate scent of wildflowers filled his every breath, refreshing after the heavy, multi-faceted perfumes his dates normally wore. “It might be early, but this is a party. It’s the perfect place to get to know each other.” Sam sipped his margarita and admitted to himself he wanted this woman. He definitely wanted to peel away the layers of clothing to see her natural shape. He frowned, not liking the direction of his thoughts, because he really didn’t believe in love at first sight. Lust, yes. Lust made sense. His mood lightened. That’s what this was— sexual desire. And he could do something about chemistry and lust, especially if he found a like-minded woman. “I bet you say that to all the girls.” Her husky voice stroked him, playing across his nerve endings like a finger across guitar strings. He imagined her fingers exploring his chest and shifted uncomfortably at his body’s instant reaction. “Don’t judge me by the publicity.” A grin played around his lips. “Most of it isn’t true.” “But some of it is.” Her big blue eyes blinked at him, intrigue chasing across her expressive face. “You’re a bad boy,” she said finally. “I think I’m allergic to bad boys.” “Ah, you’re not sure, which means I have a chance to change your mind.” “So you admit your bad-boy status.” “I never hurt anyone and don’t gossip about details.” Coming from her, the bad-boy label hurt. “And I never lie. Ever. I don’t like liars.” “Why me? There are lots of beautiful women here for you to flirt with. One of the three standing over there, for instance.”
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“They’re trophy hunters. They want me because they’re models after some publicity to push their careers. Too blatant. I hate being used. I prefer to choose my own women. I pick you.” Sam surprised himself, since he was usually a little more subtle. This was deliberate seduction. He captured her hand and rubbed his thumb across the back before turning it over to study her palm. No rings. That was good. Her brows arched upward. “And do I have a choice?” “Not anymore,” he murmured. “It’s too late now.” Despite the laughter, loud music and intoxicated shouts, it felt as if they were in a world of their own. Damn, he wanted this woman, but it wasn’t love at first sight. No such thing. Sam held his breath at the flare of desire when he threaded their fingers together. Oh, yeah. This was lust big time, and that was all. Lust he could deal with.
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Chapter Two
Hayley couldn’t believe Sam Norville sat beside her, holding her hand. His spicy citrus scent and the stroke of his fingers were playing havoc with her senses. Her stomach fluttered despite her steady smile. The man looked better in person, way better than in the photos plastering the magazines and society pages of the newspapers. Sam’s dark hair gleamed, even in the dim lighting. Slightly long, it looked in need of a cut, but the shagginess didn’t detract from his good looks. His strong features were sensual and the corners of his golden eyes bore fans of wrinkles, displayed whenever he grinned his very sexy and probably well-practiced crooked smile. A definite bad-boy smile if ever she saw one. Jeans, a white T-shirt and black leather jacket added to her initial bad-boy impression. Happy birthday to me. “I haven’t seen you around here before,” he said, leaning forward so they could speak over the noise. “I came with a friend.” Hayley couldn’t suppress a shiver of awareness when his warm breath wafted across the whorl of her ear. His palm bore several calluses and, curse her vivid imagination, she could envision them stroking across her naked breasts without any difficulty at all. Oh, dear. Big trouble—margarita-induced trouble. Maybe she should have stopped at number three, but she’d badly needed a drink to steady her nerves after their dance. “Are you going home with your friend?” “No. She’s spending the night with her boyfriend.” She’d seen Suzie briefly when she first arrived but not since. Hopefully with this crowd Suzie wouldn’t see her again and notice her infatuation. Suzie knew her well enough to see straight through her pretence. www.samhainpublishing.com
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“Good news for me.” His thumb strummed across her palm in a hypnotic manner. Back and forth. Hayley shivered. If she concentrated on the dancers, maybe she’d manage not to make a fool of herself. She picked up her drink with her free hand and drank a good half. The faint tremor of her hand was barely noticeable, but she knew. Hayley set her drink down, determined not to drink another drop. “Dance with me again,” he said, tugging her to her feet effortlessly. Hayley acquiesced without protest. If they were dancing, she didn’t have to think quite as hard. She could just feel. On the dance floor, he swept her into his arms, their lower limbs brushing with exquisite slowness. Hayley swallowed, trying to control her excitement. She’d made her decision when she’d given him a false name. A one-night stand. Dare she? With a determined playboy? At least that’s what the papers reported. Sam Norville was a dedicated playboy. And she was considering…oh, dear. She was bad. Even thinking about a one-night stand. Hayley pressed her cheek against his leather jacket and smiled dreamily. Could a secretary be a bad girl during her off-duty hours? Maybe, maybe not. Well, she’d see how the night progressed. She ignored her conscience screaming about impulsiveness and consequences. The memories of her parents’ lectures… Couldn’t a girl have a little fun on her birthday? Maybe he didn’t feel the same sexual currents she did. Perhaps she was making a huge fool of herself, providing a little entertainment for the playboy. Their bodies swayed. Barely moving, their limbs brushed and bumped together when they collided with other laughing dancers. His nearness, his intoxicating citrus scent overwhelmed her, kept adding to the daring thoughts already dancing through her head. She tingled all over, the heat from his touch pulling her nipples to tight beads beneath the cups of her silky bra. They continued to dance, holding each other close, hands wandering and lazily exploring. She felt the hard ridge of his erection brushing against her stomach. Gradually she let herself believe that this attraction, this thing between them went both ways.
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“What would you do if I danced you into a dark corner and kissed you?” he asked during a break in the music. “I’m not sure.” Liar, her subconscious taunted. Her body warmed and her limbs became heavy, her pulse skittering alarmingly out of control. She glanced up at him and winked. “Why don’t you try it and find out?” He could do just about anything to her, if he kept talking in that low, husky voice. He stared at her for a long second, and she swallowed, her nerves doing a real number on her knees. His sudden smile sent her pulse lurching madly and her stomach fluttering. Those margaritas were tricky little suckers, sneaking up on a girl without warning. “Come on,” he whispered. “I want to see if my imagination is good.” Hayley’s breath whooshed out in a gusty sigh, her conscience shrieked at her, but she accepted his hand and, after collecting her bag, let him lead her through the crowd of laughing people and downstairs to the main pub. It was an old one with lots of small nooks and cozy private areas within the main building. “How far away is this dark corner you’re talking about?” He winked. “Later. How about grabbing us a seat while I buy drinks?” His dark gaze caressed her face before settling on her lips. The impression felt almost physical and set tiny starbursts of sensation dancing inside her stomach. Hayley found herself nodding in agreement. “An orange juice for me please.” She watched him prowl to the bar, her attention shooting to his world-class backside. She licked suddenly dry lips and fought with her chiding conscience. This. Was. Not. A. Good. Idea. She had time to flee—if she wanted, before things went too far. That was the crux of the problem. If she wanted. She liked Sam, or what she knew of him so far, despite his playboy reputation. Maybe she’d shove the good angel sitting on her right shoulder off and see where her naughty self took her. Yeah, maybe that’s what she should do. After all, it was her twenty-fifth birthday. If she didn’t celebrate, who would?
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“Here you go.” Sam placed a glass of orange juice on the table in front of her and set a bottle of Heineken beside it. “Why don’t you shift along?” His husky voice pulled a deep-seated shudder from her along with longing. If he kept talking to her in that voice, he could do anything he wanted. Anything. Slowly, she glanced at him, their eyes meeting, gazes holding. Something silent passed between them. A promise. An acknowledgement that this attraction was a two-way thing. Weirdly, every last bit of anxiety dissipated and gut instinct told her everything would be all right. Trust. It shimmered in his golden brown eyes and her breath escaped in a soft puff of relief. He had just as much to lose as her. She moved across the cushioned seat of the bench and he slid in beside her. His warm, jean-clad thigh brushed hers. Hayley held her breath, once again feeling the frisson of shimmers that accompanied his touch. Her hand trembled when she reached for the orange juice, liquid leaping over the side of the glass in an embarrassing, telltale splash. A slow burn started in Hayley’s cheeks, echoing in her body. “Do I scare you?” he whispered in his sinful voice. “You shouldn’t believe everything you hear about me. My reputation is totally exaggerated.” “You would say that.” Her breasts lifted when she sucked in a hasty breath. She exhaled slowly, discomfiture crawling across her cheeks when she noticed he watched her intently. “No, your reputation doesn’t worry me. I don’t listen to gossip. It’s what you’re making me feel that scares me,” Hayley blurted and immediately wished she could recall the telling words. She’d dug herself a hole and it was time to stop digging. “I can have someone from the party vouch for me. I promise I’m not an axe murderer or anything else remotely scary. It’s true I have a playboy image, but I’m single. If it would set your mind at ease, I can find one of my friends to tell you I’m a decent bloke.” The offer smoothed her ruffled nerves and helped her relax, but it made her laugh, too. “Can I trust your friends to tell the truth?” At his affronted look, her smile widened. “You probably think I’m a fruitcake.” “A very sexy fruitcake.” He picked up her left hand and squeezed it lightly. “What would you do if I asked you to spend the night with me?”
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“I don’t know,” she whispered. “There’s something between us, something special. I feel it every time we touch.” His voice lowered to sexy and intimate, and Hayley felt her body reacting to both voice and touch. The man was a skilled seducer and she had no defenses against him. Oh, she blamed it on the drink. The margaritas had burned away every shred of good sense, leaving her naughty self unprotected. The solid yearning to live a little, if only for one night, didn’t help either. “What do you do, Sam?” A test, because Suzie had told her. The tabloids tended to concentrate on his social life, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen his occupation mentioned in print. “For a job? It’s true my family is wealthy, just as the papers say, but I am a businessman and work in the city. I like to keep busy.” Her brows rose. “You?” In his jeans and leather jacket, he didn’t look like a suit, a man who worked for his living. Oh, no. She stretched out her hand and, giving into temptation, lightly ran her fingers across his strong jaw. Stubble created a dragging friction against her fingertips. When she came to his lips, she hesitated, gathered her confidence around her like a cloak and toppled over into sin. One forefinger traced the sensual curve of his top lip and along the bottom. Next, she stroked her finger across the seam, gasping when he opened his mouth and took her finger inside. Her gaze flew to his, and her heart thudded. Suddenly nothing mattered, his reputation, his job. Nothing. Heat surrounded her finger and seeped down her arm, tugged at her breasts, before moving lower. When he applied suction to her finger, a dark moan slipped free. She swallowed and watched his eyes darken and a faint flush shadow his cheekbones. The muscles of his thigh tensed. Her stomach turned a slow, rollercoaster flip. He pulled away, still holding her deer-in-headlights stare. “Hell,” he said, his voice a trifle unsteady. The next moment, his lips covered hers and his large hand cradled her head. Their lips moved together in a perfect dance of flirtation, a slow getting-to-know-you dance that made Hayley long to press her naked body against his. So far gone she could barely think, she just went with the sensations.
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The brush of lips, the sensuous slide of tongues when she opened for him and the gentle touch of his hand at her head. When he pulled away, they were both breathing hard. “Wow,” he whispered. “Yeah.” “Come home with me.” When she hesitated, he said, “We can go to a hotel if you prefer, or to your place.” Hayley swallowed, knowing she was going to say yes, despite the risk of running into photographers or the guilt that would come after her impulsive behavior. She wanted—needed—more of the same, even if it were only for one night. “Is your apartment near here? And we won’t run into photographers, will we?” She didn’t want to take him home with her because Suzie would find out and ask all sorts of questions. “A short cab ride away. And no, this party isn’t exclusive enough to attract attention, which is why I came.” She nodded and a grin spread across his face, making his brown eyes sparkle. He looked so naughty, yet behind the bad-boy persona she caught a touch of relief. He hadn’t been sure of her. The knowledge made her soften like a marshmallow exposed to heat. He picked up her hand again and ran his thumb across her palm. “Do you want to leave now?” “Yes.” It was difficult to speak with emotions rioting inside her. “Is there anyone you need to tell you’re leaving?” He clasped her hand between both of his, and it felt so right. Briefly she considered Suzie, but discounted the idea of searching for her. Although she knew Suzie wouldn’t judge, Hayley didn’t want time to second-guess her actions. All she wanted to do was feel and celebrate her birthday. She shook her head. “No.” “Let’s go.” Sam slid from the booth without releasing her hand. True to his word, they didn’t see a single photographer, in fact they didn’t see anyone, apart from a couple standing close on the stairwell, who were more interested in each other than passersby.
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Outside the pub, Sam hailed a black cab and half an hour later Hayley found herself standing in his Knightsbridge apartment. The door closed behind them with a soft click, a reminder of her foolhardy behavior. But Sam took her into his arms and she forgot her fears, sinking into the moment, the pleasure, letting go of her worries. His hands slid beneath the hem of her blouse. Warmth seared her bare skin, a moan of pleasure escaping when he spanned her waist. All he’d done was touch, but his stroking fingers sent pleasant jolts through her. Fairly innocent touches, but she couldn’t wait to get to the really good stuff. If this felt good, the rest would be dynamite. Sam unbuttoned her blouse with nimble fingers and slowly peeled it open to display her lace-covered breasts and bare stomach. “Beautiful,” he whispered, brushing the back of his hand over one lace-clad nipple. Tension filled Hayley but she released it with a slow breath, attracting his close attention. Immediately Hayley was pleased she’d succumbed to temptation and donned her good lingerie. Pale blue lace enhanced her curves much better than her everyday plain white cotton. “Very beautiful,” Sam said, tracing the flesh at the edge of her bra with a delicate finger. “I can’t wait to taste.” The black blouse floated to the floor. The glow in his eyes told her he meant it, pleasing her and allowing Hayley to drop the last of her reservations. She melted into his body, savoring the brush of breasts against his muscular chest. Her fingers slid through his hair, the silky texture tickling her palms as she clutched him to her. His masculine scent surrounded her, filled her lungs while his touch destroyed her and built her back up into a creature of pure sensation. Somehow they found themselves in his bedroom with Hayley scarcely taking in the surroundings in the modern flat. Sam released her to flick on a bedside lamp, bathing the room in a glow of light. A king-size bed dominated the room. Covered with a duvet in shades of blue—soft teal blue to aqua and navy—it reminded Hayley of the sea. A large window displayed the lights of the city spread out below them. The magical panorama drew her attention until the rustle
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of clothes attracted her eyes elsewhere. She turned in time to see Sam’s white T-shirt hit the ground. Her breath caught at the sculpted muscles and golden expanse of flesh. Her fingers tingled with the need to touch, to explore some more. Hayley took half a step toward him before he stopped her with a grin. “Oh, no, you don’t,” he said. “If I let you touch me, I’m going to lose grip on my control. It’s tenuous tonight. Let me touch you first, give you pleasure.” Wide-eyed, she watched him, her hands dangling at her sides. Her breasts moved rapidly up and down. She realized she was panting and heat crawled across every inch of her body. Sam prowled closer, his grin fading to intentness. Sudden nerves jumped in her belly, but she managed to remain still. He knelt in front of her and lifted her feet one at a time to slide off her shoes. Capable hands massaged one foot and traveled up her calf, skating across the delicate skin behind her knee. His fingers crept higher, over the sensitive skin of her inner thighs, teasing a gasp from her when his fingers met the bare flesh above the top of her thigh-high stockings. “You’re so soft,” he said, lifting his head to look at her face. One finger slipped beneath the lace of her panties, teasing sensitive feminine folds. Sweetly invasive fingers skated across her aching clit, Sam watching her reaction the entire time. “And I love the stockings. The sexy lingerie.” Hayley jumped at the flash of pleasure from his stroking fingers, and he chuckled, the rich sound bringing a new flare of warmth inside. She gasped, wishing he’d hurry, yet contrarily wanting him to maintain the slow pace so she had plenty of memories to savor in the future. He stood in a fluid move, brushing his lips across hers while his hands blindly sought the button and zipper closure of her black skirt. Talented hands. The skirt slid away, leaving her standing in bra, panties and her thigh-high stockings. “Stunning and beautiful,” he whispered, standing back to study her closely. Hayley quivered with the sizzle of arousal, and realized her previous boyfriend had done a
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number on her, belittling her generous curves because of his own lack of expertise. She’d never felt more turned on or more ready to take the next step. And it was all Sam—his appreciative, seductive words, his sensual touch. “Do I get to see you?” “Not yet, sweetheart. Let me unwrap you first. I want you hot and needy and desperate for me.” Hayley gulped. “I am,” she confessed. “Your job is done.” “No way. I’m not even started.” His rich laugh soothed the flicker of awkwardness assailing her. “We can do better yet. Much better.” Sam scooped her into his arms without warning and dumped her in the middle of his sea-blue duvet. She bounced lightly, watching his every move. Hers, she thought. Sam was hers, even if just for one night. He opened a bedside drawer and plucked several condoms out before sliding it shut. Hayley closed her eyes briefly, her mind a tangle of disbelief and shock. She hadn’t even thought of protection. She thought of the possible consequences, of history repeating itself, and shuddered inwardly. Thankfully, Sam was thinking for both of them. When she opened her eyes again she almost groaned. He’d removed his jeans, leaving form-fitting black boxers in place. His erection was evident, calling up an insistent ache at the juncture of her thighs. Her mouth rounded, and she swallowed audibly, watching the play of his muscles as he moved. The mattress depressed when he sat on the edge of the bed. “Turn over,” he said, the words a quiet order. Hayley turned over onto her stomach without question, her heart pumping in an upbeat tempo. What was he going to do? Sweet anticipation sent her imagination careering past all sorts of scenarios. His hand drifted over her shoulder. He skimmed his fingers over the smooth skin of her back. The taut fit of her bra abruptly loosened and he slid the straps down her shoulders. He straddled her body and she felt his warm mouth move down her spine while his hands cupped her buttocks and gently massaged her cheeks. Hayley groaned,
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wanting to melt into a puddle, but the coil of tension in her core grew bigger, more demanding. Every touch brought a shiver of pleasure, a need for more. She willed Sam to hurry, but he continued at the same deliberate pace, touching and kneading her muscles, driving her toward madness. He rolled her stockings down her legs one at a time, taking time to pet and kiss her inner thighs, the delicate skin behind her knees, the arch of her foot, until she tingled all over. Never before had a man cherished her so much, made her feel so sexy and feminine. So wanted and desirable. “Roll over, sweetheart,” he whispered. “I want to see your face.” Slowly, she rolled over to almost drown in his dark, gleaming eyes. He whisked off her panties and, in the next blink of an eye, her dangling bra disappeared too. The heat in his eyes intensified, bathing her in warmth and desire. Her breasts prickled, and she desperately yearned for his touch. “I’m not sure where to start.” She closed one eye in a cheeky wink. “At the beginning?” Sam laughed. “Good idea.” He stroked the creamy swell of one breast before plucking at a nipple and rolling it between finger and thumb. The tugging sensation followed by a pinch sent arousal spiraling low in her belly. Each erotic caress, each brush of lips and touch of his fingers drove her pleasure higher. The air crackled with sensual tension and, just when she thought it couldn’t get better, the warm, wet suction of his mouth took her to the edge of control. Hayley stirred, pleading words backing up in her throat. “Sam.” It was all she could get out. Hayley shifted restlessly, her hands stroking across his back. She wanted more, much more. “Please don’t make me wait. Let me touch you.” He lifted his head, leaving her nipple glistening in the light of the bedside lamp. “You are touching me.” “I need more,” she said, digging her fingernails into his shoulders. “Please don’t tease me.” Nothing like a little begging…
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“Just a little more. You can do it,” he encouraged, his lingering look doing nothing to dissipate the tension simmering through her body. He moved down her body, the tight squeeze of his fingers holding her in place when she would have moved to hurry him along. Each breath sounded ragged, the sultry promise in his eyes whenever he glanced at her driving her hard and fast. “Part your legs for me.” Each husky instruction pushed her higher, a delicious assault on her senses. He trailed one hand over her hip, placed a kiss on her inner thigh. A swirl of fingers across her clit made her jump, but when he lowered his head and licked her, an intense streak of heat pushed a moan from her lips. He nibbled and teased, licked and laved her swollen bud until suddenly, her body convulsed with the force of her release. Slowly she came back to herself, drifting in the aftershocks. Her eyes opened slowly to focus on him. Sam grinned. “You are amazing.” “Wow.” Hayley packed everything she felt into the one word because he was the amazing one. She couldn’t believe she was actually in his bed, that this was happening. Still grinning, he climbed off the bed and shucked his boxers, letting his erection spring free. Unabashedly nude, he grabbed a condom and ripped it open, the crinkle of foil loud in the silent room. Competently, he rolled it on and returned to her side. If Hayley had expected him to get straight to the main course, she was wrong. He kissed and fondled her, petted her until he’d learned every sensitive spot to drive her crazy with need. Talented fingers plucked at her nipples, he flailed them with his tongue and gave teasing nips that made her nerve endings vibrate. She floated on a haze of passion while he nuzzled the smooth vulnerability of her throat, nipped at the sensitive place between neck and collarbone. Hayley sighed when his hands slid in a long, luxurious stroke down her back. Generous with his own body, he let her explore and touch him, stroke his shoulders, kiss his neck, his mouth. His aftershave and hot male scent filled each breath until her heart lurched painfully once again and pleasure swarmed over her body. Need. It swamped her as she rained kisses on his neck and shoulders, everywhere she could reach. He delved between her legs, teasing her fevered flesh until she trembled, and finally
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moved over her. With a seamless stroke, he pushed inside, stealing her breath and making her muscles contract with need. Their lips met in an explosive kiss, her fingers kneading broad shoulders, the hunger between them growing. It felt so good, so right. Such a beautiful birthday present, she thought with a dreamy smile. She arched against him, their breathing becoming harsh, the sounds of sex and pleasure filling the room. The pace quickened. With hard, digging strokes, he swept her under, into a private place where sensation and laughter ruled, a place where the present didn’t exist. They made love twice more during the night, laughing and loving together, the languid and lazy flare of desire in his eyes making her feel special. Hayley tried to stay awake, part of her knowing she had to go. The entire evening was a fairy tale and, like all good stories, it had to come to an end. Her eyes fluttered closed and she lost the battle.
She woke suddenly, disoriented in the strange surroundings until the events of the previous night rushed back. Slowly she turned her head to see Sam sprawled on the other side of the king-size bed. A blast of guilt hit her, along with a crashing headache. She’d slept with a stranger. Used him because of her own needs and inadequacies. Without another thought, Hayley scrambled from the bed and searched frantically for her clothes while keeping an eye on the sleeping man. Hot color bloomed in her cheeks. God, despite her impulsive nature, she hadn’t done anything this bad in a long time. Not only was it like playing Russian roulette, it was plain wrong on so many levels. She never behaved like this now. It had to be the drinks. Heck, she’d never drink again. The throb at her temples felt like an appropriate punishment for the crime. She plucked her stockings off the floor, grabbed her skirt and bra. To her consternation, she couldn’t find the rest of her underwear, but she discovered her shoes before scuttling from the bedroom to dress. Her blouse—it was on the floor somewhere. She sighed in relief when she located it, and finished dressing rapidly. Hayley found her purse by the door and let herself out, heart pounding in fear. The last thing she wanted was to confront Sam. They were worlds apart. A secretary and a playboy. No, she’d chalk this up as a bad mistake,
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an uncharacteristic one-night stand and a blip on her impulsive radar that should never have happened.
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Chapter Three
“I’m not sure this is a good idea, Suzie.” But despite her protest, Hayley followed her friend into the convention room of the city hotel, her bracelets jingling with each unwilling step. It was the subtle shaking of her body that did it. She clenched her hands to fists and the jangling ceased. The absence of her charm bracelet—the one she wore all the time because her grandmother had given it to her—made her scowl. The last time she remembered wearing it was at the party last week, which meant it was highly possible she’d lost it at Sam’s apartment. She was too chicken to contact him, her cheeks turning pink at the thought of her brazenness that night. Spontaneity gone haywire. A bad, bad flaw in her personality, according to her parents and grandmother, and the direct cause of her teenage pregnancy. They’d been relieved when she miscarried and told her she’d escaped lightly. It was a chance to mend her ways… Hayley shriveled inside as memories washed over her, combining with the present. Looked like she’d failed again, her natural impulses taking control the minute she let down her guard. “I’m really nervous about doing this conference,” she confessed, the flip of her stomach backing up the statement. Terrified about the possibility of running into Sam, but she’d been trapped by her promise to Suzie. At least she was in disguise. He might not recognize her. A swallow did nothing to shove her nerves back where they belonged. Hidden. “What if I muck everything up for you? Are you sure it’s a good idea?” “Look.” Suzie halted abruptly to glare at her. “I’ve told you a dozen times. You’re going to wow the attendees at the conference. They’ll love you. Besides, you’ve signed a contract. It’s too late to back out.” Suzie coughed, covering her mouth with a handkerchief, but continued walking with her gliding stride. “And I bet someone hits on you. You look really sexy in that outfit.” 30
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“Is it too much?” Hayley glanced down at her close-fitting top. Sure she’d displayed more cleavage than usual, but it was all part of her gypsy persona. And besides, she figured if the men were busy looking at her boobs, it would lessen the chances of exposure as a fake. With the women, she’d be friendly and go with her intuition. “Will you stop it?” Suzie said with a touch of impatience. “I wouldn’t have booked you if I didn’t think you’d do a great job. This is business.” She walked away, leaving Hayley gaping after her friend. She wasn’t usually so short-tempered. Hayley presumed the stress of organizing her first conference was responsible. Hayley hurried to catch up and grasped Suzie’s arm, bringing her to a halt. “But what if I—” Oh, cripes. She was really losing it. The last thing she needed to do was blurt out her fear of coming face-to-face with Sam. Her act of spontaneity might turn up to haunt her and entice her to repeat the offence. Just the thought of it made her knees tremble. What must he think of her? She could imagine her parents’ or her grandmother’s reaction all too well. Williams women don’t do that sort of thing. Didn’t your mistake teach you anything? They always referred to her pregnancy as your mistake, and it was part of the reason she’d taken the plunge and moved out of their home and into a flat. She loved her parents, she really did, but sometimes their constant lectures and stern judgment wore thin. “I’m sorry, Suzie. I’ll do my very best job for you.” Suzie took her hands and squeezed them briefly before giving Hayley a reassuring smile. “I can’t believe you’ve turned all wimpy. What’s happened to your backbone? This is a big deal for me and I wouldn’t have booked you if I didn’t think you were up for the job. For goodness sake, Hayley, it’s too late to find a replacement for you now.” The words were harsh, but Suzie’s face bore genuine caring and understanding. She knew part of Hayley’s history, but not all of it, and certainly not the latest faux pas. “Sorry,” Hayley muttered, feeling small and petty. This was Suzie’s chance to shine and maybe snag a promotion. “Temporary insanity.” Hayley smiled weakly. “You’re right. I can use the money. Suzie, I’m really sorry.”
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“It’s okay. Do you have any headache tablets in your purse? My head is pounding and I forgot to grab some from the flat.” “Why didn’t you say? I feel terrible.” Suzie laughed. “You mean to say all I needed to do was pretend I felt sick and you’d go along with my conference plans without a single complaint?” Hayley shook her head, grinning. She produced a box of tablets from the depths of her black handbag and handed them over. “No way. I would have complained a little for form’s sake. So when do I meet the hunky boss? I didn’t meet him at the party.” A fib. Her nose was in real trouble. “No, he left the party early. Someone said he left with a woman. I’m not sure if he’ll come to check things out or not.” A sudden stab of anxiety cut through Hayley. Guilt, she assured herself. There had been a lot of people at the party. Her name wouldn’t come into it. “This is the main conference room, where the attendees gather for part of the day and tonight. They also break for workshops in smaller conference rooms, just down the hall. Lunch and dinner is in the room over there on the right and the cocktail party will take place in the smaller room on the left. I thought we’d put you to work during the lunch breaks and maybe while the main conference is in session. I’ve had my crew set up a special corner for you and we’ve made it look like a French café.” “But won’t everyone be at the sessions?” “Some of them are optional. From what I understand, a lot of business is done in between.” Hayley nodded, part of her excited even though nerves still bounced like dodgems inside her stomach. “Oh, here’s my boss come to check out my progress. He’s a doll giving me this chance. You’ll like him. Everyone does, despite his playboy status.” Suzie lifted her hand in a wave, and Hayley turned to look in the direction her friend indicated. Her sharp inhalation drew Suzie’s attention. “What’s wrong?”
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“Uh, nothing.” Heck, everything was wrong. Sam. She’d guessed she might run into him and thought she’d prepared for the possibility. Wrong. Her mouth dried while an unfeminine sweat broke out on her palms. Hayley surreptitiously wiped her hands down her multi-colored skirt. Would he recognize her? She’d absolutely die if he said something to Suzie. And Suzie…Suzie would never let her hear the end of it. “Hi, Sam. I had a feeling you wouldn’t be able to resist coming to check out my first day,” Suzie said. “My afternoon is free, so I thought I’d offer my services. I’m yours to order around.” Sam wore blue jeans and another T-shirt. In deference to the heat of the day, he’d forgone his leather jacket. Hayley wanted to run and hide. She also wanted to run her hands over his muscled chest. Neither was an option. She stood firm and fixed a polite smile on her face. “You might regret the offer when I get out my whip,” Suzie said with a grin. “This is Madam Deveraux, our tea leaf reader. This is Sam Norville, the owner of Clarkson Enterprises.” “Ah, yes.” Sam smiled at her and extended his hand. “Madam, Suzie is very excited about adding you to her conference program. I have to admit her ideas for the entertainment are inspired.” His vibrancy caught her off guard, even though she’d already experienced his personality and charm firsthand. His sexy smile made her melt inside like chocolate on a hot day. Easy to recall what his touch did to her, how it made her ache with longing. Hayley steeled herself for the quick punch of pleasure she knew would come when they touched. Their palms met in a polite handshake and she barely restrained her gasp of shock. She hadn’t remembered the potency being quite so strong. She was not attracted to him. She was not! A romantic friendship has much in common with a business, her mother always said. Slow and steady brings success, not showy shock tactics, which was why impulsiveness wasn’t in her vocabulary anymore. Or, it wasn’t supposed to be. She’d slipped during the previous weekend. It couldn’t happen again.
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“Thank you very much. I’m pleased to meet you,” Hayley said, watching him closely for any signs of recognition. Her breath eased out after long seconds when he didn’t cry imposter, but the knot of tension in her stomach remained. Thank goodness she’d taken the time to get into full costume and makeup before arriving. “What would you like me to do?” Sam asked, speaking to Suzie. Suzie pulled several sheets of paper from the clipboard she carried and handed them to Sam. “Can you check on the dinner stuff for me? I want to make sure they’ve organized the special vegetarian meals.” “No problem. I’ll do that now.” He turned to Hayley. “You know I can’t go around calling you Madam. What’s your real name?” “Harriet,” Hayley said before Suzie could answer. Suzie sent her a strange look, but Hayley just stared back, praying fervently that her friend wouldn’t dob her in. “I was just about to show Harriet her station,” Suzie said, stressing the name Harriet a bit much for Hayley’s liking. Oh, boy. Tangled webs indeed. “Catch you later, Sam.” A flicker of apprehension coursed through Hayley. She’d always used the name Helen in her dealings with fete and fair organizers. Suzie would wonder why she’d suddenly changed. Hayley chewed on her bottom lip, the ground beneath her feet feeling decidedly shaky. Suzie grasped her arm and towed her into a room decked out like a big circus tent. “Harriet?” she hissed in an undertone. “I…ah…felt like a change.” Weak, Hayley. Very weak. “Ah, do you think people will want to drink tea? Won’t they want to relax and have an alcoholic beverage?” Change of subject. Well done, Hayley. “I thought of that. During the day they’re more likely to drink tea, but I’ve organized several people to have their leaves read during the evening to give you a steady stream of customers. I think if people see others having their cups read, they’ll want to have theirs read as well. I’ve also kept your area open so others can watch. And I’ve made provisions for private readings should the need arise. Here you go.” She waved her hand at a small
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area at the side of the room, demarcated by lots of green plants and a white trellis and vines. A small wrought-iron table with two matching chairs sat in semi-privacy. “Look okay?” “It looks great. You’ve done a wonderful job.” The profusion of plants gave the illusion of privacy despite the openness of the area. Bright red cushions on the chairs along with a bright red sun umbrella gave the area a café feel. “Great. I’ve got to go. I have a million more things to do and check off my list. If there’s anything you need, shout out and one of my team will organize it for you.” With a quick hug, Suzie hurried off, leaving Hayley staring after her. “Oh, the tangled webs we weave,” she muttered, prowling around her allocated area. “Problem?” Sam appeared from around the corner, a quizzical grin curling across his sensual lips. The playboy at his most flirtatious. His eyes raked boldly over her form, bringing a rash of self-consciousness. Suddenly she wanted a veil to cover both face and body. Heat suffused her in a wave while she valiantly aimed for inner calm. Oh, boy. Reap what you sow. He’d recognized her. She’d known it was only a matter of time before someone penetrated her disguise. A knot formed in her throat while she stared at him, heart thumping in alarm. To her dismay, desire shot through her, a pervading weakness. Maybe her mother was right about her character flaw leading her into trouble. “Problem?” he prompted again. Although he didn’t wink or smile, he still had a flirtatious air about him. “Um, I wondered about a helper. Who is going to make the tea? It would be more efficient if I had someone to help.” “Makes sense,” he said. “I’ll check with Suzie. Anything else?” “Could I check the tea leaves I’ll be using?” Maybe if she stuck to business, she’d stay out of trouble. His brows shot up toward his hairline. “The customer is providing the tea. It’s one of their products.” He stopped short of calling her crazy, but she could tell he was thinking it.
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“The tea leaves need to be a certain size. If the leaves are too big or too small, it will mean my readings aren’t accurate.” “We can’t have that. How about we do a test run to make sure everything goes smoothly? You can read my fortune or whatever it is you do. Why?” His head cocked to the side and he wore that flirting-but-not-flirting look again. It sparkled in his brown eyes and made Hayley’s stomach lurch with familiar nerves. “Do you have a problem with that?” He sauntered over to a pile of boxes and ripped one open. “Of course not,” Hayley said hurriedly, but she lied. She almost touched the tip of her nose to test its size. With the number of fibs she was spouting, a rapidly growing nose wouldn’t surprise her in the slightest. Pinocchio-r-us. Although she didn’t look directly at Sam, she was ultra aware of him, his masculinity. It didn’t help that she knew what he looked like without clothes, how his hair would feel if she happened to trail her fingers through his silky locks. She knew what it felt like when he thrust into her, filling her totally, and driving her rapidly to pleasure. Hayley suppressed a shiver of pure lust. Barely. “Can I help you?” Please say no. Please say no. “Sure. You can help me unpack and that way you can organize everything exactly the way you want it.” Hayley’s shoulders slumped momentarily. She turned away, determined to act with a professional mien and not let her mind or eyes wander to his world-class rear end. The wretched man whistled while he unpacked the tea. It was difficult to keep a smile at bay, difficult to maintain an emotional distance, especially when he grinned at her in that way. Charming. Boyish. Very sexy. And the idea of reading his tea leaves… “The cups are in the boxes sitting just inside the door.” Sam picked up one of the biggest. His biceps bulged and his muscles flexed beneath the white T-shirt. Awareness flooded her body and she quickly averted her eyes. She’d never get through this gig if she let herself ogle him whenever the urge struck. Hayley grabbed one of the boxes and toted it over to where Sam stood near a sideboard. She set the box down and pulled the flaps open.
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Work. She’d concentrate on her job as Madam Deveraux and, once the conference ended, she’d keep well away from Sam Norville and temptation.
Sam felt the woman’s gaze on his back. The knowledge of her interest seeped through his body until he started to think about sex. He snorted inwardly when his cock stirred, pushing against the fly of his jeans. Hardly the appropriate thing for work. He unpacked a stack of saucers and placed them on the sideboard. There was something seriously wrong with his family’s insistence on the existence of love at first sight. If what they believed was true, he wouldn’t want to take a second look at Harriet, because he was hung up on the runaway Helen. As it was, he wanted to take a third and fourth look at the sexy tea-leaf reader. Yep, seriously flawed. When Suzie had shown him her conference proposal, he’d expected an older woman with maybe a few scarves and a voluminous shawl. This sexy siren was totally unexpected, with her low-cut turquoise top clinging to spectacular curves and the hiphugging multi-colored skirt. The black heels she wore did things to her long legs and he had trouble keeping his eyes off. Funny, normally he was a breast man, but the shapely legs and the sway of her curvy rump made him long to touch. He strode across to the door to grab another box, returned to the sideboard and ripped open the flaps. It just went to prove his family members were certified nutcases, and yanking his chain. He was wise to their tricks. They wanted him to settle down and were being real subtle about it. He glanced up to find Harriet looking at him again. He winked and took delight in the blush that crawled into her golden cheeks. “Cups and saucers,” he said, biting back a grin. “Where do you want them?” “Are you flirting with me, Mr. Norville?” “Sure am. Is there a reason I shouldn’t?” “I’m here to do a job, Mr. Norville, not provide entertainment for you.” Her prissy tone intrigued him, since it was at odds with her sultry appearance. “Force of habit,” he said. “I’ll try to control it.”
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Harriet nodded and seemed relieved. “See you do.” She flicked a lock of curly hair off her face. The jangle of her bracelets reminded him of the gold charm bracelet he’d found in his bed after Helen had done her disappearing act a week ago. A modern-day Cinderella who had left him a bracelet instead of a shoe. A grin bloomed inside when he recalled the lacy panties he’d also discovered on his bedroom floor. He’d asked around amongst his workers about a woman named Helen, but no one recalled anyone of that name. Actually, he hadn’t asked Suzie yet. She seemed to know everyone. He made a mental note to check with her later. “How long have you read tea leaves?” If he couldn’t flirt, he could find out about her, learn what made her tick. He reached past her and caught a whiff of vanilla. Instantly his cock jerked, his mind darting back to Helen. She’d smelled of wildflowers. Damn, the woman haunted him, pushing into his thoughts at all times of the day. “That’s a nice perfume you’re wearing.” Maybe if he kept her talking, she wouldn’t notice his erection, and he’d stop thinking about Helen—the one who got away. “What is it?” “I use a vanilla-scented shower gel and body lotion.” Oh, yeah. Now he’d done it. A vision of this sultry stunner standing under the shower, water cascading over her delicious curves popped into his mind. Sam bit back a groan of frustration. He was twenty-eight years old, dammit. In full control of his body. “I like it,” he said. “Thank you.” A cup and saucer clattered when she arranged it on the table. She grabbed the cup before it tipped and jumped onto the floor. When she reached for more cups, they shook with a subtle rattle. Sam studied her closely when she wasn’t looking. What did she have to be nervous about? “I don’t bite, you know.” Her head jerked up and her golden eyes settled on him. “But you keep looking at me as if you’d like to bite. It’s making me nervous.” Sam chuckled, but didn’t deny her accusation. “You must have men looking at you all the time.”
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She tossed her head. “No, not really.” “What, men don’t hit on you?” “No,” she said firmly and reached for the next box of cups. Intriguing, and he didn’t believe it for a moment. The woman oozed sex appeal. But her words and bearing told him she believed men didn’t look at her. “Are you married?” “No.” “Are you engaged or going out with anyone?” “No.” She stilled, sending him a wary look. “So, you’re a free woman?” “Yes. I mean, no.” The guarded expression on her face deepened, and she chewed briefly on her bottom lip, leaving it bright red and moist. “I don’t mix my business and private lives,” she finished in what he’d come to think of as her prim voice. “There you are, Sam. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” Sam groaned inwardly. Great. Just great. Melissa Cartwright, a director of Wainwright Teas, had a thing for him and nothing he did or said seemed to distract the woman from her goal. She had her sights fixed firmly on marriage, which was part of the reason he’d decided to delegate this particular conference to Suzie. That, and the fact he considered his employee ready for the responsibility. Melissa was nice enough, but not his type. Hell, he didn’t have a type, which was part of his problem according to his family. “Melissa, this is my girlfriend, Harriet.” Sam worked with the tools he had at hand. He stepped close to Harriet and slipped his arm around her slender waist. “Harriet, this is Melissa Cartwright, one of the directors of Wainwright Teas.” He felt Harriet tense and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Please save me,” he pleaded in a whisper intended only for her. “I’ll owe you big time.” Huh! Throwing himself at the mercy of strange women was becoming a habit. Probably time for him to think up a new strategy or he’d land in big trouble. “Only if you stop flirting with me,” she whispered back fiercely.
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“Deal.” He’d renegotiate later. After all, flirting came as naturally to him as breathing. The gypsy pulled away from him and smiled at Melissa, extending her hand. “I’m pleased to meet you, and I’m really looking forward to the conference.” A small frown appeared between Melissa’s eyes. She shook hands with Harriet, but didn’t look pleased. “Oh,” she said. “The conference is only for people in the industry.” “Melissa, Harriet is working at the conference. She reads tea leaves.” Sam stepped close to Harriet, unable to resist touching her again. He tugged her against his side. “That’s right,” Harriet said, tensing at his touch. “I’m really excited about working for you, Ms. Cartwright.” The woman shrugged. “Personally I think it sounds like a load of rubbish, but my brother okayed the conference program.” She sauntered away, uncaring about her rudeness. Harriet stood stiffly at his side, staring after Melissa. “I should be used to that sort of a reaction, but most of the people I come into contact with are at fetes and fairs. They’re there to have a good time and come to me because they want to.” “The conference attendees will be no different from your usual customers,” Sam said, seeking to reassure her. He’d felt her slight tremble and gave her a light squeeze of reassurance. Or at least he’d intended keeping it casual. Once he’d touched her, he didn’t want to let go. Her vanilla scent filled each breath, making him think of taking greater liberties. He went with instinct, a small voice at the back of his mind urging him to kiss her and disprove the family tradition of love at first sight. He’d beat the odds with Helen, even if thoughts of her did keep popping into his head at odd moments. No love at first sight for him. “I’m going to kiss you now,” he said. “Melissa is still watching us from the doorway.” Sam didn’t give her a chance to protest, merely turned her into his arms and lowered his head to claim her lips. It was like coming home. The taste of her and the feel of her breasts brushing against his chest. Their lips slid together like old friends, tongues tangling lazily and breath mingling. She didn’t fight him, letting him kiss her as he
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wanted. His heart thundered against his ribs and instantly, he wanted more of this intriguing woman. Maybe the gossip columnists had it right. He really was a serial playboy, because he wanted to strip off her clothes and drag his mouth over the silky soft skin of her breasts, her belly. Sam wanted to taste her and do a whole lot more. “Ah-um!” A sharp cough behind tore them apart, ripping through the sensual haze. “Boss, you’re meant to be working, not seducing the staff.” Easy to see Suzie’s curiosity. It sizzled through her, and he noticed the quick inquisitive look she sent Harriet. “I was saving him from Melissa.” Harriet must have realized she was still touching him, because she sprang away like a startled rabbit, her breasts heaving beneath her tight blouse while she struggled for composure. Personally he liked her in this flustered state and resolved to make it happen again. After all, she’d disproved the love at first sight thing with a mere kiss. He was a healthy male who appreciated a pretty woman. His family was wrong and he would tell them so. Again. “I passed Melissa down in the bar a few minutes ago,” Suzie said, the sound of laughter throbbing through her voice. “Sam,” Harriet said in a chiding manner. “Were you flirting with me again? Wait, don’t answer that! I’ve been had. I’m never going to believe a word you say again.” Sam lifted his shoulders in his best “hey, I’m a guy” shrug, sensing anything he said would be taken down in evidence and used against him. “He’s a terrible flirt,” Suzie said. “Just ignore him.” She coughed before frowning at the remaining boxes. “I thought you’d be finished by now. Some of the attendees have already checked in. We need to get rid of all these boxes in the next half-hour, because they’ll be meeting here for drinks.” “We’re almost done,” Harriet said. “Most of the boxes are empty.” “She’s right. I’ll get rid of the empties. Two trips should do it.” “I’ll grab the rest,” Suzie said. Harriet turned away and bent to unpack the last of the cups, her skirt outlining her ass and leaving nothing to his imagination.
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“Hum,” Suzie said, spoiling her censure with a hacking cough. “Excuse me,” she said. Sam ripped his gaze off Harriet’s bottom with difficulty and turned to Suzie with a wink. “Good,” he said. “I wanted to ask you about the party last weekend. Do you know a woman named Helen?” The crash of breaking crockery snapped his head around. “Sorry,” Harriet said, offering a weak smile. “It slipped.”
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Chapter Four
Hayley had a steady stream of customers wanting their tea leaves read, which helped her avoid both Suzie and Sam. At least temporarily, she thought, watching Sam saunter closer—with his powerful, well-muscled body and commanding air of self-confidence. No man had the right to look that good. Dropping the pile of saucers had killed the conversation between Sam and Suzie, but Hayley had no doubt Sam would bring up the topic again. And Suzie didn’t need to be a mathematician to come up with the right answer. “Everyone is raving about you,” Sam said, slipping into the chair opposite hers. He set down a tray containing two small teapots and cups, plus milk and sugar. “Suzie said you’d probably like a cup of tea, and I told her I’d bring you one. They’re about to do the welcome speeches and introductions, so things should be quiet for a while.” “Thanks.” Hayley ignored the mixture of emotions catapulting around inside and strove for professional. Difficult around this man. Just one look and she wanted to surrender. Add kissing to the equation and she turned into soft, gooey chocolate with not a shred of willpower. “I’m sure you’re busy. You don’t have to hang around.” Hayley took pride in the steadiness of her voice, but she didn’t want to risk breaking more china by drinking tea in his presence. Her control only went so far, so her hands remained tightly clasped on her lap. He’d changed into dress trousers and a pale blue shirt and looked more like a businessman. His hair curled at the ends, still damp from his shower. A pity he hadn’t managed to scrub away the bad-boy part of his character during his ablutions. It called to her in a seductive manner, and she craved a repeat of their earlier kiss. Harriet clenched her hands harder and contemplated sitting on them in order to stop the traitorous impulse to touch.
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“You didn’t get around to reading my tea leaves earlier,” he said. “I thought you could do it now.” “Ah, sure.” Typical. Why couldn’t she think of something smart and flirty to say? It was always the way. She thought of her smart comebacks in the middle of the night, around twelve hours later, when they were no use at all. “You’d better tell me what I need to do. I’m a novice at this.” Bother. She wished the man would stop, just stop throwing off sexy pheromones and screwing with her psyche. Hayley took a deep breath and attempted to calm her mind. Center herself. Being in the right frame of mind was an important part of doing a reading. Flustered wasn’t a good thing. She inhaled deeply and released the breath slowly through her nose. Better. “Pour a cup of tea first. Relax while you drink your tea and think about the question you want to ask the tea leaves.” “What if I don’t have a specific question?” he asked, stretching out his legs beneath the table. Their legs collided. Immediately warmth suffused Hayley’s limbs. It was like a charge of electrical current. Frowning, she inched them away from his touch. “Think about your life in general or the week ahead. Drink your tea and leave around a teaspoon of liquid in the bottom,” she repeated patiently. Maybe if she treated him like a child he’d become sick of teasing her. Hayley decided he tormented her on purpose. Any court would take the glint in his eyes as evidence. To give herself some space, she turned her cup over and added a dash of milk. Hayley picked up one of the white china teapots and filled her cup with hot tea. “Are you going to read your own cup? You can do that?” He stirred, shifting his legs until they collided with hers again. Pleasure zapped her body through the cotton of her skirt, stealing her ability to breathe. She gasped, a sharp intake of air. His dark eyes gleamed, but lucky for him, he didn’t smile. In fact, his face looked way too innocent. “Yes.” Bother the man. Whenever she shifted her legs, he rearranged his. He was too close, his legs invading every inch of space beneath the table. She drew her legs inward
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until they pressed against the frame of her wrought-iron chair. She’d demand that the leaves tell her what she’d done to deserve this sort of punishment. “Several of the attendees have congratulated me for having you here. They’ve asked if you do private readings.” “I’m booked with local gala days for most of the summer,” she said. “Suzie and I were talking about you,” he said. Hayley swallowed and couldn’t look at him. The teasing note in his voice put her on red alert. She could imagine how the conversation might have gone. “Yes?” The croaky note of panic did nothing to build confidence or help center her for his reading. “We thought you’d be great at some of the other conferences we organize. Quite a few of our customers like themes and we can easily work you into several of the upcoming conferences. Would you be interested?” Interested? Yes. But only an idiot would pursue this course. “Yes!” Evidently she was that idiot. “It would depend on my schedule,” she said, evading the trap closing over her head as best she could. The idea of earning another fat dollop of money to put toward her flat was incentive enough, but coming in close contact with Sam for any length of time… A dry, hacking cough interrupted their conversation. Suzie stood behind Sam, a thick green folder and clipboard under her arm. “Suzie, you look dreadful,” Hayley said. “Not feeling well. I still have a crushing headache and my cough is getting worse. I think I’m coming down with the flu. Sam, do you think you could handle any problems that come up tonight? I should be okay tomorrow, but I wouldn’t mind heading off early.” “I’ll call you a cab,” Sam said. “No, it’s okay. There are plenty of cabs in the foyer. I shouldn’t have a problem getting home to Fulham.” “I’ll see you off,” Sam said.
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“Don’t be silly. Your tea will get cold. I’ve rung my boyfriend. He’s meeting me at the flat.” Suzie handed over the folder and clipboard and, with a wave, disappeared into the crowd. Hayley frowned. “Do you think she’ll be all right?” She glanced at her watch. Only another hour to go. She’d be home soon and could check on Suzie then. “I’ll whip down and make sure she gets off safely. Keep my seat warm for me.” He stood and disappeared, leaving Hayley staring after him. The man might be a playboy, but he had a caring side. Suzie always spoke well of him. Melissa Cartwright appeared in front of her and took possession of the seat. “You won’t keep him. You must have seen the gossip columns. He really does have a different woman on his arm every night.” Hayley smiled, nudging aside the feminine pique that actually wanted to disprove Melissa’s words. “Probably not,” she said in an airy tone. “From what I’ve seen, he’s a terrible flirt.” “A sexy flirt,” Melissa said, the hard edge leaving her voice. “I was so sure he’d ask me on another date. We went out together over a week ago and had a good time. I had to go away for the weekend, but I thought he’d ring me this week. He told me he’d met someone, and I wished him the best. It wasn’t as if we were lovers or anything. But it still hurt. Rejection always hurts like hell.” She sighed and flushed a little. “Sorry. I was really bitchy to you before, because it’s obvious Sam likes you. I was jealous, plain and simple.” “No need to apologize. Men—well, most of them—aren’t worth the trouble,” Hayley said with a wry smile. “I know.” Real feeling colored Melissa’s words. “I’m not usually such a bitch, but I really liked Sam. I—oh, never mind. Accept my apology?” “No harm done,” Hayley said. “Would you like me to do a reading for you? I have a pot of tea ready to go.” Melissa arched a brow, a faint smile flirting with her lips. “Isn’t this a load of showmanship? No offence, but I can’t believe all of this is for real.”
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“Not at all,” Hayley answered in a level voice. It was one thing for her to doubt her own skill, but Hayley had seen how happy she made people with her readings. She did the very best job she could and had read extensively into the background and the interpretations. “Tea leaf reading dates back thousands of years. Do you read your stars? Reading tea leaves isn’t any different. Both are accepted methods of divination.” “I read my horoscope sometimes.” Melissa had lost her mocking tone and started to look genuinely interested. Hayley went through the familiar routine, having already sized up the other woman. She was no different from most women. Secretly she yearned for a man to sweep her off her feet. She wanted to fall in love. “Close your eyes and concentrate on your future, the things you’d like. Now rotate the cup three times in an anticlockwise direction with your left hand.” Melissa completed the ritual, a faint wrinkle of concentration on her forehead. “Now open your eyes.” Hayley picked up the eggshell-blue cup and peered inside. “A broken heart,” she said. “The relationship is over and there is no going back. You need to mourn and look ahead to the future.” Melissa gasped before smiling ruefully. “You’re trying to warn me off Sam.” “There was someone before Sam who hurt you badly. If he comes back into your life, tread carefully. Don’t give him the opportunity to hurt you again.” Biting her bottom lip, Melissa nodded. Hayley couldn’t tell if she believed her or not. “You also have a new moon in your cup. This is a positive sign because it indicates a new relationship on the horizon.” Hayley smiled. “Take things slowly and allow yourself time to think. Don’t let him sweep you off your feet, no matter what your heart tells you.” Hayley became aware of Sam hovering in the background. A burst of applause rang out after a man completed his welcome speech and announced the conference open. Melissa’s body jerked. “Oops, duty calls. Thanks very much, Madam Deveraux. That was intriguing.” Smiling, she stood and hurried toward the podium at the front of the room.
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“Very impressive,” Sam said. “What did you do with the real Melissa?” “I think the conference preparations have been a bit stressful for her,” Hayley said diplomatically. “Did Suzie get away okay?” “Yes, she’s worried about letting me down. I tried to tell her it wasn’t her fault.” Hayley could imagine the scene. Suzie had probably cried and worried about mucking up her first conference. Hayley didn’t think Suzie needed to worry and would tell her so once she arrived home. “What happened to my tea?” Hayley’s thoughts ground to a halt at his husky voice. “Melissa used it for her reading. Do you still want to do one?” Please say no, she prayed. Hayley wanted him to go away, to stop presenting her with temptation. It would be too easy to reach out to touch, and the idea of kissing him again sent spirals of delight soaring through her. She stirred, sliding about on her chair as if it were suddenly uncomfortable. “Of course I’d like some tea,” he said. “I’d like to see you in action.” The low timbre of his voice brought a rush of color to her face. He’d seen her in action the previous weekend. Hayley Williams at her impulsive best. No way did she intend to do a replay. Down, hormones. Down! She jumped to her feet. “I’ll get it for you.” Self-preservation overrode her need to touch him, to run her fingers over his chest. Just. It was a close-run thing and left her trembling and decidedly nervous. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Sam watching her closely. When he detected her noticing, he winked. Gasping at his audacity, she wrenched her attention off his broad shoulders and handsome face. “One pot of tea, please.” she whispered to the elderly tea lady. Breathe, Hayley. Breathe. “Coming right up, luv.” The woman efficiently filled the pot and handed her a tray containing the floral china pot and a matching cup and saucer. Not exactly a masculine look, but Hayley felt too rattled to care. How did she manage to get herself into these situations?
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She set the tray on her table, aware Sam scrutinized her closely. Although she didn’t glance at him, she could literally feel his eyes skimming across her cleavage and face. The china cup rattled precariously before she placed it on the table next to him. Sam’s hand shot out to grasp the teapot before she could. “I’ve got it.” His brown eyes raked across her face again. “Do I make you nervous?” “Yes,” she snapped, goaded by his teasing and casual tone. Aware this meeting was spiraling out of control in parallel with her hormones, she rushed into her starting spiel. “Concentrate on either a question you’d like the answer to, or if you don’t have a specific question, think about your future. Pour your cup of tea, and while you’re drinking it continue to think on your question. Leave about a teaspoon of liquid in your cup.” “I’ve got it,” he said, smiling. “If you listened and stopped teasing me, I wouldn’t have to repeat myself.” Sam didn’t rise to the bait. He merely grinned and fixed his tea the way he liked it. Hayley sat in tense silence while he drank his tea. “What do you do when you’re not reading teacups?” “I work in an office.” They chatted of everyday things, but she didn’t think she’d be able to repeat anything he’d said. She was too busy trying to formulate a mental pep talk that would actually work. The man ratcheted up her stress levels, and even worse, he made her think of down-and-dirty sex. Especially sex. All she could think about was how it had felt loving and being loved by him. She so wanted to do it again, but that would be spontaneous behavior creeping back into her life. Not going there. She hated to disappoint her parents, and there was the problem of her missing charm bracelet. Her family would notice its absence, especially her grandmother, if she was well enough to visit. Her grandmother often gave her charms and she’d expect to see the bracelet. “Harriet, I’ve finished. Harriet?” Suddenly realizing that she was Harriet, along with Helen and Hayley, she bolted upright in her chair. Definitely not the calm and relaxed manner required for reading tea
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leaves. “Think of your question or your future and turn your cup anticlockwise three times. That’s it. Now turn your cup upside down in the saucer, continuing to concentrate while we wait for thirty seconds to make sure the cup drains into the saucer.” “Okay,” Sam said. Thank goodness his bad-boy grin had faded, because otherwise she didn’t think she’d manage to get through the reading without making a huge fool of herself. “Could you tell me your question or give me a general idea of the topic you were thinking about?” Hayley waited breathlessly for him to answer, her stomach turning the slow flips she’d come to recognize as a side effect of being near Sam. “How do I find my mystery woman from last weekend?” “You could try ringing her,” Hayley said, feeling lightheaded without warning. He was looking for her? Hayley? Oops, that would be Helen. “I can’t ring her because I don’t have her number.” “Oh.” Because she hadn’t given it to him. Hayley felt a sharp pain in her bottom lip and realized she was biting down hard. Too hard. She released it, her tongue snaking out to soothe the sting. A gasp escaped when she saw Sam had watched the entire procedure. “I’ll start the reading,” she said hurriedly, peering intently into the interior of his cup. The shapes blurred and she had to blink several times before they came into focus. “We didn’t exchange numbers,” Sam said. “We didn’t get that far.” “You’d better not alert the media, Mr. Norville. Your playboy status will slip.” He chuckled, his eyes crinkling up in delight. “You’re not going to tell?” “I might.” Hayley knew why they hadn’t managed the phone number exchange. They’d been too busy and hadn’t talked much. They’d experienced great sex, sensations the likes of which she’d never encountered before, not even during the blush of first love. Hayley concentrated again on the pattern the tea leaves made. All the readings she’d done told her to take plenty of time over this stage, to listen to her feelings and impressions. Her intuition. Hayley snorted inwardly. Everything inside was screaming at her to grab the man and drag him off to the nearest flat surface. Quashing her natural instincts, she inhaled deeply and concentrated on the inside of the cup, near the handle.
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She studied the shapes, starting with the largest first. “Do you see the large pattern just below the handle?” “Yeah, it looks like a mushroom.” “That’s right. Is there a relationship, someone you’ve met recently?” Danger, Will Robinson! Hayley knew she should give him a false reading, but pride in her work bade she do the best she could. That meant telling him the truth, even if it didn’t suit her purposes. “There’s you,” he said slowly. “Of course, according to the gossip columns, I meet a new woman most days.” “We don’t have a relationship,” Hayley said sharply. “But we could.” “We’ve only just met. I don’t intend to be cannon fodder for the press.” “But don’t you believe in love at first sight?” he asked. Something about his still body told her the answer was important to him. She thought about it and gave him an honest answer. “No, I don’t. I like to get to know a person slowly.” After all, that’s what her parents had drummed into her after her big mistake. “Hmm,” he said, brushing his hand across his cheek. “I suppose going slowly might work, but sometimes fast and furious is good.” Hayley glanced back down at his cup, unable to look at him for a second longer. Of course, the conversation had leapt back to sex. She wanted to say fast and furious wasn’t good, not if the woman ended up pregnant. Then, all hell broke loose. Lives were irrevocably changed. Innocence lost. Hayley ignored his comment and went back to the reading. “A mushroom means you should allow the relationship to develop at its own pace. No rushing or forcing it. Which would probably mean keeping away from the public spotlight.” “Are you sure that’s what it means?” “I assure you, I don’t make up readings,” Hayley snapped. “I’m a professional.” A professional liar, her conscience prompted. And he didn’t like liars… Sam leaned forward to study the interior of his cup. “Anything else?”
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“Well you have a rainbow or three-quarters of one.” “And that’s good?” Hayley bit down on her bottom lip, honesty propelling her to tell the truth, or as much as she could as it related to the reading. “A rainbow means that a cherished wish will come true.” “Ah, so I’ll find my mystery lover.” Satisfaction coated his voice, sending a rush of alarm through her. “It’s not quite that simple,” Hayley said, her agitation growing. She couldn’t believe she was encouraging him when it might mean her secret shame coming out into the open. “You’ll have to take an active part in making the wish come true.” Sam leaned back in his chair and drummed the tabletop with his fingers. “An active part, huh?” “That’s right.” Hayley froze seeing the confident smile blooming on his sensual lips. She sucked in a hasty breath, her stomach cinching tight. The beginnings of panic started to riot inside. The man didn’t need encouragement. The smile turned into a smirk, reflecting in his dark bad-boy eyes. “I asked around to find out if anyone knew her, but struck out. But what I can do is put an advertisement in the paper.” “An advertisement?” she asked faintly. Suzie hadn’t told. That was good news, wasn’t it? “Excuse me.” A representative from the hotel hovered behind Sam. “I believe you’re the person to see about the supper arrangements? We need to make some last-minute changes and I want to run them past you.” “Business calls,” Sam said, standing smoothly. He strode after the woman, leaving Hayley staring after him with shock still ricocheting through her. An ad in the newspaper. It might be all right, as long as he didn’t mention her charm bracelet. Both her mother and father read the daily newspapers from cover to cover. They’d notice the mention of the charm bracelet. They’d also notice hers was missing and she could imagine their reactions, their pointed questions. Past history would surface. It would be her eighteenth
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birthday all over again. Somehow she had to persuade Sam to forget his brilliant idea in favor of something else. Or perhaps she could seduce him… Oh, boy! Trouble. It just followed her around. Hayley shook her head in disgust, because she hadn’t just chosen a bad boy, but one who lived in the public spotlight. Way to go! Two more days of conference and she’d never need to see Sam or face temptation again. Yeah, that’s what she’d do—stay out of his way. Suzie would be in charge again tomorrow, so it wouldn’t be difficult to avoid the man who tempted her more than any other.
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Chapter Five
Sam couldn’t keep his eyes off Harriet. Her curly brown hair flowed loosely around her shoulders and down her back. Her scarlet skirt swished around toned legs showcased in high heels. Last night he’d told himself it was all Helen, and maybe his parents were right, as much as he hated to admit it. But this morning Harriet snagged his attention and stirred sexual fantasies. Sam hurriedly thought of frigid water pouring down over his naked body, but one quick glance in Harriet’s direction sent his control on holiday. His feet took him over to her without his express permission. Another part of his body turned unruly and disobedient. For an instant, he watched her, the deft graceful movements of her body when she bent over to restock the teacart supplies. His eyes drifted over her heart-shaped bottom outlined by the fluid fabric of her skirt and up over her hips and waist. When she turned, he saw the black and white fabric of today’s blouse clinging to her breasts. No doubt she’d attract every male in the vicinity. Her brown eyes widened when she saw him. She stumbled and dropped a cup and saucer. The cup survived the fall, but the saucer broke into four pieces when it bounced off the edge of the wooden sideboard. He’d say one thing. She was hell on saucers. “Don’t sneak up on me like that,” she snapped, stooping to pick up the pieces. “Careful, don’t cut yourself.” “I won’t cut—ouch!” Sam saw the bead of blood on her finger and made a tsking sound. “I told you not to cut yourself. Let me look.” Harriet inspected it before she shoved her finger into her mouth and sucked on it. Sam went hot all over, alternately wishing he’d wrapped his mouth around her finger and wanting his finger in the warmth of her mouth. Briefly he worried about his sanity in
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lusting after two different women, since in the past he’d stuck to one woman at a time. He shoved the thought aside and grabbed a clean hanky from his pocket. “Harriet, please let me take a look at your finger.” They stared at each other for a long moment before she acquiesced. Slowly she withdrew her finger, leaving her lips moist and glossy, a soft red. Up this close, he noticed the golden streaks in her eyes and the dark pupils. Sam grasped her hand gently, surprised at the slight tremble. He didn’t like the idea of her being frightened of him. Nah, couldn’t be. He tightened his grip on her hand, mind racing. The only other reason for the tremor gave him hope. Her sharp intake of breath confirmed his hypothesis. She felt the same electrical jolt he did whenever they came in close proximity. That he could feel the same reaction for two women gave him pause. Maybe his sisters were right and he’d turned into a serial dater out of self-defense. His stubborn nature stopped him from believing there was one woman for him and he’d fall for her the second he saw her. Apart from one faint blip, he’d managed to get to twenty-eight without succumbing, and family history wasn’t about to influence his love life. “See, it’s not that bad.” Her words dragged him back to reality and the fragile feel of her hand in his larger one. The small cut still bled sluggishly. “I’ll get you a plaster.” Instead of being grateful, she glared at him. “What are you doing here? Where’s Suzie?” “A thank you would suffice.” A faint frown marred her forehead before it smoothed away. His fingers itched to touch, to feel if her cheek was as soft as it looked. He’d follow with his lips, dusting kisses across her eyelids and trailing a line down toward her plump, luscious mouth. And that would be for starters… “I’m old enough to manage a small cut all on my own, but thank you for the offer of a sticking plaster. I don’t have any of those on hand. Where’s Suzie?” “Suzie should be at the doctor’s surgery. She rang in sick. I’m taking over the conference for her since I’m familiar with the program,” Sam said, trying to concentrate
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on her question instead of letting himself drift toward the sexual. A sexy décolletage attracted his attention until her irritated cough grabbed it back. Smiling inwardly, he admitted he wasn’t doing such a great job so far in keeping things businesslike. “Why? Is there a problem?” Sam didn’t understand much of her low muttering, but he gathered it related to men. His mouth quirked in the beginnings of a grin, but he squelched it, sensing he’d do himself a disservice if he gave his humor free rein. “Will Suzie be in tomorrow?” “I don’t think so.” Was that an air of desperation in her voice? “Where is she? She isn’t at home.” “She’s at the doctor’s.” He watched her closely, her reaction bringing a sense of accomplishment. She returned his interest. It wasn’t his fevered imagination. Harriet took a deep breath, the swell of her breasts making him still. “I know she’s at the doctor’s at the moment, but she wasn’t at home earlier.” Puzzled, Sam asked, “How do you know?” It wasn’t their normal practice to give out home phone numbers. Unless she’d called Suzie’s cell phone? Then he remembered Suzie had used her boyfriend’s phone because the battery had died on hers. Harriet’s teeth clamped down on her bottom lip. “I know Suzie quite well,” she blurted. “She’s part of the reason I agreed to do the conference.” “Oh?” “Never mind,” Harriet said hastily. “You said you’d get me a plaster. I don’t want to bleed over all the supplies.” “Of course,” Sam said, his mind working at warp speed. The first chance he had he’d question Suzie about Harriet. There was something about this woman that called to him, and he was determined she wouldn’t do a Cinderella act on him, not like Helen. Thinking about Helen made him frown. He’d taken another look at the charm bracelet and had decided it was quite valuable. Surely Helen would have realized she’d lost it at his apartment? Why hadn’t she dropped by to collect it? He wasn’t an ogre. If she really didn’t want to pursue a relationship, he’d let her go, albeit with regret. If she
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hadn’t contacted him by the time the conference wound up, he’d place an ad in the lost and found section of the paper. One way or the other, he’d find Helen again.
Hayley pressed both hands over her eyes and willed away her tiredness. Sleep had eluded her last night. Instead she’d drifted from one erotic dream to another, all of them staring the wretched playboy, Sam Norville. Unfortunately, she had real memories to add to the pot and once she’d added in a touch of imagination, she’d produced dreams to end all dreams. Seeing him in the flesh this morning had brought every delicate touch, each sensual stroke of fingers and lips back in bright Technicolor. Oh, boy. And when he’d held her hand in his, she thought she might implode with the surge of arousal zapping from her head to her toes and the areas in between. “Did you need anything before I check on the morning tea setup?” Sam asked. Hayley started, her stomach dive-bombing toward her toes upon hearing his voice. She whirled around to glare at him. “Stop creeping up on me. Every time I turn around you’re there.” He cocked his head, a twinkle in his bad-boy eyes. “Maybe I want to get to know you better.” “Scaring me half to death isn’t leaving a good impression.” But continual glimpses of his sexy body were shoving at her resolve. “If you want to get to know me better, please do it in a normal way,” she snapped, her temper ruffled by the insidious longing that ate at her. Sam grinned, an intriguing dimple appearing on the left side of his mouth. “And here I thought creativity and originality would get me ahead.” Hayley merely shook her head, not in answer to his statement, but more an internal reminder not to touch. His dimple was so cute, so damned sexy and enticing. Her fingers fair itched to touch. “No?” He dragged a hand through his hair and mock frowned at her. “Looks like I’ll have to do this the normal way. Will you come out for a drink with me tonight?” “I’m working,” she said promptly.
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“Funny. So am I. We’ll make a date for the following night. Where will I pick you up?” Panic rioted within Hayley. He couldn’t come to the flat, because he’d learn everything. “I’ll meet you there.” Blast. It would have been better to say she was involved with someone else. So why hadn’t she? Hayley snorted inwardly. Easy answer—she was a fool. “Ah, so you agree to a date. That was easier than I thought.” Yep, too easy. Hayley realized she’d fallen into a trap. His trap. “No, that’s not what I said at all.” “Too late, Harriet. You’ve agreed to a date. How do you feel about Italian? Topo Gigo in Piccadilly at seven.” “But I—” “It’s a date,” he said softly. He glanced over his shoulder and turned back to study her intently. “Let’s shake on it.” The intense glint in his eyes made her take an abrupt step back. She stared down at his hand when he extended it. To stop him moving closer, she thrust out hers. He grasped it, warmth hitting her instantly. Her heart sped up into a racy beat. It was like handling a live wire. A short, sharp burst of sensation. Hayley tried to pull away, but he grasped her hand firmly, pulling her inexorably to him. Her breasts brushed his navy polo shirt. He cupped her face, strong fingers lifting her chin and seconds later, his mouth covered hers. She gasped and he took advantage, slipping his tongue inside. Hayley froze, his lips more persuasive than she wanted. His tongue stroked against hers, and their lips moved together. His hands wrapped around her, fitting her to his body. Warmth surged from each point of contact, her worries about being with this man fading under his determined caresses. Finally he pulled away. “I don’t think dinner is a good idea,” she said weakly. “Why? We both need to eat. Are you sure I can’t pick you up? Where do you live?” “No, I’ll meet you at the Bunch of Grapes,” she said, naming a pub in Knightsbridge, and neatly dodging his questions. It was a place she and Suzie often visited, and the first
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location that popped into her mind. She felt at home there. Besides, she wouldn’t suffer quite the same discomfort as she would while waiting in an unfamiliar restaurant, wondering if he’d turn up. “Okay. Six-thirty.” Sam lifted his head, his eyes still gleaming. With a smile, he pressed a quick kiss to the tip of her nose. “I’d better get to work. Suzie was most insistent on me doing a good job, but I’m looking forward to tomorrow night.” With that, he strode from the room, leaving her staring after him in consternation. “Weak,” she muttered. “Weak and stupid.” Hayley switched on the urn of hot water and prepared several teapots ready to fill with water. Her helper arrived and together they set out two dozen cups and saucers. Suzie had told her they’d arranged four different sessions to run concurrently and staggered them for meal breaks. The first session let out fifteen minutes later, keeping both Hayley and her helper busy with readings and lots of questions. To her surprise, she had several requests to do readings at private parties. In bemusement, she accepted business cards from three women and two men. If only they knew. Her first foray into the world of Madam Deveraux had happened by mistake when the normal reader had fallen sick. Suzie’s mother, desperate to find a replacement fortune teller for the fete she’d organized, had practically forced her into the fray and she’d been reading teacups ever since. To her surprise, the money was good, the tips from delighted customers even better. Her bank balance grew in tandem with her skill, or so Suzie said. Soon she’d have a flat of her own. Security. She’d be able to prove to her parents that impulsiveness didn’t make her a loose cannon. Being impetuous and spontaneous wasn’t a bad thing, and she was quite capable, as capable as her sister.
Sam purposely stayed away from Harriet for as long as he could. When his willpower finally dissipated, he strode down the hotel corridors, heading for the conference room where Harriet was doing her readings. The feedback had been excellent and, despite his initial reservations, he was glad he’d let Suzie convince him to hire her.
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A burst of laughter came from the conference room. His steps slowed and he hovered in the doorway, watching the group of hotel staff clustered around Harriet. The women treated her like a friend while the men watched her with a mixture of lust and anticipation. Sam scowled, the surge of jealousy almost blindsiding him. His attention strayed to Harriet. He watched the absorbed way she peered into the teacup, her glance at the young male sitting opposite her and the way her lips curled up into a slow smile. Sam couldn’t tear his eyes away. Then she laughed. He froze in place, halting at the edge of the group surrounding Harriet. He’d heard that exact laugh before and, combined with the full lips and the angle of her head, his mind finally added all the clues together. His breath exited in a harsh exhalation, a surge of adrenaline telling him to seize her and rush from the room, dragging her with him to demand the truth. But he didn’t. He took a deep breath and looked at her again in light of the new information. Now that he knew, he realized he hadn’t let himself look beneath the surface. Helen. He wasn’t going crazy or lusting after two different women at the same time. A relief, because he hadn’t liked the idea of being torn between two women. He wasn’t a cheater. But the question was why had she lied to him? Why hadn’t she said they’d met before? He waited for anger and righteous indignation, but it didn’t come. Instead, Sam felt acute anticipation. He looked forward to getting to know Harriet/Helen a lot better, and couldn’t wait for their date tomorrow night.
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Chapter Six
“I placed an advertisement in the paper,” Sam said. Hayley huddled on the far side of the black taxi cab, but still Sam managed to touch her. Their thighs brushed and she felt the flex of his muscles each time the cab negotiated a corner. “An ad?” Hayley’s mind dwelled on getting through the night still fully sane. “Yes, and a rather witty one, if I might say so.” Both the satisfaction in his voice and his words grabbed her full attention, her self-protection radar screeching a warning loud enough to deafen her. “What sort of ad? Do you need more staff?” She forced the question out even though the uneasy state of her stomach told her she was making a mistake. Heck, scratch that. She shouldn’t even be with Sam. That was her big mistake. “Searching for Cinderella. That was my headline.” “Why are you out on a date with me if you’re advertising in the personals?” Okay, when backed in a corner, attack is the best defense. Sam’s chuckle dragged her unwilling attention, a tender smile curving across his sexy lips. His eyes sparkled with their usual bad-boy glow, making Hayley glad she was sitting down. Her knees would never survive the strain. Or her conscience. Maybe she should just come clean and admit everything. “I didn’t do a traditional ad,” he said. “A friend of mine is editor of the paper. I wrote all the details in a letter to the editor and alluded to the bracelet without saying what it was.” “What bracelet?” Hayley felt ice spreading through her middle region and, discarding every lecture her parents had ever given her about alcohol, actively craved a large brandy. “Won’t you have every kook in the city contacting you now? And the press www.samhainpublishing.com
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will start camping on your doorstep.” Hayley shuddered, imagining the creative headlines. Her hand crept toward the door of the taxi and she actually considered jumping out at the traffic lights. “Ah, but what if I find the woman of my dreams?” His teasing voice did nothing to alleviate her fears. Her one little white lie had taken on a life of its own. She should tell the truth, but that would be admitting her parents and older sister were right, that she didn’t think. She merely went through life acting on impulse, landing in trouble every time. “Didn’t I mention my Cinderella left behind a bracelet?” She took a deep breath, let it ease out. “No, you didn’t say anything about a bracelet. Things with Cinderella sound serious.” The waspish tone of her voice echoed through the interior of the cab. Hayley closed her eyes briefly and counted to ten. This was ridiculous. How could she be jealous of herself? “I don’t know either of you well. It’s not as if I’ve made promises.” Sam smiled a killer grin that made her breath hitch. “Besides, I’m not hiding anything from you. I’m being totally open and honest.” And she wasn’t. Guilt struck Hayley immediately. Secrets. Oh, boy. She had a few. Come to think of it, that had been another of her parents’ lectures. Truth and honesty were king. She hadn’t meant to lie, but her bending of the truth had escalated into a problem. All she’d wanted was to keep her job and read tea leaves at the same time. Suddenly Hayley was looking forward to getting back to work at the office. Old Mrs. Carter, her boss, didn’t seem quite the gorgon in hindsight. “I’m not sure I like the idea of you dating both me and another woman,” Hayley said in a prim librarian-like tone. “So you’re not into threesomes?” Sam’s grin widened, and she wanted to touch so badly, to trace the seductive curves of his lips and caress them with her own, despite his outrageous words. The man was a bad boy indeed, and she suspected he wanted to tease and shock her.
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Spontaneous Hayley took over. “I haven’t tried anything like that,” she said. “But if I thought about it, I think I’d prefer two men and one woman in the group rather than two women and one man.” There. Take that. “An interesting topic and one we could probably debate all night.” His eyes were suddenly on her lips and Hayley could have sworn it was a physical touch. She sucked in her tummy and tried to ignore the physical signs of arousal ricocheting through her body. She must not touch. Must not touch. “We’ve arrived.” Sam climbed from the cab and paid the driver before extending a hand to help her out. It would have been childish to ignore his aid. Hayley grasped his hand and stepped from the cab. As usual, his touch created chaos, bringing an internal quiver and a rush of need. Like an addict wanting a fix, she craved more. Sam opened the door to the restaurant and ushered her into the small bar at the top of the stairs. “Would you like a drink first before we go downstairs to the restaurant?” “A glass of wine would be nice.” Hayley would have preferred something stronger, but the voice of reason overrode her desire. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast and needed food before she imbibed. Feeling proud of herself, she sat in the corner of the tiny bar, the luxurious red cushions sinking beneath her weight. Sam spoke to the barman before joining her. “I haven’t had any replies as yet to my ad, but I’m hopeful.” “That’s good.” Hayley could imagine the huge number of replies he’d receive, especially with his name involved. A horrid thought occurred. What if he gave her bracelet away to the wrong woman? He wouldn’t? She glanced up at him in horror, already imagining the furor at home if her parents and grandmother found out. And her older sister. Oh, yeah. She could just imagine how that would go. “Um, what happens if you make a mistake and give the bracelet away to the wrong woman?” “Ah, but you forget. Only the real Helen will know it’s a bracelet while anyone who is pretending to fit the part will give me the wrong answer.”
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“That’s true.” Maybe there was hope for her yet. She couldn’t tell him. Not now, because she’d told so many lies. But she knew where his apartment was now, so maybe she could just waltz in and take it back. Hayley frowned, tossing the plan around for a few seconds before discarding it. Too many flaws. Firstly she’d have to get past the doorman who, if he were doing his job properly, would ask lots of nosy questions. And secondly, she had no idea where he’d put the bracelet. “What made you decide to pursue a career in organizing special events?” she asked. “I’d have thought someone with your connections would pursue a more high-powered career. Real estate or banking.” A new topic of conversation, and one that wouldn’t drive her to drink. Sounded like a plan. “I didn’t plan on it. A friend in high school used to help out his father sometimes when he arranged special events. They needed an extra set of hands one weekend and dragged me along to help. I enjoyed it so much, I helped whenever they needed me. My interest grew from there.” “You’re good at your job.” Nothing less than the truth. Suzie loved working for Sam and the attendees at the conference were full of compliments. While it was true Suzie had done the organization, Sam still had to deal with myriad details on the day, and he did it with efficiency and tact. “Have you heard from Suzie?” Suzie was staying at home with her family while recuperating. Hayley had spoken briefly with Suzie’s mother earlier in the day. Sam smiled. “She’s caught the flu that’s going around. She should be back at work early next week.” They finished their drinks and walked down the stairs to enter the busy restaurant. A waiter showed them to a table in one of the quieter corners and left them to peruse the menus. Hayley noted the bright red tablecloths and the dark wood of the interior beams. Bottles of wine and liqueurs in various shapes decorated the walls along with trailing green plants. Waiters dressed in a uniform of white shirt, black trousers and waistcoats scurried back and forth, firing orders in Italian to the staff behind another bar area. The espresso machine whirred, noisy with constant use, and the scent of rich tomato sauce
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and coffee beans filled the air. Hayley loved his choice of restaurant and doubted any photographers would hang out here, looking to snap his picture. “I know it’s not exactly quiet, but I love both the food and the atmosphere,” Sam said. “It’s perfect,” Hayley said. She couldn’t have chosen better herself. The waiter arrived back to take their orders, and they munched on breadsticks while they waited for appetizers to arrive. “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” At least they hadn’t had this discussion while she was in her Helen persona. “I have one older sister. She’s married with three children.” “Are you close?” “Abbey doesn’t live in London, so I don’t see her as often as I used to.” A tactful way of avoiding the truth. She and Abbey weren’t particularly close because of the eight years between them. And the fact she hadn’t come close to living up to her sister, the perfect one. “What about you?” “Twin sisters and one brother. I come in the middle. I see my brother and sisters every couple of weeks. They all live and work close to London.” A sense of envy filled Hayley, hearing the obvious love in his voice. It brought home the tension within her family, the days of constant comparisons. Her exam marks were bad, her friends weren’t acceptable. Oh, yes, she was pretty, but that was dangerous. She shouldn’t dress to flaunt and attract attention. Nice girls didn’t do that. “I was a trial to my parents,” she confessed. “A surprise baby.” His brows shot up. “Oh?” “I was a bit of a rebel. If they said I shouldn’t do something, I usually went and did it.” He grinned. “Like what?” “Smoking. Drinking. Cutting school. Boys.” Plus quite a bit more she wasn’t ready to discuss. She knew now her misbehavior had been a cry for some of the attention her parents and grandmother bestowed on her talented and clever older sister.
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“But you turned out all right. What do your parents think of your job?” “They’re pleased I settled into being a secretary.” “You’re a secretary?” His brows shot up and his grin widened. “Um, I thought I’d mentioned it. I only read tea leaves on a casual basis, mostly weekends to make extra money.” He stared at her thoughtfully. “Your parents don’t know about your part-time job, do they?” Oh, boy. When would she learn to think before blurting out things that were better kept to herself? She chewed on her bottom lip, thinking about some of the numerous lectures she’d had while growing up. When will you learn to think? You’re too impulsive, Hayley. Why can’t you be more like Abbey? “No, they don’t know. They wouldn’t approve.” “Why? You’re good at it. The conference attendees loved you.” Pleasure at the compliment melted away some of her apprehension. “Thanks.” “No, I mean it. I’d like to book you for more conferences. You were a big success.” “I know you mentioned it earlier, but I thought you were saying that to be nice. I’d love to do more since the money is great, but are you sure? This one was different because it was all about tea. Will my readings appeal to other conference goers?” Of course this was a bad idea. She shouldn’t consider it. “Don’t underestimate yourself, Harriet. You’re great with people.” “My bank balance thanks you,” Hayley said. “You saving for something special?” “I’d like to buy my own flat.” “That’s a good idea. It beats paying rent,” Sam said, warming her with his reply. When she’d mentioned her goal once to her parents, they’d pooh-poohed the idea, saying she’d never manage to save that much money, given her impulsive nature. She’d be better off finding a nice man and settling down to build a future. The waiter arrived with appetizers, deep fried squid for her and an antipasto plate for Sam. They started eating, exchanging tidbits of food and casual conversation about
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hobbies and interests, friends and family. Hayley started to relax again, enjoying getting to know Sam. Their relationship had commenced so strangely with sex before they’d covered the basics, and yet, if she were honest, she’d do the same thing all over again. Apart from one thing—she’d check the clasp on her bracelet first. She’d definitely do that if she had a rerun. “How do you know Suzie?” Sam asked. Hayley sighed inwardly. Another danger area, but she could give him a partial truth. “We went to school together and kept in touch. I hope she’s feeling better soon. Suzie put so much work into the conference. You should watch your back, you know. Suzie is after your job.” Sam laughed and topped up her wine glass. “And she could do it with her arms tied behind her back. She’s both driven and talented.” By the time they’d eaten their main courses plus dessert and enjoyed an after-dinner coffee and liqueur, the restaurant was almost empty. “It’s probably time for us to go,” Sam said. “I guess.” Hayley didn’t want the night to end. Despite the lies between them, she’d enjoyed herself. Sam was surprisingly good company, despite his playboy reputation, and she liked him very much. Sam signaled the waiter for the bill and, five minutes later, they collected their coats and left the restaurant. The cooler air hit her the moment they stepped outside. She wobbled slightly. “Oops, too much wine.” Hayley giggled, overcompensating and tilting too far the other way. “Here, let me help.” Sam slipped an arm around her waist and guided her down the road toward Regent Street. She leaned into him, inhaling his masculine scent and enjoying the ripple of muscles when he moved. “You smell good.”
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He smiled, an intense look on his face that made her think about more than scent. Touch. She knew exactly where she wanted to touch him, where she wanted to be touched in return. “Come home with me,” he said. “For a cup of coffee?” “We can have coffee, if that’s what you’d like, but I have something else in mind.” He stopped walking and cupped her face with his hands, staring deep into her eyes. A tremor of awareness shook her followed by a distinct zip of excitement. The tip of her tongue darted out to moisten dry lips. She thought a moment longer, temptation a siren song whispering through her blood. “Yes,” she whispered, knowing she was making a mistake, but not caring. Sam made her feel good. Every girl should have that feeling once in her life. A black cab pulled up to the curb and they climbed inside. This time Sam wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his chest. The trip didn’t take long at all, and less than half an hour later he ushered her into his apartment. “Would you like coffee?” he asked when he shut the door. Hayley thought about being here with Sam. She thought briefly about her parents and decided what they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them. She liked Sam. A lot. And this was for her. Talking to Sam tonight had made her realize one thing. All her life she’d tried to live up to her parents’ expectations and the tall shadow cast by her older sister. She had to live for herself. It was the only way she would find happiness. Hayley smiled at Sam, not drunk but with enough alcohol in her system to give her a happy buzz. She knew exactly what she wanted. “No coffee for me thanks.” She advanced on him, backing him against the door. He closed one brown eye in a wink, looking amused. “Now you have me, exactly what do you intend to do?” Hayley cocked her head to the side and pretended to think. “I might kiss you for a start,” she whispered. “A slow, sexy kiss—the sort that makes toes curl and pulses race.” “Sounds promising. And then?”
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“Then I’ll strip off your clothes bit by bit and kiss the bits I uncover.” She smoothed her fingers across his jaw, enjoying the contrasting roughness of stubble while she stared at him. “Sounds very promising.” His hands dropped to cup her buttocks and he drew her against him, sliding their bodies together. A helpless shudder shook her and when she rubbed against the hardness of his arousal, she shivered again, her skin feeling hot and a size too small for comfort. “Next, I’d take you into the bedroom, for comfort, you understand.” Sam nodded. “Comfort is good.” “Yeah. I’d push you flat on the mattress and straddle your body.” “Would I be face down or face up?” His husky voice touched places inside her and a primitive throb started in her veins. She’d never played word games like this before. It was fun, but she suspected Sam had a lot to do with her enjoyment. “Face up,” she said. “I’d want to watch your eyes. Of course the back view isn’t too shabby, but in this case I think the front panorama is better. The working end, so to speak.” “There is that to consider.” Sam’s eyes filled with laughter while the rest of his face remained impassive. “What would you do next?” “I’d explore your body from head to toe, paying lots of attention to places in between.” Using one finger, she traced the outline of his lips and held his gaze the entire time. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. I’m very ticklish.” “No—” Hayley stopped abruptly, realizing she’d almost given herself away. How could she know he wasn’t ticklish if this was supposedly the first time they’d been together? She sucked in a rapid breath and a second to clear her head. “No problem. I can work around ticklish. I’ll be very careful, pushing you just enough to make you feel really good.” “Do you have previous experience in this?”
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The loaded question heralded a wealth of hurt and she had to work hard to keep the bite from her voice. “I’m twenty-five, Sam. I have had other lovers.” “Sorry, sweetheart.” The kiss he stole went a little way to smoothing her ruffled indignation. His tongue stroked across her lips and into her mouth, running across her teeth and the contrasting softness of her inner lip. Gradually she relaxed, sinking into the kiss and gripping his shoulders tightly like an anchor. When he finally lifted his head they were both breathing hard. “Please continue. I believe you were teasing me from head to toe.” “Yes, apart from your cock. That part I intend to leave until later.” His brows shot up. “I thought you were teasing, not torturing me.” “Ah, but you said I could do things my way.” “Your way sounds long and meandering.” Hayley ran her finger down the middle of his nose and entwined her fingers in his dark hair, dragging down his head so she could kiss him. She savored his taste of coffee and brandy and gently sucked at his tongue before lifting her head. “Why don’t you let me continue and judge once I’m finished?” “Points out of ten?” Hayley tsk-tsked deep in her throat but nodded. The man wore a devilish smile, and with difficulty, she restrained an answering grin. It wouldn’t do to let him know how close to the edge she was. One push and she’d freefall straight into trouble. “By the time I’m finished with you, your brain will be mush. You won’t be capable of calculating a score.” “Threat or promise?” “Promise, of course.” Hayley didn’t give him time to tease her more. “I’ll kiss you, paying attention to your nipples. I want to see if you like the same things I do. I’ll pluck them with my fingers first until they stand to attention. And then lave, nibble and scrape my teeth over them.” “What next?”
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Breathless with craving, she desperately wanted to follow up and demonstrate her word pictures. “I’ll suck your nipples into my mouth, and when I let go, I’ll check to see if they’ve changed color.” She watched him swallow and gloried in the hint of pink gathering in his cheeks. The words were doing things to him as well. “Do you know what I think?” “What do you think?” she whispered against his cheek. “That maybe you’re all talk and no action.” “Ye of little faith.” Hayley shook her head and grasped his hand. “Come with me.” She led him to his bedroom, hiding her face when she realized she’d given herself away or at least her knowledge of his apartment. When he didn’t mention it, she let the tension seep from her shoulders in relief. She halted on the threshold of his bedroom and peered inside, able to make out the shape of his king-size bed. When he reached past her to switch on the hall light, she could see the bedroom furnishings a little better. The familiar sea-blue duvet covered the bed and this time she noticed the contrasting glint of silver embroidery on one of the lighter-colored panels. A soft neutral carpet muted their footsteps. The bedroom smelled of him—citrus with musky undertones. “Is this your bedroom?” “It is,” he confirmed. “Good. Where are the lights?” He led her into the dim room without hesitation and, seconds later, the subtle glow from a bedside lamp pierced the rest of the gloom. Hayley glanced around the bedroom, taking in more details this time. Sheer curtains covered the windows, while the top of a dresser bore a plain black comb, a brush and a bottle of aftershave. A handful of change spilled over the polished wooden surface. A cough attracted her attention. Sam didn’t say anything but the rise of his brows told her he awaited her best moves. A tingle of anticipation danced in the pit of her stomach and a slow grin skipped across her lips. Let the games begin. She sashayed over to him and knelt at his feet to remove his shoes and socks. She lifted his feet one at a time until he stood in front of her with bare feet. With a smooth move, she stood again and
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worked the buttons of his cream shirt free. The silky fabric slithered between her fingers when she pushed it off his shoulders. It whispered to the floor and she turned her attention to his black leather belt with the gold buckle. Her fingers trembled, making her more clumsy than usual. When she touched his flat stomach while unfastening the buckle, she heard his rapid intake of air, the small gasp boosting her confidence. She wasn’t the only one affected by the currents arcing between them. Hayley worked the belt free and set it aside. She unfastened the button, pausing to skim her hand over the bulge in his trousers. He hissed and she laughed. “That’s not funny.” “No,” she agreed. “It’s sexy. I love knowing you want me.” “Believe it.” Sam started to reach for her but she stayed him by stepping out of reach. “My game,” she said, waiting until he nodded his head. Something changed between them, the atmosphere morphing from playful to hot and serious. This time she swallowed, a heavy pulsating sensation settling at her core. Liquid arousal dampened her panties. She flicked her tongue over her lips in a provocative manner before moving close to him again. Heat radiated off his big body along with sexual tension. Her fingers trembled violently when she unzipped his trousers but he didn’t comment, merely stood for her, moving when she directed. With a thundering heart, she tugged his trousers down and let him step out of them. She glanced up at him, saw his chest expand, his breath deep and unsteady. Hayley smiled inwardly, pleased to know he was as rattled as her. It made her feel better about his so-called playboy status. If he were as bad as the gossip columnists made out, he wouldn’t feel nervous and whatever was between them would have no effect on him. “Is that all?” he asked, the husky note tugging at her senses. “There’s more.” She ran her fingers along the elastic band of his boxer shorts. They were black and close fitting, leaving nothing to her imagination. A shudder wracked his large frame when she repeated the move. She carefully pulled the fabric away from his
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body, and soon he stood before her totally naked. He looked even better than he had the last time. “Do you play sports?” “Rugby during the winter, as long as it doesn’t coincide with a conference and tennis during the summer.” Hayley nodded, filing the snippet of information away. They had more in common than she’d realized, since she adored rugby and had even played until it created too much friction at home. Too dangerous and unladylike. Maybe she should pick up the sport again. “I love your chest. It’s so smooth and warm.” She trailed her fingers across his muscular chest, aware of the power and strength rippling beneath the surface. “On the bed,” she ordered, amazed she didn’t stutter. “Please.” “Since you asked so nicely.” Sam prowled over to the bed, and Hayley watched his gorgeous body, the ripple of muscles and sinew, every step of the way. He settled in the middle of the bed, lying on his back, his dark eyes watching her closely. Yet again, heat seared her body. A regular occurrence around Sam. But if anything this was worse. Clothes. She needed to strip right now. Hayley dragged off her clothes, strewing them over the floor with total disregard for wrinkles. Fully naked, she paused to stare at him, nerves doing a number on her knees. “I like your chest, too,” he murmured, striking just the right note to make her laugh. “Smooth,” she said, joining him on the bed. She straddled his legs and grinned down at him, enjoying the position of power, even if it were a façade. Sam could subdue her in a flash, and they both knew it. “This is as far as you got with your descriptions.” “Not quite.” Hayley leaned over him and brushed a kiss over his collarbone. The tip of his cock left a damp trail on her stomach, filling her with a deep sense of her femininity. Her thumb smoothed across one flat nipple, barely grazing his skin. He shifted, a subtle movement that told her he liked her touch, wanted more. She bent to repeat the move with her tongue, her mouth dry, heart thudding and her body on fire despite the fact they’d barely touched. Her feminine folds had moistened and she ached for his possession, but pushed aside the yearning to concentrate on him. She explored
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hard pectorals and trailed her fingers over bulging biceps. His breath caught when she moved down his body and brushed against his erection. “Kiss me,” he said. “Good idea.” Hayley drew closer until she rested full length on his body and settled her mouth over his. It was a slow, easy kiss with no demands on either side, but it sent lust roaring through her. And it sloughed away the last of Sam’s patience. He grasped her arms and rapidly rolled, placing her beneath him. “Smooth move.” She laughed up at him, chest heaving from fighting the move. “But I hadn’t finished exploring yet.” “So you’ve said. Later. There’s plenty of time to explore later.” Sam angled his mouth over hers with raw need. Laughter fell away, and she arched up into his body, desperate to feel his chest brush against her breasts. “Tell me what you want, what will give you pleasure.” Hayley didn’t hesitate. “Touch my breasts. Touch me all over.” He stroked the side of one breast while kissing her again. Frissons of pleasure darted through her as she ran her hands down his back and squeezed his buttocks. Like his appearance, his touch was even better than she remembered. He circled her areola with a finger, and she felt the prickle of heat. Gradually, he increased the pressure until he squeezed her nipple between finger and thumb, rolling it back and forth. He tugged lightly, reaction slamming through her. She moaned, a quiet, barely there sound of pleasure and whispered encouragement. Sam continued to touch and tease her, driving her high until clawing tension held her captive. She clutched his shoulders again, angling her neck to give him better access. He brushed a curly lock of hair out of his way before his lips burned a path from her throat down to her breasts, his warm mouth finally closing over one nipple. Wet suction dragged another moan from deep in her chest. “Sam, that feels so good. Don’t stop.” He lifted his head to grin at her. “Trust me, it gets better. Much better.” With a quick wink, he moved down her body and parted her legs. His fingers trailed over dark curls and parted her folds. Hayley tensed at the first touch of his tongue across her swollen clit
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but relaxed when pleasure radiated outward with each of his touches. The faint stubble on his cheeks abraded the tender skin of her inner thighs. She sobbed out his name as he tended her dew-slicked flesh. Each erotic caress drove her higher until her climax roared through her without warning. The bedside drawer opened and closed while aftershocks still rippled through her. Foil crinkled. Hayley was aware of Sam moving. He slipped into her, burying himself in her hot, wet core, stretching her. With each thrust, he filled her with potent male heat, fueling the slow burn of pleasure again. She wrapped her fingers around his biceps and held on tight. Strained breathing and soft sighs filled the air. His tempo became urgent until languorous waves tossed her into a maelstrom of pleasure. Sam held her, whispered how much he needed her and pumped into her with hard, fast strokes. She felt his forceful release and, with a sigh, she relaxed, warm and replete, clutched tightly in his arms. “I told you it would get better,” he purred next to her ear. “You were right. I need to sleep, but we could do it again, right?” Hayley yawned, tiredness pulling at her. Her eyes flickered closed and she felt his lips move across her cheek. Her mouth curled into a sleepy smile and she relaxed, feeling at peace with the world.
Sam pulled away to deal with the condom, and after a thoughtful glance at Helen, padded out to the lounge and locked the front door. This time he intended to sleep with one eye open, but if on the off chance he went to sleep, he didn’t intend to make it easy for Helen to do her Cinderella act again. No, this time he’d like to share breakfast. He smiled at the thought. Domestic bliss. His parents would be so pleased. Their black-sheep son was finally accepting karma and getting ready to settle down with a woman. A woman he’d fallen for at first sight, not that he intended to confess. No, he wanted to take this slowly. The last thing he wanted was to scare Helen away. Back in the bedroom he stared down at her curly hair and the tanned skin. He’d love to know the story behind her fabrications. From what he’d seen of her so far, he didn’t believe she intended to extort money or anything like that. Of course, he could be wrong
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and it could be an elaborate ploy to sell a story to the gossip rags. But he didn’t think so, which begged the question, what exactly was Helen aka Harriet doing with her lies and half-truths? What did she want from him?
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Chapter Seven
Hayley woke to a kiss. Slow. Seductive. Firm lips sliding across hers. She stretched, arching against Sam’s hard, muscled body. Early dawn light crept through the windows, letting her know it was still early. “Hmm,” she said, smiling. Toasty warm, she hadn’t felt so relaxed for ages, with moving the last thing on her mind. Sam deepened the kiss when she responded, gliding his tongue into her mouth, inviting her to participate. Hayley shoved away the conscience that told her she needed to return home. She wanted to check on Suzie and make sure she was okay. Instead, she wound her arms around Sam’s neck and held on tight. This morning’s lovemaking was unhurried, dreamy. Sam donned a condom and slipped into her warm heat. They rocked together until need roared through them and they both exploded with the fiery sensations. Finally they stilled, pulse rates thrumming. For Hayley, it felt like she’d come home, and she wanted to hang on to the feeling for as long as possible. Reality would come soon enough. “I should go home soon,” she said with real regret. “It’s Sunday. Spend the day with me.” Temptation nipped at her, but practicalities intruded. “I don’t have any clothes.” “If that’s all you’re worried about, I can fix the problem easily enough. There should be clothes in the spare room wardrobe to fit you.” Hayley stilled, a surge of jealousy turning her vision decidedly green. He probably had women stay over all the time. A pain in her chest reminded her to breathe, and she sucked in a hasty breath. Sam liked women. No problem, she tried to tell herself. But it was a problem. A big one. Hayley swallowed, a flicker of irritation going in to bat with the jealousy that lingered in her mind. www.samhainpublishing.com
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Her chin shot upward, eyes narrowed. So, she’d ask him since it was the best way to gain information. “Why do you have a stock of women’s clothing in your wardrobe?” she blurted. He hugged her frozen body against his chest and laughed quietly. The sound held distinct satisfaction. “My twin sisters stay over sometimes. They’ve left some of their clothes for convenience.” “Oh.” Chagrined, it was all she could find to say. Sam chuckled again, the corners of his eyes crinkling up in amusement. “Did you think I have a steady parade of women through my apartment? You can’t believe everything you read in the papers. I wouldn’t have the time for a start. I have to work sometimes.” “You keep talking about some woman called Helen. You’ve put an ad in the paper just so you can find her,” she snapped, jealousy still slicing through her. Hah, not many women could say they were jealous of themselves. Hayley tried to ignore how screwed up this situation had become, the tangle of fibs. All her fault. Her wretched impulsiveness landing her in trouble again. “So I did.” Sam released her and climbed out of bed, unheeding of his naked state. Hayley’s eyes went to his waist and abs, taking in the sleek six-pack muscles, the smooth, touchable golden skin. She tried to remind herself this was temporary. Time spent with Sam rated as a treat, an impulsive act designed to bring pleasure. She hadn’t gone into this thinking about happy-ever-after. It was wrong of her to try to change the rules now. Reality and spontaneity had nothing in common, and she had to remember that. “I’ll go home,” Hayley said, drawing up the pale blue sheet to cover her bare breasts. “Harriet, you don’t have to go home. Spend the day with me. We’ll go for a picnic in Hyde Park or wander through the art gallery or a museum. Go to a movie. Anything. I don’t care. I want to spend more time with you.” He frowned at her, scratched his chest and wandered into the ensuite bathroom, disappearing from sight. A door clunked—the shower door, she presumed. Seconds later, she heard the rush of water. Cold seeped into her pores, despite the wash of sunlight creeping through the
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sheer curtains. The best thing would be to go home, get away from temptation before she landed in even more trouble. But temptation nibbled away at her. Spending time with Sam. It would only be a few hours, and it had been so long since she’d let herself relax with a man and just enjoy being with him. Hayley thought of her family. They’d be expecting her to visit or at least call, as was her normal habit. And she’d promised to take her grandmother to visit a friend in the old folks’ home in the neighboring village. Obligations. Hayley sighed. She loved her family, she really did. They’d stood by her when she’d announced her pregnancy, when her boyfriend had disappeared off the face of the Earth. She thought of the good times, the carefree holidays spent at the beach, the day trips to France, and sighed again. Her parents were old-fashioned. That wasn’t a bad thing. Then she thought of the rut she’d fallen into, the way she did the same things all the time. The shock of becoming pregnant at an early age had scarred her. She knew it. Admitted it. The shower shut off abruptly, letting her know she needed to make a decision. Suzie always told her wimpy was an unattractive look. And she had to agree. Hayley let the sheet fall and stood abruptly. She hurried into the ensuite, almost taking out Sam when she barreled into him. “I’d love to spend the day with you, but I need to be home around five. And I want to check on Suzie.” “We could check on Suzie together,” Sam said. “I don’t think so.” Hayley nibbled on her bottom lip, a flush of embarrassment spreading across her cheeks. That hardly sounded polite. “I mean, I hardly think Suzie would want to see us if she’s not feeling well.” “Would you like coffee?” The change of subject was welcome. She didn’t want Sam talking to Suzie before she could brief her friend. The last thing she wanted was for Suzie to tell Sam things he didn’t need to know. “I’d love some coffee.” “Coming right up. There’s a small café down the road where I have breakfast sometimes. We can eat there, if that’s all right with you.”
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“Sounds great.” And it did. The idea of spending more time with Sam, of waking up with him each morning crept through her mind. Maybe if things were different… She flipped on the shower tap and reached out to test the water temperature. Once it ran warm, she stepped under the pounding stream, tipping back her head to let the water pour over her face and neck, and sighed. Maybe her parents were right about the defect in her personality. After all, if she hadn’t allowed her heart to rule her head, she wouldn’t be in this mess.
Sam listened to the shower, a shard of worry rippling through him. If he didn’t handle Helen right, she’d slip through his fingers, disappearing as quickly as ice turning to water on a hot summer’s day. The phone rang, disturbing his thoughts. “Hello.” “Sam, it’s Maggie. Tara’s on the other line. Can we come and stay the night with you?” “Hi, Sam.” Tara added a quick greeting and waited for his reply. His sisters. Normally he loved spending time with them, but Helen was so skittish, he didn’t want them to scare her off with talk of love at first sight and how the Norville clan curse would trap her if she didn’t run. He’d seen them at work with his brother and they’d already personally scared off one woman he’d really liked. Tara had told Amber, his then-girlfriend, how big families were the norm for Norvilles and multiple births ran in the family. The talk of many children had sent his career-oriented girlfriend fleeing in the opposite direction. “I’m sorry. I have plans for tonight. You’ll have to crash with Jase and Rhiannon.” “What plans?” his sister demanded. He thought it was Tara this time, but they were difficult to tell apart on the phone. “Private plans,” he said firmly. Maggie let out a mini shriek. “A woman? Do you have a woman at your apartment?”
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“That is none of your business, but as it happens I have some of my staff coming over to work on conference plans. We’re putting together a quote.” Sam held the phone away from his ear. “That’s not private. That’s work,” Tara scoffed. “Yeah, and it sounds boring.” Maggie agreed with her sister. Sam heard his sisters’ hasty discussions on the other end of the phone and held his breath while they decided to change their plans. Slowly his breath eased out, relief making his shoulders lose their tense set. “Can we come up next weekend and spend Saturday and Sunday at your apartment?” Maggie asked after their frantic whispering stopped. “That’s fine,” Sam said, mentally rearranging his schedule. He’d wanted to ask Helen out, but perhaps if he gave her space and took the time to formulate a plan, it might propel their relationship in the direction he wanted. Yeah, sounded like a plan. “I’ll expect you next weekend.” He hung up with his sisters’ shrieks of excitement ringing in his ears. “Am I interrupting?” Sam looked up to see Helen hovering in the doorway, dressed only in one of his Tshirts. A slow smile spread across his lips when he took in her slender legs and the thrust of braless breasts. “Not at all. Just my sisters. Take a seat while I finish the coffee.” The legs of a chair scraped across the tiled floor. Sam sensed Helen’s eyes on his back, discerned the wave of confusion with satisfaction. “My sisters wanted to come and stay the night,” he said. “Oh, we don’t have to spend today together if you have other plans.” “I put them off until next weekend. They didn’t mind.” Sam pulled two mugs from the cupboard. He sloshed milk in one and added coffee before handing it to Helen. It gave him a small burst of pleasure knowing how she liked her coffee. Soon he’d know a lot more about Helen, and he couldn’t wait for the exploration to begin.
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Hayley spent a wonderful day with Sam, one she didn’t want to end. They’d caught the tube to Notting Hill and wandered through the market, eating a meal in a small café before walking off their late lunch by checking out the artwork on Bayswater Road. They talked about everything and nothing, laughing and joking together as well as touching on politics and Sam’s work. They parted with a kiss at the tube station, with Sam heading back to Knightsbridge and her catching the tube to Fulham. She stared out the window at the blackness of the tunnel while the train rushed toward her station. Sam hadn’t asked her out again or made arrangements to meet. He hadn’t even asked her for a phone number. It was what she wanted. Or so she’d thought. Jeez, she didn’t know what she wanted of Sam. She knew she didn’t want complications or evidence for her parents or her sister to pass comment on. Yeah, right. That was the aim, but when Sam had walked away without looking back, something had fractured inside. It had hurt. Hayley stepped off the train at her stop and pushed her way through the crowd to get up to the street, a frown of dissatisfaction in her heart. A ten-minute walk later, she unlocked the front door to her building and climbed the stairs to her second-story flat. “Suzie, are you home?” A muffled cough and the loud blowing of a nose confirmed her friend was home and still suffering. She dropped her bag on top of the kitchen counter and walked through the small lounge area, past the battered second-hand couch and the newer but equally scruffy leather chair. In the passage, she caught the faint scent of eucalyptus and the fragrance became stronger as Hayley neared Suzie’s room. She tapped on the door and waited a beat before pushing it open and entering the bedroom. “How are you?” “The prodigal returns,” Suzie mocked, spoiling her words with a hacking cough. She slapped a tissue over her mouth, her shoulders heaving in a second punishing cough. “I left a note.” “With me,” Suzie agreed. “You didn’t tell your sister where you were going. She’s been ringing and leaving messages since yesterday afternoon. You just missed her.”
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Suzie’s aggrieved tone told Hayley her friend thought she’d had a narrow escape, but should pay because Suzie had suffered from Abbey’s dramatics. “Sorry, Suzie. I’ll ring Abbey in a minute.” “So, did you have a good time?” Hayley closed her eyes briefly, bringing to mind Sam and the way her body reacted whenever he touched her. She grinned, thinking of the way she melted like butter under his attention. Lord she missed him and it had only been half an hour. Her eyes snapped open again and she risked a glance at Suzie. “I had a great time.” “Good,” Suzie said. “Then you can tell me why your name is Harriet and not the usual Helen. And why another “H” name? It’s bad enough keeping Helen and Hayley straight, but now I have to add Harriet to the mix.” She sneezed, her expression one of misery when she accepted the box of tissues Hayley handed her. At least it stopped her tirade. “Can I get you something?” “Some orange juice, and don’t think I’ve finished with you either. I need to get my story straight with Sam, so you’re going to have to spill all.” Hayley wrinkled her nose but nodded. “Orange juice first, then I’d better ring Abbey before she arrives in person. I’ll talk to you after that.” Suzie rubbed her hands together. “This will be good.” Shaking her head, Hayley walked back to the kitchen and grabbed both a glass and the bottle of orange juice from the fridge. She took it to Suzie and, after making sure her friend was comfortable, returned to the kitchen and the phone. Suzie had left a pile of messages written on bright pink paper beside the phone. Six in all, with another message partially written. The heavy writing and the broken pencil lead told of Suzie’s annoyance and frustration with Abbey. Hayley picked up the phone and dialed her sister. The phone rang once before someone picked it up. “Yes?” “Abbey? What’s wrong?”
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“Hayley. About time! Where have you been? I’ve been ringing for the last day. Don’t you ever answer your messages?” “I’ve been away,” Hayley said, immediately biting on her bottom lip. Stupid. Now that would raise more questions. She steeled herself for the interrogation to begin, but for a change her sister ignored the slip. “I’m in trouble, Hayley. I need ten thousand pounds in a hurry.” “Ten thousand…what for?” An impatient huff echoed down the line. “None of your business.” Hayley bit back a snappish reply. Typical. Abbey expected Hayley to take her word for anything she said, yet had completely different standards to apply to her. “Why are you telling me?” “I know you’re saving for a flat. You haven’t got enough to pay a deposit yet. How can you on a secretary’s salary? You can give me the money.” Hayley’s mouth dropped open in shock. Give? Her sister astounded her at times with her self-centered behavior. She hadn’t changed even after her marriage. “I don’t think so.” And she hung up on her sister before taking the phone off the hook. Suzie needed to sleep tonight, because Hayley had a feeling she’d want to return to work tomorrow.
“How did the conference go?” Suzie asked when Hayley returned to check on her friend almost two hours later. When she’d gone to see Suzie after talking to Abbey, her friend had been asleep. Figuring that Suzie needed her rest, she’d left her in peace. “The conference was brilliant. Really good. You did an awesome job organizing the program, and I heard a lot of compliments.” “What did Sam say?” “He was pleased, too. Said you did a great job.” An expression of worry clouded Suzie’s pale face. “But I had to bail on him.” “Suzie, you were sick. You’re still not well. Of course he understood, or at least he never complained to me.”
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Suzie sent her a sly grin. “Which brings us back to Sam and the “H” dilemma. Which name am I supposed to call you by?” “I don’t think he’s interested in me, Suzie. He didn’t even ask for my phone number when we parted today.” “But you spent the night with him?” Fiery color sped into Hayley’s cheeks and she avoided Suzie’s knowing gaze. “I might have.” “Well, I know you didn’t spend the night with your parents or your sister.” Suzie’s brows shot up, the interrogating pose interrupted with a sneeze. She grabbed yet another tissue and wiped her running nose. “What’s going on with you and Sam?” “I really like him but, as I said, he didn’t even ask me for my phone number. I don’t think he’s interested. Besides, I haven’t actually been truthful with him, and he’s a playboy with a reputation for never having more than one date with a woman.” Okay, she’d had two, but two different names, so that didn’t count. “Why did you lie?” Hayley shuffled her feet and glanced down, unable to meet her friend’s eyes and the condemnation she’d probably see. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t criticized herself for her stupid behavior. “It’s a long story.” Suzie patted the bed beside her. “I have plenty of time.” “And catch your flu? No thanks.” She laughed, and it was a hard sound. “You know that work party you invited me to?” “Yeah.” “Well, let’s just say my bad girl side made an appearance that night and totally misbehaved.” Oh, boy. Had she ever misbehaved. “Misbehavior looks good on you. You should do it more often.” “Humph,” Hayley snorted. “I’m not sure my heart can stand the strain, especially trying to keep up with your playboy boss. And before you ask again, my name is Harriet now and forever more if Sam is present. Not that we’re going to see each other again. Can I get you some dinner?”
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“I think there’s some soup in the pantry. I wouldn’t mind some of that.” “Coming right up,” Hayley said, pleased to change the topic of conversation yet again. She walked down the passage to the kitchen and opened the pantry doors to peruse the contents. Chicken soup. Perfect. She grabbed the can, found the can opener and tipped the contents into a pot. She was just about to turn on the gas when the intercom announced a visitor. “Hayley, I need to talk to you.” Her sister. Hayley scowled, buzzed her sister inside, and strode to the door to wait for her arrival. It seemed Abbey wasn’t about to take no for an answer. Hayley’s mouth tightened. She was determined not to buckle under Abbey’s bully tactics. In the past, she’d let Abbey boss her around, but this time she’d stand firm. She’d worked hard for her money and wasn’t about to give it away. “Abbey, what are you doing here?” Exasperation colored Hayley’s tone as she glared at her older sister. Hayley liked it better when they kept their mingling to weekly phone calls and family get-togethers for special occasions like birthdays. Hayley didn’t enjoy unexpected phone calls or visits because it usually meant she was in trouble for some reason or another. “You wouldn’t listen to me on the phone.” Abbey prowled around the kitchen, looking like a caged leopard Hayley had once seen at a zoo. Her black sandals tapped a staccato beat when she paced past. “I deserve a hearing. What on earth have you done to your hair? And what are you wearing? Mum would have a fit if she could see your cleavage.” Hayley’s mouth dropped open, and when she realized this, she closed it with a distinct snap. “Mum isn’t here to see. I’m not a kid anymore and I can dress how I like.” Abbey sniffed. She cast a disparaging glance at Hayley’s jeans and shirt before flicking a spec of dust off her own smart designer suit. She looked out of place in their apartment. Too bad. For once, her sister was the odd one out.
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Tea for Two
“Aren’t you going to offer me a cup of tea?” The frenzied tap-tap of heels halted abruptly. Her brows elevated in a superior manner. “It would be the polite thing to do. Didn’t Mum teach you anything?” Silently Hayley fumed, but set about preparing a pot of tea while Abbey continued to prowl back and forth. Tap, tap, tap. The sound was starting to get on her nerves. Hayley pulled two cups with matching saucers from the cupboard and measured tea leaves into her china teapot. “Do you have to use tea leaves? I hate the feel of them in my mouth.” “This is my home and I prefer tea leaves,” Hayley said without inflection. She badly wanted to give nuance, but in the interest of peace, buttoned her lips. “You’ve changed.” “You mean because I’m not agreeing with everything you say?” Abbey let out an abrupt laugh. “Probably.” Hayley’s irritation smoothed away. Her sister wasn’t usually this cranky. “Sit,” she said, indicating one of the two wooden chairs in the kitchen. Abbey pulled out one and took a seat at the small kitchen table. When Hayley poured her a cup of tea, she picked up a teaspoon and fiddled with it, leaving her tea to go cold rather than drinking it. Her right foot hit the floor in a continuous tap, tap, tap. “For goodness sake! Stop tapping your foot. It’s driving me crazy. What’s wrong, Abbey? Is it Mum and Dad?” “No.” Abbey slumped, and alarm spread through Hayley. “It’s Dan. He has a gambling problem.” “Dan? Gambling? Oh, Abbey. Is he getting treatment for his addiction?” “He doesn’t need treatment,” Abbey snapped. “He’s not addicted. He’s merely had a bad run of luck.” Hayley started to disagree before deciding to maintain silence. “How bad is it?” “We might lose our house. The bank is already making noises about missed mortgage payments.”
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“Oh, Abbey. I’m so sorry.” “I need money, Hayley, and you’re the only one who can give it to me.” Give? A tight sensation closed off Hayley’s throat, and she had to swallow several times before she could even think about speaking without letting her temper rip. Give? Exactly the same words Abbey had used on the phone. Her temper rose at the thought. She’d do almost anything for her family. Despite their strict attitudes, she knew they loved her. Sure, she wasn’t exactly close to her parents, but there were worse family situations than hers. They meant well. “Give?” she asked, finally voicing her disapproval. “I mean lend,” Abbey said hastily, obviously sensing she’d erred. “I’ve been saving hard for years, Abbey.” “But you have this flat. You don’t need your own property.” The callousness and purely selfish attitude made Hayley blink. “You know, the world doesn’t revolve around you, Abbey.” “You have money. I know you have. Dan and I need it.” Slow anger started to build in Hayley, tightening her chest. “How much money do you need? You mentioned ten thousand pounds. Are you budgeting? Have you tried a loan? And are you looking for a job?” “A job? I can’t work.” Abbey’s horror was obvious. “Why not? It seems to me if you’re that desperate, you could find a job.” Hayley picked up her cup to take a sip. “But we have a reputation to uphold. Our friends would laugh if I took a job.” Abbey fiddled with the chunky gold necklace she wore, her fingernails immaculate with their delicate pink polish. Hayley spluttered, unable to speak for precious seconds. She set down her teacup with a distinct rattle. “Abbey, can you hear yourself? You’re in debt. Your reputation is probably already shot. You need to budget and get a job. Maybe sell some of your designer clothes.” “So you won’t lend us any money.”
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Part of Hayley wanted to say yes, but she knew a little about gambling addiction from the brochures they displayed in the local library. She hardened her heart. “Show me a budget and what you’re going to do with my money. I might consider it then.” “Really?” Abbey’s face burned with hope. “I’ll think about it.” Hayley picked up her tea and took a sip. “Dan needs treatment, Abbey. A gambling addiction is an illness, and it won’t go away. Do Mum and Dad know?” Abbey shook her head. “They lent us money, but it’s all gone. Dan withdrew it from our account and lost it all at the casino in Kensington.” “Hiding the truth won’t help Dan.” Abbey stood, swiped a tear from her face and forced a smile. “Thanks for listening to me. I haven’t always been nice to you, and I’m really sorry. I…” She hesitated before continuing, “I’ve been jealous of you, the way you’ve made a life for yourself, despite the mistakes you made when you were younger. I wish I’d trained for a career of some sort instead of jumping straight into marriage.” Hayley couldn’t say a word because shock knotted her throat. Jealous? She stood and hugged her sister tightly, the backs of her eyes stinging with emotion. For once she actually felt as if she were part of the family. When they parted, Abbey laughed self-consciously. “I’ll do that budget.” Hayley nodded and showed her sister out. “Wow,” Suzie said from behind her. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I never thought I’d hear you act so firmly with your snobby sister. Sam is having a positive effect on you.” Hayley grinned. “I know. For a while I wondered if hell had frozen over.” “You’ve never stood up to her before.” “No,” Hayley said. “Maybe I’m growing up, too. I’ll get going on that soup. You must be hungry.” Suzie followed her into the kitchen. “You know I think I am. Sam rang on my cell phone.”
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Hayley froze and felt the telltale creep of color across her cheeks. “Oh?” She turned away to light the gas and plonked the pot of soup on the heat. “He asked about you.” “And?” Hayley stirred the soup with a wooden spoon. “He checked the employee records and noticed you didn’t have a contact phone number or address.” “I must have forgotten to fill that part in,” Hayley said. “He wants to hire you for a conference next weekend and wanted to know if I had a contact number. And I said, of course I did, since you were my flatmate.”
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Chapter Eight
“You said what?” Hayley whispered. Her eyes closed while she fought panic. Sam would know she was a big, fat liar. “Just kidding,” Suzie said, lifting her hands up in a sign of surrender and offering a cheeky grin. “But really, you should stop fooling around with Sam and tell him the truth. If you don’t, you’re setting yourself for a fall, especially with the way the photographers lurk in the bushes to snap photos of him and his companions.” Hayley sucked in a startled breath. She hadn’t thought about lurking photographers earlier in the day, and Sam hadn’t mentioned the topic. Granted, he’d worn a cap pulled low over his face. And now she’d guessed why. She sighed loudly. “I know. I know. I really like Sam, but I’ve dug myself into a hole. If I told him the truth now, he’d probably run a mile.” “He won’t. He’s one of the good guys, despite his reputation, and I can tell he really likes you.” Hayley frowned and came to a decision. “Did Sam leave a number?” “No, but I have his cell number.” Hayley dithered, longing struggling against her strict and traditional upbringing, her promise to her parents to think carefully before each action instead of reacting to a situation. Impulses. They’d be the death of her, as her parents predicted. Then she thought about Abbey with all her grandiose plans and that decided it for her. She’d live for the moment. It wasn’t as if her parents were there to see or judge her behavior. As she’d said to Abbey before, she was an adult and responsible for her own decisions. “I’ll ring him later tonight. Let’s eat first.” “Will you do more conferences?”
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“Maybe. Probably,” Hayley amended. She nodded, pleased with the decision. “Yes. I keep thinking of my flat. I can start looking for a suitable property because I have enough money saved.” Unless she loaned the money to her sister. “Why don’t you go out and grab a copy of the Sunday paper from the corner shop? We can start looking for the flat of your dreams. What do you say?” “That’s a great idea.” Hayley checked the soup, saw the steam rising and judged it ready. She tipped it into two bowls and sliced some fresh French bread to serve on the side. “I don’t think you should lend your sister and husband money. You know the old saying about family and lending money. It’s a bad idea. Besides, it sounds as if things are really bad, but your sister is looking for an easy fix instead of mending the problem.” Suzie paused to blow her nose, her blue eyes full of concern. “Yeah, I know. I thought the same, but Abbey made me feel mean.” And she’d always made her feel stupid and like a rebel. Abbey had never let her forget her mistakes. The past drifted through her memory, every painful reminder of the bad choices she’d made, the mistakes. Suzie reached out and squeezed Hayley’s hand, as if sensing her unease. “Don’t let her do that to you. Don’t let her guilt you into handing over your savings. Promise me?” “Yeah, I promise. It’s taken me so long to save this money, I’m not about to give it away no matter how Abbey plays me. Besides, she won’t do a budget, and I’m deadly serious about seeing one.”
Sam thought about Helen all evening. Difficult to believe he’d given into impulse and tried to find her again when they’d barely parted. He’d never felt this way about a woman before, and the secrets she kept only made her more interesting. He smiled at the turnaround in his thinking. Maybe there was something to this love at first sight thing after all. And best of all, they’d managed an outing and remained incognito. It gave him the luxury of time to get to know Helen without the outside pressures of the tabloid press.
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Time for work. The hours spent with Helen had put him behind, not that he minded, but he needed to do some final organization for the three conferences his company had put together for this week. Sam checked the arrangements for the first one, including the special teambuilding exercises and the scavenger hunt the company running the conference wanted him to organize. About an hour later his cell phone rang. “Hi, it’s Harriet.” A delighted grin spread across Sam’s face. He set his pen aside and leaned back in his chair. “How are you?” “Good.” She hesitated. “I have something to tell you. I…my name’s not Harriet.” His grin widened and he stretched his hands above his head. “I know.” “You know?” “Yeah, it’s Helen. It took me a while but the way you laughed and cocked your head gave you away. I have your bracelet by the way.” “Oh. I…” “You don’t have to explain.” “But—” “You can tell me about it next time we get together. Okay?” “All right,” she said finally. “Suzie said you definitely wanted to book me for more conferences?” “I have one this weekend and another the following weekend. If you can manage it, I’d need you during the afternoons for about an hour each time.” “I can do this weekend but next weekend I’m booked to do a fete for both Saturday and Sunday.” “What about the evenings? Could you manage Saturday night? Word has spread. You’ll be in big demand, and the weekends you’re free you’ll be spending with me.” “I…are you sure?” Sam laughed away her clear doubt. “Of course I’m sure. I enjoyed the weekend and want to spend more time with you.”
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“But you never spend more than one night with the same woman.” “Who says?” A trace of annoyance passed through him. His bloody reputation. “The gossip—” Sam made a rude sound, cutting her off. Somehow, he’d keep his private life exactly that. Private. “We’ll make sure there isn’t any gossip.” Somehow, he’d do his level best to make it so, or at least keep their relationship low key for the time being. He’d stay away from the high-profile events, giving work as an excuse. That would work for a while. “I want to see you again.” “I…I’d like that, too, but I want to take things slowly. We…ah…jumped into bed,” she finished with a rush. “I’d like to get to know you better before we do that again.” Sam’s gut clenched at the idea of not being able to touch her intimately, but if she wanted time, he’d give it to her. As long as she didn’t try to do her Cinderella act again. “Can I have a contact phone number?” “Yes.” She rattled off a number that sounded very familiar. “That’s Suzie’s home number.” “Um, yes. We’re flatmates.” Sam straightened and shook his head. He wondered what other secrets she had and decided he didn’t want to know. He’d enjoy getting to know her and couldn’t wait to become intimate again. It would be sooner rather than later. “Can I ring you again tomorrow?” “I’d like that,” Helen said. “I’ll be home from work at six.”
Smiling, Hayley hung up and went to find Suzie. She found her watching television. Actually channel surfing described it better. “Good grief. Pick a channel.” Suzie’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “I like to wind you up. How did the call to Sam go?” “I didn’t tell him.” “Hayley, you’re such a wimp.”
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“I know. I know. I tried to tell him, and he said he knew. He threw me, and by the time I realized he didn’t really know, I’d lost my chance to tell him the truth about my name. He was talking about the conferences he wanted me to work at and some other personal stuff. I panicked. In the end I didn’t say anything.” Suzie’s brows rose to challenge her. “Personal stuff, huh? So what’s your name at the moment?” “Helen.” “I’ll try to remember,” Suzie said dryly. “But don’t blame me if I muck up.”
Sam rang her every night during the next week. They talked about things they liked and what they’d done during their days. He told her about the female photographer who had forced her way into his current conference and secretly taken photos of him at work. She learned how much he disliked the publicity, but he put on a good face because many of the first nights he attended were for charity and his presence helped to raise money to support some of his favorite causes. On Thursday, they both had a free night. “Come to the movies with me,” Sam said. “Yes.” Hayley didn’t even need to think about it. “Great. I’ll pick you up at seven, and we’ll go to one of the sessions at Whiteleys.” The intercom shrilled minutes before seven and Hayley ran to buzz Sam in. When she opened the door she scarcely recognized him. “Sam?” “It’s me. The photographer who I kicked out of the conference decided to follow me about in the hope of a good story,” he said in disgust. Hayley stood aside to let him enter, and Sam closed the door behind them. “I like your disguise. It’s like being with another man.” He rolled his eyes. “As long as you don’t expect me to dress up in disguises all the time.” “I don’t know.” Hayley tucked a wisp of hair behind her left ear. A smirk built inside but she held it back. “I can think of times when dressing up would be quite fun. Yes. I can see it now. A cowboy.”
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“Ride ’em, cowboy?” Disbelief galloped across his handsome face. Hayley’s humor faded, replaced by both horror and disbelief. Oh, no. Now she’d done it. Shocked him silly with sexual innuendo. Anxiously, she studied his face, the unfamiliar blond hair and moustache. When she met his gaze, she caught the twinkle in his brown eyes. It took a while to realize, because she was so busy chastising herself about her provocative behavior. He threw back his head and burst out laughing. For a moment she stared, caught up in his strength and masculinity, then a smile quivered, tugging at her mouth. “You’re playing me,” she said, relief settling the nerves leaping about inside her stomach like a startled deer. “Gotcha.” His wink bathed her with another dose of relief and a smidgeon of desire. “We should go, or else we’ll miss all the good stuff at the start. I thought we’d go to the action movie we discussed earlier in the week.” “Excellent,” Hayley said. He shook his head as he took her arm. “I still can’t believe you like gruesome movies. While I remember—here’s your bracelet.” He tugged her charm bracelet from his pocket and handed it to her. “Thanks.” She fastened it on her wrist, checking the clasp carefully before speaking again. “My love of gruesome comes from having to watch suitable movies during my childhood. I have an aversion to suitable now.” They walked down the stairs rather than waiting for the lift. “Does that apply to other areas of your life?” “Maybe,” Hayley said with a touch of caution. “I can be a touch impulsive.” “That’s not a bad thing. Sometimes we need to listen to gut instinct and act straight away.” Without warning, tears misted her eyes. Exactly. He’d summed up her feelings exactly. She’d tried to explain why she did things without writing lists of the pros and cons and discussing it endlessly first with her parents. They didn’t get it. Hayley and Sam exited the building and a cab waited for them.
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“You should have said,” Hayley chided. “We could have come straight down.” “No problem. You weren’t long.” A flash went off, startling Hayley. Sam cursed. “No, don’t look that way.” He pushed her face into his shoulder. “Damn photographer. I need to change my disguise again.” He opened the rear door of the cab and helped her inside. “Keep your face covered,” he warned, his tone grim. The flash went off again, but Hayley knew she was safe because her hands covered her face and she stooped in the back seat. Sam joined her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and drawing her close. His heart beat beneath her cheek and he smelled of citrus, soap and man. The taxi pulled away, leaving the photographer behind. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault. Besides, I doubt they managed to get a good photo.” “You’d be surprised what they manage with their long lenses.” His grim tone started to scare her because she didn’t want publicity by association. “We can buy a cap at one of the late-night stores. Don’t worry. It will be fine.” Sam’s curt nod gave way to his more easy-going self and gradually Hayley relaxed. The movie was full of violence, half-naked male bodies and a couple of car chases. Pure mindless entertainment and she enjoyed every minute of it, especially cuddling with Sam in the movie theatre. He’d removed his wig and moustache and looked more like the man she’d fallen for. Whoa! Her thoughts screeched to a rapid halt. They were friends and occasional lovers. No commitments between them because they came from two different worlds. And there were lies between them. A relationship usually suffered under that sort of stress. Of course, she could tell the truth, but she’d held her silence for so long now, the truth stood like a solid wall between them. “Fancy a drink and a late supper?” Hayley wasn’t ready to say goodnight yet. “Sounds great.”
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They found a small Middle Eastern restaurant and dined on bread and dips, pizzas and shared a bottle of red wine. By the time they’d finished, it was late. “Why don’t you buy a cap and T-shirt here,” Hayley suggested. “If I put my hair in a ponytail and you wear a different shirt, it will put any watchers off long enough for us to leave without a scene. Besides, I can’t believe I’m so interesting.” “You’d be surprised,” Sam said, and his tone and intense look told her he wasn’t referring to the photographer or any gossip columns. With the new disguise in place, they left the mall, walking straight past a photographer, and wandered down Queensway, hailing a passing cab. The journey back to her flat was uneventful. Sam kissed her goodnight, a brief kiss that did nothing to appease her hopping hormones, but much to stir her desires and impulses. She had to bite her lip hard to stop herself from inviting him to stay the night. “Goodnight,” he said, his voice low and husky. “I’ll ring you tomorrow. I’m looking forward to the conference. I’ve booked a room at the hotel.” His eyes said everything he didn’t, and Hayley’s heart skipped a beat before jumping into a rapid race. “We’ll see,” Hayley whispered, and with another heated look, she climbed from the cab and hurried inside. “You are such a fraud, Hayley Williams,” she muttered under her breath. Already she wondered if she had enough money to splurge on some new lingerie, because she was hopelessly in lust with Sam.
“I have a few free hours now,” Sam said, appearing soundlessly beside her. “Oh? As it happens I appear to be free as well.” “I know.” His smile was smug. “I planned it that way. Come up to my room?” “Yes.” Bad girl! She should run in the opposite direction, but she wasn’t going to. Her conscience gave up gracefully, conceding to the bad girl. “Room 812,” he said, slipping her a keycard. “I’ll meet you there.” Ten minutes later, she slipped into the hotel room.
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“I feel like a fallen woman or someone’s mistress,” she said once the door closed and they were alone. “Did you see yesterday’s paper?” Sam didn’t even need to mention the name since she’d quickly scanned the pages while at work. “Yes. The picture wasn’t very good.” “Playboy seen with mystery woman again,” Sam muttered in disgust. “I’ve even had my family ringing, wanting to know who you are.” “Did you tell them?” “No way.” His emphatic reply took her aback. Was he ashamed of her? She wasn’t exactly his normal date. Hayley turned away and walked over to the window. It overlooked a fenced square, the bright red and white flower beds providing a splash of welcome color. A toddler ran across the green grass to his mother who waited on a wooden bench under the shade of a tree. She had no claim on Sam. Despite his indignation, he didn’t appear to want to settle down and she wasn’t ready for a relationship. Or that’s what she told herself. “Enough about the gossip columns,” he said, coming up behind her. He wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled her back against his chest, surrounding her with warmth. “I’d prefer to spend time with you doing other things. It killed me the other night letting you go up to your flat alone.” Hayley turned in his arms and blindly sought his mouth. Her hands crept behind his neck and she sank into the kiss, just going with the feeling. She breathed in his scent, felt the strength of him as he held her, and realized being with him felt like home. Panicked at the thought, she pulled away to stare at him. “What?” “Nothing,” she said with a quick shake of her head. “I missed you.” “Good,” he said, drawing her close to kiss her again. Their lips moved together, tongues explored and hands touched and stroked. Somehow clothes melted away. Bodies strained and caressed and pleasure ruled.
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Hayley woke a long time later, not sure how she came to be in bed. She stretched and caught a glimpse of her watch, yelping when she saw the time. “Sam?” Her voice echoed back at her. Hurriedly she had a quick shower, dressed and tidied herself. In the lounge part of the hotel room, she found a note. Sam had been needed downstairs. He asked her to stay the night, but she decided to go home as soon as her last reading ended. She had a family luncheon for her father’s birthday the next day and wasn’t looking forward to it, not after her last meeting with Abbey. Besides, she needed to think. No point lying to herself. She’d fallen for Sam, but before she took things any further between them, the truth would have to come out. Yep, she’d need to fess up and deal with the collateral damage. It could be that Sam didn’t feel the same way, but she already knew he hated liars and wasn’t looking forward to confession time.
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Chapter Nine
“I’ve been trying to ring you,” Abbey said in a low hiss. She stood aside to let Hayley enter their parents’ house and slammed the door after her. “Did you bring your checkbook?” No hello, how are you? Hayley struggled to maintain her temper and finally said, “I’ve been busy, and no, I didn’t bring my checkbook.” Abbey scowled. “Why not?” “I don’t have to do anything. This is a family lunch to celebrate Dad’s birthday. It’s not the time to talk about money.” After thinking long and hard about a loan, she’d decided that although she might feel guilty, she wouldn’t be doing Dan any favors. He needed to face up to his problem. Throwing money at it wasn’t going to go away, and besides, it didn’t seem as if her sister had taken her budgetary advice to heart. “Hayley, you’re here,” her mother said, brushing a cool kiss across her cheek. “How are you, Mum?” “I’ve had a touch of the flu, but it seems to have cleared up. Are you going out with anyone?” “No,” Hayley lied, thinking of Sam. She wished she was with him now. “I’m not surprised, with the way you dress,” Abbey said. “Your sister looks perfectly respectable in her suit,” their mother said. Abbey’s three children raced around the small garden, their high spirits making Hayley smile. “Quiet, children. Stop running,” Abbey called. “It isn’t ladylike. Come and show Grandmother your new clothes.” Hayley gaped at the distinct designer labels her three nieces wore. Budget indeed. It firmed her resolve not to lend Abbey money. If things were as bad as Abbey said, she www.samhainpublishing.com
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wouldn’t be spending quite as much money. Besides, nothing more had been mentioned about the possibility of Abbey and Dan losing their house. The luncheon went pretty much as it usually did. Hayley answered questions about her job, but mostly listened to Abbey and Dan talk about their lives. It seemed even her nieces received more ear time than she did. It made her realize how great Sam was, because it was give and take with them. They both listened to each other and talked, too. “Hayley and I will clear up in the kitchen,” Abbey said. “Thank you, dear. You’re so thoughtful.” Mother smiled. Sighing, Hayley climbed to her feet and started to clear the table while, as usual, Abbey continued chatting. “Thank you, Hayley,” her father said. “You look very pretty today.” “Thanks, Dad.” Because Sam made her feel special and it showed. She just hoped he felt the same way after she’d told him her real name. She wouldn’t tell him over the phone, but the next time they were face-to-face she’d tell him the truth. The very next time. Hayley transferred the leftovers to clean bowls and covered them with plastic wrap, putting them into the fridge. She had most of the dishwasher stacked by the time Abbey made an appearance. “I thought you’d be finished by now.” “You’re a lazy cow,” Hayley said, letting her irritation show for once. Abbey blinked, looking shocked. “Truth hurt?” “I don’t know why I put up with you,” Abbey said. “Because we’re sisters?” “We’re not sisters,” Abbey snapped, her voice ringing with truth. “What?” Hayley almost dropped the platter she was washing. “Careful,” Abbey said. “Mum will have a fit if you break that. It’s her favorite.” Hayley set it on the counter and grabbed a hand towel to dry her hands. “What are you talking about? Of course we’re sisters.”
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“Half sisters,” Abbey said, “if you want to be technical about it. Mum and Dad split up for a while before you were born. Things were bad and Mum had an affair with someone else. When they got back together again Mum was already pregnant with you.” “Why didn’t anyone tell me?” Hayley didn’t doubt Abbey for a minute, but what she couldn’t understand was why she was telling her now. Abbey shrugged. “No one needed to know.” “But why did Mum tell you and not me?” “You remember when you were in hospital, when you lost the baby?” “Yes.” Hayley tried not to think about that time in her life, but she remembered it all vividly. “You lost a lot of blood. Evidently you’re a rare type and you don’t match any of us.” “I thought you’d have finished the dishes by now,” her mother said. “Is it true?” Hayley asked. “Abbey?” Her mother paled before them and wavered. “What have you done?” “Told Hayley the truth,” Abbey snapped. “That she’s not my sister.” “She is your sister,” her mother said. But Hayley knew the truth now and a lot of things made sense. “Where is my father? My real father?” “He died in an accident about five years ago,” her mother said in a tired voice. “All this time I felt so guilty. I tried to treat you the same, but you’re so different from Abbey.” The truth hit her like a blow. “You were extra strict with me because I took after my real father.” “He was so impulsive. Full of exuberance. He swept me off my feet. And you took after him, getting into trouble.” Trouble—a euphemism for pregnant. Tears of fury stung Hayley’s eyes. So much made sense now. She unfastened the apron around her waist and folded it precisely in the exact manner her mother liked. She set it on the counter and walked away.
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“Hayley? Hayley!” Abbey screeched. “You were going to write me a check for that money you owe me. I need it today.” Hayley ignored her and kept walking. She walked out of the front door and didn’t look back, the clunk of her sensible Sunday shoes mocking her while she headed for the nearest rail station. A lie. All this time, she’d lived a lie. Hayley used her rail pass to get onto the platform and waited for the train. Things were about to change.
“Will you go to a party with me?” Sam asked the next night during one of their daily phone calls. She hadn’t told him about the bomb Abbey had dropped. It still felt so surreal, making her heart ache each time she thought about it, and her respect for the man who had brought her up increase. “What about photographers?” Hayley didn’t care. It all seemed so trivial compared to her recent discovery. Even more, she wanted to see Sam and confess. The lies had to end. But she had learned how much he valued his privacy and how he hated the playboy tag the press had labeled him with. “I thought you wanted to steer clear of them for a while. And when is it?” “Tomorrow night at a friend’s in Chelsea. They’ll be there. I won’t pose like some will, but I don’t want to hide either.” Tension left Hayley’s shoulders and her breath whooshed out. While she hadn’t liked the idea of having her photo spread across the gossip columns, she hated skulking around. She’d just have to hope they didn’t consider her photogenic. “I don’t mind, if you don’t. How formal is the party?” “It’s fancy dress,” Sam said, laughter in his voice. Hayley spluttered a laugh. “Tease! That means we can wear costumes and conceal our faces.” With a mask, Hayley decided. Suzie would help her with a special costume or maybe she could modify her gypsy persona if she couldn’t think of anything else. “I’ll pick you up around seven-thirty. Will that suit?” “I’ll be ready,” Hayley promised. At least she hoped she would. This date felt different because Sam was taking her into his world. A ripple of nerves crashed like a
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wave inside her stomach at the thought of revealing her insecurities, but she swallowed and pushed them aside. She could do this, and if Sam walked away afterward, she had no one to blame but herself. The phone peeled again the second she hung up after talking to Sam. “Hello.” “I wondered if you’d decided about the loan yet.” “Abbey, I’m not lending you money.” Pain mingled with her anger as she thought about the viciousness in her sister’s voice when she’d informed Hayley about her father. “You treat strangers better than you treat me—” “That’s rich. You’re the one who attracted attention all the time. Mum wanted to adopt you out, but Dad wouldn’t let her.” How could her sister be so jealous of her? Their parents had given them the same opportunities, and if anything, they’d been a lot stricter with her. She’d had to sneak out to meet her boyfriend. “Abbey—” “You have to give me that money.” Hayley heard the conviction in Abbey’s voice, the tinge of desperation. She really believed Hayley should hand over all her savings. Ice spread through her along with despair. “No, I don’t. Don’t bother ringing me again because I won’t talk to you.” Hayley placed the receiver down instead of slamming it like she wanted. Her hand started to tremble and the tremors spread rapidly until she shuddered all over. Tears poured down her face and a pained cry tore from deep in her throat. “Hayley?” Hayley spun around, letting out a gasp of shock at Suzie’s sudden appearance. “I didn’t hear you come in.” She swiped at the dampness on her face with the back of her hand but the tears kept coming. Her sniff sounded loud and when she fumbled in her jean pockets she couldn’t find a hanky. “What’s wrong?” Suzie wrapped her arm around her shoulders and hugged her. “Is it Sam?”
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Hayley shook her head. Desolation swept over her. She tried to speak, but the knot of pain in her throat denied her and only a croak emerged. All this time—the knowledge of Abbey’s hate and jealousy twisted and turned inside, sharp and dangerous like a precision knife edge. “Abbey,” she finally squeezed out. “Your sister is a selfish bitch, Hayley. Don’t let her get to you. Whatever she’s done, just ignore it.” Hayley swallowed, and it hurt her throat. Abbey made no secret of her dislike for Suzie and always put her down because her family was poor. She accepted the box of tissues Suzie handed her and blew her nose. With a second tissue, she blotted her eyes. “Feel like a glass of wine?” “Sure. I’ll get it.” “I’ll get it,” Hayley said and walked over to the fridge to pull out a bottle of chardonnay. The normality of the actions helped to steady her seesaw emotions. After handing over a glass of wine to Suzie and filling her own, she told her friend about the recent developments. “What did your parents say?” “I was so shocked and upset I just left. I haven’t talked to anyone but Abbey since. Abbey is still hounding me about the loan.” Suzie’s mouth flattened in a look of disbelief. “You’re not going to give her money after the way she’s behaved?” “No.” “How are things with Sam?” Immediately Hayley’s mood lightened. “He asked me to a fancy dress party. I need a costume by tomorrow.” “You should go with your gypsy costume. You look really sexy in that getup.” “Any ideas for a mask to go with one of my outfits?” “I’d go with a plain one—maybe black. Why don’t you borrow my black and gold skirt and team it with a bright colored blouse? That way you can wear your black high heels and go for a black mask, but a feminine look.”
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Hayley nodded, feeling marginally better, and suddenly looking forward to going to the party with Sam.
“I’ve missed you,” Sam said, the second she opened the door to the flat. He seized her and swallowed her reply with his mouth. His lips pressed delicately against hers, then gently covered her entire mouth, making her feel cherished. Desired. And maybe even loved. When Sam finally lifted his head, her mouth burned, her heart beat faster and she struggled to breathe. “Wow,” she said when she could speak. “That was a welcome.” Sam cupped her face and stroked his thumb across her mouth. She trembled, fearing the surge of love inside. It made her vulnerable, fearful of being hurt. He grinned down at her. “I love the mask. It’s very sexy, but you might want to fix your lipstick.” “You make a handsome pirate. I like the parrot.” “You should see me with my eye patch,” he said. “You won’t be able to keep your hands off me once you see that.” Hayley pulled her lipstick from her black evening bag and reapplied the garnet color to her lips, blotting it carefully with a tissue. “All set,” she said. His eyes were dark and full of heat when she looked up, and a shot of awareness darted through her stomach. “Maybe you should have done that in the car, because I want to kiss you again. I’d suggest heading straight for my apartment if I didn’t have to make an appearance tonight.” “You never said whose party it was.” “My brother’s,” he said. “I wanted you to meet some of my family.” Hayley’s mouth rounded in surprise. While she knew her feelings about him, she hadn’t thought—or she’d tried not to think—about a future. “Oh.” “Don’t be nervous. My family will love you.” They traveled in comfort, since Sam had driven over in his Porsche. Traffic was heavy with the usual Friday night exodus to and from the city. A car pulled out in front of
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them, leaving a parking space free. Sam zipped into the space and switched off the ignition. Two torches, flames burning brightly, illuminated the doorway of the Chelsea house. While Hayley watched three couples ascend the stairs, a bright light went off and another. “Looks like the photographers are here.” Sam pulled an eye patch from his pocket and put it on. “Yeah.” Hayley’s hand crept up to check her mask was in place. She climbed out of the car and smoothed the creases from her skirt, anxious about meeting Sam’s family. Sam would introduce her as Helen. Her eyes closed briefly. Oh, boy. Tonight. She’d tell him once they’d left the party. The car alarm chirped. Sam’s arm slid around her waist when he joined her on the footpath. “Don’t look so frightened, sweetheart. We only bite when we’re in the throes of passion. Jase is happily married, so you’re safe on that account.” Hayley snorted and attempted a grin. Bands of tightness around her chest restricted her breathing, and the need to touch almost got the better of her. “Good to know.” The flare of a flash made her draw back. Not the right time or place. “Sam, over here!” a man called. Sam waved but ignored the request. Hayley kept up with his swift pace, felt the tension in the lean lines of his body and the arm around her waist. “Who’s your lady?” another man called. They kept walking and soon stood in the doorway. Sam showed the security man on the door an invitation and whisked her into the warmth of the house. The strains of a Norah Jones ballad floated from a room on their left, along with soft laughter and chatter. Another couple entered behind them. “Sam, great costume. I always thought you were a bit of a pirate. How are you? I haven’t seen you since Janet’s party.” The petite woman glanced at Hayley before looking back at Sam. “No, I’ve been busy with work.”
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The woman laughed. “I don’t know why you bother with a job when you have as much money as you do. I’d travel and enjoy myself.” Sam’s arm tensed again. “It’s lovely to see you again.” He exerted a gentle pressure on Hayley and they walked away, heading toward the music. They entered the crowded room, and Hayley started to feel increasingly nervous about meeting Sam’s family. Sam released her, but immediately took her hand in his, warmth from his palm skittering up her arm. A giddy, bubbly sensation flooded her chest and, in surprise, she recognized it as happiness. “Jase is over the other side of the room holding court. Come on.” Sam led her toward his brother. “Happy birthday, bro.” “Sam, you’re here,” Jase said. Hayley tugged her hand free and moved with the crowd, pushed to the side. She didn’t mind. The two brothers appeared close. They hugged, clapping each other across the back before standing back to grin. A pang of envy filled Hayley at the sight. The interaction was so different from her family dynamics. And now she knew why. “Helen, what are you doing hiding over there?” Sam took her hand and dragged her over to meet his brother. “Jase, meet Helen. And this is Rhiannon, Jase’s wife.” “Pleased to meet you.” Her cheeks pinked with both the intense scrutiny and the knowledge that even more people thought of her as Helen. “Come and have a seat. Sam didn’t say he was bringing anyone. He usually comes to these things alone.” A waiter wandered by with a tray of punch and champagne. Hayley took a glass of champagne and tried not to feel too self-conscious. Both Jase and Rhiannon studied her like a bug under a microscope glass. “Love the costume, Sam. You make a good pirate,” Rhiannon said, a sly grin crossing her gamine face. She wore a ballerina outfit in hot pink, and appeared so delicate Hayley thought she’d look great on the top of a wedding cake. Or maybe jumping out of a cake. Hayley moved closer to Sam so she didn’t feel so big and ungainly.
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Husband and wife exchanged a look, a slow grin crawling across Jase’s face. The mischievous expression on his face when he turned his attention to her made Hayley want to run. Instead she shifted even closer to Sam, his hand on her shoulder steadying her nerves. “How long have you known Sam?” Rhiannon asked. The hand on her shoulder tightened. “Don’t start,” Sam said. “This is a party.” “Just being friendly, aren’t you, Rhiannon?” Jase smirked at Sam. “Sam and I work together,” Hayley said, deciding to go with safe. There was something going on here, but she had no idea what it was. A family joke, perhaps, except Sam didn’t seem to be laughing. “And is this your first date?” Rhiannon asked. “Cut it out,” Sam growled. “Come and dance,” he said to Hayley, taking her by the hand. “Give the girl a chance to finish her drink first,” Jase said, laughing again. “You know we’re going to ask our questions. You might as well let us talk to Helen.” Rhiannon stood beside her husband. “Yeah, you knew we would ask questions.” Together they presented a united front. “I didn’t think you’d be quite as blatant,” Sam muttered. Two new arrivals came over and the subject changed. “Let’s dance.” Sam plucked the glass from her hand and set it aside, not giving her a chance to protest. Hand in hand they walked over to the dance floor. Hayley slipped into his arms and he pulled her against his chest. They barely moved, instead swaying in time to the music. “What were your brother and sister-in-law talking about?” she asked, giving into curiosity. “Nothing to worry about. They like to tease.” Hayley happened to catch Rhiannon’s gaze when she looked past Sam. Pure speculation filled the woman’s face, and Hayley moved closer to Sam, starting to worry about the unknown. Was it something to do with her? Did they know about her lies?
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A nervous tic started in Hayley’s jaw and she swallowed in an attempt to get it to stop. “This seems a bit more serious than teasing.” “My brother and sister-in-law are trying to discover, in their roundabout way, if I’ve told you about the family curse.” Hayley pulled away enough to stare up at Sam. He was deadly serious. “Curse? Sounds interesting.” “It’s not a curse,” Jase said from right behind them. He winked at Rhiannon and danced her closer to them. “This is a private conversation,” Sam snapped. “Stop teasing your brother,” Rhiannon chided, but the curiosity in her face didn’t abate. She wanted to ask questions. “Aw, it’s my birthday,” Jase said, his grin wide and engaging. “I’m allowed to do anything on my birthday. Besides, it’s fun.” Sam snorted and Rhiannon pinched her husband’s bottom. “Off with her head,” he shouted, drawing the attention of most of the guests. “She touched the king’s ass.” “You’re an ass,” Sam said. “We’re going to have a court session. I’ll fine anyone who maligns the royal person,” Jase said. “They will rue the day!” But he stopped teasing Sam and danced his wife around the floor in high style—the ballerina and the King of Hearts with their guests grinning while they looked on. Sam danced Hayley out onto a balcony and led her along to the far end, out of earshot of everyone. Lights twinkled across the Thames and if she listened hard, Hayley fancied she could hear the lap of the river against the banks. Sam cleared his throat and coughed, his discomfit coming through loud and clear. He refused to look directly at her and Hayley’s unease grew. Finally, he spoke. “We have a belief in our family. My parents, grandparents, my brother—they all fell in love at first sight. It’s a family tradition.”
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“Oh.” It was all Hayley could think of to say. Love at first sight. Now that was impulsive. “Yeah, they all met and married within weeks.” He still refused to meet her eyes. “Oh.” At first excitement and triumph poured through Hayley. She loved him, but hadn’t said anything simply because she’d thought it would be impulsive, too quick and would scare him off. Oh, yes. There was also the matter of her real name, too. The silence lengthened to uncomfortable. The longer she watched him, the more the excitement seeped away. He didn’t feel the same way and hadn’t told her because he’d thought it would give her ideas. “I don’t believe in love at first sight,” he muttered, staring out at the river. His hands tightened on the balcony railing. “It’s a load of crap. I had a relationship when I was younger. I thought I loved her, but it didn’t work out. My family insists on believing in love at first sight. I know it doesn’t happen.” Hayley aimed for reasonable, even though pain curled around her heart and squeezed tightly. Impulsive, spontaneous Hayley strikes again. Hurricane Hayley, as Abbey used to say. “Why would they expect the same thing to happen to you? Every person is different.” “Yeah, right.” His smile was mocking. “So far I’m the exception to the rule. It’s why I never date any woman more than once.” “But you’ve gone out with me more than once.” Hope surged. “Yeah.” And hope died. He didn’t feel the same way about her. Neither of them said anything more and the stiffness between them became oppressive. Frightening. A sudden thought occurred to Hayley. “Are you trying to tell me you don’t want to go out with me again?” “No!” He spun toward her, grasped her upper arms, his fingers flexing in the flesh of her biceps. “I’m telling you because I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I knew my brother would mention it.”
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And he hadn’t wanted her to build hope when there was none. Rejection. “No problem.” Then Hayley frowned, despite her words. If he’d been that worried about his family and their reaction to her presence, why had he asked her to come with him? But cowardly, she didn’t voice her thoughts, merely pasted a bright smile on her face and pretended she didn’t care. A façade. His rejection felt like a kick to the gut. Yet another instance of her impulsive nature getting her into trouble. The thought kept repeating through her mind, echoing until she wanted to scream. But Hayley kept a pleasant smile on her face, even though it nearly killed her.
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Chapter Ten
Sam leaned back in his chair and stuck his feet up on his desk, contemplating life. His life, in specific. He hadn’t rung Helen since the party, although he’d seen her at a conference where they’d had tea together. The atmosphere had been strained, and no wonder after the way he’d behaved at the party. He reached for the phone, picked it up, before setting it back down. Helen would be at work in her office. A smile warmed him at the thought. He bet she’d be good at her job, although he liked her in her gypsy persona, too. She seemed more vibrant, easy-going and relaxed when she played the gypsy fortune teller, apart from the night of the party. He’d wanted to ring her a dozen times, but hadn’t because the family curse stood between them like an enormous chasm. He wanted Helen, thought about her all the time. Hell, he even thought he loved her and it scared him half to death. Difficult to trust his feelings for her when it brought back all sorts of old history. His girlfriend, Amber. He’d thought she was the one and had been ready to ask her to marry him after three weeks. All along she’d wanted his money. Status. She certainly hadn’t wanted his children, and later, he’d discovered she’d been seeing another man at the same time. It had been a turning point in his life. The time he’d become cynical, according to his mother. “Hey, boss!” A sharp tap on his door accompanied the shout. “Come in.” Sam lowered his feet and grinned at Suzie when she rushed into his office. She carried a newspaper. When he looked closely, he noticed the flush of temper on her cheeks. “Look!” she said, waving the newspaper in front of his face. “Look at this!” “Suzie, I won’t be able to see unless you stop waving the paper in front of my face.” She slapped the paper in his hand and he saw his own face staring up at him. It was a photo of him and Helen. The headline made him scowl, and his gut hollowed with 114
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distaste. Playboy Sam Norville out on the town. God, he hated that playboy label. It implied useless. Without motivation. It implied a lack of morals. None of which were true. But it sold newspapers and magazines, which was why the label had stuck. And the fact he never went out with the same woman more than once didn’t help. Sam’s grip tightened on the newspaper while he read the story. The photographer had snapped the photo at the conference. Their heads were close together and their fingers entwined and rested on the tabletop. A pot of tea and two cups sat beside their hands. It looked intimate. And it was an invasion of privacy. There was a second photo of him in disguise with Helen outside his flat. Someone had put the clues together. Hell, he’d have phone calls from his family over this, and the photographers would be hiding behind trees and jumping out of the woodwork. He read further. Has the playboy met his match? “Has Helen seen this?” “I don’t know. We saw each other in passing this morning, but I haven’t talked to her since.” Sam ran his hand through his hair. He hated being in the spotlight, the butt of public speculation. “I’ll try to ring her now, but if I can’t get her, can you tell her I’ll ring tonight?” “Her boss won’t let her take phone calls,” Suzie said, a furrow of anxiety forming between her eyes. “Yeah, I know, but I’ll try anyway.” He picked up the phone and dialed, but he managed to get an idiotic girl who insisted that Helen didn’t work in the Home Office. “Never mind,” he said and slammed the phone down. The phone rang almost immediately. His brother. Sam cursed inwardly and set about denying everything. “You’ve broken your rules,” Jase said. “None of your business.” “The twins said you had someone at the flat when they rang.”
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His brother was fishing, baiting a hook and waiting for him to bite. Wasn’t gonna happen. “Is there a point to your call?” “Yeah, I want you to admit you’ve fallen in love with the girl.” Sam hung up without replying, knowing he wouldn’t win and Jase would make him lose his temper, which would be as good as a confession. “Hell,” Sam muttered, rubbing his hands across his face. Why had he asked Helen out? Why did he keep thinking about the woman? He snorted, knowing the truth even if he wasn’t ready to admit it to everyone else. He’d fallen in love with her, and it scared the hell out of him, because what he felt for Amber paled in comparison to the feelings filling him now. The love at first sight thing was holding true for yet another Norville. Sam took the phone off the hook and attempted to work. When his concentration failed, he checked his watch and decided he’d go for a walk. Photographers dogged him. By the time he arrived home, it was late, his temper soaring. He rang Helen, but Suzie said she’d left to go to Greensbarrow to prepare for the fair the following day. She’d left her cell phone in the flat, so there was no way of contacting her. Suzie hadn’t seen her either and didn’t know if Helen knew about the photos and story in the paper. “She won’t be back until Sunday night,” Suzie said. “Tell her I rang. Hopefully, I’ll have a chance to talk to her before she sees or hears about the photos.” “Yeah,” Suzie said. “See you on Monday.” “Sure.” The phone clicked in his ear and he hung up. “Heck, what a mess.” Sam grabbed a beer and dropped into a comfortable chair in his lounge. If he hadn’t had work plus a charity function to attend, he would have traveled to Greensbarrow to see Helen. Now it would have to wait until Sunday.
The annual fair in the village of Greensbarrow in Berkshire was one of Hayley’s favorites. She’d worked it the previous year and made enough money to make her blink, which was why she’d turned down a conference in favor of attending the fair.
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Her booth was situated on the north side of the main arena, along with the tea tent and several food stalls. The grandstand on the opposite side was a sea of faces, the current silence full of tension due to a jump-off in the show-jumping competition. Hayley heard a dull thud, the echo of a horse’s hoof hitting a rail. A clatter followed and the crowd let out a collective groan. “Four faults,” the announcer called. Hayley tidied away the cup and saucer plus the teapot used by her previous customer. At this fair, she had her own tea supplies and made the tea for each customer. She readied the next cup with its matching saucer and added tea leaves to a clean teapot. “Are you ready for the next customer?” Hayley’s assistant, a student, poked her head around the corner and grinned at her. She did a great job collecting the money and organizing customers while Hayley took care of the tea side of things. Hayley stood, her charm bracelet jingling musically when she went to greet her next customer. She rounded the corner of her partition and came to an abrupt halt, her smile of welcome freezing on her mouth. Three ladies stood in the entrance. Hayley didn’t know two of them but the third was very familiar. Abbey. Her sister—no, half sister. She still hadn’t quite wrapped her head around that fact. A herd of butterflies stomped around the interior of her stomach. This was the last thing she needed. Another screaming match with her sister. Shoving aside her panic, she nodded at her customers. It would be best if she tried to act normal. She knew Abbey well enough to know if her sister sensed a weakness, she’d exploit it. “Who would like to go first?” “You go first, Trudy,” Abbey said, her eyes widening on seeing Hayley. The surprise gave way to calculation. Hayley sucked in a deep breath and maintained a calm smile. Inside, panic rioted out of control. She waited for Abbey to denounce her as a fraud, but her sister remained silent. Hayley showed her first customer into the private part of her booth and went through her spiel on automatic pilot. Fifteen minutes later, she couldn’t have repeated what she’d told the woman, but luckily she seemed satisfied.
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The second woman had a lovely manner and helped set her at rest. Hayley managed to get through the second reading, but her stomach quivered and if Abbey looked too closely she would see the tremor of her hand. Abbey would know how vulnerable her presence made Hayley feel, and no doubt use it as a weapon. The second woman left and automatically Hayley cleared away her cup and teapot. Abbey walked in and took possession of the seat opposite Hayley. “Would you like tea?” Ever the polite hostess. “I don’t think so,” Abbey said. “What I want is money.” “I don’t think so,” Hayley said, throwing her sister’s words back at her. She would not let Abbey intimidate her. “I’ll tell everyone you’re a fraud.” Hayley stood and filled a pot with tea leaves. She poured water over them and prepared a cup of tea. “Did you hear me?” “I heard,” Hayley said. “But I don’t owe you anything.” Abbey’s mouth set in a hard line. It made her appear cruel. Her sister looked so much better when she smiled. “I know about you and that man. I saw the photos.” Hayley flinched and Abbey noticed. Her sister gave a tiny triumphant cry. “I knew it,” she said. “You love him.” “We’re just friends.” Hayley said the words so quickly she knew she’d given herself away. “Is there a point to this conversation?” What photos? What was Abbey talking about? Curiosity gnawed at her, although she knew better than to ask questions and reveal vulnerability to her sister. “I need money. Today.” Hayley took a deep breath. It did nothing to settle her fears. “No.” “I think you’ll change your mind,” Abbey said, her blue eyes glittering. “You won’t like the consequences if you don’t.”
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Threats. What could her sister do to her to make things worse? She already felt as if she’d lost her family. Abbey had taken that from her. “You’ve made your point, but I’m not biting. No money. That’s my final decision.” Abbey stood abruptly, her eyes flashing dislike. “If my marriage breaks up, it will be your fault.” Hayley’s mouth dropped open in shock. “My fault? How could it be my fault?” “Ohh!” Abbey stomped her right foot but her spiked heel sank into the grass, spoiling the effect when she had to struggle to remove it from the soil. Suddenly everything clicked into place for Hayley. “Dan’s not the one with the gambling problem. It’s you.” A faint blush spread across Abbey’s face before disdain and pride replaced it. “It’s none of your business.” She whirled away and left Hayley standing alone without another word. The rest of the fair passed in a blur. Hayley thought about Sam all the time, worried about the fact she hadn’t told him the truth. She wondered about the photos Abbey mentioned. A frown settled onto her face. What did it really matter? She cleared away a customer’s cup and teapot with a sigh. Sam wasn’t serious about her. There was no point in seeing him again when she loved him. The ache in her chest intensified. Funny—she’d gone into this with eyes open. A one-night stand. She should have known she was only fooling herself. One-night stands weren’t her style, and once she’d seen Sam, made love with him, it was all over. She’d fallen in love.
The apartment was silent when she entered it. Hayley set down her bag and noticed her cell phone sitting on the counter. “So that’s where I left you.” She picked it up and noticed she had messages. Soon Sam’s voice sounded and she smiled. He wanted to see her, he said. Hope surged until she reminded herself not to get carried away. His messages didn’t necessarily mean anything. Only one way to find out. She rang Sam, her heart pounding anxiously.
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“Sam? It’s H-Helen.” Oops, nearly said Hayley. As soon as she saw him face-to-face she was telling him her real name and the reasons she’d used Helen. Hiding her identity hardly mattered now that Abbey knew she read teacups to earn money. Abbey would make sure everyone knew she was a big fraud. “Are you at home?” “Yes.” “I missed you.” His voice slipped to intimate and her heart skipped a beat. Her hand tightened on the cell phone. “I’ll come over,” he said. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” The phone disconnected and Hayley stood there for a few moments, her cell phone pressed to her ear. A smile bloomed. He’d missed her and was coming over. Less than fifteen minutes later the intercom rang. “Sam?” “Yeah, it’s me.” Hayley buzzed him in and went to the door. “Helen.” Sam seized her and spun her around, lifting her off the ground. Before she could answer, he kissed her, his firm lips nibbling at her with a kind of desperation. She tunneled her hands into his dark hair and held on for the ride. When he finally lifted his head, they were both breathing hard. “Is Suzie at home?” “No. She’s out for a few hours.” “Good,” he said. “Which is your bedroom?” Pleasure simmered through her while good sense took a nosedive. His hand clasped hers and she led him into her room. He kicked the door shut behind him. “Sam, I—” “We can talk later,” he said. “Right now I want to make love to you.” “But what about—” He covered her mouth with his hand. “Helen. Later, please.”
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Hayley winced inwardly, but he drew her close, his hands cupping her head. She’d left her hair loose again, not bothering to tame her rampant curls into straight locks with heating irons. She’d left her contacts out and stared up at him in bemusement. The look in his eyes…it heated her right through. He tugged off her cotton sweater and tossed it aside, his big hands cupping her breasts through her T-shirt. Hayley shivered, the touch of his hands too much. Need. It simmered through her urgent and hot. “Sam,” she whispered. “I need you. I’ve missed you so much.” “I missed you, too.” Nothing less than the truth. “Show me,” he said, his dark eyes twinkling with challenge. “Show me how much you missed me.” Hayley rubbed her hand over his cheek, noting the stubble. He hadn’t even taken time to shave. The sensitive pads of her fingers explored further, brushing his eyelids, his cheeks and finally his mouth. A gasp escaped when the warmth of his mouth closed around her finger. He pulled away with a laugh. “I love the way you respond to me. It makes me hot.” “I can feel how hot it makes you,” Hayley said with a laugh, reveling in the hard brush of his erection. “Strip for me,” he whispered. “I want to see you.” Suddenly self-conscious, Hayley backed away. “I don’t know if I can.” “Of course you can.” The seductive glint in his brown eyes told her how much he wanted her to strip for him. “Besides, you have a streak of daring that I find very sexy.” Hayley stilled in surprise. “You do?” All her life she’d been told to hide her impulsiveness and Sam wanted her to put it on display, especially for him. The knowledge was incredibly arousing. A slow smile crawled across her face and she took a step back. With a devilish smile, she pushed the start button on her music system and the pure notes of a sax throbbed through the room.
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Hayley swayed in time to the music, hips lazily rocking from side to side. She toed off her shoes, kicking them out of the way. Next, she whisked her pale blue T-shirt over her head and blew Sam a kiss. He didn’t take his eyes off her. She stroked a hand across her bare belly and threw back her shoulders, knowing it would display her breasts for him. Her hands went to the button fastening on her black cotton trousers. The zipper eased down and she shimmied from her trousers, pausing on the spot to display her pale blue lingerie. “I think blue is my favorite color.” “You think,” she teased, still swaying seductively. “No, I’m sure,” he whispered. “Blue is my favorite color. The color of your eyes.” Hayley tingled all over. Arousal seeped through her, pulling her nipples to hard points. Her breathing deepened, her voice becoming husky. “Shall I go on?” “Please.” Hayley reached behind to unfasten her bra and shrugged out of it. She sighed with pleasure, the cool air on her heated flesh bringing a shiver. Her tongue darted out to moisten her bottom lip, and she noticed Sam watching with avid interest. He followed the move when she repeated it. Impulse led her to touch her own breasts. She skimmed her fingers across the creamy flesh, strumming one nipple. The spike of pleasure brought a gasp. Hayley watched Sam closely and saw he liked seeing her do this. She rolled one nipple between finger and thumb, letting her head roll back and her hair spill over her shoulder in a mass of curls. “That is so hot,” Sam said. “So hot.” As he spoke, he discarded his clothes, rapidly stripping until he stood before her, proud and naked. Hayley paused, her eyes wide with longing. “Keep going,” he ordered in a tight voice. Arousal glittered in his eyes and glowed along his cheekbones. Hayley slipped her hands down her body and pulled down her pale blue panties. She stepped out of them, still swaying to the seductive wail of the saxophone. Unbidden, her
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hands crept back up to her breasts, unconsciously doing what she wanted Sam to do to her. She cupped her breasts, offering them to him. Yes, she should have felt stupid, but he understood her perfectly. With one giant step, he closed the distance between them. “Hold them for me,” he instructed in a hoarse voice. Blood ran hot through her veins, and when his mouth closed over one swollen nipple, heat suffused her in a full body blush. He drew hard, sucking and teasing the tender nipple with his teeth. Hayley felt the pull clear to her toes. A moan escaped and she didn’t even flinch. This was about pleasure. This was about love. Her love for this incredible man, even if he didn’t return the sentiment she knew he felt something for her. “Sam,” she whispered, not bothering to hide her longing. “I need you so much.” Her nipple popped from his mouth, gleaming wetly in the light. For an instant his hooded gaze studied the result, and she sucked in her breath, swaying toward him with sheer need. Pure craving and lust all wrapped up with love, respect and need—what had the man done to her? “Good.” He swung her into his arms, lifting her effortlessly. He laughed when she shrieked with surprise and spun her around once before dropping her onto the single bed. He grasped her hands and lifted them so they rested above her head. With anyone else she might have felt alarm because she was no lightweight, but she grinned up at Sam and winked at him with quiet confidence. “What ya gonna do with me?” “I could do something kinky.” His sensual lips quirked up at the corners. “What do you think?” Hayley studied him closely before she loosed a smile. “Sounds like fun. Do you have any chocolate body paint? I’ve always thought that might be fun.” Sam glided a hand over her collarbone and across the upper curves of her breasts, the warmth of his palm and the slight calluses on his fingers bringing shivers of pleasure arrowing to her core. “I’ll put it on my shopping list.” He grabbed a condom and rolled it on with rapid competence. She twinkled up at him. “Most men don’t like shopping.” “I’m not most men.”
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So she’d come to see. He cared about his employees and did his best for his clients. He didn’t play the rich man card or throw his society status at anyone. “I know.” Sam leaned over to kiss a trail over her jaw and down her neck. Hayley bared her neck for him, to allow him easy access. The touch of his lips and his heady scent pulled at her, the sound of the jazz still floating through the room. “I want you so much. I’ve missed you.” She turned her head back and their lips met, sliding together in the perfect kiss. Hayley arched upward, rubbing her softness against his contrasting hardness. She sighed her pleasure, holding him to her. They kissed again, moving their bodies together in perfect harmony. Hayley breathed in his scent, shaped and molded his muscles and pulled him into her. Pleasure simmered, growing more, becoming more. Hayley released the last of her inhibitions and made love, showing with every touch, every gasp how much she cared. Wild. Fast and breathtaking. She exploded in fiery pleasure, flames licking through her sensitized body. Both breathing hard, they kissed slowly and with lingering touches, carefully stoking the passion between them again. This time when they fell into climax, it was warm and tender and full of love. Hayley sighed, abuzz with both pleasure and something else. Love. She loved Sam so much it hurt. “Helen,” he murmured, wrapping her in a tight embrace. She froze, guilt slashing through her pleasure. Lies. Secrets. They were coming back to bite her in the butt. Somehow there had to be a way to show him they were right for each other, that they belonged together. There had to be a way to clear the slate and make everything right.
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Chapter Eleven
Hayley woke several hours later, cocooned in warmth, nose pressed against a masculine chest. Disoriented, she stirred slightly and arms tightened, clasping her in safety. Security. Sam. She smiled, remembering the way they’d made love. At first wild and uncontrolled and then slower, each touch filled with love. The room lay in darkness, with a faint stream of light entering via the single window. Hayley wondered about the time. “Are you awake?” Sam’s husky rumble sent goose bumps skittering across her arms and legs. She shifted, stretching against him, taking great pleasure in the fact he had stayed with her, fallen asleep in her bed. “Yeah, I’m awake.” Maybe he’d stay the entire night and they could make love again. Hayley suppressed the urge to laugh out loud, stuffing the champagne-like bubbles fizzing through her veins into a smile instead. Sam. She pictured a future between them and smiled until she remembered the lie. The smile died, replaced by a frown and guilt. She had to tell him the truth. Now. The relationship couldn’t go ahead with lies standing between them. She wouldn’t let it. “Can we talk?” “Sounds serious.” Despite the light tone, caution also came through loud and clear. Sam pulled away from her and she rolled over, only to fall off the single bed. She landed with a thump. “Ouch.” Hayley rubbed her hip. “Oh, hell. I’m sorry.” Sam crouched by her side. “You okay?” “Yeah. Let me get the light.” She pushed to her feet, scowling. Maybe it was a bad omen. Reaching over, she flicked on the light, slitting her eyes against the harsh glare. www.samhainpublishing.com
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When she focused, it was on his broad chest. A naked chest. Suddenly discomfit filled her. Hayley reached for her robe and struggled into it. She belted it firmly around her waist and, when she glanced at Sam, his confusion was clear. “Are you kicking me out because I pushed you out of bed?” “No! I…would you like a coffee or something?” Thinking about doing something and actually doing it were miles apart. Nerves tap-danced an Irish jig through her stomach and nausea backed up her throat. Hayley swallowed. She had to tell him. Now, before it was too late. “What is it? What’s wrong?” Concern flickered across Sam’s face. “Oh, hell. You saw the paper.” Sam reached for his jeans and stepped into them. “The publicity is a fact of life. I don’t like it, but it’s there, whether I like it or not.” “Paper?” Was that what Abbey had been talking about? “Yeah, a photo of you and me with accompanying story.” Hayley felt the color bleach from her face. She wavered on her feet, grabbing the doorknob to steady her. “I think there’s some whiskey,” she muttered, padding from the bedroom and disappearing from sight.
Sam stared after her, feeling bad. The publicity was his fault. He hated living in a fishbowl, but it wasn’t about the change. According to Jase, the attention he received had eased off after his marriage. It seemed the gossip columns liked to concentrate on singles mostly. Frowning, Sam strode toward the kitchen where he could hear Helen slamming cupboards and muttering loudly. “Sam?” Suzie appeared from behind him. Obviously, she’d arrived home at some stage, although he hadn’t heard her. “What’s going on?” “I mentioned the photo in the gossip column to Helen. She said something about whiskey.” “Oh.” The curiosity in Suzie’s face blanked out. She frowned, glanced past him and backed up. “I think I’ll head back to my room. I’m working on the Blackmoore’s conference plan.”
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Sam stepped into the kitchen. “Helen?” The expression on her face froze him in place. “Whiskey,” she said, slamming a glass down on the countertop. Sam was surprised the glass didn’t shatter. Silently, he walked over to pick up the glass. “I need to tell you something,” she said. She was going to tell him she didn’t want to see him again. Sam gripped his glass, alarm jumping to life. No surprise. He didn’t like constant publicity, so why would she? Her breasts rose and fell beneath the robe she wore, the cloth gaping to let him view the upper curves. He realized then what his gut had told him all along. He wanted her in his life. “My name isn’t Helen.” It took a while for her words to register. He stared, his mouth firming and took a sip from his whiskey, watching her, waiting for her to say something else. “Did you hear me?” She paced the length of the kitchen, her long, curly hair flying with each turn. He loved watching her, loved the fact she had real curves. “Sam?” “Yeah, I heard.” He took another sip of his whiskey, the peaty taste burning all the way down his throat. “My name is Hayley. Hayley Williams.” “Why the lie?” Anger flared to life, burning as much as the whiskey. His soft curse made her flinch, the mood between them now chilly. Mistrustful. He advanced a step and took no pleasure in the way she retreated. His stomach knotted, the deceit unpalatable. He wanted the truth, dammit. “Why? Are you going to tell me you have another name next week?” Hell, he hated liars. Amber’s fault, since she’d lied to him from their first date to their final turbulent parting. Of course, he’d had a close skirmish with a female reporter before he’d met Amber, which hadn’t helped much in the trust stakes. These days he liked a large slice of honesty in his relationships. A vein throbbed at his temper, her betrayal leaving a bad taste in his mouth. Lying about her name once he could forgive, but twice? “What else have you lied about?”
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“The first time I saw you, I panicked. It was my birthday, I’d had a horrible day and when Suzie invited me to your work party I thought I’d go and hopefully forget my miserable day. I didn’t plan on seeing anyone again.” “Which still doesn’t explain why you lied.” Suspicion grew in Sam, and he didn’t like the thoughts that started to play through his head. He eyed her in cold speculation. Did she want his money, after all? “I liked you, really liked you. When you asked me my name, Helen popped out. It’s the name I book my tea-leaf-reading jobs under. It was Suzie’s idea, although I agreed it was a good solution. My employers don’t like us to have a second job—they say we can’t acquit ourselves well if two jobs split our focus. And my parents are very conservative. They wouldn’t understand me working in a job that requires hocus-pocus. Their words, not mine.” “Did you have something to do with the story accompanying the photos?” “No! Of course I didn’t. I’m saving up to buy a flat. Why would I risk drawing attention to myself if it means I might lose my job? And despite my parents being so conservative, I love them. I’d hate them to find out and be disappointed.” Skepticism rippled through him at her instant croak of horror. “If you care about them that much, why didn’t you get a better job?” “I like the one I have.” Sam set his empty glass on the counter. “Why did you wait so long to tell me?” To think he’d thought of taking things further with Helen. Hayley. Hell, did he have an invisible sign hovering above his head saying he wanted a woman who economized with the truth? He glared at her, his fingers gripping the edge of the counter while he fought to control his escalating temper. “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. I tried to tell you, several times, but the longer I left it, the harder it was to admit my name is Hayley.” “Any other secrets I should know about?”
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“Nothing.” Hayley glanced down at her bare feet before shooting him a quick frown. “Well apart from the fact I recently found out my mother had an affair and I’m the product of that liaison.” Sam read the discomfort on her face and his anger lessened. “I’ll ring you tomorrow.” He couldn’t talk to her now. A few minutes later and fully dressed, he let himself out the apartment. He needed time. Sam clomped down the stairs and pushed out the front door. A blonde woman stood in front, and he almost bowled her over. “Going inside?” He held the door for her and stomped over to his car. The parking ticket on the window did nothing for his temper. Sam climbed into his car and drove aimlessly, until he realized he was near his brother’s house. Maybe talking to Jase wasn’t such a bad idea. At least his brother should be able to tell him if he’d overreacted.
Sam ended up staying the night at his brother’s house. A drink or two had turned into three or four. “Rise and shine, sleepy head.” Jase rapped on the door and entered the bedroom to thrust a mug of coffee under his nose. “You told me to wake you at seven.” “Yeah, thanks.” Sam sat up and accepted the coffee. “I need to head into the office to take care of some things.” “You might want to check the paper first,” Rhiannon said. Sam froze, coffee mug halfway to his mouth. “Why?” Jase frowned. “Is there a problem, babe?” Rhiannon forced a smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “You could say that. I’m making breakfast. It will be ready in a few minutes.” “Doesn’t your wife ever give a straight answer?” Sam asked. Jase shook his head and gave a wry smile. “It’s part of the territory. What have you been up to recently that would hit the papers?” “Nothing. I’ve kept a pretty low profile, spending time with Helen—Hayley—and working. That’s it. We’ve gone to the movies, but mainly we’ve met at conferences.” “Then you have nothing to worry about,” Jase said.
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Sam set his coffee mug down and stood. “Why doesn’t that reassure me?” After Jase left, he pulled on his clothes and dragged his hands through his hair in an attempt to restore order. Mouth set, he grabbed his empty coffee mug and went out to face the newspapers.
“Cripes,” Suzie said in vast understatement. Hayley opened her mouth and shut it again, her teeth meeting in an audible clack. Her face peered up at her from the newspaper—the front page, no less. “That’s not a recent photo,” Suzie said. “I know.” Hayley started to read the article, horror growing with each word she scanned. “I didn’t do this. Sam’s going to think I talked to the reporter.” Suzie placed a comforting arm around her shoulders, hugging her in silent commiseration. “I’m so sorry.” “It’s not your fault.” Someone had talked to a reporter, but Hayley didn’t think for a moment it was Suzie. “No, I mean I’m sorry it’s happened.” “Sam isn’t going to be happy. Are there other photos?” “There are photos of the two of you together, but the accompanying story is speculation.” Suzie read some of the article and frowned. “This one is worse.” She hesitated. “Do you think your sister would do something like this?” Hayley thought about the desperation on Abbey’s face, the determination, and slowly nodded. “She wasn’t very happy with me at our last meeting. She knows I read tea leaves. Abbey attended the fair at Greensbarrow and she and her friends wanted their tea leaves read.” “Oh.” “Oh, indeed. She demanded money again, and when I refused, she stomped off, saying I’d be sorry. I don’t understand why she hates me so much.” “She’s jealous,” Suzie said.
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“But why? Our parents were always so strict with me. I was the one who disappointed them and sneaked about with my boyfriend all the time. I was the one who managed to get pregnant.” “Abbey needs to be the center of attention.” Hayley snorted, her anger starting to grow. “So she does that by putting me in the papers? Yeah, that will really work well for her.” “Sam’s gonna be angry.” Hayley sucked in a deep breath, acknowledging the truth of Suzie’s words. Oh, yeah. And given his personal history with the tabloids, he’d put the blame squarely on her shoulders. “I’d better ring him.” Her hand trembled when she reached for the phone. The intercom rang before she had a chance to dial. “I’ll get it,” Suzie said. Hayley dialed while listening to a reporter’s voice crackle through the intercom. Suzie told the man to piss off just as someone picked up the phone. “Yes!” The impatient tone made her hesitate. “Is anyone there?” “Sam, it’s me. Hayley.” “You have a nerve,” he said in a low growl. “Did they pay you well?” It hit Hayley then. Abbey had done it for both the money and to punish her for not handing over her precious savings. “I didn’t sell the story to the press and have nothing to do with the story.” “Yeah, well, you would say that. Facts look pretty clear to me. Don’t bother coming for the next conference.” “But I—” “Trust means everything to me, Hayley. You lied to me about your name. You sold me out to the press. How the hell do you expect me to trust you again?” “But—” The soft click of the phone told Hayley he’d hung up without allowing her to explain. Not that she would have told him about Abbey’s gambling problems. She hung
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up, her shoulders slumping in despair. “He doesn’t believe me.” Her thick voice was loaded with tears. “I’ll tell him the truth,” Suzie said, her chin jerking up in combative mode. “No. I have to fix this myself. And if he won’t listen to me, he’s not worth fighting for.” “What are you going to do?” “I’m going to ring in sick and go see Mum and Dad. It’s time we talked and cleared the air.” A small smile echoed across Suzie’s face. “Can I come to watch when you have a showdown with Abbey? I know she’s your sister, but I think she’s selfish and spoiled. And petty. I’m sorry, but I don’t like her.” “Don’t hold back now,” Hayley said, biting her lip hard so she didn’t laugh. Suzie’s thoughts about Abbey were no secret. During their teenage years, her friend and sister had clashed several times because of their strong personalities. She had always been the peacemaker, the one who walked away rather than fight. If Abbey was counting on that now, she would soon learn of her mistake. Suzie stared at her for an instant before chuckling. “I’m not about to change after all these years. Would you like me to ring in sick for you?” “No, I’ll do it,” Hayley said. “Don’t worry. Sam’s not an unreasonable man. He cares for you.” Hayley nodded, her throat closing up and eyes misting at the thought of losing Sam because of her lies. Maybe if she hadn’t lied to him about her name, he might have believed her about the newspaper article and photos or at least given her the opportunity to defend herself. An hour later she caught the train out of London, heading for her parents’ house. The clatter of the train as it rolled over the tracks echoed over and over inside her head. She hadn’t rung her parents beforehand because she hadn’t wanted to talk about Abbey over the phone. Face-to-face was best. Hopefully they were home today. A sigh escaped. She had to make this right.
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A woman slipped into the empty seat beside her. “Are you Hayley Williams?” “Why?” Hayley’s eyes narrowed while she studied the woman. No one else had recognized her so far in her baseball cap and casual jeans. “I wondered if you’d give me an interview about you and Sam Norville. You’re big news because it’s not often Sam Norville goes out with the same girl more than once.” She pulled a business card out of the inside pocket of her gray suit jacket. “I’m not interested,” Hayley said, striving for pleasant rather than the snarl and sarcastic reply trembling on the tip of her tongue. “I don’t want any more of my personal life splashed across the pages of newspapers or magazines.” “Take my card,” the woman urged. “I don’t work for a tabloid. I’m not interested in sensationalizing the facts. Take my card in case you change your mind.” Hayley stuffed the card into her handbag and, when the train slowed, checked to see which stop they were pulling into. Not hers. She wondered if she should shift or if she’d have to sit by the reporter for the rest of her journey, but the woman left. The train pulled up with a loud groan and screech of brakes. Several passengers stood and pulled bags out of the overhead rack. The walk from the train station passed in a blur. Hayley couldn’t stop thinking about Sam, hearing the pain and disillusionment again and again. She hurried past the corner shop, her own face peering out at her from the newspaper display. The hope her parents hadn’t heard yet died a swift death. Knowing the local gossip chain, they’d probably heard about the story long before she had. They’d probably rung, but after the call to Sam and her employer, she’d taken the phone off the hook. The reporters had dispersed quickly once Suzie had left driving her flashy black coupe, leaving Hayley to leave quietly on foot, cap pulled down low to hide her face. Hayley walked up the front footpath of the house she’d grown up in. She heard the raised voices before she even opened the front door. As usual, it was unlocked, and she slipped inside, shutting it after her. Rapid footsteps took her to the kitchen. The entire family, apart from the children, sat around the table in heated discussion. She paused at
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the doorway, unseen, her heart twisting in an ache. It had always been like this—a sense of not belonging. The feeling that she was on the outside looking in. “Hayley is always doing something to make the rest of us look bad,” Abbey said. “She’s impulsive and never thinks before she acts. It’s a wonder there aren’t any reporters outside the house now. They were certainly hanging around outside ours.” “Don’t you think we should hear what Hayley has to say before we try to execute her?” Her father’s quiet voice stilled Abbey’s tongue momentarily. “She’s an ungrateful wretch,” Abbey snapped. “I don’t know why you all stick up for her.” “Because she’s our daughter and we love her,” her father said in a firm voice. “No one is perfect. Like all of us, Hayley has made mistakes in the past, but that doesn’t stop us from loving her.” Tears stung Hayley’s eyes, and in that moment she belonged. Her father, who wasn’t her biological father, loved her just as she was. That meant so much to her. “I came on the first train,” Hayley said in a firm voice. She stepped into the kitchen. “Is there enough tea for me or shall I make a fresh pot?”
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Chapter Twelve
Everyone in the room froze in a tableau. “I’ll put on the jug,” Hayley said when they all stared at her. “We need to talk.” Her father stood and gave her a quick hug, cementing his words of love. Hayley’s sight blurred as she went through the motions of making the tea. “You might have warned us,” Abbey said. “All my friends are laughing behind my back. I don’t know when I’m going to be able to show my face again.” “They can’t be very good friends, then,” Hayley said. “My friends believe in me.” “Aren’t you Miss Perfect?” Abbey’s sneer stripped away her beauty. “Tell us about the story, Hayley,” her father said. “No matter what, Hayley, we won’t judge,” Dan said. “Dad is right. You’re family and we believe in you.” Hayley kissed her father on the cheek and smiled at Dan. “Thanks for the show of support.” She placed the fresh pot of tea on the table and topped up everyone’s cup. Finally, she set the teapot down and took a deep breath. “It’s true, I’ve been seeing Sam Norville. We met at a party a few weeks ago and enjoyed spending time together.” “You’re sleeping with him,” Abbey said. “That’s none of your business.” Hayley picked up her cup and took a sip. It was so hot she burnt her tongue. “We’re good friends, but Sam doesn’t have much to do with my story. I’ve been saving up to buy my own flat.” “Your own flat,” her mother said, the first words she’d uttered since Hayley had entered the kitchen. Hayley eyed her mother with concern. Today she looked small and old. “That’s wonderful.” “I’ve taken a second job.”
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“But your employment contract forbids a second job,” Dan said. “I remember that from when you asked me to read over it for you.” “I know. I didn’t set out to get a second job. I sort of fell into it. I read tea leaves at fairs and fetes and more recently at conferences. The money was good, and since I used a disguise, I hoped no one would realize it was me.” “Love, your employer will know now,” her father said. “I know. It’s possible I’ll lose my job over it. Anyway, I mentioned to Abbey about saving for a flat one day and not long ago, she asked me for a loan.” “That’s a lie!” Abbey shot to her feet, a rush of red filling her cheeks before the color seeped away, leaving two round spots of blusher the size of plums on an otherwise pale face. “Dan, she told me you had a gambling problem and you desperately needed the money to pay back loans, that you were going to lose your house.” Dan’s face paled in shock and he glanced at Abbey. “I don’t have a gambling problem.” “No, but Abbey does,” Hayley said. “When I refused to give her money she was furious. As luck would have it she saw me at a fair and put all the clues together. When I refused to give her money again, she went to the papers and sold this story.” “Abbey?” Dan stood, his attention solely on his wife. “Hell, it’s true, isn’t it? You gambled away the money in our savings account. You haven’t invested it somewhere else at all.” “Abbey,” her mother said. “Everything you told us about Hayley was a lie, wasn’t it? You wanted to alienate Hayley so we wouldn’t believe her if she came to us. Oh, Abbey.” The disappointment in their mother’s voice made Abbey crumple. She stumbled to the nearest chair and fell into it, sobbing loudly. “Why, Abbey?” Dan shook his head, anguish making him appear years older. “Why did you do this to your sister? Why didn’t you come to me and talk about your problem? I suppose you’ve sold the jewelry you said was stolen?”
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Abbey wailed even louder, but Hayley didn’t feel any satisfaction. She felt sorry for her sister. Her sister. She realized that despite it all, she still thought of Abbey as her sister. “Hayley has everything. She always gets all the attention,” Abbey said between sobs. “That’s not true,” their father said. “We’ve always tried to treat you equally. Abbey, there is no competition between the two of you. We love you both.” “Hayley, what are you going to do?” their mother asked. “Not much I can do. I guess I’ll hold my head high and wait for all the interest to die down.” Her father reached over the table to pat her hand. “What about your young man?” Hayley gave a wry smile. “That might prove a bit more difficult. At the moment, he’s refused to talk to me, but I’ll try again, and at least apologize for the trouble Abbey has caused him.” “What about your job?” Dan asked. “I might have to resign.” She sighed at the thought of looking for another job. “I’ll have to see what happens.”
All the way back to London, Hayley tried to plan what she’d say to Sam, if he’d let her see him. She alighted from the bus outside Sam’s office and saw a large number of cars and reporters filling the street outside. Great. Just great. Hayley kept walking and found herself outside the pub where it had all started. She ordered an orange juice and found a quiet table in one of the small alcoves. Sam might not even be in the office, so it would be a waste of time trying to get past the reporters. She’d ring Suzie and take things from there. Hayley fished her cell phone out of her handbag and dialed, biting her lip anxiously while she waited for her friend to answer. “It’s Hayley,” she said when Suzie answered. “Could you tell me where Sam is? Is he in the office?”
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“No, we’re at the Earl’s Court Exhibition center helping a client set up for a trade show.” “Do you think I could come down there?” Hayley couldn’t keep the pleading from her voice. An ache had wrapped around her heart and wouldn’t let go. She had to make this right. Even if he didn’t feel the same way as her, at least she’d have the bittersweet knowledge that he believed her, that she wasn’t someone out for money and cheap publicity. “We’re going to a pub down the road for drinks and something to eat at four. The Tournament on Old Brompton Road. Hayley, I tried to talk to him about you and he walked away. I’m not sure this is a good idea.” “I’ll find the pub. I have to talk to him, even if he never wants to see me again, I need him to know I wasn’t responsible.” Suzie’s sigh sounded down the phone. “Abbey is such a bitch.” The tight sensation intensified, spikes of nervous energy darting into her stomach. “I’m leaving now. I’ll wait in the pub.”
Sam saw Hayley standing at the bar as soon as he entered the pub, despite the way she’d dressed to blend and had a navy blue cap pulled low over her face. He turned to walk back out, but Suzie blocked his exit. “Talk to her, or rather, listen. Give her a chance. Do you think I would have set you up if I thought Hayley was guilty?” “I should fire you,” Sam snapped. She laughed, the burst of humor lightening the seriousness of her face. “But you won’t because I’m good.” “We’ll see,” he muttered darkly. “I might fire you yet.” He shot a glance at Hayley, saw her catch her bottom lip between her teeth, abusing it while she stared at a drink she never touched. He crossed the carpeted floor to stand beside her. “You wanted to talk?” Up close, her delicate floral scent flowed over him, punching him with memories he didn’t want to examine.
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“I…yes. Please.” A tic started in her jaw, the small throb letting him see her anxiety. It relaxed the tension in his gut and shoulders. “Grab a table while I get a drink.” Hayley nodded and headed over to the far corner of the room to one of the few empty tables. It wasn’t an ideal setting for a private conversation, but she couldn’t attempt seduction with this many people around either. They’d need to watch out for loitering reporters. Sam purchased his drink plus a couple of sausage sandwiches before heading over to Hayley. “I have half an hour before I need to head back to the convention center.” Hayley nodded and waited until he pulled out one of the fabric-covered stools and sat. “I’m so sorry. It was my older sister, Abbey, who spoke to the reporter. They used the facts she gave them plus what they’d discovered to write the story.” She paused, looking down at her hands before raising her head to meet his gaze. “We’ve just found out Abbey has a gambling problem. She wanted me to give her a loan and when I refused, she contacted the reporter. I have never spoken to a reporter and won’t. I’m a private person and I don’t want my personal life splashed across every newspaper and magazine.” She made a moue of distaste. “I don’t know how you cope with the constant publicity. It would drive me insane. People look and whisper all the time. I hate it,” she added fiercely. “It’s not much fun. Have you spoken to any reporters since the story came out?” “No, I haven’t. Wait…there was a woman who came up to me on the train while I was going home to see my parents. She gave me a business card and told me to call her if I wanted to talk, but that was all.” Her blue eyes beseeched him to believe her. “Okay.” Sam picked up half of his sandwich and ate it in silence. He noticed the occupants of the table next to them staring. When he glared at them, they hurriedly looked away. “You believe me?”
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Did he believe her? He had the sources to check, but more than anything, he believed Suzie. She trusted Hayley, and that made him accept her story. “Yes, I believe you. It’s easy enough for me to check.” “I’ll give you Dan, my brother-in-law’s contact details if you’d like. I told him I’d speak to you about Abbey. He won’t mind talking to you.” Sam finished off his sandwich and took a sip of his beer. This morning things had been so clear. This thing between them was over. Anger had made things easy. But now… His shoulders heaved in a deep breath. No. He couldn’t do this now. He needed to think, to work out exactly what he wanted from Hayley. Sam downed the rest of his beer and stood. “Thanks for telling me. Appreciate it.” And he walked away.
Hayley stared after him in shock. Her eyes slowly narrowed as anger built. That was it? He was just walking away after everything between them, without exploring the possibilities. The magic between them was rare. Didn’t he know that? A harsh breath rasped from her lungs, her hands clenched and unclenched. He couldn’t do this. Walk away without looking back. She wouldn’t let him. If he could stand in front of her and say he didn’t love her, he didn’t care then she might accept it. Even though it hurt. Hayley decided she’d go to his apartment. Confront him one final time for her peace of mind. She’d hate knowing she hadn’t tried, had given up without a fight. Yeah, she knew herself. Regrets—she’d have more than a few. Hayley finished her drink and stood, stopping to say goodbye to Suzie. “I’m going back to the flat. I’ll see you later.” Outside the pub, three men pounced. “Hayley, what’s up with you and the playboy?” Hayley held her head high and kept walking, weaving through the pedestrians. The reporters followed, firing questions, but she ignored them. As she neared Earl’s Court tube station, the crowds thickened with shoppers, convention people and workers heading home. Australian accents. English. South African and European. One of the more
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determined reporters followed her onto the train. Hayley thought he sounded like a whining mosquito. “Go away,” she said loudly. “Leave me alone.” “Is he bothering you, Miss?” A large man covered with dust from a building site stood behind the reporter. “Yes,” Hayley said with a glare at the reporter intent on hounding her until she gave him an interview. “This man is following me and I don’t know him. If he doesn’t stop I will call the police.” Hayley scowled at the man and plucked her cell phone from her handbag. She flipped the phone open and started to dial. With a curse, the reporter shoved past the commuters standing in the aisle, leaving Hayley staring after him. “Thanks,” she said to the builder. “No problem. Don’t like men like him.”
At seven-thirty Hayley decided Sam should have arrived home by now or at least be close. After changing her clothes four times, Hayley finally settled on casual—jeans and a blouse in her favorite blue along with brown sandals. She arrived outside Sam’s flat, her stomach bouncing with nerves. Part of her wanted to turn and run away, but she forced herself to step up to the door. When she was about to ring the buzzer to Sam’s apartment, her cell phone rang. “Hayley. It’s Sam. Are you at home? I want to come and see you.” Hope sparked to life. “I’m downstairs, about to ring the buzzer to your apartment.” “I’ll buzz you in now.” The strident sound made her smile. She pushed through the door, feeling ultimately more confident than she had during the journey from Fulham to Knightsbridge. The lift whooshed up to Sam’s apartment, and he stood there when the doors opened. He didn’t smile. Stillness throbbed around him while his dark eyes studied her, and gradually the expression coalesced into satisfaction. “You came.” “Yeah, I couldn’t stay away. I…ah…needed to find out if you felt the same way about me that I feel about you.” There. She’d said it out loud.
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“Come inside.” He stretched out his hand to her, the gesture holding more than mere courtesy. The knowledge simmered through the air. In his face. And when his strong fingers closed around hers, it felt like home. An acknowledgement. She’d been right to come. Sam led her into his apartment and kicked the door shut behind them. “You look beautiful.” “Thanks.” They stared at each other until a smile crept across Sam’s face. “Are we okay?” Hayley thought they might be, but wasn’t one hundred percent sure. “You believe me.” “That you wouldn’t sell me out to the press. Yeah, we’re good. Once I’d considered what you said, I believed you.” He drew her closer, his dark gaze feeling as if it physically caressed her. Then his lips were on hers. Soft. Tentative. He lifted his head to cup her face in his hands. Their gazes met and Sam smiled. “I love you, Hayley Williams. I’ve been fighting the need to say it for days.” “But, Sam. We haven’t known each other for very long.” Her breathing hitched while she sought calm, the voice of reason. “Compared to my parents and brother we’ve set a world record for taking our time.” He smoothed his hand over her hair and stroked her palm, eliciting a shiver of pleasure. His touch washed through her and she basked under his intense scrutiny. “What if there are more stories in the press?” Her brow wrinkled as she thought of more public attention. “There will be,” Sam said, his smile smoothing out. “It’s part of the territory. But don’t worry.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her farther into the apartment. “We’ll try to manage future press coverage.” Hayley’s heart started to pound. A future. Yes, he’d said he loved her, but a future? “Do we have a future? I didn’t think you wanted to commit to one woman.” She moved away from him, edgy and restless, unable to truly believe they might have a future because she wanted it so badly.
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“I can’t imagine life without you, Hayley. What do you think?” Hayley grinned. “I might be interested.” He growled, a rattle deep in his throat, and advanced on her, intent written clearly on his face. “Might?” A giggle erupted and she backed up, only stopping when the wall at her back halted further retreat. She met his gaze, her heart melting. “Sam, I love you. I tried really hard not to because it made things complicated—with my lies—but you kept pushing your way into my thoughts.” “Glad I did something right.” Sam wrapped his arms around her shoulders and, without warning, scooped her off her feet, cradling her in his arms. He carried her through the lounge and down the passage to his bedroom, dropping her on his bed. “You’ll marry me.” “Are you asking?” “Yes.” He leaned over her to trail a line of kisses over her jaw, placing the final one near the corner of her mouth. Hayley sighed and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. He overbalanced, falling on top of her. “Perfect,” she said. “Will you marry me, Hayley?” A slow smile spread across her mouth. “I’m probably unemployed as of today. I’m not sure yet because I rang in sick today.” “It doesn’t matter. You fit into our conference program easily enough.” “I’m a fake tea leaf reader.” He smoothed a lock of hair off her face and smiled down at her. “That’s not what Suzie said. And don’t forget, I’ve visited your flat. You have a bookcase full of research books on the art of reading tea leaves.” “That’s true,” she conceded, “but at the start I was merely someone to fill in when the real reader was sick.” “Any more objections?” Hayley’s brow wrinkled, but she silently laughed. “I think that’s all for the moment.”
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“Good,” he said. “Agree to marry me and we can get to the good stuff.” “Yes.” “Yes?” “Definitely yes,” Hayley said. “I’ll marry you.” Their lips met in a kiss of commitment, of promises for the future. The tender meeting of lips turned into more. Hot. Hungry. Desperate. Clothes melted away. Limbs brushed and bodies moved together. Promises made. Promises given. They gave and received pleasure until the fire between them burned out of control. Finally, they stilled, both breathing heavily. Sam drew her close, smoothing his hand down her bare back. “I’m going to like being married to you.” “You’re meant to love it,” she said smiling at him. “I will,” he promised. “From now on it will be tea for two, at least until we have children.” “Tea for two, huh? I like it.” The delight faded from her face, and she stroked her fingers along his jaw, staring deep into his eyes. “I’d love to have kids, although not straight away, if that’s okay. I’d like to spend time alone with you first.” “Sounds good to me,” Sam said. “All along I’ve rubbished the idea of love at first sight. My family is going to enjoy ribbing me, making me eat my words. You’ll have to help me suffer through the teasing.” Hayley chuckled, loving the teasing beneath the surface, the love for her blazing in his eyes. “It will be my pleasure.” And it would. With Sam at her side, she’d come a full circle, back to impulsive and spontaneous actions and fun. But most of all, she’d come to trust her gut instincts and she’d found love. And she couldn’t do much better than that.
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About the Author
To learn more about Shelley Munro, please visit www.shelleymunro.com. Send an email to Shelley at
[email protected].
Wrong bed…right man?
Midnight Encounters © 2008 Elle Kennedy
Between her waitressing job, volunteer work, and college classes, there are never enough hours in the day for Maggie Reilly. Especially not for a relationship. She’s got the perfect arrangment, though—a lover she meets three or four times a year. This weekend is one of those rare times, and she’s more than ready for a few nights of stressbusting sex. But when she shows up at the hotel expecting to hop into bed with one man, she accidentally ends up with quite another: Ben Barrett, Hollywood’s most notorious bad boy. Ben, determined to lay low after another scandal, has checked into the hotel for some much-needed sleep. What he gets is a scorching-hot makeout session with a gorgeous, naked redhead. He won’t accept her apology, but what he will accept is a place to hide out—in her arms. In exchange, he’ll give her what she wants. A full week of no-strings sex. Ben soon finds out that one week with the fiery redhead is definitely not enough. He finds himself wanting more. A lot more. Now if only he can convince Maggie that a bad boy might just be good for her—and the best thing that’s ever happened to both of them. Warning: This title contains a sexy movie star and a sassy redhead who know exactly how to heat up the sheets. The wild sex might require the use of an air-conditioner. Graphic language and explicit sex.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Midnight Encounters: As Maggie let herself into the room, she was instantly engulfed by shadows. She blinked and waited for her eyes to focus, while she tried to figure out the reason for the dead silence hanging over the room. No, wait, not dead silence. Her ears perked as the sound of light breathing floated from the direction of the bed.
“Oh, don’t do this to me, Anthony,” she chided softly, dropping her purse on the table beside her and turning to lock the door. “I see you three times a year, at least have the decency to stay awake.” No response. A slow grin spread over her mouth as she took another step forward. She was tempted to flick on the lights and maybe stomp her foot to jar Tony from his slumber, but that wouldn’t be fun, would it? Instead, she reached for the hem of her black baby tee and pulled the shirt over her head. She unhooked her lacy bra, and it fell onto the carpet, followed by her short denim skirt, skimpy panties and the heels on her feet. She shivered as the cool air met her naked skin, then she crept toward the edge of the bed, still grinning. Tony was about to get a hell of a wake-up call. “C’mon, Tony,” she murmured, “you only flew in from Nassau. Don’t plead jet lag.” She was answered by a husky male groan. “Ah, so he’s alive,” she teased, reaching for the corner of the flower-patterned blanket. With a quiet chuckle, she slid under the covers and pressed her body against Tony’s, fighting back a moan as his warm, rock-hard chest pressed against her bare breasts. Her nipples instantly hardened, the tight buds springing against the soft feathering of hair on that glorious chest. She swung one leg over his muscular thighs, hoping the heat from her aching pussy might jumpstart his sluggish brain into action, but he remained motionless. The room was still bathed in darkness, and though she could barely see his face, it was obvious he was in a seriously deep sleep. “I see how it is,” she said, starting to grow annoyed. “Fine, you want me to raise you from the dead? How’s this?” She placed her hand directly on his crotch, a little surprised when she didn’t find the cotton barrier of his briefs. Since when did Tony sleep in the buff? Not that she minded.
As a lazy heat began dancing through her veins, she dragged her index finger along the length of his shaft. Like his chest, it was rock-hard, and…bigger? No, it couldn’t be. She ran her finger over the tip of his cock, felt the drop of moisture there, and smiled as another groan broke through the silence. Finally. Signs of life. His massive erection told her he’d be getting into the swing of things soon, and she was right. The second she squeezed his shaft, one powerful arm slid out and pulled her closer. She found herself crushed in his embrace, his cock still in her hand, while a pair of warm lips sought hers in the darkness. His kiss stole the breath from her lungs and made her gasp against his hot mouth. There was nothing soft or gentle about it, just a greedy devouring, the hungry thrusts of his tongue, the sting of his teeth as he bit her lower lip. Oh dear God, when did Tony start kissing like this? And why hadn’t he done it sooner? The intensity of his kisses caused her to drop her hand from his throbbing erection, and all she could do was lose herself in the delicious sensations his mouth and tongue created in her body. Limbs turning to jelly. Moisture pooling between her legs. Nipples so tight it was almost painful. A fire hotter than she’d ever experienced slowly swept over her. Crackling when he bit her lip again. Hissing when his hand cupped a breast. And then he slid one finger into her sopping wet pussy and she was shocked to feel the ripples of an impending orgasm rising to the surface. She clamped her teeth down on her bottom lip, trying to stop herself from climaxing. It was too fast, too soon. How is this possible? her overly-aroused brain demanded. She’d slept with this guy dozens of times before, so why was her entire body swarming with unfamiliar—but totally incredible—sensations? She pried open her eyelids, hoping if she let their gazes lock, she might make sense of it. She squinted, blinked as she searched his face in the dark, and then wondered why his features seemed more…rugged.
Her gaze drifted lower and settled on his arm—was that a tattoo? When had Tony gotten himself inked? And why wasn’t he tanned? He’d just come from the Bahamas, so really, he should have a— “What’s the matter, sweetheart?” came a sleepy voice. The husky sound that filled the room made her sit up as if someone had shoved a tenthousand-volt wire up her spine. Why didn’t she recognize his voice? As a steady stream of panic rushed up her throat, she stared down at the dark head beside her, and repeated his question in her disorientated brain. What was the matter? In one very swift, very startling moment, Maggie knew exactly what the matter was. She was in bed with a complete and total stranger.
Can passion be found in a bottle?
The Passion-Minded Professor © 2008 Natasha Moore Roxy Morgan is finally in control of her life. After working in the family diner to put her now ex-husband through law school, she’s getting her own chance at a college education. She doesn’t need any distractions in her life right now, especially men. The strong magnetic pull she feels toward chemistry professor Dr. Daniel Jennings is more than just an annoyance—it’s threatening her GPA. Yet she can’t seem to keep mind on her studies, or her hands off him. Driven, lonely Daniel has been working to perfect an attraction elixir so he can finally find what’s been missing in his life: Passion. Sassy, outgoing Roxy wasn’t supposed to be part of his experiment. It was purely an accident. Now his elixir has given him an unexpected side effect—he’s fallen in love. But his sense of honor nags him to tell her the truth about the “love potion.” Even if it means risking the best thing that’s ever happened to him.
Enjoy the following excerpt for The Passion-Minded Professor: He laughed and before she realized what he was doing, he leaned over and scooped her up in his arms. He carried her easily across the living room and down the hall. He pushed open a door that was ajar and flipped on the light switch with his shoulder. “Hey, you do have a bed,” Roxy said. It looked extra wide and extra long, or maybe it just seemed that way from her vantage point up here in Daniel’s arms. The walls were beige. The black comforter on the bed stood out in sharp contrast. The bed seemed to take up most of the room. In only two steps, they’d reached it. But she remained in Daniel’s arms. She squirmed a little. “You can put me down now.” He held her a bit closer and nibbled on her ear. “I don’t know if I will,” he said, the warmth of his breath washing over her neck. “I like holding you.” “I’m too heavy.”
“Stop worrying about it. You’re not too heavy,” he replied, but he set her gently down onto the bed. He knelt down and untied her sneakers. Then he stripped her socks from her feet. He caressed her feet with his hands. Oh God, that felt wonderful. “You have very pretty feet.” “No one has pretty feet,” she said. She tried to pull her feet away, but he held on. “Why do you want to argue with me tonight?” He rubbed the balls of her feet with his thumbs and she thought she might melt, it felt so good. “You have pretty feet.” “Thank you,” she said because she didn’t know what else to say. She wasn’t used to compliments, especially about her weight and feet. “Stand up,” he said. “Let’s get these jeans off you.” “Okay.” She stood and reached for the snap, but his fingers beat her to it. After the snap, he lowered the zipper and pushed the denim over her hips. He hooked her damp panties with his thumbs and they ended up on the floor along with the jeans. She held onto his shoulders as she stepped out of them. “Beautiful,” he murmured as he ran his gaze over her. And before she had a chance to respond, he placed a finger on her lips. “Beautiful,” he repeated. She couldn’t help smiling. If nothing else, Daniel had given her a feeling of worth. He made her feel beautiful. Desirable. But she wanted so much more. She swept her hands down his sides, skimming his ribs, catching the waistband of his boxer briefs with her fingers. She caught his amused gaze. “It’s only fair.” He spread his arms wide. “Be my guest.” She slid the soft cotton down over his hips and his heavy cock. The briefs landed at his feet and he stepped out of them. And finally he stood before her in all his glory. His long, muscular legs she wanted tangled with hers. His taut buns she wanted to touch with her trembling fingers. His magnificent arousal she wanted to take into her eager body. She was amazed that she stood naked before him and felt confident and sexy and powerful. How did he do that to her? Or did she do it for herself?
Or maybe the two of them made the right combination. In the back of her mind, a voice told her she should be upset with that thought, but at the moment she didn’t know why. “Lay back on my bed,” Daniel said softly. “Fulfill my fantasy.” She spread her arms out and fell backward, her body cushioned by the soft mattress and silky comforter beneath her. She slid back on the bed, until her head sank into the soft pillow. Her eyes never left Daniel’s. He was gazing at her as if she were the most precious thing on Earth and she could almost believe it. “I’ve pictured you like this,” he told her. “No, not exactly like this. My imagination never came up with anything as wonderful as you are right now.” Her breath caught in her throat. No words would come, at least words he would want to hear, so she bit her tongue and smiled. He took off his glasses and set them on the nightstand before he joined her on the bed. His weight on the mattress sent her rolling toward him and she wrapped her arms around him. He stretched out beside her, the heat from his body warming her through and through. When he leaned over to suckle at her breast, she suddenly sat up. How could she have forgotten the most important thing of all? “Wait a minute.” He frowned. “What?” “Be right back.” She jumped off the bed. Where did she leave her coat? She ran out of the bedroom. It was lying in a mound on the sofa. She turned it upside down, trying to get her hand in the right pocket. Pennies flew everywhere, but she left her poker winnings where they lay. Finally she found what she was looking for and turned back to the bedroom. “What’s the matter?” Daniel stood in the doorway. “Are you all right?” She smiled and sauntered past him into the bedroom. “Oh, yeah.” He followed her back into the bedroom. “Roxy?” She dropped a handful of colorful condom packages onto the mattress. “I came prepared.”
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