The cold air was seeping through his clothing, cooling his skin. He’d give Ker’s thrash another twenty minutes then take his leave. And if he could get to the fabled fiancée without being waylaid by sycophants, he’d introduce himself, discover if her voice was as sultry and exciting as her appearance.
He turned to head back in, then his feet froze to the paving slabs. Talk of the devil!
Briefly illuminated in the light from the French windows the Fabled Fiancée paused, the freshening wind catching the gossamer-fine short skirt of her dress, whisking it upwards in a swirl of scarlet, displaying more of those endless, shapely legs, a tantalisingly brief glimpse of scarlet panties.
Desire kicked fiercely deep in his abdomen. He controlled it. High time he settled down, he mocked himself, if he got horny at the sight of a pair of nicely rounded thighs separated by an intriguing scarlet triangle.
Red for danger.
Just how dangerous he was to discover, as flying feet on impossibly high heels propelled that curvy body right up to him and into his arms.
His nemesis exploded from the dark night in a rusde of silk, a cloud of some heady, musky perfume, a halo of wild tumbling golden hair and a sweetly soft body pressed close to his—a delightful, insistent closeness that rocked him back on his heels, making his arms go out to fold tightly about her, making his head spin, his senses reel.
He could feel the pulsing beat of her heart beneath the seductive, pouting breasts that were so voluptuously pressed against the unyielding rock-hardness of his chest, could feel the warmth of her belly as she wriggled against his pelvis, feel himself harden with startling immediacy, feel his control do a runner as her arms curled up around his neck, pulling his head down to hers.
He didn’t need any urging. As his mouth homed in unerringly on the moist pout of her lips instinct slammed the door of his mind on the harsh reminder that this was Glover’s woman.
The kiss—the fevered stroke and counter-stroke, the delving, subtle exploration, the moist, receptive sweetness of her, the small slender hands curving now to shape his skull, his own hands moving instinctively to take what he craved; the glorious weight and urgent softness of the breasts that literally peaked into the seeking palms of his hands—made his mind explode in wild psychedelic patterns of light.
This was elemental, untamed woman. And he wanted her—wanted her here, now, again and again.
The sinuous movement of her body against his made him shake with the fiery desperation of his need. Then the small cry she gave, almost of shock, handed him back enough control to still the caressing movements of his hands, to control the urgency of his need to uncover those desire-swollen globes and suckle her.
The small hands were pushing determinedly at his chest, and a slow gleam of brightness as the moon broke through the cloud cover showed him wide dark eyes drenched with shocked understanding.
For a moment her body quivered in his arms, and then she turned and sped away as quickly as she’d come to him, leaving him to spend the next ten minutes getting himself back in control, castigating himself bitterly for being such a goddammed fool.
Thirty-six years old and he’d reacted to her initial embrace like a sixteen-year-old adolescent overdosed on testosterone. Wryly, he guessed his body was trying to tell him something—like it was high time he entered a long-term relationship, preferably marriage?
And far from envying young Glover his choice of a future wife, he pitied him now. What the hell had she thought she was doing? Offering him partial use of her admittedly gorgeous body in the hope that having had a taster he’d promote her fiancé to head of department in the confident expectation of getting payment in full on delivery?
The unmistakable look of shock in those lovely eyes must have been brought on by the knowledge that they were both reaching the point of no return. That she’d been good and ready for him he had no doubt. His experience wasn’t vast, but deep enough to know the signs. Had Rupert Glover’s future wife been afraid she might deliver the goods before he’d been teased enough, been driven wild enough by contemplating the pay-off to promote her future husband over his rival?
He felt sorry for the poor devil!
CHAPTER ONE
UNTIL they left the motorway at Swindon, heading roughly north-west for Herefordshire, Annie had been feeling fine, enjoying the trip, the early warmth of the summer sun.
Mark Redway, her boss, drove the open-top MG Sports superlatively well, and he’d picked her up from her flat almost at the crack of dawn to beat the inevitable build-up of traffic at the start of the Bank Holiday weekend.
She loved the feel of the breeze in her hair, tossing it into a crinkly mane, loved the warm touch of the late-August sun on her arms and face.
But.
‘I’m beginning to get cold feet.’
‘You? Never!’ Mark smiled his very white smile, gave her a glancing look from dancing hazel eyes. ‘Anyway, you agreed. And they’re all expecting you and looking forward to meeting you.’
“That’s not true, for a start,’ she objected, wondering what madness had induced her to go along with his hare-brained plan. ‘The looking forward to meeting me bit. Your poor parents will be dreading having to put up with me for the best part of three days and will hate me on sight—see me as a threat to their plans to get you to walk up to the altar with poor Enid. And she, poor girl, will feel absolutely gutted.’
‘And don’t forget my big brother in your list of all the “poor” people who will get mental indigestion at the sight of your gorgeous self!’ He was openly laughing at her now. ‘It is the object of the exercise, don’t forget.’
As if she could! Trouble was, Mark was too persuasive for her own good! ‘Pack plenty of stunning clothes,’ he’d said. So she had. She adored lovely clothes, and could wear what she wanted to now, because Rupert was no longer around to wither her with his disapproval.
For the journey she’d chosen a nifty pair of peacock-blue silk very short shorts, with a matching sleeveless shirt arrowing down to her deep cleavage and tied in a knot just beneath her breasts. And she loved her new high-wedge sandals and big owly sunglasses...
She sighed, sounding stricken, and Mark pulled onto the forecourt of an old, ivy-covered roadside inn and stated, ‘Breakfast. It will help calm you down. And then, if you’ve still got cold feet, I’ll drive you straight back to London.’
He looked as if he really meant it. She followed him over the cobbled approach feeling awful, because she had promised, hadn’t she? She hated letting people down, and never did, if she could help it. But she couldn’t help feeling sorry for Enid, who was in love with him, and his parents who were so anxious to see him settle down.
Annie hadn’t expected to be able to eat a thing. But after relishing the delicious crispy bacon and scrambled eggs she knew that not even a guilty conscience could curb her healthy appetite.
And the coffee was good, very good, and as Mark poured a second cup for them both he said, ‘Look at it from my point of view. I didn’t ask Enid to fall in love with me, or to “Save herself” for me, as Mum so archly puts it. She’s your age and never had a boy-friend—and I guess that makes me feel guilty. But, dammit all, I shouldn’t have to!’
He looked so grim. Annie couldn’t help but sympathise. Only a week ago, after a particularly hectic day at the Threadneedle Street head office of his import/export business, he had invited her to his parents’ home for the August Bank Holiday weekend. It coincided with his mother’s birthday, and, as with any family gathering, he’d told her resignedly, Enid Mayhew would be there, gazing at him with adoring eyes and following him around as if tied to him with invisible string.
The daughter of a near neighbour, she’d had a crush on him since she wore gymslips and pigtails and braces on her teeth, and his entire family—including his rather