Considering the amount owed to the bank she would have thought them eager to relieve her of some of it. He was a nice man she reflected, with a rare, old-fashioned courtesy. She wouldn’t have given much for his chances had the bank’s head office overheard the conversation. ‘I discussed it with my lawyer.’
‘In that case I’ll take you through the papers before I call in someone to notarize our signatures. The papers were drawn up by the auditor assigned to your father’s business, according to the instructions from your lawyer. If there’s something you don’t understand, please tell me and I’ll explain it. If there’s anything you don’t agree with, the papers can be rewritten and signed at a later date.’
An hour later she hurried to the post office to empty her aunt’s mailbox, then on to the supermarket to shop for groceries before heading back out of town. Her last stop was the office of Bluebird Helicopter Services, which was situated on the outskirts of town.
‘You must be Ellie.’ The woman behind the desk gave her a warm smile as she rose to her feet. ‘I’m Bluebird, otherwise known as Jenny Morrison.’ The woman was about thirty, tall and beautiful. Her dark hair was pulled into a smooth chignon that framed her classic features and huge dark eyes. Ellie stole a glance at her ring finger. Todd’s Godmother was married.
‘I’ve dropped in to thank you for getting my shopping, and to pay my bill.’
‘Patrick settled your bill.’ Jenny indicated a chair. ‘Fancy a coffee?’
‘Thanks.’ She gave her an inquiring glance. ‘Patrick didn’t say he was going to settle my bill. When did he do that?’
‘About an hour ago.’ Placing two cups of coffee on the table Jenny subsided into the opposite chair and gave her an appraising glance. ‘You sound annoyed about it.’
‘I am.’ She didn’t want to owe Patrick
anything.
‘He said you would be.’ Jenny grinned. ‘He said if you want to throw it back in his face you can do it at my husband’s birthday bash on Saturday.’
‘I have a better idea.’ Ellie took some notes from her bag and placed them on the table. ‘You can throw it in his face for me.’
‘You’re invited anyway. Any friend of Todd’s is a friend on mine. By the way, were the gob-stoppers effective?’
When she blushed Jenny grinned at her. ‘Are you
sure
you won’t come to the party?’
‘Actually, I have a girl-friend coming for the weekend.’ It was only a partial lie. She intended ringing Anne to invite her for the weekend as soon as she got home, and was certain she would accept.
‘Bring her along. We could do with some extra women.’
Jenny was so open and nice that she didn’t have the heart to refuse. ‘What’s the address?’
‘It’s at the function center. Peter’s turning forty so I’m giving him a big splash to make him feel better.’ She pushed the money back across the table. ‘Patrick has had a rough time of it lately, but he’s still got his pride. He wouldn’t have insulted you by giving you money for his bed and board, so why don’t you forget this.’
She nodded and shoved it back into her bag, ashamed of herself.
Finishing her coffee Jenny gave her a conspiratorial smile as the telephone began to ring. ‘I wouldn’t be at all surprised if that’s him checking up on you, again. Shall we keep him guessing?’
She gathered up her bag and smiled. ‘I think I like you, Jenny Morrison. I’ll see you on Saturday.’
‘Hello, Patrick,’ Jenny cooed as she walked out of the door. ‘Have I seen who?’
* * * *
It seemed like no time had passed before she was pointing out Andrew to Anne at the party.
‘Who’s the dark hunk with him?’Anne asked.
Her heart began to thump when Patrick smiled at something Andrew said. ‘It’s his brother, Patrick.
He
was the one I got stuck with when the creek flooded.’
‘The married one with the son?’
‘He’s not married.’ Her face was tense as she gazed nervously around her for their hostess. ‘He was in a relationship that didn’t work out.’
‘So he’s available.’ Anne had an enigmatic smile on her face. ‘Introduce me.’
‘No!’
Hastily she gazed at her friend. ‘You won’t like him. He’s got a vile temper, and ... he doesn’t like women.’
‘He seems to like the one he’s looking at now.’
* * * *
‘Who is it?’ She fought the impulse to turn and see for herself.
‘A petite blonde in a long black dress, he can’t keep his eyes off her. Wait a minute; he’s making his way over to her. What gorgeous eyes he has; he looks as though he wants to devour her.’
‘I’ll kill him,’ she muttered under her breath
‘Andrew looks nice. Isn’t that the one you’ve got the hots for?’
‘Not any more. He’s sweet, but he’s not really my type.’
‘Then you won’t mind introducing him to me. You have exactly ten seconds before they arrive.’ Anne laughed as panic registered in her eyes. ‘Nine - eight - seven - six ...’
Ten seconds wasn’t enough to combat the overwhelming reality of his presence. The crowded room disappeared from her consciousness as soon as her eyes met his.
‘Eloise,’ he murmured, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. He grinned when he spotted the black and gold leopard earrings she wore, and stooped to blow gently in her ear. ‘Very predatory.’
‘Sometimes I could kill you,’ she hissed when the shivers racing down her spine subsided.
Andrew’s soft chuckle reminded her they weren’t alone. Coloring slightly, she tore her eyes away from Patrick, first registering the fact that his dark blue shirt exactly matched the color of his eyes. She tried to unravel the knots he’d tied in her stomach, but they simply retied themselves when his fingers curled casually around hers.
‘Introduce your friend to Andrew. He’s dying to meet her.’
Not only was he reminding her of her manners, he was making it clear Andrew was strictly out of bounds to her. The dark look she shot him was absorbed by his smile, mocking, and very aware of his power to turn her into a bumbling idiot.
When introductions had been dispensed with she was drawn on to the dance floor and pulled into the circle of his arms.
She resisted at first, her body stiff and awkward, her senses desperately swimming against the overpowering physicality of him. Spots of color appeared in her cheeks when he murmured. ‘Relax, Angel, need I remind you we’ve been closer then this?’
Was she supposed to thank him when she was trying
not
to remember? And why expend her energy on resistance when the surging whirlpool of feeling inside told its own story?
Go with the flow, Ellie. Enjoy it.
She weakened, allowing it to suck her down, deeper and deeper, until she drowned in the essence of his closeness.
How she got through the evening she never knew. As far as she was concerned there was nobody else in the room but Patrick - yet she danced with others, laughed with others. Everywhere she turned he was there, smiling at her, his dark eyes drawing her to him. Tension built between them until the air was vibrating with it.
Finally the evening drew to a close. Patrick was by her side, his hands draping her wrap around her shoulders.
He kissed her in front of the departing guests, his mouth blazing a trail of fire against her lips. His fingers plucked the car keys from her bag. ‘I’ll drive.’
Things seemed to have been taken out of her hands. She gave the thinning crowd a cursory glance. ‘Where’s Anne?’
* * * *
‘Gone with Andrew to Jenny and Pete’s place. They have a chess tournament planned. Andrew will pick me up later.’
Faintly surprised, she stared at him. ‘Weren’t we invited?’
‘I declined.’
‘Why?’ She knew
why.
It had been obvious all evening.
‘I only play games I can win.’ The glance he gave her lacked its usual mockery as he escorted her to the car park and handed her into the passenger seat. ‘I received a check from your father’s auditor yesterday,’ he said almost casually.
Despite the jiggle of excitement she felt, Ellie tried to keep her voice just as casual when he started the engine. ‘That’s good.’
‘They paid me in full.’
‘Wonderful.’ She smiled to herself. ‘You sound surprised.’
‘It was unexpected.’ His smile held a warm intimacy. ‘Life’s crazy. I thought I’d hit rock bottom when I lost my truck, now everything’s happening at once.’ He threw her a teasing glance. ‘I’m beginning to think you really are a witch. My luck turned after you gave me that gold.’
‘What makes you think I’m not?’
‘Witches don’t drive cars like this, and I doubt very much if they have a couple of million dollars at their disposal.’
‘You shouldn’t believe all you read in the papers.’ She was astonished at her ability to act so well, and awarded herself an imaginary Oscar.
‘You mean you
haven’t
got all that money?’
Put like that, she didn’t have to lie a second time. ‘Not even one twentieth of it.’ Give or take a few dollars, she mentally added, crossing her fingers.
The windscreen wipers purred into life as they drove into a bank of mist. ‘That’s good,’ he murmured, his concentration diverted to the invisible road. ‘Keep an eye out for the creek signpost. This stuff seems to be getting thicker.’
‘The spotlight might help. The switch in under the dash on your right.’
‘This car’s got everything.’ His hand stroked against he leather covered steering wheel. ‘It’s wonderful to drive.’
‘It was the last gift my father gave me.’
Patrick didn’t bother hiding the envy in his voice. ‘Some gift.’
‘I expect you’d do the same for Todd if you were in the position to.’
‘I guess I would.’
The car slowed as the mist got thicker. She peered out of the window. ‘There’s the sign.’
‘Thank God for that.’ Slowing to almost a crawl Patrick edged them across the cement track through the creek. They drove into a seemingly solid wall of fog on the other side. ‘I hope we don’t miss the house.’
‘I left all the lights on.’
It was eerie. They seemed to be driving into a tunnel of reflected light. She opened the window and concentrated on the side of the road, intent on keeping the car away from the menacing shapes of tree trunks. She had the greatest of admiration for Patrick, who must have had nerves of steel to drive blind with only her instructions to guide him.
‘We’ve just passed that big rock, so should be able to see the house lights soon,’ she muttered when five more minutes had passed.
Three minutes later Patrick drew to a halt. ‘It can’t be much further.’
‘Turn off the lights.’
* * * *
It took a while before their eyes adjusted, and then she gave a triumphant cry. ‘There’s the glow from the house lights! We should be opposite the gate. ‘I’ll get out and guide you through.’
Seconds later they were inside. Ellie took the knot from her fog-dampened hair and shook it to her shoulders in an unconsciously teasing gesture. ‘I guess you won’t be going home tonight.’
‘I had no intention of going home,’ he growled, hungrily pulling her into his arms. ‘You knew that.’
Her need to give ignored the exciting sensual memory of their last encounter. This time it would be on
her
terms. When she’d finished with him he would know what loving was all about. Her eyes flirted with his. ‘My rules this time.’
‘Why do I get the feeling your rules come under the heading of revenge?’ A rueful smile lifted the corner of his mouth. ‘Do your damndest, Eloise. I won’t move a muscle.’
‘I wouldn’t bet on that,’ she whispered, her tongue exploring the salty hollow of his throat.
Something stirred gently against her and he chuckled. ‘Neither would I.’
* * * *
The bed was full of the scent of their loving. Tangled in the bedclothes, she breathed deeply of their mingled fragrances and smiled.
Patrick had coaxed her from slumber in the most delightful way, bringing her body to a relaxed state of awareness, then beyond into sublime ecstasy. She was fulfilled beyond measure, the subconscious behind her closed eyes alive with echoes of words whispered in the intensity of his passion.
Her creamy complexion turned a delicate shade of pink as she recalled them. How excitingly inventive the man was ... every promise followed up by action.
A kiss brushed against her cheek. ‘Tea for the grouch.’
Grouch? She’d never felt less grouchy and so alive in all her life. Opening her eyes a chink she gazed at him. He was dressed. His damp hair curled against his forehead, and the clean, soapy smell of him churned her feelings into an impossible happiness. She supposed she should get up and shower too, but her reluctance to leave her warm nest made her snuggle into the bedclothes.
‘Wake up, green-eyes.’ Andrew and Anne will be here shortly.’
She’d forgotten about Anne. Opening her eyes the rest of the way she scrambled upright against the pillows and smiled at him. ‘I wasn’t asleep, I was just recovering?’
His grin was wicked as he handed her the tea. ‘How does an uninhibited little witch like you know how to blush?’
Her arm provocatively covered one breast as she bore the cup to her lips. He leaned forward and kissed the other.
‘You’re shameless, Eloise. I’m not quite sure how to handle you.’
‘Liar,’ she breathed. ‘You’re an expert at handling me.’
‘That was due to your excellent tuition.’ His silky tone sent shockingly erotic messages quivering from one nerve end to the other. Before her eyes could issue an invitation he headed for the door. ‘I’ll run you a bath. Breakfast will be in twenty minutes.’
* * * *
Patrick had decided to trust her completely. With that thought uppermost in her mind, Ellie concentrated on what he’d told her.
After Todd was born his mother had become involved with a wealthy business man and had left Patrick.
‘How did you find out?’ she’d said.
‘From a private investigator. I learned they’d married and gone abroad.’
‘Taking Todd with them?’
‘There was no record of him leaving the country, and no answer to my letter inquiring of his whereabouts. Eventually, I went to England and confronted her.’