Worth the Risk(38)

He leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow. ‘Are you telling me that you’re sorry or that you want to go to bed with me?’

‘Neither.’ She blushed fiercely and chewed her lip. ‘I mean, I am sorry, but— Oh damn you! You know what I mean.’

She glared at him and he stood up and walked across to her, his eyes suddenly gentle.

‘And I’m sorry, too. I overreacted. I’m afraid my childhood isn’t my favourite topic of conversation.’ He lifted her chin and scanned her face. ‘So, are you going to take your mother’s advice?’

She looked away, her heart hammering. ‘Don’t tease me, Sean. It isn’t fair.’

‘Who’s being fair?’ He gave a short laugh and cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. ‘It isn’t fair that I have to look at you every day and not touch. It’s no wonder I’m behaving like a maimed lion. I’m suffering from a serious case of male frustration.’

‘I don’t parade myself!’ Her mild protest was ignored and her stomach flipped over as he brushed his thumb along her lower lip.

‘You’re driving me nuts, do you know that?’

She was hypnotised by the look in his eyes and the husky tone of his voice. ‘I’m not doing anything.’

‘Exactly.’ His smile was wry. ‘I only have to think about what will happen when we finally make love and I’m a gibbering wreck.’

Her heart seemed to collide with her stomach and she shook her head and backed away from him. ‘It won’t happen, Sean.’

‘It’s got to—I need to start getting some sleep at night.’ He gave her a rueful look that turned into a wicked grin. ‘Mind you, that might not be the best way of ensuring sleep…’

She swallowed. ‘You’d break my heart.’

He rubbed his forehead with long fingers and gave a short laugh. ‘So you keep saying. I’m beginning to think you might have a similar effect on mine.’

‘You haven’t got a heart, Sean, remember?’

She opened the door and some little imp inside her made her lower her lashes, treating him to a teasing smile that made him catch his breath.

‘Close the door and get yourself back in here.’ His voice was a low growl but she merely widened the smile.

‘I’ve got surgery, Dr Nicholson.’

And with that she waltzed out of the room, leaving Sean and temptation firmly behind her.





CHAPTER SIX

THE evening of the bonfire party was crisp and clear.

Ally put the final touches to her make-up and stared at herself critically in the mirror. She was wearing a thick, chunky sweater in a shade of blue that matched her eyes, and a pair of skin tight jeans tucked into soft suede boots. She frowned down at the boots. Would they get muddy? Probably not, she decided, remembering how bitterly cold the weather had been. The ground was likely to be as hard as rock. She lifted her hands to fasten her blonde hair on top of her head and then she hesitated, letting it fall softly around her shoulders. Oh, goodness, why not? A bonfire party in temperatures little above freezing was hardly the venue for natty dressing so the least she could allow herself was feminine-looking hair. Nothing to do with Sean, of course. Nothing at all.

Her heart gave a little jump as she sprayed on some perfume and grabbed her thick wool coat and scarf.

‘Mum, come on!’ Charlie’s voice sailed up from the sitting room. ‘Sean’s here and we’re going to be late.’

Ally took a steadying breath, flicked off the bedroom light and made her way down the spiral staircase that led directly to the living room.

Sean was waiting at the bottom, his powerful legs planted slightly apart, his shoulders looking wider than ever in the bulky jacket he’d chosen to wear. His eyes travelled slowly over her body, lingered on the golden hair fanned across her shoulders and settled on her face. For a brief moment his rakish dark eyes burned into hers and then he was turning his attention back to Charlie.

‘Wow!’ Charlie danced around at the bottom of the stairs, her blonde hair tucked up inside a wool hat. ‘You look like Cinderella with your hair like that, Mum—doesn’t she, Sean?’

‘She certainly does.’ Sean’s voice was husky and he shifted slightly as if he was suddenly uncomfortable. He caught her eye and his mouth twisted into a smile of wry self-mockery. ‘I think we’d better go, don’t you? I promised Jack we’d be there early enough to help out.’

‘I love fireworks.’ Charlie grabbed his hand and he swung her up into his arms.

‘Come on, then, imp. Let’s get you there.’