For Christmas, Forever: The Yuletide Engagement / The Doctor's Christmas Bride / Snowbound Reunion. Barbara McMahon
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even for—That’s emotional blackmail, Patrick!’ she snapped irritably as her resolve began to sway at the mention of Sarah.
She and Sarah had been good friends in the past, and she knew the other girl to be bubbly, loving, completely carefree. Marriage to Gareth, once Gareth had shown just how ruthless he could be—and there was no doubting that he would show himself in his true colours one day—promised to ruin all that.
‘I don’t want to go to this party with you, Patrick,’ she protested.
And it sounded weak, even to her own ears.
‘I have nothing to wear!’ she added inconsequentially when he made no reply.
Which sounded even weaker!
As evidenced by the fact that Patrick laughed, eyes twinkling warmly, his teeth showing whitely in his mouth—that mouth that only two hours ago, on this very spot, had very thoroughly kissed hers!
It was a mistake to think of that kiss…
Because she wanted very badly for Patrick to repeat it!
Something of that desire must have shown in her face, because Patrick took her very firmly by the shoulders and held her away from him at arm’s length. ‘No, Ellie,’ he murmured regretfully. ‘I’m not going to be accused of seduction as well as emotional blackmail!’ He grimaced.
Ellie felt warmth enter her cheeks at her emotions being that transparent. Maybe it was the way her gaze had gone to his mouth—and stayed there. Or maybe it was just an expression of longing on her face. Either way, it wasn’t very sophisticated of her to allow her emotions to be so easily gauged.
‘Very well, Patrick,’ she bit out abruptly. ‘I’ll come to the party with you—’
‘I knew you wouldn’t let me down!’ Patrick beamed, seeming to forget his resolve as he pulled her into his arms to hug her.
Ellie pulled back, looking up at him warningly. ‘I’m not doing this for you,’ she reminded him firmly.
‘No, of course you aren’t,’ he accepted lightly, but he still grinned broadly, looking far too attractive for Ellie’s peace of mind. For the sudden rapid beat of her heart. For the heated longing that coursed through her body. For the way she wanted to just throw caution to the winds and kiss him if he wasn’t about to kiss her!
She really would have to get a grip on her emotions where Patrick McGrath was concerned. Because to fall in love with him wouldn’t only be ill-advised—it would be pure madness!
Chapter Five
‘NOT a word,’ Ellie cautioned Toby when he looked up from reading the Saturday newspaper as she came into the kitchen, dressed warmly for going out, needing only to pull her coat on when the time came. ‘Not one word, Toby,’ she repeated as he continued to look at her. ‘You aren’t my favourite person at the moment,’ she added, and dropped down onto one of the kitchen chairs to wait.
Toby returned her gaze with too-innocent blue eyes. ‘I can’t imagine why you’re in such a bad mood, sis.’ He shrugged unconcernedly. ‘You know how you love shopping.’
Ordinarily she did. But today wasn’t ordinary. As Toby very well knew.
She glared across the table at her brother. ‘I think working for Patrick is having a bad effect on you,’ she muttered bad-temperedly. ‘You’re becoming as sneaky as he is!’
Toby chuckled softly. ‘You forgot “underhand”, “secretive”, and—"manipulative", wasn’t it?’ he prompted lightly.
They were all the names she had called her brother this morning, after he had asked her how the previous evening had gone!
‘You forgot “too clever for your own good”,’ she reminded him heavily, but her mood began to thaw slightly. ‘You really should have told me, Toby.’ She shook her head disgustedly.
‘But then you wouldn’t have gone to the dinner last night. At least, not with Patrick,’ he reasoned. ‘And that would have been a pity.’
Ellie eyed him suspiciously. ‘Why?’
‘Hey, look, Ellie, in case you’ve forgotten Patrick and I are two of the good guys,’ Toby pointed out protestingly. ‘Gareth is the bad guy—remember?’
Oh, yes, she remembered. She also remembered that look of triumph on Gareth’s face the previous evening when George had stood up to announce the younger man’s engagement to his daughter, Sarah.
‘He doesn’t deserve Sarah, Ellie—let alone you!’ Patrick had muttered disgustedly at her side.
Which was why, when the Delacorte family—and Ellie—had all been chatting together at the end of the evening, Patrick had been only to happy to suggest that Ellie accompany Sarah the following day, when she shopped for a new dress to wear to the party tomorrow evening!
‘Ellie has just been complaining that she has nothing to wear either,’ Patrick had told his young cousin happily.
Ellie glared up at him; she might have said something along those lines, but as Patrick must know only too well Sarah was the last person she wanted to go shopping with.
‘I don’t mind coming with you, Sarah,’ Gareth put in—rather hastily, it seemed to Ellie. A brief glance at Patrick, his expression knowingly satisfied, showed her that he thought so too.
‘It’s very sweet of you, darling.’ Sarah gave her new fiancé ‘s arm a grateful hug, the emerald and diamond engagement ring twinkling brightly on her left hand. ‘But you know how you hate shopping. Besides, I want the dress I’m wearing tomorrow evening to be a surprise.’
‘I thought it was the wedding dress I wasn’t supposed to see until the day?’ Gareth frowned.
‘It is, silly.’ Sarah laughed huskily. ‘I just—wait and see,’ she dismissed excitedly, before turning to Ellie. ‘I think it would be lovely for the two of us to go shopping together tomorrow, don’t you?’
It was obvious from Sarah’s completely confident expression that she didn’t expect Ellie to refuse. And, with Patrick looking at Ellie with the same expectation, what choice did she have? Absolutely none.
Which was why she was sitting here now, dressed warmly in jeans and a thick sweater, waiting for Sarah to pick her up so they could drive into town together.
‘I remember,’ she answered Toby heavily. ‘Until Patrick told me last night I had no idea how worried George and Mary are by the relationship.’ She shook her head.
‘Strange how these things come around in circles, isn’t it?’ Toby said ruefully. ‘Your dastardly exboyfriend engaged to Patrick’s cousin,’ he explained, at Ellie’s questioning look.
Ellie winced at having Gareth described as her exboyfriend; she just wanted to forget she had ever known him. Which was impossible in the present situation.
Although she had felt slightly warmed by Patrick’s comment last night—‘He doesn’t deserve Sarah, Ellie—let alone you!’ Quite what he had meant by that she wasn’t sure, but again it had sounded as if there might be a compliment in there somewhere.
A compliment she would be wise to ignore, if she had any sense. And, after her recent disappointment over Gareth, she ought to have a lot of sense!
Except…
She had felt quite shy as Patrick had driven her home last night, wondering exactly how they were going to say goodnight to each other. Not that they had been out on a genuine date or anything—even less so than she had initially realised!—but Patrick had kissed her earlier in the evening.
She hadn’t known whether to be disappointed or relieved when, having walked her to the door, he’d bent to kiss her lightly on the cheek before telling her he would call for her at eight o’clock the