Red-Hot Lover. Sarah Holland
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said Jared after he’d had a moment to think, ‘Lily wouldn’t really want us there. She’s got her own life. She’s a busy lady. She wouldn’t want us barging in on her uninvited.’
‘Have you ever asked her?’
‘Besides,’ he continued, as though she had not spoken, ‘I’m much too busy with work at the moment. I can’t take any time off. Don’t forget I’m going to Texas on Monday, then San Francisco. I’ll be away for at least a fortnight. And after that there’s the usual round of board meetings and London business, and then I’m off to Hong Kong, Tokyo…’
Clara suspected he was dodging the issue, but couldn’t prove it any more than she could have done when he avoided answering her question about the Llewellyns. It could be true that he was too busy. He was, after all, a very busy man, with an action-packed schedule. But he was the kind of man who moved mountains when he wanted something. If he wanted to go to Wales and visit old haunts, watch the rugby, see his mother—he would go. But, of course, Wales was a no-go area…
Jared flew to every country of the world except the country of his birth. And Clara’s career did sometimes permit her to go with him, to leave London for weeks at a time, travelling the world in stretch limousines and private jets with the man she loved. It was just as exciting as working in television, although Clara couldn’t help needing the security that only a career could bring. So she always made sure she kept on working. And her agent, Mitch, was very good at keeping Clara in work as often as possible.
Once or twice a job had come up for her while she was away with Jared, and Mitch had called her with the news, no matter where Jared had taken her—whether Mombasa or Dubai or Venezuela. She had flown straight back for the auditions and got them. But, no matter where Jared had taken her, he had never so much as suggested they set foot in Wales together. Not since the day she met him. Jared’s company had offices in almost every capital of the world. Even such far-flung places as Cuba, Taiwan and Latvia were on his annual visiting list. But never Wales. Never Rhossana Bay. Not even to visit his mother.
Now she saw the connection between Wales and Susie’s wedding for the first time.
Funny the things you miss, she thought, when your own feelings are so deeply involved, as mine are with Susie. I never gave it a second thought that she was marrying a Welshman. I just thought, What a coincidence that she should love a Welshman, too! And that was that.
But, after Jared’s complex and unfathomable reaction to the Welsh presence at the wedding, she knew she must find out what his real reasons were, or there was trouble ahead for both of them. If Jared continued to feel this way about the marriage, she could see arguments looming—most notably at the reception.
For that reason, she pushed on with her pursuit of the subject. It was the only sensible thing to do.
‘We ought to go to Wales anyway, even if it’s not until next year.’
He rapped long fingers on his thigh. ‘What’s the big deal about Wales all of a sudden?’
‘I still haven’t seen the place where you were born. Rhossana Bay, wasn’t it?’
‘Rhossana is a dead-end seaside town with absolutely nothing to recommend it.’
‘That’s not what my guidebook says.’
He turned slowly to stare at her. ‘You’ve got a guidebook? On Wales?’
‘I bought it as part of a set on the UK when I was trying for that job as a presenter. I had to have a wide knowledge of the country because it was a travel programme on—’
‘You didn’t need a wide knowledge of Rhossana Bay!’ He gave her an arrogant look. ‘I could have told you all you needed to know. For instance—it would only take you half an hour to walk from one end of town to the other! It’s not exactly the big metropolis.’
‘Yes, but as I had the book I took a quick look to—’
‘Don’t give me that! The truth is, you’ve been checking up on me out of sheer female nosiness.’
‘I admit I was curious, but—’
‘Nosy,’ he accused, glaring at her. ‘Like all women, you assume that there’s something wrong with me. That I need fixing and that you’re the girl to do it. Well, let me tell you, Little Miss Fix-It, there’s nothing wrong with me that another stiff brandy wouldn’t cure!’
Clara released his hand as he leant forward to angrily open the cabinet again.
‘No. This isn’t what I need.’ Slamming the cabinet shut, he turned round and reached for Clara, eyes burning with a rush of angry desire. ‘This is what I need most.’
He pulled her into his arms and she gasped in surprise. His mouth closed over hers. She felt the warmth of his skin through his shirt. It was a delicious way to be silenced.
As Jared pressed the electric button which operated the dark screen window between chauffeur and passengers, she realised what he was planning. She gave herself up to it, eyes closed and head tilted back, the kiss stirring pulses in her body. He was stirred too.
His hands moved passionately over her. Her hat fell softly backwards, tipped onto the seat.
Clara moaned, pulses quickening rapidly. He was so gorgeous when he was in a temper. Try as she did to soothe him, she really did find him irresistible when he grabbed her like this for a quick, fierce kiss. He pulled her closer. He deepened the kiss and his breathing quickened. Clara’s heart was pounding madly. Everything grew dark and sensual. Images flashed through her mind of the four-poster bed at home…
‘Oh, Jared…’ she whispered thickly.
‘Just turning your body on and your brain off, baby!’ he muttered passionately against her mouth, and his hand moved up to close over her breast, making her moan as he kissed her deeper, his long fingers stroking her erect nipple through her clothes. ‘Like that?’
‘Yes… I’m on fire…’
‘So am I.’ His voice was hoarse and his face darkly flushed with excitement. ‘In fact, I want to make love to you—right here and now…’
Moaning, she kissed him sensually. ‘Oh, yes, please…’
He gave a rough groan and plundered her mouth. The car was slowing down now, inching through traffic while Jared obliterated Clara with the sheer power of his kiss. His hand was on her thigh, stroking the pale flesh above the lace top of her stocking.
‘I want you so much,’ he ground out as his hand slid slowly higher up her stockinged thigh. ‘Let me take you home. Let me make love to you.’
‘We can’t,’ she murmured through passion-bruised lips. ‘We must attend the reception. But I’ll make it up to you when we get home, I promise.’
‘I’d much rather you made it up to me now.’
‘So would I.’ She lay back, dazed and flushed and over-excited, her hands in his thick dark hair. ‘But we can’t…’
‘Yes, we can. You can come home with me now and not attend this blasted reception.’
The car stopped outside the Ritz. Jared was watching her intently. His face was dark with sexual excitement, yet the black pupils of his eyes were surrounded by a glittering kaleidoscope of blue which told her he was trying to hide something, trying to get his own way and trying to cope with an emotional chaos she could only guess at.
He was determined to avoid the reception.
Clara tried to get her breath back. He’d always known how difficult she found it to resist him. That was why he’d pulled this stunt just before they reached the hotel. He knew it would put the greatest pressure on her to do as he asked.
‘Jared, we’re sitting on the top table with the bride and groom. We’re here as Susie’s only family. We have to attend. There simply isn’t any choice. Not for me, at any rate.’