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Tyler wasn’t in their room when Dory got back, which, she decided, was probably just as well, since her lips were still tingling from Lucas’s kisses. And it gave her time to figure out what she was going to say to her boss, too. It was a delicate situation, after all. So, you’re sleeping with your ex-sister-in-law? probably wouldn’t go down too well.
The only problem was she found it kinda hard to focus on the very serious conversation she needed to have with Tyler, when her mind kept getting invaded with thoughts of his brother. The way Lucas’s hands had gripped her hips, hauling her close. The feel of his chest under her hands. His back, his shoulders, his lips…
Focus, Dory. She needed to sort things out with Tyler so she could get back to the good stuff with his brother. Simple as that.
Because if Lucas found out that she’d known Tyler was sleeping with Cheryl before Tyler confessed all… well, that kind of thing tended to put a dampener on the sexy times.
In the end, she decided to call home while she waited for Tyler, and tried not to cry as she heard the sounds of her traditional family Christmas Eve – so unlike the black-tie traditions of the Alexanders – in the background.
‘Are you really still working on Christmas Eve?’ her sister, Molly, asked when their dad handed her the phone. ‘Or have you met some super-hot guy and made plans to spend the whole Christmas period in bed?’
A bit of both, Dory wanted to say, but didn’t. ‘Yeah, my boss needed me here, so I’m still working.’ Technically true, as long as Molly didn’t ask where ‘here’ was.
‘Poor thing. We’ve just polished off the last of dinner. Dad’s cracking open more wine for mulling – he’s mixing his own special spice blend again this year. And Mum has the mince pies in the oven, so it’s all business as usual here.’
Dory’s stomach actually rumbled at the very thought of her mother’s mince pies. ‘Wish I was there.’ In the background, Dory heard her brother complaining about having to listen to Cliff Richard again. She wondered how horrified he’d be if he knew she’d voluntarily included it on her Christmas playlist.
‘We do too,’ Molly said. ‘But New Year, right? I think Mum and Dad are planning a bit of a party here, to celebrate having you home. Give you a chance to see everyone.’
‘That sounds brilliant.’ Just a couple more days and she’d be home. And for once, thinking about coming back to the States again didn’t give her the same rolling wave of homesickness she usually got. Because the good old US of A had Lucas Alexander in it…
‘Well, I’ll let you get back to work,’ Molly said. ‘You’ll call tomorrow, right? And we’ll see you in a few days, yeah?’
‘I will. Can’t wait. Merry Christmas, Mol.’ Dory pressed the button to end the call and flopped back on to the bed. Just a few more days. She could make it that long without inappropriately seducing Lucas. Right?
She headed for the shower – slightly chilly, just in case – and pulled out her dress for the party. Long, red-wine coloured, and a little bit slinky. Smart but sexy. Hopefully sophisticated enough to satisfy Felicia and Patrick, expensive-looking enough that people would believe Tyler would date her, and sexy enough that Lucas would spend the entire evening imagining slipping her out of it. Perfect.
The party guests wouldn’t be arriving for a couple of hours, but if she was all ready she could go downstairs and see what she could do to help. She had a feeling that, after her chat with Tyler, she might want to be somewhere away from him for a while, anyway.
Tyler finally returned to the room just as she was putting the finishing touches to her make-up. Shoving her lipstick back into her clutch bag, she swivelled round on the dressing table stool and smiled up at him. ‘You’re back!’
He blinked at her. ‘You’re… ready? Already?’
‘I thought I’d see if your mum needed a hand with anything downstairs,’ Dory said, still smiling manically. ‘But I, uh, need to talk to you about something first.’
‘Oh God.’ Tyler dropped to sprawl on the bed. ‘That doesn’t sound good. Can I just remind you that I spent all night on that sofa, so I ache like hell, and I’m still hung-over from drinking brandy with my father last night. Are you sure this can’t wait?’
‘Actually, it really can’t,’ Dory said, apologetically. ‘And it kind of has something to do with you sleeping on the sofa last night.’
Tyler sat bolt upright. ‘Look, Dory, I was joking about sharing the bed. I don’t think it would be very appropriate. I mean, you’re my employee. And I’m involved with someone. Seriously involved.’
‘I know,’ Dory said. ‘She called this morning. Repeatedly.’
Colour faded from Tyler’s already-pale cheeks. ‘She did?’
‘Yeah. And you were passed out cold. So… I answered the phone.’
‘Shit.’
‘So, I guess I finally understand why pretending to date your assistant was a better option than bringing your actual girlfriend home for Christmas,’ Dory joked, but it fell flat.
‘Look, you don’t understand. Cheryl and I…’
‘Are going to have to explain this to Lucas. Quickly.’
‘What? No! Not a chance.’
Dory’s frustration level rose. ‘Why not? If you guys are serious, he’ll have to find out eventually.’
‘But not now. Not here,’ Tyler said, firmly.
‘You have to tell him, Tyler. Or I will.’
Tyler stilled, staring at her. ‘And why do you suddenly care about what my brother does and doesn’t deserve to know?’
Heat hit her face as she blushed. Staring down at her navy-polished nails, Dory said, ‘It’s the decent thing to do.’
‘But that’s not why you want me to do it, is it?’ Tyler’s voice sounded tight, like he was holding something in. ‘So, what? You’ve fallen for him over a snowy walk in the forest and some Christmas ornaments and you want to get out of our deal? You’re really going to risk your trip home for one night with my brother? Are you sure? Because I can tell you, Cheryl says he wasn’t all that much to write home about.’
Dory didn’t believe that for a moment, but that wasn’t the point. She needed to keep her focus here, and not get distracted by thoughts of Lucas in bed. ‘He already knows, Tyler. That we’re not really dating, I mean. He could tell it wasn’t me in the photos.’
‘So what did you tell him?’
‘That you’d asked me to come and cover for you this week. That you hadn’t told me who the woman in the photos was.’
Tyler raised an eyebrow. ‘Very clever. Not quite a lie, but not quite the truth either.’ He tutted. ‘Keeping secrets already. Doesn’t bode well for the two of you, does it?’
Weariness settled over Dory. She just wanted this to be over, already. ‘Look, he has a right to know the truth. We don’t have to tell your parents, and I’m happy to play the dutiful girlfriend for the next couple of days. But after that, after I get back from my trip home, I want to be free to date anyone I like – including your brother, potentially. So he has to know the truth.’
But Tyler just shook his head. ‘Not a chance. I’ll tell him when I’m good and ready, and I can promise you now, that won’t be this weekend.’
‘Then I’ll tell him.’
‘No, you won’t.’ He looked so smug, so sure, that Dory’s jaw ached from clenching it, biting back the names she wanted to call him. ‘Because if you do, I guarantee you he’ll forget all about your little flirtation and punch me out in the middle of my parent’s party. Which,