Ultimate Heroes Collection

by Various Authors

  Goodness indeed!

  So far Annie had seen him in a suit and she winced, caught a stolen glimpse of him in bathers. But a spot of blood or something must have found its way onto his usually immaculate attire, because he was dressed in theatre blues and a pair of runners and he looked. divine!

  Apart from that little peek from a distance at the pool she’d only been privy to him from his Adam’s apple upwards, but now his arms were on show, pale, toned arms that had a just enough dark hair to make her toes curl. Thanks to the lack of budget in the laundry department, threadbare pants outlined rather muscular thighs and a pert bottom that she really shouldn’t be noticing.

  ‘Could I ask a huge favour, Iosef?’ Jackie didn’t wait for an answer before she plunged in. ‘Brian’s stuck in Theatre till heaven knows when—would you mind filling in as best man?’

  Annie couldn’t help smiling sympathetically as he gamely agreed.

  Wedding rehearsals are possibly the most futile of futile exercises, Annie concluded more than an hour later—all they did was leave everyone feeling worse!

  Everything that could go wrong did—and it was impossible to imagine that in just two days this motley crew could somehow shape up to become a suitable wedding party. The flower girl’s bedtime had long since passed and she was in floods of tears, the vicar was glancing at his watch and wondering if he’d ever get dinner, yet Jackie was grim with determination, insisting they run through it just one more time as the bullet of an antibiotic Annie had taken before she’d left continued to sit in her empty stomach and was starting to make her feel sick.

  ‘And, please, Annie, could you remember to smile?’

  Before or after I throttle you? Annie thought, poking her tongue out as Jackie turned her back and then feeling childish and stupid for doing so. For the briefest of seconds she caught Iosef’s eye. He was standing at the altar, looking thoroughly bored, but when he rolled his eyes Annie actually managed a tiny giggle. She walked behind the exhausted flower girl as Jackie hummed the Wedding March ahead of them, Jeremy beaming at his soon-to-be bride as she arrived at the altar and Iosef rather inappropriately yawning. Annie never really knew how it happened, but those tiny little dots that had danced in front of her eyes this morning suddenly appeared again—only this time there was no Iosef to push her back down onto a pillow and no amount of blinking seemed to clear them. Her lips were impossibly dry, but she could feel herself sweating, feel herself gulping air in as she willed herself not to faint.

  ‘That’s enough!’ From somewhere she could hear Iosef’s voice as she let her eyes close—not the best idea as the spinning in her head got faster and Annie realised she was going to hit the floor.

  ‘I really have to go, Jackie.’

  Suddenly an arm was around her waist, Iosef lifting her a good two inches off the floor and half carrying her, half briskly walking her the long length of the aisle before sitting her on a bench outside the church and rather unceremoniously shoving her head between her knees.

  ‘Deep breaths—come on.’

  ‘I’m going to be sick.’

  ‘You’re not. Just breathe slowly in and out through your mouth.’ His hand was still pushing her head down. It was all very well for him to say she wasn’t going to be sick, Annie thought in panic, but the deep breaths actually did start to work and she realised in relief she wasn’t going to be totally humiliated.

  ‘Big breaths.’

  ‘Oh, God …’ She was starting to think now as blood seeped back to her brain, and her nausea receded, embarrassment crept in. ‘Did everyone see?’

  ‘No one noticed, things were finishing up anyway. When did you last eat?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ Her brain was still fuzzy, her lips still dry and his hand was still pushing her head down.

  ‘You haven’t eaten anything, have you?’ Iosef demanded. ‘Silly girl …’ Despite the fog, his words irritated her and she attempted to lift her head, but still he held it down. ‘I’ve seen you—eating nothing all day or nibbling on a small salad when there is cheesecake someone’s bought in.’

  ‘I don’t like cheesecake.’

  ‘Oh, but you love your lettuce, don’t you? What are you doing at the gym twice a day? Just what the hell is it with you women, just what are you trying to achieve?’

  ‘I really don’t need a lecture.’ His hand was off her head and gingerly Annie sat up and tried to explain, but Iosef wasn’t even going to pretend to listen.

  ‘Oh, but I think you do. I think you need someone to give you a proper talking to. How do you expect to do a full-time job and—?’

  ‘Annie …’ Claudia came over, her face working up as if she was about to cry.

  ‘I’m fine.’ Annie smiled, but Annie’s near faint wasn’t what was on Claudia’s mind.

  ‘Look, please, don’t breathe a word to Jackie. If I’m wrong, it’s fine—I’ll sort something out—but when you said your dress fitted marvellously …’ The two women’s eyes met in shock, both literally drooping in relief as realisation hit.

  ‘Your dress doesn’t fit either?’ A grin started to spread across her pale face.

  ‘It’s just way too big. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. When I say it’s way too big …’

  ‘Don’t apologise.’ Annie almost wept in relief. ‘I’ve been dieting like crazy all week, hitting the gym morning and night.’

  ‘Tell me about it—I’ve been eating takeaways three times a day and spending a fortune on padded bras.’ Claudia groaned.

  ‘You two have mixed up your dresses?’ And though she wasn’t actually talking to him—was still smarting from his words—Iosef persisted in spite of her rather pointedly looking away. ‘That is why you have been on this crazy diet?’

  ‘Why else?’ Annie snapped, then turned her attention back to Claudia. ‘Do you want to bring it over and swap now?’

  ‘Is tomorrow OK?’ Claudia shook her head. ‘I’m supposed to be going to Mum’s after here.’

  ‘Sure.’ Annie gave a pale smile, still a touch woolly but feeling a whole lot better. ‘I’ll see you at the hairdresser’s in the morning.’

  ‘Let’s get you home.’ For the second time that day Iosef questioned her ability to drive, only this time it was non-negotiable. ‘I’ll drop you off.’

  ‘I’m OK …’

  ‘You are certainly not OK—you’ve nearly fainted twice today. And I really don’t fancy being called into work because you’ve caused a major pile-up, making your own way home. Come on!’

  Should she ask him in?

  For the whole of the short drive home Annie worried over the question. If it had been any other colleague, then, of course, she’d offer. But somehow the thought of him seeing her rather shabby flat was, well … embarrassing.

  Not that it was left up to her.

  Instead of dropping her off, instead of an awkward silence while he waited for her to be polite, Iosef pulled into the driveway and, switching off the engine, climbed straight out, walking with her to the doorstep. When she fumbled with her keys he took them from her, opened the door, and without invitation or consideration took her by the elbow and led her in.

  ‘Where’s your kitchen?’ He frowned at her bemused expression. ‘Given I can’t trust you to follow my orders without supervision, I guess I’m going to have to fix you something to eat myself. Now, go and sit down and I will bring you some supper.’

  ‘Hold on a minute …’ Annie started, but it was already too late. He brushed past her and stalked through to her kitchen, and it was either follow him and engage in a pointless argument or take the few moments’ grace to attempt a quick clean-up of the living room.

  ‘Do you get some sort of kick out of ignoring my advice?’

  ‘No …’ Flustered, she turned around a mountain of magazines and had a whole load of ironing in her hand as he stood menacingly in the doorway. She had no idea how long he’d been watching—if he’d seen her kick her bras under the sofa and polish the table with her sleeve
…’I was just …’Her voice trailed off and, placing her load on the coffee-table, she finally followed his orders, sitting down on the sofa and actually stretching out her legs, blinking in surprise when, from the hell of her kitchen, he emerged with buttered toast and some mushroom soup she’d long forgotten was even there!

  ‘Eat it all!’

  And two mouthfuls in, Annie realised just how hungry she really was, doing as she was told and even mopping the plate with her toast.

  ‘How long have you been on this diet?’

  ‘Since Monday.’ Annie gave an embarrassed shrug. ‘You’ve seen what Jackie’s like. Could you imagine having to tell her that the dress didn’t fit? So Melanie and I came up with a plan.’ He didn’t answer her nervous chatter, just stared at her through narrowed eyes, watching her closely as she spoke. ‘Anyway, it turns out that it was just a mix-up. It’s all fine now.’

  ‘But you didn’t eat anything at all today.’

  ‘I had some toast at work. I just forgot, OK?’ Annie snapped. ‘What with my leg and the rehearsal and everything.’

  ‘You forgot to eat.’

  ‘Yes.’ She gave a tiny little cough as she said it, didn’t like the way he was staring at her, as if somehow he knew better … as if somehow he knew her secret!

  ‘You didn’t forget to go to the gym, though!’ Annie didn’t answer, just sat in a long embarrassing silence, an unbecoming blush creeping across her face as he continued to glare at her.

  ‘It’s no big deal …’ Her voice was a croak and again she had to cough to clear it. ‘It was just for a week.’

  ‘Good!’ Lecture over, he stood up and so too did Annie, against orders.

  ‘I can see myself out.’

  ‘Good!’ Annie replied. ‘And I can see myself to bed.’

  They walked rather uncomfortably along her narrow hall, Annie in front, achingly aware of him behind her, his unbelievable presence in her tiny flat completely overwhelming.

  ‘Do you need a lift in the morning?’ he queried. ‘It’s no problem for me to drop you off at your car on my way to work.’

  ‘I’ll be fine.’ Annie smiled. ‘I’ll ring Claudia and have her pick me up.’

  ‘Go to bed, then.’

  ‘I will.’ Her face was nearly cracking from smiling, from pretending she was OK—he couldn’t possibly have known how much his earlier words had stung, the wretched shame she was feeling at this very moment. Or maybe he did know.

  ‘Don’t play dangerous games with your health, Annie.’

  ‘I wasn’t.’ Her heart was hammering in her chest, tears suddenly horribly close again—embarrassed tears, though, like being caught with your hand in the cookie jar—or, to be more accurate in her case, refusing to put your hand into the cookie jar, as if he’d somehow become privy to her dark secrets. A shaking hand raked through her hair, and she was tempted to push him out the door and slam it shut. How did he know what a dangerous game she’d been playing this week? How could he possibly have known that murky piece of her past when every calorie had been counted and exercised away, where every piece of her flesh had been critically scrutinised and loathed. ‘It really was just for one week …’ Annie closed her eyes for a second. ‘And today was just an oversight.’ Her voice faded, because she had been quite a silly girl this week.

  Or, rather, a silly woman.

  She should have known that with her past a crash diet was something she should never have toyed with.

  She wanted him to go, wanted him the hell away from her, the tears she’d held back all day spilling out now, and she didn’t want him to see.

  But he did.

  The man who had kept her at arm’s length all week suddenly pulled her in, and when he wrapped her in his embrace, it was such a sweet relief to give in.

  And suddenly the last thing she wanted was for him to go—her heart was hammering again, her breath coming hard and fast, but for entirely different reasons now. She’d never been held like this. Even if she knew she should push away, she didn’t want to. For the first time in the longest time, for the first time in for ever perhaps, she didn’t have to pretend, at least for a minute or two.

  ‘Go to bed.’ His words were soft, it was the nicest he’d ever spoken to her. The pad of his thumb wiped away a few stray tears. But he was just being nice, wiping away her tears like he would those of a niece or a cousin, because a man like Iosef Kolovsky could never look at someone like her as a woman. So why then were his lips on hers, why wasn’t she gasping in shock at his audacity, why, why why, were her own lips moving to his? The velvet of his flesh was on hers and it was as soothing as it was disturbing—because if ever there was a perfect kiss she’d found it now. There was none of the awkwardness that usually accompanied a first kiss—no ducking to the left as he moved to the right, almost like kissing a long-time lover, his touch, his mouth familiar almost. But never, not for a single second as his tongue chased hers, not for a single second as his hand pressed her face deeper to his, was it accustomed, each stroke of his tongue, each taste of him causing a mini-riot inside her. The only awkwardness was in a mind that was whirling frantically, yet her mouth, her body was utterly at peace with the barrage of sensations he delivered. And most unfamiliar of all—for someone so gauche, for someone light years in experience from the man she was kissing—was the inner confidence, this deep primeval knowing almost, as she kissed him back, that he was lost in it too. Enjoying, relishing it just as much as she was, and as she pulled away and stared long, long into those gorgeous eyes, she knew that no other kiss would ever equal the sheer perfection of this one.

  ‘Go to bed.’

  She could taste him on her lips, her tongue running over them, sucking in the last dregs, seeing her own moisture around his full mouth and shamelessly wanting to kiss it off. Impetuous decisions took but a second to come to, and her mouth opened to deliver a reckless offer.

  ‘Bed!’ He barked the order, cutting off whatever she was about to say, and turned and slammed the door shut. She wasn’t upset or disappointed at his rapid departure, just stunned at the turn of events. She stood in her hallway, her heart leaping inside, veins thrumming, twitching with lust, stunned, incredulous as she savoured again every delicious, breathless, silent moment.

  That was his kiss!

  If that was his kiss, what the hell would it be like to make love with him?

  CHAPTER FIVE

  IT WAS a fabulous wedding!

  All the meticulous preparations paid off in the end. The bride was glowing, the flower girl was adorable and the bridesmaids were stunning!

  Despite Annie’s reservations, the spray-on tan hadn’t turned her orange and her hair was still perfectly in place when the speeches ended and the dancing started.

  ‘Thank God that’s over …’ Melanie was working her way down a bottle of champagne and frantically looking around to see where George was. ‘Do you think we’ll get the old Jackie back now?’

  ‘Don’t be mean.’ Annie laughed. ‘We’re all grateful for her relentless attention to detail when it comes to the patients—that’s just the way she is.’

  ‘Do you think George likes me?’ Melanie asked, looking longingly over to where he stood in a little group.

  ‘You know he likes you.’

  ‘Well, do you think he’s ever going to do something about it?’

  ‘Why wait for him?’ Annie asked. ‘Go and ask him to dance.’

  ‘No way!’ Melanie said indignantly. ‘If he wants to dance, he can ask me!’

  ‘And I thought you were such a modern woman!’ Annie pointed out.

  ‘Well, some traditions are fine just as they are.’ Even as Melanie answered, her attention was distracted from George. Her eyes, like those of every other female in the room, were turning to the door where Iosef was making a rather late but spectacular entrance. Annie could feel her heart relocate to her mouth as he walked towards Jackie and gave her a kiss then shook Jeremy’s hand. She found herself waiting, bracing herself almost fo
r the fabulous Candy to suddenly appear beside him, but by the time he’d shaken a few hands and kissed a few cheeks, it was clear that he’d come alone.

  ‘He’s just gorgeous!’ Melanie sighed.

  ‘I thought you liked George.’

  ‘George is a keeper …’ Melanie explained her strange logic. ‘Iosef would be a forgivable crime of passion. Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about him, too.’

  ‘Not really.’ Annie blushed beneath her foundation—he was all she’d thought about since that blistering kiss! ‘I mean, yes, he’s good-looking and all that, but he can be really rude at times.’

  ‘Which is why he isn’t a keeper!’ Melanie explained patiently. ‘Oh, my goodness, he’s coming this way.’ Jumping up in delight as he approached and braver than she’d been about asking George to dance, she simply stepped into Iosef’s arms and Annie was left a sudden wallflower as Iosef danced with her friend.

  With all her friends.

  He was actually a great dancer, Annie observed as he worked his way through the women, and she didn’t know if he was teasing her or tempting her, but whatever it was it was cruel. No matter how hard she tried to ignore him, no matter how hard she pretended not to care, or how busy and full her evening was, she was at every turn supremely conscious of him.

  Supremely conscious that he wasn’t even looking at her!

  He’d kissed her because he could, Annie decided long after Jackie had left, when the crowd was starting to thin and she was dancing with George, but her mind was a million miles away. Iosef had kissed her because, no doubt, that’s what he did best—he’d probably forgotten all about it by the time he’d hit home. Not for a second would it have had the same sort of impact on him.

  ‘Should I ask her out?’ George was dancing with Annie but gazing over at Melanie. And Annie was dancing with George and trying not to look over to where Iosef was dancing with Beth.

  ‘Of course you should.’ Annie nodded, giving up on being subtle because the two of them were driving her crazy.

  ‘I’ll ask her at work on Monday,’ George said firmly, as Annie just rolled her eyes.