by Judy Jarvie
And finally in the City Ghost Tours Tavern tour goers could ‘enjoy’ a complimentary brew to steel themselves for the journey home.
Tonight’s tour concluded with satisfied, gushing customers keen for their free libation. The bar filled and buzzed. Within seconds Nick was at her side, cupping her elbow and drawing her close.
“Can we talk?” He even smelled good and he looked sensational in the long cashmere coat. Though the thing about seeing a man minus shirt was that now in her imagination his physique was pulsating through his clothes at her in x-ray. It caused Ailsa’s pulse to tick with attraction. She quashed it and ignored its siren’s song.
Ailsa shrugged, “What’s to say?”
He pushed a hand through enviably thick shiny hair, “You live up to your hype as an expert tour master. You were impressive. But all I kept thinking about was talking to you. I don’t have a wife. Never have.”
“Good for you,” was all Ailsa could think of to say. “But three’s a crowd.”
Nick sighed, “Jake is my son. My brief relationship with his mother resulted in a baby. I should have levelled about Jake. I didn’t think and I should have.”
His breathing alone, so close just then, could excite her. The familiar cologne taunted. Just being near him was torture especially with that hunted pleading look in his eyes. Did he realise his impact on her shot senses?
“Listen,” Ailsa said, putting space between them, stepping out of the arc of his body space for sanity’s sake. “I have to go and change. I’m seeing my boss …this isn’t a good time. But thanks for dropping by and I wish you all the best while you’re in Edinburgh.”
“I want to take you for a drink,” Nick stated. “Your boss won’t mind. Let’s go.”
A surge of anger flared inside Ailsa.
Did Nick Palmer figure he ruled the world? Okay he may be a prestige internet company boss, he may usually have serfs at his beck and call. But not in her life he didn’t. And who was he to tell her what Johnny would want?
“Hey Ailsa,” just then Johnny Deans rounded the corner of the corridor. He was looking happy and at ease with the world. “Good you’ve both met already; that’s a bonus. Tour go well?”
“Yes. Fine,” said Ailsa still boggling that he seemed to know Nick.
“Really well. She’s a natural,” said Nick smoothly. “To be valued. I see now why you told us about the exceptional staff. And I’m so glad I hand-picked Ailsa for my project.”
Ailsa double took. And felt iced steel slide through her veins.
“Meet a man you’ll be seeing a good deal of,” Johnny said seeing her puzzlement. “Nick, meet Ailsa Murray. As of today Business Development Manager for City Ghost Tours. You’ll be working with Nick and his sister Sally closely in future. Our 'Dine With The Past' venture is going to be a sell-out; I can sense it.”
Ailsa felt her sense of foreboding rear up and quiver.
“You’re part of the new venture?” she asked Nick.
“Sally’s my new partner in the pilot venture but Nick’s just invested to hold majority shares in his sister’s business too. Nick’s pretty damn smart in his own right. His experiences will be invaluable,” Johnny shook Nick’s hand. “Can I get you a drink?”
Nick declined. “I’d like to brief Ailsa now.”
She fired him a lethal glare.
Is this what happened when you let a megalomaniac into your life? They earmarked you and speared you like a choice morsel canapé for their own personal enjoyment.
“You two getting better acquainted will make the project easier,” said Johnny turning to Ailsa, “And Nick can fill you in on all the details of what we envisage. I’ll leave you both to it.”
After Johnny went Ailsa’s eyes flicked spiky shards at Nick. “I didn’t realise full briefings were your speciality. In fact I’d assumed you were challenged in that area. At least let me go and change out of ghost clothes. Or don’t I have a choice in anything now?”
She turned and left him staring without further ado.
Chapter Six
Ailsa wanted to run for the hills and forget the whole conversation but Nick kept her arm tightly grasped in his strong hand.
She wanted to tell Nick exactly how annoyed she felt at learning she was going to have to work with him after what had gone on between them. She wanted badly to point out that she felt set up since he’d admitted he’d expressly asked Johnny for her help.
How dare he? Who did he think he was?
And why did he have to go and breeze back into her life looking and smelling sexy and holding all the cards on her plan to focus on work and become a fully fledged career and business success in lieu of her bodged seduction accomplishments?
It was only then Ailsa realised she still wore stage make up on to make her look malnourished with three midnight black rotting teeth up front.
“I’ve explained about my son. I’m here to sort out my sister’s business affairs and so I bought majority shares. I’d no idea when we signed the deal with Johnny that he was your boss. I only found out today when Andy told me where you work. So I called Johnny and asked for you.”
“It’s still under-hand. Johnny doesn’t know how we know each other. And this wouldn’t be my assignment of choice right now.”
“So you don’t forgive me? You refuse to trust me?”
Ailsa sighed hard. “It’s not my business.” Then she stalled. “How is he? Is it a serious illness?”
Nick shook his head and paced. “A broken bone in his arm. He’s fine. My ethics, on the other hand, may never be the same. I’m sorry, Ailsa. If there’s anything I can do to repair our shattered trust.”
“Let’s forget it, can’t we?”
His face was stern. “I’m not sure I can.”
“You’ll have to. Since we’re going to have to work together I suggest we just both act professional and get on with it. Just be grateful that things got interrupted.”
“I can never be grateful for that,” he answered darkly. “Want to come back to my hotel to discuss things?” His eyes told her business wasn’t on his mind.
Her vampish impulse days were long gone. “I don’t do hotel call outs any more.”
“Don’t denigrate what we shared by saying that.”
“What, a bodged up dinner and a few fumbling kisses?” Ailsa felt anger curl fiercely inside her. “I don’t want to go back there with you. Do you think I’m made of stone?”
Nick shook his head. “Then can we go back to yours?”
“Is that an order, Mr Palmer?”
Why Nick asked her about going back to her place she wasn’t sure. It was clear he wasn’t waiting for permission. He was barely out of the building and he was hailing a cab and acting on his enquiry already and she’d never given him the green light. She guessed that’s what happened when you owned more companies than you could count.
“It feels like I don’t have a choice,” she told him as he flagged down a cab.
Nick watched her with dark irritation in his eyes. “You always have a choice Ailsa. I’m just taking the lead to save time.”
“You’re the boss,” she said flatly and then chose to let the comment hang heavy. She also let a strained silence fall during their journey.
There was just no way she was going to make any of this easy on Nick. Since he deserved some pain for how cheap he’d made her feel.
***
Nick watched Ailsa when she shut the door behind them and walked into the kitchen to fix coffee.
“Coffee? I’m afraid I’m out of rat poison,” her lips did a taut pursed line. “Neat weed killer do?”
She was still mad. Vexed. Scorned.
His eyes glared, “I really don’t deserve this level of wrath, do I?”
“Rich,” she said pouring filter coffee into the machine and flicking it to on. “You romance me like King Midas but you keep your circumstances in the dark. Then I find out I’m going to be working with you. Call me fickle but I’m wondering what other
surprises you’re about to unveil.”
“No other surprises.” Nick shrugged his broad, strong, wide shoulders. He was still wearing that ‘blow the expenses tab’ cashmere coat. He unbuttoned it now. “I’m a boring guy who’s rich because his company did well. My sister is a talented chef who’s having a breakdown and won’t listen or agree to return to London like I planned. My mother and father are happily married but if my Mum thought wearing a t-shirt telling me to get married immediately would work she’d wear it and the matching Wellington boots too. I have a son who’s in the States but who usually lives with me. He’s the best thing in my life but sadly keeps telling me his new Step Dad is the best thing since sliced mozzarella. Jake’s great at maths and turning out to be a computer geek like me. I don’t go out much, never date. And the only person I’ve lately wanted to do that with is you. I met this woman at New Year that I can’t stop thinking about and yet ironically who right now can’t stand the sight of me. That enough of a refresher course in Nick Palmer’s life for you? I assure you, there are no other skeletons in my very boring but occupied cupboard.”
Four minutes of silence and filter coffee machine dripping followed.
Then he picked up the mug of coffee she’d poured, added milk and directed her to the sitting room. “Can we go sit and talk now? Like civilised adults.”
In seconds he took her hand in his, flicked his finger over her skin in a way that did weird electrostatic things and gave her a conciliatory smile that could have gone down a bomb with ACAS.
Ailsa watched him with a grim face but without verbal objection. “Your son sounds fun,” was all she said. “He probably misses you as much as you miss him.”
His little speech caused a lump to wedge itself in her throat.
He wasn’t such a bad guy after all and he did great movie-style speeches.
She’d almost forgotten that the ‘Meggie’ teeth were still present even though she’d changed into jeans and sweatshirt. Come to think of it, now it would just look like bad dental work. Nick shook his head, brown hair flopping, his male scent tantalising her nostrils as he moved. She gulped, summoned resistance.
“Tell me how you feel about us?” he urged.
“Last night I was mad and let down and I panicked. Okay, I now know that Jake’s mum isn’t your wife which makes things slightly better. But the way I see it, I’m not cut out for high-speed affairs. I should never have kicked this off. I don’t want to start anything afresh. And now we both need to see this as a reprieve.”
“I see,” said Nick and narrowed his eyes. “That’s pretty final. Nice of you to consider talking to me about that.” He looked positively hurt.
“You’re busy. You have a high-maintenance life, Nick. You’re only here temporarily. And anyway, I’m not looking for a relationship. To be honest I’m not even sure what I am looking for myself.”
“I know what I want - a life with some fun and affection would be appreciated,” he added. “Sally’s my sister. My unhappy and dumped by husband sister. I’m here to pick up the pieces, which gives me an obligation. Jake’s my son but I’m single and very much free to enjoy life as I want to. I’d like us to have another try at resurrecting our attraction; I’d like that more than anything. But it feels like I’ve lost the right to ask it. Right, that’s all I wanted to say. I’m not going to labour the point. You’ve clearly made your mind up.”
Nick stood up then took a sip of his half drunk coffee and placed it on the table before buttoning up his coat.
“I hear you loud and clear. I blew my chance.”
In seconds Nick left the room and headed for the door.
***
“Stay Nick, I’m sorry,” Ailsa slid beside him as he reached her front door. Something inside Nick sprang with elation that she’d stopped him before he left. Perhaps she really wanted to iron out their problems?
She’d reached out to pull him back. “Please stay. I’m sorry things have gone so crazy between us.” He could smell her honeyed hair and it did something to unlock the chemicals that turned him on.
“You sure? I don’t want to keep on banging my head against a brick wall.”
She held out her hands and tugged him back to the sitting room. “Let’s talk. You have a knack for making me rise to the bait.”
“Okay,” he let her lead him back.
“I want you to sit down and tell me your take on 'Dine With The Past'. Bring me fully up to speed?” she asked him.
She motioned him into the sitting room and onto the sofa again, only this time they were way closer, the great divide crossed. It was half an hour to midnight. So he began and before he knew it, it was almost a quarter to one in the morning and all they’d done was talk about work. She’d come up with great ideas for the venture herself. She was so enthused about his plans and he was too.
The failed seduction plans had been forgotten now.
The anxieties and flirting and loaded statements that all simultaneously headed them towards bed had been cast aside.
Instead they’d talked. And laughed.
Then he went for it and told her all about him. Amanda, Jake, the whole shebang. Even how Mark ticked him off. That a new man sharing a part of his son’s life made him feel inadequate.
He described how at early twenties he’d been hit by the baby bombshell. Ailsa watched, with eyes that encouraged a man to let it pour. Emotions he’d never voiced. The pragmatic plan to offer Amanda financial support without involvement was laid bare.
“The thing is, when Jake was born it was touch and go if he would survive. He went from being the baby I never wanted with the woman who didn’t want me to being this tiny life; fighting to live. He was premature and so tiny. His whole fist around my one little finger and I was right on his side because I immediately loved him. He made me grow up overnight and all my old selfish stuff didn’t matter. Have you ever had something change you?”
Ailsa nodded.
She knew exactly what Nick meant.
She’d changed when she’d lost Kirsty. Everything had altered overnight.
Finally it felt like the conversation ran its course. Ailsa said, “Come upstairs with me, Nick? I really want to show you something. And it’s something I’ve never shown anyone. It’s private.”
Her eyes were intense. Her lips quivered in hesitation.
“You sure?”
“Positive.”
He figured she wasn’t about to show him her etchings. Or invite him for on-bed fun. This was something far more serious.
But that was okay; Ailsa’s private view was better than seduction on fast speed setting. The real her fired him within. She was unique and enchanting. Kind and funny and ravishing too.
She was so much better when he got to know her than the hot girl with ready kisses he’d met at New Year.
Nick stood up. “Upstairs? I won’t outstay my welcome.”
“I’m not dressed for vamp tactics,” she answered. “Just promise me you won’t think I’m crazy when you find out how this whole thing began.”
***
Ailsa took Nick into her room.
Somehow tonight he’d become a friend. A friend she wanted to tell about her past. She patted the bed to encourage him to sit down next to her. She drew out the box from beneath the bed. It was pink and featured the pink Toile de Jouy print Kirsty loved. Inside was a photo album and Ailsa flicked open the pages.
“This is Kirsty. My big sister. She died and went into a coma when I left London.”
“I’m so sorry.”
Ailsa shook away the sympathies. “She was amazing; the best sister in the whole world. Beautiful, talented, kind. And one day, because she chose to go a different way to work, she got knocked down. The driver never stayed around to find out if she recovered or not. It took a Crimewatch reconstruction to find him. But they did.”
Ailsa knew there were tears running down her face now but she brushed them aside unable to stop now. Nick reached out and took her hand in his warm one.
“I loved her and I still love her. And a few weeks ago I got this letter,” Ailsa went to her drawer and took out the now crumpled envelope. “Kirsty had written it before she died. It blew me away. Spooked me too.”
She handed it to Nick. “It’s okay open it, read it. I don’t mind. She thought I suck at attracting men. She wanted to tell me how to go about being amazing at it like she was. She’d walk in the room and the men would flock. One smile and everybody pulled out her chair. And that’s why I went out at New Year and zoned right in on you. I vowed to change for the better. To play it by Kirsty’s rules. To listen to her advice.”
“You don’t need to change, angel,” Nick told her and pushed aside a tendril of her hair.
Nick stared at her. Reading the letter. Taking in the implications of what she’d said.
He probably did think she was completely nuts now. He may well be right.
She saw his eyes skim over the letter and its itemised instructions on how to vamp it up and put the oomph into her sex life. Only she guessed she’d already failed by showing him it. Now she was taking the mystique away by showing the object of her affections the truth. But he’d told her his truths.
She figured he deserved some insights back.
Nick held her hand and kissed it. Deliciously. And she wanted to stay like that all night long. They’d made a breakthrough. They were friends now. And friends was pretty damn good.
And then before she could object he kissed her. His lips met hers and she was sunk. He tasted like honeyed wine and every brand of temptation. She wanted him more than she had done at Chez Angelle. That warmth beneath her touch. His open mouth, melting over hers.
The shudder that jumped through her veins at the chemistry.
Like live electricity. Like jamming a knife in a still plugged-in toaster without thought for the frazzled brain cells.
And suddenly Ailsa knew that playing the vamp was all well and good. But her being the innocent, surprised recipient of his kiss felt so much better when the results were this heart-felt.
He pushed his hands in her hair, caressed her face.
And soon she was under him on the bed, wriggling out of her clothes. Panting and wanting him inside her more than ever. But Nick stalled her clothes removal with a smile.