‘It meant nothing! I was provoking you and you know it. Although I can appreciate beauty. And I’m not going to apologise for that, but that’s all it was. Even seeing him starkers didn’t press those particular buttons although there was definite appr— Ow!’
Cassie had pinched her arm. ‘Why?’ Rachael demanded. ‘Just … Why?’
Rachael had seen George, starkers? Her George? As in nude, unclothed, in the all together? George had tensed behind her. She turned around in his arms and narrowed her eyes up at him.
Rachael – Rachael! – had seen his naked body, and he hadn’t thought to mention it? She watched his face flitter from one expression to another: grimace; frustration; pasted on smile that would win no academy awards; long-suffering … oh please; nonchalance – he’d get booed off stage for that one; and … ah, we were back to the grimace.
‘I was en route to the bathroom the other night and—’
‘And you didn’t think to tell me? Why wouldn’t you tell me? Why would I have to hear this from her?’
‘It wasn’t important. I completely forgot about it.’
Susie stepped back out of his arms. ‘Wasn’t important? How would you feel if someone … saaaay … Rob saw me naked?’
George’s face paled and each of his features hardened. That was a red rag to a bull and she knew it. ‘That man … that man …’ He didn’t seem able to form his sentence.
‘Not a nice feeling is it, George?’
‘You cannot possibly compare Rachael to … to … I would have told you but, believe it or not, I’ve been somewhat distracted of late! It was – is – so insignificant an occurrence, I—’
‘Not quite so insignificant seeing me naked was it, darling?’
Everyone froze as Porsche Sutter-Blythe’s words, partially slurred, whispered over them. She continued strutting past as she added, ‘I recall you being most attentive.’
‘Oh boy,’ Rachael exhaled.
Susie concentrated on her breathing. It was games. She knew it. But there was something about George’s stance that … She went over in her head the films in which George and Porsche had co-starred. There had only been two, she was sure of it. And if she was not sorely mistaken, there had not been nudity in either. So why …?
‘It’s not as it sounds.’
‘You are not seriously telling me, she’s been naked around you?’ Susie hissed. ‘Not when it couldn’t have been on set. Not when you have assured me you’ve never ever had a thing going with her. Not when you haven’t told me!’
‘Can we go somewhere to talk about this?’
‘No!’ She flung off his arm, which had crept around her waist. ‘You’ll use your physical arsenal to wheedle your way out of things. That woman – that woman – reveals she’s been in your company, minus her clothes, and you haven’t told me about it? Why? Why would you not tell me? What else am I going to find out here? That you have in fact had a thing going with her?’
‘Susie! There was nothing deliberate about it. It happened years ago and—’
‘You see I can’t help but think if she hadn’t mentioned this tonight you would never have told me. And it makes me wonder what else you aren’t telling me, and why you aren’t telling me. It doesn’t instil trust, George. I tell you everything. Even the eye obsession and you have no idea how hard that was. How many times have we talked of her? How many opportunities have you had to mention it? It … it …’ It bloody hurt. And her damned head had started up again!
‘Sweetheart …’
Susie repeatedly batted his hands away.
‘Let’s go and—’
‘No! Ever since we got here you’ve been trying to herd me out of the room and I’m suspicious of your intentions.’
She watched all three share a look. Oh yeah. She could just imagine what they had up their sleeve. And she wouldn’t put rope past them! They’d all lost it. Completely and utterly lost it. She was currently going nowhere with George. How dare he not tell her! How bloody dare he! And why? Why hadn’t he?
‘I want to dance.’
George stood at the bar watching Susie slow dance with Francis, the director. He made himself loosen his hold on the glass in his hand, not completely convinced the glass could take it.
A chuckle sounded at his side and he glanced around. Graham. Returning his eyes to Susie, George took another swig of whisky.
‘Let me guess. She’s not currently talking to you and is dancing with all the males in the room to demonstrate her displeasure?’
George snapped his head around. All the males? He hadn’t thought of that. Francis was enough and he was old enough to be her father. He darted his eyes around the room, glaring in turn at anything in trousers before groaning. She wouldn’t do that to him, would she?
And tonight of all nights.
George fought afresh the rising tide of panic which had been threatening to consume him ever since they’d walked into the room to cries of ‘Surprise!’ They’d been here for less than an hour, but it felt like eternity.
He continued self-counselling. History did not repeat itself. This was all just coincidence. And come on, Porsche wasn’t going to ask him to dance in order to lure him away and he wasn’t stupid enough to be lured away in any event. He’d never get caught in a honey-trap and Susie would never believe it anyway! Sorted.
But damn the plaguing flashbacks to that crowded ballroom! It felt as if they were trying to tell him otherwise. It was no good. He had to get Susie out of the room. If she didn’t come to him willingly in two minutes flat, he’d have to resort to more desperate, physical removal measures. Cassie and Rachael would help him.
Graham chuckled again. ‘Jeannie did it to me once. No twice actually. Get used to it, mate. It’s a sign of affection I tell myself. Shows they care.’
George’s snort must have been audible.
‘Why else would they want to make you jealous? It works too, doesn’t it?’ Laughing now, he continued, ‘I saw you try and cut in earlier.’
George hurrumphed at the memory.
‘You hitting the club after?’
George shook his head, as he looked at Susie. ‘We’re going to have an early night.’ He’d never been more determined about anything in his life.
‘Good luck with that one. I’d say …’
Graham’s voice fizzled out to be replaced with a whistle of air escaping his mouth. ‘I think your worries are over, mate. In ten seconds she’ll be off that dance floor and by your side … if not in your arms. You might care to thank me for not abandoning you here. Ten, nine, eight …’
George turned to Graham who was now wearing an ‘I am a saint’ look upon his … And Porsche was at his side! George took in a strangled breath. If she—
‘May I have the pleasure of this dance?’ Porsche asked.
George stared at her outstretched hand as his heart pounded. He had to get Susie out of here. NOW!
Coincidence, he countered. Coincidence, coincidence, coincidence, he told himself over and over. This wasn’t necessarily … And … She couldn’t possibly think he would say yes?
Her audacity was staggering. How much clearer could he make things? How many more times was he going to have to say no? How much more blatant could he make his avoidance? And there were even solicitor’s letters. Words and actions. He was doing it all. What the hell else was he supposed to do? Other than completely flip out, that is. And that was an option he was having to work seriously hard to repress. She’d be publicly humiliated, which in turn would provoke her and …
He watched Porsche rest her hand on Graham’s shoulder to keep her balance. She was drunk. A sober Porsche was bad enough. A drunk one he knew he couldn’t handle. She’d been drunk that night seven years ago when nudity had indeed entered the equation. He’d gone about things wrongly then. He must h
ave done.
‘I believe it’s the leading lady’s right to—’
‘Have her head kicked in?’ Susie’s dulcet tones interrupted from George’s side.
In other circumstances George might have been amused. But in the here and now amusement didn’t quite go there. He wrapped his arm around Susie’s waist and pulled her closer. He held her tightly and he wasn’t going to let go. They were out of there.
‘If you’ll excuse us Porsche, Graham,’ George said, taking in the venomous look Porsche fixed on Susie.
He was attempting to steer Susie but she wasn’t budging.
George took a very deep tremulous breath. Not only was she not budging, she was meeting Porsche’s look with one that … She couldn’t make it more provoking if she tried! She wasn’t meant to be doing this. He knew she gave no credence whatsoever to history repeating itself, considered their faith in each other made them invincible. But no one was invincible and tonight … tonight! And idiotically, he’d managed to put that faith to the test by not sharing with her his and Porsche’s past. God almighty! If she didn’t start moving …
‘George, there you are!’ Cassie’s cry was overly bright. Her look mirrored his sentiments. George’s outside demeanour was hopefully award-winning. She positioned herself on Susie’s other side.
‘Porsche Sutter-Blythe!’ Rachael whooped, sweeping in between Susie and Porsche, breaking their eye contact. ‘I must have your autograph. I must. I must. I must!’ She bounced up and down as she searched through her handbag for something to sign.
‘Perhaps later,’ Michael’s dry voice sounded, immediately snatching George’s attention. George’s whole body went cold. He observed him place an arm protectively around Porsche’s shoulder and whisper in her ear before moving to steer her away.
Michael smiled at him over the top of her head, one that didn’t show in his eyes. He mouthed, ‘Too much to drink.’
George managed a curt nod, tightening his hold on Susie further. It was instinctive around Michael. If he’d fired that gun! And then there was Susie’s desire to pursue Porsche. He could sense it.
Only after he had tracked Michael and Porsche leaving the room did George start breathing again.
‘Give me one sensible reason for my not being able to have it out with her,’ Susie ground out.
Sensible? He very much doubted there was one.
‘Lawyers,’ he finally murmured, but was way past feeling any satisfaction at providing an answer to a near impossible question. He bent to her ear to say, ‘After your little performance there, I’m taking things to the next level.’
Turning to steer her towards the room’s exit, he caught Cassie’s eye. They were all struggling with occurrences here – apart from Susie. He let out a ragged breath. Cassie moved her hands and he guessed she was indicating she’d keep tracks on Porsche and Michael. He nodded. Rachael simply mouthed, ‘Get her out of here. And locked up!’
After saying a quick goodbye to Graham, Susie let herself be steered away. ‘You are not locking me up anywhere and I am only going home if I want to. And that depends on what you have to say about Porsche naked! Know this. The only reason I’m coming with you now is because I can see how freaked out you are and I can’t bear to see it. Not that you remotely deserve my sympathy and understanding here.’
‘Thank you,’ George said, and it was heartfelt.
Chapter Thirty
As Susie entered their room realisation hit: it was all coincidence. Oh thank God! She’d always known it. But now George could finally stop worrying.
If history had been repeating itself she and George would not now be in their room. He would have been lured away from the party by Porsche. Yours truly would have been encouraged to stumble upon them by Tessa – Rachael! Oh, they had so much unfinished business. And then, of course, she’d have ended up drowning in a lake. The fact they were nowhere near a lake, and the one on the film set miles away, hadn’t made a jot of difference to George, Cassie and Rachael in full freak out mode.
George could start sleeping again. That haunted look in his eyes would disappear. He’d tried so hard to disguise it, but … History was not repeating itself. She could prove it! And yes, that childish part of her actually felt like going na na nanana while she performed a victory dance. She’d save that for Rachael.
If it wasn’t for the nude Porsche revelation, Susie would now be in a deliriously happy mood. But by not telling her about the incident in question, George had somehow managed to reawaken that part of her head that had whispered betrayal at her for a decade. And it wasn’t proving simple to shut back down again. There would be a reasonable explanation. She knew that. But why hadn’t he told her?
‘I should have told you about Porsche,’ George said, collapsing on to the bed and putting his head in his hands. ‘I swear to you nothing happened and will tell you all about it on the way home. Because we are leaving.’
Okay. Not remotely adequate and … they were leaving?
‘I’m pulling out of the film. And I won’t be dissuaded this time,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘There’s not a hope I can survive that again.’
She wanted to argue, talk some sense into him, but then she remembered the moment she spotted Porsche, hand held out to George as she asked him to dance, and … they had that scene to do. The script would have them kissing, she just knew it.
And she didn’t want George around Porsche at all. It was nothing to do with the latest nudity revelation – it wasn’t! – but everything to do with the fact Porsche wanted him. And there had been that look in her eyes tonight. She hadn’t been all there. Porsche was dangerous all right, but to George, not her.
‘Okay,’ Susie said, lowering herself onto the side of the bed next to him.
George raised his head. ‘Okay? You aren’t going to argue here?’
‘No,’ she said, shaking her head.
‘What am I missing?’
‘Nothing. But I expect one hell of an explanation from you.’
‘And you’ll get it. I promise.’ A hand tenderly brushed back strands of her hair. ‘Along with a vow from me that I will never again be such an idiot as to not tell you everything.’
Okay. That was an improvement. And his eyes looked so sincere. ‘I’m not going to dissuade you at all. I’m happy we are leaving. But George … history isn’t repeating itself.’
‘Susie …’
‘No, just hear me out. It is not repeating itself. And I can prove it. You’ve broken the cycle. Porsche asked you to dance. Instead of accepting, albeit reluctantly, as Freddie did Prudence, you never danced with her, never got lured away. Instead, side-by-side we left the room, turning our back on what happened in the past to Freddie and Hannah. And as a result, we are here now, in this room, very much alive, very much together. It’s history, George. Literally. You’ve consigned it to history. You’ve broken any cycle there may have been. It’s over. Freddie and Hannah are history. Me and you are now.’
George was staring at her.
‘Think about it.’ Her hands were on his shoulders now, gently kneading them. ‘Just think about it.’
He closed his eyes and let her continue kneading. She could feel his muscles loosening with each depression of her fingers. Suddenly his arms were around her and she was enfolded in his tight embrace.
George moved back to cradle her face. He seemed to be trying to find the words, but was struggling.
‘It’s all right.’ She laughed. ‘I’m right, aren’t I? I’m right?’
He started laughing too, and the sound was incredible. ‘I always knew it was coincidence,’ he said deadpan.
‘Yes, yes, you did,’ Susie played along.
His forehead lowered to hers and she could feel his heart racing against her chest. And she held him. This was over, it was finally over.
‘I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m so sorry,’ George said.
‘Hey,’ she said, shaking her head. ‘Don’t apologise. I get it, okay? And you tried. I loved you all the more for at least trying to use your head. The results were dismal but …’
‘I deserved that.’
‘Yes you did. But I do get it. You guys were feeding each other’s fears. It was like tales around a campfire. I wanted to bang your heads together. The lot of you have been pretty much unbearable. But now we might both manage a full night’s sleep!’
He moved his head back slowly and she could feel the atmosphere change. Oh his eyes … She would never get used to what they could do to her.
‘Is that what you were banking on?’ he asked so, so quietly, all the time leaning closer again and, joy of joys, she found her back lowering to the bed as he pressed forward. At each point his body made contact with hers, she was ablaze. God this man was beyond hot. He whispered over her lips, ‘I’m going to have to re-educate the future Mrs Silbury on how time is best spent in my bed. And I believe I might just need to reacquaint myself with every–’
A harsh rap on the door had them both cursing.
‘Ignore it,’ Susie pleaded against his lips.
Grinning and against hers, he breathed, ‘I fully intend to.’
But the rapping was now persistent, and Susie could hear Rachael’s voice. ‘Come on you two, open up!’
George rolled over onto his back. ‘She isn’t growing in my estimations!’ he snarled, before getting up from the bed and moving to the door.
Romancing the Soul Page 32