‘Calm down!’ Leonie patted his hand just as if he were an over-anxious little boy. ‘Holly is on my passport; Laura and I intended taking a trip over to the States ourselves next month at the invitation of the television studio.’
Hawk had forgotten all about that promotional visit his executives had planned for the Brandon sisters. Hell, he had forgotten everything lately except this temptress whose hand still touched his.
Hal chuckled softly. ‘I wish the two of you had got together sooner,’ he grinned. ‘I think I like seeing my always-in-control father in a panic.’
He realised it was probably a condition he was going to have to become accustomed to now that he had Leonie permanently in his life; as he had known, boredom was not going to be a problem with Leonie as his wife.
‘Very funny,’ he drawled, meeting Hal’s amused gaze. ‘Might I remind you that this little witch’s twin is now your wife!’
He listened appreciatively to the husky sound of Leonie’s laugh, wanting her new relaxation around him to go on for ever.
But all too quickly the evening had to end, and he and Leonie shared a smile of silent amusement at Hal’s over-acted displays of tiredness. Hell, he wouldn’t even have bothered with the act if he and Leonie had been married today; he would have spent the entire evening in bed with her sharing the delights they could have together. Only another week or so and Leonie would be able to know all the pleasure he wanted to give her. He hoped she realised they weren’t going to remain celibate until then!
Hal and Laura excused themselves as soon as they entered the house and he and Leonie once again shared a smile of complete understanding, although Hawk sobered slightly as the bedroom door closed upstairs seconds later followed by complete silence.
He gave a start of surprise as a tiny hand crept into his, looking down at Leonie as she gazed back up at him.
‘I understand, Hawk,’ she said softly.
And he knew she did, that she had known he had just realised the loss of his son, that Hal was completely a man now, with the responsibility of his own wife.
He gave a rueful smile. ‘Let’s think of it as: I’ve gained a daughter and you’ve gained a brother.’
‘Let’s,’ she agreed encouragingly.
June stood up as they entered the lounge together. ‘Did you have a nice evening?’ she greeted warmly.
One thing about June Gaynor, when she forgave and forgot, she did just that. The other woman had completely accepted Hawk’s new role as Leonie’s husband-to-be, and was starting to treat him with the same clucking concern as she did the two sisters.
‘Very nice,’ Leonie was the one to answer her. ‘Has Holly behaved?’
‘She’s been a little restless since I gave her her bottle an hour ago,’ June frowned. ‘So I should leave it a few more minutes before you go in to check on her.’
Leonie faced Hawk nervously across the lounge once the housekeeper had gone up to her bedroom, the ease they had known with each other all evening completely gone. And he suddenly knew why; Leonie was unsure about whether or not he intended kissing her goodnight!
His gaze dropped to her lips; just the way her top lip was fuller than the bottom was enough to arouse him. Oh God, how he wanted to kiss her, but not goodnight!
The last few days had been full of frantic activity as they prepared not only for Hal’s and Laura’s wedding but for their own, and there hadn’t been a lot of time for them to be alone together. Consequently their contact had been brief too, the merest brushing of his lips against hers, which she seemed only to tolerate. Now they had the chance to be alone for more than a few minutes, and how he wanted to make full use of them!
Leonie’s hands moved nervously together. ‘I suppose I should go up and make a start on my packing for tomorrow. I didn’t realise there’d be quite so much to do, and—’
‘Leonie,’ he gruffly cut off her nervous speech, standing so close to her he felt as if he were drowning in the sweetness of her perfume. ‘Leonie, let me love you,’ he encouraged intensely.
* * *
Let him love her. She knew he meant physically, and for that she was glad; allowing him to love her in any other way was something she was still frightened of.
But Hawk hadn’t touched her in an intimate way since she had realised she was falling in love with him, and she had no idea how she would react in his arms now that she knew she loved him so deeply.
He had been a tower of strength to her for the last three days, always there to help when she needed him. She had even allowed him to proofread the work she had finally been able to do on the Winnie Cooper book everyone was waiting so anxiously for, something she and Laura had never allowed before a book was completed before. She still smiled when she remembered Hawk’s admission to having become a Winnie Cooper fan! So much for those ‘fourth-rate detective novels’ he had once spoken of so scathingly.
If he touched her now was she going to go up in flames? Soon he was going to have the right to touch her whenever he chose to, and she wasn’t going to be able to hide her feelings then. Nevertheless, she baulked at having her emotions laid bare.
‘Please, Leonie,’ he urged huskily as he saw her hesitation.
Hawk wasn’t a man who begged for anything; he had known the full power of being Henry Hawker Sinclair the Second too long for that. And yet he felt no qualms about pleading with her, of showing her just how vulnerable he was where she was concerned. She owed their relationship the same honesty, at least.
‘I’d like that,’ she told him breathlessly, and was rewarded with the sudden blaze of desire that burned brightly in his eyes.
His mouth was gentle against hers, his hands on her shoulders drawing her against the hardness of his chest. Her lips parted beneath his, her senses leaping at the hard probe of his warm tongue, engaging in the duel he seemed to want, her breath catching in her throat as she felt the caress of his hand as it moved ever closer to the throbbing peak that instantly knew the touch of its master.
The silky material of her dress was no barrier to his questing hand; he pushed the material aside as he bent his head to draw the pulsing nub into the warm caress of his mouth.
Watching him was an eroticism in itself, long dark lashes fanning his flushed cheeks as he took the fullness of her breast in his mouth. Her breathing became ragged as she suddenly found herself looking straight into his darkened eyes, the raw desire there making her tremble anew.
He watched her as his tongue laved the dusky-rose tip of her breast, drawing it into his mouth before slowly caressing it once more with the tip of his tongue.
Her heart was leaping, her pulse racing, her whole body shaking with a need that evoked a burning ache between her thighs. She could feel herself already moist there, and felt feverish, crying out as Hawk transferred his attention to the other nipple while his fingers tugged against the aching hardness of the other.
Her hand moved up of its own volition, cradling his nape as she held him against her, pressing him into her, shuddering uncontrollably as he eagerly accepted the invitation, using his teeth too now as he caressed the nipple that needed his loving so badly.
Leonie needed his loving badly, she acknowledged that, knowing only wonder and beauty in Hawk’s arms, needing more than they could share here.
‘Let’s go to my room,’ she gasped as his hand played over the flatness of her stomach to curve over the mound that ached so badly for his touch. ‘Hawk, I’m going to explode if you don’t soon love me completely!’ she cried out her desperation.
He slowly released her. Leonie felt faint with a hunger of her own; she was shaking so badly she wasn’t sure she would be able to make it up to her bedroom.
‘Hawk,’ she looked up at him with big green eyes, ‘are you going to let me love you tonight?’
He became suddenly still, his eyes fevered at the images her words projected. ‘If it’s what you want,’ he answered gruffly. ‘But only if it’s what you want,’ he added tensely.
Sh
e had felt his desire throbbing against her as he made love to her, vividly remembered the feel of him, the steel encased in velvet, and she wanted more than anything to give him the same pleasure he gave to her so unselfishly.
‘More than anything,’ she confirmed shakily. ‘But you’ll have to teach me, show me what you like—’
Teach you?’ he repeated softly, very still.
She nodded. ‘Hawk, I know I’m not technically a virgin; I couldn’t possibly make that claim when I’ve been married and have a child,’ she acknowledged ruefully. ‘But the only pleasure I’ve ever known was with you, the only pleasure I’ve ever wanted to bestow has been with you. I want so much to please you, Hawk,’ she added huskily. ‘But I’m afraid I won’t know how!’
His arms went about her as he pressed her face against his chest. ‘Just being with you pleases me,’ he told her gruffly.
She shook her head. ‘I want to make love to you.’
He trembled. ‘You will, Leonie,’ he assured her shakily.
She looked up at him with pleading eyes. ‘You’ll help me?’
Hawk released his breath raggedly. ‘I’ll help you,’ he agreed. ‘Although just thinking about it’s driving me insane!’
She smoothed his hair back from his brow. ‘It makes me feel hot and weak,’ she said softly.
‘That too,’ he acknowledged with a tiny shudder.
They stared at each other for long timeless minutes, their eyes saying all that needed to be said. Finally Hawk was the one to break the tension, putting his arm about her shoulders as they went slowly up the stairs.
‘I’ll go and check on Holly,’ Leonie said softly as they reached the nursery door.
Hawk smiled. ‘I’ll come with you. I’m finding it’s one of my greatest pleasures just standing over her cot watching her sleep.’
Leonie eyed him pertly. ‘And here was I convinced I was one of your greatest pleasures!’
His mouth quirked. ‘You’re the ultimate pleasure!’
Her cheeks were burning as she entered the nursery, her bravado leaving her as she shyly avoided Hawk’s teasing gaze.
Then her shyness turned to panic as she moved to Holly’s cot and found it empty!
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
LEONIE TURNED frantically back to Hawk. ‘What—’
‘Now calm down,’ he told her firmly. ‘Maybe she woke up and June or Laura took her in with them as we were still downstairs.’
She pushed past him out of the room, knocking sharply on June’s door and walking in before she had time to receive an answer, her face ashen as she backed back out of the room, knocking on Laura’s and Hal’s door this time, waiting slightly longer than she had outside June’s room, then going in as she heard the murmurs of muffled surprise inside the room. Laura and Hal stared back at her from their bed just as dazedly as June had from hers seconds earlier.
And Holly wasn’t with either of them!
Leonie felt the nausea washing over her as she turned to face Hawk. ‘She’s gone,’ she gasped weakly. ‘Holly’s gone!’
* * *
Hawk caught her as she fell, knowing as June came to her door belting her robe, and Hal and Laura got out of bed to do likewise, that Leonie had told the truth; their precious daughter wasn’t in the house!
Pain such as he had never known before pressed down on his chest, and he would have sunk to the floor with Leonie still in his arms if Hal hadn’t hurried forward to help hold him up.
Holly was gone! Oh, dear God, what did it mean? Who could have done this to them? Why?
How? Who would have dared come into the house in this way?
Hawk turned accusingly to June as she stared at them with stricken brown eyes. ‘You said she was sleeping. That—’
‘Dad,’ Hal cut in reprovingly, ‘you know June had nothing to do with this.’
Yes, he knew. June cared for Holly as if she were her grandchild. Then who? Only one name came instantly to mind, and if Spencer had harmed one hair of Holly’s head he was going to regret it for the rest of his life. Which wouldn’t be for long once Hawk got his hands on him.
‘I can manage,’ he rasped at Hal as he would have taken Leonie from him; no one was ever going to take her from him. ‘You’d better see to your own wife,’ he ordered with a worried frown at Laura.
Laura sat on the edge of the bed rocking backwards and forwards in silent agony, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. She cringed as Hal approached her, moving to the back of the bed so that he couldn’t touch her.
‘Laura—’
‘I told Leonie she was wrong.’ She still rocked backwards and forwards, her arms wrapped about her bent knees. ‘I told her you have to love or you shrivel up and die.’ Her voice was so lacking in emotion it was painful to listen to. ‘But she was right.’ She shook her head, her eyes dull. ‘We both loved Holly, and now she’s been taken from us too. Don’t touch me!’ she told Hal shrilly as he would have reached for her. ‘Don’t touch me or you’ll die too!’
Hal turned to him beseechingly, completely at a loss with how to deal with the situation. Hawk was filled with a burning anger. ‘Holly isn’t dead, Laura,’ he said harshly.
For a moment she looked at him as if she didn’t recognise him, and then there was the merest glimmer of memory in her eyes, those green eyes that were so full of pain it was like looking into the depths of hell. ‘Isn’t she?’ she said flatly.
He drew in a ragged breath, holding Leonie easily in his arms. ‘June, call the police and then a doctor. Tell both of them that it’s urgent,’ he added grimly, carrying Leonie into her bedroom, placing her gently down on the bed and looking down at her with pain-filled eyes. ‘I’ll get her back, Leonie,’ he promised. ‘And once I do neither of you will ever leave me again!’
As he continued to stare down at her he could hear a strange noise, something like an animal in pain, and turned round expecting one of the cats to be in the room with them. And then he remembered that the six of them were shut up in a room downstairs for the night.
He also realised that the pained sound was coming from him, and that the tears were falling against the hardness of his cheeks.
‘Damn you, Spencer!’ he cried out his anguish. ‘Damn you for doing this to her.’ He looked down at Leonie. ‘Damn you for doing this to me! And damn you for daring to so much as touch our daughter!’
He would find the other man if it was the last thing he ever did!
* * *
Leonie woke slowly, her mind feeling foggy, completely disorientated for a moment.
Goodness, she must have slept deeply, she realised with a pained wince as she sat up, guessing by the sunlight filtering in behind the curtains that it was already eight or nine o’clock in the morning. Strange, she didn’t recall getting out of bed to feed Holly during the night. Perhaps the baby had slept right through for the first time, she thought excitedly. It could certainly—
The memory of last night flooded sharply back to her—the empty cot, the searching for Holly, the sudden blackness. And then later, the agonising pain, the torment, of knowing someone had taken her beautiful baby, the crying out for Holly, for the child she loved so deeply. And then the sharp sting in her arm before the blackness closed in once again.
‘It’s all right,’ June soothed as she moved into her line of vision. ‘You’re all right, Leonie,’ she calmed her.
‘Holly?’ choked Leonie, knowing by the way June’s gaze slid away from hers that Holly was still missing. She slumped back against the pillows. ‘Where’s Hawk?’ she asked dully.
June moistened her lips. ‘He and Hal left straight after the police had finished their questioning—’
‘The police?’ Leonie’s sharp gaze swivelled to the other woman.
June shrugged, looking much older than her forty-five years this morning. ‘They had to be informed,’ she explained gently.
‘Of course,’ Leonie nodded abruptly. ‘Where did Hawk and Hal go?’
The other woman swallowe
d hard. ‘I’m not really sure,’ she shook her head.
Michael. Hawk had gone to find Michael. She knew without being told that Hawk also believed Michael was responsible for—for Holly’s disappearance. And he wouldn’t wait for the police to find the other man. And Holly.
She squeezed her eyes shut as the sweet memories of her baby washed over her, the tears escaping through the tightly closed lids. She had only just begun to show Holly how much she loved her, she couldn’t possibly lose her now.
‘Laura?’ she prompted abruptly.
‘She’s—resting, too,’ June supplied with an awkward grimace.
‘Resting?’ Leonie echoed sharply.
June shook her head. ‘The doctor had to sedate her too. She—Well, she—’
Leonie straightened too quickly, feeling dizzy for a moment, and closed her eyes to shut out the spinning of the room. ‘What happened?’ she demanded firmly.
She listened with an increasing heaviness as June told her of Laura’s reaction to Holly’s disappearance.
‘I’ve never seen her like that before,’ June finished huskily.
‘Do the police have any idea who—who—’
Leonie couldn’t go on, just the thought of someone else having her beautiful daughter was making her tremble. ‘Have they heard from anyone?’ she choked.
She knew what the answer was going to be even before June shook her head. If it was Michael—and who else could it be!—he would enjoy letting her suffer a little before asking for what he really wanted: money. In the meantime, if he harmed Holly in any way he would have more than Hawk’s wrath to contend with.
‘Hawk and Hal should be back soon,’ June added encouragingly. ‘Maybe they’ll know something.’
Knowing Michael as she did Leonie knew they would never be able to find him. And he had no idea how to take care of a baby, no idea what to feed Holly, or how to change her, or—or anything! But only he would dare to enter the house and take Holly in that way.
Just One Night (Presents Plus) Page 20