Even as the joy of getting what he wanted filled him, nerves jumped in his stomach. The whole date had been arranged so simply one would have thought he could settle into work and forget it until time to pick her up at her flat.
But he’d never been so excited about taking someone to dinner. Never had this shaky feeling over knowing she could be his—all his—for two or three or even four days.
One day at a time. One invitation at a time.
As long as they were having fun. If it ever looked like she was getting serious when he wasn’t, he’d know to shut it off.
But he didn’t believe it would go that far. Their time together came with a shelf life. Though she was spending Christmas Day in London, he’d be on a plane back to Manhattan. And they wouldn’t see each other again for months.
She had to realize that.
CHAPTER EIGHT
EAGER NOW, WISHING the day was over so he could have time with Erin, Hugo bounced out of his seat and walked into what he considered ground central. Things were progressing. Painting done in some places, on target in others.
He saw one of the specialty plasterers and walked over to talk about design. But before they got into their conversation, he saw Sally heading toward him. He’d known she was in the hotel today, but as had been his practice, he let his brother and sister work alone, at their own speed. And while Jay phoned him with updates, Sally still preferred the more impersonal method of emailing.
She looked hesitant walking to him. Then her steps faltered, and he noticed that her color was off. Her face a pasty white.
His chest tightened with fear and he sped up his steps as she reached out her hand. “Hugo!” she said, her knees buckling.
He caught her just as she fell.
An ambulance was called, and Hugo had to fight with the attendant to be able to ride with Sally. But he won. After she was seen by the doctor, he’d waited for her to awaken, but the conversation they’d had hadn’t pleased him.
She was pregnant and not intending to marry the baby’s father.
Because she wanted to be independent.
The words cut through him like a knife. Not because his little sister had grown up to be strong and capable, but because underlying those words was a worry that having her father die, her older brother desert her and her stepfather cheat her had given her the wrong impression of all men.
Which was why, when he ran into Edward Chen in the Harrington Park lobby on his way out of the hotel to dress for his date with Erin, he almost took the man’s head off. He had to be the baby’s father. Hugo hadn’t seen Sally with anyone else. Not that he saw a lot of her. She rarely told him when she was in the hotel—
But Edward was the guy she’d been staying with when she’d traveled to Tianlipin.
“So? You’re just going to drop your responsibilities to my sister?”
Edward gaped at him. Tall and dark-eyed, Edward quietly said, “Drop what responsibilities?”
“To your child!”
Edward eased back a step. “I don’t believe this is any of your business.”
“Oh, do not kid yourself. My sister and I might not have seen each other for a long time, but she is still my sister and I want to know your intentions.”
Edward turned on his heel. “Right now, my intention is to go to the hospital. If you’ll excuse me.”
With that, he was out the door, and Hugo counted to thirty-five. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe he had a right to confront Edward. It was more that when Sally found out he’d yelled at her baby’s father, she was likely to hit him.
But a weird happiness filled him. His sister was pregnant and no matter who liked it and who didn’t, he had held the father accountable.
All right. Edward didn’t look like the kind of guy who would abandon his responsibilities. But Hugo had finally been able to step up as big brother again.
* * *
Erin stared at the three dresses on the bed. She’d encouraged Hugo’s personal shopper to bargain hunt. Though the request had sounded odd to the store managers Kathleen had called, she had found three dresses for about a third of their original cost.
The first was a simple red sheath with a cardigan that could go anywhere. A restaurant or a Christmas party.
The black one was more sleek, sophisticated. That one definitely had Christmas party or gallery opening written all over it.
The blue one was a good dinner choice.
But if Hugo only wanted tonight, she’d be sending back the two dresses she really liked.
Of course, if things went as well as they had the last time she and Hugo were alone…he’d spend every day with her.
Her thoughts drifted back to the night they were stranded at the hotel and eagerness raced through her. When she stopped thinking of things in terms of “permanent,” everything was perfect. They laughed. The sex was amazing. And there had been no hurt feelings.
No expectations did that to a person.
She hadn’t thought she’d expected too much from her late husband, but maybe she had. And maybe that was the lesson? She wouldn’t attach herself to anyone who couldn’t give her his whole heart and soul, but she could date them. That opened the door to having fun with someone who didn’t want to commit, and Hugo was definitely fun.
And probably unable to commit. He hadn’t told her much about his life, his family, how they’d become estranged. She’d pieced things together, but he didn’t talk, and she was finally beginning to realize that would be for the best, if they were simply together to have fun.
She decided to think positive and slid into the blue dress. It dipped low enough in the front to be alluring, but not so much that it was provocative. Better, though, it brought out the best in her straight red hair. With a little makeup and a pair of black high-heeled pumps, she was ready when the doorbell rang.
She raced to answer it, then forced herself to slow down. Whatever she and Hugo were doing, it was only about fun. A woman only having fun did not race to the door.
The second she opened it, Hugo caught her upper arms and brought her to him for a long, sensual kiss that made her dizzy.
“Wow.”
“You’re so beautiful.”
And just like that, he took an evening that could have started out awkward and brought them both out of work mode and into romance. Happiness tingled through her. She liked him. She liked being with him. When there was no discussion, no expectation, no tomorrow guaranteed for them, he was a warm, loving guy.
And from the way his gaze moved from her face down the lines of her dress, she knew he liked her too.
“I’m going to have to congratulate Kathleen on her choice of outfits.”
She almost said, Just wait. There are two more. Each one better than the last. But she bit her tongue. There was no guarantee they’d have more than this date. She refused to ruin it by putting him in an odd spot.
She rose on tiptoe to give him a quick kiss. “Thanks.”
He took a slow breath. “You’re welcome.” His gaze rippled down her figure again. “We better get to the limo before I convince you we don’t need dinner.”
The expression on his face sent her head spinning and arousal careening through her blood. “Maybe we don’t.”
He laughed. “I’m not starting my third date with you by not feeding you or buying lunch from a vendor the way I did our first and second.”
Walking to the limo, she realized he counted their being stuck in the hotel as a date and then him showing her and Noah around as their second, and her heart warmed. Mostly because he liked her son, was easy and casual around her son, like a man who adored children—
Then she reminded herself this was only about fun, and she pulled herself together. He wanted to wine and dine her. Wasn’t that what fun was supposed to be about? Enjoying each other’s company, not just falling into be
d.
Ronnie opened the limo door. As she entered, Hugo said, “I saw my sister this afternoon.”
His simple statement broke the argument in her head. “You did?”
He settled beside her on the long, comfortable seat. “Yes. She fainted in my arms and I called an ambulance.”
“I thought I heard scuttlebutt about an ambulance coming to the hotel.”
His gaze jumped to hers. “Just scuttlebutt. No out and out gossip?”
“There might have been.” She shrugged. “You know me. I don’t interrupt the workers unless I need to. Plus, I stay in my own little corner.” Cautious because she didn’t want to push, she carefully said, “So, what happened?”
“I sort of got to be a big brother.”
The pride in his voice made her laugh. “What?”
“It’s a complicated situation…and some of it I don’t feel comfortable revealing.”
“Oh.” Confusion jolted through her. Sometimes they were so close, and their conversations seemed so open, that his pulling back was like a bolt of lightning. A hot little sizzle that singed her nerve endings.
“It’s about her health.” He winced. “Obviously, since she went to the hospital, but suffice to say she’s fine. Better than fine. Fit and healthy and probably going home tomorrow.”
Erin listened carefully, noting how close he came to telling her something about his family without telling her anything. Still, it was more than he ever said. Even if he was keeping a lot of his life close to the vest, the fact that he’d said anything at all pleased her.
She reminded herself she hadn’t entered this relationship to find a husband or even a real boyfriend. She was determined not to be hurt by things he said or didn’t say.
“Because the twins are seven years younger than I am, I felt like their protector.” He winced. “And by default, something of a teacher. Showing them the ropes about life.”
She laughed, warmed again by his sharing with her. “How old were you when you were their guru?”
He thought a second. “I left at seventeen.” His head tilted. “So, probably from when I was ten and they were three. At the time I thought I was wise. Turns out I didn’t know a damned thing really.”
“No seventeen-year-old knows everything.” After laughing with him a bit more about how much he liked being a big brother, they entered the restaurant and she shifted the conversation to something light and friendly. Books they’d read. Movies each had seen—mostly on internet platforms because with his schedule, Hugo didn’t go out much.
The way he so casually mentioned it, Erin knew it was true. She desperately tried not to let her brain leap to the conclusion that he didn’t have much of a social life, which meant there wasn’t a woman waiting for him back in Manhattan—not even a dependable date for social events he needed to attend—and she had to stop that too.
Keeping things light and casual in a relationship didn’t happen as naturally as Erin thought it would. Her inclination seemed to be to jump to the future and this wasn’t about the future. It was about now.
Still, she liked him. She liked this relaxed version of Hugo who could now trust her with tidbits about his family and converse about simple, mundane things. And dinner was divine. The venue was luxurious and just pretentious enough to demonstrate that she was dating “up” from her own class.
But Hugo never made her feel less than. In fact, he made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the room. Their conversations were filled with intelligence and laughter. Walking out of the restaurant to the limo, warm with wine and happiness, they linked arms.
Ronnie opened the door with a smile and an odd look to Hugo.
Hugo turned her to face him, locking his eyes with hers. “Will you come back to my penthouse with me?”
She didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
Ronnie smiled. After they’d entered the limo, he closed the door on them. Cocooning them in the warm, private back seat.
They kissed the entire drive to his building. Kissed in the elevator going up to the penthouse and kissed their way down the hall to the master bedroom. But once they got into the bedroom, both removed their winter coats and he reached for the zipper on her dress.
Abundantly glad she had a fetish for pretty undergarments, she stood still as he peeled away her dress and revealed the pink bra and panties. He kissed her reverently as she loosened his tie and undid the buttons of his white shirt.
He broke their kiss to get rid of his clothes, then rolled her to the bed with him onto silk sheets that slid sensuously against her skin. Her breathing slowed, even as her thoughts jumped to double time, taking it all in. The fierceness of his kiss, the solidness of his muscles beneath her palms. She wanted to remember every little detail for cold Manhattan nights, if only because this was a temporary fling.
But her brain shut down when his fingers skimmed her flesh and his mouth found her breast. Her breathing stuttered as heat and need flowed through her veins, pooling at a point just below her belly. What started out slow and easy quickly heated to boiling. Their joining was swift and intense. Kisses became hot and desperate. Until a stunning climax roared through her and she felt his follow.
For a few seconds she simply let herself breathe. Then he raised himself to smile down into her eyes, and something inside her heart cracked and opened. But she caught it just in time, before those haunted gray eyes of his could soften her to the point that she felt things she knew she wasn’t allowed to feel.
The emotions were there, right on the surface, and she longed to indulge them. Instead, she ignored them.
She wouldn’t let herself fall for another man with secrets. Though he might not have realized it, he’d drawn a line that day by only taking her so far into his confidence about his sister.
But remembering that would keep her from getting her heart broken and help her to simply enjoy what they had.
* * *
She woke the next morning so sated and happy that she decided to make him breakfast in bed. In a relationship that was only about fun, there was no room for second-guessing her every move. There was no way she could be too forward. No worry that she’d scare him off and there’d be no more dates. She had no idea if he’d want to see her that night, if he’d chase her home so he could get some work done this morning or if they’d spend the day—Sunday—together. She also didn’t care.
A little voice inside her brain said that wasn’t true, but she shoved it aside. She and Hugo were not a match made in heaven. Even if he somehow gave her the magical sign that she meant something to him, she should be smart enough to give returning his feelings a lot of thought. He was a man with secrets and an odd past. A smart woman wouldn’t want to get involved with that. At least not permanently. So right now, she had no expectations. She liked him. She loved talking with him and he was a fabulous lover whose generosity made her a better lover because she wasn’t afraid of messing up what they had. They had nothing. Except that moment.
Having no expectations was a beautiful thing.
With bacon frying on the stove and bagels in the toaster, Erin had her back to the open area of the penthouse when Hugo walked up behind her, slid his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.
She laughed. “You better step back or you’ll get splashed with bacon grease.”
“I have a robe on…since someone stole my shirt.”
She winced. “Sorry, didn’t want to put on my new dress to cook bacon.”
He nibbled the back of her neck. “I like you in my shirt… I like you better in my bed.”
“After we eat. Last night was amazing, but we drained every drop of energy I have. We need to power up.”
“Good thinking.” He slid away from her. “Anything I can do?”
“Nope. I only found bacon, cream cheese and bagels. No eggs. So maybe bacon sandwiches?”
“Sounds
great.”
“Get some plates and napkins while I take the bacon out of the pan and we’ll be set.”
He did what he was told but when they sat at the breakfast bar, they both got quiet. After a few bites of bagel, he said, “So you weren’t upset about your mum taking your son and running away to Ireland?”
She laughed, licking some cream cheese off her thumb. He might not be able to tell her much about himself, but her life was not a secret. She had no qualms telling him anything.
“No. My mom has never had extended family around. Since my parents’ divorce, my mom’s been pretty much alone. Except for me. I got married and my husband died before I had Noah. So, though we have a Noah, who we didn’t have before, my mom and I are back to being pretty much alone.”
“Where’s your dad?”
She shrugged. “Don’t know. I invited him to my wedding, but he declined. Luckily, by that point my mom and I didn’t care. I was so thrilled to be marrying Josh that having my dad refuse to walk me down the aisle just made room for my mom to do it.”
* * *
Erin glanced down at her bacon when she said her husband’s name, and Hugo fought a battle with jealousy. The man was gone, but it was clear there was still a boatload of emotion there.
He wanted to ask what the man—Josh—was like. What he’d done for a living. How he’d died. Partly out of curiosity. Partly because he longed to find a rift, a flaw, something he could identify and use to make the jealousy go away.
But he reminded himself that his relationship with Erin was a temporary thing. And hearing Erin say her husband had died, her dad had deserted her, her mum and son were her only people, he knew she needed some fun in her life.
Maybe more than he did. And maybe he was looking at this relationship all wrong. It might be casual, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t share their troubles. Their lives had a few similarities and it wouldn’t hurt to admit that.
He took a breath. “Your mum’s obsession with finding her Irish relatives reminds me of me trying to get my family back together.”
Harlequin Romance December 2020 Box Set Page 10