‘Then why do you date women like Jennifer Sutton? Oh I’ll admit she wouldn’t hesitate to marry you, but she’s also obviously a career-woman. And she would never dream of ruining that wonderful figure while she had your children!’ Chelsea derided.
‘I’m sure it can’t have escaped your notice,’ his mouth twisted without humour, ‘but Jennifer and I won’t be seeing each other socially again.’
‘I realise that,’ she shrugged. ‘Just as I’m equally sure you will quickly replace her with someone else who is completely unsuitable.’
‘To you perhaps, but not to me! God, why am I bothering to defend myself in this way?’ He was impatient with himself.
‘Because you know I want you, because I love you, because I would love to have children with you,’ she told him with husky softness.
‘This is ridiculous,’ he stormed over to the door. ‘You don’t know what you’re saying!’
‘Oh, I know,’ she nodded. ‘Think about it, Lucas,’ she encouraged throatily.
‘There’s nothing to think about,’ he shook his head, his expression remote. ‘And I’m sure that when you come to your senses you’ll regret what you’ve just told me.’
Chelsea gave him a pitying smile. ‘I’m not some hysterical virgin who thinks she has to declare undying love just because she got carried away with passion with a man,’ she derided.
Lucas halted in his tracks, looking at her with narrowed eyes. ‘You aren’t a virgin?’
‘Oh yes, I am,’ she told him softly. ‘And I’m glad that I am. I want you to be my first lover.’
‘You’re insane!’ he bit out.
She smiled happily at his outraged confusion. ‘I can also be very determined when I want something.’
‘Me?’
‘Yes,’ she confirmed lightly.
He shook his head dazedly. ‘I’ve never met anyone like you before.’
‘That’s what I’m hoping,’ she nodded.
His eyes narrowed. ‘You’re really serious about this?’
‘So serious I think we should try to have our first baby by next Christmas. I think Christmas would be a nice time to have a baby, don’t you. Think of the lovely names we could—Lucas?’ she queried mockingly as he stormed out of the room, falling back on the pillows with a dreamy smile on her face.
Lucas’s son, with his warm brown eyes and dark hair. And maybe a daughter later on for her. All she had to do was convince Lucas that he could love her as she loved him. She knew it was possible, but she also knew that Lucas’s will was far stronger than her own, that for the majority of the time he could control and manipulate his emotions. But tonight had seen a crack in those emotions, and she intended for it to widen and widen until he couldn’t stop the love pouring out.
She loved Lucas McAdams! It was incredible that until a short time ago she had been so miserable. Now she had hope, a dream for the future, a love that would help her cope with the loss of her mother, but not replace her as Lucas accused her of doing.
And she wanted Lucas physically in a way she had never dreamt of wanting Randy, the boy she had once thought to marry. Thank God, she hadn’t! Because she had a feeling she would have fallen in love with Lucas whatever her married state had been.
* * *
‘You’ve seemed happier the last few days,’ Mrs Harvey smiled at her.
‘I am happier,’ Chelsea nodded, sitting in the kitchen eating her breakfast, as she had done for the past week, the housekeeper having thawed enough to allow that.
‘I’m glad the shock of your mother’s death is lessening.’
‘Yes,’ she sobered.
The first numbed heartache of her mother’s death had indeed gone, a dull ache whenever she thought of all that beauty now gone, acceptance that it had gone, that, no matter what recriminations she gave herself, her mother was gone, and there was nothing she could do about it now except go on with her own life. And Lucas had become that life.
She thought with amusement of the last three days, of his deliberate avoidance of spending time alone with her, almost as if he suspected she might pounce on him if they were. Consequently he was gone in the mornings before she got up, did not come home for lunch, and worked late every evening, disappearing into his study with his dinner on a tray when he did get home. It was that very avoidance of her that gave her hope he might come to care for her; why else would he need so desperately to stay away from her?
Yes, she was happy, in a quietly confident way. She hadn’t come to England looking for love; it had been the last thing on her mind when she left Los Angeles. And she knew that Lucas wasn’t the ideal man for her to have fallen in love with, she just couldn’t help herself.
Mrs Harvey’s mouth firmed as the telephone rang. ‘If it’s one of those reporters again!’ she warned ominously. ‘I don’t know how they got hold of this number.’
Chelsea watched anxiously as the other woman took the call; several really persistent reporters had rung the apartment the last few days, much to Lucas’s anger. A few tersely cold calls to the owners of the newspapers had put a stop to most of them, but one man kept persisting. John Anderson. After the way he had deceived her she would have thought he would have the decency to just leave her alone, but he telephoned several times a day wanting to talk to her. She always refused.
‘Yes, Mr Stevens,’ Mrs Harvey beamed at Chelsea as the caller identified himself as her father. ‘She’s right here.’ She held out the receiver to the waiting Chelsea, quietly returning to the kitchen once Chelsea had taken it.
‘Jace,’ she greeted with relief. ‘Where have you been?’ she demanded to know. ‘I’ve been expecting to hear from you for days.’
‘I know, Princess,’ he sighed, sounding very, very tired. ‘I’m sorry I haven’t called before.’
‘Are you all right?’ she asked with concern; he didn’t sound it.’
‘I’m fine.’
She didn’t believe that for a moment! ‘Where are you?’
‘I’m—Just at a friend’s, Princess,’ he dismissed. ‘I shall be going back to Los Angeles soon anyway; I have to face it some time.’
‘Are you sure you’re all right?’ she persisted. ‘You sound sort of—strange.’
‘Thanks!’
‘You know what I mean,’ she said impatiently.
‘It must be a bad line,’ he dismissed again. ‘Because I feel fine. I just wanted to know what you’ve been up to?’
She tensed. ‘Me?’ Oh God, he had found out about the newspaper article after all!
‘I just spoke to Lucas, and he seemed decidedly odd when I asked how you were.’
‘Odd?’ she delayed.
‘Reluctant,’ her father amended. ‘What have you done to the poor guy, Princess?’
He didn’t know about the newspaper article! ‘I’m not sure you’re ready for this,’ she said slowly.
‘Princess?’ his voice sharpened with concern.
‘I’ve fallen in love with him,’ she admitted ruefully.
‘And Lucas?’
‘You don’t sound surprised, or—or disapproving?’ she frowned at his calm reaction.
‘Why should I disapprove of Lucas, he’s a good man.’
‘A very good man,’ she agreed. ‘So good he says he’s too old for me.’
‘You’ll grow up.’
‘Exactly what I said,’ she laughed happily. ‘Oh, Jace, I wish he could hear you.’
‘He sounds harassed enough already. Are you really sure about this, Princess?’
‘Positive,’ she said without hesitation.
‘I thought you were equally as positive about Randy once upon a time,’ he reminded dryly.
‘Not like with Lucas,’ she dismissed. ‘I loved Randy as a friend, and thought it was the sort of love that led to marriage. With Lucas I don’t care if it leads to marriage or not, I just want to be with him.’
‘I understand, Princess,’ Jace sighed. ‘I guess my little girl has finally grown up.’
‘Lucas isn’t convinced,’ she told him regretfully.
‘I’m sure you’ll find a way to convince him,’ her father said dryly. ‘I bet he’s never run into anyone as completely forthright as you before.’
‘He does seem a little surprised,’ she mused, sobering suddenly. ‘But are you sure you’re all right,’ she still persisted. ‘I could come home if—’
‘No! Er—no, I don’t think so, Princess,’ his voice was less harsh the second time he spoke. ‘Give it at least another week or so.’
‘But if I can help you—’
‘The best way to help me is to stay where you are,’ he said dully. ‘This is something I have to sort out alone. Besides,’ he added teasingly, ‘you don’t want to leave Lucas to the charms of some other woman, do you?’
‘No…’ she acknowledged slowly, thinking of Jennifer Sutton. Lucas worked with the other woman every day, and although he had been adamant that things were over between them after the vicious scene she had overhead, she had no doubt Jennifer could make herself very appealing if she wanted to. And for an ambitious woman like that Lucas was a good catch.
‘Don’t worry about things back here,’ Jace told her lightly. ‘I can handle it. You sound as if you have your hands full trying to convince Lucas you’re serious.’
‘He can be very stubborn,’ she conceded.
Jace laughed softly. ‘That has to be the understatement of the year! But give him time, you haven’t been there very long. He doesn’t know yet how stubborn you can be.’
She wasn’t completely convinced by her father’s jovial mood, sure that her first instincts had been right, that the strain of the publicity attached to her mother’s death was proving too much for him to handle alone. She felt she should go back to be with him.
‘He wants you to stay here,’ Lucas told her when she made the suggestion to him over lunch, one of the rare times he had come home for it.
‘But I could help him,’ she protested.
‘Have you forgotten, he still thinks you believe your mother’s death to be from natural causes?’
‘And you said he would have to realise one day that I know the truth, so why not now?’
Lucas sighed, looking strained himself, lines of tiredness beside his eyes. ‘I don’t think he could handle it just now.’
‘And I don’t think you can handle me staying,’ she told him ruefully.
He stiffened, his mouth tight. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ he snapped.
She leant her elbows on the table, her chin in her hands. ‘It hasn’t escaped my notice that you’ve been avoiding me.’
‘Rubbish!’
‘Ever since the other night,’ she finished pointedly, watching him closely.
He gave a deep sigh, unconsciously crumbling the uneaten roll on his plate between steely fingers. ‘I think it’s best if we forget the other night,’ he bit out tautly.
Chelsea shook her head. ‘I can’t. Can you?’
‘I’m trying,’ he grated grimly.
‘Jace thinks the two of us loving each other is a wonderful idea,’ she told him with calm innocence, waiting for the explosion. She didn’t have to wait long!
‘What?’ he thundered.
Her mouth quirked into a smile at his outrage, pleased to have elicited a response from him other than the cold politeness he had shown her on the rare occasions they had met the last few days. ‘I told Jace about us, and he—’
‘There is no us to tell him about, damn it!’ Lucas threw down his napkin on the table before standing up to glare down at her with blazing brown eyes. ‘I’m sure he was shocked out of his mind to think I’d been making love to a teenager!’
She was aware of the reluctant question behind his words. ‘I didn’t tell him about that—’
‘Thank God for that!’
‘But I did tell him how I feel about you. He likes the idea,’ she shrugged.
‘What idea?’ Lucas demanded impatiently.
‘The two of us getting married.’
His eyes widened in shock before closing again in disbelief. ‘I can’t believe you told your father that,’ he shook his head.
‘Why can’t you?’ she frowned.
‘Because—well, because—Because it isn’t true, that’s why,’ he said in exasperation. ‘Chelsea, tell me you didn’t tell Jace such a thing.’
‘I could tell you that,’ she agreed slowly.
‘Thank God!’
‘But it wouldn’t be the truth,’ she added ruefully.
‘You did tell him?’ Lucas rasped.
‘Yes,’ she nodded.
‘Chelsea!’ Lucas breathed raggedly. ‘How could you do such a thing? Doesn’t he have enough to worry about without burdening him with this nonsense?’
‘I told you, he was pleased about it,’ she insisted. ‘And it isn’t nonsense.’
He gave an impatient glance at his wristwatch. ‘I don’t have the time to argue with you now, I have to be back in court in a few minutes. But this discussion is far from over,’ he warned as he pulled the charcoal grey jacket on over his fitted waistcoat. ‘It might seem amusing to you to have put me in this awkward position, but I can assure you I don’t find it in the least funny!’
‘I can see that.’ She stood up to straighten the already straight collar of his jacket, using the excuse just to get close to him. ‘But one day you will,’ she promised him before standing on tiptoe to kiss him lingeringly on the mouth, Lucas momentarily too stunned by the unexpected caress to move away, Chelsea’s arms moving about his waist as he finally would have done so.
‘Mr McAdams, I—Oh!’ A stunned Mrs Harvey came to a halt in the doorway, too surprised to do anything but stare at them.
Lucas pushed Chelsea viciously away from him, his expression clearly showing his displeasure. ‘What is it, Mrs Harvey?’ he rasped growlingly.
‘I—Well, I—I wondered if you would be in to dinner this evening.’ The poor woman sounded flustered, obviously disturbed by the kiss she had just witnessed between her employer and his young guest.
‘Yes,’ he answered Mrs Harvey, but his steely gaze was fixed on Chelsea. ‘Yes, I’ll be here for dinner at seven o’clock,’ he added grimly.
‘Very well.’ The distressed woman returned to her kitchen at top speed.
Chelsea was smiling when Lucas turned back to her; she couldn’t help it.
‘You know why I’ve decided to be back early tonight?’ he asked her coldly.
‘So you can finally spend some time with me, I hope,’ she grinned impishly.
His mouth thinned into an angry line. ‘Chelsea, you are a guest in my home, I will not have you disrupting my household in this way.’
She opened innocently wide blue eyes. ‘What did I do wrong now?’
He sighed his impatience. ‘Don’t make the mistake of believing your own publicity,’ he rasped.
‘Sorry?’ she frowned.
‘Your young friend Anderson may have implied that we’re having an affair,’ he reminded grimly. ‘But that’s no reason for you to actually believe that we are!’
‘I didn’t make that publicity,’ she flared angrily. ‘John distorted the facts to get a story!’
‘He only printed what you told him,’ Lucas shook his head.
‘But he made it into something it wasn’t,’ she protested her innocence. ‘Not then, anyway.’
‘Aren’t you doing the same thing?’ Lucas reasoned. ‘You’re far away from home, have suffered a recent emotional trauma, you aren’t seeing things in perspective at the moment.’
Chelsea shook her head, a half smile to her lips. ‘You can’t talk me out of loving you, Lucas. Okay, I accept that it’s happened quickly, unexpectedly, but if I hadn’t met you now I would have met you some other time, and I would still have loved you. Some things are just fated to be.’
He gave her an impatient glare. ‘We’ll talk about this again tonight,’ he dismissed. ‘In the meantime, try not to shock Mrs Harvey more tha
n she already is.’
‘I doubt that I could,’ she said with amusement, sitting down to finish her coffee, looking at Lucas beneath lowered lashes. ‘So far she’s seen me returning your pyjama jacket to your bedroom my first day here, leaving your bedroom the morning after that in a sexy nightgown and négligé, and you following me out of the room wearing only a towel. And now she’s actually seen us kissing each other.’
‘Oh God!’ Lucas groaned disgustedly.
‘Yes,’ she smiled. ‘So unless she actually walks in on us making love I don’t think things could get any worse.’
‘I’m going back to work,’ he rasped.
‘I’ll see you later,’ she acknowledged throatily.
‘I wish you would behave yourself,’ he scowled.
‘Do you?’ she mocked, her head back in challenge.
He gave her a look that spoke volumes, before closing the door forcefully behind him as he left.
Poor Lucas, he obviously wasn’t going to accept her love gracefully. From what he had told her of his childhood he had had to work for any praise and affection that he got, and now he didn’t know when to accept the latter when it was freely given to him. She would just have to stay around long enough to convince him.
As with that other evening when she had known he was to be joining her for dinner she was in the lounge waiting for him, the whisky and dash of water in a glass in her hand, a smile to her lips.
Lucas took the drink and swallowed it all down without saying a word, sparing not a glance for the appearance she had taken such care over. Her hair was tightly coiled back from her face to be secured on the top of her head in a sleek knot, made to look darker in its confines, the severity of the style throwing into prominence the haunted beauty of her face, the long white dress shot through with silver clinging lovingly to her slender curves, slit almost to her thigh on one side to allow freedom of movement, showing a tantalising glimpse of bare flesh. But for all the notice Lucas took of her before he strode from the room to shower and change she could have been wearing a sack and have soot on her face and hair!
She poured him a second drink, carrying it very carefully as she followed him to his bedroom, sitting down on the bed as she waited for him to come out of the adjoining bathroom where she could hear him taking a shower. She had to be sitting down so that he couldn’t propel her straight back out of the room!
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