Play Our Song Again (Lynsey Stevens Romance Book 13)

by Lynsey Stevens

  They went through to the kitchen and he stood watching her as she busied herself heating the water, setting out the coffee mugs. He asked after her parents and as she led him through to the living-room she told him a little warily that they were away for the weekend.

  For the first time their conversation became a trifle stilted, and as Alex sat on the edge of her chair sipping her coffee, he could almost see the nervous flutter of her heart. The air between them had crackled and in all honesty he knew he was as keyed up as she was trying hard to hide she was.

  ‘When are you leaving?’ she had asked him at last.

  ‘Tomorrow morning.’ Justin looked down into the dark liquid in his cup. ‘I’ve got solid commitments for two weeks, then I’ll have a few days break before the next lot of engagements in the far north. Cairns, Townsville, Mount Isa.’

  She nodded, a curtain of silky hair falling forward, and she brushed it carefully back from her face. ‘Have you been up to northern Queensland before?’

  ‘No. My first time.’ He smiled. ‘Everyone I’ve spoken to either loves it or hates it. I’m really quite curious to see it for myself.’

  An uneasy silence settled on them for a few moments and he watched her dart a quick glance at him through her lashes before concentrating on the coffee mug in her hands.

  ‘Would you like another cup of coffee?’ she asked, and he wondered if it was a trick of the light that her lips had seemed to take on a whitish hue.

  ‘No, thanks.’ He rose and put his empty mug on the coffee table. ‘I guess I should be going. I’ve an early flight.’ His fingers straightened his tie and putting her own coffee cup down Alex stood up facing him.

  ‘I hope you have a good flight, and thanks so much for tonight, for the last two weeks. I’ve really enjoyed your company.’ She walked across to the door and her hand was on the catch before Justin moved after her.

  ‘I’ve enjoyed it, too, Alex,’ he said softly, and meant it.

  She smiled faintly. ‘I’m glad.’ She held out her hand and her smile widened. ‘Don’t forget to call in again when you’re passing through Brisbane.’

  His eyes seemed to be compelled to move over her face, settling on the gentle curve of her lips before he pulled himself together and took the hand she offered him. Once her hand was in his he found he didn’t want to let it go, and when she would have taken her hand away he held it captive.

  Her smile faltered and a rosy flush touched her cheeks. She raised startled blue eyes from the knot of his tie to meet his own eyes.

  How long they stood like that he couldn’t have told, but only the slightest pressure brought her up against him and releasing her hand he slid his arms around her, holding her close. It seemed that both their bodies sighed as though they had been existing simply for this moment.

  His eyes never left her face as he drank in each of her features, her small upturned nose, her wide deep blue eyes, the perfectly shaped lips now trembling slightly.

  ‘Alex?’ The name came huskily from him in a voice he scarcely recognised as his own, before he lowered his head.

  That long kiss was an explosion within them both, left them both shaken and unfulfilled. When they finally drew apart their eyes locked together as they drew ragged breaths. But not for long. Their lips were lured irresistibly together. Alex moaned softly as Justin’s lips moved down the smooth column of her throat and he felt his control slip dangerously low.

  How they ended up on the couch he barely recalled, but the feel of her lithe young body along the length of his drove any of his earlier restraints to the furthermost corner of his mind. Her satin blouse was soon loose of the band of her long hostess skirt and his hands caressed the rising swell of her young breasts. Her hands were moving inside his shirt over the firmness of his midriff and back, and they clung together in a feverish arousal. He kissed her eyes, her nose, her mouth, the softness of her throat, until his lips moved downwards and she murmured in response, her fingers in the thick darkness of his hair.

  Raising his head, he met her eyes again, the fire surging within him at the luminous sensuality in their now almost violet blue depths. That he was responsible for that sultry invitation caught him in the chest, filling him with a feeling he couldn’t begin to describe. The nearest he could come was the crushing crescendo of a much loved concerto.

  Through the haze of his own heightened passion he suddenly noticed that her eyes were tinged just slightly with a faint fear she was unable to hide from him, and he belatedly remembered her youth and inexperience and cursed himself for his selfish lack of control. Almost savagely he thrust himself to his feet, his hands unsteady as he began rebuttoning his shirt.

  ‘Justin?’

  ‘We …’ He took a deep breath. ‘We have to stop this, Alex. Otherwise I won’t be able to.’

  He put more distance between them as Alex struggled into a sitting position, blushing as she pulled her blouse together. He turned back to her when he felt he had regained some of his control, and the look in her eyes, of pain, of uncertainty, was almost his undoing.

  He leant stiff-armed against the back of the lounge chair, and stared at the whiteness of his tensed knuckles. God, how he wanted her! His eyes went to her again. ‘Don’t look at me like that, Alex, or, God help me, I won’t be able to keep this distance between us,’ he said harshly.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered. ‘I’m afraid I don’t under­stand how, well,’ she made a small movement with one hand. ‘I don’t understand how this works.’ She flushed and began again. ‘I mean, I guess I’m not very experienced about… I’ve never…’ Her voice faded away and Justin clenched his hands before he could trust himself to speak.

  ‘I know, Alex, I know. That’s why I don’t want to…’ He looked back at her. ‘Alex. Oh, Alex!’ He ran his hands through his hair and stared broodingly at her. ‘I love you and I want to marry you,’ he said at last, and her mouth opened in a round oh of shocked surprise as she continued to stare at him.

  ‘You want to marry me?’ She repeated in a broken whisper.

  His hand moved tiredly over his jaw. ‘Hell, I’ve made a mess of this,’ he said almost to himself, and sighed. ‘Look, I think we could use another cup of coffee before we talk about it. Okay?’

  Nodding, Alex slowly got to her feet and picked up the two coffee mugs. Her eyes were downcast, as though she was afraid to look at him.

  Leaning in the doorway, his arms folded, Justin watched as she made the coffee, his eyes narrowed, his thoughts concealed. Her face was turned away from him, her hair falling in slight disarray from their love­making, and he knew the rekindling of his arousal. Before he could stop himself he had crossed the kitchen to slide his arms around her from behind, drawing her easily back against him, his hands going to the swell of her breasts, burying his face in the softness of her hair.

  ‘Oh, Alex,’ he breathed, ‘I knew this would happen.’

  ‘What…? What would happen?’ she asked breath­lessly, a catch in her voice.

  ‘That if I touched you tonight I wouldn’t be able to leave you alone.’ His lips gently caressed her neck and he felt her tremble. Turning her around, his hands moved to cup her face. ‘I mean what I say, Alex, make no mistake about that. This is no light flirtation for me. I do want to marry you.’

  Tears spilled over on to her cheeks and her arms slid around his waist. ‘I love you, too. I wouldn’t have been able to bear it if you’d simply left tonight.’

  He kissed her gently on the mouth and they stood together smiling at each other. He sighed and rested his head against hers. ‘Mmm, what a night! Let’s have that coffee. We’ve got plans to make.’

  They were married two weeks later and spent a three-day honeymoon on Green Island out from Cairns before his next group of engagements began. Those first months of their marriage had been ideal, and if anyone had told Justin their marriage would have broken apa
rt within six short months he would have laughed in dis­belief.

  So much for perfect bliss! He swore and, after a last look at the block of units, he started the car and turned in the direction of Paradise Waters. As he drove along he found himself once again analysing his relationship with Alex. Surely after all that had passed he should be able to put her behind him. Why did she still have the power to take his ordered restrained way of life and wipe aside the civilised principles he thought had been second nature to him? What was the hold she had over him?

  When he was apart from her all he could think about were the clear serenity of her eyes, the tilt of her chin, the sway of her body. And yet when they were together they circled each other like wary antagonists preparing to make the first hit. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel and he forced his hands to relax.

  Parking his car under the block of units, he grimaced as he walked past Ben’s car on his way to the elevator, wishing irrationally that Ben was away filming and hoping fervently that his brother wasn’t entertaining any of his arty friends. To be civil to them at present would take a huge effort on his part, and besides, he’d really like to shut himself in his room and lose himself in some paperwork he’d brought along with him. He needed the oblivion of fierce concentration to take his mind from Alex.

  His sandalled footsteps were lost in the thick pile of the carpet and he stopped in front of the door, flipping through his wallet for the key card. When he opened the door the sound of laughter bubbled into the hallway and he sighed in irritation. At least he could use the fact that he needed to shower and change as an excuse to pass through the living-room without lingering.

  The door closed behind him with a decisive click and as he strode forward he noticed that the laughter had stopped. By the time he had rounded the partition dividing the entry from the open plan living-dining-room the couple seated at the table had turned towards him, Ben’s expression guarded while Alex’s mirrored a shocked dismay.

  To come upon Alex sitting in the unit with Ben took him so much by surprise that he paused in mid-stride and found he had difficulty catching his breath. Recovering quickly, he advanced, into the room, face set, angry with himself, with Ben and with Alex.

  Chapter 7

  The sound of the closing of Ben’s front door had not immediately filled Alex with apprehension. Ben’s com­pany and her unaccustomed glass of white wine in the middle of the day had relaxed her and she was thor­oughly enjoying herself. Therefore when Justin appeared she was taken completely aback. Surprise at once turned to anger that he should continually crop up when she least expected him, before she could steal herself to his appearance.

  Ben seemed to be the first to recover himself. ‘Justin! Hi! We’re in the middle of lunch. Come and join us.’

  ‘Thanks, Ben, I will. Hello, Alex.’ His eyes watched as she looked down at her fingers, nervously crumbling her bread roll. ‘Give me a couple of minutes to shower and change.’ He strolled through to his room, leaving a heavy silence behind him.

  ‘Alex, I’m sorry,’ said Ben earnestly. ‘I really didn’t know he was coming back for lunch, believe me.’

  ‘I know.’ Alex quelled the urge to escape and sighed. ‘I guess we’ll just have to make the best of it.’

  ‘That’s the spirit.’ Ben grinned. ‘You should simply try to treat each other as friends.’

  Alex gave a short laugh.

  ‘Well, Bindi and Tony were once married to each other. They’ve been divorced for over a year and they’re still the best of friends.’

  Alex was surprised by this piece of information, but she shook her head, not being able to see herself and Justin in the same situation. They could never be friends, there was too much antagonism between them, and she said as much to Ben.

  ‘There doesn’t have to be, does there?’ he asked seriously. ‘Can’t you forget about the past and at least be civil to each other?’

  Alex shook her head. ‘I don’t know, Ben. I’m so confused. I loved Justin desperately, blindly. Maybe that was the trouble. And when he… Well, it really crushed me.’ She grimaced. ‘The idol had feet of day.’

  ‘Justin wouldn’t have professed to be a god. He never wanted you to look at him in that light. No man would.’

  ‘Perhaps not.’ She sighed again. ‘I guess my parents were right all the time, and your parents, too. I should never have married him,’ she said flatly.

  Ben’s eyes went from her face to a point behind her shoulders and with a shiver of apprehension she realised that they were no longer alone. That Justin had over­heard her quiet words was written all over the pale tenseness of his face as he sat down at the table.

  ‘I’ll freshen up the coffee,’ said Ben, standing up. ‘Help yourself to the wine, Justin. Alex and I have sampled it and we can recommend it, can’t we, sweetie?’ Ben gave her an audacious wink before turning back to the kitchenette.

  In silence Justin poured his wine, holding it up to the light, twisting the stem of the glass in his strong fingers while Alex could only watch him, her breathing shallow and laboured, her heartbeats fluttering out of time. Just as the silence was becoming unbearable he turned his cold eyes on her and took a slow deliberate sip of his wine.

  ‘Well, Alex, you do manage to turn up in the most unexpected places.’

  She was immediately on the defensive. ‘Ben was kind enough to bring me here for lunch,’ she began.

  His smile didn’t even come near his eyes. ‘Yes, Ben is very kind, aren’t you, Ben?’ He turned to look across at his brother, who was adding water to the coffee pot.

  Ben grinned, unconcerned by the cold steel in his brother’s measured tone. ‘Kindness itself, that’s me.’ He walked around the breakfast bar, sat down and poured the freshly brewed coffee. ‘Eat up, Justin. There’s plenty left.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Justin replied drily, heaping green salad on to the plate Ben set down in front of him.

  ‘I’ve mentioned to Alex that the folks are arriving later this afternoon.’ Ben added sugar to his coffee. ‘I’m looking forward to seeing them. I’ve been away for the past five or six months,’ he explained for Alex’s benefit, ‘and with Dad having that attack I worry about him a bit. Mum has the devil of a job keeping him from over­doing it.’

  ‘Did the attack leave him with any permanent damage?’ Alex asked, not looking at Justin.

  ‘No. He was really lucky. Gave him and us one hell of a scare at the time.’ Ben shook his head. ‘He seemed so well, too. He loves his gardening.’

  Alex smiled. ‘Remember the time that young fellow from down the street had a few too many drinks and cut some of Dad’s roses? He was absolutely livid!’

  Ben laughed with her. ‘Do I ever! Dad thought I’d done it for a while. Took me ages to convince him I was innocent. Remember that, Justin?’ He tried to include his brother in the conversation.

  ‘Can’t say I do,’ Justin replied, refilling his wine glass.

  ‘I think it was while Justin was away in New Zealand,’ Alex ventured.

  ‘Could have been, too,’ Ben nodded. ‘I must re­member to remind Dad about it.’

  They spent the next half hour or so reminiscing. At least, Alex and Ben did. Justin added little to the conversation and Alex became alarmed at the number of times he topped up his wine glass.

  ‘Why don’t you come with us to the airport to pick up the folks?’ Ben’s words caught her attention again. ‘They’d love to see you, wouldn’t they, Justin? Especially Dad.’

  ‘Oh, Ben, no!’ Alex spoke quickly, horrified at the thought of facing Mrs de Wilde without warning. ‘I’d better not. I think it would probably be best if you two go along as arranged.’

  For a moment it seemed as though Ben would try to change her mind, but one look at his brother’s unsmiling face made him nod acquiescence. ‘Okay, then. But you’ll have to have dinner with us one evening, won’t s
he, Justin?’

  ‘Of course.’ His tone was not encouraging.

  Alex glanced at her watch. ‘I… I should be getting along, Ben,’ she appealed to him. Much more of this one-sided conversation and she’d go mad!

  ‘Right. I’ll drive you back.’ Ben stood up.

  ‘I’ll take Alex home,’ said Justin, firmly setting his knife and fork on his plate, leaving his lunch barely touched.

  ‘Oh, it’s all right. Ben can—’ Alex began, but the jangle of the telephone cut across her protest.

  Ben reached across the breakfast bar as Alex’s eyes flicked away from Justin’s. If he thought she was going to—

  ‘Ben de Wilde.’ Ben listened for a moment before pulling a face at Alex and motioning that he would be some time and that she should go with Justin.

  ‘Come on.’ Justin took her arm and led her towards the front door of the unit as Ben waved and mouthed that he would see her on Wednesday.

  In the confined space of the elevator Alex kept as much distance between them as was possible, her eyes downcast, with only the legs of his faded denim jeans and the casual sandals on his feet in her line of vision. Once her eyes moved involuntarily upwards over the muscular hardness of his thighs and she felt herself shiver at the memories that her mind flashed before her.

  They were silent as they left the elevator, walked out into the underground carpark, their footsteps echoing hollowly. He strode across and opened the door of a green Ford Fairlaine, standing back for Alex to get in to the passenger seat.

  She hesitated. ‘Look, Justin, there’s no need for you to take me back. I can easily catch a taxi.’

  ‘Get in, Alex. It’s not far to your flat:’

  ‘I… I was going to the beach.’

  ‘Then I’ll take you to the beach,’ he said distinctly. ‘Just get in. Or do you want me to help you in?’

  ‘I simply didn’t want to put you to the trouble,’ said Alex as she moved past him and climbed into the car with ill grace.