Lady Surrender

by Carole Mortimer

  She moistened stiff lips. ‘Are you asking me to marry you?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Why?’

  His mouth firmed. ‘The usual reasons!’

  ‘You would have to explain them to me,’ she derided. ‘My last marriage was made out of greed and convenience. And I don’t mean mine,’ she added hardly.

  Aaron sighed. ‘I only say those things because I resent every other man in your life, including your husband.’

  ‘James used me, he didn’t love me!’

  ‘I’m learning that,’ Aaron nodded. ‘I’m slowly learning all the reasons why you’re locked in behind your emotions. But I love you, Lady,’ he told her intently. ‘I love you and I want to marry you.’

  Elation flared—and then died. ‘You don’t know me,’ she stated flatly.

  ‘I know more about you than you think,’ he denied. ‘I know that you love children, that you have compassion for other people, that you’re loyal to your friends. I also know that when you feel like it you can throw all business caution out the window,’ he taunted.

  ‘If you’re talking about Shevton House—’

  ‘Oh I am,’ he nodded. ‘We both know you paid over the odds for what, to most people, would be a damned monstrosity.’

  ‘Not to me,’ she told him tightly.

  ‘Or me,’ he accepted. ‘But its purchase became a personal vendetta as far as you were concerned, one you were determined to win.’

  ‘And I have,’ she challenged.

  He shrugged. ‘In part. You own the house—but you haven’t got rid of me. That was the idea, wasn’t it?’

  She gave him a resentful glare. ‘Don’t be ridiculous—’

  ‘Admit it, Charly, now that the weekend is almost over, the deal won, you hoped never to see me again.’

  ‘I won’t ever see you again,’ she told him firmly.

  ‘You’ll see so much of me you’ll wonder how you managed without me!’

  Her mouth twisted. ‘Trying to save me from myself and my impetuous ways?’ she scorned.

  He shook his head slowly. ‘There’s nothing impetuous about you.’

  ‘You might be surprised,’ she said bitterly. Loving this man was pure madness! And she daren’t even begin to believe he loved her in return.

  ‘Lady, surprise me,’ he invited huskily.

  She was tempted, her senses jumping at the thought of being in this man’s arms. And maybe if they could just have gone to bed together it would be worth it. But Aaron was asking for so much more from her, and if she gave it she was afraid he would guess how she felt about him.

  He sighed. ‘I wish that hesitation didn’t mean no.’

  ‘And if it didn’t?’ she said recklessly, the force of her need taking over from caution.

  His gaze probed hers. ‘I’d carry you off to bed right now.’

  She swayed with the force of her desire for this man. ‘It doesn’t mean no, Aaron,’ she groaned.

  His eyes darkened questioningly until he read from her expression that she was past fighting him. He took a step forward, not quite touching her but close enough for her to feel the seduction of his masculine warmth. ‘You’re sure?’ he murmured.

  She gave a choked laugh. ‘Never ask a woman if she’s sure, especially a confused one like me! I’m not sure about anything any more, Aaron.’ She fell into his arms. ‘But I do know I want you to make love to me.’

  ‘It’s a start,’ he groaned as he bent his head, his lips claiming hers.

  Charly deliberately blocked all other thoughts but this moment from her mind, meeting the devouring passion of his kiss, returning the thrust of his tongue, purring deep in her throat as he loosened her hair to press his fingers into her scalp.

  By mutual consent they turned and walked up the stairs together, Aaron slowly undressing her once they reached the bedroom, his gaze never leaving her as he stripped off his own clothes. He didn’t touch her except with his magnetic green gaze, her nipples filling and hardening to peaks, a heated warmth between her thighs.

  ‘I know this is the part where I’m supposed to throw you on the bed and make love to you until you’re senseless,’ he drawled. ‘But I don’t want to rush this.’ He took her hand in his. ‘And I have a yearning to see all that golden hair slicked down your body, to lick the droplets of water from your breasts, to—’

  ‘If you’re suggesting we take a shower together then let’s do it.’ Her breathing was constricted with desire.

  He laughed softly as they stepped under the hot spray of water, beginning to slowly wash every inch of her body. Charly was trembling uncontrollably by the time he reached her torso, her whole body tingling for his caresses, meeting his mouth hungrily.

  ‘Aaron…!’ she moaned longingly, excitement burning in her veins. ‘I want you!’

  ‘I know, Lady,’ he breathed ruefully. ‘Let’s get out of here.’ He turned the water off abruptly, making no move to pick up any of the towels on the rails, their inner heat drying their bodies within minutes as they lay down on the bed together.

  ‘You’re beautiful, Lady.’ He touched her body almost reverently.

  ‘I’ve had a child.’ She knew she had the marks of that pregnancy on her body.

  ‘It only makes you more beautiful.’ He moved to kiss the tiny silver marks on her stomach. ‘Will you have my children?’

  ‘Aaron, please—!’ she groaned as he found and explored the most sensitive part of her body. ‘Now isn’t the time to discuss children.’

  ‘Perhaps not,’ he conceded as he moved back up her body to kiss her on the mouth. ‘But we will talk about it tomorrow,’ he promised.

  As the fire spread through her body, their caresses fevered, tomorrow seemed a long way off.

  Aaron caressed and touched her until she felt on the edge of insanity, moving restlessly beneath him as she felt the probe of his hard desire against her thighs, his hair-roughened skin an eroticism in itself as he denied her full possession.

  She almost went over the edge of her desire as he gently opened her thighs to enter her, her tightness closing about him moistly, the slight initial discomfort soon forgotten as Aaron began to move slowly inside her.

  He continued to move slowly even though she begged for release, her fingers digging into the taut skin of his back, her mouth meeting his hungrily as her head came up to meet his, groaning her satisfaction as he quickened his pace, thrusting deeper and deeper inside her as she arched up in spiralling completion, wave after wave of pleasure shuddering through her body, her gasped cries turning to ones of triumph.

  Aaron held her as the tremors continued to shake her body, her starved lungs gasping for air, clinging to his shoulders as she buried her face against his throat.

  ‘You haven’t—You didn’t—’

  ‘I’m going to,’ he assured her throatily. ‘I had to make it good for you first.’

  As he slowly began to move inside her once again Charly knew a moment’s surprise as she felt the heat rising within her once again, and then she gave herself up to the sensation of pleasing Aaron so that he couldn’t hold back any more, going up in the clouds with him again herself.

  They didn’t speak afterwards as they lay with Charly’s head on his shoulder, but there was no awkwardness between them as they drifted off to sleep together.

  * * *

  Charly was in the kitchen supervising the children’s breakfast when Aaron put in an appearance the next morning, and she met his rueful smile shyly, having left him in bed still sleeping half an hour ago, not wanting to disturb him.

  ‘Coffee?’ he asked as he moved to the pot to pour some for himself.

  ‘Not just now, thanks.’ She turned back to feeding Tommy as he banged on the top of his high-chair impatiently. ‘Tommy’s hungry,’ she derided, spooning more cereal into his waiting mouth.

  ‘We’re late,’ Lucy put in disapprovingly.

  Charly glanced at Aaron again as he leant against the cooker drinking his coffee. ‘Yes, we a
re,’ she murmured, unable to read anything from Aaron’s expression. She needed his reassurance, but she realised that he was leaving the next move—if there were one!—up to her.

  ‘You’re even later than us.’ Lucy looked at Aaron accusingly, obviously his sleeping in until ten o’clock not suiting her at all.

  ‘I’m older than you are,’ he excused, sitting down at the table with them. ‘How are you this morning, Charly?’ he watched her intently.

  ‘Is Aunt Charly ill?’ Lucy looked up frowningly.

  Aaron looked at her questioningly too, and she moistened her lips nervously as she realised he was giving her an opening for that ‘move’. ‘I was, Lucy,’ she answered the child but looked at Aaron as she acknowledged that fact. ‘But I think I’m getting better.’

  Aaron seemed to visibly relax, his hand covering hers as it rested on the table. ‘I hope so,’ he said huskily.

  She turned away awkwardly, covering her embarrassment by feeding Tommy. It was true, she had been ill, with a sickness of the heart. James had hurt her and humiliated her until she closed herself in from people. But loving Aaron had knocked down those barriers.

  ‘We have to talk,’ she told him as Lucy and Tommy dragged him out to the garden after breakfast.

  ‘Tonight,’ he promised as he was pulled out the door.

  She was in love, as she had never loved James, and if Aaron were willing to take a risk on her she would do the same with him. Aaron had shown her in every way that he could that he loved her, even that hurtful jealousy. She had to put irrational uncertainties behind her, had to stop thinking of herself as unworthy of being loved just because James hadn’t been able to love her. But she and Aaron also had a lot of things to talk about before they made any decisions about a future together.

  * * *

  Molly looked glowing as she stepped out of the car, laughing happily as Lucy and Tommy ran down the steps to greet them, bending down to hug them both before they ran over to their father.

  ‘I think we’ll have to go away more often.’ Matt carried a child in each arm as he and Molly walked up the steps to the front door.

  ‘Charly, it’s wonderful, simply wonderful!’ Molly hugged her, tears in her eyes. ‘I don’t know how we can ever thank you.’

  ‘Hey, I had a hand in it too,’ Aaron pretended indignation at being excluded.

  Charly had stiffened at Molly’s effusive thanks, and as the other woman looked puzzled by Aaron’s statement she knew she had reason to be worried.

  ‘You did?’ Molly frowned at him. ‘Matt?’ she looked at her husband.

  He slowly bent to put the children down, grimacing apologetically at the rigid-faced Charly. ‘I think the two of you are talking at cross-purposes,’ he murmured.

  ‘We are? Oh.’ Molly’s brow cleared. ‘Of course I’m very grateful to you for taking care of the children for us this weekend, Aaron,’ she nodded. ‘But I was talking about the house earlier. About Charly buying it to turn into a hospital.’

  Charly looked anxiously at Aaron, cringing at the guarded look that came over his face.

  ‘Oh yes?’ he prompted non-committally.

  Molly gave Charly another glowing smile. ‘It’s the most wonderful opportunity for Matt,’ she said happily, looking at her husband proudly.

  She forced herself to speak normally, although she was very aware of Aaron’s narrow-eyed look. ‘I take it you approve?’ she teased the other woman.

  ‘Of course,’ Molly laughed dismissively, putting her hand in the crook of Matt’s arm. ‘It’s what he’s always wanted, but we would never have had the money for such a project,’ she said regretfully.

  ‘We were worried in case you couldn’t cope, with the new baby coming along.’ Still she avoided looking at Aaron.

  ‘I’ll cope,’ Molly said determinedly. ‘Isn’t it marvellous, Aaron?’

  Charly tensed as she waited for his response, her gaze fixed firmly on the carpet.

  ‘Marvellous,’ he finally agreed, moving forward to shake the other man’s hand. ‘Shevton House is very suitable for a hospital, and so convenient for you being only a short distance from here. This way you’ll still be able to have the best of both worlds.’

  Charly paled as he repeated everything she and Matt had said about the house when she had invited Matt to go down and look at it! But did he mean the praise as innocently as she and Matt had done, or did he still think she was trying to buy the affection of the other man?

  CHAPTER TEN

  ‘EXACTLY,’ Molly agreed enthusiastically. ‘Now let’s all have a nice cup of tea and the children can open their presents.’

  It wasn’t until they were all seated in the lounge with their cups of tea, the children on the floor playing with their new toys, that Charly dared glance at Aaron again. What she saw frightened her. He looked cold and distant, his eyes hard, his mouth tight. He did believe she was still trying to buy Matt!

  ‘I think it’s time I left.’ She stood up jerkily. ‘I have a thousand things to do before going to work tomorrow,’ she added lightly, wondering if she sounded as falsely bright as she felt.

  ‘Oh, we thought you would both stay to dinner.’ Molly looked disappointed.

  ‘Not this time,’ Charly refused regretfully—knowing there would never be another time.

  ‘No, I’m afraid we have to be going,’ Aaron stood up too.

  Charly looked at him sharply—and then wished she hadn’t. When she looked at him, seeing him as remote as that first evening they met, she knew she had lost him. ‘There’s no need for you to leave too—darling,’ she added the endearment to take the sting out of her words, conscious of the fact that on Friday Molly had already believed things to be strained between them. Aaron could tell the other woman of the end of their relationship some other time! ‘After all, we each have a car here.’

  He met her gaze steadily. ‘I have to leave now, anyway. I have some things to sort out in London myself.’

  She paled slightly at the warning in his voice, turning away. ‘I’ll just go and get my case and bag.’

  ‘I’ll help you,’ Matt offered before Aaron had the chance to do so.

  She gave him a grateful smile. ‘Thank you.’

  Matt waited until they were in her bedroom before speaking. ‘I’m sorry about that,’ he grimaced.

  ‘Don’t be,’ she dismissed reassuringly. ‘If I were in Molly’s position I wouldn’t be able to stay quiet either.’

  ‘I forgot to ask her not to say anything in front of anyone,’ he admitted ruefully.

  ‘I doubt if she would have thought that included Aaron anyway,’ she derided.

  Matt frowned. ‘Have the two of you argued? You seem very on edge with each other.’

  ‘Everything has gone very smoothly.’ She picked up her bag to hide her flushed cheeks. ‘And Shevton House is finally ours,’ she told him with satisfaction as she followed him out of the room and down the stairs.

  Excitement brightened his eyes. ‘That’s wonderful!’

  She nodded. ‘I’ll call you towards the end of the week and make the necessary arrangements.’

  ‘But not Friday,’ Aaron put in softly, he and Molly standing in the hallway.

  Charly swallowed hard, looking at him warily. ‘Why not Friday?’

  He didn’t answer her, turning to look down at Molly. ‘I forgot to mention it earlier, but Charly and I have decided on the date for our wedding.’

  ‘Not—not Friday?’ Molly sounded astounded.

  ‘Why not?’ he returned mildly.

  ‘Well because—because—’ She looked desperately at Charly. ‘Tell him it isn’t time enough to get ready for a church wedding!’

  Charly had turned to ice at the mention of a wedding, knowing that Aaron had decided that now, more than ever, Matt needed saving from himself.

  ‘We’ve decided to scrap the church idea,’ Aaron told the other woman briskly, kissing her on the cheek before shaking Matt’s hand. ‘I can’t wait any longer than Fri
day. Come on, honey.’ He took a firm hold of Charly’s arm and guided her towards the door.

  She felt numb as they walked over to their cars, knowing that last night had meant nothing to Aaron after all.

  ‘Aren’t you going to say something?’ he prompted gently as they reached her car. ‘I realise I was high-handed in announcing we were getting married like that, but—’

  ‘I understand your reason,’ she told him woodenly.

  He frowned. ‘Then why can’t you look at me?’

  She did look at him then, the pain etched into her face. ‘Trust is a fragile thing, Aaron, but last night I trusted you. It’s a pity you can’t do the same.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’ he shook his head.

  She threw her case in the back of her car. ‘I would have thought by now you would have realised I have no designs on your friend,’ she sighed.

  ‘But I do realise that,’ he told her unhesitatingly. ‘I knew last night that you and Matt have never been lovers.’

  ‘Then why—’

  ‘Which one of them survived the crash, Charly?’ he asked gently. ‘It must have been Stephanie, you would never have felt this way if it were James.’

  She was very pale. ‘How did you know?’ she asked in a hushed voice.

  He shrugged. ‘After Molly dropped her bombshell I tried to put two and two together without making my usual five. Was it Stephanie Matt tried to save?’

  ‘Yes,’ she confirmed chokingly.

  He nodded. ‘I’m going to follow you back to your apartment,’ he told her firmly. ‘Where we are going to clear up these misunderstandings once and for all. Then we are going to plan our wedding for Friday.’

  Her eyes widened. ‘You were serious about that?’

  ‘Well, I did propose last night, and although I didn’t actually receive a verbal reply I believe our actions afterwards were enough of an acceptance,’ he mocked indulgently.

  She blushed as she remembered the times in the night that they had turned to each other. ‘Aaron—’

  ‘Sweetheart, we can’t talk here.’ The gentle rebuke reminded her they were still standing in Molly and Matt’s driveway. ‘I’ll follow you to your home. And please drive carefully,’ he added tensely.