She drew the zipper down and his breath locked in his throat when she slowly parted the edges of his jacket and slid it off his shoulders. It was incredibly erotic to stand there and let her undress him. When her hands went to the hem of his sweater and started to lift it, he felt the blood pound through his veins.
Max stood rigidly still while she drew the sweater over his head and tossed it over the back of the sofa. He could feel the coolness of the air on his bare skin, such a stark contrast to the heat that was building inside him that his desire seemed to double in intensity.
‘You’re beautiful too,’ she whispered huskily. Lifting her hands, she let her palms glide across his chest, a tiny frown creasing her brow as she followed the contours of muscle and bone as though committing them to memory.
Max’s stomach muscles clenched when he felt her fingers caressing his skin. Everywhere she touched, nerve endings were firing out signals, alerting him to what was happening. When her palms glided over his nipples, he shuddered as a raft of sensations were unleashed inside him. She must have felt the tremor that passed through him because she paused, her hands resting lightly on his sensitised flesh.
‘Did I hurt you?’
‘No.’ He pulled her back into his arms, feeling his mind explode with desire when her naked body came to rest against his. ‘It wasn’t pain I was feeling, my sweet. Far from it.’
‘Oh!’
Max smiled when he saw her colour. The fact that she could still blush like that when they were on the verge of making love touched him deeply. Bending, he dropped a kiss on her lips then another on the tip of her nose. Her eyelids came next; he kissed her eyes closed, breathing in when he felt her lashes tickle his lips. Kissing had always been a pleasant enough experience in the past, but he had never felt this tenderness before, this desire to protect and cherish. It made him see that making love with Lucy would be unlike anything that had gone before. This would be a first for him in so many different ways.
The thought was just too much. Max kissed her again, on the mouth, with a passion that made them both tremble. He could feel the ripples running under his skin when he took hold of her hand and led her into the bedroom, tiny shock waves of sensation that made his nerves tingle and his flesh feel as though it was on fire. The room was small and cramped even with the bed pushed up against one wall, but he didn’t care about their surroundings. He only cared about Lucy and what they were doing.
Sitting down on the bed, he pulled her down beside him and kissed her again, a slow, drugging kiss that soon had them clinging to each other. When she lay back against the pillows and held out her arms, he lay down beside her, smoothing his hand down her body, feeling her skin glide beneath his fingers like warm silk as he followed the curves and dips. They were both breathless when his hand made its way back up and came to rest on her breast, both of them filled with excitement and expectation, and it was the most wonderful feeling to know they were so perfectly in tune.
Max felt joy fill him as he stripped off the rest of his clothes and took her in his arms. This wasn’t just sex; it could never be simply that. This was love-making in its purest form, the moment when two people became one single being. As he entered her, he knew that he had been given something so special that he would be forever in her debt. He would never regret this night and he would do everything in his power to make sure that Lucy never regretted it either.
The room was cold when Lucy awoke a short time later. She pulled the covers over her, feeling her heart fill with a host of emotions when her arm brushed against Max’s shoulder. She didn’t regret what had happened; how could she when it had been so marvellous. However, she knew that it could cause problems in the future. Max had made it clear that this wasn’t the start of something more and she mustn’t make the mistake of thinking that it was.
‘Regrets already?’
She turned when he spoke, seeing the concern in his eyes. ‘No. I’m not sorry it happened, Max.’
‘But?’
‘There isn’t a but,’ she said firmly, closing her mind to the insidious little voice that was whispering in her ear. She was a grown woman and if they were merely destined to have an affair then she could handle it. She didn’t need promises of undying love to make it right! ‘I went into this with my eyes open and I don’t regret it.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Quite sure. How about you, though? Are you sorry it happened?’
‘No, I’m not.’
He pulled her to him, his mouth seeking out the hollow at the base of her throat. Lucy shivered when she felt the tip of his tongue tasting her skin. Their love-making had been a revelation. She had never imagined that she could feel such passion. It wasn’t just that Max was a skilled lover either; it was the fact that there’d seemed to be a real connection between them. Their minds had been in tune as well as their bodies and it was that which had made it so amazing. If she’d been on the brink of falling in love with him before this had happened, how did she feel now?
Lucy closed her mind to that question because she didn’t want to have to deal with the answer. They made love again and it was every bit as wonderful as the first time. As she lay in his arms afterwards, she knew that if there’d been any way to change his mind about the future then she would have leapt at it, but there wasn’t. He was determined to stay single and after his previous, unhappy experiences, could she blame him?
The thought that Max must still care for his ex-wife if their divorce continued to affect him nagged away at her as they got up and took a shower. Naturally, they got sidetracked so that it was gone two o’clock by the time they went back into the bedroom. Lucy groaned when she realised how late it was.
‘Is that the time already? I’m due in work in a couple of hours.’
‘Do you want me to go?’ Max offered immediately.
‘No!’ Lucy flushed when she realised how insistent she sounded. She mustn’t make the mistake of appearing needy or she would scare him away. Although she had no idea how long this would last, she wanted to store away enough memories to see her through the coming years.
She gave a light laugh, determined not to look too far into the future. ‘You’re not leaving until you’ve had that cup of coffee I promised you. And how about something to eat? My mum would have a fit if she found out that I’d let a visitor leave without offering him sustenance.’
‘Mine too,’ he agreed, smiling as he fastened the belt on his trousers. ‘Sounds as though they’d get on like a house on fire.’
‘It does.’ Lucy picked up her hairdryer. It was a figure of speech, she told herself sternly. Max certainly hadn’t meant to imply that he wanted their parents to meet!
‘Shall I make us something while you finish getting dressed?’
Lucy glanced up, feeling her heart turn over when her gaze landed on him. He hadn’t put on his sweater yet and the sight of his naked torso made her pulse leap. He looked so wonderfully, gloriously male that it was difficult to concentrate on the question. ‘I’ve not got anything very exciting in the fridge, I’m afraid. It didn’t seem worth stocking up on Christmas goodies just for me, so I only bought basics.’
‘Leave it to me—I’ll see what I can rustle up.’
‘Well, if you’re sure you don’t mind…’
‘Of course I don’t mind.’ He dropped a kiss on her lips. ‘You just concentrate on making yourself look beautiful, not that it will take much effort.’
He dropped another kiss on her lips and left. Lucy smiled as she switched on the hairdryer. She hadn’t been looking forward to Christmas, but it was turning out to be a lot better than she had expected!
She finished drying her hair then hunted through the wardrobe for something to wear. She finally decided on a pair of black cord jeans teamed with a red velvet top, which looked suitably festive. She could hear Max whistling in the other room and smiled. She definitely hadn’t expected to spend Christmas Day with Max either!
As soon as she was ready she made her w
ay into the sitting room, only to come to an abrupt halt at the sight that met her. Max was standing by the stove and he turned when he heard her coming in.
‘I hope you don’t mind me raiding your cupboards.’
‘Of course I don’t mind,’ she whispered, staring around in amazement.
He had drawn the curtains to block out the daylight and placed lighted candles around the room instead. The soft glow they gave out lent the shabby room an almost magical charm. More candles had been placed in the centre of the table, the flickering light from their flames reflecting off the glasses and cutlery. Lucy was so touched that he had gone to so much trouble that it was several seconds before she could speak.
‘I never expected anything like this, Max. It looks absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much for doing all this.’
‘So long as you like it, that’s all that matters,’ he said softly. He picked up a couple of glasses and came towards her. ‘I hope you like Bucks Fizz, although I’m afraid the fizz part is lemonade not champagne!’
Lucy laughed as she accepted one of the glasses. ‘I shall make a note to always keep a bottle of champagne in the fridge from now on!’
‘Starting with the bottle I owe you.’ He gave her a warm smile as he touched his glass to hers. ‘Happy Christmas, Lucy.’
‘Happy Christmas,’ she repeated, feeling a shiver run through her when she saw the way he was looking at her. Maybe it wasn’t champagne, but it was every bit as potent as she had imagined it would be to share this drink with him, and the thought made her heart race.
They finished their drinks and Max took the empty glasses over to the sink. He came back and pulled out a chair then bowed. ‘If Madame would care to take her seat, luncheon will be served very shortly.’
Lucy giggled as she sat down, loving the fact that he was as happy to play the fool as the ardent lover. ‘Thank you, waiter. May I ask what’s on the menu?’
‘Omelettes aux herbes fines. Not exactly Christmas fare, but the chef does make the most amazing omelettes.’ He kissed the tips of his fingers and she laughed.
‘They had better be good after the build-up you’re giving them!’
‘Manna from heaven,’ he assured her, grinning wickedly as he headed to the stove.
Lucy sighed as she watched him set to work, beating the eggs. It would be only too easy to see this rapport between them as a sign that their relationship would last, but it would be a mistake to do that. She had to remember that Max wasn’t interested in her long-term.
It was a sobering thought and one that she couldn’t ignore. It was a relief when Max brought in the plates. He set them down with a flourish.
‘Luncheon is served.’
Lucy nodded regally, doing her best to play her part. She was going to enjoy this magical Christmas day, every single second of it, and not ruin it by worrying about what might happen in the future. ‘Thank you, waiter.’
‘My pleasure, Madame.’ Tearing off a length of kitchen roll, he draped it across her lap with huge aplomb. ‘Bon appétit.’
‘You’ve obviously done this before,’ she said, laughing.
‘I have indeed. I waited tables while I was medical school. The extra cash helped to top up my grant. In fact, at one point I was working evenings in a fast food outlet during the week and doing silver service in an up-market restaurant at the weekend.’
‘Is that where you learned how to make an omelette?’ she asked, cutting into her omelette, and he nodded.
‘Yep. The chef was a nightmare to work for. He used to throw a tantrum if things weren’t done the way he wanted them. Needless to say, the turnover of kitchen staff was horrendous and several times I ended up acting as his sous chef.’
‘Really? So how did you get on with him?’
‘All right, funnily enough. Oh, he still used to storm around the place but I learned to ignore him. It was good practice for when I did my rotations. Some of the consultants I worked for made him look like a real pussy cat!’
He rolled his eyes as Lucy laughed. She cut another sliver of omelette, sighing appreciatively as she popped it into her mouth. ‘This is delicious. How did you manage to make it so light?’
‘You add a splash of water to the eggs,’ he informed her. ‘I’ve no idea why but it seems to work. And you mustn’t beat them too hard either.’
‘I’ll remember that,’ she assured him.
They finished their meal and Lucy made a pot of coffee for them. Max was sitting on the couch when she took the tray in; he looked up and grimaced.
‘I’ll have dents in my bottom if I sit on this thing for very long. The springs are poking right through the cushions.’
‘Tell me about it.’ Lucy sighed as she gingerly perched on the edge of the couch and poured coffee into two mugs. ‘It should be sent to the tip along with the rest of the furniture.’
‘I take it that you rent the place fully furnished?’
‘Yes. I couldn’t afford to buy furniture when I moved here so I went for the easy option.’
Max frowned. ‘I’d have thought it was cheaper living here than in the city. It’s definitely less expensive to rent a place, I’ve found.’
‘It is, and once the lease has expired on the flat in Manchester then I’ll be much better off. I won’t be paying rent on that as well.’
‘You’re still paying rent on your old flat!’ he exclaimed.
‘Yes.’ Lucy grimaced. ‘We’d only just signed the lease when I found out what my ex had been up to. He refused to pay his share of the rent after we split up, so it was down to me.’
‘He sounds like a real piece of work,’ he said in disgust, then shrugged. ‘Sorry. It’s not my place to say that.’
Because he didn’t want to get involved? Lucy summoned a smile, but it hurt to know that Max was keeping his distance after what they had shared. ‘Don’t apologise, it’s true. I only wish I’d realised sooner what he was like. It would have stopped a lot of people getting hurt.’
‘You mean your family? Is that why you decided not to go home for Christmas and New Year, because of the upset it had caused?’
‘Yes. I was afraid that if I went home everything would get raked up again and that’s the last thing I want.’
‘I imagine it would have been difficult to see your cousin after what has happened?’
‘It would, although I don’t blame Amy. She’d just split up with her boyfriend when Richard came onto her and I think that’s why she ended up falling for him. He caught her at a weak moment, not that she was the first by any means.’
Max didn’t say anything else. He let the subject drop, not that she was sorry. What had happened suddenly seemed of very little consequence if she was honest. It made her see that her feelings for Richard hadn’t been nearly as deep as she’d thought, nowhere near as deep as the feelings she realised she had developed for Max. She knew that when she and Max went their separate ways, it would be far more painful.
Chapter Thirteen
MAX couldn’t settle after he left Lucy. He went back home, intending to spend the evening watching the Christmas Day film, but it failed to hold his attention. In the end, he switched off the set while he sat and thought about everything that had happened that day.
Making love to Lucy had been everything he had dreamed it would be and more. He had never expected to feel such a connection to another person as he had felt to her, and the thought filled him with despair because at some point soon he would have to let her go. All he could have were a few short weeks and he really shouldn’t allow himself even that much.
He sighed. He had done the one thing he had sworn he wouldn’t do and now he had to ensure that he didn’t make matters worse. That comment Lucy had made about her fiancé catching her cousin at a particularly vulnerable moment could apply equally to her. It brought it home to him that he needed to be extra-careful about how he handled the situation. Although he wished with all his heart that things could be different, it would be wrong to allow her to fall
in love with him. The fact was, she would be much better off without him messing up her life.
Christmas Day had turned out to be quite busy, Lucy discovered when she arrived for work that night. Cathy was doing the handover and she lost no time updating her.
‘There are two mums still in delivery. One’s had her baby and she’ll be moving onto a ward as soon as Anita has finished tidying her up. The other mum will be a while yet from the look of things. Helen Roberts is in the side room. The diabetes care team have asked us to monitor her blood glucose levels as they’ve nobody on duty tonight. She’s on between-meals testing as well, so the last check will be due around midnight, if you could make a note of that.’
‘Of course. What about the baby? How’s he doing?’
‘Fine. He’s feeding well and all the tests are clear.’
‘That’s good to hear.’
They completed the handover and Cathy stood up to leave. ‘That’s it, then. Let’s hope you have a quiet night, unlike last night.’
‘It was quite an experience,’ Lucy agreed.
‘I’ll bet it was.’
There was a strange note in Cathy’s voice and Lucy looked at her in surprise. ‘Sorry, am I missing something?’
‘I heard all about you careering around the countryside with Max. The whole hospital’s been buzzing with it, in fact.’ Cathy grimaced. ‘Tell me to mind my own business, but I think you should know that a lot of folk are wondering if you’re the latest candidate to fall under Max’s spell.’
‘But it was work!’ she protested, trying to control the blush that rose to her cheeks. Maybe last night had been to do with work but this afternoon certainly hadn’t been.
‘That’s what I keep telling everyone but you know how people love to gossip, especially about Max. Just be careful, though. I think the world of Max—we all do—but he’s an inveterate womaniser. I’d hate you to get hurt, Lucy.’
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