Not that Meg looked as if she needed their protection this evening.
So far in their short acquaintance Jed had only ever seen Meg in thick sweaters and fitted denims, but somewhere in that small holdall that had comprised her own and Scott’s luggage she had managed to pack the ubiquitous little black dress. A little black dress that looked sensational on Meg.
Or was it that Meg made the dress look sensational?
Whatever, he had been rendered speechless when she’d strolled into the sitting-room a short time ago to join them all for a pre-dinner drink, eyes darkly lashed, a red lip-gloss making her lips look more inviting than ever.
As if Jed needed any more invitation than just looking at her.
But Meg in that dress was something else. It had a scooped neckline, revealing the swell of her creamy breasts, with short sleeves, stopping abruptly just above her knees to reveal shapely legs and slender ankles above high-heeled black shoes. The dress was made of some sort of stretchy material that emphasized high breasts, slim waist, and curvaceous thighs, her hair free and silky down her spine.
He might have come here completely unprepared for the dressing for dinner code, but Meg certainly hadn’t.
He had barely been able to take his eyes off her as she’d chatted to her father and Jeremy in the sitting room, and now he found himself sitting next to her at the dining table, the dress having ridden up her silky thighs when she sat down, a waft of some elusive perfume stirring his senses every time she moved.
He wanted to rip the dress off her and kiss every naked, perfumed inch of her.
Sad, Cole. Very sad. Like a callow youth with a crush on a teacher. Except he wanted to teach her everything he knew.
‘Salt, Jed?’ David Hamilton’s amused voice interrupted his obsessive thoughts.
Almost as if the other man knew what preoccupied his mind. Maybe he did, Jed accepted ruefully as he took the salt to add to his soup; there was a definite glint of laughter in those green eyes so like those of his bewitching daughter.
But this dinner was all so stilted. Jed frowned as he looked around. The conversation was polite, the table set formally with crystal glasses and silver flatware, the only concession to Christmas in this room the arrangement of poinsettias in the centre of the table, although the other females at the table looked as elegant as Meg, Lydia also in black, Sonia in emerald green, David and Jeremy also in formal shirt and tie.
It was a stark contrast to what would be happening at home on the farm in Montana this evening, everyone crowded into the kitchen, talking and laughing, kids yelling as his mother presided over cooking the turkey with all the trimmings. His brothers and his father would have changed into clean denims and maybe a plaid shirt, the females of the family probably having done the same.
He missed them, Jed realized heavily, missed the shouting, the laughter, the teasing, even the occasional arguments.
‘Is the venison not to your liking, Jed?’
He focused on Sonia with effort as she sat on his right, her glittering green dress a perfect match for her eyes, eyes that were openly flirting with him, he recognized.
Venison? He looked down at the plate that had been placed in front of him. When had that arrived? Had he eaten his soup? He certainly didn’t remember doing so.
You’re losing it, Cole, he berated himself impatiently. Totally losing it.
But venison, for goodness’ sake. Who the hell had venison for dinner on Christmas Eve? The Hamiltons, obviously.
He couldn’t help wondering what would be served for lunch tomorrow—peacock, maybe. Possibly not.
‘The venison is fine, thanks, Sonia,’ he replied as he realized she was still waiting for an answer.
Maybe he would go home for New Year. He had come to England to get away from the calls on his time in New York, and now, ironically, he needed to get away from England, too. Fast. If his rapidly escalating response to Meg was anything to go by.
‘Are you in England for long, Jed?’ Jeremy was the one to engage him in conversation now.
Almost as if some of his thoughts had shown on his face. ‘I’m not sure,’ he heard himself reply, and then wondered why he had been so ambiguous. The best thing for him to do was to leave England and go home, back to his roots, well away from the temptation of Meg.
‘How did you and Meg meet?’ Sonia took up the conversation, speculation in those green eyes now. ‘I thought all of Meg’s time was spent either working or looking after Scott,’ she added with a sideways glance at her sister.
A glance that grated on Jed. ‘Not all of it, obviously,’ he drawled, easily meeting Sonia’s cool gaze.
Her mouth tightened. ‘Obviously not. So how did you two meet?’ she persisted.
Jed easily sensed Meg’s tension on his other side, one of her hands clenched on the table beside her plate. He reached out and placed his own hand over that tell-tale tension. ‘Mutual friends,’ he answered Sonia dismissively.
‘Really?’ Sonia looked surprised.
‘Yes, really,’ he echoed hardly. ‘Meg called at my friends’ cottage when I happened to be visiting. We’ve been inseparable ever since.’ It was stretching the truth a little, although the last part was definitely true; he and Meg had rarely been apart since they’d met yesterday.
‘How romantic,’ Sonia drawled.
‘Very.’ Jed deliberately raised Meg’s hand to skim his lips across the knuckles, his fingers tightening about hers as she would have instinctively pulled away from the intimacy. ‘Scott’s a cute kid, too.’
That hardness disappeared from Sonia’s gaze to be replaced by cool blankness. ‘As children go, I suppose he is.’
Jed maintained his grip on Meg’s fingers, liking the feel of that tiny hand in his much larger one. ‘You don’t like kids?’
‘I don’t dislike them.’ Sonia shrugged bare creamy shoulders before turning to bestow a smile on her husband. ‘Although I have to admit I’m rather pleased Jeremy has children from his previous marriage and so isn’t interested in having any more.’
‘David, would you care to pour some more wine?’ Lydia Hamilton cut firmly across what she obviously considered inappropriate dinner conversation.
And maybe it was, Jed accepted frowningly as a still silent Meg finally managed to free her hand, a hand that had trembled slightly, from his. Inappropriate, but interesting.
One twin was secure in a successful career and wealthy marriage, and obviously didn’t want children to interfere with that lifestyle, whereas the other twin was unmarried and obviously not wealthy at all, and could so easily have given up the baby she would have to bring up alone, but instead was prepared to make any personal sacrifice to keep him.
He knew which twin he admired more.
Damn it.
‘More wine, Jed?’ David prompted lightly, bottle poised over Jed’s almost empty glass.
‘Why not?’ Jed accepted.
Although he didn’t think there was enough wine in the whole house to help him fall asleep when he went to bed later tonight.
But at least he wouldn’t be alone in that wakefulness; children all over the world would be sleepless tonight as they anticipated the arrival of Santa Claus.
The difference was, his sleeplessness would have nothing to do with a jolly man in a red suit, and everything to do with a green-eyed witch called Meg Hamilton.
He could spend the time praying for an overnight thaw.
Chapter 7
Meg had never been so pleased to see the end of an evening as she was this one.
The whole thing had been awful, from the embarrassing scene in Jed’s bedroom, through that awkward dinner, to the equally awkward conversation when they had moved back into the sitting-room, Meg studiously avoiding so much as looking at Jed after the way he had kissed her hand in front of her whole family.
And goodness knew what he had made of the evening.
Perhaps in future he would know better than to avoid his own noisy family, if he had any sense. Ton
ight had been awful enough to send him running back into their midst.
Had her family always been like this? She didn’t think so. It was the undercurrents of the things not being said creating the tension.
But if she was lucky she would only have to spend one more day here and then she and Scott could leave. Never to return, if she had her way. There must be a way she could arrange further meetings between Scott and her father without putting them through this again. She would find a way.
Although for the moment she had another role to play—Father Christmas to her sleeping son. Which was proving a little more difficult to do than she had anticipated. Because they had decided when they’d brought everything in earlier to hide the presents in Jed’s bedroom until later tonight.
They were still there.
She had left him downstairs in conversation with her father, so perhaps if she were to just sneak in and get them…It might be a little embarrassing if he returned while she was doing the sneaking, but if she was quick…
This was ridiculous.
She was a twenty-seven-year-old woman, with a responsible job and a young son; she wasn’t going to sneak anywhere in her own family home.
Not after the humiliation she had suffered earlier when Jed had warned her quite bluntly not to expect love and for ever from him. Especially not because of that. She would go where she pleased, when she pleased, and if Jed didn’t like it, then tough.
But before she could make a move towards the communicating door her bedroom door opened abruptly, Sonia stepping into the room and shutting the door quietly shut behind her, her face pale as she looked across the room at Meg.
‘What have you told Jed?’ her sister demanded without preamble. ‘Oh, don’t worry,’ she said impatiently as Meg glanced towards the communicating door. ‘I left Jed and Daddy downstairs enjoying a brandy together.’
Sonia was so stunningly beautiful, even her present paleness giving her a look of fragile loveliness.
A look Meg knew was completely deceptive, because Sonia was hard and unyielding, caring for no one else’s comfort but her own.
Meg stood up, viewing her sister dispassionately. ‘I haven’t told Jed anything,’ she assured her with quiet dignity. ‘And I never will. Not to him or anyone else. That was the idea, wasn’t it?’ she added contemptuously.
If anything her sister paled even more. ‘You think I don’t care, don’t you?’
‘I know you don’t care,’ Meg cut in purposefully. ‘Who better?’
Sonia shook her head, her movements restless as she began to pace the room. ‘Can I help it if I’m not like you, Meg?’ she finally groaned emotionally. ‘Why did you never understand?’
‘But I do understand, Sonia,’ she said coldly, none of her inner turmoil showing on her face. She and Sonia just didn’t have conversations like this, not any more. ‘You have what you wanted: your successful career and marriage.’ She sighed. ‘Admittedly, it’s unfortunate that we’ve all met up in this way, but I can assure you that once we all leave here I don’t care if I never see you again.’ In fact, she would prefer it.
Sonia stopped her pacing, her face full of unreadable emotion, tears in her eyes. ‘I miss you, Meg,’ she choked.
Meg drew in a sharp, painful breath at this unexpected admission. Because the truth was, she missed her twin too. Yes, they were different, they always had been, Sonia the adventurous one, Meg usually trailing along behind in whatever mischief Sonia had dreamed up for them to do next. Yes, they were different, but as children, even initially as adults, they had shared a bond.
But it was that bond that now kept them apart.
Meg shrugged. ‘You made your choices, Sonia.’
‘I made a choice,’ her sister corrected. ‘And I still don’t regret making it,’ she assured softly. ‘Do you?’ she challenged huskily.
‘Never,’ Meg replied unhesitantly.
‘Then why—?’ Sonia groaned. ‘Can’t we be friends again, Meg? Daddy’s illness was a shock, it made me realize life is too short, Meg.’ Her twin looked at her imploringly.
This wasn’t at all what she had expected from the conversation Sonia had said she wanted to have with her.
‘I know what I did was wrong.’ Sonia sighed emotionally. ‘I know I hurt people. I hurt you. But I never meant to, Meg, it just, it just happened, and, it’s Christmas, Meg, surely a time for forgiveness if ever there is one?’ she encouraged softly.
This was so not what she had expected. And she didn’t know what to say, what to do.
She drew in a ragged breath as Sonia continued to look at her beseechingly. ‘I forgave you long ago, Sonia,’ she admitted quietly. ‘I think it’s you, and not me, who needs to forgive yourself.’
‘I’ve tried.’ Sonia closed her eyes, a single tear escaping down the paleness of her cheek. ‘Sometimes I can go for days and not—and not remember what I did.’ She looked at Meg. ‘But I know, all the time I know, that, given those same choices, I would do exactly the same all over again.’
Meg swallowed hard. ‘Maybe acceptance is a form of forgiveness.’
‘I want to be your sister again, Meg. And I want, more than anything—’ her gaze was unwavering ‘—to be Scott’s aunt.’
She frowned warily. ‘You’ve never stopped being my sister, Sonia.’ She spoke huskily. ‘As for Scott—you are his aunt.’
Her sister gave a shaky smile. ‘So will you try, Meg?’ she asked softly. ‘Will you try? For my sake if not for yours.’
Meg felt confused and uncertain. There had been antagonism between her twin and herself for so long now that she wasn’t sure, in the life she had made for Scott and herself, that there was room for any other relationship with Sonia than the one they already had.
‘Are you happy, Sonia?’ She looked closely at her sister. ‘Are you happy with Jeremy?’
‘Oh, yes,’ Sonia replied without hesitation. ‘Oh, I know that people look at us and see summer and autumn.’ Her mouth twisted ruefully. ‘That people think I must have married him for his money and social standing, that he married me to have a young and beautiful trophy on his arm, but they’re all wrong, Meg.’ She smiled. ‘I love Jeremy very much. And he loves me. We have a good life together.’
Meg nodded. ‘Then that’s really all that matters, isn’t—?’ She broke off, her eyes wide with incredulity as Jed strolled in from the adjoining room, hadn’t she told him to knock the next time he came in here?
He raised dark brows as he looked at the two women, a rueful twist to his mouth. ‘Ho, ho, ho.’ He looked at the bag of presents he had over one shoulder.
Meg and Sonia continued to look at him for several seconds, and then at each other, and then they both began to laugh.
‘Well, I guess I know what you’re getting in your stocking this year, Meg,’ Sonia finally sobered enough to tease.
It was an intriguing thought, but, no, somehow Meg didn’t think so.
Sonia moved gracefully, a glittering green butterfly. ‘Happy Christmas, Jed.’ She reached up to kiss him on the cheek.
For longer than Meg thought necessary. Oh, she knew Sonia loved to flirt, that it came as easily to her as breathing, but nevertheless Meg couldn’t help the shaft of jealousy that ripped through her at this platonic kiss.
‘Happy Christmas, Meg.’ Sonia moved to hug and kiss her now. ‘I’m really happy for you, Meg,’ she murmured so that only Meg could hear her. ‘I’ll see you both in the morning.’ And with one last tantalizing waft of her perfume she left Meg and Jed alone in the bedroom.
Not a happy occurrence for Meg after the conversation they’d had before dinner. She watched him warily as he slowly swung the sack of presents down onto the carpeted floor.
‘I heard voices in here,’ he explained with a grimace. ‘And from your reaction earlier to Sonia’s suggestion that she would come back later, I thought you might need rescuing.’
Jed Cole to the rescue.
Once again. Except this time she didn’t think she had
needed rescuing.
She still felt emotional from that conversation with Sonia. It had been the last thing she had expected. Although their shared laughter at Jed’s attempt at being Father Christmas was more like the two of them used to be together, so maybe, just maybe, they could start to heal this breach, after all.
‘Obviously I guessed wrong—’ Jed took her silence for rebuke ‘—but you needed these presents, anyway, right?’
Yes, she needed them, no longer had to sneak into his bedroom to get them.
‘Will you for goodness’ sake say something, woman?’ Jed burst out impatiently.
She returned his gaze steadily. ‘Thank you. I can manage from here.’
‘That’s it?’ he rasped, thrusting his hands into his jeans pockets.
‘You’ve barely spoken a word to me all evening and now you’re dismissing me like the hired help.’
She gave him a perplexed frown. ‘The only hired help I ever have dealings with is Mrs Sykes, the cook here, and as Scott and I spent a very enjoyable hour down in the kitchen with her earlier, I don’t accept your accusation. She’s more like one of the family.’
‘Which I, obviously, am not,’ he snapped.
Meg gave an irritated shake of her head. ‘I thought this distance between us was what you wanted?’
He scowled darker than ever. ‘You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?’ he accused tersely. ‘To pay me back for being so bluntly honest with you earlier.’
Her cheeks flamed with colour at this reminder of earlier. ‘I think you’ve had too much wine and brandy.’
‘Well, of course I have,’ he rejoined irritably. ‘What else was I supposed to do when you barely acknowledged I was sitting next to you at dinner?’
‘I’m not aware that I did anything.’
‘You’re driving me insane, is what you’re doing.’ He reached out to grasp her arms, shaking her slightly. ‘You look wonderful in this dress.’ His gaze moved over her as impatiently as he sounded. ‘I don’t know how I managed to keep my hands off you during dinner. I wanted to just clear the table and make love to you there.’
The Christmas Night Miracle Page 9