by Exley Avis
“It’s no good. I can’t think straight,” she told him. She needed to shut herself in her hotel room and give herself time to think.
Putting some distance between her and Aiden wouldn’t do any harm either. He stood far too close; his powerful body overwhelming her, and stirring up too many memories that she didn’t have the power to deal with right now.
“I want to go. I need space to think.”
Seeing it was useless to argue, Aiden unlocked the car and climbed in, turning up the heater to ensure Erika kept warm. They drove back in virtual silence with Erika flicking between the radio channels until she heard one of her own songs and switched it off, cursing under her breath.
Instead she stared out of the window, her breath fogging up the glass and the countryside passing in a blur that mirrored the confusion inside her head.
Her world had shifted and turned inside out in the space of a day, stranding her in unfamiliar terrain with an uncertain travelling companion. She had no idea whether it was safer to go forward or back – and no one she trusted enough to ask.
At some point she drifted off to sleep, lulled by the sound of the engine, a heavy lunch and far too much fresh air for an adopted Californian to cope with. The car slowing down to take the turn into the hotel gateway woke her and she rubbed her eyes, yawning widely.
Aiden pulled into a parking bay and turned off the engine before smiling uncertainly across at her. “Feeling better?” he asked. “You’ve been out cold for over an hour. I drove the long way round to let you sleep.”
“Thanks.” His kindness touched her. “The jet lag’s hitting me harder than I thought.”
“Then let me buy you a coffee to perk you up. I could do with one myself.”
“I’d rather not.” She was afraid she sounded ungrateful rather than unwilling and let her voice soften. “I’m worn out and have a lot to think about. All I want to do is collapse into bed.”
“Well good luck with that.”
Aiden nodded toward the front door, drawing Erika’s attention to a furious Marty Cooper advancing on the car with angry strides. They both got out to face him and Aiden moved protectively in front of Erika, blocking Marty’s path with his body. As if Aiden didn’t exist, Marty sidestepped him and lunged at Erika.
“Where the hell have you been?” he demanded, reaching round Aiden to grab her arm. “I’ve been going out of my mind….”
Marty didn’t have time to finish his sentence before Aiden was on him, pinning him back against the car with his arm across his throat, and looking as though he’d gladly choke the life out of Marty Cooper given the slightest excuse.
“Lay one finger on her and I’ll end you,” Aiden warned through gritted teeth, pulling Marty clear of the car and slamming him back again, knocking the breath out of him. “Let me hear you raise your voice to her, or make her do something she doesn’t want to, and I swear I won’t be held responsible.”
Aiden loomed over Marty, terrifying in his anger. Every muscle tensed as he fought against the urge to land a punch. Erika tried to push herself between them but Aiden was too strong and she gave up, shouting at him instead.
“Get off him,” she begged, pulling vainly at Aiden’s arm. “Please, Aiden. He’s not worth it.”
The sound of her voice somehow broke through and Aiden let Marty go so suddenly he staggered before righting himself and backing off to a safe distance.
“Who the hell are you?” Marty demanded, pulling Erika in front of him as a shield.
“Aiden Thirstan,” he said boldly, wanting to ensure Marty heard and remembered his name.
“Aiden’s an old friend.” Erika tried to placate Marty who’d regained some bravado and looked like he was spoiling for a fight. “Aiden and I bumped into each other this morning and went for a walk.”
“It’s three o’clock. You’ve been gone all day. I thought you’d been abducted by a crazy fan.”
“I’m sorry, Marty. I should have left a message but, as you can see, I’m fine.” Erika prayed Aiden wouldn’t say anything. The last thing she needed was a full scale row before she’d had chance to process everything Aiden had told her over lunch. “Let’s go back to your suite and order tea.” She took Marty’s arm and steered him back toward the hotel but Aiden stepped out in front of them.
“Don’t go.” He spoke urgently to Erika. “I need to know you’re all right.”
“She says she’s fine.” Marty answered for her. “And if you don’t get out of my way, I’ll call the cops and report you for assault.”
Aiden faced him down, almost daring him to dial. “I don’t remember asking you.”
He glared at Marty, his lips taut and jaw tight with fury, before turning his attention on Erika. His pale hazel eyes searched her face for some suggestion of fear or reluctance, ready to leap to her defence if she needed it but she stood firm.
“Truly. I’m fine.” She placed a hand on Aiden’s arm, raised her chin and gave him a look that showed far more confidence than she felt, silently begging him to let her handle Marty. After all, five years of dealing with his moods had made her the expert. “I’ll sort this out. It’s not a problem.”
The idea of abandoning Erika to the man who seemed set upon destroying her health and embezzling her fortune obviously made Aiden uncomfortable and he hesitated, ignoring Marty’s complaints as he struggled to work out what was going on inside Erika’s head. Aiden’s expression conveyed a hundred silent thoughts – asking her to reconsider and warning her to be careful – but Erika didn’t waver.
Aiden had no choice but to agree. “Room 115,” he told her. He took her mobile phone and tapped in his own number. When he eventually stepped aside he was so obviously fighting the desire to wipe the triumphant smile off Marty Cooper’s face. “Phone me if you need anything. Day or night.”
“I promise.”
So Marty couldn’t hear, Aiden leaned in toward Erika to say the next, standing so close the stubble on his chin grazed her cheek and sent a delicious tingle down her neck.
“I have no right to ask you to trust me. I know that,” he began, the warm, masculine scent of him forcing hot, sensual memories into every corner of Erika’s already confused brain. “But don’t ignore what I told you just because of what I did five years ago. I’m a cheat – but I’m not a liar. Don’t side with Marty simply to get back at me.”
And so Erika found herself caught between the rock and the hard place. The Devil and the deep blue sea.
The question was, which way should she jump?
Chapter Three
The encounter with Aiden plunged Marty into the blackest of moods and it took all of Erika’s powers of persuasion to stop him calling the police.
“The last thing we need is a public scandal,” she said when they’d reached his suite. “If you call the police, the whole world will know I’m here and you promised me some privacy.”
“The guy assaulted me!” Marty raged. “He slammed me up against a car and tried to strangle me.”
Some part of Erika wished that Aiden had finished the job. “Don’t exaggerate. It wasn’t that serious.”
“You were a witness. You saw what he did.”
“And if the police ask me, I’ll deny everything. Or I’ll tell them it was self defence.” She glared, wondering whether it was a bit late in the day to grow a backbone around Marty. “In any case, Aiden Thirstan’s a rich and powerful man. You’d be a fool to take him on.”
“How do you know him? You said he’s an old friend.”
“That’s an exaggeration too.” The last thing Erika needed was Marty believing she were somehow involved with Aiden. Past experience had taught her Marty made a point of separating her from people he didn’t approve of and, if Aiden’s allegations were true, she’d need to maintain a line of contact. “Aiden’s very old news. I met him when I was a student and we dated for a while, but I haven’t seen or spoken to him in five years.”
“Rich, you say?”
“Google
him. You’ll find everything you need to know, except for the part about him dating Erika Fenn. He kept quiet about that. Which is another reason I don’t want him upset.” She suddenly realised she could use their past relationship to her advantage. “Involve him in court proceedings and it’ll all come out.”
“So what? We’ve dealt with your old boyfriends before.”
Erika corrected him. “You’ve paid off a couple of students I’d kissed at parties. Aiden Thirstan’s a whole different ball game. Not only does he have the money to fight you in court, but we were rarely out of bed. If the details came out, the paparazzi will think all their Christmases have come at once. For that reason alone, I don’t want him antagonised.”
She saw Marty file away every detail for future reference and suspected he’d later pay someone to check out her story.
“What happened?” he asked.
“I found him in bed with another woman.” She shrugged as if it no longer mattered. “I ran away to America, met you and made a lot of money writing sad songs about him.” When she saw Marty’s puzzled frown, she explained. “Crying A River. Shadow Of Love. Love, Honour, Betray.”
“They were about him?” When Erika nodded, he added, “Jeez! The bastard broke your heart.”
“Exactly. Which is why I don’t want anything more to do with him.”
Eventually, after a great deal more persuasion and several scotches, Marty agreed to let it drop although Erika knew she’d need to ensure he didn’t bump into Aiden again around the hotel. Aiden’s quick temper and Marty’s addiction to law suits made for an explosive mix and she texted Aiden from Marty’s bathroom, assuring him she was fine and warning him to lie low.
She then spent the next four hours humouring Marty by listening to his complaints about the weather, the service and the isolation of the hotel, all the while resisting the urge to blurt out everything Aiden had told her.
Giving away her suspicions would spell disaster, particularly when she still had no idea whether Aiden was telling the truth. Her relationship with Marty was strained enough without making false allegations – any more acrimonious and life would become truly unbearable. She had to tread carefully.
After a day spent climbing hills, and the mental strain of having all her certainties overturned, Erika didn’t need to feign exhaustion. By seven o’clock she was yawning wildly and excused herself, leaving behind more complaints from Marty about having to eat dinner alone.
“Don’t even think about leaving the hotel tomorrow,” he warned as she left. “You’re here to rest, not race around the country with thugs.”
Erika wondered how Aiden would enjoy this description. “I’m spending the whole of tomorrow in the spa,” she assured him. “I won’t be setting foot out of the door.”
“And Aiden?”
“Is nothing to do with me. He’s checking out on Friday anyway.”
An outright lie but it appeased Marty who finally allowed her to slip away. Once alone, she collapsed into bed, waking after eleven hours of the deepest, most refreshing sleep she’d had in months. Although her head still felt foggy with tiredness, the previous day’s confusion had fallen into some kind of order.
Her first priority had to be establishing whether Aiden’s claims had any foundation. She could hardly ask Marty whether he were swindling her and, as Erika Fenn, one of the world’s most high profile recording artists, she couldn’t walk into a lawyer’s office and ask for advice. If she did, every online news service and celebrity website would broadcast it around the globe before the cab had even taken her back to the hotel.
Finding the truth would take much more careful planning, a great deal of thought and, most probably, Aiden Thirstan’s help.
Unfortunately.
The previous day’s exercise and a good night’s sleep had left Erika feeling energetic and she wondered whether she dared brave the hotel’s gym. It was barely past six so only the hardiest of guests would be around and she decided to risk it, particularly as this might be her only Marty-free time for the rest of the day. Tutting when she realised she hadn’t packed her running shoes, Erika slipped into a swimsuit instead, pulled on a towelling robe and headed for the spa complex.
A huge orangery stood to one side of the hotel, housing a luxurious pool and treatment rooms. As a chambermaid, Erika had looked longingly at the facilities, wishing she were allowed to swim in the palm-fringed pool, relax on the white loungers or indulge herself with a dozen beauty treatments. Now she could finally have a leisurely, peaceful swim while she watched the sun rise through the acres of glass in the conservatory roof. After breakfast she’d treat herself to top-to-toe beauty treatments that would keep her out of Marty’s way for most of the day, if nothing else.
As a former employee, Erika knew every fire exit and access corridor and so walked unnoticed down the staff stairway to the pool. The attendant undoubtedly recognised her but merely wished her good morning and handed her a towel as if she were any other guest, leaving Erika grateful for the kind of respectful anonymity she’d never found in America, nor in the places Marty chose to stay. Walking through to the pool area, splashing water told her that she wasn’t the only early bird, and she felt a pang of disappointment.
This disappointment intensified however when she recognised Aiden Thirstan, slicing through the water with strong, expert strokes that underlined the power in his body and emphasised his gym-sculpted physique.
Countless times, she’d told herself that her memories of Aiden’s powerful, hard body had been exaggerated by her imagination and that no man could really be as broad, and muscular, and toned as the fantasy she’d created in her loneliest hours. But the evidence quite literally lay before her – every strapping, virile, glistening inch of him, freestyling the length of the pool and bringing every one of her erotic visions startlingly to life.
She had two choices. Either, she could run terrified back to her room and lose the precious chance to swim (as well as some of her self respect). Or she could brave it out, slip into the water and swim alongside him.
She chose the latter, but not before Aiden had seen her and stopped swimming in order to watch her strip off her robe and walk down the steps into the shallow end of the pool. He swam to meet her, never taking his eyes off her long legs and slim hips, or the way her swimsuit clung tightly around her breasts like her most provocative stage costume.
“You are so beautiful,” he told her, standing up beside her, his strong body a stark contract to her fragility. “I’d forgotten how gorgeously sexy you are.”
“One or two photographs of me have been published over the last five years,” she said ironically, feeling uncomfortable under his intense scrutiny but strangely unable to walk away from him.
“They could never do you justice. Close up, you are simply breathtaking. You always were.”
And close up, you’re quite frankly overwhelming, Erika wanted to say, watching the water droplets shimmer enticingly on his skin as he raised his arms to scrape his dark hair back from his face. She forced herself not to notice the faint glow of a tan lingering across his shoulders, nor the way that tan line ended just above his swimming shorts. To have noticed that, she’d have needed to look at the way the hair on his chest blurred the strong outline of the muscles, and how those muscles ridged in perfect symmetry down his stomach until they met the tan line and disappeared.
Best not to allow such treacherous thoughts to enter her head, she told herself, shaking her head back to reality when she realised he was talking to her.
“I’m relieved to see you,” he was saying. “I’ve been worried.”
“There was no need. I can handle Marty.” She dipped her shoulders under the water to hide from Aiden’s curious, and very appreciative, gaze. “I spent a couple of hours with him and then went to bed. All that fresh air yesterday wore me out.” She chanced a smile, hoping she appeared friendly but reluctant to appear too encouraging.
“Did you tell him what I’d said?”
&n
bsp; “Of course not! I wanted time to think first.”
“And have you?”
“I was too tired last night,” Erika said. “I’d hoped a swim might clear my head and then I was going to call you.”
Without waiting for a response she swam away from him at a gentle pace, enjoying the coolness of the water on her skin, the peace and the sensation of freedom. When she reached the deep end, she flipped onto her back and floated, her limbs weightless as she looked up through the glass roof into the lightening sky. She allowed her mind to reorder itself, wishing all the time that the answer to her dilemna would dawn as surely as the new day.
To complicate things, the water rippled around her and Aiden drew level, treading water beside her. “I thought about driving to the coast later,” he told her, the invitation unspoken but very definite.
Erika refused. “My disappearance caused enough trouble yesterday. I’ve promised Marty I wouldn’t leave the hotel.”
“I’ll speak to him if you want.”
She looked across and gave him the first genuine smile of the day. “I particularly liked the part of the conversation where you slammed him against the car and threatened him. I’ve wanted to do that for years.”
“I’m sorry but I lost it when he grabbed you.” Aiden frowned. “I couldn’t bear to see his hands on you. Does he….?”
“Never,” Erika assured him quickly, before turning to swim back to a depth where her feet could touch the bottom. She stood up and waited for Aiden to catch up with her, looking around to check no one could see or overhear them. “He was furious. It took me a long while to convince him not to call the police. I refused to back up his story if he did.”
“I bet that went down well.”
“And I said you might give away my secrets if he upset you.”
“Which I never would.” It was important to him that she understood this.
“You and I know that, but Marty doesn’t. He can’t stand the thought of anyone else making money out of me. In any case, he thinks you’re checking out tomorrow.”