Amy nodded.
"Well, now everything is out in the open, I see no reason why you shouldn't get on with the job—the job you wanted so very much, may I remind you."
Even Sebastian knew her well enough to realize that was not going to bring about the right response from Amy. She was fiercely independent, proud and ambitious. Even when she did need help she fought against it every step of the way to try to make it on her own.
She stood up, snatching the cat into her arms as she did. "If those continue to be the terms of the job I have no choice, but I haven't forgiven or forgotten the two of you for duping me and for treating me as if I couldn't cope on my own. I'll show you what I can do and you will realize how wrong you were to underestimate me."
She clutched the cat against her chest where it hung limply, trustingly, in her arms, waiting to see what she was going to do next. The only sign of its annoyance over the change in arrangements was an occasional flick of its thick black tail.
She turned round and deposited the cat on her seat. "Sorry Mum, I've got to go." She stepped over and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek then promptly left the room.
Sebastian stood up. "I'd better go after her."
"Do come back for your coffee." Mrs. Norton gave him an encouraging smile.
The woman was clearly confused about the whole shenanigans, and who could blame her. The undercurrents Sebastian had been feeling from Amy were more about the fact the two of them had been bedfellows and, despite that, he hadn't shared that personal information about himself. He realized now how wrong of him that had been.
He caught her up outside the garden gate. "Amy."
She stopped and turned back.
When her gaze lifted to meet his, he was shocked. He'd expected the anger to be on the rise but above all she looked hurt. The realization stabbed him in the gut. He'd really hurt her by not being up-front with her. But hadn't she told him that's what had upset her about the ex from college? Sebastian cursed himself. How could he not realize this would become such a big thing, a painful barrier between them?
"I'm sorry." Instinctively, he stroked her shoulders with his hands, unable to stop himself reaching out for her. "I didn't think it mattered, truly I didn't."
"So you lied to me?" Her lip trembled and there was a definite sheen of withheld tears in her eyes.
Sebastian could have kicked himself, repeatedly. "I didn't lie to you, I just didn't tell the whole truth—it's no excuse I know, and it will never happen again."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
She looked at him with trusting but sad eyes.
"Look, Amy, there's something else I have to tell you." Doubts riddled through his mind. He hoped that what he was about to say wouldn't push her any further away than she had been over the last couple of hours. "I did do a little bit of snooping myself. It wasn't much, I hasten to add." He looked at the small frown lodged between her eyebrows, wishing he could smooth it away. "I went over to Quentin's apartment, because it was the kind of thing I would do and I thought it might be helpful. As it happens, it wasn't overly helpful, so you haven't missed out." That wasn't entirely true, but he hadn't found anything concrete and he decided that was the best way to sell it to her. "I was going to tell you, honestly, I was just trying to find the right time." Could he do it all, could he tell her he'd visited Jake as well?
"You didn't get that scar in a skiing accident, did you?"
Her remark surprised him. He expected more of a rebuff over his latest confession. Sebastian shifted his feet, restlessly. You are doing the right thing, you are coming clean, he reminded himself. This is what he wanted to do. He didn't particularly like remembering the time he got the scar, though. Things had gone too far. Private investigation wasn't supposed to be about being a soldier, and that's what he'd done wrong.
"It was a company fraud investigation case. Turned out to be an undercover arms trader dealing out of an official British army supply unit. Things turned nasty."
She looked upset, concerned.
He'd expected her to be angry. Her eyes were damp. Had he said too much, all at once?
"So that was a lie then, wasn't it?" She had him there.
He gave a deep sigh. "Amy, in my line of work you sometimes have to hide things, not for the wrong reasons, but because you have to. Often it's to protect people from things that might hurt them or put them in danger. I admit I'm set in my ways and often keep things to myself that I don't need to, but it wasn't meant badly, do you believe me?"
She regarded him with those beautiful eyes of hers then nodded. "And what sort of work have you done for Dad, before now?"
"There was a senior accountant at the paper who was on the take. Your Dad had a hunch about him but he needed evidence. I got it for him"
"Was that Frank Mayors, about a year ago?"
He nodded.
"I'm going back to my office," she announced, blinking back the tears. "I've got work to do."
"Amy…?"
She turned back.
"Can't I give you a lift?" He nodded over at the Land Rover.
"No, thanks, the walk will clear my head."
"What about our plans for this evening?"
She shook her head, staring at the ground. "I need some time on my own, I'm sorry."
"Okay, I understand, but please remember I'm here for you…not only because it's my job, but because I want to be."
She nodded. She must know he was referring to the more intimate side of the relationship, but she didn’t respond.
He reached out and stroked her shoulders again then dropped his hands at his sides, silently admitting defeat. For now. "In that case I'll collect you at your place tomorrow, after the rush is over. Is ten good for you?"
"Sure, ten is good for me," she replied, then turned on her heel and began to walk away.
Glancing back at the house, Sebastian saw Cynthia beckoning at him encouragingly from the window. No doubt she'd been watching the entire interaction. If she were anything like his own mother, she would have picked up on the more tender mood between them and had probably jumped to all sorts of conclusions, most of which were likely to be correct.
He acknowledged her wave with a weak smile then watched as Amy disappeared down the street, cursing himself for not realizing how badly she would have taken this, cursing himself for not having explained earlier. Before he went back into the house, he plowed his fingers through his hair. It was a restless and desperate gesture from an unhappy man.
* * * *
Amy threw back the sheet, sighing into the night. She couldn't sleep because she couldn't stop thing about Sebastian. She could still sense his hands on her body. It was as if they still coursed over the surface of her skin, knowing and sure, bringing on a heady rush of sensation.
It was hot, that was why she was so bloody restless, she told herself. She rolled her head on the pillow and looked out at the night sky. Yeah, the heat wave would also explain the extreme sense of longing she felt inside, would it?
Her happy little studio flat seemed empty. The occasional noise and flicker of neon light from the street below did not, as it would usually do, make her feel as if the world was happening and alive around her. Instead, it made her feel alone. Lonely. Lonely for Sebastian. Even after what had been said between them that afternoon, her body still craved his. It craved his male strength, his warmth, his passion and vigor. Her hands fisted against the sheets. If only he weren't so darned good in bed.
It was more than that, though. She swore softly into the night, closing her eyes, unable to stop herself reliving some of the moments they'd shared. That first night, when their hunger for each other had made them eager and insatiable. She'd never felt the way she felt when he was inside her. It was as if they were perfectly matched, keying readily into each other's need and desires. He was so attentive, so aware of her. She would also never forget the playfulness he aroused in her, how he had unleashed that side of her. Seeing the look in his eyes when she
had straddled him the night before…well, that had been exquisite. She ached inside, physically and painfully, for more of him.
Perhaps she should have done as Janine suggested and pretended she didn't know, so that they could enjoy the rest of their time together. That would have been impossible, because it wasn't the way her heart and mind worked. Her mother would have been proud of her integrity, but maybe it was holding her back—and in more ways than one. Perhaps her integrity was the bane of her life. In terms of her job, she could have printed what Jake had told her, made something of the occult story without traveling to Arundel to check it out. And if she'd been able to ignore the truth with Sebastian, she'd be having a champion evening in his company right now, followed by another wild and memorable bedroom romp. She had to wonder if she was she cut out for any of this.
She sat up then paced to the window, looking down at the street below, looking for distractions. A couple ran along under the streetlights, chasing after one another. All it did was remind her of Sebastian. The young man caught his girl in his arms and kissed her. Amy shook her head. She ran her fingers along the window ledge. She shut her eyes, willing herself not to be aroused by the very thought of the man, not to hear his whispered seductions nor feel the touch of his hands on her body, not to remember how finely tuned they were to one another.
It was going to take a while, she realized, before this dreadful need wore off, this incredible addiction her body had developed for his. And continuing to work together was not going to help. Damn her father. Damn his conditions. Could any other journalist in the history of The City News have had so many obstacles and such a hard time to get a good pitch and a bit of respect?
She still couldn't believe Sebastian had done previous work for The City News. He'd been around before. The story about Frank Mayor fiddling the accounts had been hot gossip amongst the staff a year back, and Sebastian had been involved. She pictured him walking the corridors of the building, back then. If only she'd met him then, things might have panned out differently. But that wouldn't have been the right time for them, her rational voice interjected. He'd have still been with his ex. She shook her head, chastising herself for pursuing pointless chains of thought. She had to face it, they'd met at the right time but it still hadn't worked out as they'd agreed. She sighed into the night, resigned to the fact the next day would be difficult. Why oh why couldn't she be like Janine? Why couldn't she just have pretended it hadn't happened?
That's when it hit her.
Her duty to her integrity had been fulfilled, she'd done the right thing stating her case, but now she could move on. She could begin to collect the rewards, and the reward was Sebastian. Their arrangement still stood, didn't it? Yes, and she intended to take full advantage of him, while he was available. She knew what she wanted to do and how to go about it. They had two nights ahead of them, two nights in a secluded hotel on the moors. He'd already indicated he still wanted to be there for her, and he meant it regarding their personal agreement. She felt sure they could put aside any awkwardness that might linger on after today and restore their relationship to its former highly charged intimacy.
She returned to her bed and set her alarm clock, allowing herself plenty of time to pick out a few suitably eye-catching outfits to take with her. When she got into bed again it was with thoughts of Sebastian in mind and a smile on her face. Sebastian, and sex. Forget the job for now, she told herself, until you get the hot, sexy, no-strings relationship re-established.
* * * *
"Sorry Alex, did I wake you?" Sebastian asked when he heard his sister yawning down the phone.
"Hey, bro, what's up?"
"Oh, nothing." Sebastian lied. "I rang for a chat."
"A chat?" She laughed. "Sebastian, you never ring for a chat, least of all at eleven o' clock at night."
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was that late." He glanced at his watch. He'd been far too preoccupied to notice the time.
"Let me guess, you have a problem."
His little sister could always read him like a book. "I could do with some advice."
He heard her reorganizing herself. "Hit me with it, that's what I'm here for."
He summarized his meeting with Amy, and how much she had come to mean to him.
"She sounds lovely."
"She is lovely, but I think I've blown it."
"Sebastian. Why?"
"It's complicated, but you know I said we were working together on a case, it wasn't intentional, but I betrayed her trust."
"If you really like her, can't you talk it through with that in mind?"
"Perhaps, but it's going to be difficult."
"Start with the work stuff, get your working relationship back on an even keel. That will anchor you. When that's sorted you can get to the personal stuff, tell her how you feel and where you want the relationship to go, see what she says."
"You're so level headed."
She chuckled. "So are you. It's a family trait, remember?"
She was right, but Sebastian didn't feel level headed.
"You just concentrate on sorting things out with this woman who has you in a state." Her tone grew serious. "She's not your usual high maintenance sort, is she?"
Sebastian had always been attracted to the sort of women who loved attention, and lots of it. His ex had even competed with his job for his undivided, which made life difficult. With Amy it was different.
He gave a sad laugh. "Amy is high maintenance all right, but in a good way, you know. She's a positive character, lots of energy and great fun to be around."
"She must be pretty special for you to have asked me for advice about it. You never even spoke to me about your ex until after she'd gone."
"Yes," he mumbled. "I think you've got me there, Sis. Amy is a pretty special lady."
Very special indeed, he thought to himself later, while he was staring up at the ceiling, his head resting back on his hands. Too special to mess up the time they had left together, because of a crazy misunderstanding. She was too proud, denying her need for help, even when she was running into his arms looking for comfort in a haunted house. He managed a smile. Isn't that what he loved about her, though? The same woman who could tutor a bunch of streetwise kids with no problems whatsoever could also be tender and vulnerable in his arms at the mere mention of ghosts. He sighed. She was a siren and she was an enigma—and she had him well and truly fascinated.
He thought about what Alex had said about getting their working relationship straightened out and take it from there. The job did mean a lot to her. She'd kept stating that back at the beginning. He wanted her back in his arms for the duration of the case, and that meant he had to focus on helping her with the job. It would be hard, he realized, thinking back to how his thoughts kept wandering, even when they were in the middle of a row and with her father in the room. But, yes, if he remained focused he could do that.
When Lydia jumped up on to his chest and meowed at him, he noticed the clock and realized how much time had slipped by, thinking about Amy.
"Well, Lydia, do you think we can win her trust back?" He ruffled the cat behind her ears. Lydia purred and settled down on his chest, paws outstretched under his chin. "Hmm, I'll take that as a maybe, shall I?"
The cat looked back at him, eyes half closed, smiling her cat smile. Sebastian sighed. "I hope you're right."
Forget the sex for now, he told himself, and try to get the job back on an even keel first.
Chapter Thirteen
Amy watched and waved as the Land Rover pulled up alongside the curb. She stood on the pavement, wearing a hopeful smile, tight white hipsters slung low on her midriff, her highest strappiest sandals, and a cut-off skinny–fit lycra top in hot pink.
Sebastian got out of the vehicle to put her bags in the back, but didn't grab her for a quick kiss or give her a teasing pat on the rump, like he had done when they previously met up. He glanced at her outfit with a pensive frown and greeted her in a formal tone. He looked altogether
confused and awkward.
That didn't bode well. Her heart sank.
"Ready to crack this case?" he asked, gruffly, as they pulled away into the traffic.
"Yes, I'm ready for everything."
He didn't respond. Was he still upset with her after the dramatics of the day before? She complimented him on the Land Rover, before an uneasy silence descended between them. It was hard to mend things while hurtling through traffic. She resolved instead to bridge the gap when they arrived at their destination. A bottle of wine, a lovely intimate dinner for two, she would soon have him back in her arms. And in her bed.
He flicked the radio on and Amy stared out of the passenger window, trying to ignore his presence for the time being. That was a difficult task in itself. She took a sly glance over at him from under her lashes. He looked so sexy—in fact he looked a bit like a mercenary in a black T-shirt and jeans. The short, capped sleeves of the T-shirt showed off his biceps flexing as he drove. She gave a quiet sigh. Her body remained acutely aware of his proximity. Damn him. Here she was lusting after him and all he could do is act like he was her official escort. Which is all he is, her inner voice reminded her. Her minder. She bit her lip.
Doubts began to race in on her. Why was he distant, why wasn't he trying to flirt with her again? She'd blown it, that's why. She thought back over what had happened the previous day and all it did was make her miserable.
By the time they had hit the M1 motorway to the north, she'd decided for the sake of her sanity to try to focus on her job instead. She needed results for the feature and she needed to get them soon and under her own steam. However, when the job was done, she would have to seriously reconsider her aptitude for investigative work. She had to face the fact her natural skills lent themselves more naturally to other areas of journalism. Living up to her father and his reputation probably wasn't the right thing for her. It was a different kettle of fish altogether and her dad knew that when he'd hired Sebastian to watch out for her. Despite the fact he wouldn't admit to it, he'd done the wrong thing trying to help her along. Sebastian, apparently, hadn't known what Richard was up to, though. He said he'd taken the job at face value. Her father had deserved the tongue lashing, but in retrospect she wished she hadn't given Sebastian such a hard time. Now she had the damage to undo. And she couldn't seem to keep her mind off him, no matter what.
Minding Amy Page 14