Shadowed Stranger

by Carole Mortimer

  He didn’t belong to her at all, he belonged to Sheila! She began to struggle, pushing his arms away, squirming away from those probing, arousing kisses. She sat up, buttoning her blouse with shaking fingers, blinking back the tears she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing.

  ‘You don’t belong to anyone,’ she told him vehemently. ‘And in future I want you to just leave me alone. Go back to London, to your sophisticated friends, and just stay away from me!’

  Rick shook his head. ‘I can’t do that, you and I both know I can’t.’

  ‘And what about your patients?’ she snapped, smoothing her hair, knowing she hadn’t managed to completely erase the devastation of his kisses, her lips still throbbing from his fierceness. ‘Don’t you owe loyalty to them if no one else?’

  ‘I don’t have any patients right now. When Melinda decided to leave me I took a year off to do what I wanted to do.’ He shrugged. ‘I still have six months left, six months during which I intend to pursue you.’ His eyes deepened in colour. ‘I’m going to marry you, Robyn.’

  She gasped, going very white. ‘And—and Sheila?’

  He sighed. ‘Until she marries again she’ll continue to be my responsibility—’

  ‘Responsibility?’ Robyn echoed shrilly. ‘My God, you’re a bastard! Surely she means more than a responsibility to you? Don’t you care about her at all?’

  ‘Of course I care about her,’ Rick rasped. ‘But I have my own life to lead—she understands that.’

  ‘Not with me you don’t!’ Robyn told him fiercely. ‘I’ll never marry you. Never!’

  His expression darkened. ‘I love you,’ he groaned, his voice raw with the emotion.

  Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes like shadowed violets as she stared at him. ‘Wh—what did you say?’ she gulped, sure she couldn’t have heard him correctly. How could any man propose and tell a woman he loved her when he was already married!

  Rick drew in a ragged breath. ‘I love you. After the way Melinda walked out on me I didn’t think I would ever get involved again, but you, with your open frankness, your beautiful body,’ his gaze roamed slowly over her, as if he couldn’t help himself, ‘you’ve captured my heart in a way I never thought any woman would.’

  Robyn shook her head, putting her hands over her ears. ‘I don’t want to hear any more of this,’ she choked. ‘Take me home. Please, take me home,’ she pleaded.

  ‘Robyn—’

  ‘Please!’ There was a sob in her voice.

  ‘All right,’ he agreed grimly. ‘But this conversation is far from over.’ He put the car into gear and backed down on to the main road.

  His words were by way of being a warning, and Robyn shivered, carefully avoiding looking at his dark features as he concentrated on reversing the car. She licked her lips, aware that they felt bruised and sensitive from the pressure of Rick’s. ‘As far as I’m concerned,’ she said in a voice that sounded totally unlike her own, ‘this conversation was over ten minutes ago.’

  ‘Before I kissed you and told you I love you, you mean,’ he said harshly.

  ‘Before you tried to seduce me with words as well as your body,’ she corrected, anger in her voice now. ‘Because that’s all they were, words. And they came too late, much too late.’

  ‘Because of Brian or Alan?’

  She knew what he meant, and her cheeks flamed with colour. ‘None of your damned business!’ she snapped. ‘Who I choose to sleep with has nothing to do with you.’

  ‘If you told me it could save them both being beaten to a pulp when I try to find out which one of them has had you.’

  Robyn gasped, a quiet determination in his voice telling her he meant to carry out this threat. ‘You’re crude! And you have a nerve, just thinking you can take over my life in this way. You have no right—’

  ‘I have every right! You gave yourself to me the night of my accident—’

  ‘I didn’t know about Melinda then, or Sheila,’ she interrupted accusingly.

  ‘That’s in my past,’ he said angrily. ‘I want you to be my future. The moment I met you I knew you meant trouble, with a capital T. You’ve thrown my life into disorder, got me so churned up that when I’m not with you I can’t think of anything but you, and then when I’m with you I can’t even think straight. I’ve met you late in my life—’

  ‘Like I said, too late,’ she put in stiffly.

  ‘Not too late,’ he rasped. ‘Good God, girl, you weren’t even alive half of my life. Of course there’ve been other women, but if I’d known, if I’d realised I was going to meet someone I could love so totally—’

  ‘You would have stayed celibate!’ she scorned.

  ‘Strange as that may seem, yes,’ he said huskily. ‘I always thought sex was just sex, that as long as both partners were willing and it was enjoyable that was all there was to it. But compared with what I now feel for you I felt nothing for those other women, and going to bed with them was a waste of time. Just as going to bed with Brian or Alan was a waste of time for you.’ He turned in his seat to look at her as he stopped the car outside her home, gently touching the hair at her nape. ‘Which one was it, Robyn?’

  Robyn flinched from him, hating him in that moment. ‘Go to hell!’ she stormed before slamming out of the car.

  CHAPTER NINE

  THE door of the shop closed forcibly behind her, making her father look up from his book-work. Robyn was breathing heavily, an angry glitter to her eyes.

  ‘What’s upset you?’ her father asked gently.

  ‘Nothing!’ she snapped.

  He smiled. ‘Now I know you’re upset. Still, I’d rather see you like this than with that long face you’ve had for weeks.’

  ‘Dad—’

  ‘All right, all right,’ he held up protesting hands, ‘I won’t mention it any more. But it’s nice to have the old Robyn back,’ he added softly as she walked past him.

  She swallowed hard. ‘I’m sorry if I’ve been a pain, Dad, but I—’ She broke off as the shop door opened, the bell ringing to warn of someone’s entrance, and turned to see Rick just closing the door behind him. ‘Excuse me,’ she mumbled before hurriedly disappearing into the house at the back of the shop, her father’s surprised expression the last thing she saw.

  How dared Rick follow her into the shop! Why couldn’t he get the message?—after all, she had made her feelings clear enough. But had she? Verbally her message had come across loud and clear, physically … Physically she had been as powerless to stop her mindless response as usual.

  ‘You’re nice and early, love. I haven’t even—What’s the matter with you?’ her mother frowned at her as she entered the kitchen.

  Robyn sighed. Did all her family know her so well! ‘Nothing.’

  Her mother raised her eyebrows. ‘Somebody’s upset you, that’s for sure.’

  ‘No one—’ She sighed again. ‘I’m not really very good company at the moment, Mum. I should have calmed down by the time I’ve washed and changed for dinner.’

  But she hadn’t. All the time she was upstairs she was fuming about the fact that Rick had actually followed her into the shop. Unless of course he had come in to buy something! Why hadn’t she thought of that earlier? Some of the tension left her as she walked down the stairs.

  Until she went into the lounge! Rick was in there, sitting quite at ease in one of the armchairs, a cup of tea resting on the arm.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ she demanded in a fierce whisper. Rick was alone in the room, her mother obviously busy in the kitchen getting the dinner.

  ‘Drinking tea,’ he replied calmly, completely relaxed, his long legs stretched out in front of him.

  ‘You know what I—’

  ‘Ah, Robyn,’ her mother came in from the kitchen, a wide smile on her lips, ‘I’m glad you’ve come down, I was just about to call you. Mr Howarth is here to see you.’

  Robyn’s couldn’t meet her mother candid gaze. ‘So I see,’ she said tightly.

  Her
mother looked nonplussed, obviously surprised at Robyn’s attitude towards the-man she had been pining away for for the last two months. ‘I—I think I forgot to put salt in the potatoes,’ she said hastily. ‘You like potatoes, I presume, Mr Howarth?’

  ‘Rick, please,’ he smiled. ‘And I love potatoes. My waistline isn’t too keen,’ he shrugged, ‘but I love them.’

  ‘Go on with you!’ Robyn’s mother chuckled. ‘You’re in the peak of condition. I wish my Peter looked as fit.’ She went back to the kitchen, a smile still on her lips.

  Robyn flashed Rick’s lean body a resentful glance, indignant on her father’s behalf. He couldn’t help his thickening waistline, especially when her mother was such a good cook.

  She frowned. ‘What was that about the potatoes?’

  Rick calmly took another sip of his tea. ‘Your parents have kindly invited me to dinner.’

  ‘They—! You didn’t accept!’

  ‘I did.’

  ‘You—God, you—How could you!’ she exploded.

  ‘Quite easily,’ he drawled, not at all perturbed by her anger. ‘I happen to be hungry. I didn’t get any lunch today,’ he added pointedly,

  ‘But you—you can’t eat here,’ she said in exasperation.

  He shrugged. ‘I’ve already accepted.’

  Robyn almost stamped her foot with frustration. ‘Then you can just unaccept!’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Why?’ she blinked. ‘Because I—I don’t want you here.’

  ‘That’s a pity, because I have no intention of leaving.’ He placed his empty cup on the table, relaxing back in the seat once again.

  ‘But you must!’ She marched over to him and tried to pull him out of the chair. ‘You have to go!’ She tugged on his arm, but made no impression. ‘Rick, you—’

  ‘Ah, at last,’ he sighed his satisfaction, pulling her down to sit on his knee, his lips on her throat. ‘We’re friends again, hmm?’

  ‘No, we’re not!’ She pummelled her fists against his shoulders. ‘I only called you Rick because—’

  ‘Because that’s my name and you love me,’ he murmured against her satiny skin.

  ‘I do not! And that isn’t your name—Mr Pendleton.’

  ‘Ah, ah, naughty, naughty,’ he shook his head. ‘You deserve punishment for that.’

  Her ‘punishment’ took the form of his lips moving persuasively on hers, forcing her to the back of the chair as he deepened the kiss.

  Robyn felt as if she couldn’t breathe, struggling against this seduction for all she was worth. He was Oliver Pendleton, Oliver Pendleton! She kept repeating it to herself over and over again—it was the only way she could hold herself aloof from him.

  He at last raised his head, his eyes a warm glowing grey, a complete contrast to the first time she had met him; his harshness had surrounded him like a cloak then. ‘Not ready to give in yet?’ he murmured.

  ‘Never!’ Her eyes flashed violet.

  ‘Robyn—’

  ‘Hey, Mum, I—Oh!’ Billy went silent.

  Robyn turned an embarrassed face to her brother, seeing his own discomfort as he looked at her sitting on Rick’s knee. She pushed against Rick’s arms about her waist, his fingers refusing to be pried away.

  She licked her lips, giving up the fight, and instantly felt the pressure removed, allowing her to stand up. She ran damp palms down her denim-clad thighs. ‘H—Hello, Billy.’ Her eyes shifted from him nervously.

  ‘Hello, Sis. Sir,’ he looked at Rick.

  Rick stood up too, instantly dwarfing both Robyn and Billy. ‘I don’t think I’ve thanked you yet for your prompt action the night of my accident,’ he spoke to Billy, shaking his hand. ‘And I do thank you.’

  ‘That’s all right,’ Billy shrugged it off with boyish modesty. ‘Dealing with you was quite easy compared to dealing with Robyn!’

  Enquiring grey eyes were turned on her. ‘Dealing with Robyn …?’ he prompted Billy.

  The young boy grinned. ‘You should have seen her. She—’

  ‘That’s enough, Billy,’ she cut in warningly. ‘Mr Howarth isn’t interested in that now.’

  Rick crossed his arms in front of his chest. ‘Oh, but I am,’ he smiled. ‘I’m very interested.’

  ‘Well, it will have to keep for another time,’ she said briskly, promising herself that she would warn Billy later to guard his tongue in future. She wasn’t proud of her actions the night of Rick’s accident, not any of them. ‘Go and wash up for dinner now,’ she ordered her brother.

  ‘I hate bossy sisters,’ he muttered to Rick.

  He grinned. ‘How many sisters do you have?’

  Billy grimaced. ‘Just the one. She’s enough.’

  ‘Billy!’ she warned once again.

  He sighed. ‘You see what I mean?’ He shook his head, going up the stairs.

  ‘So,’ Rick turned to face her, his arms going about her waist to link his hands at the base of her spine, bringing their thighs close together. ‘What did your brother mean just now?’

  Her mouth set stubbornly. ‘He didn’t mean anything,’ she mumbled, avoiding his eyes.

  ‘Oh, but he did.’

  ‘No! He—’

  ‘Well, that’s the shop shut up,’ her father said as he came into the room, showing no surprise at seeing his only daughter in the arms of a man he barely knew. He sat down. ‘If you have to do that do you think you could move over a little?’ he requested. ‘I’d like to watch the news.’

  Rick grinned. ‘Certainly.’ He gently pushed Robyn away from standing in front of the television. ‘You were saying?’ he prompted softly.

  ‘No, I wasn’t,’ she snapped, looking selfconsciously at her father. He didn’t appear to be taking any notice of them, his attention on the television set he had switched on. ‘Let me go!’ she hissed at Rick.

  He shook his head. ‘Not until you tell me what happened to you on the night of my accident.’ His tone was adamant.

  So was hers! ‘I will not!’

  He shrugged. ‘Then you stay here.’

  ‘You’re just about the most high-handed, overbearing—’ Robyn broke off as she heard her father chuckling at them. ‘It isn’t funny!’ she stormed angrily.

  ‘Isn’t it?’ he asked mildly. ‘From where I’m sitting it’s very funny. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black …’

  ‘I’m not like that,’ she said indignantly, turning to glare at Rick as he too began to laugh. ‘I’m not!’ she insisted angrily.

  ‘You are, love,’ her father grinned. ‘And I take full responsibility for it. But I should tell Mr Howarth what he wants to know, he looks as if he could hold out longer than you.’

  Rick did indeed look very comfortable, his hands still linked at the base of her spine, effectively moulding her curves to the hardness of his.

  ‘I’m not telling him anything,’ Robyn said childishly, turning her head away from the mockery in his dancing grey eyes.

  Her father tutted. ‘Perhaps you should ask me, son,’ he sighed. ‘Robyn’s in one of her uncommunicative moods.’

  ‘I didn’t know she had them,’ Rick grinned. ‘Usually I have trouble shutting her up.’

  ‘Ooh—’

  ‘See?’ he shrugged at her father.

  ‘Mm,’ her father nodded. ‘You do seem to have that effect on her. So what was it you wanted to know?’ he listened as Rick told him. ‘Oh, that,’ he said dismissively. ‘I can tell you that. Robyn—’

  ‘Dad!’ she said fiercely, glaring at him. ‘Dad, please,’ she added pleadingly.

  He quirked one eyebrow. ‘You don’t want him to know, hmm?’

  She closed her eyes. ‘No.’

  He shrugged. ‘Then that’s that. Sorry, Rick, but I have to live with her. She can be pretty impossible at times.’

  ‘Dad!’ she groaned her embarrassment.

  What Rick would have said then she had no way of knowing, as her mother called them in to dinner at that moment, and Rick at last released her. B
ut not before her mother had also seen her held firmly in his arms! It was as if he were staking his claim in front of her whole family. And he had no right to!

  But she was strangely reluctant to tell them of his married status, finding it enjoyable, when not in the torture of his embrace, to have him here with her family. It was a stolen moment of his company, one that couldn’t possibly hurt Sheila.

  Considering the sort of life he must lead when in London he fitted in remarkably well with her family, talking business with her father, complimenting her mother on her cooking, and talking extensively to Billy about football, a subject he seemed to know a lot about, surprisingly.

  By the end of the meal Robyn knew that Rick had been a success with everyone, and the looks of warm possession he kept giving her made her blush with pleasure. If only he weren’t married then everything would have been perfect.

  Shortly after ten he stood up to leave, looking more relaxed and at ease than Robyn had ever seen him.

  Her father stood up to shake his hand. ‘Nice to have had the opportunity of meeting you properly.’

  Rick grasped his hand warmly. ‘I’m afraid my manners weren’t at their best the last time I saw you.’

  Robyn’s father shook his head. ‘I understood. And I don’t think Robyn helped,’ he added teasingly. ‘I think she was annoying you even then. No respect for the fact that you shouldn’t hit a man when he’s down.’

  ‘I didn’t hit him!’ her eyes sparkled angrily. ‘As I remember it he—he—’

  ‘I kissed her,’ Rick finished dryly. ‘But only to shut her up.’

  Her father nodded. ‘I remember. It worked too. You have quite a drive in front of you now, don’t you?’ He changed the subject as he saw Robyn was becoming increasingly agitated.

  ‘You could always stay the night here,’ her mother put in. ‘If you don’t mind sharing with Billy.’

  ‘I appreciate your offer,’ Rick said warmly. ‘But I don’t have a long drive, in fact I’m only going down the road.’