Married By Christmas

by Carole Mortimer

  She swallowed hard, moistening her lips. She didn’t remember dreaming at all, certainly not of Robbie. But Patrick said she had called out his name...? ‘I did that?’ She frowned her confusion.

  Patrick’s mouth twisted. ‘It’s hardly something I’m likely to have made up, is it?’ he grated.

  No, of course it wasn’t. She just couldn’t imagine why she had done such a thing...

  ‘Lilli, I’m not going to ask you again.’ He grasped her shoulders. ‘Who the hell is he?’

  She turned away from the livid anger in his face. ‘Was he,’ she corrected him chokily. ‘He’s dead.’

  Patrick released her abruptly, sitting back now, no longer leaning over her so oppressively. ‘You loved him,’ he stated flatly.

  ‘Very much,’ she confirmed shakily.

  He stood up to pace the room. ‘I don’t believe this! Now I have a damned ghost to contend with as well as an ex-fiancé...!’ He shook his head disgustedly. ‘No one has ever mentioned someone in your life called Robbie.’ He glared at her.

  ‘There was no need for them to do so,’ she said heavily, painful memories assailing her anew. ‘He’s been dead a long time.’ She sighed. ‘Patrick, Robbie was—’

  ‘I can guess,’ he cut in savagely. ‘He was the reason you settled for someone like Andy Brewster. The reason you’re now married to me. He was—’

  ‘The person that gave me the name Lilli,’ she told him, her voice very small. ‘Remember you once asked me about my name? Actually, it was Lillibet originally,’ she recalled sadly. ‘But over the years it’s been shortened to Lilli.’

  ‘Lillibet?’ Patrick repeated. ‘It sounds like something a child might say. What sort of—?’

  ‘It was something a child might say—a very young child,’ she told him slowly, no longer looking at him, her vision all inwards, on the past, on memories of Robbie. ‘Robbie couldn’t get his tongue around the name Elizabeth, and so his version came out as Lillibet.’ She smiled at the memory, that smile fading as quickly as it appeared. ‘He was only two when he died of meningitis.’ She looked at Patrick with dull eyes. ‘He was my brother.’

  Patrick paled. ‘He—But—I—’

  Patrick at a loss for words would have been funny under any other circumstances. But at the moment it was lost on her.

  ‘I was eleven when he died. One day he was here, giggling and fun, and the next he had—I—I—’ She fought the control she always lost when talking of her brother. ‘I loved him from the day he was born. Perhaps the difference in our ages helped with that; I don’t know.’ She shook her head. ‘But I could never accept—I didn’t understand. In some ways I still don’t. He was beautiful.’ She looked at Patrick with tear-wet eyes. ‘I loved him so much,’ she added brokenly. ‘I have no idea why I called for him last night. I don’t remember. I just—’

  ‘Hey, it’s all right.’ Patrick sank down beside her on the bed, his arms moving about her as he held her close against him. ‘I had no idea, Lilli. I’m so sorry. I do vaguely remember something—God, I’m just making this worse.’ He angrily berated himself. ‘I shouldn’t “vaguely remember” anything! Robbie was your brother—’

  ‘But you didn’t know him. You didn’t know us.’ Her voice was muffled against his chest. ‘Robbie was special to me; I still can’t think of him without crying. I’m sorry.’ She began to cry in earnest now.

  ‘Lilli, please don’t cry,’ Patrick groaned. ‘I do know what it’s like to lose someone you love. I was seven when my mother gave birth to Gerry. Gerry was born, and my mother died. I was left with that same bewilderment you obviously were. And my father and I were left with the onerous task of bringing up a new-born baby. For fifteen years we managed to do exactly that, and then my father died, and it was left completely to me.’

  As he spoke of his mother and father, his childhood with Gerry, his voice somehow lost its smoothness, acquiring a slightly Irish lilt to it. And Lilli could only guess, from the emotion in his voice, just how difficult it had been for him to lose his mother—and be presented with a totally helpless baby.

  His statements had been starkly made, telling her about none of the trauma he and his father must have felt in surviving such sorrow. Or how difficult it must have been for him, at only twenty-two, to have the sole charge of a fifteen-year-old girl. And yet he had done it and, from the success he had made of his business life and the closeness between himself and Gerry, all too capably.

  Lilli shook her head. ‘I didn’t know—’

  ‘Why should you?’ He lightly touched her hair. ‘We have the rest of our lives to get to know about each other, both past and present.’

  Lilli hoped that would include speaking about his marriage to Sanchia. As she looked up into the gentleness of his face, she thought it would...

  ‘I didn’t mean to make you cry just now,’ he continued. ‘I only—I just—I was jealous,’ he admitted. ‘I thought he was a man you had cared for.’

  She looked up at him with puzzled, tear-wet eyes. If he had felt jealousy, did that mean he cared for her, after all? Even as her heart leapt at the thought, she realised it wasn’t that at all; what Patrick possessed, he possessed exclusively. Didn’t he despise Sanchia because she hadn’t been exclusively his?

  She shook her head. ‘You need have no worries like that concerning me. Andy was my one and only venture into commitment—and look how disastrously that turned out!’

  Patrick settled himself on the bed beside her. ‘Well, you’re totally committed now,’ he told her with satisfaction. ‘How does it feel?’

  ‘Not a lot different than before.’

  He looked at her with teasing eyes. ‘Do I detect a note of disappointment in your voice?’

  Did he? Possibly. There couldn’t be too many virgin brides who had built themselves up to being made love to on their wedding night—only to be told by their bridegroom that he was too tired! Although that wasn’t strictly true... He had said they were both too tired. And the proof of her own tiredness was that she couldn’t even remember falling asleep, although she must have done so almost immediately she shut her eyes.

  But she wasn’t sleepy now; in fact, she was wide awake...and suddenly very aware of Patrick as he lay beside her wearing only a robe to hide his nakedness.

  Patrick gently raised her chin, smoky grey eyes looking straight into candid green. ‘I know what you were thinking last night, Lilli,’ he said gruffly. ‘Oh, yes, I do,’ he insisted as she would have protested. ‘But the truth of the matter is, I want you too much, want us to enjoy each other too much, to have it spoilt in any way.’

  She swallowed hard, the desire he spoke of evident in the burning intensity of his gaze. ‘We’re not tired now,’ she pointed out shyly.

  He laughed. ‘No, we’re not. And we are going to make love, Lilli.’ He bent his head, his mouth claiming hers, lips moving erotically against hers, the tip of his tongue lightly caressing the inner moisture of her mouth.

  Her arms curved up about his neck as she held him close to her, heart pounding, his hair feeling soft and silky beneath her fingertips, shoulders and back firmly muscled.

  Lilli relaxed against the pillows, pulling Patrick with her, his robe and her nightgown easily disposed of as flesh met flesh, Lilli’s softness against Patrick’s hardness, the dark hair on his chest tickling the sensitive tips of her breasts now.

  And then Patrick’s lips were teasing those sensitive tips, Lilli’s head back as she gasped at the liquid fire that coursed through her body, groaning low in her throat as she felt the moist warmth of his tongue flicking over her hardened nipples.

  His lips and hands caressed every part of her body during the timeless hours before dawn, encouraging her to touch him in return, to discover how he liked to be caressed too, to be kissed. But she seemed to know that instinctively, revelling in the response her lips and hands evoked, until his tender ministrations reached the most intimate part of her body and she could no longer think straight as heat such as
she had never known before consumed her in flames.

  And then Patrick was once more kissing her on the lips, his hands on her breasts as he slowly raised her to fulfilment once again. And again. And again.

  And when his body finally joined with hers there was no pain, only pleasure of another kind, his slow, caressing movements deep inside her taking her to another plateau completely. A plateau Patrick joined her on, his own groans of pleasure merging with hers, before they lay damply together, their bodies merged, their breathing deep and ragged.

  ‘I don’t think you could have forgotten a thing,’ Lilli finally said when she at last found the strength to talk.

  Patrick laughed. ‘I hope not—any more than that and I could die of a heart attack!’

  She lay on top of him, moving slightly so that she could look into his face, unconcerned with her nakedness now; there wasn’t an inch of her body that Patrick didn’t now know intimately. ‘You weren’t nervous at all last night, were you?’ she realised shakily.

  ‘You needed time to get used to me.’

  ‘Used to’ him; she was totally possessed by him at this moment! ‘But you weren’t really nervous, were you?’ she persisted.

  ‘Lilli.’ He smoothed the tangled hair back over her shoulders, revealing the pertness of her breasts. ‘If you only knew the ways I’ve imagined making love to you!’

  He still hadn’t answered her question. Or perhaps he had... He had been thinking of her last night, giving her time to become accustomed to their new relationship.

  ‘I think I just experienced them,’ she recalled breathlessly.

  ‘Oh, no, Lilli. We’ve barely touched the surface,’ he assured her with promise.

  She quivered in anticipation, only able to imagine the delights yet to come.

  ‘But not right now,’ Patrick soothed, settling her head comfortably against his shoulder. ‘Now we’re going to have a nap.’

  She swallowed hard. ‘Like this?’

  ‘Exactly like this,’ he said with satisfaction. ‘I like having you as part of me. And vice versa, I hope.’ He quirked dark eyebrows.

  ‘Oh, yes,’ she admitted shyly, very much aware of the way in which he was still ‘part of her! ‘But it must be late.’ Daylight was visible now through the curtains at the window. ‘Shouldn’t we—?’

  ‘This is the morning after our wedding, Lilli,’ he teased. ‘No one, least of all the hotel staff, will expect to hear from us for hours yet. At which time we will order breakfast—even if it’s two o’clock in the afternoon. This is a Bennett hotel; I’m sure they will accommodate us!’

  Lilli was sure they would too. But whether or not she would ever, as the owner’s daughter, be able to face any of the hotel staff again after her honeymoon was another matter!

  But for the moment she didn’t care, was content in Patrick’s arms, being with him like this. And as she drifted off into sleep she had a feeling she always would be...

  ‘What the hell—?’

  Lilli woke suddenly, to the sound of Patrick’s swearing, and the reason for it—a loud knocking on the outer door of their hotel suite.

  She sat up groggily, just in time to see Patrick pulling on his robe and tying the belt tightly about his waist. ‘I thought you said no one would disturb us today?’ she giggled, pulling the sheet up to her chin as she watched him.

  ‘I didn’t think anyone would dare to!’ He scowled darkly, glaring in the direction of the loud banging. ‘It had better be for a good reason!’

  As he strode out of the bedroom to the suite door Lilli couldn’t help but feel sorry for the person who was standing on the other side of it, although she had to admit she was a little annoyed at the intrusion herself. Patrick’s words, before they’d both fallen asleep, had promised so much more...

  He didn’t return immediately, as she had expected he would, and finally her lethargy turned to curiosity; it must be something important to keep Patrick away this long. She could hear the murmur of male voices in the sitting-room...

  She pulled on her white silk robe over her nakedness, belting it securely before running a brush lightly through her hair; she might have just spent several hours of pleasure in her husband’s arms, but she didn’t want everyone to realise that just by looking at her!

  ‘Daddy!’ She gasped her surprise as she saw he was the man talking to Patrick. ‘Good grief, Daddy, what on earth are you doing here?’ She shook her head dazedly.

  ‘Would you believe he came to make sure I hadn’t strangled you on our wedding night?’ Patrick drawled derisively. ‘Or you hadn’t stuck that knife in my back that he once suggested!’

  Lilli looked at the two men, her father flushed and agitated, Patrick calm and controlled. ‘Actually—no,’ she answered firmly. ‘So, why are you really here, Daddy?’ she prompted.

  ‘You certainly didn’t raise a fool, Richard,’ Patrick said appreciatively.

  The older man gave him an exasperated glare before turning back to Lilli. ‘Good afternoon, Lilli,’ he greeted her. ‘I’m sorry to interrupt—I mean, I realise I shouldn’t have—’ He broke off awkwardly, the way they were both dressed—or undressed!—telling its own story. ‘Gerry told me I shouldn’t come here...’

  ‘You should have listened to her,’ Patrick bit out tersely. ‘I, for one, do not appreciate the interruption.’

  Lilli had stilled at the mention of the other woman’s name. Then she remembered how kind Gerry had been to her yesterday when Sanchia had appeared so inappropriately at the wedding. Although she still resented the other woman’s place in her father’s life, some of what Patrick had told her earlier about his sister made her realise that, as her own father was to her, Gerry was all the family Patrick had. And, as such, Lilli couldn’t continue to alienate her.

  ‘Perhaps you should have listened to her,’ she told her father quietly.

  Her father’s eyes widened, but he didn’t comment on the lack of the usual resentment in her voice when she spoke of the other woman. ‘Maybe I should,’ he agreed. ‘But I thought this was important.’

  Lilli returned his gaze frowningly; he must have done to risk Patrick’s wrath by intruding on their honeymoon in this way. And he had obviously got more than he bargained for by finding them so obviously still in bed! ‘How important?’ she said slowly.

  ‘Very,’ he insisted firmly.

  ‘I disagree,’ Patrick put in hardly.

  Lilli’s father shot him a questioning glance. ‘I think that’s for Lilli to decide, don’t you...?’

  Patrick’s head went back arrogantly. ‘As it happens, no. I don’t think this concerns Lilli at all. Not any more.’

  She was intrigued by the mystery of her father’s visit. Obviously, whatever it was about, Patrick didn’t want her involved in it.

  She moved to sit on one of the armchairs. ‘Tell me,’ she prompted her father.

  He glanced uncertainly at the younger man, obviously far from reassured by Patrick’s stony expression.

  ‘Daddy!’ Lilli encouraged impatiently.

  He no longer met her gaze. ‘Perhaps Patrick is right; this can wait until after your honeymoon—’

  ‘We’ve had our honeymoon,’ she assured him firmly. ‘Have you forgotten we’re joining you tomorrow for Christmas.’ She didn’t even look at Patrick now, knowing she would see disapproval in his face. But she was not a child, and she refused to be treated like one, by either man.

  Her father slumped down into another of the armchairs. ‘I’d completely forgotten it’s Christmas...!’ he groaned.

  ‘Don’t let Gerry hear you say that,’ Patrick warned mockingly. ‘She loves Christmas. I suggest you make sure you have something suitable for her by tomorrow!’

  ‘Stop trying to change the subject, Patrick.’ Again Lilli didn’t so much as look at him. ‘I’m not so easily deterred.’

  ‘Does that mean you’ve already bought my Christmas present?’ he returned tauntingly.

  She had, as a matter of fact—a beautiful watch
, already wrapped and ready to give him on Christmas morning. But that wasn’t important just now.

  ‘It means,’ she said with slow determination, ‘that I’m not going to be sidetracked. Daddy!’ She was even more forceful this time.

  ‘She gets her stubbornness from me, I’m afraid,’ he told the younger man ruefully.

  ‘It’s irrelevant where she gets it from,’ Patrick dismissed tersely. ‘This is none of her business.’

  ‘I’ll be the judge of that,’ she snapped. She had been kept in the dark too much already by these two men; it wasn’t going to continue.

  ‘You aren’t Elizabeth Bennett any more, Lilli,’ Patrick rasped. ‘You’re Mrs Lilli Devlin. And Mr Devlin has already decided this does not concern you!’

  She stood up angrily. ‘Mr Devlin doesn’t own me,’ she returned furiously. ‘Maybe someone should have told you: women aren’t chattels any more! Now, either one of you tells me what’s going on, or I’ll go and ask someone who will tell me,’ she added challengingly.

  Patrick looked at her scathingly. ‘Such as who?’

  ‘Such as Gerry!’ she announced triumphantly, knowing by the stunned look on both the men’s faces that this hadn’t even occurred to them as a possibility. Lilli wasn’t so sure it was either; she might feel less antagonistic towards the other woman, but she wasn’t sure she would be able to go to her about this! But hopefully neither of these two men would realise that... ‘Well?’ she prompted hardly when her announcement didn’t produce the result she wanted, looking from one man to the other, her father looking decidedly uncomfortable, Patrick stubbornly unmoved. ‘Fine,’ she finally snapped, walking towards the bedroom, her clear intention to go and dress before leaving. ‘Gerry it is!’

  ‘Lilli, I forbid you to go anywhere near Gerry!’ Patrick thundered autocratically.

  She halted in her tracks, turning slowly, looking at him with cool incredulity.

  ‘Uh-oh,’ her father muttered warily. ‘You’ve done it now, Patrick. The last time I forbade Lilli from going near someone she ended up marrying you!’