Page 121 of Christmas at Sturcombe Bay
So what now? The whys and wherefores he had refused to consider before came crowding back into his mind. Without being arrogant, he’d known she was attracted to him, but she had seemed set on keeping him at arm’s length.
And then, suddenly, she’d changed her mind.
He was at a loss. He’d never been one to ask questions about a relationship before — he’d never needed to. None of them had been important enough.
But this one was. Which was a rather scary thought.
* * *
Jess woke to the pale-grey light of dawn filtering through her window. No, not her window, she realised as she opened her eyes. Memory came back quickly along with the warm ache in her muscles and the sensation of a long hard male body close against hers.
She had slept with Paul Channing.
Turning her head carefully so as not to wake him, she studied his face on the pillow beside her. Those long dark silky lashes lay against his cheeks — a lot of women would kill for lashes like that. A dark morning stubble shadowed his hard jaw, and there was a half-smile on that well-made mouth.
But the niggling voice in the back of her head that she had let herself ignore when he was making love to her was still whispering. Okay, she had been the one to instigate this, and okay he wasn’t at all like Glenn.
But he was Paul Channing. The man who changed his girlfriends as often as he changed his socks. Maybe she could lasta little longer. After all, she had made him wait longer than he was used to.
But now the clock was ticking. A few weeks, even a month or two, and that would be it. Sayonara.
And in the meantime, she would be falling in love with him. In truth, she already had. And if she stayed, she would end up getting her heart shattered beyond repair.
She had to leave — now, before he woke up. Before he could smile at her, before those dark eyes could glint with teasing amusement and blow away every shred of willpower she possessed.
Moving silently, she slipped out of bed and found her clothes, then tiptoed from the room with a last regretful glance back over her shoulder. He was still sleeping, his breathing deep and slow. Her heart creased with pain. Walking away from him now was the hardest thing she’d ever done.
But she had to go.
She crept down the stairs, thankful that none of the treads creaked, and dressed quickly in the hall. Then she eased open the front door and stepped out into the frosty air, closing the door firmly behind her and picking her way carefully though the crisp white snow.
Chapter Forty
“Great party, Mike.” Eric, the porter, raised his pint glass in a cheerful toast.
“Yes, it is.” Mike raised his gin and tonic in return, smiling as he gazed around the ballroom.
It was two days before Christmas. The last of the Turkey-and-Tinsel groups had gone, and as they did every year before the hotel closed for the holidays the staff and their families, with some friends from the town and other guests, had gathered for a Christmas party.
But this year was different. The hotel wouldn’t be reopening in the new year. And when it did reopen, after all the renovations had been completed, he wouldn’t be here.
The lights on the Christmas trees and the curtain falls all around the room were twinkling, champagne was flowing and the DJ was playing yet another cheesy Christmas song.
Over on the far side of the dance floor he could see Kate dancing with her new son-in-law, Bill. Very brave of her — hopefully she’d be nimble enough to keep her toes away from his clumsy size twelves.
The song ended and another came on. He watched as Kate made her escape from Bill and wove between the dancers to come back to him. Her smile warmed his heart.
He took her hand and bent to kiss her cheek. “You survived?”
“Of course.” She laughed. He really liked the way she laughed — soft as a summer breeze. “He’s actually getting better. How about you? I bet you were glad to get out of that Santa suit. It must be really hot.”
“It is. And the beard tickles.”
“But the kids love it.”
“They do. Though I think some of them are getting to the age when they don’t quite believe it anymore. Especially your Amy. She was giving me some very suspicious looks.”
“Ah, she’s a bright one. Anyway, come and dance with me.”
