Читать книгу What If He’s the One - Kathy Jay - Страница 8

High-voltage silence reigned while they ate. Even after they’d been served coffee and things had been cleared, electricity still thrummed in the air. Alex shifted in his seat. He stared out the window at the vast, empty sky. He should choose a movie, freeze out the atmosphere by plugging in his headset.

He’d wanted to break the ice ahead of working together. He hadn’t expected to be affected by her. Something about her had changed. Her business-like appearance was a surprise, but it wasn’t that. She was different beneath the surface. Perhaps she still felt strange about that night they’d spent together. He certainly did. There’d been that awkwardness when he’d taken too long to find a condom. In truth, the delay was deliberate. He’d known he and Nick wouldn’t fail the audition. He shouldn’t have been starting something with Maggie. When he’d kissed her the morning after, he’d hoped with all his heart that he’d be back after Christmas and that life would continue like before. Cutting her off seemed obvious at the time, kinder than stringing her along. He couldn’t go back to London, and her coming to LA was out of the question. She was a year and a term into her degree. Remembering the girl from a dot on the map, who grew up with her mess-with-my-Maggie-and-you’ll-have-me-to-answer-to grandma made him smile. More than once she’d got on the Underground heading in the wrong direction. That’s what had drawn him to her. She’d belonged to a place completely outside his world and she was better off not getting dragged into it.

Seven hours on a plane was too much ice-breaking time. Why hadn’t he suggested a breakfast meeting? She was fixating on a magazine as if she had to memorize it.

Maggie read the in-flight magazine from cover to cover. Including the horoscope page. All twelve star signs. Irritatingly, the cover story was about Drake Wells, Alex’s father, and how at the age of sixty-four he’d reinvented himself and discovered new-found fame starring as the villain in a hit sci-fi movie. In the duty-free section she picked out a new fragrance, which promised to be “beyond zingy”. Its apple-green bottle appealed to her. She made a mental note to try some at the airport on the way home. A preserving jar bursting with rainbow-colored jelly beans gave her a hankering for peachy-pie flavor. She’d definitely get some of those. Disgruntled, she stuffed the magazine into the seat pocket. Drake’s face, handsome, but not in the least bit like Alex’s, stared back at her.

On edge, she stared into space and caught sight of Nick Wells. Her eyes popped open. She hadn’t realized he was on the flight. There seemed to be no getting away from Wells men. He was schmoozing a flight attendant; the one with the candy-pink pout. A moment later he vanished behind the curtain, with the pretty woman in hot pursuit. The toilet-occupied light popped on. Maggie glanced around the cabin. Had anyone else noticed?

Alex had. He rolled his eyes, implying he hadn’t seen a thing.

It was impossible to ignore him.

“Please tell me they’re not doing what I think they’re doing. People don’t, do they? Not in the real world?”

“That depends what you’re thinking.” He was just the right amount of unshaven. His white shirt accentuated his tan. With some of the top buttons undone the fabric fell open in a loose vee. Her eyes were drawn to his broad chest. Amazing pecs hid under that designer shirt – she’d watched the TV show. She’d seen the evidence. “I guess they’re renewing their membership.”

“Sorry? What?” Maggie’s cheeks glowed. The burning memory in the back of her head had come out of storage despite her efforts to contain it. It was in the front part of her brain. It wasn’t likely to go away anytime soon.

Her one-night-flop with Alex had given her more to daydream about than most fans of Mercy of the Vampires could lay claim to. Shame the night of giving in to temptation had faded into a fiasco.

“Keep up, Maggie. Nick and his pick-of-the-day are fulfilling the terms and conditions of the mile-high club.” He narrowed his eyes, studying her carefully. “Have you become a bit of a prude?”

“Certainly not.” She wasn’t about to let him make her feel like a fuddy-duddy. “Sex plus a toilet cubicle don’t add up to fun times in my book.”

“Perhaps we should put that theory to the test. I might be able to change your mind.”

Is he for real? The mile-high club seemed more fantasy than reality. Dead set on proving that she was as worldly as the next person, she raised a brow and blurted, “Bet you’re a fully paid-up member already, right?”

His seductive eyes sparkled. “Is that a proposition?” His ve-ry sexy drawl sent party poppers of attraction bursting through her. She was absolutely not going to repeat her past mistake with this guy. A faint smile twisted his lips. “Relax, Maggie. I’m kidding. Anyway, we’ve kinda been there, nearly done that. Minus the altitude factor. Remember?”

He’d mentioned the unmentionable night.

“How could I forget?” Oh the shame. The embarrassment! Was that what this upgrade had been about? Getting things out in the open. She was none too sure how much air-clearing she could handle. Her throat was dry. She’d better get a grip. Her night with Alex didn’t matter anymore. Except – she’d gained an immensely unforgettable one-night-disaster, and she’d lost a friend. Instant unfriending! Alex smiled his potent smile. Did he have to bring this up? “Our one night non-event. The least said about that the better.”

“You couldn’t keep your hands off me.”

Oh no! She wasn’t taking that. The impertinence! In defiance of her newly acquired coyness with Alex the TV personality, she challenged Alex, her once-upon-a-time friend.

“We couldn’t keep our hands off each other.” She cleared her throat. “Best not go there.”

“You fell asleep.”

She assessed the eaves-dropping potential of the passengers around her, and hissed through gritted teeth, “You couldn’t find a condom.” The corners of Alex’s mouth twitched.

“Um – how are we even having this conversation?” His silence forced her to fill the void. “It was a long time ago. About a hundred years.”

“Ten, actually. Before I became a dropout.”

“Before you became television’s most popular vampire.”

“I think you’ll find that’s Nick.”

“Not according to what I’ve read. I’ve done my research. Allegedly, women the world over go weak at the knees for – and I quote …” She made annoying squiggles in the air with her fingers. “… The complicated twin.” Their eyes locked in combat. “That’s you.”

“I’m not complicated. That’s PR. Nobody pays any attention to that stuff.”

“So what are we doing in Boston – if no one pays any attention?”

Alex shrugged. “Work. The last part of my contract, before I shake off Jago for good, and get on with my life.” Something electric fizzed between them. “Where were we? Let’s get back to debating the mile-high club. I like that topic better.” He trained his eyes intensely on her neck. “What does it take to qualify, do you reckon? Does this count?”

He took her hand in his, turned it over and touched the inside of her wrist, firmly tracing a figure of eight with the pad of one finger. Awareness prickled her skin. He pushed back her sleeve and drew a line with his finger to the indent of her elbow. He marked out another invisible figure of eight on her skin. It was his character’s trademark gesture when seducing women in the vampire show. It gave her goose bumps of pure pleasure.

His mouth was kissingly close. She trembled.

He lowered his head and his mouth grazed her neck, his heat injecting lava into her veins. She breathed in his scent of spice. His shiny black hair brushed her skin, oh so softly. “Alex,” she breathed, aiming for mock stern. “If that’s your party trick, I think it’s time to get a new one.”

He touched her neck very gently, pushed back a wave of hair that had escaped her ponytail and moved his thumb in sensuous figures of eight around her pulse point. Her heart raced.

“I’m not up for being practiced on like some kind of seduction technique guinea-pig,” she burbled. “I can’t play your game. It might work on the zillion other women in your life. But it doesn’t do anything for me. I knew you before you were television’s sexiest vampire …” She was aiming for sarcasm. It was a struggle. “In case you’d forgotten.”

“Ohhhhh, I’ve definitely not forgotten,” he rumbled. Before she could respond he silenced her, feathering her lips with his for a fraction of a nano-second.

“Alex!” She exhaled his name and sucked in a breath, almost fighting for air. There was no confusion. Vampires were fiction. This was real. He’d hijacked her controls and she was tipsy on a cocktail laced with one hundred per cent temptingly awesome man.

He settled back into his own seat. Leaning on the cushiony headrest, he taunted, “It’s no good. If you want to make me a club member there’s only one thing for it.” He nodded towards the front of the aircraft. “We’ll have to join the queue.”

“Ha flipping ha.” She smirked at him caustically. “Very funny. Like that’s going to happen.” Apparently fashion stylist Magenta had put on a parachute and jumped, leaving the teenager she’d been when she first met him in her place.

Maggie was in a crazy spin. She wasn’t going to let Alex know it. He was only flirting with her. Even so, he was sinfully hard to resist.

She glanced around the cabin. In the low light the other passengers either worked on laptops or dozed. Luckily.

Her heart squeezed. Her life plan didn’t include a man to share it. She’d convinced herself that she didn’t need one. Alex’s provocative half a heartbeat of an almost kiss told her in no uncertain terms that men had their uses. For some things they were indispensable, even.

That was by the by. There was still no such thing as The One. He didn’t exist. For one sugary moment ten years ago she’d wondered if Alex might be her One. As it turned out – he wasn’t. She got over it – eventually. She hadn’t seen it at first, but the writing had always been on the wall for Maggie. Her dad hadn’t stuck around for her mum. And no guy was going to stick around for her. Even her grandfather hadn’t been a long-haul guy. He’d gone off with an ahead-of-her-time cougar from the village fish-and-chip shop.

In spite of the evidence, Maggie had remained positive. She’d truly believed she could find her Mr. Right and beat the family curse. Only things had changed when Marcus came along and burst that bubble. Men were fickle creatures. And as if she needed any more proof. Here was Hot Vampire Guy, charming the life out of her, just to pass the time.

The plane juddered. The seatbelt lights pinged on. “Ladies and gentleman – we are experiencing some turbulence. Please return to your seats and refrain from moving about the cabin.”

Nick was ejected from the toilet; followed after about thirty none-too-discreet seconds by the petite flight attendant.

Nick ignored the instruction to sit. He stopped beside Maggie.

“Maggie Plumtree – we meet again.” He raked his gaze over her. “Last time I saw you, you were wearing a fetching little Santa Girl number,” he teased. “I’m glad to see your dress sense has improved.”

She laughed off his jokey remark. It dawned on her, somewhat belatedly, that the fashion shoot had the makings of the old friends’ reunion from hell. Why hadn’t she seen that coming? She needed a thick skin.

Alex glared at his brother.

Nick crossed his arms over his broad chest. “I’ve heard a lot about your work – all good, of course.”

“Of course.” She looked him up and down, hoping the looks she had planned were going to work. “It’s good to see you too, Nick.” She pointed to the fasten seatbelts lights. “Shouldn’t you go back to your seat?”

Nick had been a bit-part actor when she’d known the brothers in London. Unlike Alex, he’d avoided drama school, scoring roles mostly through luck and the helping hand of a famous name. It opened doors and got him into TV medical dramas and whodunits. The way she remembered it, Nick and their mother had more or less kidnapped Alex when Mercy of the Vampires came along. It would have been crazy not to go for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But, ultimately, TV in Hollywood had been Nick’s dream, not Alex’s. Seeing the brothers together now, she wondered what direction Alex’s life might have taken if he hadn’t gone to LA. Before he’d dropped out of drama school to play Nick’s evil vampire twin in the pilot series of Mercy he’d talked about getting into theater, serious stuff like directing and Shakespeare.

Nick pinned her with his sparkly almond gaze and didn’t budge.

“So, what have you got planned for us? Or is it top secret?”

Maggie snapped into professional mode, reminding herself that she needed to let bygones be bygones.

“Day one we’re in downtown Boston. We’re planning something rural meets urban – with fresh produce.” Nick frowned. “Apples. Flowers. Helium balloons.” She bubbled with enthusiasm. “I’m aiming for a kitsch vibe with pretty girls in retro florals. And you guys in country tweeds.”

“Tweeds?” Alex and Nick echoed in sync. They exchanged a skeptical look.

“It’ll be fab. Trust me. The magazine wants something cute. A farmers’ market in the heart of the city feel. I’m going to work with a devil within theme to keep the focus on the vampire premise of the show.”

“Brainy as well as beautiful. No wonder you’ve done so well for yourself.”

Nick’s playboy reputation was as legendary as Alex’s mystery. Lately the tabloids couldn’t get enough of his allegedly on-off affair with his on-screen love interest Ella Swift. Going by what she’d just witnessed, it was more off than on.

In contrast, scandal about Alex rarely appeared in the gossip magazines. Even so, the paparazzi frequently photographed him with some glitterati girl glued to his side. Only last week she’d seen his name on a list of the world’s top twenty most-eligible bachelors.

The show had been a huge success, running for almost ten years and making them household names. It helped that their mother was the flamboyant Cassandra Wells, and being real-life twins didn’t hurt either. It added to the hype that surrounded the Wells brand.

“We’re at Cape Cod the second day. Doing something atmospheric in the dunes.”

“Tell me more. I’m intrigued.” Alex butted into the conversation.

“Leather and lace. Anyone?” Oops. She wasn’t doing very well on the act-professional-absolutely-no-flirting front.

“Just as long as it’s you in leather and Alex wearing the lace. Or should it be the other way around?” A cheeky grin spread across Nick’s face.

“Well, no.” She feared that working with Alex and Nick might require the bringing out of her inner schoolmarm – if she had one. “We’ve booked some lovely willowy girls to do something a bit Victoriana meets boho chic. We’re going to blend that with sea, sand, and a sexy biker-boy look.” She gave a little shrug. “That’s where you guys come in.”

“Cool.” Nick’s grin widened at the approach of the flight attendant, smiling pinkly.

“Sit down, please – um, sir.”

The seatbelt lights pinged off, but Nick was bored now. He made a move to go back to his seat. “Catch you later,” he said loudly, drowning out the disembodied voice of the co-pilot regaling passengers with details of the cruising height and the ground temperature in Boston.

Towards the end of the flight Alex looked down at Maggie. She’d fallen asleep. Her head had dropped onto his shoulder, but he hadn’t dared wake her.

Where had the Maggie who wore bright colors gone? She’d been replaced by a sophisticated looking interloper. Alex gritted his teeth, trapped in his seat by a gently snoring Maggie.

Ten years ago she had made a big crack in the armor he wore like a theatrical mask. He’d chosen LA over following his heart. He’d blocked out everything he loved about London when he’d given up on his dream. That included Maggie.

He looked at her face, her long lashes. Her wavy hair had escaped from its ponytail. It brushed softly against his cheek. She smelt delicious. Every time he inhaled, her wild-flower-meadow fragrance floated up his nose. Her mouth was full. In a good way. Not an LA trout pout. Her skin glowed.

Awkward!

He couldn’t help thinking about the last time she’d slept right next to him. She belonged to a time and place pre-TV. Before things had changed completely. He’d lived and breathed Mercy of the Vampires for ten years – and loved every minute of it. But ten years was enough. When he’d pulled the plug on the show, Nick had been incandescent. He still hadn’t got over it. Too bad. Alex intended to move on, lead his own life – not a default version of his brother’s.

Nick had been depending on him since the miserable night Drake had left their mother twenty-four years ago. Older by just twelve minutes, Alex had gradually become more like a substitute dad to his twin. They’d been alone watching a cartoon while his parents argued, shouting at the top of their lungs. Alex had protected Nick, getting him to stick his fingers in his ears, until he could find the remote and turn the volume up full. He’d drowned out the frightening sound of his parents’ anger. He’d been putting Nick first ever since.

Maggie shifted in her sleep. She still rated ten out of ten on his hot-ometer. He’d happily pick up right where they’d left off. It would make the next couple of days a lot more interesting.

Being near her was like breathing fresh air. It had to be down to her impossible-to-ignore curves. The gentle rise and fall of her breasts drove him crazy. This close, and at this angle, he had an attractive view of her cleavage. Her black top gaped slightly and he caught an unintentional glimpse of deep-pink shimmering silk. Lovely. Who’d have thought that the new understated Maggie would be wearing pulse-raising underwear in a magenta shade that matched her name?

With his free arm he stretched down and picked up Maggie’s in-flight blanket, which had slipped into a scrunched-up ball between their feet. Awkwardly, he tried to cover her without disturbing her.

He dragged his eyes back to her face. She had freckles, as if someone had dipped a paintbrush in caramel and flicked it across the bridge of her nose. He didn’t remember that about Maggie. A stab of shame lanced him. He didn’t remember because he’d blanked her out.

The cabin crew announcement ping sounded. “Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has started our descent into Boston Logan International Airport, please fasten your seatbelts, make sure your seats and tray tables are in the upright position and switch off any electronic equipment.”

The saccharin voice shook Maggie out of her sleep. Her creamy skin turned pink. Alex watched the blush travel up her neck from the dip of her top.

Sexy.

“I nodded off.”

“Am I that boring?”

Her lips curved teasingly. “Yes, very.” Her hazel eyes shone. She removed the elastic holding what was left of her ponytail and shook loose her hair. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s no big deal.” He deliberately held back a smile. “It was just like old times – apart from the snoring.”

“Flipping Nora. I didn’t, did I?” Maggie sat up straight and clicked on her seatbelt. “Alex Wells. I do not snore, and you know it.”

“I only have limited experience of your sleeping habits, Maggie.” Exactly that kind of meaningless banter had landed them in bed together once before.

Maggie’s mysterious eyes shot him down. For the first time in several hours she didn’t have the perfect reply on the tip of her tongue.

He’d better snap out of it. He weighed up the possibilities. Temptress Maggie? Professional Maggie?

Face it, Wells. She’s way off limits.

Flirting with her was a mistake. He’d been bored. It was what he did. Playing on the vampire thing. Still, he shouldn’t have gone there with Maggie.

He’d better come up with an action plan. He quickly formulated a strategy, of sorts.

 Be civil.

 Put up with wearing tweed.

 No flirting – definitely no flirting.

 Wish her luck and wave goodbye.

5? There was no number 5. Four points should cover it.

What would he do if he’d never met stylist Magenta Plumtree before? Truthfully? He’d be tempted to explore her possibilities. She’d be just the thing to take his mind off Nick and the promo treadmill.

“I’ve got a driver waiting at the airport. Can I offer you a ride to the hotel?”

Her freckly nose wrinkled. “Oh … no … Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. I’ll get a taxi.” She waved a neatly manicured hand dismissively. The new Magenta had a neutral image. The peculiar-shade-of-blue nails, and the enticing underwear, reminded him of sparkly Maggie. The rest of her sophisticated appearance – all designer black and grey – slapped him in the face like a cold kipper; a reminder, although he didn’t need one, that time had changed everything.

“Don’t argue, Maggie. Just say yes.”