Читать книгу One Passionate Night - Miranda Lee, Robyn Donald - Страница 18

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHARLOTTE woke slowly, drifting out of a deep haze of sleep that seemed to want to drag her back and cocoon her forever. She yawned. Stretched. Then, finally, opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was herself in the ceiling mirror. And Daniel next to her. Still fast asleep.

He was sprawled face down, the white satin sheet covering him up to the waist, his arms folded under the pillow on which his head rested.

Charlotte caught herself smiling. She should have felt wrecked. Instead, she felt wonderful.

A glance at her wrist-watch showed that it was twenty past ten. Not all that late considering she’d been awake most of the night.

And what a night!

If she hadn’t been at this moment looking at Daniel’s real-life reflection, she might have thought it was all a dream. Rolling over, Charlotte placed a kiss of gratitude on his nearest shoulder, rubbing her lips lightly back and forth across his skin.

He didn’t stir. Understandable. The man had to be exhausted.

He’d been incredible last night. The kind of lover women fantasised about but rarely ever experienced. He knew exactly what to do to turn her on, and to keep her there. He’d made love to her in ways she hadn’t even read about.

He made a better sheikh than she could’ve ever imagined. Dominating and demanding at times, but wonderfully tender at others. He seemed to know exactly what she needed to obliterate her sexual history. With him, there’d been no sign of the rather timid, fearful lover she’d become over the years. Any tension she felt with Daniel had been strictly sexual. She did so love the way he had mercilessly taken her to the edge, wickedly leaving her there till she begged him for deliverance from her torment.

But it was a delicious torment. She loved it, really.

Charlotte would have liked to stay there in the bed, reliving every delicious moment in her mind, but nature was calling, and so was their lack of time. Of course, Daniel had suggested again at one particularly satisfying moment that he come with her up to the Hunter Valley today. And of course this time she’d said, yes, please.

If she was still worried at the back of her mind that her newly discovered desire might deepen to something else, her worry was not as strong as her need. Having Daniel make love to her some more was worth the risk of some heartbreak afterwards. Worth just about any risk, to be honest. Such was the power of her passion for him, and the pleasure he could deliver.

Charlotte wasn’t sure what time checkout was, but even if it was late checkout at twelve, that didn’t give them all that much time. Besides, she wanted to make herself perfect for Daniel before he woke.

Careful not to disturb him, she climbed out of the bed and tiptoed to the bathroom.

Daniel woke to the sound of the shower running. With a groan, he rolled over and checked the time on his watch, which was lying on the black-lacquered bedside table. Ten-thirty.

Checkout wasn’t till twelve. Time enough for a decent breakfast. He was sure Room Service would organise something. This was the bridal suite, after all.

And it was worth every penny, he thought with a satisfied smile as he lifted the phone next to the bed. Charlotte had finally agreed to his coming with her up to the Hunter Valley today, giving him a few more days to convince her that he wanted her for more than a holiday fling. He wondered if she would consider coming back to America and living with him…

‘Housekeeping,’ a woman’s voice answered when he punched in the number six.

‘This is Mr Bannister in the Arabian Nights suite. We’d like to order some breakfast.’

‘Yes, of course, Mr Bannister. What would you like? Lots of newlyweds opt for the champagne breakfast.’

‘I don’t think so.’ They’d had more than enough champagne last night. ‘We need something far more substantial this morning. We’ll have muesli, freshly squeezed orange juice, bacon and eggs, wholemeal toast and brewed coffee.’

‘Yes, Mr Bannister. And when would you like that delivered?’

‘Make it eleven.’ That gave him time to shower and shave.

‘Very good, sir.’

Daniel hung up, got up and glanced around for something to put on, but there was nothing but the clothes he’d worn the day before. His bag was in the dressing room and the only access to that was through the bathroom. Not wanting to burst in on Charlotte again, he strode out to the sitting area, where he knew he’d left a towel during the night.

As he swept it up from where it was spread over the coffee-table, images flashed back into his mind of an abandoned Charlotte spread out across that table whilst he’d made love to her.

Daniel’s chest contracted at the memory of how it had felt, taking her like that. It had been wild. She’d been wild.

For a girl with so little experience, Charlotte had been very quick to embrace the delights of the flesh. If Daniel had any worries this morning, they lay in the fact that sex might be the only thing Charlotte would ever want from him. However, she’d been quite adamant the other day about wanting marriage and children, and having no intention of settling for less.

Which rather left Daniel in a dilemma. Because no way was he marrying any woman, no matter how much he loved her!

Daniel froze, with the towel dangling in front of him.

Love. He loved her.

Well, of course you do, you idiot, came the exasperated voice of long-ignored logic. Why else do you think you’ve been acting the way you have? Pursuing her like some madman. Going through with that pretend wedding. Turning yourself inside out last night to make her feel fulfilled.

No man does all that if he’s not in love!

Daniel slumped down on the nearest sofa, stunned. Somehow, admitting that he loved her changed everything. And forced him to face a fear far greater than his fear of marriage.

What if Charlotte never loved him back? What if, after the next few days were over, she said ‘Goodbye, Daniel. Thanks for all the great sex. Off you go, lover. No, sorry, I don’t want your love and I don’t want you. I want a man capable of true caring and commitment, not some man who has no confidence in himself being a good husband and father’?

Daniel bristled at these imagined insults. Of course he could make a good husband and father. Now that he realised he was capable of love, he was capable of anything!

His sigh carried relief. That felt better. Much better. In fact, once the idea of marrying Charlotte took hold, Daniel liked it a lot. He even liked the idea of having children with her. She’d make a wonderful mother.

One problem still remained, however. Getting Charlotte to fall in love with him. Lusting after him was one thing, love something entirely different. He knew that now.

Daniel might have succumbed to a crisis of confidence if his male ego hadn’t galloped to the rescue.

You’ve had no trouble getting women to fall in love with you in the past, he was reminded. You have a hell of a lot going for you.

Still, it might help to tell Charlotte he’d fallen in love with her, and that he’d changed his mind about getting married.

He would have to pick his moment, however. Not too soon. She might not believe him. No, he would have to wait. Meanwhile…

Daniel stood up, wrapped the towel around his hips and headed for the bathroom. The sound of water running had stopped. Hopefully Charlotte was dressed by now. Still, he would knock and make sure.

Charlotte was about to start blow-drying her hair when a firm tap came on the bathroom door.

‘Yes?’

‘I’ve ordered breakfast for eleven,’ Daniel called through the door. ‘I need to shower and shave before then. Are you finished in there?’

She wasn’t. Not even remotely. But the hair-dryer wasn’t one of those connected to the wall, so she could finish her face and hair elsewhere. There was a carved wooden desk in the sitting area, she’d noted last night, with a gilt-edged mirror on the wall above it. That could serve as a dressing table.

But she was disappointed that Daniel would see her as Louise did most mornings. She’d wanted to be all made up for him, with her hair looking as if she’d just stepped out of a salon.

Oh, well. At least she had a new outfit on, one of the ones she’d bought to wear on her honeymoon. Crisp white hipster jeans—the stretch kind that clung and didn’t crush—teamed with a buttercup-yellow halter-necked top and white slip-on sandals. Strappy ones with sexy little heels.

Thinking of sex brought Charlotte’s mind to her underwear, which was very sexy but not altogether comfortable. Her bra was a silky cream push-up number she’d bought in that expensive lingerie shop. There was a matching G-string with a lace edging, which looked great.

Picking up the hair-dryer and her toilet bag, Charlotte reluctantly clip-clopped across the black marble floor and opened the door.

Daniel tried not to stare at her. Love, they often said, was blind. In his case, however, it was anything but. As he looked down into her freshly washed face and clear blue eyes, he was overcome with emotion.

He almost told her he loved her right then and there.

Instead he swore, which brought a startled glance to her beautiful eyes.

‘Sorry,’ he apologised rather grumpily. ‘But you have no right to look so damned gorgeous this morning. You should be all bleary-eyed. Like me.’

Bleary-eyed! Was he kidding? He looked scrumptious, that designer stubble on his chin only adding to his sex appeal. As did his only having a towel draped around his hips. Daniel had a great upper body, with broad shoulders, well-defined pecs and a flat, hard stomach.

Charlotte knew she was staring at the man quite shamelessly. But she didn’t care. She was totally besotted.

‘I’ve been thinking,’ she said. Anything to get her mind off ripping that towel off him, right here and now. ‘What’s your sister going to say to your going away with me today? I mean…she’s the one you’ve come all this way to visit, after all.’

‘She won’t mind,’ he returned abruptly. ‘I can always extend my visit.’

Charlotte’s heart jumped at this news. ‘Really? I thought you had to return to LA in a fortnight.’

He shrugged. ‘I’m my own boss.’

‘Oh. I see. Good. I wouldn’t want you getting into trouble because of me.’ And with a supreme effort of will she pushed past him. ‘All yours,’ she said blithely over her shoulder as she walked off.

Once the bathroom door was safely shut behind her and she heard the shower taps snap on, Charlotte bolted for the other room, dropping her things on one of the sofas and picking up the phone. Once she had an outside line she punched in her home number. She simply had to talk to Louise, had to have some common sense talked to her. And fast!

‘Yes,’ a foggy voice answered.

‘Louise, it’s me. Wake up.’

‘Charlotte! Brad, it’s Charlotte!’

‘I don’t want a three-way conversation, thanks,’ Charlotte said sharply. ‘I want to talk to you and only you.’

She heard some muffled sounds in the background before Louise came back on the line.

‘I’m on my way to the kitchen right now. Shoot!’

‘Tell me again it’s only lust.’

‘Oooh. That good, eh?’

‘Yes.’

‘Then it’s definitely only lust. A specially addictive kind. There’ll be no going back now, sweetie.’

‘So you don’t think I’ve fallen in love with the man?’

‘Nah. What’s to love?’

Charlotte could think of many things to love about Daniel. He wasn’t just a stud. He was kind, and intelligent, and sensitive, and successful, and generous.

Her heart contracted as she thought of how he’d given her father all that money. Thousands, it must have been. He needn’t have done that. She’d been angry at the time but that had been her problem, not Daniel’s. She must have seemed awfully ungrateful to him.

‘Hey there!’ Louise said. ‘Why so quiet all of a sudden?’

‘No reason. Louise, could you do me a favour?’

‘Anything.’

‘Pack a bag for me. There’s a navy sports bag in the bottom of my wardrobe. Throw in all those new clothes I bought for my honeymoon. And whatever accessories you think I’ll need. I already have my make-up, perfume and toiletries with me, so you don’t have to worry about those. I’ll be by to pick it up around twelve-thirty.’

‘I won’t be here by then. Brad’s taking me to his house for a barbeque.’

‘Oh…’

‘Don’t worry, I’ll pack it and leave it near the front door. Gosh, I’m so glad last night was a success, but I can’t stay and chat. Not if I have to pack you a bag and get ready myself. Brad’s just come in and given me strict orders to hurry.’

‘That’s fine. Thanks, Louise.’

‘No sweat. Take care.’

Louise hung up with Brad still looking impatiently at her. He came forward and pulled her into his arms. ‘Forget the coffee and come back to bed.’

‘I can’t. I have to pack Charlotte a bag before we go.’

‘Why can’t she pack her own bag?’

‘Because she wants to get lover-boy up to the Hunter Valley as soon as possible, I guess. Have some more of whatever she had last night.’

‘And you don’t?’ He looked offended.

‘I would have thought after six months of continual sex you’d have had enough by now.’

‘I’ll never have enough of you, babe. When are you going to realise that?’

Louise didn’t reply. Impossible with Brad’s mouth clamped solidly over hers. But underneath his kiss, her heart was doing strange things. Damn that wedding yesterday. It made a girl want things. And think things. And feel things.

Maybe the time had come to give love another chance.