The Seduction Challenge

She leaned her head against his broad chest and closed her eyes, thinking of Tim and of Ivy.

‘You know something?’ Her voice was quiet and slightly muffled by the wool of his jumper. ‘Despite the sadness of her death, I think that Ivy was lucky in many ways. She met the man of her dreams. So many people don’t meet that person, or they meet them at the wrong time, or they meet them and the feeling isn’t returned. I think Ivy was lucky, don’t you?’

Joel’s grip tightened and she felt his strong fingers under her chin, lifting her face to his.

‘Maybe.’ He stared down at her with a strange look in his eyes. ‘Maybe she was.’

CHAPTER EIGHT

JOEL sat in the practice meeting and tried to concentrate on what his brothers were saying.

‘Joel!’ Michael’s voice barked at him. ‘You’re away with the fairies, man! What’s the matter with you today?’

Joel took a deep breath, wondering what they’d say if he confessed that he’d been thinking about love. Part of him wanted to know how his brothers had known they were in love, but it wasn’t a question he’d ever dare ask. Anyway, he knew well enough that what was true for one person might not be true for another.

All he knew was that he was struggling with his relationship with Lucy. She’d asked for friendship and he was pretty proud of the way he’d behaved. Mostly—apart from that one lapse when he’d given way to his instincts and kissed her senseless—he’d kept his true feelings for her well under control.

But what were his true feelings for her?

He tried to concentrate on what Michael was saying about prescribing costs but his mind kept wandering back to Lucy. He found her attractive, of course, that was easy enough to identify, and normally he’d just have enjoyed the relationship until it was time to move on. That was what he’d always done in the past.

But Lucy was different.

For a start, she’d only ever been to bed with one man, which virtually made her a virgin as far as he was concerned. And then there was the fact that she just wasn’t the type to have casual relationships.

But what else could he offer her?

He certainly wasn’t in love with her.

Or was he?

Trying to analyse his feelings, he thought back to how he’d reacted to other women. He’d certainly never felt as protective towards anyone as he did towards Lucy. He stared at his notepad without seeing it. And he certainly hadn’t subdued his own feelings before in order to be friends with a woman.

Maybe that was it. It was a purely physical thing. He was just frustrated.

One night with Lucy and all these confused feelings would go away.

‘Why don’t you go home, Joel?’

He jumped and realised that his father was talking to him. ‘We’re trying to run a meeting here and you’re miles away.’

‘Sorry folks.’ He smiled apologetically. ‘I’ve a few things on my mind.’

‘We were talking about the Valentine’s Ball.’ His father looked at the agenda with the list of things to discuss. ‘Michael will be on call. Is that still OK, Michael?’

Michael sighed. ‘It’s fine. Someone else can do it next year. Maria will be babysitting Sam, so I’ll join her until I get called out.’

Joel smiled. ‘Thanks, Mike.’

Michael scowled. ‘You just be careful, baby brother.’

Joel nodded, knowing that Michael was talking about Lucy. He was being careful. Every time he felt like kissing her again he made himself scarce and took cold showers. And as for the ball, well how much trouble could he get into on the dance floor in front of his mother?

The evening of the Valentine’s Ball was crisp and clear, and Lucy’s insides churned with excitement as she dressed for the ball.

Tina h

ad brought her own dress to the flat so that they could change together, and they stood in the bathroom, fiddling with make-up and giggling like teenagers.