‘When I was little I heard him and Della arguing about me. He didn’t believe I was even his. And then, when I turned out to be such a mess, I think he hoped I wasn’t.’
‘You’re his daughter, Dora.’
She tried to smile. ‘He left when I was thirteen—so, you see, I’m nobody’s daughter. Della had to go to court to keep me. And she did. She took care of me. Even when I was a monumental pain.’
He didn’t need to be in her skin to know how she felt. The difference was in how they had responded to the hard facts of their lives. She had curled into a ball, bristling like a hedgehog, whereas he had become a chameleon, endlessly adapting to each new situation so that he wasn’t even sure who Charlie Law was any more.
He steadied himself against the thought. ‘You were thirteen. Everyone is a monumental pain in the ass when they’re thirteen.’
‘But I was nineteen when I dropped out of university. Della had worked so hard so I could “follow my dream”, and then I just threw it all away. I let her down. And now she’s gone.’
The room was growing dark, and he reached out to turn on the lamp.
‘Don’t,’ she whispered.
He could hear the tears in her voice, and his body reacted instinctively. Gathering her into his arms, he pulled her onto his lap. ‘You didn’t let her down. And now you’re taking care of her son—my brother. That makes you part of my family. And I take care of my family.’
Her eyes lifted to his mouth and he felt a frisson of heat shoot through his body. She felt soft and warm in his arms, almost as if she was melting into him.
‘Dora...’ he said softly, mesmerised by her beauty. His voice frayed as she shifted against him. ‘You’re not... I want...’
‘Want what?’
Her thumb twitched against his arm, and he felt suddenly light-headed with desire.
I want you. Except that didn’t seem like something he could say to the beautiful woman on his lap—not when it might make her get up and leave. And he didn’t want that to happen. Although he knew what mattered here was what she wanted.
She looked up at him and gently, with fingers that shook ever so slightly, traced the curve of his jaw. His heart was hammering against his ribs, willing her to go on, and yet he was taut with panic that she was going to call a halt.
‘I want something that I shouldn’t,’ he said.
Breathing out shakily, she pressed her hand against the front of his shirt. Her grey eyes were soft and hazy, like a heat shimmer.
‘What about if I want the same thing?’ she asked.
He stared at her, mute with hunger, trying to resist her words. ‘You’re upset, Dora. You don’t know what you’re saying.’
‘Then let me show you,’ she whispered and, clasping his face in her hands, ran her tongue slowly along his lower lip.
CHAPTER SIX
FOR A MOMENT Charlie couldn’t move. His head was spinning. He could feel her trembling against him as though she was cold. Only she wasn’t cold. Her skin felt hot and smooth to the touch, and her warm breath was mingling with his.
His heart began beating faster.
He should stop this now.
He should ease her off his lap before they did something crazy.
But why fight it?
Why keep denying the pull between them?
It was what they both wanted—had wanted ever since they had first seen one another in the lawyers’ offices in London.
He felt his control snap and, moving forward, pulled her body flush against his. Capturing her face, he kissed her.