There was no fooling his twin. Not in many things.
‘You haven’t been here in a while,’ George added.
‘Mmm,’ James mumbled a non-answer. ‘How’re you getting on in London?’
‘Nearly done. I’ll be glad to get home.’
‘You’re not enjoying that party lifestyle you appear to be living?’
George chuckled. ‘I’m jaded, brother. All the pretty women blur together after a while.’ He sent him a glance. ‘Whereas I assume you’re still doing the celibate monk thing?’
‘Hard to find playmates the places I go to.’
‘But you’re in New York for a few nights now, right? Easy pickings.’ George’s gaze wandered to Caitlin again. ‘Hard when you’ve got a roommate cramping your style though I guess.’
‘Guess so.’
‘But then she’s a very pretty roommate.’
James wasn’t biting. He refused to bite.
‘I’ve always thought she was the prettier of the two,’ George added.
‘You of all people should know it’s not nice to compare. Especially siblings.’
George laughed. ‘Good deflection, but don’t think I don’t have eyes.’
James tensed. ‘Look all you want.’
‘But don’t touch?’
James turned to face his brother head on. George wasn’t the right guy for Caitlin. Then again, nor was James. ‘Don’t,’ he said softly. ‘Don’t say anything, don’t do anything...just leave her.’ Leave her to me.
George mock-punched his shoulder. ‘I’m your brother. Sometimes it seems like you forget that.’
James looked into the eyes almost as dark as his own. ‘I never forget.’
‘Then don’t be such a stranger.’
* * *
Caitlin luxuriated in the shower, washing off the travel in the massive en suite. In fact the whole house was massive. The beachfront mansion had a small movie theatre, a bar, a spa and pool that overlooked their own private stretch of beach. It was unbelievably beautiful. But it wasn’t all perfect show home. It was warm, with pictures of the family all around, and as she’d been given the tour by his mother Caitlin couldn’t help but wonder why on earth James didn’t want to be here.
She’d requested some time to take a shower before dinner, deliberately giving James some space to have time alone with his family. At the knock on her door, she wondered if she’d taken too long. But it was him—telling her that dinner would be in another half-hour.
‘What have you been doing?’ She stared at him. He was covered with a sheen of sweat and had that edgy gleam in his eye.
‘Playing tennis,’ he answered briefly, pacing away from her already. ‘Half an hour ’til dinner, okay?’
She watched him walk down the hall, all popping muscles and curled-up fingers. What was with the hard-out tennis tournament within ten minutes of arriving? Wasn’t this a place to relax and catch up with his family? But he seemed to be as restless as he’d been in those first couple of days in New York—until he’d calmed down a touch and managed to actually sit still for a few minutes at a time. Then again, maybe that was how he and his brothers bonded? With their own mini-Olympics.
But if that was the case, why did he still look bothered?
‘We eat outside in summer, Caitlin.’ James’ mum smiled at her when she arrived in the lounge. ‘You don’t mind?’
James knew Caitlin wasn’t going to mind. The wooden deck overlooked the pool and the beach—an unlimited view to the horizon. And Caitlin did like a nice view.
At dinner James focused on his food, but his appetite had taken a hike hours ago—the second he’d pulled into the driveway. He regretted coming here already. He felt Caitlin glance at him, knew she noticed his silence. But he wasn’t the only quiet one: Jack was abnormally preoccupied tonight. James had seen him sneaking way too many looks at his mobile phone even for a workaholic like Jack. Something was on—the business, most likely.
‘This is your first time to New York?’ James’ dad asked Caitlin.
James glanced at her as she admitted it was.
‘What’s been your favourite thing so far?’
‘Oh, now that’s impossible, I’ve seen so many amazing things,’ she answered diplomatically. ‘James has been an amazing tour guide.’
‘James has?’ his mum asked.
Inwardly he winced as he saw the stunned expressions in his parents’ eyes. Even Jack looked up from his phone and sent him a sideways glance.
‘Um...yeah.’ Caitlin picked up on the prickle in the atmosphere and sent him a beseeching look. An apology? Uh huh. Too late she’d remembered he hadn’t wanted to come home. That he’d told his family he was busy. She didn’t yet know why he was so reluctant to be here, yet she was still sorry she’d dropped him in it.
He forced a grin, wanting to let her know it didn’t matter. He didn’t want her to feel awkward. ‘I couldn’t leave her alone to face the streets of New York,’ he explained with a lazy shrug. ‘Had to lead her through it. Wolves make the best guides, right?’
‘That they do.’ George chuckled.
‘How nice.’
With a sinking heart James saw the interest and amazement in his mother’s widened eyes. Oh, hell—what was she thinking now? That he was about to settle?
Never gonna happen, Mum. Sorry.
Damn. He listened as his mother pumped Caitlin for details on where he’d taken her in Manhattan. He knew he shouldn’t have come back for this visit. And he should never have brought Caitlin. He was only ever going to disappoint them.
All of them.
He glanced over the table, willing the meal to be over so he could escape. Part of him just wanted to haul Caitlin off to his room. He ached to be near to her again. Touch her. Hear her laughter. It made him feel good when he made her laugh.
But it wasn’t fair of him to use her as his distraction. It wasn’t fair of him to avoid talking about anything other than work or safe travel topics with his family.
He knew he needed to try harder, but all he really wanted to do was run. He didn’t know that he was ever going to be able to stare down the ghosts and memories that haunted him here, when he was with his family. When he was at work, it was easy. He loved to work.
Caitlin smiled her way through the amazing food and wine in the relaxed, stunning setting. His parents kept conversation flowing and were polite enough to explain and include her in on the little family jokes that peppered the conversation. The topic turned to adventures further abroad. She figured it was inevitable given they published travel guides. Jack was the current head of the family company—and a serious globetrotter. George, a venture capitalist, travelled widely looking at different projects to pump his money into. And then James travelled a different kind of route—to disaster-hit cities and remote villages. Two out of the three brothers, and their parents, entertained her by regaling her with their worst travel exploits.
She was conscious of James’ silence, of him watching her too closely. His
gaze wandered a little too far south of her face every so often. He really shouldn’t send her those smouldering looks when she was talking to his parents. She glared pointedly back at him but only got a wicked smile in return.
And she couldn’t help feeling that they were all playing it ‘safe’ somehow. Especially James. She had the feeling she was his shield. That her presence kept the conversation perfectly light. More than ever she wondered what the leashed undercurrent within him was all about.
‘I can’t wait to get you alone,’ he muttered as she helped him carry dishes inside after the meal. ‘You owe me, you know.’
Yeah but she had to be polite first. And so did he.
Back on the deck, as the setting sun splashed the sky in red and gold, she studied him and his brothers. Jack was wholly different from the twins—not quite as tall, but more solidly built and with blue eyes that pierced in a slightly unnerving way. She wasn’t sorry he was apparently welded to his mobile phone. Now she knew James so well she saw the scar was nothing on the real differences between him and George. James’ lips curved as he saw her looking from him to George and back again. His eyebrow flickered.
‘Did you use to trick people when you were younger?’ she asked.
‘The people closest to us always knew. But we liked to try it on with new teachers.’
‘Girls?’
‘Never. We’ve always had different tastes when it comes to women. Well,’ he corrected as George wandered closer, ‘George just has gluttonous tastes, while I’m more discerning.’
George lifted his shoulders negligently. ‘I see no reason to put limitations on myself. I love to love women. Lots of women.’
Caitlin chuckled.
‘Don’t encourage him,’ James said drily. ‘He’ll only start to flirt.’
‘What do you mean start?’ George asked. ‘I’ve been working on it all evening.’
‘Flirt away,’ Caitlin laughed. ‘You’ll get nowhere.’
‘You’ve not decided to become a nun?’ George asked, appalled.