To Love Again

gaze direct and unblinking. ‘Can’t it wait until morning?’ she dismissed coolly. ‘David and I were

just about to have a—nightcap.’ She was deliberately provocative in her claim, sensing David’s

amusement at her side. He really was the nicest man.

Lucas’s expression became thunderous as he drew in a controlling breath. ‘I really think it

would be better if we talked right now,’ he bit out with abrupt precision.

‘You

‘Why don’t I go and wait in your apartment for you, Christi?’ David suggested lightly,

patting her hand encouragingly. ‘After all,’ he added mockingly, ‘we have all night; I’m

sure we can spare Lucas a few minutes of your time.’

Christi shot him a grateful look, her smile fading and her eyes hardening as she turned back

to Lucas. ‘I’ll just be a few moments,’ she told him coldly. ‘If you would like to wait in your

own apartment?’ she added pointedly, as he stood watching them.

He turned abruptly on his heel and slammed the door behind him.

‘So much for consideration for our neighbours,’ Christi muttered as she followed David into

the apartment, her gaze averted in embarrassed awkwardness as she introduced him to Henry,

Gladys and Josephine, her hands trembling as she poured him the promised brandy.

David moved to stand behind her, his hands coming down to rest comfortingly on her

shoulders. ’We can talk about him or not, Christi,’ he assured her gently. ‘Whatever you’re

comfortable with, OK?’ He looked down at her encouragingly as he turned her to face him.

She closed her eyes, biting her bottom lip to stop it trembling, tears shimmering in her

eyes as she raised her lids. ‘Maybe later,’ she offered ruefully.

He squeezed her shoulders reassuringly. ‘Whatever,’ he repeated softly.

She drew in a ragged breath. ‘I’d better go and see what he wants.’

David grinned, releasing her. ‘From the smoke coming out of his ears when he saw me

with you, I would say the first thing he’l do is warn you what a bad boy I am,’ he said self-

derisively.

‘Whereas you’re really just a nice man who has offered to be my friend,’ she reminded

defensively.

‘Don’t tell Lucas that!’ he warned, scandalised. ‘My reputation will be in shreds if it gets

around I’ve been offering nothing but friendship to a beautiful woman!’

Christi chuckled at his nonsense. ‘I promise not to tell him,’ she said drily.

He laughed softly. ‘I didn’t think you would!’

They shared a smile of complete understanding; she no more wanted Lucas to know that

yet another handsomely devastating man had been unable to offer her more than friendship,

than David wanted it to be public knowledge that no woman had meant anything to him since Sara,

his wife.

David settled down in an armchair, the two cats instantly vying for position on his lap, David

watching them bemusedly. ‘If you need any help next door just shout,’ he offered absently.

Her mouth set determinedly. ‘I may not be the one shouting for help!’

He grinned appreciatively. ‘Lucas is big enough to take care of himself,’ he dismissed,

sipping his brandy unconcernedly.

Christi didn’t even bother to knock on the door of the apartment next door; if Lucas

had Marsha in there with him, that was his fault! He was alone in the lounge, his face looking as

if it were carved from granite, watching her approach with narrowed silver eyes.

Christi stopped several feet away, facing him defiantly. ‘I have someone waiting for me,’

she finally reminded harshly as he made no attempt to speak.

A nerve pulsed in Lucas’s jaw. ‘Waiting for what?’ he rasped. ‘Christi,’ his voice

softened as she gave an outraged gasp, ‘I respect and admire David Kendrick immensely as a

businessman, but as a man

‘As a man, you think he’s nothing but a user of women,’ she finished furiously. ‘I

suppose you would know all about men like that.’

Lucas’s face darkened ominously. ‘What the hell is that supposed to mean?’

Christi eyed him contemptuously. ‘Where is Marsha—waiting for you in the bedroom?’

‘Marsha?’ he frowned. ‘But

‘Don’t tell me.’ She held up silencing hands. ‘I’m not interested in whether you intend

making love to your ex-wife here or back at her home. What I do object to is your thinking

you have some right to make judgements about the people in my life!’ Her eyes glittered

angrily.

‘David Kendrick in particular?’ he said, his voice dangerously soft.

‘Yes,’ she challenged, her head back proudly. ‘I’ve only been out with him one

evening, but I already know he’s a man I can admire and respect—in every way!’

Lucas drew in a harshly furious breath. ‘Enough to go to bed with him?’

‘That’s my business.’ Her voice had risen angrily, for she was more furious than she could

ever remember before, with an anger that had been building since yesterday, ever since

she had found Marsha in Lucas’s apartment for the second time in a week. ‘You stay out of

my life, Lucas,’ she snapped. ‘And I’ll stay out of yours!’

‘But Kendrick is a

‘Stay out of my life, Lucas,’ she warned, her eyes flashing.

‘He passed the kissing and caressing test with honours, did he?’ Lucas grated harshly.

‘Oh, definitely,’ she bit out challengingly.

A spasm moved in his throat. ‘Then that leaves only one last test left,’ he muttered grimly.

‘Exactly,’ she acknowledged brittly. ‘Now if this conversation is over

‘Christi!’ Lucas grasped her arm as she would have turned away. ‘Don’t do this!’ he

compelled.

‘Don’t you think he’ll be an experienced enough teacher for me?’ she scorned.

He breathed raggedly. ‘Don’t make your first time with a man an act of defiance against

me,’ he pleaded softly. ‘If I’ve interfered too much in your life, then I’m sorry, but please don’t

‘You arrogant b !’ She broke off disgustedly, flinching out of his grasp. ‘My being with

David will have nothing to do with you,’ she bit out between clenched teeth. ‘Now this

conversation is definitely over!’

‘Christi ‘

She turned at the door, her eyes dull with pain. ‘It’s over, Lucas,’ she told him bitterly.

‘Whatever it was between us—friendship, tolerance?’ She shrugged dismissively. ‘It’s over.’

She closed the door softly behind her, remembering what she had told David earlier this

evening about doors opening and closing. The door in her life behind which Lucas stood was

definitely closed. For ever.

CHAPTER FIVE

‘FEELING better today?’

Christi gave a shaky smile at David’s gentle query. She had remained completely calm on

Saturday night until she had reached the sanctuary of her apartment, and then the enormity of

what she’d done had washed over her and she had buried her face in David’s shoulder as

she’d sobbed out every angry tear. And they had become the cleansing tears to ease her pain.

Except the pain hadn’t gone away, a dull ache still in her chest.

David had been wonderful that night, holding her until the tears had stopped, gently

washing her face, asking no questions, but helping her slip off her dress before putting her in

her bed, kissing her lightly on the brow before inviting her out to lunch on Monday.

She had fallen into an exhausted sleep once he’d left, completely drained emotionally. She

had barely moved from her bed on Sunday, although she had heard Lucas moving about in

the apartment next door. Knowing he was so close, and yet un reachable to her, had

made her feel even worse, and she’d resolved to start looking for somewhere else to live on

Monday.

But at least she had managed to set Dizzy and Zach’s minds at rest about her immediate

future when she had made her customary call to them last night, managing to instil enthusiasm

into her voice as she’d told them of the advertising campaign she was involved in and of her

friendship with David, sure that it would help Zach in his decision about the film rights to his

book, no matter what David thought to the contrary.

David. He really was the nicest man she had ever met. Except Lucas. Oh, damn Lucas, and

the hold he had over her heart and her life! If it weren’t for her love for him, she might have

been the one to open that other door in David’s heart. She was sure she would at least have

wanted to try.

Her smile was wan. ‘Not really,’ she sighed heavily.

David shook his head. ‘I didn’t think you would be. You’ve loved him for a very long

time, haven’t you?’

‘That shows too, does it?’ she grimaced.

‘No.’ He clasped her hand across the table. ‘I just remembered after I left you on

Saturday night that Lucas was with you at Dizzy and Zach ’s wedding last year. I

remembered thinking at the time that if Lucas weren’t careful he would be the one standing

before an altar before too long. With you at his side,’ he explained gently.