‘Why didn’t you let us know you were coming?’ Her father gave her a brief, quizzical look as he received his own hug before turning his attention to their guest. ‘Mr Smith—it’s good to see you again.’ He shook the younger man warmly by the hand.
‘Helena wanted to surprise you both,’ Bryan answered smoothly when it became obvious Helena was at a loss as to how to begin telling her parents of the reason for their visit.
‘Well, she succeeded.’ Joey Botch, a tall, thin, slightly weathered-looking man, after hours of working outdoors with his horses, with blond hair liberally streaked with grey and eyes of twinkling green, gave his daughter an indulgent smile before indicating they should all sit down in the comfortably worn chairs in the family’s informal sitting room.
Bryan waited until Helena had seated herself on the edge of the faded gold-coloured sofa before deliberately sitting down next t
Helena turned back to her father, and the gentle questioning in his eyes was almost her undoing. It would have been her undoing if at that moment she hadn’t heard the door to her grandfather’s study being opened and then closed again with studied force, followed by the sound of someone walking down the carpeted hallway.Who—?A grimly satisfied Bryan entered the room. ‘Major Boschhas decided not to join us, after all,’ he announced.There was complete silence in the room, and then Joey burst into appreciative laughter. ‘I have no idea what you said to my father, Bryan, but anyone who can best him in an argument—I take it you did best him?’ He waited for Bryan’s nod before continuing. ‘Then you deserve a medal!’ he exclaimed, and he crossed the room to slap the younger man on the back.Joey Botch’s lack of rancour on his father’s behalf came as no surprise to Bryan now that he understood the overbearing way in which Helenael Boschhad ruled this household for the last twenty-five years.
He smiled. ‘It means that I know you are not in love with me yet, but that I hope, given time, to persuade you into loving me as much as I love you. And I do love you—a great deal, Helena,’ he added throatily. ‘I love you as I never thought I would love anyone,’ he told her intently. ‘I love you more than life itself!’Helena stared at him, completely dumbstruck, completely overwhelmed! ‘I—But—You can’t love me!’ she finally managed to gasp.Bryan’s smile deepened. ‘The fact that you are the only person I know who would dare to tell me who I can or cannot love is one of the reasons that I do love you.’‘But—but you never even approved of me as a friend for Emma.’‘I was guilty of that arrogance, yes.’‘And even less so after my marriage and divorce,’ she continued, frowning now.He drew in a sharp breath. ‘You are in no way responsible for the brevity of your marriage to Peter Mollan!’ he told her harshly.Helena looked up at him cautiously, seeing the fierce anger in his gaze. And yet
The shrill sound of the telephone jolted Pamela from her sleep, but she didn’t need to check the caller ID to know who was on the other end. Who else would dare call her at this ungodly hour but the man who believed he had the right to do as he pleased, whenever he pleased? And more often than not, he did just that.Theodore, the notorious "Playboy Prince." Or, to use his full and rather grandiose title, Prince Theodore Kaid, the infamous, seductive, and impossibly handsome Prince of Khoshorbhan. The boss, and though he wasn't quite from hell, he certainly seemed to originate from a place just as dark and complicated.She glanced at the clock, noting with a groan that it was four in the morning. “Jesus…it's too early…” she groaned. Even for Prince Theodore, this was an early call. Stifling a yawn, she picked up the phone, curiosity and irritation mingling as she wondered what kind of chaos he had embroiled himself in this time.Had some fresh scandal about him broken out, likely fuele
What if...? Pamela swallowed the bitter taste of fear. What if her charismatic boss was in serious danger? What would she do if he was in a life-threatening condition? If he... he...She had never thought of Theodore as mortal before, and now she couldn't think of anything else. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the blaring horn of a passing car, and she tightened her grip on the steering wheel. There was no point in thinking negatively. Whatever had happened, he would pull through—just like he always did. Theodore was as strong as a lion, and she couldn’t imagine anything dimming his magnificent strength.A dull rain was spattering against the windscreen as she pulled into the hospital car park. It was still so early that the morning staff hadn’t arrived yet. The whole building seemed eerily quiet as she entered, which only increased her growing sense of foreboding. Silently, she hurried down the bright corridors towards the A&E department until she reached the main desk.A nur
His eyes opened, surprising a look of such darkened fear in her gaze that he was momentarily taken aback. He studied the soft quiver of her lips and felt the tiptoeing of something unfamiliar on his skin. Was that really Pamela?‘Don’t worry. I’m not about to die,’ he drawled. And then, despite the terrible aching at his temples, he allowed just the right pause for maximum effect before directing a mocking question at the woman in uniform who was standing beside his bed, her fingertips counting the hammering of his pulse. ‘Am I, Nurse?’Pamela inexplicably found herself seething with anger towards Theodore for displaying his trademark arrogance. He could have risked his life, yet there he was, casually flirting with the nurse! Why had she wasted any time feeling sentimental towards him when she should have known he was as unbreakable as stone? He showed about as much emotion as a rock, after all! She wanted to caution him against his flippant behaviour—but realising it might only agita
"Pyjamas?" His lips curled upwards, forming a smile that carried a hint of amusement, almost as if he found her suggestion incredulous. His lazy gaze glittered with a subtle mockery that didn't escape her notice, stirring an unexpected flurry in Pamela's heart—a mix of apprehension and something she vehemently denied as excitement. Her frustration mounted at her own reaction; could he see through her facade? Was that why his smirk widened, morphing into an arrogant curve that irked her further?"I suppose you don't envision me as a man who lounges in pyjamas, Pamela?" His tone held a teasing edge, clearly enjoying the game of perceptions between them.Her response came sharp and defensive, masking the unexpected flutter in her chest. "Your choice of sleep attire hasn't exactly been on my mind, but I'll take that as a resounding no. Anything else you need?" Her words carried a touch of irritation, masking the underlying tension that seemed to crackle between them.Theodore winced inward
Theodore had been transferred to a different side ward, and Pamela walked in to see a small gaggle of doctors gathered around the foot of his bed. There was an unmistakable air of tension in the room.She shot a glance at her boss, who was sitting up in bed, unshaven and unashamedly bare-chested—the vulnerability of yesterday nothing but a distant memory. His black eyes glittered with displeasure as he saw her, and his voice was cool.‘Ah, Pamela. At last.’‘Is something wrong?’ she asked.‘Damned right there is.’A tall, bespectacled man detached himself from the group, extending his hand and introducing himself as the consultant. ‘You’re his partner?’ he asked Pamela, as he glanced down at the overnight bag she was carrying.Pamela went bright red, and she couldn’t miss the narrow-eyed look which Theodore angled in her direction. But for some reason she was glad that she wasn’t the same wild-haired scarecrow she’d been in the middle of the night. That she’d taken the care to wash an
Pamela’s eyes narrowed as she acknowledged her boss’s accusation. In truth, she’d been so worried about him that she’d barely given a thought to the crinkly-eyed consultant. But even if she had fallen in love at first sight and decided to slip the doctor her phone number—well, it was none of Theodore’s business. Wasn’t she doing enough for him already, without him attempting to police her private life for her?‘And what if I was?’ she retorted.He shrugged. ‘I would have thought that extremely unprofessional behaviour on his part.’‘I hardly think that you’re in any position to pass judgement on flirting,’ she murmured.Theodore drummed his fingers against one tense thigh. It was not the response he’d been expecting. A firm assertion that the doctor had been wasting his time would have been infinitely more desirable. Pamela was resolutely single, and that was the way he liked it. It meant that she could devote herself to his needs and be there whenever he wanted her.‘I thought you on
Our kisses continued. It was as if once we started, we couldn’t stop. I managed to unbutton several of the buttons on Lyca’s dress and, when I slipped my hand inside it, I made a delightful discovery. “You…you aren’t wearing a bra!” I whispered between kisses.“I know, I feel so naughty,” Lyca whispered in reply. Her hand slid up my leg and encountered my swollen organ, which was straining uncomfortably against my slacks. A smile formed on Lyca’s lips “What’s this?” she murmured. She gently moved her hand over it.“Uh!” I moaned softly. I knew we had to be careful because we certainly didn’t want the other passengers waking up and seeing what we were doing. “What...what do you think it is?” Delightful sensations were sweeping through me as a result of her gentle caresses and kisses.Lyca kept stroking me, making me even harder. At the same time, I was caressing her breasts and nipples, which had grown erect. I could feel her shudder when I flicked my thumb over one of them. I slipped m
It was a while before either of us had enough strength to move. Finally, Lyca put her arms around me and laid her head on my shoulder. “You are incredible!” she murmured. “I...I can’t get enough of you. The minute you touch me I want you!”“I feel the same way about you,” I told her.She looked at me and smiled. “You know, we should really get out of the shower before we wind up looking like a couple of pink prunes,” she giggled.We finished washing, then got out and playfully toweled each other dry. While Lyca finished doing what she needed to do in the bathroom, I went back to her bedroom and got dressed.Wearing the purple robe, Lyca walked into the bedroom a few minutes later. “After I get dressed, I’m going to call the travel agent,” she said.“All right,” I said. “I love you.”She smiled at me and said, “I love you, too.” Then she walked across the room and hugged me fiercely. “I didn’t ever think I’d say that to anyone,” she said softly. “You can’t imagine how wonderful it feel
We got up. Lyca began clearing the table while I rinsed off the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. After I put the last of the dishes in the machine I dried my hands on a dish towel, walked over to the table, which Lyca had just finished wiping. I put my arms around her, and kissed her. She returned the kiss avidly.After the kiss ended, I cupped Lyca’s delectable bottom in my hands and pulled her middle against mine. Then I turned her around, backed her to the kitchen table, lifted her up and sat her on it.“What on earth do you think you’re doing?” Lyca asked.My lips again covered hers and I untied the belt that held her robe closed. My hands slid inside the robe, onto her soft, warm skin, and I cupped her breasts and my thumbs tweaked her nipples to full, tingling erection.My penis grew erect and tented the front of my slacks as I worked on Lyca’s glorious breasts. I spread Lyca’s robe even farther apart, moved between her bare, silken legs, cupped her buttocks, and pressed a
Lyca rolled over and was kissing me, hugging me, and babbling excitedly. "I love you! Oh, God, I love you!" she gushed. "That was fantastic! I never knew making love could feel that wonderful! God! I love you! I love you!""I love you, too," I told her, returning her kisses. "What just happened was the best it's ever been for me."Lyca gazed down at me, her eyes wide and filled with adoration. "Was it really?" she asked, looking surprised. "Not even with your wife?""It never came close to that with Natalie," I told her. "I never knew making love could be that wonderful." I kissed her again."I'm glad you came back into my life," she whispered. "You can't imagine how glad." Her hands were traveling over me and her face took on a serious expression when she touched the bandage on my shoulder. "How is your shoulder?" she asked."It's getting better all the time," I replied."It terrifies me to think you could have been killed," she said as her hands continued moving over me."It kinda s
My emotions were in turmoil. From dreading what she was going to say I'd gone to a state of near-euphoria. "I...love you, too," I stammered. I took another sip of my coffee, another deep breath, then said, "I'm in love with you."Lyca gazed at me, her expression unreadable. My heart thudded like a jackhammer. What was her response going to be?She squeezed my arm, smiled, and said, "I'm in love with you, too. I knew it the minute you walked back into my life the other day."I couldn't breathe. Lyca had just told me she was in love with me! I couldn't believe it! My fondest dream had become reality!Then, for some reason, things seemed to get strained between us. For some reason, having admitted our love for each other left us not knowing what to do or say next. We at there on the sofa, looking at each other.It was clear to me nothing was going to happen unless one of us did something, so I slid closer to Lyca. She kept staring at me.When I put my arm around her shoulder, she sighed
“No, and I’m not sure I want to again,” I replied. “I’ve never seen anyone as wild as Gleason was.” My ribs still hurt like mad. I winced when I opened the door of my car.Harkins shook his head. “You ought to get those ribs looked at,” he said. “He coulda broke one, kicking you like that.”“Probably did,” I said. “Maybe I will stop at the hospital and have them checked.”“You take care,” he said. “I’m not sure I’d have done it the way you did, but you got two prime assholes out of our hair this week. I’d say that’s enough for anyone. Take it easy for a while, OK?”“You have my word on it, Lieutenant,” I said.The doctor in the emergency room told me my ribs were seriously bruised, but not broken. “Take it easy for a while and you’ll be just fine,” he said. “And I’d stay away from strenuous exercise for a week or so.”“Doc, I plan to sleep for a week or so,” I told him.I left the hospital and drove home. I wanted to see Lyca, but I needed rest, too, and she probably could stand some
I dropped the binoculars, stood up and, standing in the combat position, aimed my pistol at him. He fired another shot. Before he could work the bolt action on his rifle, I yelled, “Freeze, Gleason! Drop the gun!”He stiffened, turned, and continued working the action on the rifle. I fired at him, aiming for the middle of his body. The rifle flew out of his hands and he went over backward.Moving carefully, I approached him, holding my gun on him. I was pretty sure I’d hit him. I seldom miss what I’m shooting at. He laid there on his back, very still, with his eyes closed. I peered at him, trying to see where the wound was. I couldn’t, so I stepped closer. Too close.Gleason suddenly came to life. His leg came up quickly, too quickly for me to avoid it, and he kicked the gun out of my hand. The next thing I knew, roaring like a wild man, he was on me, his weight carrying me back, taking me off my feet. When we hit the ground, the wind was knocked out of me and, before I could get to m
“Noticed that he checked the brakes,” Moose said. “You’d think he’d trust a couple of trustworthy-looking guys like us.”I handed Moose a hundred dollars.“What’s this?” he asked.“A bonus for doing a good job today,” I said.“What do you think he’s going to do when he hears that tape you put in the car?” Moose asked.The only thing I did to Gleason’s car was put a tape I made up in the tape deck. It was set to run quietly for a while before the message kicked in, so he’d be well away from the building before he heard it. The message said, “We could have gotten you again today, but we didn’t. This is your last warning. Leave Mrs. Wilkins alone or we’ll get serious. We’ve already proved we can get to you any time we want. By the way, have you gotten your place cleaned up yet?”“I hope he cans this shit he’s been pulling on our client, but I don’t think he will,” I said.“So that shit you planned for tonight is still on?” Moose asked as he wheeled the van through traffic.I nodded. “I t
“You want me to call the police, Mr. Gleason?” the security guard asked.Gleason looked at the guard, then at me. I tried to look impatient. Moose shuffled around, looking as if he wanted to go, too.“They’re not going to find anything, any more than they did yesterday, the incompetent fools,” Gleason said finally. He looked at the car, then at me. “You sure you can have it done and back here by three?” he asked.“No problem, Mr. Gleason,” I said. “Me and Moose, we’ll do the job ourselfs, won’t we, Moose. We’ll tell the boss it’s one ‘a them priority jobs, right?”“Yeah, we’ll do that,” Moose said.Gleason looked at the security guard. “File a report on this with the police, but tell them I sent the car to be repaired and they don’t have to come over,” he said. He turned to me. “Go ahead and fix it. If I have the damn lease company fix it, they’ll just charge me extra and they probably wouldn’t get it fixed today.”“Where do you want me to bring it at, what, three?” I asked.“Be out f