First Love, Last Love (11 page)

‘Don’t I usually?’ Jane teased.

‘You know you do,’ Lauri smiled.

Jane grimaced. ‘I hope so. This weekend with Robin’s parents is important to me. I have to try and make a good impression, although I must say it seems a little strange at my age.’

Lauri laughed. ‘I wouldn’t like it at any age.’ Especially if Robin’s parents were anything like him! ‘So you really do like Robin?’ she probed.

Her aunt shrugged. ‘He’s steady—and reliable,’ she added almost bitterly. ‘Not too many men can be called that nowadays.’

She had never heard Jane talk this way before—and it worried her. ‘But do you love him?’

‘I—’ Jane broke off as the doorbell rang. ‘That will be him now. When you get to my age, Lauri, you look for more than just love. You become a little more
concerned about other aspects of their personality. Robin will never let me down.’

‘But—’

‘I have to let him in, Lauri. One day you’ll know what I mean,’ Jane told her dully.

Lauri’s worried gaze followed her aunt out of the room. Jane couldn’t marry Robin just because he was steady, reliable, and would never let her down! It was no basis for marriage, and she did so want her aunt to be happy.

She sat hunched over her knees in the chair, her denims old and faded, her jumper thin and fitting tautly over her breasts, staring aimlessly into space.

‘Lauri …’

‘Mm?’ She looked up at the sound of Jane’s voice, her eyes widening, her face going pale as she saw the man who stood next to her aunt.

‘Lauri,’ Jane was obviously having difficulty articulating, ‘Mr Blair says the two of you have a dinner date this evening.’

L
AURI
stood up. ‘Alex …’

‘Lauren,’ he nodded distantly, very attractive in white dinner jacket, black trousers and snowy white silk shirt.

‘Lauren …?’ Jane echoed sharply. ‘
You’re
Lauren?’ She looked accusingly at her niece.

Lauri gulped, not understanding any of this. ‘But I—Yesterday Jane said you were in a meeting and couldn’t talk to me, and I—I—’

‘I was in a meeting,’ Alex informed her calmly. ‘And it certainly wasn’t the type of meeting where I could carry on a telephone conversation with you.’

‘But I—’

‘Lauri?’ Jane curtly interrupted. ‘Are you telling me that you are the Lauren who’s been telephoning Al—er—Mr Blair?’

‘Alex will do, Jane,’ he told her deeply, the coldness of his blue eyes momentarily lightened with humour. ‘That’s what you call me in the privacy of the office.’

She gave him a look of deep irritation. ‘Lauri?’ she prompted sharply. ‘Will you kindly tell me what’s going on?’

How could she when she didn’t know herself? Alex being here tonight was as much of a shock to her as it was to Jane. And in spite of his unexpected appearance here he didn’t look any more friendly than he had at their last parting.

Jane shook her head dazedly. ‘I—Mr Blair—’

‘It’s quite simple, Jane,’ he interrupted patiently. ‘Lauren and I do have a date for this evening, but for some reason Lauren seems to have forgotten all about it.’

Lauri’s eyes flashed as she glared at him. ‘I didn’t forget,’ she snapped.

He shrugged. ‘Changed your mind, then. But if that were the case you should have let me know.’

‘I didn’t change my mind either!
You
were the one who did that,’ she accused.

‘
I
did?’ he challenged haughtily. ‘And just when did I do that?’

‘You know when,’ she mumbled, unable to look at him.

‘Would someone please explain this to me?’ Jane sounded at the end of her patience. ‘Have I understood this correctly, have you taken Lauri out before?’ she demanded of her boss.

‘I have,’ he confirmed. ‘A couple of times.’

Jane looked at her niece. ‘Lauri?’

She looked up with apprehensive eyes. ‘Yes?’

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘Because I—I—You came here deliberately to cause trouble!’ She rounded on Alex Blair. ‘Admit it,’ she said fiercely.

‘Lauri!’ Jane looked scandalised. ‘Remember who you’re talking to.’

‘Oh, I remember,’ green eyes flashed. ‘And I’ll remember this too, Mr High and Mighty Blair,’ her explosive temper was in full flow, ‘you knew damn well I didn’t want people to know I was meeting you, and yet you’ve gone out of your way to make sure people do know!’

‘And how have I done that?’ He eyed her with narrowed blue eyes.

‘By kissing me in the car park in full view of anyone looking out of the window, by—’

‘I don’t remember you objecting at the time,’ he drawled. ‘In fact, I believe you asked for more of the same.’

‘You conceited swi—’

‘Lauri!’ once again her aunt cut in. ‘Don’t add to the seriousness of this situation by insulting Mr Blair.’

‘Why shouldn’t I, if he deserves it?’ she returned resentfully. ‘And believe me, he deserves it.’

‘I’m not sure I’ll ever believe what you tell me again,’ Jane said dully. ‘You seem to have told me one lie on top of another. You weren’t ill Wednesday afternoon, were you, you were with Mr Blair.’

‘I—’

‘Weren’t you?’ Jane demanded that she answer truthfully.

‘Yes, I was. But I didn’t intend to be. He more or less kidnapped me.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ Jane snapped.

‘But he did,’ Lauri protested.

‘And was it on the occasion of this “kidnapping” that he kissed you in the car park?’

Lauri blushed. ‘Well, he—I—’

‘Was it?’

‘Yes,’ she admitted miserably.

‘I can’t believe this,’ her aunt shook her head. ‘It’s too incredible to be taken in!’

‘There’s nothing incredible about it, Jane,’ Alex told her calmly. ‘Your niece and I are attracted to each other and so we’re going out together. There’s nothing incredible about that.’

‘You keep out of this!’ Lauri turned on him angrily. ‘You came here tonight with the intention of causing a scene like this.’

‘I came here tonight because you were supposed to have met me at eight o’clock. When you didn’t turn up it was logical to come to your home.’

His calm explanation only infuriated her more. ‘You know why I didn’t turn up,’ she told him almost accusingly. ‘I haven’t seen you since Wednesday, not since you mentioned having to see your girl-friend.’

‘I seem to remember you saying you were seeing your boy-friend too,’ he reminded her. ‘But I still turned up for
our
arranged date this evening.’

‘So would I have done if I’d known it was still on. Why do you think I called you yesterday? You knew I’d telephoned, and yet you didn’t bother to call me back.’

He shrugged. ‘I was late getting out of the meeting, and I didn’t think you would appreciate my calling you at home.’

‘So instead you chose to come here now and cause trouble!’

‘Not at all. I’ve already explained my reasons. And I’m sure your aunt can’t be interested in our petty squabbles. If you’ll just go and change we can be on our way.’

‘Go to hell! If you think I—’

‘Lauri!’ If anything Jane was even more shocked. ‘Just learn to control that temper of yours. I’ve warned you about it often enough. But first you can apologise to Mr Blair.’

Her eyes flashed her dislike of him. ‘I will not! He started this. He—’

‘You
will
apologise,’ Jane’s voice was steely. ‘And right now.’

Lauri looked from Jane’s set face to Alex Blair’s bland one. She sensed the mockery behind that expression and her hands clenched into fists as she only just stopped herself from hitting him. But Jane’s tone brooked no argument. ‘I’m sorry,’ she muttered resentfully. ‘But you—’

‘Don’t ruin it by being insulting again—Oh damn,’ Jane cursed as the doorbell rang. ‘This time it has to be Robin,’ she said absently.

‘Robin?’ Alex quirked an eyebrow. ‘Oh yes, the boy-friend you’re serious about.’

Jane blushed. ‘I wouldn’t go that far. But we are quite close, yes.’

‘So Lauren told me.’

‘Did she indeed?’ Jane’s mouth was tight. ‘And what else has she told you about us?’

He shrugged. ‘Not a lot. I think you should answer the door,’ he advised as the bell rang again. ‘He seems to be getting impatient.’

‘You troublemaking swine!’ Lauri flared once she was alone with him.

Alex sat down, completely unperturbed by her anger. ‘More names, Lauren?’ he mused. ‘Are you asking for punishment, I wonder?’

Remembering what form his punishment always took, she moved a safe distance away from him. ‘Keep your kisses to yourself,’ she said tautly. ‘Why did you come here? Why?’

‘I thought I’d just explained all that,’ he said with a sigh. ‘I gave you fifteen minutes to turn up, Lauren.’

‘You must have known that after Wednesday I wouldn’t be there.’

‘Wednesday?’ he frowned. ‘What happened on Wednesday to change anything?’

‘You were nasty to me,’ she reminded him.

‘I thought you understood about that. The meeting with Laurence turned out to be much more—traumatic than I’d thought it would be.’

‘I could see that,’ her voice softened. ‘But I didn’t see that it was necessary for me to receive the same treatment as he did.’

‘No,’ Alex agreed huskily, his eyes piercing as they never wavered from her face. ‘You’re right,’ he sighed. ‘And I’m sorry.’

Only the second time he had ever apologised to her, it once again rendered her speechless. She frowned. He was making all the right moves, saying all the right things, and yet underneath all that there was a contemptuous look in his eyes, a bitter twist to his mouth.
She didn’t trust him and she daren’t let herself trust anything he was saying.

‘That’s perfectly all right,’ her voice was stilted. ‘Now, if that’s all, I intend spending a quiet evening at home.’

‘Suits me,’ he shrugged, the contempt in his eyes now replaced by a much warmer emotion. ‘I could do with a—quiet evening at home too.’

Lauri deliberately ignored the sensuous curve to his mouth, the explosion of passion in suddenly brilliant blue eyes. ‘Then I hope you enjoy it. I believe
your
home is in Mayfair,’ she added sweetly.

Alex gave a husky laugh, settling more comfortably into the armchair he occupied. ‘Sorry, Lauren, I can’t oblige,’ he taunted. ‘I’m not going anywhere.’

Her mouth set in a stubborn line. ‘But I don’t want you here!’

‘Tell me that again once we’re alone, completely alone,’ he said in a bored voice. ‘But give me five minutes or so before you do.’

Lauri blushed, well aware of what he intended to take place in that five minutes. She was also aware that five minutes in his arms could reduce her to his sexual slave. ‘I’d rather you left now,’ she told him tautly.

‘I’ll bet you would,’ he grinned. ‘Would you like me to come over there now and change your mind for you? Jane and her boy-friend might find it embarrassing when they come in, but then so could you.’

‘But not you!’ she scorned. ‘I’m sure my aunt is quite used to entering a room and finding you in a passionate embrace with some female or other.’

Alex’s eyes narrowed. ‘Meaning?’

‘Meaning, that although my aunt is too loyal ever to say so, I’m sure you often entertain your women friends in your office.’

To her chagrin he smiled. ‘I don’t think there would be much there to entertain them—unless you count
me, of course,’ he added tauntingly.

‘I don’t,’ she snapped.

‘You don’t find me—entertaining?’ He quirked one eyebrow mockingly.

How could she have ever thought this man attractive and charming? He was absolutely hateful! ‘I’d give you five out of ten,’ she drawled insultingly.

‘Really?’ He stood up with some force, a dangerous glitter in his eyes, his mouth a taut angry line. ‘Against who?’ he ground out.

Lauri shrugged nonchalantly. ‘Against any of the other men I’ve known,’ she knew she was deliberately baiting him, and yet she couldn’t help herself.

‘Against Daryl?’

She knew she was inviting his anger down upon her, but she was so angry herself that she didn’t care any more. ‘Of course,’ she derided.

‘My God, you asked for this!’ He pulled her effortlessly into his arms, moulding her savagely against the hard contours of his body, knowing he was hurting her and yet not giving a damn. His mouth ground down on hers with a brutality that took her breath away, forcing her lips apart so that he could deepen the kiss.

He didn’t even need the allotted five minutes to reduce her to a pliant eager body in his arms. Lauri quivered as he took possession of her breasts beneath her jumper, caressing her nipples to hard nubs of pulsating desire. She had never felt like this before, never wanted, with a desperation that bordered on madness, the feel of a man’s lips on her body. And not just any man, it had to be Alex Blair.

His breathing was ragged when he at last lifted his head, his face white with the hard tension she could feel in his body. ‘Well?’ he challenged, not relinquishing his hold on her breasts.

‘Perhaps I miscalculated.’ He was just as unmoved
as usual! She played with the buttons of his shirt, releasing two of them to slip her hand inside, instantly feeling the erratic beat of his heart, the shallowness of his breathing. ‘I think you merit at least—oh, five and a half,’ she finished disdainfully, throwing her head back to meet the fierce anger in his face head-on.

That last defiant gesture was her undoing, giving Alex easy access to her parted lips, allowing him to grind her lips against her teeth so forcefully she tasted blood. She began to struggle in earnest as his fingers bit painfully into the tenderness of her breasts, not intending to induce pleasure now but to inflict only hurt and humiliation.

Her own hand clenched into a claw inside his shirt as he refused to let her go, and she raked her nails down his bare chest. He instantly moved back with a cry of pain, and as he did so Lauri could see blood beginning to stain the whiteness of his shirt, four red streaks that quickly soaked a trail down his chest.

‘You little vixen!’ he swore angrily, his face contorted with rage and pain. ‘You vicious little bitch!’

Lauri straightened her own clothing, her face pale with the shock of what she had done. But Alex didn’t induce any half-hearted emotions within her, he evoked either love or hate, both as strong as each other, and at that moment she had hated him.

But
love
! Her face paled even more. She couldn’t love this man! How could she have used such a term towards him even in her thoughts? What she felt for Jane and Steve was love, and that was nothing like the destructive emotions she felt towards Alex. He angered her, aroused her, but that couldn’t be called
love.
Could it …?

‘… and so you see, Robin, I’ll just have to cancel this weekend.’ Jane and Robin entered the lounge, neither of them seeming to notice the rapid rise and fall of Lauri’s breasts as she tried to bring some
order to her chaotic thoughts, or to notice the way Alex turned away, pulling his jacket over the unmistakable streaks of blood on his shirt.

‘But what do I tell my parents?’ Robin complained, his good-looking face creased into a frown.

At thirty-eight Robin was a very successful lawyer, tall and handsome, with a taste for subdued clothing, usually dark grey or navy blue suits, and a way of assessing everyone by their bank account. A look of respect entered his eyes as he looked at Alexander Blair, quickly replaced by irritation as his gaze passed on to Lauri.

Jane sighed. ‘I’ve already explained that I can’t possibly go away and leave Lauri now.’

‘And I’ve already said that I can’t understand why you should concern yourself with whom your niece chooses to go out with,’ he returned impatiently. ‘I’m sure Mr Blair is respectable.’

‘Thank you,’ Alex bowed mockingly.

Lauri was amazed at how quickly he had managed to get himself under control, no evidence now of his burning anger of a few minutes ago, while she still felt emotionally shattered, her hands shaking as she pushed back her cloud of red-gold hair.