All the Romance You Need This Christmas: 5-Book Festive Collection. Romy Sommer

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ right now, he couldn’t care less about Tyler’s problems and schemes. All he cared about was Dory, and the desperate need to get her into his bed.

      ‘Please,’ she said, softly. ‘God, yes, please.’

      That was all he needed.

      ***

      Lucas’s kisses were intoxicating. Dory couldn’t help but lose herself in them, the dizzy way they moved from her lips to her neck to the curve of her breasts above the neckline of her dress. Had she ever felt this desperate, this out of control, with Ewen? If she had, she couldn’t remember it. This feeling of fate, the inevitability of this moment, was entirely new to her. As if the bizarre set of circumstances that had brought her here simply couldn’t have happened any other way.

      Giving in to destiny, Dory ran her hands over the broadness of Lucas’s back, feeling every muscle through his shirt, thankful he hadn’t put his jacket on yet. Even the thin cotton was too much separation for her. She wanted nothing between them, no barriers at all.

       Except secrets.

      Dory shook the thought away, focusing on the feel of him under her hands instead, letting her hands roam lower, holding him close against her body. Lucas let out a low groan, in between kisses, and she couldn’t help but feel powerful, as if he were as lost in this moment as she was – and equally unable to control it.

      Tugging her towards the bed, Lucas reached around and unzipped her dress, so by the time they reached the edge of the mattress the silky fabric was already pooled around her feet, leaving her in only her best lingerie, stockings and heels.

      Lucas took in the view, and Dory’s cheeks grew warm watching the heat in his eyes. God, she wanted this. Her whole body ached for him. And yeah, she knew they needed to talk, that she had things she had to tell him… But that would ruin this perfect moment and, quite simply, she couldn’t stand to lose this. Not when she was so close to having him…

      ‘God, you’re beautiful.’ Lucas brought one hand up to run across her shoulder, down her arm, to her waist. Gently, he pushed her down to sit on the edge of the bed, kneeling between her legs, one finger hooked in the edge of her knickers.

      Dory swallowed. Hard.

      Telling Lucas about Cheryl could definitely wait until later.

      Later turned out to be quite some time away.

      Warm and dozy in Lucas’s arms, Dory squinted across his broad chest at the clock on the bedside table.

      ‘Don’t look at it.’ Lucas’s voice was low and husky. ‘If we don’t know what time it is, we can’t be late.’

      ‘I’m not sure it works that way,’ Dory said, but let her head drop back down to rest against his shoulder anyway. ‘Your mother is going to kill me.’

      ‘I’ll protect you,’ he said, tightening his grip on her naked body. ‘Besides, she’ll kill me first. I’m supposed to be picking up guests from the station right now.’

      Dory winced, and tried to rise, but Lucas kept her plastered against his side. ‘We should get up,’ she mumbled against his skin. ‘I need another shower now. And to redo my make-up.’

      ‘Don’t wanna.’ Pressing kisses against the top of her head, Lucas’s hand roamed down over her hip, cupping her bottom as he held her close.

      ‘Neither do I,’ Dory whispered back. Her body still thrummed with slow satisfaction, but her mind was returning rapidly to reality. Fate, destiny, inevitability – they were all excuses. Just another lie to tell herself to get what she wanted. She still had to tell Lucas the truth, but Tyler was right about one thing − she couldn’t do it now. Quite apart from ruining the Alexander Christmas Eve party, she couldn’t let the memory of this moment be ruined by what would follow.

      After Christmas, she’d tell him. Before she left for Liverpool. Then he would have time to sort out his feelings – and his brother – before she got back, and his parents would be none the wiser. Perfect.

      Somewhere downstairs, there were voices. Clinking glasses. The party had started. Their precious, stolen moment was over, for now.

      Reluctantly, Dory pulled away, sitting up slowly to let her body catch up with the new plan. Most of her still seemed to be luxuriating in the memory of what they’d just done. Lucas’s hand fell away, and she stood up, smiling back down at him. She could still feel his hands, his mouth, his body, over every inch of hers. God, they had to do that again. Really soon.

      ‘Mind if I borrow your shower?’ she asked. Tyler might still be in their room, and she really didn’t fancy facing him again alone just yet. She had enough make-up in her evening bag to repair her face, she hoped.

      Lucas waved a hand towards the bathroom lazily. ‘Go ahead.’ He grinned at her. ‘But I’d lock the door, if you don’t want me joining you.’

      Fifteen minutes later, thanked to the locked door, Dory was ready to face the party. Lucas, however, was still in bed.

      ‘You go down first,’ he said, sitting up at last. The blankets fell away from his chest and Dory bit her lip just looking at the glory of him naked. ‘I’ll follow in a bit.’

      Dory nodded. ‘Good idea.’

      ‘You realise you’re still here, right?’ Lucas asked, eyebrow raised.

      ‘I’m going. Any moment.’ She allowed herself one last, long look, then shook her head and tore her gaze away. ‘I’m gone.’ Striding across the room as fast as she could in the ridiculous heels – the only ones she owned that went with the dress – Dory stepped out on to the landing, pulling the door to behind her. She sucked a deep breath in, listening to the sounds of the party below, louder now. It was time to face the music.

      ***

      ‘Where the hell have you been?’ Tyler whispered, the moment she made it downstairs. His hand went automatically to her waist, holding her close like a good fake boyfriend should. Dory plastered on a smile for the guests milling around the giant Christmas tree in the hallway, but all she could think was how very different it felt to be standing so close to Tyler, rather than his brother.

      ‘Sorry,’ she said, even though she wasn’t. ‘I got caught up calling home. They’re all drinking mulled wine and everyone wanted to wish me a happy Christmas Eve.’

      ‘Whatever,’ Tyler said. Still angry from earlier, then. ‘Come on, Mum’s been telling everyone about you, so now there’s a whole list of people waiting to meet you. It’s show time, honey.’

      ‘Then let’s go,’ Dory said. She could face anyone right now, still on a high after sex with Lucas. And maybe later, once everyone had gone, she and Lucas could find a quiet corner and some mulled wine of their own…

      Twenty minutes later, her enthusiasm was starting to fade. She’d smiled, she’d feigned interest, she’d nodded politely… and every time she’d felt the eyes of the guest she was talking to slide away, either back to Tyler or over her shoulder, looking for somebody else. Tyler hadn’t seemed to notice, probably because they were all still engaged in conversation with him. His hand had stayed at her waist the whole evening, an unwelcome reminder of their charade.

      And worst СКАЧАТЬ