Red-Hot Lover

“If only you’d tell me,” she whispered.

“No” he muttered hoarsely, but his hands slid to her waist and he held her close to him. “I’ve never told anyone.”

He pulled her against his powerful body with a hunger that made her breathless, but before she could speak, his head swooped, that hot mouth closed urgently over hers and the sheer force of his angry passion brought a wild response from her.

“I need you!” he bit out thickly against her mouth. She didn’t get a chance to reply. He picked her up, carried her across the living room and kicked open the bedroom door, not stopping except to kick it shut again before striding to the bed in darkness and putting her on it.

SARAH HOLLAND was born in Kent and brought up in London. She began writing at eighteen because she loved the warmth and excitement of Harlequin. She has traveled the world, living in Hong Kong, the south of France, and Holland. She attended a drama school, and was a nightclub singer and a songwriter. She now lives on the Isle of Man. Her hobbies are acting, singing, painting and psychology. She loves buying clothes, noisy dinner parties and being busy.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ONE

CLARA stood in the church with tears in her eyes. Jared stood beside her, tall, powerful and charismatic. He was completely against weddings. He disliked them and did everything he could to avoid them. Whereas Clara loved them. Clara was beatific. Clara was floating along on a dream—lost to everything but the beauty of two lives being joined together.

As the bride reached the groom, the music stopped and everyone sat down. Sunlight shimmered over the twinned heads of the young couple. A blaze of light shafted through the stained glass which soared above a golden altar. Sincerity rang in their voices, and their exchanged vows echoed across the stone arches, pillars and walls of the church. It was a brief shining testament to everything most sacred about being human, needing love and joining together in matrimony.

Tears blurred Clara’s vision. She drew in her breath and struggled for self-control, but a muffled sob came from her as she felt hot tears slide over her lashes and down her cheeks.

Jared glanced down his arrogant nose at her, heavy eyelids drooping over steel-blue eyes. She suddenly felt the cool touch of his fingers and looked up breathlessly. Was it possible? Had he been moved by marriage at last? Had something in the ceremony melted his cynical heart?

‘Your mascara’s run,’ he drawled.

Blushing crossly, Clara snatched the handkerchief he offered and dabbed at her eyes. He watched her with a mocking smile. But she refused to take any notice of him because this wasn’t just any old wedding. No, this was the wedding she had waited all her life to see.

Her best friend Susie was the bride, and Clara had known Susie since the day they’d both arrived at the orphanage at the age of eight. They had become blood sisters a year later, vowing to be in touch with each other for the rest of their lives until they really did become family. Now, here was Clara, at the age of twenty-nine, still playing Susie’s ‘sister’ on her wedding day.

‘With my body, I thee worship…’

‘Probably the only vow he really means,’ Jared murmured beside her. ‘And the only one he’ll keep.’

Clara smiled, her green eyes lifting with sensual response to his. For all his cynicism, she knew how important lovemaking was to Jared. He was a marvellous lover and made her feel like a pampered pussycat with just one touch of his hands.

They had been living together for two years, now. She’d fallen in love with him the day she met him, and he’d insisted she move in with him almost immediately. Ever since then they’d been locked into a wonderful, intimate relationship which just kept getting better. The only low points were when they were at weddings. It was odd, really, because Jared was usually so even-tempered. But get him close to a bride and groom and he turned into a very different person. Today he seemed worse than usual.

‘I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.’

More tears misted her eyes. She sighed and clasped the handkerchief to her bosom. How passionate they were, this bride and groom. She wondered how many children they would have. And she imagined herself becoming a real live auntie for the first time, with little nieces and nephews. Of course, it wasn’t the same as having her own children, but she was confident that that would happen one day, no matter what Jared said to the contrary.

‘Silly besotted fool. Susie’s lovely, but Gareth will regret marrying her.’

‘Honestly, Jared,’ she whispered back. ‘I do wish you’d stop it.’

‘You know perfectly well that most marriages end in div—’

‘Shh! They’re going to sign the register!’ Clara looked resolutely ahead as a singer in a blue dress held up her microphone and began to sing. It was that lovely old classic about a wonderful world. She sang so sweetly, and that, coupled with the bride’s glowing amber head as she bent to sign the register, brought tears to every woman’s eyes. Clara felt her mouth tremble.

‘I wish they’d get a move on,’ Jared said impatiently.

‘Well, they’ve got to sign the register!’

‘I want to listen to the rugby on the way to the reception.’

Clara sighed. Normally he wasn’t obsessed by sport, but today England were playing Wales, and, as a Welshman, Jared naturally intended to cheer for his side. The odd thing was that he had spent the last few days rattling on about it as though he was deeply patriotic. Clara had never noticed any patriotism before this particular rugby match. Far from it. He rarely mentioned Wales. While she found his behaviour over the match rather odd, she dreaded to think what a foul temper he’d be in if they lost. Or, worse, if England thrashed them.

Suddenly the bride and groom were at the altar, the organ played and the bells pealed out.

Clara and Jared got to their feet. He towered beside her like a giant. At six foot six, he was more than a whole foot taller than her. Jet-black hair, a tough face and a scar on his right cheek—he was as passionate as he was masculine. His suit was expensive grey teamed with a dark red silk tie, stylishly knotted. Gold cufflinks flashed against crisp white cuffs. He looked just what he was: a multi-millionaire, and one of the most powerful men in Europe.

As soon as the bride and groom had left the church, Jared took Clara’s slender wrist in hard fingers. ‘At last. I thought it would never end.’

Clara swayed down the aisle beside Jared. Her blonde beauty had always drawn admiring looks from men, but her fame as a television actress drew just as many. Long sunshine-yellow hair fell in curls to her narrow waist and the wide-brimmed cream hat gave her an air of mystery that enhanced her natural glamour. She wore a cream silk dress which hugged her slender curves. And she was ravishing. Her face was heart-shaped. Luminous green eyes invited love. A full pink mouth invited kisses. And Jared was the recipient of those kisses, every man seemed to think, staring at him with a mixture of awe and envy. He was as powerfully masculine as Clara was sensual and feminine.

Outside in the sunlight, the London churchyard was filling up with well-dressed guests. A trestle table stood close to the arched doors, covered in linen, champagne, glasses and silver ice-buckets.

Jared spotted the champagne immediately. ‘Perfect! Just what I need after all that romantic nonsense.’

‘I thought it was a beautiful ceremony.’

‘You would,’ he drawled, and strode purposefully to the trestle table to get himself a glass of champagne.

Clara waited by the steps of the church, studying the handsome man who was her lover and the only man she’d ever truly loved. If weddings upset him this much, there didn’t seem any chance he’d ever propose to her. Yet Clara couldn’t understand why. Jared had such sensitivity and intelligence. He’d moved naturally into love from the beginning, and Clara had barely to lift a finger to find their relationship flowing freely with love and trust. So why, she wondered, should he hate weddings and marriage with equal passion? He was already living with Clara as though they were man and wife. Clearly it wasn’t living with a woman that put him off marriage—so what could it be?

He came back, handed her a glass of champagne. ‘Here’s to getting out of this delightful little churchyard as soon as possible.’

‘Honestly, Jared! Why are you so anti-weddings?’

‘Because I’m a normal red-blooded male and you wouldn’t have me any other way.’

She laughed softly, eyes tracing his handsome face with love. ‘Well, I can’t deny that. I’m rather partial to your red blood. In fact, it preys on my mind night and day. But seriously, darling—can’t you see how lovely all this is? The bride, the bridesmaids, the—’

‘Looks like an extravagant waste of money to me.’

‘Coming from a multi-millionaire with two private jets, two private yachts and several homes around the globe—’

‘I can afford to waste money.’

‘So can the groom’s family.’

His face tightened. ‘Will you shut up about it?’ he bit out as anger flared in his eyes without warning. ‘I’m sick to death of this damned wedding! You’ve talked of nothing else for weeks! Let’s just get it over with as fast as possible and get home!’

Stunned, she just stared at him, her lips parted in shock. He had been agitated for the last few days, veering sharply between loving behaviour and sudden bursts of temper. She had put it down to the wedding, because he always played up at weddings. But now she wondered if there was something else on his mind. Something at work, perhaps? Maybe even something to do with money. But how could money be bothering him? He had more of it than Midas.

Moving closer, she put a loving hand on his cheek. ‘Darling, you will tell me if something’s wrong, won’t you?’ Her eyes scanned his face. ‘I mean—you won’t just hide it and try to deal with it alone, will you?’

‘All that’s wrong is that I need to peel that lovely dress off you,’ he drawled, and slid one strong arm around her waist, pulling her slowly towards him. ‘I’ve wanted to make love to you since I woke up this morning. But all you could think of was the wedding, the wedding, the damned wedding!’

‘I’ll make it up to you as soon as we get home,’ she promised huskily in his ear.

‘Make sure we get home quickly, then.’ His mouth moved over her cheek; his breath fanned her naked throat. ‘I want you as soon as possible. Naked but for creamy stockings and that hat. I’ll enjoy all that ladylike elegance as I push you over the bed…’

She responded instantly, fire in her blood. Erotic images exploded in her mind and excitement glittered in her half-closed eyes. She forgot all about her fear that something was wrong, because now she knew precisely what it was. He needed her. That was all that was bothering him. Her body curved seductively against his and she shivered at the touch of his hot mouth on her skin. Eyes closing, head tilted back, she must have looked as though she was already naked in his arms.

‘Would you like that, darling?’ He let one of his long fingers slide down her naked throat, ‘Because as soon as I get you home I’m going to do all of that to you and more—’

‘Jared, darling!’ Susie’s voice rang with happiness as she interrupted their private loveplay. ‘Stop seducing my sister in front of half of London!’

Jared’s whole body tensed. ‘Ah!’ he drawled, lifting his head with a tight, set face. ‘The radiant bride.’

Clara came out of her sensual reverie with a dazed look in her eyes. She heard the faint bite of his tone. A frown touched her brow.

‘That sounds as though you’re saying: “Ah! The piranha!”’ Susie looked as thrown by his remark as Clara felt. She looked from one to the other, then gave a bright laugh, trying to soften the edge that had crept into the sunny afternoon. ‘Surely even you don’t begrudge my radiance on what is, after all, my wedding day?’

Jared smiled, but his body was tense and Clara told herself it was because of desire. He often got like this. He was sometimes a walking volcano when it came to physical tension. Many times he had come home from work at the end of a long day and made love to Clara for hours, sometimes four or five times a night. He released emotion through making love…

‘Of course not.’ Jared’s impeccable manners returned and his cool voice said, ‘You have my very best wishes and congratulations.’

‘Thank you.’ Susie beamed.

‘I just wish we could all get to the reception as fast as possible,’ Jared said with a tight smile. ‘That’s all. I’d like to sit down, have a drink—’

‘More champagne, Mr Blackheath, sir?’ An usher popped up, brandishing a jeroboam.

Jared watched furiously as he poured.

‘There, you see?’ Susie said when the usher had gone. ‘You’ve just been sitting down and now you’ve got champagne flowing wherever you turn! What more could any man ask for?’

‘Privacy. You forget—there are photographers around. I always feel uneasy when they can take pictures of Clara and I without my permission.’

Clara frowned. He didn’t mind publicity. On the contrary—he actively sought it. It helped his businesses. Publicity always did. The higher the profile, the more business he attracted. That was the way it worked in any sphere of life, and Jared was nothing if not an arch self-publicist. So why was he lying? More to the point—why was he so tense and edgy? Her instincts were buzzing at her from the back of her mind. But no matter what she did or how she looked at things, she could not find a rational explanation for his agitated emotional state.

Susie bit her lip. ‘I’m afraid you’ll have to pose for the wedding pictures in a minute. Will that be a problem?’

‘The photos,’ he muttered thickly, and his hand tightened on Clara’s waist as he stood stiffly, his arm around her. ‘I’d forgotten about them…’

Concern lit her eyes as she studied him. ‘Is anything wrong, darling?’ she murmured.

‘Why should anything be wrong?’ he demanded tersely.

‘So you will pose with us?’ Susie said at once. ‘Oh, good, because I must have Clara in the photos, and it’ll be bad luck if you don’t stand beside her.’

‘Will I have to pose with the whole family?’ Jared looked at Susie with a brooding expression. ‘I don’t want to be here all afternoon. I wanted to leave early so I could listen to the rugby on the way to the reception.’

Susie laughed. ‘Not another one. Gareth almost cancelled the wedding when he realised it would conflict with England versus Wales!’

‘He ought to be put up against a wall and shot,’ Jared bit out thickly. ‘Calls himself a Welshman? He should have cancelled the wedding on the spot. I would have done.’

Clara stared at him anxiously, and so did Susie. His remark would have sounded like a friendly joke if he had not uttered it in that hard, biting voice.

‘Darling—’ Clara worriedly soothed him with her most loving smile ‘—you can’t go around cancelling weddings in favour of rugby matches. Besides—this isn’t any old wedding. This is my sister’s wedding.’

‘She’s not your sister,’ Jared said harshly. ‘She’s your best friend, and your relationship is as much a farce as this wedding!’

Breathless, she felt the colour drain from her face as the knife went into her heart. How could you? she thought, pain glittering in her eyes. How could you have said that when you know how I feel about her? Even Susie was too shocked to speak. They both just stood there, staring at him. The sun shone down on the spire of the church rising above their heads to a halcyon blue sky.

Jared looked away. ‘Forgive me. I didn’t mean that.’ Then he drained his glass of champagne and strode to the trestle table to get a refill. Clara stared after him.

‘Well…’ breathed Susie beside her, trying to make light of it although her voice was shaky. ‘Somebody got out of bed on the wrong side this morning. Talk about grumpy-stump-stump!’

Clara turned slowly. Her fingers were so tense on the champagne flute in her hand that she thought the crystal might break at any moment. ‘Susie, I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry. Please forgive—’

‘Oh, don’t worry about it.’ Susie put a hand on hers, shaking her red-gold bridal head. ‘You’ve always said he hates weddings and now I’ve seen it for myself. I just didn’t realise he hated them this much.’

‘Neither did I.’ Clara looked across the lawn to him again.

Jared seemed to sense her watching him and looked round. Their eyes met. He gave her a long, hard stare then a tell-tale stain of red touched his scarred cheekbone. He turned away, drinking his champagne. Hiding his expression from me, thought Clara at once. He doesn’t want me to know what it is he’s feeling. And that’s the key to all this, isn’t it? she thought suddenly. His feelings are building up like a whirlwind. If only he’d tell me what they are.

‘Maybe it’s because it’s my wedding.’ Susie frowned, deep in thought, as she too looked at Jared, trying to understand why a man who had always treated her with affection and respect should suddenly turn into this hostile stranger.

‘But Jared adores you, Susie.’ Clara turned back to her. ‘He really does. I mean—he hates most of my friends but I know he likes you. He would try to get rid of you if he didn’t. You know how possessive he is.’

Susie smiled wryly. ‘The men who love you always are…’

‘But he’s never done that with you. If anything, he’s encouraged our friendship.’

‘Well, he’s not encouraging it any more, is he?’

Clara’s lovely face went very still. ‘You don’t think that’s why he said all that, do you?’

‘I don’t know Clara-Bear.’

Their eyes met and held in poignant affection for a moment.

‘If he’s trying to break us up, I’ll never forgive him,’ Clara muttered fiercely under her breath. ‘I just won’t.’

‘Calm down,’ Susie said at once, taking her hand again. ‘It might be a false alarm. For all we know, he’ll stop being so bad-tempered once he gets to the reception.’

‘What if he doesn’t? What if he—?’

‘Susie! He wants to do the photos now!’ Gareth called suddenly from across the lawn, smiling and waving as he stood on a mound of grass with his family. ‘Bring Clara and Jared, will you?’

‘Okay, darling!’ Susie called, then turned back to Clara, whispering confidentially, ‘I’ll leave you to get Jared. But try to hurry him up. The quicker these are taken, the quicker we can all get to the reception.’ She glided away.

Clara took a quick drink of her champagne, then turned to walk over to Jared.

She stopped after one step. Her heart somersaulted with sick disbelief. Jared was flirting with another woman. Not just flirting but actively showing sexual interest. And the brunette beside him was lapping it up, thrusting out her cleavage, tossing her long hair and licking her over-painted lips.

I can’t believe it, she thought, trembling. He’s never flirted with another woman. Never even looked at one. Since the minute they’d met, Jared had only had eyes for her. Why was he doing this? Right in front of her? Right here on Susie’s wedding day, when he should have been at Clara’s side, sharing her joy and happiness—not behaving like a swine, biting people’s heads off then going to flirt with another woman.

Tears sprang to her eyes but she blinked them back. She groped around for her faith in him. He loves me, she told herself fiercely. I know he does. It’s just that something’s wrong and he can’t share it with me. Not yet. Whatever it is, I’ll sort it out with him later. Meanwhile, that little man-eater is not getting her hands on my man!

Straightening up fast, Clara put her best foot forward and went over to break up the little tête-à-tête.

‘Darling!’ Smiling brightly, she slid a possessive hand through his arm. ‘Sorry to drag you away, but it’s time for the family photos.’

‘Must I?’ he demanded tightly.

‘Yes, you must.’ Her heart skipped beats with fear. She was appalled that he could even consider turning her down, especially in front of this seductive stranger.

‘Family photos?’ drawled the brunette, with a withering glance at Clara. ‘What a bore, Jared. I’d decline if I were you.’

‘I’m afraid he can’t decline,’ Clara said thickly. ‘You see, the bride is my sister. Jared lives with me and has been my boyfriend—’ she enunciated the word ‘boyfriend’ ‘—for the last two years. So, he really is honour-bound to appear in the wedding photos.’ She tugged at Jared’s arm. ‘Come along, darling. They’re waiting for us.’

Relief overwhelmed her because Jared allowed himself to be pulled away, but his face was very tense and his eyes were dark. In silence they walked across the sunlit churchyard. Birds were singing above the laughter of the guests. The summer breeze was warm on Clara’s skin, but inside her heart was aching and hurt.

‘I don’t want to be in these damned photos!’ he muttered beside her, trying to guide her away from the grassy mound they were supposed to be going to.

‘Jared, what on earth is the matter with you?’ she asked hoarsely, keeping her voice low so no one could hear her. ‘You knew you had to be in the photos. I told you weeks ago.’

‘Did you? I forgot.’

‘You can’t possibly have forgotten. I’ve reminded you almost every day. And don’t try to tell me you deliberately flirted with that woman to avoid having your photo taken. You have your photo taken all the time.’

‘For business purposes.’

‘Don’t be evasive,’ she whispered fiercely. ‘You know what you did just now. How could you? How could you humiliate me by flirting with that woman so blatantly?’

‘I wasn’t flirting with her,’ he muttered under his breath, watching his polished black shoes as he walked.

‘Yes, you were. I’m not a fool. Nor are any of the people here today.’ Hurt flashed in her eyes. ‘And you made me feel very jealous. You did that deliberately. I know you did. Why did you do that? What on earth have I done to make you behave this way?’

‘I hate weddings,’ he bit out thickly. ‘I keep telling you that. You should have left me at home and come alone.’

‘I needed you with me.’

‘You keep saying that, but—’ He broke off, stopped walking and studied the waiting group a few feet from them.

The bride, the groom, the photographer and Gareth’s family were all smiling across at Clara and Jared. It was an idyllic, happy scene, thought Clara. Everyone looked so good, and the sun was high in a clear blue sky on what must have been one of the hottest days of the year so far.

But Jared’s face was pale with tension. And as he stared across at the little family group his breathing altered and his heart began to beat heavily.

He looked around, as though searching for a way to escape.

‘Darling…?’ Clara whispered with a sudden renewal of concern. ‘What on earth is wrong?’

‘It’s nothing,’ he muttered, but as he looked back at the group he drew a harsh breath and suddenly turned to Clara, his arm going around her as he pulled her close and kissed her cheek. As their bodies touched she felt the beat of his heart. Was he frightened? But what on earth could frighten him in this idyllic setting? Yet he was deeply worried about something. Otherwise why would he close his eyes for so long as he kissed her, and why would he let his mouth linger a second too long on the soft curve of her cheek?