- -
- 100%
- +
‘This!’ Lexi spun around, waving the silver envelope.
Iain smiled, leaned against the door and folded his arms. ‘Okay, you got me. What is it?’
She couldn’t help it. She started jumping up and down on the spot. Even wearing stilettos she couldn’t contain her excitement. ‘It’s such a big a nomination. I can’t believe I got it. I can’t believe I got nominated. I don’t care about winning. Just getting nominated is so, so fabulous!’
‘You finalled? Really? That’s brilliant! I knew you would!’
He bent down and kissed her thoroughly. His kisses took her breath away. The feel of his hands on her body made her forget everything else—including the fact they were in the clinic.
Well, not quite everything. In the currently messy recesses of her mind a little alarm bell had gone off.
She pulled back. ‘You don’t seem surprised.’
‘Maybe I believe in you. Maybe I value the work that you do. Maybe I think the world should know how good you are. Look at the fabulous job you did with Carol Kennedy. Everyone is talking about her. Everyone is talking about the warning signs of cancer.’
She felt a little warmth spread through her chest. ‘It was you, wasn’t it? You nominated me for this award?’
It was an incredible feeling. A swelling of pride. Something she rarely experienced in this life—not with the parents she had.
It made her feel special. It made her feel worthy. All things she’d spent this life striving for. And in a few short weeks Iain had made that happen for her. There was no getting away from the fact that she could happily spend the rest of her life like this. Happily spend the rest of her life with Iain—if only he didn’t want kids so badly.
He touched her face. ‘Of course I nominated you for the award. I’ve seen the hours you put in. I’ve seen the changes you’ve made in the last few months. The number of celebrity clients has gone through the roof. You know they’re not my favourite kind, but if they help the clinic, and help with the charity work we can do, I can live with that.’ He pulled her even closer. ‘You did this work, Lexi. You did. I just nominated you for the award. The panel scrutinised the work that you’ve done. They found it worthy to give you a place as a finalist. You should be proud of yourself. The work you’ve done here is amazing.’
The silver envelope was still trapped between them, against the hard planes of his chest and the firm curves of her breasts. She looked down at it and smiled. ‘I think this is all a ploy.’
‘A ploy?’ Iain arched his eyebrows.
‘Definitely. You must know this invitation is for two people. You’re trying to trick me into going out in public with you.’ It was risky. It was more than risky. They hadn’t let anyone at work know about their relationship. Everything had been kept tightly under wraps. This would blow things out of the water.
She felt her heart flutter in her chest. Beating much faster than it should. Didn’t they have a special name for this? AF? Didn’t this normally require medical treatment? Just as well she was in a doctor’s arms.
She was pretending to breathe normally. Pretending that this was an everyday question. Pretending that she didn’t feel sick asking it.
She could see Iain thinking. She could almost hear his brain ticking. Trying to decide what to tell her. Did he want to let her down gently? Because, frankly, that would kill her.
But just when she thought he was going to break her heart, he leaned forward and gave her a kiss. It was lighter than before, a little more formal.
‘It would be my pleasure to be your date. I think you’ll knock them out.’
She tried not to let the hiss of relief from her lungs be audible. Her smile was back, pasted from one ear to the other. ‘So,’ she said as she wound her hands around his neck, ‘what are my chances of getting you in a kilt?’
Lexi looked in the mirror and tried not to let her hand tremble as she took the large rollers from her hair. It fell in loose curls, just the way she’d wanted. Everything should be perfect.
But inside her chest her heart was pitter-pattering the fast beat of nerves. This wasn’t about Iain. This wasn’t about the award ceremony. This was about being her.
She shrugged the satin robe from her shoulders, immediately averting her eyes from the full-length mirror in front of her.
Her breasts were perfect. There was no denying the fantastic job her plastic surgeon had done. But although she liked them, she was still naturally shy about her body shape. She wasn’t the kind of girl who’d ever go topless on a beach. She stepped into her pink satin underwear and fastened her bra around her back. There. Now she looked up.
Her hand rested on her stomach. The line of her panties didn’t quite hide the scar on her abdomen. The scar that Iain had never asked about.
Just that thought sent the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. It was inevitable. At some point he would ask and at some point she would tell him. And that time was creeping closer with every day.
Within a few seconds she’d pulled her dress over her head. Better, much better. Now her body was covered. It was almost as if she’d pulled on her suit of armour.
The dress enhanced her shape, covered all the parts of her she wanted covered. And let her move past the things she didn’t want to think about.
She sat down in the chair and fastened her jewel-encrusted sandals. She could almost see the headlines. The Lexi Robbins who appeared in the press was so different from the Lexi Robbins who stared at her in the mirror.
These last few weeks had been easier. She was little more relaxed. A little more confident. She fastened her earrings. Iain. He was the difference here.
He never failed to compliment her. He never failed to tell her how good he thought she looked.
She looked up again. She liked the pale pink and silver dress. Not too much cleavage, not too much leg. She was comfortable in it. Some people might call her a princess in it.
Too bad that wasn’t how she felt.
She fixed a smile on her face. There. That was better.
Iain would be here soon. Her stomach gave a little flip. She pushed the nerves away and finished her make-up with some rose-coloured lipstick. It wasn’t dark enough, she would need a second coat. That could wait until Iain was here.
She flicked the switch on the radio and tuned in to some classic tunes. Anything to distract her right now. Anything to take her mind off the sea of cameras that would be waiting for her in the next hour.
Iain would be right next to her. And with him there, everything would be all right—wouldn’t it?
Iain knocked on her door, the London wind whistling about his knees. This wind was for amateurs. If he was in Edinburgh right now the wind would have his kilt dancing somewhere around his ears. It had been a long time since he’d taken his kilt out of its carrier. A very long time. He used to love wearing his kilt on special occasions. Then again, he used to love going out—something he rarely did in London.
Lexi opened the door and let out a squeal. ‘You did it! You wore the kilt!’
Her face was a picture. For a second he was transfixed by the sparkle in her eyes and broadest of smiles.
Until he became distracted by the floaty pale pink chiffon of her dress. A sleeveless dress with broad straps and a cross-over bodice, scattered with silver sequins that skimmed down across her hips. Her waist was accentuated by a pale pink ribbon cinched around it, giving her a perfect hourglass shape. The dress skimmed her knees. There was nothing revealing about it. Nothing to attract undue attention. But the way it clung to her body and accentuated her curves was attention-grabbing enough for Iain. That, along with how the dress rippled in the wind, made her look like a butterfly, waiting to be captured.
She’d left her blonde hair in loose curls over her shoulders, there was a light tan on her skin, and her feet were encased in red-soled silver sparkling shoes. She’d never looked so beautiful.
‘Wow, Lexi. Just wow. You don’t need to win the award tonight. No one will be able to take their eyes off you.’
She waved her hand and picked up her evening purse. ‘Sure they won’t. They’ll be more interested in the free food and free bar.’ She paused in front of the mirror and applied some more pink lipstick, giving him a cheeky wink. ‘I, on the other hand, will spend the whole night wondering if you’re a true Scotsman or not.’
‘Wanna find out now?’
‘Naughty.’ She batted his hands away, picking up the silver invitation and tucking it into her bag.
His hands caught her around the waist. There was no way he was leaving here without a kiss. He bent forward and nibbled at her neck, catching the aroma of her trademark perfume. It sent his pulse racing. What kind of underwear did she have on under that beautiful dress?
‘So, Lexi. Make me pass out with shock at the price of that dress. You look stunning.’
‘This?’ She shook her head. ‘I bought it on the high street. I’m sure the fashion press will have plenty to say about that tomorrow.’ She lifted her leg and extended her sparkling shoe towards him. ‘These, however, would probably make me remortgage my house.’
‘Really? Shoes?’ He stared for a few moments. Sure, they were pretty. And they matched the dress. But crazy money—on shoes?
He shook his head and watched as she fastened some glittering earrings on her lobes. ‘Are you ready?’
She took one last glance in the mirror then picked up her bag. Her hands were trembling slightly. Lexi Robbins was nervous. He couldn’t believe it. She looked a million dollars and her work spoke for itself. Just about every newspaper in the country had covered Carol Kennedy’s story after her interview had appeared on Lexi’s father’s show.
Carol had shown great courage, though not without a tear or two. She’d let the cameraman film her drains being removed, the initial scars. The post-op complications. Every time she spoke there was a tiny waver in her voice that was overcome by her courage and the message that she wanted to share with others. It was media gold and everyone knew it.
The only thing that had irked Iain had been the glossing over of Lexi’s role. Her name had appeared in the credits of her father’s show, but very little had been said about the work she had done. That was part of the reason he’d nominated her for the award. He wanted the world to know about the sterling work that she had done.
And that was without mentioning the current waiting list of clients he’d had since his interview for the Hunter Clinic had exploded all over the media. If it had been anyone but Lexi, he might have been annoyed to be in the public eye. But it would only be for a few weeks then they would move on to someone else. Or so he hoped.
The flashlights exploded as they stepped from the car outside the prestigious London hotel. For the first time in his life Iain could hear people shouting his name, vying for his attention. And he didn’t like it. He didn’t like it one little bit.
‘Dr Sexy! Look over here first!’
It didn’t help that the hotel had laid a red carpet outside and set up sponsorship banners for photographers. Iain kept his arm tightly around Lexi’s waist and tried to steer her directly inside.
‘Lexi, are you dating Iain McKenzie? Is that why you did the interview?’
‘Lexi, where’s the dress from?’
‘Dr McKenzie, what’s your relationship with Lexi Robbins?’
He grimaced. Ignorant journalist. He was a surgeon. He was Mr McKenzie, not Dr. And he couldn’t even begin to say what his intentions towards Lexi were—because he didn’t know himself.
The hotel was stunning and after the first glass of champagne Lexi’s nerves seemed to settle. She moved into professional PR mode, working the room, circulating and talking to everyone, without letting Iain leave her side.
After around half an hour he felt Lexi stiffen. He didn’t even need to ask why. Her mother and father had entered the room to a round of applause. They moved through the crowd effortlessly. And after a few minutes’ fascination he quickly came to the realisation that they were their own biggest fans.
They barely even glanced at their beautiful daughter and Iain could feel the fire surge in his belly.
Lexi was pretending not to notice. She was smiling and talking politely to those around her, even though it was blindingly obvious to the whole room that her parents hadn’t even taken the time to acknowledge her.
She pressed her hand on Iain’s arm. ‘You’ll need to excuse me a minute, Iain, I need to check my make-up.’ He could see unshed tears hiding behind her eyes. She needed a little time out. A little space to collect herself.
‘No problem,’ he muttered, watching her cross the room in her fluttering dress. As soon as she was out of sight he walked directly over to the bar, where her father was ordering champagne.
He held out his hand. ‘Steve Robbins? I’m Iain McKenzie. I’m here with your daughter tonight.’
Lexi’s father frowned then switched into false mode and shook Iain’s hand. He could tell the man wasn’t the least bit interested, but Iain hadn’t even started yet.
Lexi’s mother sidled up to the bar in a blue silk sheath dress, her eyes watching her own reflection in the mirror behind the bar.
‘I nominated Lexi for the award this evening. She’s done some really fantastic work at the Hunter Clinic.’
Penelope Crosby lifted her eyebrows. He could tell it was because the conversation wasn’t directly focused on her. What a sad woman. But she couldn’t deter him.
‘Lexi has raised over a hundred thousand pounds in the last few weeks for the charity work of the clinic.’
‘Charity work, huh?’ Lexi’s father shook his head. ‘More likely lining the pockets of you and your colleagues.’
Iain stilled the fire in his belly. ‘I don’t need anyone else to line my pockets. I probably earn more money than you do,’ he shot back, without the slightest hint of embarrassment. ‘I think you should appreciate the wonderful job that your daughter does. She gave you that breakthrough a few weeks ago with my patient Carol Kennedy. None of that filming would have taken place if I hadn’t agreed to it. And the only reason Carol spoke to Lexi was because Lexi was genuinely concerned about her and showed her some compassion.’ He took a drink from his whisky sitting on the bar. ‘A trait that obviously doesn’t run in the family.’
Lexi’s mother looked horrified. She’d spent her life with people fawning over her and obviously wasn’t used to be spoken to like that.
Iain finished his whisky. ‘Tell me, Mr Robbins, exactly how much of a rating boost did that interview give your flagging show? And have you thanked your daughter for it yet?’
Lexi’s father’s face started to turn beetroot. ‘How dare you?’
‘Oh, I dare.’
‘Who do you think you are?’
‘I think I’m the person who knows your daughter is beautiful, inside and out.’ He replaced his glass on the bar. ‘I’m the person who thinks she works hard and deserves recognition for the job that she does. That’s who I think I am.’
The beetroot colour was settling on Lexi’s father’s face. It was turning to an embarrassed dark glow.
‘It’s such a pity that Lexi still looks for your approval.’ He paused, there was so much more he could say here. But the truth was it really wasn’t his business. He’d probably already overstepped the mark.
It was time to leave her parents’ company. Lexi’s mother had stopped being horrified and was back to checking her reflection in the mirror behind the bar again. And as beautiful as her reflection was, she had nothing on Lexi.
She didn’t have Lexi’s heart. Or Lexi’s soul. She didn’t have any of the compassion or humility that Lexi showed. She was so self-centred. Iain couldn’t bear to in her company a second longer.
He watched as Lexi came out of the ladies and gave her a wave. He didn’t want her to come over here. To listen to the indifference of her parents. He gave them a quick glance. ‘I just want you to know that I’m proud of Lexi, even if you aren’t.’
But no matter what he thought, Lexi was on her way over, with a tilt to her chin that proved she was ready.
She walked over, sliding her hand into his and smiling as he gave it a squeeze. She angled her cheek as her father gave her a kiss. ‘Congratulations on your nomination, Lexi.’ His eyes shot to Iain. ‘You know that we are proud of you.’ Her mother hadn’t moved from the bar, almost as if she was waiting for her cue.
And there it was. ‘Lexi, darling, you look wonderful!’ She stepped over from the bar with her arms in the air, her blue sheath-style dress barely allowing her to move. Her arms closed around her daughter’s neck just as there was the flash of a camera.
Iain cringed. It was obvious she’d orchestrated the whole thing. Lexi was spun around and positioned between her parents just as one of the photographers from a national magazine appeared. ‘Oh, perfect!’ the photographer shouted. ‘I don’t know who is more beautiful, mother or daughter!’
It was pretty obvious to Iain, but he waited a few moments as the photographer positioned them all exactly as he wanted them and snapped away. Lexi’s mother spent most of the time throwing back her head and laughing—obviously the way she wanted to be captured on film. When the photographer nodded that he was finished, Lexi slid out from under her parents’ grasp and took a few steps back to Iain.
He bent to give her a kiss. Raspberries. She tasted of raspberries. ‘Let’s go and mingle,’ he said to her, guiding her away from her parents. She didn’t even glance in their direction. They’d moved on to speak to another TV personality with barely a few words to their daughter. And he could tell from the tension in her body and the sheen in her eyes that she hadn’t quite collected herself yet.
He glanced at his watch and scoped out the bar on the other side of the room. ‘How about a little cocktail before they announce the awards?’
She jerked to attention. ‘Is it that time already?’ She looked stunned, almost as if she’d forgotten why she was there. He loved that about her.
They made their way to the bar and Iain grabbed the cocktail menu. ‘What’s your favourite? Vodka? Rum? Whisky?’
She wrinkled her nose. ‘Whisky cocktail? Yuck.’ Her eyes ran down the menu. ‘I’ll have a raspberry daiquiri.’
He smiled. ‘I should have guessed. You taste of raspberries already.’
She smiled and ran her tongue along her lips. Boy, just that tiny action could drive him crazy. He gave their order at the bar and waited while the bartender mixed the frozen cocktails. Then they stood quietly for the next half-hour, his arm around her waist as they drank their cocktails.
Then the lights in the room dimmed and the compère appeared on the stage, giving a short presentation about the awards and past recipients. The PR award was one of the first to be announced. One by one the nominees appeared on screen, along with a presentation about their work. Then Lexi’s face appeared on the screen ahead of them.
She flinched. ‘Oh, no. I don’t like my face in high definition.’ She burrowed her face into his shoulder. ‘It shows all the blemishes.’
Iain took a deep breath. There it was again. The fact that Lexi didn’t see what he did. On the screen ahead of him he saw a beautiful fresh-faced woman. Long eyelashes around clear blue eyes, luscious pink lips and long blonde curls. She could out-supermodel her mother any day of the week.
He slipped his finger underneath her chin and tilted her head up towards his. ‘Trust me, Lexi, there are no blemishes.’ He kissed her again, tasting the raspberries still on her lips and pulling her closer to him.
Clapping broke out around them and they both broke apart.
‘Is it over?’ Lexi asked, her hands pressed against his chest. She started to clap, even though he knew neither of them had heard the announcement of the winner. A face flashed up on the screen of one of the male nominees who worked for a newly opened fashion chain. They watched as he walked up on stage in his sharp suit and gave his acceptance speech.
Iain squeezed Lexi around her waist, his fingers catching the chiffon material and silver sequins beneath his hands. ‘You were robbed,’ he whispered in her ear.
She shook her head firmly. ‘No, I wasn’t. He’s done a good job. He deserves it.’ She kept clapping until he left the stage. ‘I feel lucky to be nominated. I never thought I was going to win anyway, so I’m not disappointed.’
He could tell she meant it. Her generous spirit was still evident, showing grace in defeat. ‘Well, I’m disappointed for you. I thought you deserved to win.’
She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. ‘Thank you, Iain. That’s the nicest thing anyone’s said to me all night.’ She squeezed his hand. ‘What do you say we get out of here?’
She had that gleam in her eyes. The ones that could send a sweep of sensation down to his toes, igniting all the parts of his body it needed to.
‘Let’s go now.’ Even he could recognise how husky his voice sounded. He only had one thing on his mind.
‘Give me five minutes to visit the ladies before we go.’ And before he could even answer she’d swept away and ducked into the nearest ladies room. All he could see was the flutter of her pale pink dress around her legs.
It was more than he needed.
CHAPTER TWELVE
LEXI STOOD IN front of the mirror and re-applied her rose-coloured lipstick. Her face was flushed. But it was excitement. Excitement over what would happen next with Iain.
He’d been fabulous with her tonight. Supporting her with her parents and keeping her close during the award announcements. But she wasn’t disappointed at all about not winning.
Truth was, she already felt as if she’d won because Iain had nominated her and brought her here tonight.
She took one final glance in the mirror. The dress he’d admired so much was nice. Much nicer than some of the dresses tonight that were ten times the price. It just went to show that pricier wasn’t always better.
She gave a little smile then walked back outside to meet Iain.
Her eyes swept the room. He was only a few feet away, talking to some man in a dark suit.
A voice breathed in her ear, ‘Well, what do we have here?’
Her stomach turned over, thankfully not all over her dress. A blast from the past. And one she certainly didn’t welcome.
She spun round in her sparkling shoes. ‘Jack, what an unpleasant surprise.’
Jack Parker was standing in front of her, his arm around a buxom blonde who looked as if she was being strangled by her bright blue dress. How on earth she’d managed to contain her oversized breasts in a dress two sizes too small was anybody’s guess. His tie was askew and his hair rumpled. What a surprise—Jack Parker was drunk.
He leaned forward and she got the whiff of alcohol on his breath. Any closer and he could anaesthetise her.
‘I saw you up on the screen. Close up doesn’t do you much good, does it?’
She took a deep breath. ‘I could say the same about you, Jack,’ she shot back.
He raised one eyebrow. What had she ever found attractive about this guy?
Her stomach was churning. He was saying out loud the thoughts that had sprung into her mind the second she’d seen her face on the screen. Jack Parker was still inside her head. Still circulating little horrible thoughts. It made her angry. It made her angry that she was still allowing him to influence her thoughts, and have a little bit of control over her life.
She ran her eyes up and down his rumpled suit. ‘Did you pick that one straight up out of the garden after I dumped it there?’
His eyes narrowed. He wasn’t used to Lexi standing up for herself. He wasn’t used to it at all. She’d always found a way to try and avoid any arguments with him. Had spent most of her time trying to placate him. More fool her.