“They’ll think it even more suspicious if you don’t have an excuse and you’re not here.”
“Then I’ll have to be here.” There he was again, running off at the mouth.
“You can’t stay here.” She sounded shocked.
“Ha. I don’t see why not. Everyone else does.”
She studied him for a moment, lips pursed, eyes calculating. “We’d have to share a room. Nobody’s going to believe we’re married otherwise.”
“Not a problem. I think I can keep my hands to myself.” It occurred to him that he might be overly sure of himself there. But he’d been celibate for five years. He could manage a few more months. For a good cause. A lot of good causes actually.
Something flashed across her face. Annoyance? “That’s nice to know. And I’ll do my best to restrain myself.”
“That’s settled then.”
“Thank you. I know you don’t have to do this, and don’t want to do it. But it means a lot. I appreciate it.” She leaned across and kissed him chastely on the cheek. “We’ll be like brother and sister.”
He didn’t want to be like brother and sister.
“It will be fun,” she continued.
Why did he doubt that? He could feel the softness of her lips on his cheek. There was still time to do the sensible thing and go away. Far away. Chances were she would be okay. She’d managed without him around all this time. He stood up, meaning to say he’d changed his mind. His words didn’t come out that way. “I’ll go pick up some stuff and get back before Harry.”
“And I’ll arrange a meeting with everyone. Get them straight on the story. Can you be back by six?”
“Yeah.” By “them” he presumed she meant her motley bunch of hangers-on. “Can you trust them?”
She looked surprised at the question. “Of course.”
You’d think, considering her past, she’d have a greater sense of self-preservation. How the hell had she survived this long all alone in the big bad world? It was amazing no one had taken advantage of her before now. Well, no one except her family.
He pushed himself to his feet. “I’ll see you later.” He had a bad feeling that he’d somehow backed himself into a corner and now he was stuck there for the foreseeable future.
With no chance of sex in sight.
At least none that he was allowed to even think about.
When he pulled up in front of the house three hours later, he still hadn’t managed to shake the bad feeling. In the army, he’d learned to listen to his gut feelings. His gut was telling him to run.
Lexi Slater was trouble.
She might look all cute and soft, and she might act all sweet and good. But for fuck’s sake, no one was that nice. He also had the strangest feeling that she’d played him again. He remembered the feel of that chaste little kiss on his cheek.
Brother and sister?
She couldn’t be unaware of what her touch did to him. Could she? Even the slightest, most innocent of touches.
Since the other night, it was as though his neurons had been rewired. Somehow his wife and sex were inextricably entangled in his mind. Just the thought of her sent twinges to his dick. And now he’d agreed to share a room with her. It was unlikely she had two beds, so chances were he’d be sleeping on the floor for the duration of Harry’s visit. He hoped the bastard didn’t stay long.
He went in without knocking—hey, he lived here now. Voices drifted out from the kitchen, and he pushed open the door. The room was full, crowded with people, or at least it seemed that way. He dropped his bag on the floor and looked around. In actual fact there were only four people present—Lexi, Jean, Sarah, and Tom. The children were nowhere in sight. The chicken was still in its basket, observing him out of beady eyes, and dogs and cats took up most of the floor space.
What had he let himself in for? Maybe he should suggest they go stay at his lovely, uncluttered loft apartment instead. He’d put the idea to Lexi if things got too unpleasantly chaotic.
A chair scraped as Lexi got to her feet. She gave him an almost timid smile and then came toward him. “I’ll show you to my room. We can get rid of the bag in case Harry turns up. We’ll be back in five,” she said to the others. As they left the room, she turned to him. “I’ve already told them what’s going on with my family. Now you just all need to get to know each other a little better, so Harry doesn’t pick up anything odd.”
He wished she’d waited to do the “what’s going on” speech—then he might have more of a clue as to what was actually going on.
She didn’t speak as she led him up one flight of stairs, then another, and then a narrow staircase. Where the hell was she taking him? The attic?
Finally, she opened a door that led into a vast room that must have covered most of the house. The ceiling sloped and the back wall was almost all windows. He dropped his bag and stepped closer. It looked out over the Heath.