dashboard. He was supposed to be meeting his brother for a pint but Beth had never extended this invitation before and he had the feeling it was significant. They’d had a great day together, he’d felt so at ease in her company. She was made for him. “Why not?”
They walked into the house to be greeted by silence.
“Where are the kids?” he said.
“The au pair’s taken them to my parent’s for tea.”
“Didn’t you want to go with them?”
“No, my mum keeps getting on my case about the weight loss. I’ll make the coffee,” she hastily added before he could comment on that.
He followed her through to the huge kitchen. The whole house reeked of unhappiness.
“I had a really good time today,” she smiled as she bustled about the kitchen.
“I’m glad about that.” She looked so much more relaxed, the colour was back in her cheeks and her eyes were bright. All she needed was a bit of tender loving care to bring her back out of her shell. “He doesn’t deserve you Beth,” he said quietly.
“I know,” she replied, the carefree smile falling away. “I’m not so completely without my dignity that I don’t know that.”
He took her hand and turned her to face him. “I’ve not been able to stop thinking about you since the day we met.”
She stared up into his handsome face. Once upon a time she’d thought she could only ever love Alex but Nick lit a fire inside her. “You can’t say things like that. He’d kill you.”
“You’re worth the risk,” he said before pressing his lips to hers.
Beth’s insides twisted with desire, the scent of his aftershave filling her head, his strong arms sliding around her waist. She wrenched herself away and turned her back on him.
“Beth…”
“I’m married to the most dangerous man in the country and I won’t see him destroy you like he’s destroyed so many others.” A tear slid down her cheek. “He’d never let me go. Do yourself a favour and forget about me.”
“I can’t,” he whispered, pressing his face into her hair.
“You have to, for your sake as well as mine.”
“He’s hurting you.”
“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.”
“If he hurts you again you call me day or night, got it?”
“Okay.”
“I have to kiss you again.”
She found herself unable to refuse and turned back round to face him. “Alright, just once more.”
He kissed her so tenderly it brought tears to her eyes. He kept his hands on her face, letting his fingers stroke her cheeks and neck, going no lower, a real gentleman, but it only made the situation more erotic. It was the most perfect kiss of her life.
“That can’t happen again,” she breathed.
He pressed his forehead to hers. “I know but I hope it does. Just remember that you deserve someone who treats you well. Don’t let the bastard grind you down.”
“You’ve done my confidence a lot of good today. Thank you.”
“Anytime.” His lips brushed her forehead then he walked to the door.
Beth watched him leave. When he’d gone she broke into a smile. “Wow.”
CHAPTER 7
“Thanks for meeting me Jez,” said Mikey, shaking his hand.
“I’m glad you called. I think we have a mutual problem.”
Mikey nodded. “Alex.”
They’d arranged to meet in the back room of the boxing club Mikey owned. The club was closed for the night so there was no one to witness their meeting. Secrecy was vital because if Alex discovered they’d met behind his back he would make them both pay. Mikey hated himself for this, it felt like a betrayal of the Maguire name but if he didn’t do something then he’d end up with a bullet in the back of his head.
“Are Rachel and Ryan back in Devon?” he asked Jez.
Jez nodded. “Ryan phoned me when they landed, just like I asked him to.”
“You were worried they wouldn’t make it back in one piece?”
“Weren’t you?”
“Yeah I was. What was the deal with Alex’s display at the wake?”
“Wish I knew Mate.” It was a lie.
They walked into the house to be greeted by silence.
“Where are the kids?” he said.
“The au pair’s taken them to my parent’s for tea.”
“Didn’t you want to go with them?”
“No, my mum keeps getting on my case about the weight loss. I’ll make the coffee,” she hastily added before he could comment on that.
He followed her through to the huge kitchen. The whole house reeked of unhappiness.
“I had a really good time today,” she smiled as she bustled about the kitchen.
“I’m glad about that.” She looked so much more relaxed, the colour was back in her cheeks and her eyes were bright. All she needed was a bit of tender loving care to bring her back out of her shell. “He doesn’t deserve you Beth,” he said quietly.
“I know,” she replied, the carefree smile falling away. “I’m not so completely without my dignity that I don’t know that.”
He took her hand and turned her to face him. “I’ve not been able to stop thinking about you since the day we met.”
She stared up into his handsome face. Once upon a time she’d thought she could only ever love Alex but Nick lit a fire inside her. “You can’t say things like that. He’d kill you.”
“You’re worth the risk,” he said before pressing his lips to hers.
Beth’s insides twisted with desire, the scent of his aftershave filling her head, his strong arms sliding around her waist. She wrenched herself away and turned her back on him.
“Beth…”
“I’m married to the most dangerous man in the country and I won’t see him destroy you like he’s destroyed so many others.” A tear slid down her cheek. “He’d never let me go. Do yourself a favour and forget about me.”
“I can’t,” he whispered, pressing his face into her hair.
“You have to, for your sake as well as mine.”
“He’s hurting you.”
“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.”
“If he hurts you again you call me day or night, got it?”
“Okay.”
“I have to kiss you again.”
She found herself unable to refuse and turned back round to face him. “Alright, just once more.”
He kissed her so tenderly it brought tears to her eyes. He kept his hands on her face, letting his fingers stroke her cheeks and neck, going no lower, a real gentleman, but it only made the situation more erotic. It was the most perfect kiss of her life.
“That can’t happen again,” she breathed.
He pressed his forehead to hers. “I know but I hope it does. Just remember that you deserve someone who treats you well. Don’t let the bastard grind you down.”
“You’ve done my confidence a lot of good today. Thank you.”
“Anytime.” His lips brushed her forehead then he walked to the door.
Beth watched him leave. When he’d gone she broke into a smile. “Wow.”
CHAPTER 7
“Thanks for meeting me Jez,” said Mikey, shaking his hand.
“I’m glad you called. I think we have a mutual problem.”
Mikey nodded. “Alex.”
They’d arranged to meet in the back room of the boxing club Mikey owned. The club was closed for the night so there was no one to witness their meeting. Secrecy was vital because if Alex discovered they’d met behind his back he would make them both pay. Mikey hated himself for this, it felt like a betrayal of the Maguire name but if he didn’t do something then he’d end up with a bullet in the back of his head.
“Are Rachel and Ryan back in Devon?” he asked Jez.
Jez nodded. “Ryan phoned me when they landed, just like I asked him to.”
“You were worried they wouldn’t make it back in one piece?”
“Weren’t you?”
“Yeah I was. What was the deal with Alex’s display at the wake?”
“Wish I knew Mate.” It was a lie.
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