Doing the Right Thing (39 page)

“I know. You only wanted to warm me up.”

Ed moved her hand from his mouth. “I wanted more than that.” He struggled to breathe under the suffocating weight inside his chest. This might be his only chance to make her see what he could be, to believe him. “I want you, Addie Winter. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anyone more. You are so beautiful, you make my heart ache. I wanted you from the moment I saw you pretending to do those sit-ups in the gym and especially after you lay on that deflating ball and then tried to hide it. Only I didn’t want you for the right reason then, and I do now.” He took a deep breath. “So while part of me is sad you didn’t ask me to spend the night in your room instead of Will, another part of me is glad, because this way I got to know you, to be your friend.”

Addie’s heart skipped around like a spring lamb. Ed wanted her? From the moment he’d climbed into bed, she’d been expecting him to try something, for his hands to cup her breasts or creep between her legs, but he hadn’t touched her like that. He’d pressed his face into her hair and when his breath hit her neck, a shiver of excitement had raced through her. She’d felt his erection against her back. She could hardly miss it, but he hadn’t rubbed against her, or tried to make love to her. It wasn’t the Ed she’d imagined with the others from the office. But maybe he’d figured she needed a different Ed. A slower version.

“Are you still thinking or have you gone to sleep?” Ed whispered. “I mean it, Addie. I know you’re in love with Will, but I had to tell you how I feel.”

Was she in love with Will? He looked like a model, kissed like a demon and she’d thought he was all-round gorgeous. The first man, the first person to make her feel loved and wanted, only he’d let her down. Not just once. He didn’t
want
her enough.

He didn’t
love
her enough. There was only so much she could forgive and now he was going to be a father whether he liked it or not. He had a responsibility to do the right thing and Addie had to do the right thing too and walk away.

Ed squeezed her fingers. “Do I have a chance?”

How could she believe anything Ed said? She knew what he was like—sexy, smiley-eyed Ed who’d slept his way around the office from the day he’d arrived. Daisy, Beth, Charlotte and now Addie. Addie had a sudden jolt as she realized their names ran from A to D. Was this some kind of game? But then he’d not made love to her. The irony was she wanted him to. Only why? Because she needed to he held, to be wanted?

Was she that desperate? Hardly fair to Ed. Addie was pretty sure that if Ed kissed her now, they’d make love. She just needed to be special to someone.

“When you let me hold your hand in Lincoln, it was all I could do not to pull you into my arms and kiss you ’til you forgot Will. I don’t remember the last time I felt that kind of attraction. I saw another side of you, a strong confident woman. I like being bossed around. Well, sometimes. I’m babbling. Talk to me, Addie.”

“I’m thinking,” she whispered.

No matter what Ed said, Addie couldn’t believe he was serious about her. She knew his kind. A player. This was just another technique especially employed for naïve women like her. Ed could charm virgins out of their pants, only this time his brother had got there first. And while part of Addie liked the way he held her, she remembered Daisy telling her about their date and knew she’d be one in a line of conquests.

Still, a little part of her wished Ed would do more than hold her and she wasn’t sure she understood why she felt like that. It was Will she loved, wasn’t it? But Ed was funny and kind. It had been Ed who’d picked her up almost every time that Will had let her down. Ed who’d noticed she was hurt when Will hit her with his car. Ed who’d come looking for her and driven her home after Vee turned up. Ed had even tried to help Will by explaining he’d left because Vee had taken the overdose.

Addie tightened her hold on Ed’s fingers. Ed had shown he cared in a way Will never had. He lay with her now, not trying to take advantage, just being there for her, giving her time to think. Addie cared for Ed. More than cared. A lump erupted in her throat and forced tears to her eyes. She should be happy and instead she felt sad.

“Do you want me to go back to my room?” Ed whispered.

“No.” She needed him. She had to tell him that. “Please hold me.”

Addie let herself relax in his arms and finally slept.

* * * * *

Addie stood tapping her fingers on the front desk when out of the corner of her eye she saw Will and Vee coming down the stairs. She turned, hoping to be mistaken for the potted fern.

“Oh, Addie, how are you?” Vee called.

Addie stared at the wire-spectacled guy behind reception, willing him to find the information she’d asked for. Failing that, just talk to her.

“Well, thank you for asking how I am.” Vee sounded indignant. “I could have lost my baby you know. I still could.”

“Vee, shut up,” Will said.

Addie glanced across and saw Will rubbing the heel of his hand over his forehead.

“It serves you right,” Vee hissed. “You drank the entire mini bar.”

Addie no longer felt the need to soothe Will’s head and take away the pain. She was sad he was hurting and wished he could sort himself out but she couldn’t do it for him.

She’d always remember he was the first guy to make her believe she was someone worth loving, even if she wasn’t the one he could love the most. But part of her hated him for letting her down. He could have told her everything and he’d told her nothing.

Even now, there was no apology. When he’d come into the room and seen her with Ed, he’d walked out again and drunk himself to oblivion. He could have dragged Ed out of her bed and he hadn’t. The last thing she wanted was the pair of them to fight but Will had just given up. She’d thought he was perfect but how could anyone be perfect?

Addie saw she’d been asking too much, not of Will, but of herself. She was intelligent and sensitive but as far as relationships were concerned, she had the experience of a teenager.

“Eleven twenty,” the desk clerk said.

“Thank you.”

“Come and have breakfast,” Vee said to Addie. “I can tell you how I got on at the hospital.”

Addie would rather stick her head in a wasp’s nest. She didn’t turn or raise her eyes beyond the level of the desk, pretending interest in a brochure about golf.

“Vee, you go ahead. I’ll be there in a minute,” Will said.

Addie looked down for a gaping chasm. Nope, solid floor.

“Will?” Vee whined.

Addie tried to convince her feet to move, but after Will turned Vee toward the breakfast room, he made straight for her. Oh God, now he wanted to speak to her, Addie didn’t want to speak to him. Golf had never looked so fascinating. She clutched the brochure so hard, it ripped as Will took it from her.

“Be careful with Ed. He’s quick to entice women into his bed and just as quick to get rid of them. He’s slept with most of the women in the office.”

Is that all you have to say? No apology? No words of kindness?

“His relationships don’t last,” Will said.

Could he not hear himself?
Addie raised her eyes to his. “Nor do mine. I seem to be following a pattern, sleeping with men who can’t wait to get rid of me.”

Will paled. “Addie, Ed will hurt you.”

“And you haven’t?” Addie pressed her nails into her palms. “You’re going to be a father, Will. Congratulations. Your wife’s waiting for you.” If he’d said one more word, she’d have broken down. If he’d said he loved her, she might have thrown herself into his arms. He said nothing. After he’d walked away, she turned her attention to the goggle-eyed clerk.

“Could I order a taxi to get me there for that train?” she asked.

“No,” Ed said as he came up behind her. “You’re not leaving.”

“I want to go home.”

“We don’t always get what we want.” He took her elbow and directed her toward the front door. “I need to have a word with you in private.”

As they stepped outside, Addie shivered.

“I expected to wake up with you lying next to me. I was looking forward to a kiss,”

Ed said with a smile.

And maybe more than that, Addie thought.

“You mustn’t leave. Don’t let Vee win. Fight back, Addie. Give your version of what happened.”

He wanted her to fight for Will? Addie wrapped her arms around herself. Maybe she’d imagined last night, made it into something it wasn’t. Oh God, Ed was just being kind and she’d thought— She looked up as a tow truck came along the drive.

“You want everyone to believe Vee or you?”

“Why would anyone believe me?” Addie mumbled.

“You’re not giving them the chance if you keep quiet.” Ed moved closer. “What did Will just say to you?”

“That you’ll hurt me. That your relationships don’t last.”

Ed sighed. “I’ve had two long-term affairs and had my heart broken twice. I didn’t think I wanted to risk another, but I do.”

Addie’s pulse jumped.

“I won’t push you, Addie. I know this is bad timing. But I promise I’ll never hurt you.”

“How can you promise that?” Addie kept looking down.

Ed turned her to face him. He bent his head, and kissed her. He brushed his lips along hers, a feathery touch, and when she didn’t pull away, he kissed her more firmly, sliding his tongue along the underside of her top lip. Addie melted, molding her body into his and he tightened his grip. Why did he make her feel like this? She knew what he was like so why did she want him?

Because she trusted him.

The thought hit Addie like a thump in the chest. Ed was the one she trusted.

The truck pulled up next to them and Addie broke away, taking little panting breaths, lazy smoke signals puffing into the cold morning air.

“I can promise I’ll never hurt you because I want to keep doing that,” he said.

Addie gulped. “Lisa’s.” She pointed to the car behind the truck.

They watched as the driver got out to disengage the vehicle.

“How much damage?” Ed asked.

“Not too pretty down the left-hand side, but nothing major. Is it yours?” the man asked.

“My friend’s,” Addie said.

“It needs a new airbag. I’ve taken the other one off. The car’s drivable.”

“Why wouldn’t it start?” she asked.

“Probably snow in the electrics. It’s fine now.”

Addie checked it out. The left-hand side was dented and scratched.

“Lisa will go berserk.” She turned to the man. “How did you know where it was?”

“The guy that paid me said to follow the footprints, although I was told there were two people.”

“Meaning?” Ed asked.

“For most of the way, there was only one set of prints.”

Addie signed a form and was handed the key.

“How come, Addie?” Ed said at her ear.

Addie hesitated.

“Well?”

“I gave Vee a piggy-back some of the way.”

“She didn’t even walk?”

“She couldn’t. She kept slipping.”

“You saved her life,” Ed said. “It was her fault she crashed, not yours. She pretended she was at death’s fucking door and you were the one who could have died.

You wore a flimsy jacket, she had a long winter coat. You had open-toed shoes, she was in leather boots. You
had
to wear the Wellingtons even though the damn things almost cut off your circulation. You gave her your gloves. She let you carry her back and then pretended to faint on the drive. She’s a piece of shit.”

“She’s having Will’s baby.”

“Don’t go, Addie. She’ll continue to lie about you.” He curled his fingers around hers. “She twists everything. She’s a vicious, nasty—”

“What did she do to you?” Addie whispered.

Ed stuck his hands in his pockets.

“What did she do?”

“Came round to my flat once when Will was away. They were married by then.

She’d brought champagne. I went to open it, then I couldn’t find her at first. When I did, I wished I hadn’t. She was in my bed, naked.” He gave Addie a little smile. “She said Will would never find out and she wanted to know what she’d been missing.”

“Oh God.”

“I walked out. She got her own back. She told Will I’d made a pass at her, stuck my hand up her skirt and my tongue down her throat. Will said he believed me, but I…I always wondered if he did.”

“Why is Will still with her?” Addie asked. “Does he love her?”

Ed hesitated. “No, he loves you. That’s why you have to come and have breakfast and show Vee she’s not won.”

As they walked into the morning room, Addie felt as though she’d gone through an airport scanner and set off an ear-splitting siren. Everyone looked at her. She poured herself a glass of orange.
Please don’t sit with Vee and Will,
she pleaded. Ed headed in the opposite direction, only he didn’t pick an empty table, but one with two spaces left.

“Morning.” He smiled at everyone.

Addie put down her drink and scuttled back to the buffet. She made sure she didn’t return to the table until Ed was seated.

“How are you, Addie?” Phaedra asked. “What a scary night!”

“Fine, I—”

“Not really,” Ed said. “That idiot over there almost killed her.”

Addie caught the glances that flashed across the table.

“I thought you were driving?” Phaedra said.

Addie’s back stiffened. “No, I wasn’t.”

“The car tipped up on to the passenger side. Addie was lucky she just grazed her head. She ought to have gone to hospital to be checked out too.”

Ed’s hand rested on her knee under the table.

“She carried Vee the majority of the way back here.”

“Ed,” Addie whispered.

She knew what he was trying to do and wasn’t sure if he was helping, but it felt good to have someone standing up for her. She heard Vee make a snappy comment and when Addie looked up, she and Will had gone.

The blue group had gathered in the library. Ed bent his head to kiss Addie at the door and she pulled away. His lips pressed together in a tight line, and she knew she’d hurt him. But he squeezed her hand and shot her a little smile before he left. Addie’s mind whirled. Ed had held her and kissed her yet told her Will loved her. Had he suspected Will would come into the room last night? Had she? Her shoulders slumped again.