Merlyn's Magic (16 page)

'I need you tonight too.' She held out her arms to him. 'I
couldn't sleep either.'

He trembled slightly as he held her, his heated gaze
moving down the length of her body. 'Where did you think you were going
just now dressed like this?' He slipped the thin strap of her pale
green nightgown from her shoulder, his lips moving moistly across the
creamy flesh he exposed.

'I was looking for help.' She groaned low in her throat as
he pulled the material down over one breast and drew her aching nipple
into his mouth for the briefest of caresses.

'And instead you found me,' he rasped, cupping her bared
breast while his lips closed moistly on the other nipple through the
silky material of her nightgown.

Her head fell back as she shuddered her pleasure, not
answering him as she became lost in the delight of his caresses.

Her bed had grown cold since she had left it, but as Rand
stripped off his clothes and quickly joined her there they were both
set alight in the flames of their passion, their caresses fevered,
those caresses mixing pain with pleasure as they surrendered to their
emotions.

Merlyn's nails raked from the muscle of his shoulders to
the tautness of his buttocks as he thrust smoothly inside her, bringing
them both to a tumultuous climax that left them a tangle of
perspiration-damp bodies and raggedly uneven breathing.

'Rand?' Merlyn finally prompted when he made no effort to
speak.

He moved slowly, raising himself up on one elbow to look
down at her with dark eyes. 'Did I hurt you?' he groaned. 'I lose all
control when I touch you! You must think I don't know how to make love
with consideration and gentleness.'

She shook her head. 'Was that what either of us wanted
just now?'

'I don't know what I want any more,' he replied in
self-disgust..

Merlyn sighed. 'Maybe if you stopped self-analysing
everything—'

'But I don't understand what's happening between us,' he
groaned. 'I don't
want
any of it!'

He didn't need to tell her that, she knew that every time
he came to her he did it in spite of himself. 'Can you live without
it?' she prompted huskily.

'For the moment, no,' he answered, his eyes pained. 'I
came over here in the middle of the damned night because I needed to be
inside you!'

'And now that you are?'

'Can't you feel it?' he said shakily. 'Even the
satisfaction doesn't last; I instantly want you again. It's never been
like this for me before. I—' He broke off as he realised exactly what he
had said—and its import. 'It isn't the same thing,' he
rasped. 'I
loved
Suzie.'

She closed her eyes to shut out the pain. 'Please, Rand,
if you're going to leave, go now!'

'I can't!' The admission was dragged from him as he pushed
her hands down beside her head and held them there as his mouth claimed
hers and his thighs began to move against her.

She had no idea what time it was when they both fell
asleep through exhaustion, but it seemed only a matter of seconds
before Merlyn's early morning call came. She picked up the telephone,
answering the automatic call before she realised it was one, putting
the receiver down with a groan as she rolled over—to look
straight into silver-grey eyes.

'Rand…!' She had half expected him to be gone
when she woke up, sure that actually 'sleeping' with her, an act of
intimacy in itself, hadn't been part of his plans when he came to her
last night.

His hand was gentle as it smoothed the tangle of hair from
her face. 'I know, you have to go to work,' he acknowledged indulgently.

'Yes.'

'I should be leaving too.' He sounded regretful. 'You look
so young without make-up.' He looked at her searchingly. 'No more than
a child.'

His mood had softened this morning, and she moved closer
to him. 'Do I feel younger too?'

'No,' he groaned huskily as the tautness of her breasts
nestled amongst the curling black hair on his chest. 'May I see you
again tonight?' His hands caressed her from breast to thigh.

'You said you didn't intend sneaking about the hotel to
sleep with me,' she reminded him.

'So I won't sneak,' he shrugged, although his expression
was serious.

Merlyn looked at him searchingly, his hard face softened
by sleep—and something else, something he wasn't even sure of
himself. He was so close, so endearingly close, that she could see the
silver in the grey of his eyes; flecks of light among the darkness, the
swarthiness of his skin, the dark stubble on his chin and over his top
lip. Her gaze stopped there, an indulgent smile curving her lips as she
gently touched the hardness of that jaw. 'Why did you do it?' Her voice
was husky in the quiet stillness of the early morning.

'I didn't.' Rand's voice was gruff. 'Last night I just
walked in. It was late—'

'No,' she laughed huskily. 'I meant why did you shave off
the beard and moustache?'

'Oh that.' He nodded. 'The lady in my life told me it was
old-fashioned,' he told her blandly.

Her eyes glowed at his first attempt to tease with her.
'Actually, I quite liked it. It felt quite —sexy.'

'Is there any pleasing you?' Rand mocked disgustedly.

'Oh yes.' Her voice was deliberately provocative.

'I thought you had to go to work?' Even as he reminded her
of that he was pulling her within the close confines of his body. He
laughed huskily at the wistful longing in her eyes that warred with the
reluctant way she slipped out of his arms, falling back on the pillows
to watch her as she got out her clothes for the day.

Suddenly that smile faded, his eyes darkening with pain.

'Rand?' Merlyn moved to his side, instantly sensitive to
his mood. 'What is it?'

He captured her hand in his, pressing it to his lips,
kissing the inside of her wrist. 'Memories,' he rasped.

'Memories?' she prompted softly.

He rested his face against her arm. 'Of other mornings
like this,' he told her gruffly.

Her breath caught in her throat. How stupid she was; he
must have shared hundreds of mornings just like this with Suzie.
'Rand—'

'It's all right.' He looked up to meet her gaze, forcing
the memories to the back of his mind, although there lingered a shimmer
of emotion in his eyes. 'Go and get yourself dressed and then off to
work; you can't be late your first day.'

'But—'

'I said I'm all right, Merlyn.' His voice was suspiciously
husky. 'Now go, please!'

She swallowed hard, wanting him to talk to her about those
memories, sure that talking would help. Maybe tonight…

She squeezed his arm before going into the adjoining
bathroom to shower and dress, dreading going back out to the bedroom to
find him gone. Like a thief in the night. Only he hadn't stolen
anything, she had given freely. And she would go on giving, as long as
he would let her.

He was dressed and sitting in the lounge when she came out
of the bathroom.

The relief at finding him still there must have shown in
the blinding smile she gave, but she didn't care.

Rand stood up, his hands thrust into his pockets, his gaze
not quite meeting hers. 'I'll mention the possibility that the hotel
has a prowler to Anne,' he said abruptly.

Merlyn frowned as she remembered her fear of last night.
'Do you think that's what it was?'

'Either that or someone just trying to get a look at the
film star,' he smiled as he put his arms about her.

'I'm not a star—'

'Yet,' Rand drawled. 'But you will be.'

'If all they wanted to do was get a look at me they could
do that in the daylight,' she said dryly.

'But it wouldn't be as much fun!'

Merlyn sobered. 'Do you think it was a prowler?' She knew
his teasing had just been a diversion to the nervousness she still felt
about last night.

'It couldn't have been a dream?'

'No!' She trembled at the memory of just how
real
that person outside her room had been. As real as that last 'dream' she
had had?

'It's all right.' Rand's arms tightened about her. 'Don't
think about it any more. I'll be with you tonight and every other
night.'

Every other night. It sounded so permanent, and yet Merlyn
knew that what he hadn't added was every other night 'she stayed here'.
After that she would be returning to London to complete the filming
there and Rand would remain here. They would have a few weeks together
at most. It wasn't long with the man she believed she was falling in
love with. That wasn't true, she
knew
she was
already in love with him. Maybe she had loved him from that very first
moment she looked at him and wanted him; she knew she had to already
have been in love with him before she came back yesterday, or she would
never have
come
back.

'I do have to go now.' She could hear the reluctance in
her own voice.

He nodded. 'Or your director-genius will be down on you.'

'Will you join me for dinner tonight?' She didn't want to
let him go; he seemed so much gentler this morning, and she had no
guarantee that mood would continue throughout the day.

'Give me a call when you get through for the day.' He put
her firmly away from him.

She didn't exactly feel ecstatic with happiness as she
joined the rest of the crew for their early morning breakfast in the
restaurant that had been especially set by for this early meal, but she
did feel more light-hearted than she had for a long time, for over a
month to be exact…

'My God.' Christopher paused next to the table she shared
with Liza and a couple of technicians on his way out of the room. 'Get
back to make-up as soon as you've drunk your coffee; you're supposed to
looked ravaged by grief, not already ill!'

If looks could kill her 'director-genius' would have
dropped to the floor at that moment! 'I haven't been to make-up yet,'
she muttered as they became the cynosure of curious eyes.

Christopher squinted down at her. 'You mean you always
look this awful in the mornings?'

Her teeth grated together as the rudeness of his statement
brought several titters of amusement from adjoining tables. Her head
went back in challenge. 'I didn't sleep very well last night,' she
snapped.

'I don't wish to know about your sleeping arrangements,'
he said disgustedly. 'God, I hope you have the stamina for this!'

Christopher might be the most brilliant director in
England today, might even command respect from the glittering world of
Hollywood, but as far as Merlyn was concerned he drew a zero for tact
and good manners, their conversation being listened to avidly by every
person in the room now, including those who were trying to pretend
otherwise.

'I have the stamina to cope with everything you throw at
me,' she bit out furiously.

He looked at her scathingly. 'I wish I had your
confidence,' came his parting shot.

'You—'

'Calm down, Merlyn,' Liza's hand on her arm stopped her
from following Christopher as he smiled and talked pleasantly to
several of the minor actors on his way out. 'You have to give him
credit,' she said ruefully as Merlyn slowly subsided into her seat.
'Even when you know it's coming it's impossible not to retaliate.' She
shook her head.

'Know what's coming?' Merlyn returned distractedly, heated
colour still burning her cheeks at Christopher's public humiliation of
her.

'You mean you didn't know?' Her friend looked astounded.

She gave an irritated frown, that small bubble of euphoria
that had accompanied her after leaving Rand's arms completely burst.
'Know what?' she prompted with impatience.

Liza chuckled softly. 'The thing to remember here, Merlyn,
is "know thy director",' she misquoted. 'It's like this,' she patiently
explained as Merlyn still looked blank—and disgruntled.
'Christopher Drake is the sort of director who believes that the
emotions of love or hate between him and his leading lady enhance both
of their performances, his from behind the cameras, hers in front of
them, and you've assured me he isn't the reason you look as if you
haven't slept all night—'

'He isn't!' Colour once again darkened her cheeks, and not
because of anger this time.

'—then it was obvious he was going to pick an
argument with you this morning,' Liza continued lightly. 'Any
argument—'

'Not to me!' Merlyn glared after him resentfully.

'I can see that now,' Liza sympathised. 'I wish I'd known
earlier, I could have warned you.'

'Warned me that he's a sadistic, bad-tempered—'

'Brilliant director,' Liza finished wryly. 'You'll see,
you'll go out there today and act your socks off just to "show him"!
There's a method in his madness.' Her friend laughed softly. 'I've seen
him in action before.'

'He'll see
me
in action if he tries
to humiliate me that way again,' Merlyn muttered, her embarrassment
still paramount even though the two technicians had now left their
table and the conversation seemed to be flowing smoothly in the room
again.

'Hey, it's nothing personal,' Liza dismissed lightly.
'Shelley Graham threatened to scratch his eyes out when we were all
filming together.'

'I'm surprised she didn't walk out if he treated her that
way.' Merlyn knew the well-known actress's temperament as well as
anyone else who had ever heard of her; fiery was a mild description!

Liza gave her a sideways glance. 'She solved the problem
another way.'

'I don't see how—That's intimidation!' she
gasped as she realised exactly what that 'other way' had been.

'Shelley didn't look as if she minded too much,' her
friend laughed at her outraged expression. 'In fact, I think that bad
beginning added spice to their relationship.'

'Well, it isn't going to work on me,' Merlyn told her
firmly. 'I do not want Christopher Drake as my lover.'