Perfect Stranger (13 page)

I abandoned my car by the entrance to the Victoria & Albert, ignored the protests from the doorman, and charged upstairs to my room. I was running on autopilot. Pack my bags, check out, and get the h out of Manchester. I never wanted to see this stinking city again as long as I lived.

My sole focus was getting back to London.

I ignored the knock at the door. Probably the porter, looking for my bags—packed and ready to go. Snapping the clasp on my laptop bag, I turned around to see Kate in the doorway.

Whoa
.

I’d only seen her in business clothes or naked up to now. Today she wore skintight faded jeans and a lacy T-shirt, her feet in sandals. Her toenails gleamed a pale, iridescent pink, which reminded me painfully of the charm I bought her. Her cheeks were pink too, her hair slightly damp as if she just had a shower. She was too fucking gorgeous.

Fury boiled in my veins. She had someone else. Why the fuck did I still want her? I’d come close—too damn close—to making an idiot of myself. It stopped here. Messing with someone else’s woman was not how I behaved.

“So who’s running away this time?” She sounded out of breath. “I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”

I found my voice and made it hard and disgusted. “Not at all. I now understand why you couldn’t see me yesterday or last night.”

“No, you
don’t
.” Anger flashed in her eyes, but I’d no intention of listening to her excuses. She might cheat on her fiancé but it wouldn’t be with me. I turned my back to her and snatched up my key card, ready to go.

I didn’t expect her to catch my arm. “Jordan, at least
listen
to me.”

I shook her off, but she grabbed the front of my shirt in both hands, and I couldn’t help looking at her. My deluded heart flipped. She had twin spots of color in her cheeks, her eyes glowing fire, and she was pretty damned pissed.

Nope. There still was nothing to say.

“Jordan, you came waltzing up here and barged into my life, with no warning, and then you got uppity when I had plans for the weekend.”

I snorted. “Yeah. I saw what sort of plans they were.”

“I only met Isaac a couple days ago. He’s—”

“Never stopped you before.” The taunt was childish, and I was amazed at myself for stooping so low. I lost every ounce of common sense around Kate.

She blanched at my words, but her retaliation was swift. She slapped me hard across the cheek. A noise like a gunshot reverberated about the room.

“How
dare
you?” She snarled the words. If I thought her angry before, it was nothing compared to this sizzling demon. “He’s my sister’s fiancé.”

“You…” My cheek stung. She fucking hit me. I was beyond astonished.

She quivered with indignation and bristled with energy. It wouldn’t surprise me if she let loose a few lightning bolts from her fingertips. One hand still clutched my shirtfront.

I stared at her, as the words finally sank in. “Your sister’s fiancé?”

She gave a nod.

“Staying at your house, with your sister?”

Another nod. Even her hair quivered with rage.

“Awww, shit.” Twice today, she’d reduced me to speechlessness. I sought the right words, before it was too late. Before I fucked up completely. “I’m sorry.”

She didn’t speak. Did she have any idea how impossibly sexy she looked, standing there, glaring at me?

I tried again. “I’m sorry. You’re absolutely right. I jumped to conclusions, without giving you the opportunity to explain.”

This merited an angry snort. “I shouldn’t
need
to explain anything. It’s
my
home, and who stays there is
my
business.”

“I know.” I pulled her by the arm to sit on the bed beside me. I turned her hand and raised the glowing palm to my mouth, to press a delicate kiss over the center.

“You are so beautiful.” I had to touch her. Had to fix this. Smoothing a stray lock of hair from her face, I caressed her cheek. “You know this was the first time I’ve ever been hit by a woman.”

“Well that explains a lot.” Her tart reply released the knot inside my chest, and I roared with laughter. Her lips curved, and I could see she was fighting a smile.

“Kate, you’re so refreshing.” I went to close the bedroom door. “It’s probably all over the hotel by now—how you stormed in here and beat me up.” I couldn’t resist teasing her, trying to make her laugh.

It worked. She chuckled. “You asked for it, pal.”

“I did. I admit it.” Christ, I was hungry for her and incredibly aroused. “Arguing with you is turning me on. Do you wanna stay here and argue some more? Or is it time to kiss and make up?”

“I ought to slap you on the other side, as well. You look a bit lopsided.”

“No chance. I’ll stay lopsided, thank you. You pack quite a blow. My teeth rattled.”

“Don’t try to make me feel sorry for you.” She sounded severe, but her eyes danced.

I tugged her into my arms. “Kiss me.”

My lips claimed hers, and she responded instantly. I needed skin. I reached for her T-shirt and found her dragging it over her head. I tackled the bra, while she attacked my shirt buttons. One pinged against the bedside table. My jeans went next, and we fell onto the bed in a tangle of limbs, mouths fused together. Her jeans and panties were tight, and she needed to wriggle out of them, her glorious breasts bouncing as she did so.

I still wore my shirt, and my boxers were halfway down my legs, but nakedness was overrated. It took too much time to remove everything.

Finesse went out of the window.

I needed to bury myself in her, and—
thank you, God
—she seemed to want the same. She reached for me, and her touch was almost enough to make me come. She shifted on the bed, one leg raised high, to give me access, and guided me home. God. So wet. So hot… She moaned, as I pushed into her, claiming her.

She dropped her head back, and it bumped softly on the headboard, but I couldn’t stop. Didn’t want to. Her muscles were tight around me. I pounded into her so hard, she jolted against the headboard with each thrust.

Something was wrong.

My confused brain tried to process the tangled messages.

Kate bucked beneath me, one hand in my hair, the other curled around my hip. She urged me on. Harder. Faster.
More
.

Yes. She was close. And I held on by a hair.

Condom
.

No fucking condom.

Holy shit.

Even as I realized the mistake, Kate shattered beneath me, crying my name as she thrashed on the bed.

I needed a condom
.

Too late. I exploded, the sensation almost tearing me apart. Kate’s convulsions continued, ebbing as I groaned. It had
never
been like this. Still inside her, I devoured her mouth, pulling her up so I could wrap my arms around her. If I died now, it would be worth it.

Kate dropped back against the scattered pillows. The bed was in disarray. I collapsed onto her, my breathing ragged. I needed a moment.

Common sense smacked me around the head, and I pulled out. “
Fuck
.”

She jerked her eyes open, confusion in their brown depths. She traced a cautious finger across my chest, and I caught her hand and raised it to my mouth. I held it tight, kissing her fingers one by one.

“What’s wrong?”

This was going to suck. I sighed and gathered her in my arms again. “I’m sorry. Much as I wanted you—and still want you, very much—I didn’t plan to make love to you without protection.”

“Oh.” There was an uncomfortable silence until she spoke again. “It’s as much my problem; we’re both consenting adults.” She spoke lightly and wriggled around, to claim a kiss. “I’ll go see my doctor tomorrow. Surely you’ve heard of the morning after pill? And in case we do this again, I’ll arrange a proper supply of the pill as well.”

“I’m clean. It’s not long since my annual check-up.” It seemed important to reassure her. It was a foolish and rash thing to do, and I was mad at myself for being so careless.

There was something about this woman. She made me behave in entirely new ways. Not all of them good.

I held Jordan tight, kissing him over and over again. “I thought I’d lost you when I saw your car screaming off. I thought I’d never see you again.”

“I must apologize to your sister’s fiancé. I was an ass.”

Our first row and first make-up sex, all in our first weekend together. He cradled me, as though I were something delicate. As if he was afraid of breaking me. I’d never felt so cherished.

“You’re gonna spend today with me?” He nuzzled the lobe of my ear, sending butterflies careering through my nervous system. How did he do that—make me burn at the slightest thing? Make me forget we had no contraception? Lust made me giddy. I’d never been in lust before.

His voice soothed my jagged edges. “I wish I could turn the clock back today and erase that stupid argument.” He nipped at the tender skin at the top of my shoulder, and I melted. “But,” he continued, “that was the most incredible sex I’ve ever had, and I’d hate to delete that.”

“In a parallel universe, there are another Kate and Jordan who didn’t argue.”

“Yeah? What d’you suppose they’re doing now?”

“I’ve no idea, but it can’t be as good as this.”

He chuckled. “Damn right.” He leaned into me, eyes half closed, and then he jerked upright. “Holy dipwad.” He pulled a face. “I abandoned my car outside. They’ve probably towed it by now.”

I couldn’t help laughing at the anguished expression on his face. Without getting out of bed, I grabbed his jeans from the floor and tossed them to him. “I’ll order breakfast. You go rescue your car.”

“You angel.” He yanked up the jeans, and stuffed his feet into a pair of boots without bothering to fasten them. He hobbled out of the room, and a distant
thump
sounded from the corridor, followed by some creative, if muffled, cursing.

I was dressed and sitting demurely at the table by the time he returned. I’d even straightened the bedclothes and retrieved the button I ripped from his shirt. Breakfast was just delivered, and I poured him fresh coffee.

“Hey.” Claiming the chair opposite me, he dropped his keys onto the table. “Another five minutes, and they were gonna tow it.” His hair stuck up at odd angles, and his shirt was buttoned wrong. He was the hottest guy I’d ever seen.

Dragging my libido under control, I sought my voice. “I doubt it, although the doorman did look a little miffed. You’re not supposed to park there.”

Jordan shrugged and grinned. “What can I say? I didn’t intend to stay.”

“Well, you’re still here, so should we go out after all?” I looked at the sunshine beyond the windows. “I’ve spent all summer working. It’d be nice to get some fresh air.”

“Where should we go? This is your territory, not mine.” He deftly split and buttered a warm croissant, and then cut it into pieces before lifting a chunk to my lips. How in God’s name did this man not have a regular girlfriend? He was perfect.

Hang on.
I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend, no matter how perfect he seemed. “When are you planning on going back to London?” I kept my voice neutral.

“If I leave by seven, I can stop and eat on the way. That gives us all day.”

All day. Ideas danced in my head. I didn’t want to stay in town, where I might bump into someone from work. “We could go to the Peak District. It’s not far, and we could walk and have a pub lunch?”

“Sounds good.”

“My car is here, though. I need to drop it off at home first.”

“No problem. Drive back to your place now, and I’ll follow you as soon as I’ve checked out.”

I kissed away his croissant crumbs. “This time I can introduce you properly to Sophie and Isaac.”

* * * *

The radio played my favorite songs on the brief journey home, and I sang at the top of my voice. What a weekend. Friday night with Jordan, Saturday with Gran, and then the best sex ever this morning. I squirmed in my seat. Off-the-charts sex, with more forecast in the near future. At least once more before the day was over. That wasn’t too much to hope for, was it?

Sophie would be up by now, and I could tell her my plans for the day. Well, some of them. Maybe. I wanted to hug myself, I was so happy.

I parked outside the house, locked the car, and went to the front door, only to have Isaac open it for me. “
Kate
. Thank God. I was just about to call you. Sophie’s in pieces.”

What? I hadn’t even crossed the threshold when Sophie flew into my arms, sobbing. It took a minute, before I untangled the jumble of words that poured from her.
Gran. Hospital. Heart attack. Not expected to survive.

I didn’t remember walking into the house or sitting at the kitchen table, but somehow I’d ended up there, next to my sister.

“We only saw her yesterday.” I couldn’t order my thoughts. “She looked fine.”

“We need to go back, Kate.” Sophie wiped her eyes and took a snuffling breath. “We
have
to.”

“Yes, I know.” I rubbed my forehead, where a headache was taking root. I glanced at my watch, realized I hadn’t taken any note of it, and stared at it again. “If we leave now, we’ll be there by noon.”

“Where the hell are you going now?” I spun in my seat and saw Jordan in the hall. “The front door was open and I heard voices.” His gray eyes swept over the little tableau we made, and he frowned. He stepped forward, crouched at my side, and took my hand. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“It’s Gran.” My voice broke, and I paused to compose myself before I told him the bare facts.

“Kate.” He wrapped his arms around me, and I leaned against him. I needed to be weak for a second, while I pulled myself together. “I’m sorry,” I started to explain, but he understood.

“Don’t apologize. Are you going straight away?” I nodded, and he said, “I’ll drive you. I can get you there faster.”

My heart ached at the concern in his voice. He was so sweet. “That’s really kind of you, but Sophie’s coming as well.”

“And me,” said Isaac.

“Besides, how would we get home?”

“I insist.” He looked at Isaac. “Go pack a bag for you and Sophie.” Jordan turned back to me and cupped my face. “I’ll stay with you as long as I can, and if I have to go, I’ll arrange for a car to bring you home.” His gaze was calm, his voice firm.

I squeezed his hand. “We can’t impose on you like this. It’s not fair.”

“Sometimes life isn’t fair.” He was unmovable. “Pack your things, we leave in ten.”