Ice In His Veins

by Carole Mortimer

  Tim was different, rich, self-assured, and very sophisticated for his age. She enjoyed his company immensely, found his light lovemaking pleasant, and hoped he felt the same way about her.

  She laughingly smoothed away some of her peach lipstick from his mouth. ‘Must remove the evidence,’ she teased.

  Tall and athletic, tanned skin, sun-bleached blond hair and the deepest blue eyes she had ever seen, Tim was every girl’s dream. He smiled down at her, that heart-melting smile that never failed to win over the women. Even her mother fell for it, approving of him wholeheartedly.

  He placed his lips on hers again. ‘Mm,’ he sighed against her parted mouth. ‘I don’t give a damn who knows I’ve been kissing you.’

  Eden snuggled against him. ‘Neither do I.’

  ‘Where are your parents tonight?’

  ‘Gone to the Merricks’ for the evening.’ She moved unhurriedly out of his arms.

  ‘Hey,’ he teased, flicking a curling tendril of hair away from her face, ‘I’m not about to attack you because we’re alone here!’

  She grinned at him, pulling on her short white linen jacket. ‘I know you aren’t.’ Their lovemaking had never gone beyond a passionate kiss and a tentative caress.

  Tim frowned. ‘I’m not sure I like that, this natural assumption you have that I wouldn’t even try.’

  She arched an eyebrow at him. ‘And would you?’

  ‘I might,’ he said slowly. ‘If I didn’t know three servants would come running at the first cry of rape.’

  Eden watched him below lowered lashes. ‘I’m not about to cry rape.’

  ‘You aren’t?’ His blue eyes quickened with interest.

  ‘No,’ she opened the door. ‘I’m about to go outside to your car,’ she laughingly left the room.

  Tim caught up with her outside, opening the car door for her before getting into the low sports car beside her. He turned to look at her in the darkness, the early snow lying about them outside like a white carpet. ‘You were teasing me in there, weren’t you?’

  Her golden eyes challenged him as she snuggled down into her linen jacket. ‘Was I?’ she asked throatily.

  He sighed, switching on the ignition to manoeuvre the car out into the steady flow of traffic. ‘Yes, you were.’

  Eden looked at him closely, noting a certain tension about his mouth. ‘Are you angry with me?’

  He sighed again, turning to give her a warm smile. ‘No, Eden, I’m not angry with you. But I wish you wouldn’t play with me. One of these days I’m going to take your teasing seriously.’

  ‘You mean…’

  ‘Yes, I mean! I know you’re an innocent, Eden, but I’m not. It can be quite a strain behaving like a gentleman. Not that I mind,’ he added hastily. ‘But it doesn’t help when you keep playing with me.’

  ‘I never realised…’ She looked at him with new eyes, not seeing him as the fun-loving partner of innocence of the past six weeks but as the young rich socialite that he was. Seeing him like this she could well imagine that there had been plenty of girls in his life who would give anything to become the wife of Tim Channing, heir to millions. It was something she had never thought about before, that showed him in a new light. And she wasn’t sure she liked it.

  ‘You aren’t that innocent, Eden,’ he scorned.

  She blushed in the darkness, glad he couldn’t see her confusion. ‘I didn’t mean that,’ she said impatiently. ‘I meant I didn’t realise about—about—’

  ‘The girls in my past,’ he finished for her. ‘You grow up quickly in the society I mix with.’

  She knew he was sophisticated for his age, had admired the way he always took control on their dates together, but it had never occurred to her that his relationships with other girls hadn’t been as innocent as their own friendship. Somehow this new knowledge frightened her, unnerved her, made her suddenly shy with him.

  It made her wonder if their mutual friends thought their relationship more intimate than it actually was. Colour flooded her cheeks at the thought. She couldn’t bear for people to think such things about her, no matter how erroneous those thoughts were.

  She looked down at her clenched hands. ‘I suppose so,’ she mumbled.

  Tim gave her a sharp look. ‘Hey, are you okay?’

  She gave him a quick nervous smile, looking hurriedly away from his probing glance. ‘I’m fine,’ she lied.

  One of his hands left the steering wheel to cover the nervous movements of hers as she fidgeted with her small black evening bag. ‘I’ve shocked you, haven’t I?’ he guessed with a sigh.

  Eden attempted a light laugh, flicking her head back in a careless gesture. ‘Don’t be silly, Tim. I’m not a child who doesn’t know the facts of life.’

  ‘No, but you are an innocent, no matter how assured you like to act. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.’

  ‘I’m not upset.’ Her attempt to laugh it off sounded dismal even to her own ears.

  ‘Shocked, then.’

  ‘I’m not that either,’ she lied. ‘Good heavens, Tim, this is the twentieth century, and you’re quite old enough to do what you want, with whom you want.’

  ‘Yes, but—’

  ‘Let’s drop the subject, Tim,’ she said sharply, uncertain in her own mind why she was so shocked by his disclosure. She was aware that most of her friends freely engaged in sexual relations with their boy-friends. Why should Tim be any different from them, especially with the temptations he must have had? She was being stupid, childish, all the things he accused her of being, and yet she couldn’t stop herself. ‘Where are we going tonight?’ she herself changed the subject.

  ‘Delanie’s. Claire will be meeting us there later. She and her date are having dinner elsewhere.’ Claire was Tim’s older sister, a hard-headed career woman who had sacrificed any idea of marriage in preference to running the popular woman’s magazine she edited. She had little time for men and Eden was surprised at her having a date this evening. Not that Claire Channing wasn’t beautiful, she was, extremely so, but her intelligence and ambition often frightened away any would-be boy-friends. Besides, no man liked to date a woman who was earning more money than they were.

  ‘I didn’t realise she had a boy-friend,’ Eden couldn’t hide her curiosity.

  Tim grinned. ‘She doesn’t. This is an old friend, someone she’s known for years. Whenever he’s in town she drops everything to go out with him.’

  He must be something to affect the supremely confident and hardened Claire in this way. Eden felt a burning curiosity about the man who could make Claire forget her job. She herself liked Claire, had tremendous respect for her, but given the same choice, a career or marriage, Eden felt sure she would choose quite differently. But then Claire was nothing like her.

  ‘Have I ever met him?’ she asked now.

  He shook his head. ‘It must be six months since he was last here. But don’t worry, you’ll like him, most women do. Although I don’t want you to like him too much,’ he added hurriedly. ‘And don’t be bowled over by his charm.’

  ‘Is that likely?’

  ‘Oh yes.’

  Eden could feel herself starting to relax, the tension starting to leave her body. She laughed huskily, back on a footing with Tim she could cope with. ‘Could I make you jealous, Tim?’ she teased.

  ‘All too easily. Although I wouldn’t recommend it tonight, Claire is likely to do you an injury if you attempt to steal him away from her.’

  ‘She likes him that much?’

  ‘And the rest. She would marry him tomorrow if he asked her.’

  ‘And will he?’ So there was someone Claire considered more important than her career!

  ‘Not in a million years,’ Tim said with brutal honesty.

  ‘Does Claire know that?’

  ‘Oh, sure. But where he’s concerned she isn’t too proud to accept any crumbs he cares to give her.’

  ‘You mean…’

  Tim laughed softly at her expression. ‘Poor Eden
, this is your night for shocks. Yes, I mean they’re lovers.’

  ‘And yet it’s six months since she last saw him?’ She was dumbfounded.

  He nodded. ‘But it could be six years and she’d still go running when he snapped his fingers.’

  It didn’t sound like the Claire she knew, the Claire who could handle the advances of any man with chilling hauteur. ‘Doesn’t it bother you?’ she asked.

  ‘Why should it bother me? Claire’s a big girl, she makes her own decisions.’

  ‘Yes, but—’

  ‘I’m not her keeper, Eden. If she chooses to make a fool of herself every time the guy comes to town that’s up to her. She wouldn’t thank me for interfering.’

  She could well imagine she wouldn’t. ‘Perhaps not, but—’

  ‘Wait until you’ve met him, Eden, and see for yourself how she changes in his company. No one could fight that.’

  ‘You like this man, don’t you,’ she stated with certainty, noting a certain respect when he spoke of the other man.

  ‘Sure I like him.’ Tim parked the car, turning in his seat to look at her. ‘Have you been put off the Channing family by these blunt revelations? Has it shocked you too much?’

  She was a little less sure of her feelings towards him, but she wasn’t going to admit that to him, to show her naïveté any more clearly than she already had. She smiled brightly. ‘Of course not.’

  He caressed one of her creamy cheeks with long gentle fingers. ‘I’m glad about that, because I do care for you, Eden, more than for any other girl I’ve ever dated. I wouldn’t like you to think I’d frightened you off me.’

  He had a little, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. ‘I’m not easily frightened,’ she said jokingly. ‘Now, shall we go in?’

  Tim straightened in his seat before getting out to come round and open her car door for her. He wrapped her jacket more firmly about her by pulling the lapels close together, bending to kiss her lightly on the nose. ‘Don’t go away,’ he ordered huskily, moving to lock the car before coming back to her side, his arm about her shoulders as he held her to his side. ‘I wish Claire wasn’t joining us now, we could have ducked out and gone somewhere to be alone.’

  ‘With what in mind?’ Her golden eyes were guarded.

  ‘Now, Eden,’ he rebuked gently. ‘Haven’t I always behaved perfectly with you?’

  ‘Perfectly,’ she agreed.

  ‘And I’m not going to behave any differently now. I respect and like you too much. Okay?’

  ‘Thank you,’ she smiled at him shyly.

  ‘Mm, now forget the conversation we had in the car. I’m a nice guy, remember?’

  ‘I remember,’ she laughed.

  And she did try to keep that thought in mind during the next hour, tried to get back on the mildly flirtatious footing they had always been on. But something had changed between them, a new awareness there that hadn’t been in their relationship before. But she hid her uncertainty with him well, joining in with his lighthearted bantering with a gaiety she hoped only she knew was forced.

  His admission of experience shouldn’t have had this effect on her, she had been out with other boys who she knew had an equal experience. And yet she had been getting very fond of Tim, more than fond, and she didn’t like to think there had been other girls in his life who had shared an intimate knowledge with him.

  She felt a certain amount of relief therefore when he announced the arrival of his sister and her escort. He stood up. ‘Try not to show your disapproval,’ he bent down to whisper in her ear.

  ‘Oh, I wouldn’t!’ she told him indignantly.

  He grinned down at her. ‘I know it.’

  She acknowledged his teasing with a smile before turning to look at the approaching couple. What she saw made her gasp, and her face pale. Pushing her way through the crowds of people was Tim’s sister Claire, looking breathtakingly beautiful as usual, her long sun-bleached blond hair waving glowingly down her back, her perfect face alight with pleasure, the deep red halter-necked dress she wore moulded to her slender curves.

  But it wasn’t Tim’s sister who made her gasp, it was her escort. Looking arrogantly confident, his hand resting lightly on Claire’s elbow as he guided her towards their table, was Jason Earle! And by the look on his face as he recognised Eden he was no more pleased to see her here than she was him.

  CHAPTER TWO

  EDEN stared at him with open-mouthed amazement. Not because he had lied when he said he had a business dinner, she couldn’t give a damn about that; she was amazed because of what Tim had said about his sister and this man. If what Tim said was true, and she had no reason to doubt it, then the fact that this man was also involved with Isobel Morton put no restrictions on him at all.

  The two men were shaking hands. ‘Good to see you again, Jason.’ Tim’s pleasure in meeting the other man again was obvious.

  ‘Tim,’ Jason Earle nodded his greeting.

  ‘Let me introduce you to Eden,’ Tim said with pride. ‘Eden, this is Jason Earle. Jason, my girl-friend, Eden Shaw.’

  ‘Miss Shaw,’ Jason Earle’s handshake was very formal, although the mocking enquiry in those steely grey eyes was not.

  ‘Mr Earle,’ she returned equally formally.

  Claire sat down in the chair Jason pulled out for her, smiling goodhumouredly. ‘I hope you two are going to drop this Mr and Miss bit,’ she laughed. ‘Eden and Jason would be so much more friendly.’

  Eden was well aware of that, which was why she intended to continue calling him Mr Earle. She had no wish to be friendly with him now or at any other time. How could he turn up here with Claire when according to her mother he was supposed to be escorting Isobel Morton? Didn’t he care if the other woman found out about Claire? Obviously not, by his behaviour in meeting Claire openly. He was probably as sure of Isobel Morton’s feelings towards him as he was of Claire’s.

  He sat between Claire and herself, very much the man in control as he ordered drinks for them all. He turned to Claire. ‘Miss Shaw and I are not friends, and so unless she asks me to I couldn’t possibly call her by her first name.’

  ‘Oh, don’t be so chilling, Jason,’ Claire glowed up at him, looking much younger than her thirty years. ‘Forget your stiff English manners for once.’

  He smiled at her. ‘It isn’t a question of my stiff English manners,’ he told her smoothly. ‘Miss Shaw may prefer me to be formal.’ He turned to look at her, those cold grey eyes seeming to read her thoughts.

  ‘Eden doesn’t mind, do you, honey?’ Tim put in.

  Her eyes flashed her dislike as those steely grey eyes continued to look at her. Jason Earle had deliberately put her in this position, his quiet mockery telling her he knew exactly what she had intended doing. She looked away from him with a tightening of her mouth, sipping her drink before answering. ‘No, I don’t mind,’ she said finally. ‘Why should I?’

  Jason Earle bowed his head in mock acknowledgement. ‘Thank you—Eden.’

  She gave him a brittle smile. ‘That’s perfectly all right—Jason.’

  ‘Good, that’s settled then,’ Claire settled more comfortably in her seat, her hand reaching out to entwine with Jason’s. ‘We’ve just had a lovely meal, haven’t we, darling?’

  ‘It was—enjoyable,’ he agreed.

  Claire laughed. ‘How you English love to understate things! But perhaps it wasn’t the meal that was so enjoyable, perhaps it was the company.’

  ‘You flatter me, my dear.’

  Eden looked away, sickened by the adoration Claire made no effort to hide. It probably wouldn’t have been so bad if Claire wasn’t normally such a levelheaded person, but to see her so captivated by this man was completely out of character. And Jason Earle accepted her adoration as his due, played with her emotions like a master fiddler.

  Eden’s contempt for the man grew as the evening progressed, and a couple of times she had to actually bite her tongue to stop herself being openly rude to him. She stood up with a cert
ain amount of relief when Tim once again asked her to dance.

  Jason Earle stood up too. ‘Would you mind if I had this dance with Eden?’ His request was directed at Tim.

  Tim raised surprised eyebrows, giving his sister a quick look. He shrugged. ‘I suppose not. Eden?’

  She drew a ragged breath, her annoyance deepening at the challenge she could read in Jason Earle’s expression. ‘I have no objection,’ she accepted coolly.

  He guided her to a space on the dance floor, pulling her into his arms to move slowly to the rhythm of the music. The top of her head on a level with his chin, Eden was very aware of the tangy smell of his aftershave and the less tangible smell of his body, a completely male smell that wasn’t unpleasant, in fact, the opposite.

  The group on the stage was one she particularly liked, their music soft and romantic, and she had to stop herself from relaxing against the taut hardness of this man’s body, to resist the temptation to yield against the arms clasped about her waist. She had been surprised by the way he had made no effort to dance more formally, holding her lightly to him, his warm breath softly fanning the hair at her temple.

  The tension between them was unmistakable and finally Eden could stand it no longer, throwing back her head to look at him. ‘Your business dinner turned out to be more enjoyable than you anticipated,’ she said sarcastically.

  ‘Not at all,’ he returned smoothly, meeting her gaze unflinchingly. ‘I always enjoy my dinners with Claire.’

  Her mouth turned back sneeringly. ‘So Tim has been telling me.’

  He smiled, a completely natural smile that made her breath catch in her throat. He really was a most attractive individual, and perhaps Claire’s infatuation with him wasn’t so difficult to accept after all. ‘I’m sure he has,’ he acknowledged softly.

  Eden looked away from that smiling mouth, determined not to be affected by the charm he could display when he chose to. ‘You really had no need to lie about your dinner date being a business one,’ she told him. ‘We didn’t particularly want you to stay anyway.’