The Playboy of Harley Street / Doctor on the Red Carpet

by Anne Fraser

  The good thing about being behind Kendrick on his Harley-Davidson was that it made conversation impossible. The bad thing was that the feel of his body under her hands was doing nothing to calm her overheated libido. She was relieved when they pulled up outside the hospital and there was some distance between her and Kendrick once again.

  Inside her private room, Sunny was sitting up in bed. Despite her pallor, she was clearly on the mend.

  ‘The doctors say if you hadn’t spotted that I had malaria when you did, it could have been really serious. Thank you both.’

  ‘I think you have to thank Kendrick,’ Elizabeth demurred. ‘Without him, it would have taken another day or two for me to arrive at a diagnosis.’

  Sunny raised her face to let Kendrick kiss her cheek. ‘He’s a bit of a dark horse our Kendrick, isn’t he?’

  Just then two children scampered into the room and Sunny held open her arms as they flung themselves on top of her.

  ‘Hey, sweeties. Did you miss Mummy last night?’

  Elizabeth felt a stab of pain so sharp it took her breath away. She would have given her life to be able to hold her daughter like Sunny was holding hers. Trixie was six. What would Charlie have been like had she lived? What would she have been like at six? At eighteen? As a mother? What would the future have held for her child?

  It was pointless to torment herself like that. Turning away so no one would see the tears that burned behind her eyelids, she arranged the flowers she had brought in a vase one of the nurses had provided. When she swung around a few minutes later, it was to find Kendrick watching her speculatively. She got the impression that he didn’t miss much.

  ‘We should leave you to spend time with your family,’ he told Sunny. ‘We just wanted to say hello.’

  ‘Thanks for taking the time, guys. But don’t worry ‘bout me. At least this way I get to spend time with these two,’ Sunny said, hugging her children close. ‘Although the doctors think I’ll be able to come back to work next week, so I’ll see you both then. As long as you promise to tell me all about the party the next time I see you.’

  They left Sunny cuddling her children. When they were out of hearing range, Kendrick took Elizabeth by the shoulder and gently turned her so that she was facing him.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ he asked. ‘Back there, something upset you. Do you want to tell me what it was?’

  Elizabeth forced herself to hold his gaze. ‘There’s nothing to tell. I’m just glad to see that Sunny is doing okay.’

  She could tell that Kendrick didn’t believe her. He looked at her intently for a moment but said nothing more.

  ‘I’m fine, really,’ she said again. But she wasn’t—not really. ‘I think I’ll take a cab back to the hotel. I’m feeling a little bushed.’

  ‘Forget the cab, I’ll take you.’

  Elizabeth panicked. She needed time on her own. Away from Kendrick’s searching looks. Time to regain her composure. ‘I’d much rather take a cab. You don’t have to keep watching out for me, you know.’ But didn’t a small secret part of her like it that he did? It had been a long time since she’d been able to share her problems. She gave herself a mental shake. Her head was all over the place. She had to get away from him.

  Kendrick frowned. ‘Are you sure you’re feeling okay? You don’t look that great to me.’

  ‘I promise you I’m fine,’ Elizabeth said with as much conviction as she could muster. In some ways the flirting, teasing Kendrick was easier to deal with than the one who looked at her as if he could see into her head. If he was kind to her, she didn’t know if she could stop herself from throwing herself into his arms and sharing her pain.

  He let her arm drop. ‘It’s probably not a bad idea to get some rest before tonight.’ His teasing smile was back. ‘Jack’s parties have quite a reputation. They often go on way into the next day.’

  Elizabeth forced a smile. ‘I’ll look forward to it. In the meantime, I’m sure you have things you’d like to be getting on with.’

  As soon as the cab dropped her outside her hotel, she hurried up to her room. Inside she leaned against the door, and the tears she’d been holding back came in deep painful sobs. Just when she had thought she was coping, something would happen: the simple sight of a mother holding her two healthy children had brought her carefully held-together veneer crashing down. Back there at the hospital, she’d been shocked at the raw jealousy she’d felt when she’d seen Sunny with her two children. She slid to the floor and buried her face in her hands.

  ‘Oh, Charlie. When is it going to stop hurting like this?’

  By the time the tears had stopped, night had fallen. She hadn’t cried like that since Charlie’s funeral and in an odd way it felt good. A quick glance at her watch told her that she had half an hour to get ready for the party.

  Jack had insisted on sending a driver and limousine to pick her up at the hotel. She hadn’t thought to pack a party dress, so black jeans, a glitzy belt and a silk blouse would have to do. After her shower, Elizabeth sat down at the dressing table, putting on her make-up. When was the last time she’d done this? It was hard to remember.

  Her thoughts returned to the kiss she’d shared with Kendrick. She couldn’t remember ever being kissed like that. The touch of his lips on hers had turned her into a quivering wreck. And that had just been a kiss. What would it be like to be loved by him? She shook her head. It was crazy to let her thoughts go in that direction. Hadn’t she told herself over and over that getting involved with Kendrick wasn’t an option? Given the state her heart was in, it was far too dangerous. But back then when he’d kissed her, the world had stopped and the darkness in her soul had disappeared. It had only lasted while she’d been in his arms, but she had to admit it had felt good to forget, if only for a little while.

  Clipping on gold earrings, she surveyed her image with a critical eye. The hot Californian sun had dusted her skin with a light tan and highlighted her hair. At least she looked healthier than the washed-out, exhausted shadow of a woman of a couple of weeks ago. She looked like a woman who could be happy. The thought brought her up short. Slowly she unclipped her earrings and dropped them back onto her dressing table. Apart from having to face Kendrick, did she really want to spend the night talking to complete strangers? Maybe another time, but tonight at least she was better on her own. When Jack’s driver came for her, she would tell him she’d changed her mind. Kendrick tossed the keys of his motorbike to a waiting valet. Set high up in Beverly Hills, the driveway of Jack’s multi-million-dollar mansion was lined with sports cars. Kendrick scooped a glass of champagne from the tray of a passing waiter before heading into the house. The party must have started some time ago as it was in full swing. He scanned the crowd, searching for Lizzie, but she wasn’t to be seen amongst the guests.

  Nodding greetings to actors he knew, Kendrick weaved his way onto the wide veranda that circled the house. Models with barely-there bikinis and young men who looked as if they spent every minute in the gym posed around the infinity pool, hoping to be spotted by Philip or one of the other directors who would be at the party.

  Kendrick was looking forward to seeing what Elizabeth would make of all this. He had the feeling she wouldn’t be fazed in the slightest and would have some amusing comments to make.

  Despite the fact she’d pulled away earlier at the cabin, he was making progress. No woman would kiss a man like she had if she didn’t feel something. She was definitely thawing.

  But the memory of her face back at the hospital kind of spoilt the satisfaction he was feeling. For once she’d let down her guard and he’d recognised something in her eyes that had shocked him. He’d seen that look staring back at him in the mirror after Amy had died.

  Deep in thought, he wasn’t aware of someone coming to stand behind him until two slender arms slid around his waist.

  ‘Aren’t you gonna ask me to dance, Kendrick?’ He was dismayed at the thudding disappointment he felt when he realised the voice didn’t belong to El
izabeth. He unwrapped the arms from around his waist and turned towards the heavily made-up woman standing behind him. He would take Elizabeth’s natural beauty any time.

  ‘Hello …’ What was her name again? Fiffy? Foofy? Something that sounded like a poodle’s name at any rate.

  ‘It’s Fiffy. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten me already?’ Fiffy pouted, trailing a manicured nail down the open neck of his shirt.

  Something had upset Elizabeth back at the hospital. What was up with her?

  ‘We could have a swim. Or a dance.’ Fiffy entwined his arm in hers. ‘Or we could go to your place.’ Fiffy’s plaintive voice brought him back to the present.

  How did Fiffy know about his cabin? He made it a rule not to take anyone there. Until Elizabeth, that was.

  A month ago, he would have taken up the invitation in Fiffy’s eyes like a shot, but that had been before … before his head had become filled with thoughts of Elizabeth Morgan.

  ‘Fiffy,’ he said quietly, ‘I can’t get you a part in a movie. I’ve explained that before. And I mean it.’

  Fiffy’s eyes flashed with annoyance and Kendrick sighed. No matter how beautiful and desirable the woman, anything less than honest, mutually satisfying sex wasn’t for him. He had always been completely upfront about that. These parties were losing their appeal. Maybe he had been to too many of them.

  Kendrick grabbed Jack as he passed. ‘Have you seen Lizzie?’

  ‘She’s not coming,’ Jack said. ‘Something about a headache.’

  Kendrick turned back to the starlet. ‘Fiffy, I really have to go. I’m happy to put a word in with Philip for you.’ Without waiting for a reply, he walked away. He needed to find Lizzie and check that she was okay. Elizabeth knew she’d made the right decision not to go to the party. It wasn’t as if she would be missed. Seeing Sunny’s kids today had shaken her to the core. There was no way she would have been up to making small talk.

  She was interrupted from her musing by the roar of a motorbike and a part of her was unsurprised to see Kendrick pulling up outside. Instinctively she wrapped her arms around her body. She was only wearing pyjama bottoms and a T-shirt as she’d planned to go to bed soon.

  ‘Kendrick!’ She stood up and leaned over her first-floor balcony. ‘What are you doing here? Is anything wrong? Does someone need me?’

  ‘No, everything’s fine. I came to see if you were okay.’

  ‘Okay with me? Why shouldn’t it be?’

  ‘Look, Lizzie. Can I come up? I’m beginning to feel like Romeo to your Juliet down here.’

  Elizabeth laughed, and some of the sadness lifted from her heart.

  Truth was, she was glad to see him. She’d had enough of her own thoughts.

  ‘I’ll open the door for you.’

  But before she had a chance, Kendrick had jumped onto the side railings of the veranda below and with a leap that belied his size grabbed her railings and swung himself onto her balcony.

  ‘Can’t you use the door like everyone else?’ She smiled.

  Kendrick shook his head. ‘Nope. Not while there’s an opportunity to impress a lady. You were impressed, weren’t you?’ he asked in mock dismay.

  Elizabeth had to laugh. It felt good. And it felt even better that Kendrick was there.

  She caught his eye and her breath froze in her throat.

  Every instinct in Kendrick’s body was telling him that he should leave this woman well alone, but yet he couldn’t pull away from her. His heart was pounding as she looked up at him with luminous eyes.

  He placed his hands on either side of her neck, letting his thumbs rest just under her jaw. Very gently he raised her face until her mouth was inches from his. Her eyes were dreamy, half-closed, but he could see in the dilation of her pupils that she wanted him too. And that was all it took.

  He bent his head and found her mouth, tasting the sweetness and running his tongue over the softness of her lips. Taking his time, he explored her mouth with his tongue, increasing the pressure until she gasped and began kissing him back with a hunger that surprised but delighted him. Her body was pressed into his, and he dropped his hands to her hips to pull her closer. The last coherent thought he had as they tumbled onto her bed was that she wasn’t an ice maiden after all.

  Elizabeth lay with her head on Kendrick’s chest, listening to the beat of his heart. Judging by the matching slow, steady rhythm of his breathing he had fallen asleep. Why did men always do that after making love? She, on the other hand, could have jumped out of bed, and … whatever. Not that she wanted to leave Kendrick’s arms. It felt too good. Even while she knew it was a mistake.

  But had it been? Kendrick wasn’t Simon. And if he didn’t want a relationship, neither did she. She was here for another month and after that who knew? She and Kendrick would go their separate ways. Why shouldn’t she find some peace in this man’s arms, if only for a little while? It wasn’t as if she was planning to fall in love with him.

  But haven’t you already? a voice inside her whispered. Even just a little bit?

  The voice was wrong. Dead wrong. She was attracted to Kendrick—sure. She found him unbelievably sexy, but part of what attracted her was the firm knowledge that whatever there was between them wasn’t meant to last.

  She traced the bullet hole on his shoulder with a fingertip and let her hand trail over the defined muscles of his chest, before trailing her hand down to where she could feel every muscle of his hard abdomen.

  He groaned as she moved her hand lower still, exploring the ridges and contours of his body.

  Suddenly he flipped her on her back and was staring down at her with glinting blue eyes.

  He raised her hands above her head and pinned them there with one of his own.

  ‘Do you trust me?’ he asked huskily.

  Her mouth was too dry to speak so she simply nodded.

  ‘Then I want you to lie there and not move. Not a muscle. I want to kiss every inch of you slowly and watch your face while I do that.’

  As he kissed her throat behind her ears, his lips moving slowly, inexorably downwards, her heart was thumping so hard against her ribs she thought it might just stop.

  His mouth was on her breasts, taking each nipple in his mouth by turn, and she arched her back, wanting him. He stopped what he was doing for a second and looked at her, his eyes triumphant. ‘You think that feels good? I haven’t even started yet.’

  Later, dressed once more—if you could call it that—in panties and her T-shirt, she sat between his long jeans-clad legs and leaned against his bare chest, nibbling on the cold lobster he had brought with him from the party. She had grabbed a blanket from the bed and laid it on the wooden balcony. He wrapped his arms about her, keeping her close. The night was warm, with just the merest hint of a breeze, and the sky was studded with stars.

  The crickets chirped in the distance and somewhere an owl hooted.

  ‘I never thought I’d end up in bed with you,’ she said.

  ‘I knew we would,’ he replied.

  ‘Sure of yourself, aren’t you?’ She knew she should have been angry or offended or something, but she wasn’t. She liked his honesty. She couldn’t have borne it if he’d lied to her. All she wanted from him was this simple, direct and honest need for each other.

  As daylight seeped through the window of her hotel, Elizabeth slipped out of bed and pulled her oversized T-shirt over her head. Kendrick was still sleeping. He slept as he did everything—with utter abandon. He lay on his back with his arms flung over his head and the sheet tangled between his thighs. Thinking about his thighs made the heat rise in Elizabeth’s face. Their love-making had been everything it had never been with Simon. Passionate, caring and adventurous. Was she doing the right thing, getting involved with Kendrick? If she hadn’t needed to be comforted, would she have slept with him? But it hadn’t been just comfort, she had to admit. In his arms she had felt alive for the first time since Charlie had died.

  Kendrick stirred in his sleep and frowne
d. Could it be that his dreams were as haunted as hers? Elizabeth realised with a jolt that last night, wrapped in his arms, had been the first time she hadn’t dreamt of Charlie. Although she would never see Kendrick once she had left here, he was helping her to heal inside and she couldn’t regret that.

  His eyes flickered and immediately he was alert.

  He sat up in bed and grinned at her. ‘Hey,’ he said softly, reaching an arm towards her, ‘why don’t you come over here?’

  Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her body.

  ‘What is this, Kendrick?’

  He tossed the tangled sheets aside and came to stand in front of her. His nakedness was doing all sorts of crazy things to her insides.

  ‘It’s what we want it to be. Two people enjoying being with each other.’

  ‘Because you have to know I’ll never get married again,’ she blurted, then felt such an idiot. No one had mentioned marriage. She didn’t even know if they had a future beyond last night.

  ‘Who said anything about getting married?’ The air seemed to cool between them. ‘I was being honest when I said that marriage wasn’t on the cards. If I misled you, I’m sorry.’

  ‘I know you did and I know you meant it, but so do I. I don’t even think this was a good idea.’ She swept out her arm, taking in the crumpled bedclothes.

  The corners of his eyes creased. With his tousled hair and the heat in his eyes he had never seemed so sexy or so dangerous. ‘I think it’s a very good idea. You said last night you didn’t want to think about the past or the future, and neither do I. Why don’t we see what each day brings? No promises on either side. It seems to me as if you need some lightness in your life and, for the record, so do I.’ He pulled her closer and his hands were on her hips underneath her T-shirt. As he ran his hands across her bottom and up across the small of her back she melted into him.

  CHAPTER SIX

  ELIZABETH clutched Kendrick’s waist as if her life depended on it, and maybe it did. Who did he think he was now? Not that it mattered, she thought, suppressing a scream as they tore around another corner, the bike leaning so far it was almost caressing the tarmac.