‘Yes, unfortunately.’ Diane grimaced as she wound her scarf around her neck. ‘My boyfriend’s not at all happy about it either. He’s done nothing but grumble ever since I told him I had to work over Christmas. I wouldn’t mind, but it’s not as though we actually do anything. Christmas is usually spent vegging out in front of the television!’
‘You’re not alone,’ Lucy laughed. ‘That’s what most folk do.’
‘I suppose so.’ Diane laughed. ‘I know I shouldn’t complain. At least it proves that he misses me when I’m at work…or I think it does.’
Lucy was still laughing as they left the staffroom. They waved goodbye to the day staff and headed to the lifts. The night shift was going off duty and they had to wait a couple of minutes for the lift to arrive. Lucy felt her heart jolt when the doors opened and Max stepped out. He smiled when he saw her.
‘I’m glad I caught you. I just wanted to let you know that everything is looking very positive for Helen’s baby. The echocardiograph is clear and his blood glucose levels are stable.’
‘That’s wonderful news. Have you told Helen and Martin yet?’
‘No. I’m on way to do it now. Anyway, I won’t keep you. I’m sure you’re looking forward to getting home.’
He started to turn away but just then Diane piped up. ‘Don’t forget that you owe Lucy a bottle of champagne, Max.’
‘Do I?’ He glanced back, a frown drawing his brows together. Lucy could feel the colour rushing to her cheeks again as the images she had tried to dispel earlier came flooding back. Max’s eyes would be so deep and intent as they stared into hers…
She took a quick breath to chase away the pictures, wishing with all her heart that Diane hadn’t said anything. However, it seemed the registrar was determined that Lucy should receive her prize.
‘Yes. The midwife who delivers the first baby born on Christmas Day wins a bottle of champagne, Max. You must know that.’
‘Of course. Sorry, I’d forgotten all about it.’ He turned to Lucy and shrugged. ‘I’ll sort it out as soon as I can if that’s OK with you.’
‘It’s fine. Really. Don’t worry about it,’ she said, quickly stepping into the lift. The doors glided shut and she breathed a sigh of relief. With a bit of luck Max would forget all about it.
It was almost eight a.m. by the time Max arrived home that morning. Having left his car at the farm, he’d had to beg a lift and that had delayed him. As he let himself into his flat, he could feel weariness washing over him. He had been on the go for almost twenty-four hours and what he needed now was a long, hot shower followed by several hours of uninterrupted sleep.
The shower was soon accomplished; however, by the time he got into bed, he discovered that he no longer felt sleepy. He closed his eyes and tried to relax, but sleep eluded him. He kept thinking about what had happened the night before. It was as though everything he and Lucy had done was imprinted in his mind and he kept going over and over it, remembering what she’d said and how she’d looked until he thought he would go crazy. He knew that he couldn’t allow himself to get so hung up on her, yet he couldn’t seem to stop it.
In the end he got up and dressed rather than lie there any longer, torturing himself. He made himself a pot of coffee then phoned his brother Simon and told him that he wouldn’t be able to make it for Christmas dinner seeing as he didn’t have any transport. Simon immediately offered to drive over to collect him but Max refused. Apart from not wanting to ruin his brother’s day, he didn’t feel like socialising.
He finished his coffee then wandered around the flat, wondering what to do with himself. What he needed was a distraction, something to take his mind off Lucy and this situation he was in. In the end, he decided to go for a walk. Although it was bitterly cold outside, at least the icy air should help to clear his head.
Max followed the roads without any particular destination in mind. It wasn’t until he found himself outside Lucy’s flat that he realised he’d been heading in that direction all along. Even though he knew it was madness he needed to see her, talk to her, just be with her. It was like an addiction and he couldn’t fight it any longer.
Taking a deep breath, he rang the bell.
Lucy had just stepped out of the shower when the doorbell rang. She frowned as she fastened the belt on her robe, because she certainly wasn’t expecting any visitors. She was tempted to ignore it until it occurred to her that maybe the caller was here to see one of the other tenants and had rung her bell by mistake.
She ran downstairs and opened the front door, feeling the blood drain from her head when she found Max standing on the step. He gave her a crooked grin as he took stock of what she was wearing.
‘Happy Christmas. I hope I didn’t wake you up.’
‘No. I’d just got out of the shower when you rang the bell.’ She took a quick breath, struggling to contain the rush of emotions that were flooding through her. Although she had no idea what he wanted, she couldn’t pretend that she wasn’t pleased to see him.
‘Has something happened?’ she said, hurriedly clamping down on that thought. ‘It’s not Helen, is it? Nothing’s happened to her or the baby?’
‘No, they’re both fine.’ He shrugged. ‘I couldn’t sleep so I went for a walk. I was just passing and thought I’d check that you were all right after last night’s escapade.’
‘Oh, I see.’ Lucy nodded, although she had no idea why he’d felt it necessary to check on her. ‘I’m fine, as you can see, so there’s no need to worry about me.’
‘Good.’ He gave another shrug and she felt a ripple of surprise run through her when she realised how on edge he looked. It was obvious that there was something troubling him and she knew she wouldn’t rest until she found out what it was.
‘I was about to make some coffee. Would you like a cup?’ she offered.
‘I don’t want to intrude…’ he began, but she didn’t let him finish. If something was worrying him then she wanted to help, if she could.
‘You aren’t.’
‘In that case, then, thank you. A cup of coffee would be great.’
He stepped into the hall, closing the door behind him. Lucy led the way up the stairs, wondering if she was mad to have suggested it. Getting involved with Max would be a mistake and she knew it, so why was she deliberately courting trouble? She bit her lip as she led him into the flat because ever since she’d met Max she’d been behaving strangely.
‘This is…er…cosy.’
Lucy looked round when he spoke, an unwilling smile curling her mouth when she saw him glance around the room. ‘That’s how the letting agent described it, funnily enough. If you ask me, I think poky sums it up far better.’
Max laughed out loud. ‘Now I’m in a real quandary. I don’t know whether to agree with you, or be polite and deny it!’
‘There’s no need to be polite. This place is the pits and anyone can see that. Anyone who’s not an estate agent, that is.’
‘If it’s any consolation it would be classed as spacious in London. Even a broom cupboard down there sends the average estate agent into paroxysms of delight.’
‘You lived in London before you moved here?’ Lucy asked, making her way to the alcove that served as her kitchen.
‘Yes. I went to university in London and ended up staying after I qualified. I lived there for over twelve years, in fact.’
‘So why did you decide to leave?’ she asked, filling the kettle with water.
‘I decided that I wanted a complete change of scene after my divorce.’
‘Divorce?’ Water slopped onto the work top as she put the kettle down with a thud. ‘I had no idea that you’d been married!’
‘It’s not something I talk about.’
‘I understand.’ She frowned. ‘Although I do find it strange to learn that you were married when you told me quite emphatically that you aren’t interested in commitment.’
‘I’m not. Let’s just say that what happened had a huge bearing on how I view life
these days.’
Lucy had no idea what to say to that. However, her heart was heavy as she mopped up the water and plugged in the kettle. Max must have been dreadfully hurt by the failure of his marriage if it had changed his whole outlook on life. The thought of him having loved another woman to such an extent was so painful that she felt tears spring to her eyes and quickly blinked them away. She had no right to feel hurt, no rights at all where he was concerned.
‘I imagine we’re all influenced by past experiences,’ she said quietly, refusing to dwell on that thought.
‘We are.’ He paused and she heard the question in his voice when he continued. ‘I get the feeling that whatever happened in your past has had a big impact on you, too, Lucy.’
Lucy bit her lip as she debated what to say. Should she tell him about Richard and the whole sorry mess? It seemed such a huge step to take and yet she realised all of a sudden that she wanted him to know what had turned her into the person she was today.
‘It did. For one thing it led me to move here, and that’s something I certainly wouldn’t have done.’
‘Do you want to talk about it?’
His tone was so gentle that any doubts she had disappeared in a trice. Max obviously cared what had happened to her and the thought made it that much easier to open up.
‘There’s not a lot to say really. I was engaged to this guy when I discovered that he’d been cheating on me.’ She shrugged. ‘I’m not the first woman to find herself in that position and I doubt I’ll be the last, either.’
‘But that doesn’t make it any less painful.’
Tears prickled her eyes again when she heard the compassion in his voice. ‘No, you’re right. It doesn’t. I was devastated when I found out what had been going on. It completely knocked my confidence. I thought Richard loved me, you see, but it turned out that he’d been out with a string of women during the time we were together. That would have been bad enough, but what hurt even more was finding out that he’d been seeing my cousin, Amy.’
‘That must have been a terrible shock.’
‘It was. Our mothers are twins, you see, so Amy and I grew up together. We were always very close but when this came to light, it caused a huge rift not only between us but both our families as well. Mum naturally took my side while my aunt felt she had to defend Amy. It got to the point where they were no longer speaking to each other.’
‘It must have been very difficult for you.’
‘It was horrible. I felt so stupid too, because it had never crossed my mind that Richard might be with another woman when he was supposed to be working late!’
Tears began to stream down her cheeks and she heard Max utter a low oath as he pulled her into his arms. ‘Don’t cry, sweetheart. He isn’t worth a single one of your tears after what he did.’
He nestled her head against his shoulder, murmuring softly as all the pent-up emotions came pouring out. Lucy cried until she had no more tears left, but it was the release she’d needed and once it was over, she felt calmer, able to see the situation for what it was. She wasn’t responsible for Richard’s actions. It had been his choice to cheat on her and she wasn’t to blame.
‘Are you OK?’
Max’s voice was so gentle that she shivered. She felt her breath catch when she looked up and saw the way he was looking at her with such tenderness in his eyes. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to reach up and press her lips to his…
He uttered something rough deep in his throat as he claimed her mouth in a searing kiss. Lucy clung to him as the room started to spin. When he raised his head and looked into her eyes, she knew that he could see how she felt and didn’t care. Maybe it was madness, but at that moment she wanted him to make love to her more than she had wanted anything in her whole life.
Chapter Twelve
MAX could feel his heart pounding. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind about what he could see in Lucy’s eyes, yet how could he respond to it? It wouldn’t be right to make love to her when she was so vulnerable.
He gently eased her out of his arms, feeling his heart ache as he was deprived of the warmth and softness of her body. It was a long time since he had denied himself the pleasure of making love to a woman but this wasn’t just any woman. This was Lucy and he would do anything to protect her.
‘I shouldn’t have kissed you like that,’ he said gruffly, struggling to come to terms with that idea. What was it about her that made him want to shelter her from harm? He had no idea but he couldn’t deny that it was how he felt.
‘It wasn’t your fault, Max. After all, it was me who started it.’
Max had to steel himself when he heard the plea in her voice. It would take very little to push him over the edge and make him do something he would regret. He had to remember that he needed to protect himself as well as her, and hope that it would help to keep him strong.
‘You were upset and I took advantage of that. I’m sorry.’ His tone was brusque and he saw her recoil.
‘There’s no need to apologise,’ she replied in a taut little voice that cut him to the quick. ‘These things happen so forget it. I’ll make us that coffee, or would you prefer tea?’
‘Neither, thank you. I think it would be better if I left.’ He turned towards the door, pausing when she gave a harsh laugh.
‘Don’t worry, Max, I’m not trying to trap you, if that’s what you’re afraid of.’
‘Trap me?’ he repeated uncertainly, glancing round.
‘Hmm. First I lured you up here with the promise of coffee and then I tried to coerce you into my bed with tears.’ She stared back at him and his heart ached when he saw the hurt in her eyes. ‘You’re probably wondering what comes next, so let me make it perfectly clear that I don’t expect anything from you. I know you’re a free agent and very keen to remain that way.’
‘It isn’t that.’
‘No?’
‘No,’ he said firmly. He took her hands and held them tightly, wishing he could explain why it would be a mistake for them to get involved. It was only the thought of what she would think of him after he’d told her that stopped him. ‘I don’t want to hurt you, Lucy. You’ve had a really rough time recently and you’re extremely vulnerable at the moment. It would be only too easy to do something that you’ll regret.’
‘And you think I’ll regret it if we make love?’ she said softly, her eyes holding his.
‘Yes.’ Max had to swallow because his mouth was so dry all of a sudden that it was difficult to speak. ‘You aren’t the kind of woman who sleeps around, Lucy. You’re the kind who needs commitment and that’s something I can’t give you.’
He bent and brushed her cheek with his lips, realising his mistake the moment he felt the softness of her skin beneath his mouth. He knew he should pull back but it was impossible to do so when every cell in his body was screaming that it needed this contact, that it needed more…
He turned his head until her mouth was suddenly under his, so soft and sweet, so warm and tempting that he knew he was lost. Hauling her into his arms, he kissed her with all the hunger that had been building up inside him for weeks. That first kiss may have been wonderful but it had barely taken the edge off his desire. He wanted her so much, wanted to kiss her and caress her, wanted to feel her body under his as they reached undreamed-of heights together.
The thought tipped him over the edge. All thoughts of behaving sensibly fled as he trailed kisses along her jaw and down her neck. Her skin was so warm and silky that he groaned as his lips glided over it. When he reached the collar of her robe, he pushed it aside so that his mouth could continue its journey, trailing kisses along her collar bone to the tip of her shoulder before working his way back to the tiny hollow at the base of her throat where a pulse was beating wildly. He paused, feeling the rapid throb against his lips. He had never wanted any woman as much as he wanted her!
‘Don’t stop.’
Her voice was husky with desire and Max felt every cell in his body rea
ct to it. He drew back and looked at her, knowing what he would see in her eyes, yet even then he wasn’t prepared for how it made him feel. To know that she wanted him this much was like being offered a slice of heaven.
‘I won’t stop unless you ask me to,’ he told her, his own voice grating with the force of his desire. He knew she understood what he meant when he saw her eyelids lower and tensed. It was one thing to invite his kisses but was she sure that she wanted him to make love to her, one hundred per cent certain that she wouldn’t regret it?
Tension thrummed through his body as he waited for her to speak, made him feel so light-headed that it was a moment before he realised that she was looking at him.
‘I won’t want you to stop, Max. I’m absolutely certain of that.’
It was all he’d needed to hear and his heart leapt with joy as he pulled her back into his arms and held her so that she could feel the power of his arousal pressing against her. When his hands went to the belt on her robe, she trembled, not with fear or uncertainty, he knew, but with a passion equal to his own.
His hands were shaking as he parted the front of her robe because he knew this was a moment he would remember for the rest of his life. He closed his eyes for a second while he savoured the thought then looked at her, letting his gaze travel over the lushly feminine curves of her body. Her breasts were full and beautifully shaped, her waist incredibly narrow, her hips generously curved, and his pounding heart raced out of control.
‘You’re so beautiful,’ he murmured. Reaching out, he let his fingers graze over one taut nipple and heard her gasp, so did it again only it was his turn to gasp this time. Everything about her was perfect, alluring, and he wanted nothing more than to enjoy the delights of her body.
He went to pull her back into his arms but she shook her head. ‘No. Not yet. We need to even things up a bit first.’
Max had no idea what she meant and before he could ask, her hands went to the zip down the front of his leather jacket. He hadn’t even realised that he was still wearing it until that moment and his head spun when it struck him how completely under her spell he was.
The Midwife's Christmas Miracle Page 11
