A Kiss To Remember

Even at thirty-one, Lance was still breathtakingly handsome. The lines around his eyes and mouth did not detract from the brilliance of those beautiful blue eyes, or the sensual appeal of that perfectly sculptured mouth. If anything, they added a very attractive maturity, which Angie preferred to his once almost pretty-boy look.

His body hadn’t changed, though. Perhaps it would have been better if it had. A few pounds of flab to mar its male perfection might have provided some protection from the way it had always affected her.

How was it, she wondered caustically as her eyes travelled with an almost resigned fascination over him, that he could look so sexy in an ordinary pair of grey trousers and a simple white shirt?

A bitter taste invaded her mouth as she recalled the occasion of that unexpected meeting in Sydney, when she’d been flustered and tongue-tied. Angie vowed that this would not be a repeat performance, despite the way her heart was instantly racing.

Her green eyes stayed cool as they lifted to meet that brilliant blue gaze. ‘Hello, Lance,’ she said casually. ‘Long time, no see.’

For a few seconds he didn’t reply as he gave her as thorough a once-over as she had given him. It piqued Angie when his expression revealed a degree of surprise, plus something else that she couldn’t quite identify.

‘Yes, it is,’ he said slowly. ‘I see you’ve changed somewhat.’

‘For the better, I hope,’ came her almost challenging comment as she sneakily moved her glass to cover her left nipple, the one which her hair didn’t reach.

His smile was wry. ‘Hard to improve on perfection, Angie.’

He could not have said anything to annoy her more. For it was so insincere! She found a smile as wry as his. ‘You always did know what to say to turn a girl’s head, Lance. But, tell me, what are you doing here? Is Bud expecting you?’

‘No.’

‘You do realise it’s his birthday today, don’t you?’ she said archly. ‘And that we’re having a party in his honour.’

‘Yes, of course. That’s why I came.’

She frowned down at the bag at his feet. ‘You look like you’re aiming to stay for longer than the party.’

‘For a night or two. But only if Bud has room. I can just as easily go to a nearby motel for the night. I have my car.’

She frowned some more. ‘Are you saying you drove up from Melbourne just because it’s Bud’s birthday?’

‘Partly.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘It means, Angie, my sweet, that my wife and I have agreed to a divorce and I felt the sudden need to get away and see old friends again.’

Angle congratulated herself on taking this news so nonchalantly. At least on the exterior. ‘You’ve left your wife?’

‘Aah, now, I didn’t say that. She left me, actually.’

‘Why?’

His casual air suddenly dropped, irritation flaring. ‘For pity’s sake, Angie, must I stand here answering questions? I’ve just driven all the way from Melbourne. I’m stiff as a board and damned tired. I need a shower and a drink. Your mother wouldn’t have left me languishing on the doorstep like this. She would have given me a big hug and bundled me inside, post-haste.’

‘Indeed. Well, I’m not my mother, am I? And I’m more into kissing than hugging. Would you like to kiss me hello, Lance?’ she taunted, thrilling to the foolishnes of her words.

He stared at her. ‘Are you drunk or something?’

‘No.’ But I’d like to be, came the savage thought.

‘Then why are you acting like this?’

‘Like what?’

‘So unlike yourself.’

She laughed. ‘How would you know what I’m like these days? The only Angie you ever knew was just a kid—a silly, impressionable kid who once thought the sun shone out of you.’

‘Well, it’s perfectly clear you don’t any more,’ he muttered testily.

She could hardly believe her ears. He was actually sounding disappointed that her once obvious hero-worship of him had disappeared.

‘Oh, do stop scowling, Lance, and come inside. I’ll go get Bud for you.’

Bud was as amazed as she was.

‘Good God. Lance? Here?’

‘His wife’s left him,’ she whispered to her brother.

‘Hmm. Doesn’t take too many guesses to work out why. I always said Lance was never cut out for monogamy.’

‘Apparently he drove all the way from Melbourne today because he wanted to celebrate your birthday with you. Says he also wants to stay the night.’

‘Well, of course he can stay the night. He’s my friend! Go tell Loretta we have an overnight visitor, will you, Angie?’ And he raced off towards the front hall.

Loretta was back in the kitchen, this time loading the dishwasher. She took the news of Lance’s unexpected arrival and anticipated stay as cheerfully as Angie’s mother would have, giving Angie new insight into why she and Bud were so compatible.

‘How nice for Bud. He hasn’t seen Lance since his wedding.’

‘Neither have I,’ Angie said.

Something in her tone brought a sharp look from her sister-in-law. ‘You’re not still carrying a torch for him, are you?’

Angie blinked her surprise, and Loretta smiled softly. ‘One would have had to be deaf, dumb and blind at that wedding not to know you were heartbroken that day. Bud told me later that he tried to make you see that Lance wasn’t the right man for any girl, let alone his much-loved sister. Did he succeed?’

Angie shrugged. ‘I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I still find him awfully attractive. But I’m cured of anything more.’

‘I hope so. Married men are always trouble.’

‘He says he’s getting a divorce.’

‘That’s as popular as the cheque’s in the mail,’ Loretta said drily.

‘You don’t have to worry about me, Loretta. I’m once bitten, twice shy where Lance Sterling is concerned.’

‘I know Bud will be relieved to hear that.’

‘I’ll be relieved to hear what?’ the man himself said as he came into the kitchen.

‘That Angie’s cured of Lance.’

Bud looked hard at his sister. ‘She’ll need to be, dressed as she is tonight.’

Angie bristled. ‘Meaning?’

‘Meaning Lance is not the sort of man to ignore the signals you’ve been giving out tonight, dear sister of mine. On top of that, he always did fancy you.’

‘Come on, Bud, you’re living in the past. And give me a break. I’m twenty-four years old now, not fifteen. I think I can handle myself where men are concerned—Lance included.’

Brave words, girlie, that voice mocked inside her head again. Want to put them to the test?

Her brother sighed. ‘Yeah, you’re right. I’m being paranoid. Lance seems to have changed too. He was very quiet just now—not at all like his old self. I think that marriage must have knocked the stuffing out of him.’

‘Where did you put him?’ Loretta asked.

‘In the main guest-room. He’s having a shower. I’m supposed to be mixing him a Scotch and dry and taking it up to him. Since you’re so cured, Angie, you can do that. I really should get back to my other guests. You should, too, Loretta. You’ve been in this kitchen long enough.’

Panic claimed Angie immediately. She wanted to scream out that she wasn’t that cured yet, but the idea of taking Lance up a drink while he was in the shower did have a certain perverse appeal. Who knew what she might accidentally see?

Memories of their swimming together in the creek at home came back in a rush. Lance had such a great body. A swimmer’s body. Wide of shoulder, slender of hip, with long, tapering muscular legs. He’d been a champion swimmer at university, only missing out on the Olympics because he would never take training seriously.

That had always been a problem with Lance. He’d never taken anything really seriously. But that had been part of his attraction too. Serious-minded, deep-thinking Angie had been intrigued by someone who didn’t seem to plan or worry about much.

Not that he had to. He’d been born clever and handsome and rich—the rich part being the most influential in forming Lance’s attitude to life. Everything just fell into rich people’s laps, it seemed. Everything had certainly fallen into Lance’s lap—females included.

This last thought brought a sour grimace to Angie’s face. She threw together a whisky and dry which would have made the heroine in Raiders of the Lost Ark finally slide under the table, and carried it upstairs, wondering what her motivation was in mixing such a stiff drink. Was she trying to anaesthetise Lance, or prime him for seduction later on?

She gasped with shock at this last thought, grinding to a halt on the top landing. But the shock quickly changed to defiance. Hadn’t she promised Vanessa that if a suitable candidate showed up at the party tonight she would give him a chance to become her first lover? Who better than the man she’d wanted to be her first lover all along?

God, maybe she was drunk after all. How many glasses of wine had she had before Lance arrived? Two? Three? No, only two. She wasn’t drunk, but she also wasn’t acting like her usual sensible self either, as Lance had so accurately pointed out at the door. Suddenly she felt even more reckless than she had earlier, and just a little bit wild. Wild as in angry.

Oh, yes, she was angry. Angry at Lance. He had no right to show up here tonight and spoil everything for her again. It wasn’t fair! He would have to pay. She would make him pay. With his body!

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