Bride By Blackmail

‘From what’s been said, the man has only just escaped from one disastrous relationship—I seriously doubt he intends embarking on another. And he’s experienced enough to realise my big sister is trouble with a capital T!’ Andrew dismissed scornfully.

Georgie gave a wry shake of her head. ‘He doesn’t give the impression that he’s a man who runs away from trouble.’ In fact, she knew he wasn’t! ‘Besides, Andrew—’ she turned to him teasingly, deciding they had talked about Jed Lord quite enough for one evening ‘—when did you become so knowledgeable about experienced men?’ She gave him a mischievous smile.

Andrew smiled. ‘I’m twenty-seven, Georgie, not seven!’ he returned.

This was what she liked about being with Andrew: the complete freedom to do and say whatever she liked without fear of offending or angering him. Andrew was so easy-going she was totally relaxed in his company.

Something she had never been in Jed’s!

She frowned as she remembered her response earlier to the brief brush of Jed’s hand against hers when they were introduced. She had thought she was completely over him, that the finality of their divorce six months previously had severed all emotional ties to him. But, to her chagrin, she had felt more than just loathing earlier at his touch…

‘Hey, I was only joking, Georgie,’ Andrew chided softly, misunderstanding the reason for her frown. ‘I’ve never pretended to be an innocent, but neither am I a man of experience myself.’ He gave a rueful shake of his head. ‘I’ve been too busy making a successful career for myself to have too much time for that sort of thing.’

‘You don’t mind that the wedding isn’t until next Easter?’ she said concernedly, knowing that it had been her decision that they wait; she hadn’t told Andrew so, but she wanted time to make sure she didn’t make yet another mistake in her life. Although she was already pretty sure that Andrew would never let her down. Unlike— ‘I just thought an Easter wedding would be nice,’ she added warmly. Especially as her wedding to Jed had taken place at Christmas!

She still cringed at how young and naıve she had been then. How trusting. How utterly, utterly stupid!

‘And it will be.’ Andrew hugged her reassuringly. ‘We—’

‘I hope you don’t mind if we interrupt you two love-birds?’ interrupted a sarcastic, familiar voice.

Georgie stiffened at the sound of Jed’s voice, glancing up reluctantly to see that he and Sukie were beside the sofa. Sukie looked no more pleased than Georgie. Obviously it had been Jed’s decision to come over…

Georgie looked up at him challengingly, his sarcasm not lost on her even if it was on Andrew and Sukie. Hard grey eyes returned her interest, that sculptured face set into uncompromising lines. It wasn’t hard to guess, after his reference to ‘love-birds’, just why he was looking so grim.

But it was no longer any of Jed’s business who she showed her affection to. If it ever had been! Besides, Andrew was her fiancé, the man she was going to marry.

‘Please do,’ she answered smoothly, at the same time deciding to stand up; she did not intend giving Jed any sort of advantage over her!

Petty, perhaps, but that was the level to which their relationship had deteriorated before that final big blowup.

Andrew stood at her side, his arm moving lightly about the slenderness of her waist. ‘My father tells me that your family are in hotels, Jed,’ he prompted with polite interest.

‘Yes,’ Jed answered the other man abruptly while his eyes continued to rest on Georgie.

Georgie, who was becoming more and more uncomfortable by the second, was aware that Jed, a man who had never particularly cared for the social niceties before, was now behaving very rudely by continuing to stare at her. In the same way that their brief conversation at dinner hadn’t been socially polite either. If he didn’t start behaving in a more circumspect way someone in the Lawson family—probably the more astute Sukie—was going to guess that they weren’t complete strangers after all.

‘That must be very interesting,’ she put in lightly, her expression warning as Jed looked at her.

‘It can be.’ His answer was maddeningly unforthcoming.

Like getting blood out of a stone!

Like trying to find a heart somewhere in that stone…

‘You’re an author, I believe, Georgie.’ He spoke mildly.

‘Yes,’ she confirmed warily.

‘Will I have seen one of your books in the shops?’ He continued his line of questioning.

Her mouth tightened. ‘Not unless your taste runs to children’s books, no,’ she bit out tautly, wondering exactly where this conversation was going. Or if, indeed, it was going anywhere!

One thing she did know just from looking at Jed’s face: he had already known what her answer was going to be—if not quite prepared for the way in which she gave it!

So he already knew that she had written and had published a book for children…

How had he known that? There had been no personal contact of any kind between the two of them for over a year now, all correspondence concerning their divorce having passed between their two lawyers. And Georgie had deliberately avoided seeing anyone who might have contact with Jed.

But, nevertheless, she had no doubt that Jed already knew everything there was to know about the book she had written…

Jed’s mouth quirked. ‘I’m afraid not. Still, it’s an—unusual career,’ he added softly.

‘What’s unusual about it?’ Georgie prompted sharply, on the defensive as she glared at him.

He shrugged broad shoulders. ‘Perhaps it’s only that I’ve never met an author before.’

That wasn’t what he’d meant at all—and they both knew it. Even if no one else in the room did…

‘Yes, I’m very proud of Georgie.’ Andrew spoke warmly, giving her waist a reassuring squeeze as he smiled down at her.

‘And what about you, Georgie?’ Jed spoke hardly. ‘Are you proud of your achievement?’

‘Of course,’ she answered him stiffly.

He gave an acknowledging inclination of his head. ‘Is it something you’ve always wanted to do? Or—?’

‘Would you care for another brandy, Jed?’ Sukie cut in firmly, obviously intending to change the subject, not at all happy that the conversation was focused on Georgie.

Which was perfectly okay with Georgie—she wasn’t happy about it either!

‘No, thanks.’ Jed answered Sukie dismissively, not even glancing her way as he did so. ‘Have you always known you wanted to be an author, Georgie?’

Her eyes narrowed on him warningly. He knew damn well she hadn’t always wanted to be an author, that until two years ago her only ambition had been to be his wife, to spend the rest of her life with him.

Which, in retrospect, was no ambition at all!

‘I’ve always known I wanted to be something,’ she replied with firm dismissal. ‘It seems I’ve been lucky enough to find a career that I not only like but which one publisher at least thinks I’m good at.’ That knowledge still gave her an inner warm glow.

‘How do you feel about having a working wife, Andrew?’ Jed looked at the younger man mockingly.

‘I feel absolutely fine about it,’ Andrew came back, sounding perplexed. ‘Most women want a career of their own nowadays—to be more than just some man’s wife.’

‘Do they?’ Jed murmured softly.

‘Of course we do.’ Sukie was the one to answer lightly, linking her arm with Jed’s. ‘Maybe that’s where you went wrong, Jed,’ she added teasingly.

Jed continued to look at Georgie for several long minutes, before he straightened and turned to Sukie, his smile wry. ‘Maybe it was,’ he murmured in agreement. ‘Although, listening to my wife, I would be hard pushed to find anything I did right!’

‘Ex-wife,’ Georgie heard herself correct, heated colour entering her cheeks when she realised—as Sukie and Andrew had no idea of her past relationship with Jed! To them she probably sounded as if she was being rude again.

‘I stand corrected.’ Jed gave an acknowledging nod of his head, lips curved into a humourless smile as he dared her to add to that admission.

It was a challenge she had no intention of taking him up on—they had talked about Jed Lord and his defunct marriage far too much already this evening as far as she was concerned!

‘Are you staying the whole weekend, Mr—Jed?’ She corrected herself before he could do it for her. ‘It’s a beautiful area. I’m sure Sukie would love to show you some of the surrounding countryside.’ She received a grateful smile from her future sister-in-law at this suggestion.

‘You’re right; it is a beautiful area,’ Jed drawled dryly. ‘Unfortunately, I’m leaving in the morning.’

Unfortunate for whom? Georgie’s raised eyebrows conveyed her amusement. Certainly not for her; she couldn’t wait to see the back of him!

Also, she couldn’t believe he was enjoying this encounter any more than she was; the two of them had made their opinions of each other more than plain the last time they had spoken at length together.

‘What a pity,’ she answered, completely disingenuous.

‘Isn’t it?’ he came back, with the same insincerity, laughter crinkling the lines around his eyes as he met her gaze.

Georgie drew in a sharp breath, knowing that the two of them weren’t behaving very well. They really were going to arouse suspicion if they didn’t stop this verbal fencing—right now!

She turned to Andrew, her hand resting lightly on his arm. ‘Shall we go and make our excuses to your parents now, darling?’ she suggested. ‘We’ve both had a busy week, and I’m sure you must be tired after driving down here.’

Andrew brightened at her obvious concern, making Georgie feel doubly guilty. Firstly, because she knew her desire to escape to the privacy of her bedroom had nothing to do with concern for Andrew, and secondly, because she knew how upset and confused Andrew would feel if he knew it had everything to do with getting away from Jed Lord!

‘I hope you’ll excuse us, Jed?’ Andrew said politely. ‘It’s been a great pleasure meeting you,’ he added warmly, shaking the other man’s hand before putting his arm firmly about Georgie’s waist to steer her across the room to where his parents sat, softly conversing together.

“‘A great pleasure” meeting him?’ she muttered to Andrew sceptically.

He gave her waist a light squeeze. ‘I’ll explain later,’ he promised.

Having made her excuses to Andrew’s parents, Georgie could once again feel Jed’s piercing grey gaze burning into her back as she walked to the door, knowing her movements lacked their normal graceful fluidity, but unable to do anything about it. She wouldn’t be able to relax again completely until she was safely away from Jed. Make that until Jed was far, far away from the Lawson home!

Although she did breathe a little easier once she and Andrew were outside in the hallway.

She was grateful for the fact that Jed hadn’t given away their previous connection, but at the same time she questioned why he hadn’t. It certainly couldn’t have been to save any embarrassment on her part; Jed just didn’t work that way.

‘You didn’t enjoy this evening, did you?’ Andrew enquired ruefully, his head tilted as he looked down at her questioningly.

Georgie looked up at him quizzically. ‘Whatever makes you think that?’ she delayed.

Had she and Jed given themselves away after all? It wouldn’t be so surprising if they had; they certainly hadn’t spoken to each other like people who had just been introduced…

Andrew laughed softly. ‘I know, from personal experience, that my family is enough to cope with without someone like Jed Lord thrown in for good measure!’

She frowned. ‘I had the impression a few minutes ago that you actually liked the man.’

Andrew grinned. ‘That was the impression I intended giving.’

Georgie still frowned, not altogether sure she was happy with this explanation. She hadn’t believed Andrew capable of subterfuge, but his explanation now gave a different impression completely…

‘But why?’ Her expression showed complete confusion.

Andrew elaborated as they continued to make their way up the stairs. ‘My father owns some land that the L & J Group is interested in purchasing for yet another of their luxury hotels. You’ve heard of the L & J Group, haven’t you?’

Heard of them—she had once been part of them!

‘Hasn’t everyone?’ she dismissed dryly.

‘Hmm,’ Andrew sighed. ‘Anyway, Dad’s playing hard-to-get with this piece of land,’ he explained.

‘Good for him!’ Georgie came back vehemently. A little too vehemently, she realised, as Andrew looked at her in surprise. ‘Sorry.’ She grimaced. ‘But even on such short acquaintance I got the impression that Mr Jeremiah Lord is a little too fond of having his own way.’

Andrew nodded slowly. ‘He does give that impression, doesn’t he? Makes you almost feel sorry for his ex-wife, doesn’t it?’

Once again Georgie gave him a frowning look. ‘Only almost…?’

‘Well—he isn’t my type, you understand,’ Andrew replied, ‘but I got the distinct impression from Sukie’s behaviour towards him that Jed Lord is rather attractive to women.’

It would have been impossible to miss Sukie’s interest in Jed! ‘I didn’t find him in the least attractive!’ Georgie exclaimed forcefully.

‘I know,’ Andrew agreed. ‘Actually, darling, it might have been a little more politically correct—for the sake of father’s business deal, you understand?—if you hadn’t shown your dislike of the man quite so openly.’

Her eyes widened at the unexpected rebuke. ‘I can’t be less than I am, Andrew,’ she responded. ‘And being pleasant to a man I dislike is not—’

‘Don’t take it all so seriously, Georgie!’ Andrew cut in teasingly, obviously realising he had gone too far. ‘I love you just the way you are.’

Georgie looked up at him uncertainly in the dimmed lighting of the hallway. ‘I love you too, Andrew,’ she told him uncertainly.

‘That’s all that matters, then, isn’t it?’ he murmured, before kissing her.

For a brief moment Georgie froze, still thrown by Andrew’s sycophantic attitude towards Jed a few minutes ago. Not only that, Andrew had actually criticised her for her behaviour towards the man!

But as Andrew continued to kiss her the anger she felt towards him began to evaporate, and she kissed him back with a fierceness that bordered on desperation, knowing that the last thing she needed at this moment was to feel less than sure of the feelings she and Andrew had for each other.

‘Wow!’ he murmured a few minutes later as they broke their embrace, his forehead resting lightly on hers as he looked at her. ‘Perhaps we shouldn’t wait until next Easter to get married, after all?’ he urged huskily.

No! Yes! Georgie was no longer sure about anything at this moment… Part of her wanted to marry Andrew tomorrow. But another part of her knew that, no matter how she might try to shut it out, Andrew’s attitude towards Jed, even if it was purely a business manouevre, still bothered her. For a start, it didn’t seem characteristic of the Andrew she’d thought she knew…

She was also aware that it was seeing Jed Lord again that was making her have doubts about waiting until Easter to marry Andrew…

‘If it takes you this long to think about it…’

Georgie’s frown deepened. Andrew sounded almost sulky…

‘I was only joking, Georgie,’ Andrew assured her as he saw the consternation on her face. ‘An Easter wedding is fine with me. Which reminds me. We really should start doing something towards making plans in that direction. My mother tells me that it takes months to arrange a wedding.’

Maybe it did, to arrange a church wedding, with hundreds of guests invited and a huge reception afterwards at a fashionable venue. But, as a divorced woman, Georgie knew that wasn’t the sort of wedding she and Andrew were likely to have. Something else she really needed to discuss with him…

But not now. She needed to get this weekend over with first, then she and Andrew could sit down and talk about their future together. Including what sort of wedding they were going to have and who the wedding guests were likely to be. The fact that she didn’t want to invite one single member of her family was definitely going to be cause for discussion!

Oh, Andrew knew that both her parents were dead, and that she had been brought up by her grandfather. But he wasn’t a subject she had discussed in any great detail either. Andrew had seemed to accept her reticence, but Georgie wasn’t as sure Annabelle Lawson was going to be so agreeable about it. Especially when the other woman learned exactly who Georgie’s grandfather was!

‘If you’re really sure about waiting, we still have plenty of time for all that,’ she soothed.

Andrew looked at her searchingly. ‘All this discussion about divorce hasn’t put you off, has it?’ he asked.

In all honesty, it wasn’t talk of divorce that had suddenly made her feel less than certain about her wedding to Andrew; it was this other side of her fiancé that she had never seen before.

Nevertheless, her mouth firmed as she recalled exactly whose divorce had been discussed this evening. ‘Not in the least,’ she answered. ‘You are absolutely nothing like Jed Lord,’ she added with certainty. That was one thing she was sure of; she wouldn’t be attracted to Andrew if he were anything like Jed Lord! ‘I can all too easily imagine why his wife wanted to get away from him!’

Andrew looked concerned. ‘You really didn’t like him, did you?’

‘No,’ she confirmed with an inward shudder. Jed wasn’t a man who was easy to like; you either loved him or hated him. And Georgie knew which emotion she felt towards him!

‘Oh, well, with any luck you may not have to meet him again,’ Andrew said. ‘I don’t think my father will keep him waiting too much longer for an answer on that land.’

Georgie looked at him searchingly. ‘Is everything all right? With your father, I mean?’ If it wasn’t, maybe that would explain the difference she had sensed in Andrew’s manner earlier?

Of course,’ Andrew dismissed. ‘Now, it’s time we both went to bed, young lady; I for one am absolutely bushed.’ His words were followed by an involuntary yawn. ‘See.’

Georgie shook off her earlier mood of uncertainty as she smiled at him; it was probably seeing Jed again that had given her these misgivings! ‘I’ll see you in the morning, then.’

Andrew nodded. ‘But let’s not make it too early, hmm?’ he ventured, sounding tired.

‘As late as you like,’ Georgie assured him.

With any luck Jed would already have left the next morning by the time she put in an appearance.

She could always hope!

CHAPTER THREE

‘LAWSON has absolutely no idea you were once married to me, does he?’

Georgie froze in the doorway of the bathroom that adjoined her bedroom, staring across to where Jed reclined on the bed—her bed!—still dressed in the dark suit and white shirt he had worn for dinner, his head resting back on the raised pillows as he calmly returned her startled gaze.

Georgie could feel the anger building within her, was absolutely furious at finding him here, incredulous that he could have dared—have dared—

But why should she be surprised by anything Jed chose to do—hadn’t he always done exactly as he pleased?

Of course he had. And he would see no problem now in invading the privacy of the bedroom allotted to her by Annabelle Lawson if that was what he chose to do. Georgie should have known she had escaped too easily earlier!

Georgie stepped further into the room, relieved she had put on her nightgown and robe after taking her shower. Although she doubted that if she had been stark naked it would have bothered Jed unduly. After all, he had seen it all before, hadn’t he.

‘Get out,’ she told him in a coldly even tone.

Being Jed, he didn’t move. ‘Exactly when are you going to tell Lawson about me?’ he demanded scornfully. ‘Before the wedding, one hopes,’ he added mockingly.

‘I don’t happen to think that is any of your business,’ Georgie responded icily. ‘No?’

‘No!’ she confirmed shortly. ‘I believe I told you to get out,’ she then reminded him forcefully, all too aware of how alone they were in the privacy of her bedroom.

‘I believe you did,’ Jed confirmed, still making no effort to move. ‘Expecting Lawson, are you?’ he continued scathingly, eyeing the pale peach-coloured silk robe and nightgown she wore.

Georgie drew in a sharp breath, her body feeling suddenly warm under the onslaught of that assessing gaze. ‘Again, I don’t happen to think that is any of your business,’ she snapped.

Jed shrugged, sitting up to swing his legs over the side of the bed, his sheer size suddenly dominating the room. ‘Maybe you don’t,’ he conceded hardly. ‘But I do.’

Her eyes widened. ‘You—’

‘You’re looking good, Georgie.’ Jed cut in huskily on her angry rebuke, grey eyes moving slowly over her, from the top of her fiery head to her size four feet. ‘Very good,’ he amended appreciatively.

Georgie’s cheeks were as fiery red as her hair by the time that caressing grey gaze returned to her face.

How did he manage to do that? To make her completely aware, not only of the forceful attraction of his body but also her own body’s response to it? Her skin seemed to burn beneath the silk material, her nipples were taut and pouting, and there was a warm glow at her thighs.

‘You look awful,’ she returned bluntly.

If not exactly truthfully. Jed did look older, there were lines beside his nose and mouth that hadn’t been there a year ago, and now there were flecks of grey threaded into his almost black hair, too. But none of those things detracted from the fact that he was extremely attractive—he’d always been!

And probably always would be, she conceded wearily. Jed was not only a very handsome man, his hard features seeming as if they were carved from granite, his body lithe and fit, but he also exuded a strength, an arrogance, that would always be attractive to women, no matter what his age.

Some women, Georgie amended forcefully. She—thank goodness!—had been irrevocably cured of her own attraction towards him!

His mouth twisted ruefully at her deliberate insult. ‘I see you’re still as truthfully honest as ever,’ he drawled. ‘At least as far as I’m concerned,’ he continued pointedly.

Back to the subject of her honesty with Andrew about her previous marriage…!

‘And you, I see, are still as dogmatic as ever,’ she returned scathingly, not rising to his challenge. ‘What do you want, Jed?’ she prompted sharply.

He shook his head slowly. ‘I’m not sure you want to hear that,’ he murmured softly.

Georgie’s head snapped up. His eyes were now a deep gunmetal-grey, and a nerve was pulsing in his squarely set jaw. What—?

She took an involuntary step backwards as Jed stood up, her eyes blazing deeply green as she saw his look of speculation at her obvious response.

‘Not as self-possessed as you would like me to believe, are you?’ he observed with lazy satisfaction.

‘Even a fox knows when to be frightened of the hound!’ Georgie shot back insultingly.

Angry colour darkened his cheeks. ‘Frightened?’ he echoed harshly. ‘You’ve made it more than obvious—on several occasions!—that you hate me, Georgie. But fear…?’

‘Wary, then,’ she amended wearily. ‘Jed, it’s late, and I—’

‘Frightened was the word you used,’ he persisted hardly.

Maybe because frightened was the right word! Five years ago, as an inexperienced eighteen-year-old, she had been frightened of the intensity of her own feelings towards this man—had sometimes felt that she couldn’t breathe for loving him. Becoming his wife had only intensified those feelings, until at times she’d felt as if she was being totally consumed by him, that her own personality was becoming totally melded with his…!

‘So it was,’ she acknowledged lightly. ‘But, as I said, it’s late, and perhaps I used the word unwisely.’ She sighed heavily. ‘It was—a shock, finding you here this evening, Jed. Perhaps if I had known—’