The Baby Claim

Joss shook her head in disbelief. ‘This is terribly sudden, Peter! If you were that worried they’d fire you why didn’t you talk to me about it?’

‘When?’ he threw at her in sudden anger. ‘You’re never here.’

‘That’s an exaggeration,’ she snapped. ‘We share a bed, remember? You could have given me a hint on one of the rare occasions you stayed awake long enough to say goodnight.’

‘You know I need my sleep,’ he said sullenly. ‘And lately there’s been precious little to stay awake for. We haven’t made love for weeks. You lust for your job more than you ever did for me.’

Joss felt as though her entire world was disintegrating. ‘You’ve obviously been building up to this for a long time. I’ve been blind.’ She thrust an unsteady hand through her hair. ‘I know you’ve been very quiet lately, but I thought that was for a different reason.’

‘What other reason?’ he said blankly, adding salt to the wound. ‘All I could think of lately were my plans for the new riverside complex.’ His mouth twisted. ‘In case you’re interested, Athena turned them down.’

Joss stared at him in horrified sympathy. ‘Peter—I’m so sorry! I know how hard you worked.’ She frowned. ‘But it isn’t the end of the world, surely?’

‘Of mine, with this particular firm of architects, it most definitely is.’ Peter shrugged his shoulders moodily. ‘Not that it matters. I was never cut out for corporate cut and thrust, Joss. I only took the job in the first place because you pushed me into it. I’m going back to the family firm. Where I belong,’ he added as the crowning touch. He glanced at his watch, then caught her eye and flushed. ‘I’m in no rush, Joss,’ he said quickly. ‘I can catch a later train.’

‘Don’t alter your arrangements on my account!’ She stood with arms folded. ‘I assume this means it’s all over between us?’

Peter swallowed convulsively. ‘I suppose it does.’

‘You suppose?’

‘I left you a letter, Joss,’ he said hurriedly. ‘It explains everything.’

‘How thoughtful.’ She eyed him with scorn. ‘So if I’d come home at the usual time I would have found the bird flown?’

‘I thought it would be easier that way,’ he muttered, and handed her a cup of tea.

Joss slammed it down on a shelf. ‘Easier for you, certainly, Peter.’

He shrugged sulkily. ‘All right. Easier for me. Look, Joss, things haven’t been right between us for a long time.’ He squared his slim shoulders and looked her in the eye. ‘If you want the truth, I’m just not happy with you anymore. You’re older than me, more ambitious, you earn more money—hell, you’re even taller than me. You—you diminish me, Joss. I can’t take it any longer.’

‘I see.’ Joss’s eyes burned angrily in her pale face. ‘So that’s it? The past year means nothing at all to you?’

‘Is it only a year?’ he said with unconscious cruelty. ‘I thought it was longer than that. Anyway, I’m sorry it had to end like this. A pity you came home before I could—’

‘Sneak away?’ she said scathingly.

‘Don’t Joss! Let’s part friends—please,’ he pleaded, and put his hand on her arm.

She flung it away, suddenly unable to bear his touch. ‘Just take your things and go, Peter. A pity my timing was wrong. You could have got away scot-free.’

He stepped back in quick offence. ‘So why were you early?’

Joss clenched her teeth. ‘I just felt like it. Goodbye, Peter.’

He moved towards her, arms outstretched, but backed away in a hurry as he met the look in her eyes. ‘Goodbye, then, Joss. I—I wish things could have been different. If I’d won the Athena job—’

‘I would still be older than you—and taller.’ Her mouth twisted. ‘I never dreamed it mattered so much.’

‘In the beginning it didn’t,’ he muttered.

Joss locked militant eyes with his. ‘Peter, tell me the truth. You owe me that much.’

He frowned. ‘I have told the truth. Hell, I thought I’d even been a bit over the top with it. I never meant to come out with all that stuff about your age—and the height and so on.’

She shrugged impatiently. ‘Never mind all that. Just tell me if there’s someone else.’

‘Another woman? Lord, no,’ said Peter, with unmistakable candour. ‘You’ve always been more woman than I can really handle, Joss. Never had any time—or energy—for anyone else.’

Joss looked across at Adam, taking comfort from the fierce look of distaste in his eyes. ‘Oddly enough, that was the last straw. I lost it completely, made a terrible scene, threw my ring at him and sent him packing. Then I rang a removal firm and arranged to ship most of his belongings to his parents.’ Her mouth twisted. ‘Which is why I’m a bit lacking in home comforts. All the furniture was Peter’s, but I’ve kept the sofa and the bed until—until I buy replacements.’

Adam gave her a probing look. ‘You’ve kept all this secret?’

‘Yes. No one knows yet, other than you.’

‘Not even your parents?’

‘I don’t have any now. And I just couldn’t spoil things for Anna before the party. I told her Peter was away on a course and couldn’t come. She lives in Warwickshire, so it was easy to keep it from her for a while.’

‘No wonder you weren’t in party mood,’ he said dryly.

She pulled a face. ‘One way and another the party was a bit hard to take. Eventually the effort to sparkle was too much, so I spotted that deserted little balcony and vanished for a bit.’

Adam smiled a little. ‘In the circumstances I’m surprised you were so polite when I joined you.’

Joss smiled back guiltily. ‘My first reaction was to snarl and tell you to get lost. But after a while I was glad of your company. It kept me from wallowing in self-pity. It was gallant of you to come to my rescue.’

Adam shook his head. ‘I’m no knight in shining armour, Eve. If the damsel in distress had been less pleasing to the eye I might have felt the same sympathy, but I doubt I’d have done anything about it.’

‘An honest man!’

‘I try to be. I watched your every move from the moment I first saw you. When you did your vanishing trick I seized the moment, grabbed two glasses of champagne and followed you outside.’

Her eyes danced. ‘What would you have done if a vengeful husband had come after you?’

‘Beaten a hasty retreat.’ He grinned. ‘I steer clear of husbands, vengeful or otherwise. I prefer my women unattached.’

‘Your women?’ Joss repeated.

‘A figure of speech.’

Her eyes narrowed suddenly. ‘Are you unattached, by the way?’

‘Yes,’ he said with emphasis. ‘Otherwise this wouldn’t be happening.’

‘Would you like some coffee?’ she said unevenly, very much aware that something was happening.

‘Is that a polite way of asking me to go?’

Joss gave him a long, considering look. ‘No,’ she said quietly. ‘Not if you’d like to stay awhile.’

‘You know I would. And I don’t want any more coffee,’ he said deliberately. ‘Shall I tell you what I do want?’

‘No—please,’ said Joss swiftly. ‘Before Peter and I began to live together we’d been exclusive to each other for a fair time. I’m out of practice at this sort of thing.’

‘What “sort of thing” do you think this is?’ he asked, amused.

‘More to the point, what do you think it is?’

‘A simple desire to get to know you. How about you?’

Joss thought about it, fairly sure that ‘simple’ was the last word to describe her guest. ‘I asked you here for a meal because I was depressed and angry, and you were kind and—’

‘A lot taller than you,’ he finished for her, and Joss laughed, suddenly more at ease.

‘You’re taller than most people!’

‘I’ve never had more cause to be thankful for it than right now,’ he assured her. ‘So, mysterious Eve, come and sit beside me and hold my hand.’

‘Ah, but if I give you my hand will you want more than that?’

‘Yes,’ he said bluntly. ‘I’m male, and normal. But where women are concerned I don’t take, Eve, only accept.’

‘In that case…’ Joss moved from her cushion to sit beside him on the sofa, discovering that the space left by his large frame was only just enough to accommodate her. ‘A tight fit,’ she said breathlessly.

Adam shifted slightly to give her more room, and took her hand in his. ‘You were right,’ he said after a moment. ‘Just holding your hand isn’t enough. Go back to your cushion.’

‘Just how much else did you have in mind?’ Joss asked very bluntly.

For answer Adam slid his arm round her. ‘Only this.’

Joss laid her head against his shoulder, reassured, and the hard arm pulled her closer. It was new, and morale-boosting, to feel small and fragile in a man’s embrace. She leaned against him, feeling safe and protected, his warmth soothing the anger and hurt of Peter’s abrupt departure from her life.

‘Why the sigh?’ he asked.

‘I was thinking how strange it was to be here like this with a man I’d never met until a few hours ago.’

‘But you’re no longer afraid of me,’ he commented.

‘I wasn’t afraid of you,’ she said indignantly, turning her face up to his.

He smiled down into her eyes. ‘Nervous, then?’

‘Yes.’ She smiled back.

‘Are you nervous now?’

‘No.’

‘So how do you feel?’

‘Comfortable.’

His crack of laughter disarmed her completely. ‘Not very flattering.’

‘For me, tonight, it’s the most flattering compliment I could pay you,’ she said with feeling.

He raised the hand he was holding to his lips, and kissed it. ‘If it’s any consolation, I think the absconding fiancé’s a complete idiot. But I’m grateful to him.’

‘Why?’

‘If he hadn’t left I wouldn’t be here.’

‘True.’ Joss yawned suddenly. ‘Sorry,’ she said with contrition. ‘I haven’t slept much lately.’

Adam smoothed her head down against his shoulder again. ‘Relax,’ he whispered in her ear, and Joss closed her eyes, melting against him pliantly.

She woke from a doze to find herself in Adam’s arms en route to her bedroom. He bent slightly to open the door, then laid her on the bed and stood looking down at her.

‘Goodnight, Eve,’ he whispered, and bent to kiss her cheek.

Joss deliberately tilted her head so that the kiss landed squarely on her mouth, and suddenly the overwhelming need to feel whole and normal and desirable again obliterated caution. ‘Don’t go,’ she said unsteadily. ‘Don’t leave me. Just for tonight. Please?’

Joss stared up in entreaty into the taut face, saw him close his eyes and clench his fists for an instant. Then he let out an unsteady breath, sat down on the bed and lifted her onto his lap, his forehead against hers.

‘This wasn’t meant to happen, Eve.’

‘Don’t you want me?’ she said desolately.

‘You know damn well I do!’ he growled.

‘Then show me.’

He locked his arms round her, pressing light, tantalising kisses at the corners of her mouth, but the contact ignited heat which rose in them both so quickly he was soon kissing her with a hunger which showed beyond all doubt how much he wanted her. She kissed him back, exulting in the desire she could feel vibrating through his body as he pulled her hard against him. Their kisses grew wilder, open-mouthed, tongues caressing as his hands sought breasts which rose taut with invitation in response. His breath rasped in his broad chest as he pulled away slightly to shrug off his jacket and tear his tie loose. Joss burrowed her face against him, her seeking hands undoing shirt buttons to find smooth skin hot to the touch. Darts of fire shot through her as she felt him hard and ready beneath her thighs, then he stood her on her feet and Joss backed away from him, her eyes locked with his in the semi-darkness. Slowly she slid the dress down her body, deliberate in her intention to inflame. She stepped out of the pooled silk and lace, then bent slowly to detach black silk suspenders from sheer dark stockings, and in triumph heard the hiss of his breath before he seized her, his mouth hard on hers as he dispensed with their remaining garments. At last he lifted her high in his arms, his eyes blazing with such need she shivered in excitement, and hid her hot face against his throat as he laid her on the bed.

‘Are you sure?’ he said harshly, in the moment before the question was too late. Joss nodded vehemently and stretched up her arms, pulling him down to her, and he stretched his long body beside her and slid his hands down her back to smooth her against him, their hearts thudding in perfect unison at the contact. Joss made a small, choked sound of protest as he put her away a little, then gasped in delight as he began to kiss every curve and hollow of her tall, slender body. The relentless, controlled caresses kindled slow fire along every nerve until Joss was in such an unashamed state of arousal that he abandoned the control, his hands and mouth so demanding they took her to dizzying heights of response. She surged against him, her fingers digging into the taut muscles of his broad shoulders, and he raised himself on his hands, his arms throbbing with the desire surging through his body. He asked a brief, urgent question and she shook her head wildly, and at last his body took possession of hers with a thrust of pure sensation, and she gasped, overwhelmed by fiery, rhythmic pleasure which mounted in increasing levels of intensity until white-hot culmination engulfed them both.

‘What does one say in these circumstances?’ she panted afterwards, when his arms had slackened slightly.

‘What do you usually say?’ Adam said hoarsely.

‘Goodnight, I suppose.’

He raised his head to peer down into her face. ‘Is that what you want me to say?’

‘No.’ Her eyes fell. ‘Unless you want to go now.’

He kissed her hard. ‘No, I don’t want to go. I want to stay here, holding you in my arms all night, and maybe pinching myself from time to time to make sure this is real.’

‘I feel like that,’ she confessed. ‘Shocked, too.’

‘Shocked at what we did?’

‘No,’ she said dryly. ‘I know about the birds and the bees.’

He laughed and kissed her again more gently, running the tip of his tongue over her lips. ‘So what are you shocked about?’

‘That I could have actually begged you to make love to me.’ Joss bit her lip. ‘I’ve never done that before.’

‘I’m sure you haven’t,’ he said, his broad chest vibrating with laughter.

‘I’m glad you find it so amusing!’

‘Extraordinary, not amusing,’ he assured her huskily. ‘If you hadn’t asked me to make love to you it’s possible I might have found the strength to kiss you goodnight and leave, but I seriously doubt it. I wanted you from the moment I first saw your reflection in the mirror tonight.’

‘Are you saying that to make me feel better?’

Adam smiled down into her eyes. ‘No. It’s the simple truth.’

Joss sighed with satisfaction, her mouth curving in a smile he bent to kiss, taking his time over it. When she could speak she put a finger on his lips. ‘You’ve achieved something rather wonderful tonight.’

‘Don’t I know it!’

‘Not that,’ she said impatiently, then smiled. ‘Well, yes, that too, because it was wonderful. But the way you made love to me healed my poor, battered ego.’

‘What way?’ he asked, frowning.

‘As though you were starving and I was food.’ Joss blushed in the semi-darkness as he chuckled and ran his hands down the curve of her hips.

‘That’s it exactly,’ he assured her. ‘For me the entire evening was one long build-up of foreplay. Before I’d kissed this mouth, or caressed these exquisite breasts, all I could think of was this—and this—’

Adam matched caresses to his words with such skill desire swiftly engulfed them again, sending them in another breathtaking, headlong rush towards ecstasy.

CHAPTER THREE

AT SOME time in the night Joss was aware of hands pulling the covers over her, of a warm, hard mouth on hers for an instant, and a whispered goodnight in her ear, then she slept again until daylight brought her back to earth with a bump.

For a moment, as bright sunlight poured across the bed, she wondered if she’d dreamed the prolonged, sensual fantasy of the night.

But one look at the wild disorder of the bed told her it had all been blazingly real. A violent tremor ran through Joss at the thought of it. She breathed in deeply, pushed back the tangled covers and got out, raked tousled hair out of her eyes, restored a couple of pillows to their rightful place, then pulled on a dressing gown and ventured into the hall to make sure Adam had gone. When she found she was alone in the flat, Joss let out a deep, shaky breath. She hugged her arms across her chest, her face on fire at the memory of her utter abandon in the dark. She knew people who indulged in one-night stands without turning a hair. But it just wasn’t her style. Last night had been a first on several counts. Living and sleeping with the man she’d expected to share her life with for ever had been no preparation for the bliss experienced in the arms of a total stranger.

There are names for women like you, Joss told herself darkly, and went off to run a hot bath. She lay in it for a long time, deep in thought, devoutly thankful that no one had actually seen her with Adam. If she were careful enough last night could remain a secret. She was unlikely to bump into her mystery lover again, whoever he was. Not that his identity mattered. Overpoweringly attractive he might be, but after her recent exit from the frying pan she had no intention of tumbling straight into the fire again, with Adam or anyone else. Joss got out of the bath, wincing as certain muscles protested in ways that brought colour to her face to think of them. She dressed hurriedly, and went into the kitchen, then stopped dead as she saw the note propped against the kettle.

Eve, it’s damnably hard to tear myself away, but you might prefer to be alone when you wake. I’m out of the country for a few days. I’ll ring when I get back. Adam.

Heat surged inside Joss. Shaken by the sheer, physical force of it, she fought hard against temptation. Last night, she told herself fiercely, had happened solely because Peter had left her devastated. Adam had restored her faith in herself quite miraculously. Their glorious night together had been a fitting climax to part of her life. But now it was time to get on with the rest of it. Besides, if she saw Adam again there would be no more mystery. Hard facts would be required about names and careers. So if he rang she would no longer be here. There had been a strong, sudden magic about last night. But magic couldn’t be expected to last, or even happen twice. Joss hugged her arms across her chest to steady her thudding heart. Adam was a man of powerful charisma, and in her vulnerable state his passionate lovemaking had provided a quite wonderful salve for her bruised self-esteem. The Eve part of her longed to see him again. But realistic Joss knew that what seemed so irresistibly romantic in the hours of darkness might seem very different if they met again in the harsh light of day.

Early next morning Joss was packed and ready when the removal firm came to take her belongings away. One of the sub-editors on the Post had been searching for a flat in Notting Hill for months. After Peter’s departure Joss had neither wanted nor could afford to live in the flat alone, and so had asked Nick Holt if he and Carrie fancied exchanging their flat in Acton for hers. The Holts had jumped at the chance, and the exchange was carried out at top speed. The new address was less fashionable, but the flat was in good repair, carried a much smaller price tag, and had no memories of Peter—or Adam—to haunt it.

The removal men had finished loading her belongings into the service lift and Joss was about to leave when a youth came hurrying towards her, holding a florist’s box.

‘Miss Eve?’ he asked.

Joss opened her mouth to say no, then flushed and said yes.

‘These are for you, then. They should have arrived earlier—bit of a problem with the greenery.’

Joss thanked him, and gave him a tip. The box held a sheaf of yellow roses on a bed of leaves. Fig leaves, she realised, her heart hammering. ‘From Adam’, said the card, and Joss buried her face in the blooms, suddenly engulfed in the memory of a hard, possessive body taut with desire, of skilled, caressing hands and gratifying, devouring kisses… She shivered, eyes tightly shut for a moment, then took in a deep, steadying breath, blotting out the memory by sheer strength of will. Then she closed the door and locked away a year of her life.

Her new home occupied the upper floor of an Edwardian house in a picturesque terrace of identical houses in varying states of restoration and repair. It was much smaller than the flat in Notting Hill, but it would need less furniture, had a separate front door and private stairs, a forecourt to park the car, and, best of all, left Joss in possession of a sizeable sum of money. Part of this would go to Peter, to cover his half of the deposit on the expensive Notting Hill flat he’d insisted on, due to its superior architecture and fashionable address. But Joss had paid off the mortgage.

Once the removal men had gone Joss telephoned for a pizza, then rang Anna to give her the new phone number.

‘I wish I could be there to help,’ said Anna. ‘Has Peter taken time off to give you a hand?’

‘No,’ said Joss, taking a deep breath. ‘Look, Anna, are you busy? I’ve got something to tell you.’

Joss put the phone down later, feeling drained. Anna had blown her top, said a great many uncomplimentary things about Peter Sadler, congratulated Joss on being rid of such a poisonous rat, then offered to drive up to London that minute to provide a shoulder for her friend to cry on.

Joss had refused affectionately. ‘I’ll soon get used to being single again. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry, Anna.’

‘I do worry,’ said her friend stormily. ‘Hugh was right. He never liked Peter. Anyway, did you enjoy the party?’

‘Of course I did. By the way, who was that very tall man I saw with you when people were leaving?’

‘Which one? I hadn’t met half of Hugh’s friends before.’

‘I think this one was more a friend of a friend.’

‘Shall I ask Hugh?’

‘No, don’t bother. Anyway, I must go. My lunch has arrived.’

Once she’d eaten her pizza, Joss locked up and went shopping for furniture. She ordered a comfortable sofa and pair of tables to hold her lamps, chose a restored brass bed, and arranged for delivery. Then she turned her attention to food. Her unexpected guest had demolished all the provisions bought to tide her over the move. Which was hardly surprising. There was a lot of him to keep fuelled. Joss thrust groceries in a basket at random, controlling a shiver at another memory of Adam’s naked body. Making love with him, she told herself trenchantly, had happened purely because he’d materialised in her life at a time when she desperately needed to feel wanted and desirable again. And though Adam had fulfilled the need, with success so spectacular it overshadowed anything experienced with Peter, she had no intention of seeing him again.

When she got back to the flat Joss put the food away in the new fridge, then collected some tools together and began putting up her bookshelves, allowing herself to admit, at last, that her relationship with Peter had been foundering for some time. He had been all too accurate about their love-life, if she were brutally honest. It had been non-existent on a physical plane for a long time, and his failure to win the Athena contract had merely given him the excuse to break their engagement. But not the bottle to do it face to face. His dismay had been almost laughable when she’d turned up before he could sneak away.

At first Joss had been consumed with hurt and anger. Then fiercely grateful for the work which filled her life. She worked long, irregular hours as a freelance journalist, and regularly filled in for staff on holiday, or sick, or away on special assignments. Her free time had rarely coincided with Peter’s, something he’d fiercely resented. And there’d also been the burning question of a family. She had been adamant about waiting until he earned enough money for her to work less, and do more from home. And though he’d said he was agreeable Peter had obviously lied. As she should have realised. Everything Peter wanted he wanted right now.