Presents, Passion and Proposals

Chapter Three

‘HAVE I understood the situation correctly, Mr Steele?’ Beth repeated as she stood in the privacy of the corridor outside the teachers’ staffroom, talking on her mobile. ‘Mr Steele…?’ she prompted sharply as he still made no reply.

It had been a struggle for Beth to come into school at all for these last two days of term, after she had woken on the morning following that disastrous meeting with Nicholas Steele with a debilitating cough and a sore throat.

She was actually feeling a little better today, but not enough to deal with the lethally attractive and—as one of the school governors and the parent of one of her pupils—potentially dangerous Nicholas Steele!

Her fingers curled tightly about her mobile. ‘Mr Steele—’

‘You can’t possibly be the same Mrs Morgan my daughter talks about all the time!’ he burst out disbelievingly.

Beth frowned slightly. ‘Obviously I have no idea whether or not Bekka has been boring you by talking about me, Mr Steele, but I assure you I am indeed your daughter’s biology teacher, Bethan Morgan.’

‘Mrs Morgan?’ he bit out harshly. ‘The widowed Mrs Morgan?’

Beth felt a familiar ache in her chest at the description: ‘the widowed Mrs Morgan’.

The accurate description.

Her name was Morgan, and she was a widow.

Only twenty-six years old, and already a widow.

Shockingly.

So much so that Beth still sometimes had difficulty in believing it herself. In accepting that all of Ben’s incredible happy-go-lucky life force, along with that of Beth’s parents, had been wiped out in a single moment. Gone for ever, when Ben had crashed the car he had been driving the three of them in two years ago.

She and Ben had been the same age. Had grown up together in the same village. Attended school together. Gone off to university together. Become engaged, and then married once they had both attained their degrees—Beth in teaching, Ben in economics.

Losing both her parents and Ben in that sudden way had been as painful for Beth as she imagined having a limb severed might be.

She certainly didn’t appreciate having Nick Steele—a man who had been less than sympathetic after knocking her down two days ago—call and invite ‘the widowed Mrs Morgan’ to spend Christmas with him and his daughter. As if Beth were some sort of charity case. A lonely widow in need of his pity!

Beth might spend a lot of time alone, might be lonely on occasion, but it was a loneliness of choice; she had spent the past two Christmases alone because she wanted it that way, not because she had nowhere else to go. She had plenty of aunts and uncles, grandparents too, that she could have spent the holidays with. She had just chosen not to—too aware, still, of their sympathetic glances, the awkward omissions in conversation of all mention of both her parents and Ben.

‘Bethan…?’ Nick prompted when the woman’s silence became uncomfortably long. ‘Look, I’m sorry if I seemed less than polite just now, but—’ He broke off with an impatient shake of his head. ‘Surely you can understand my surprise at discovering that Bekka’s teacher, Mrs Morgan, and the woman from two days ago are one and the same?’

‘I perfectly understand, Mr Steele,’ Bethan Morgan came back softly. ‘I also accept, given the circumstances, that Bekka must have somehow forced you to make the invitation for me to join the two of you on Christmas Day.’

‘I rarely allow anyone to force me into doing anything, Mrs Morgan!’ Nick cut in; he preferred to think that Bekka had coerced rather than forced him!

‘I—Excuse me.’ Beth broke off as she was beset by a sudden fit of coughing.

‘Have you seen a doctor about that?’ Nick frowned at the realisation that this woman’s spill onto the icy wet road two days ago was probably responsible for the cold she had now.

That her huskily sore throat was the reason Nick hadn’t immediately recognised her voice on the telephone a few minutes ago…!

‘Believe it or not, I feel a lot better today,’ she dismissed gruffly once the coughing had ceased.

‘Look, I’m coming to school later this afternoon to attend the Nativity Play.’ Nick frowned his impatience, aware that the minutes were ticking by; he hadn’t expected this telephone call to take as long as it was. ‘Perhaps we could discuss this again then…?’

‘I assure you there’s nothing more to discuss, Mr Steele,’ Beth said hoarsely. ‘I’m aware of the honour you’re bestowing by issuing the invitation, of course, but—’

‘Honour?’ Nick echoed sharply. ‘What is that supposed to mean?’

Beth gave a weary sigh, longing to get back to the hot cup of tea she had left in the staffroom. ‘Bekka is a lovely little girl, with a kind heart, and I like her tremendously.’ In fact she still found it hard to believe that Bekka was this particular man’s daughter! ‘But those things don’t change the fact that your invitation is completely inappropriate.’

There was a brief, chilling silence. ‘In what way “inappropriate”…?’ Nick Steele finally snapped.

‘In that it’s totally unsuitable for a teacher to spend Christmas Day at the home of one of her pupils.’

‘I also happen to be one of the school governors,’ he pointed out impatiently.

‘Exactly,’ Beth said with feeling.

‘Miss Sheffield, your esteemed headmistress, thinks that your joining Bekka and I for Christmas Day is “a charming idea”…’ Nick Steele drawled derisively.

Beth gave an inward groan. ‘You told her the reason you needed to speak to me?’

‘I told you I had,’ he said irritably.

‘But—’ Beth gave a dazed shake of her head. She might have more of a problem getting out of this if Miss Sheffield already knew that one of the school governors, and the school’s ‘most influential parent’, was asking one of her teachers to join him and his daughter for Christmas Day. ‘You had absolutely no right to do that, Mr Steele.’

‘Bekka assured me that you don’t have anywhere else to go on Christmas Day, but maybe she was wrong…?’

Beth bristled. ‘My plans for Christmas are none of your concern, Mr Steele.’

‘Look, Mrs Morgan, I have several meetings I have to get through this morning so that I can be free to attend the Nativity Play later today. Why don’t you come out with Bekka and me for a meal afterwards and we can—?’

‘No, Mr Steele,’ Beth cut in firmly.

‘Why not?’

‘Again, it would be…inappropriate.’

‘I’ll let you pay the bill if you think that would make it more appropriate,’ he came back mockingly. ‘Or maybe you imagine that this invitation to dinner is just a preliminary to my trying to get you into bed…?’

‘Really, Mr Steele!’ Beth gasped.

‘Don’t tell me that I’ve actually succeeded in rendering you speechless!’ he taunted.

‘You’re being utterly ridiculous—’

‘No more so than the reasons you’ve given for refusing my invitation to join Bekka and me on Christmas Day,’ he retorted.

Perfectly legitimate reasons as far as Beth was concerned. Besides, she didn’t want to spend Christmas Day with Nick Steele—

She didn’t want to spend Christmas Day with Nick Steele…? Not Bekka, but specifically Nick Steele?

He unnerved her, Beth realised. All that forceful energy and sexual magnetism disturbed her in ways she couldn’t explain. In ways she didn’t want to explain!

She straightened impatiently. ‘I’m not some sort of charity case, Mr Steele—’

‘My invitation has nothing to do with charity. In fact, you would be doing me a favour if you agreed to come,’ he continued heavily. ‘This will be our first Christmas since Bekka’s mother died of cancer, and—’ Nick broke off with a self-disgusted grimace; he was starting to sound as wheedling as Bekka now!

Damn it, he hadn’t even wanted Bekka’s biology teacher to spend Christmas Day with the two of them. He’d been protesting against that happening for days now.

When he had believed he was having a complete stranger foisted on him…

When he had thought Mrs Morgan was an elderly and possibly bewhiskered widow.

Instead she was a young woman in her twenties. A young and beautiful woman in her twenties.

A very prickly young and beautiful woman in her twenties…!

‘And…?’ Beth prompted as Nick’s continued silence began to stretch awkwardly between them.

‘And having a third person around may just make it less of an ordeal for both of us,’ he finished.

Beth moistened dry lips. ‘I hadn’t realised your wife had died so recently.’

‘Ten months ago. And Janet and I had been divorced for over two years before she died,’ Nick Steele explained stiffly.

It didn’t sound as if it had been an amicable divorce, Beth recognised ruefully. Even so, it would still have been a shock to Nick, as well as to his young daughter, when Janet Steele died.

Was Beth allowing the sudden and painful death of Ben and her own parents to emotionally draw her in…?

If she was, then it wasn’t on Nick Steele’s behalf but Bekka’s, Beth told herself firmly. The arrogantly forceful Nick Steele was a man who gave every indication of being well able to take care of himself. And his emotions. If he had any…

She was being unfair now, Beth recognised irritably. Allowing her own prejudice towards the man to colour her opinions; Nick obviously loved his young daughter very much if he was willing to put up with having a stranger in his home on Christmas Day in an effort to make it as pleasant as possible for Bekka.

Beth had preferred it when she had just been able to think of Nick Steele as being impossibly arrogant!

‘I suppose I could go out for a meal with the two of you this evening—’

‘That’s settled, then.’ Nick cut briskly across her tentative acceptance. ‘I have a meeting to go to now, so we’ll sort out the details later this afternoon,’ he dismissed, before ringing off abruptly.

Leaving Beth feeling slightly dazed as she stood alone in the corridor, staring down at her mobile as if it were all the inanimate object’s fault that she now found herself in this uncomfortable position!

‘I have to stay here and make sure none of the girls forgets anything, and then help tidy away before I’ll be able to join you and Bekka,’ Beth told Nick after he had sought her out backstage once the school Nativity Play had ended.

Her shoulder-length hair, now it was dry, was a deep rich auburn, Nick noted admiringly. A deep rich auburn that was a perfect foil for her pale complexion and those blue eyes surrounded by thick dark lashes.

Eyes that somehow managed to avoid looking directly at Nick as he leant casually back against the wall, well out of the way of the crowd of excited and chattering girls as they came out of the dressing room before hurrying off in search of their parents.

No doubt about it. Tiny and slender, in a fitted pale blue sweater that outlined small firm breasts and a flat abdomen, and tailored black trousers that did the same for the rounded curve of her bottom and slender legs, Bethan Morgan was a delicately lovely young woman.

She certainly bore little resemblance today to that bedraggled waif and stray that Nick had met two days ago!

‘Mr Steele…?’

Nick’s gaze narrowed to icy indifference as he realised he had been staring at her for too long. ‘As we’re going to be spending the evening together I think it might be better if you called me Nick.’

Beth continued to keep her gaze on the level of Nick’s perfectly knotted tie, totally flustered by his presence backstage. And totally aware, after her first brief glance at him, of how elegantly attractive he looked in a dark business suit and pale blue silk shirt that emphasised the width of his shoulders and chest, and tapered waist and long muscled legs.

‘Bethan…?’ The amusement could be heard in Nick Steele’s voice.

Beth flicked an irritated glance up at that toohandsome face. And instantly wished she hadn’t as she found her attention captured by amused grey eyes set in a hard and yet sensually magnetic face. A face guaranteed to set a woman’s pulse racing.

Including her own?

Unfortunately, yes!

Strangely—because this man was the complete opposite of the blond-haired, blue-eyed and totally uncomplicated Ben…

Or the young man she’d had a noncommittal dinner with a couple of months ago—her first date since Ben had died.

During that first year after Ben and her parents had been killed Beth had been too numbed by their loss to do any more than simply function on a day-today basis. She had been an only child from a closeknit family. And she had loved Ben all of her life. He had been her best friend as well as her husband.

But once Beth had got over the shock, accepted that her parents and Ben were really gone, she’d had to get out of the place she’d grown up in and where she and Ben had made their own home after their wedding.

London—its sheer size, and the amount of people who lived here—had been hard for Beth to cope with at first. But slowly she had been drawn into the pace of life here, making several friends amongst the other teaching staff, and occasionally joining them on visits to the cinema or out for a meal. A couple of months ago she had accepted the dinner invitation from the young man who came into school twice a week to teach the girls how to play the guitar. He had proved to be a nice, pleasant man, with whom Beth felt comfortable, and although she had refused any more of his invitations the two of them remained on friendly terms.

In sharp contrast to Nick Steele, who made Beth feel decidedly uncomfortable!

She certainly didn’t want to feel this disturbing physical awareness of him!

There was an air of challenge about Nick Steele, a dangerous edge that told Beth she should steer well clear of him. That comfortable wasn’t a word used in connection with this man’s company!

She straightened. ‘I think, for Bekka’s sake, it might be better if we stick to Mr Steele and Mrs Morgan.’

‘In case you haven’t noticed, Bethan, Bekka isn’t here.’ Nick regarded her with narrowed eyes.

‘I prefer Beth,’ she corrected distractedly. ‘And Bekka will be out in just a few minutes, so—’

‘Are you always this uptight?’ Nick frowned; the woman was as tense as a skittish horse getting ready to bolt!

Irritation glittered in her deep blue eyes as Beth looked up at him. ‘I told you—I’ve had a cold, and the end of the Christmas term is always hard work, and—Melanie, you’ve dropped your wings,’ she called out helpfully as she noticed one of the angels had dropped her tinsel wings in the middle of the hallway. ‘I’m afraid you’ll have to excuse me, Mr Steele,’ she told him distractedly. ‘As it’s the last day of term I really do have to ensure that the girls remember to take everything home with them.’

‘And I’m preventing you from doing that?’ Nick drawled with interest.

‘You’re…distracting me, yes.’ A frown marred her creamy brow at the admission. ‘If you tell me the name of the restaurant you’re going to I can meet you and Bekka there later,’ she added briskly.

Nick looked at her intently. ‘Why do I have the feeling you have no intention of meeting us there later…?’

Probably because that was exactly what Beth had planned!

Seeing Nick Steele again, realising how much his ruggedly handsome presence disturbed and unsettled her, Beth had decided it might be better if she just conveniently ‘forgot’ the name of the restaurant as soon as he told it to her. Then, if Nick decided to call her mobile, to see where she had got to, she could always claim her cold as an excuse for not joining him and Bekka.

A plan Nick had seen through easily, it seemed!

‘Don’t be ridiculous, Mr Steele.’ Beth snapped her irritation. ‘As I told you, I simply have to finish up here first before I’m able to leave.’

‘Then Bekka and I will wait outside for you in the car.’

Beth’s hands clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. ‘I am perfectly capable of getting myself to a restaurant!’

‘It’s no trouble at all for Bekka and I to wait in the car for you.’

His silver-grey eyes openly challenged her now.

Remembering the comfort of this man’s car two days ago, Beth was sure it wasn’t any trouble. ‘Very well,’ she agreed tightly. ‘I should be able to join you in about fifteen minutes or so.’

A mocking smile curved those sculptured lips. ‘I’ll look forward to it!’

Beth stared after Nick in frustration as she watched him greet the excited Bekka with a hug. The little girl was as dark-haired and grey-eyed as her father, and the two of them chatted warmly together as they went outside.

Beth felt hot and bothered by this most recent encounter with Nick Steele. Flustered. Agitated. Her heart thumping. Her palms damp. Her legs trembling slightly.

And, as much as Beth hated to admit it, she knew she was feeling all of those things because she was going to be spending the evening in the company of the disturbing Nick Steele…!

Chapter Four

‘DADDY is taking me and some of my friends bowling tomorrow afternoon, Mrs Morgan, would you like to come with us?’ Bekka invited excitedly once she had finished eating her dessert.

To Nick’s surprise the evening at Bekka’s favourite Italian restaurant had gone surprisingly smoothly. Of course that could be because Beth had very noticeably—and deliberately?—addressed very few remarks directly at him, Nick acknowledged wryly. Instead she had confined the majority of her conversation to Bekka, and the two of them were obviously getting on well together.

Well enough, it seemed, for Bekka to issue an invitation for Beth Morgan to join them tomorrow!

Nick grimaced. ‘Mrs Morgan has been so busy at school with all of you that she probably needs to go out and do her Christmas shopping tomorrow afternoon, Beks.’

His daughter turned to her teacher in disappointment. ‘Do you?’

Beth had just been quietly congratulating herself on how well the evening had gone—how little she’d actually had to even acknowledge Nick Steele’s presence when Bekka was quite happy to do most of the talking. And now this!

Of course Beth didn’t have to go out Christmas shopping tomorrow afternoon; she had already given presents to the friends she had made at the school, and family presents had been sent in the post.

But the fact that Nick Steele was obviously as reluctant to have her join them as Beth was to go was certainly less than flattering!

She shot him an irritated glance before answering Bekka. ‘I do have some shopping to do tomorrow afternoon,’ she confirmed; she was going food shopping not Christmas present shopping.

In sharp contrast to the family and friends that had always filled her parents’ festively decorated home at Christmas, Beth would only need enough food to get her through Christmas Day. Which should amount to one very small chicken, a seasonal vegetable pack, and a single portion Christmas pudding with a small carton of cream.

And she wouldn’t even need that if she decided to accept Nick Steele’s invitation to spend Christmas Day with him and Bekka.

She wasn’t seriously thinking about accepting, was she?

It might be worth it just to see the look on Nick’s face!

Perhaps not…

‘But I’m sure that your father will ensure that you and your friends have a lovely time,’ she answered Bekka lightly.

Nick wasn’t conceited enough to believe that every beautiful woman he met found him attractive, but at thirty-five, with one failed marriage behind him, Nick wasn’t naïve or inexperienced either, and he knew exactly how and when a beautiful woman responded to him.

A response Beth was obviously determined not to feel…

That skittishness she had demonstrated towards him earlier certainly hadn’t gone away. If anything, Beth had become even more noticeably distant towards him as the evening progressed.

Irritatingly so…

He looked at her now from behind slightly lowered lids. ‘Perhaps Mrs Morgan doesn’t bowl, Bekka.’

‘Of course I bowl.’ Beth frowned her irritation.

He shrugged. ‘Then why not do your shopping in the morning and join us at the bowling alley in the afternoon? It’s Bekka’s pre-birthday treat,’ he added.

Beth eyed Nick with a frown, knowing too well from his taunting expression that he didn’t really want her to change her plans for tomorrow and join them. That he was just playing with her—like a predatory cat toying with a mouse.

‘I think it’s time we left, don’t you?’ She lightly changed the subject. ‘It’s been an exciting day, and I think someone is ready for bed,’ she added in a teasing voice as Bekka tried to stifle a yawn.

‘Oh, do we have to, Daddy?’ Bekka turned to her father in appeal. ‘Mrs Morgan hasn’t agreed to join us for my birthday on Christmas Day yet.’

And Beth knew, much as she might have enjoyed Nick’s discomfort, that she wasn’t going to agree, either!

A single evening spent in Nick Steele’s company was enough to tell her that she didn’t want to repeat the experience. That she wasn’t comfortable with the way she felt in his company. That she didn’t like the way he made her so totally aware of her own femininity. That she would much rather have continued to remain in ignorance of that body-tingling awareness, too…!

She and Ben had loved each other, had enjoyed making love together and been totally comfortable with each other physically.

Nick Steele’s innate and nerve-tingling sensuality continued to unnerve her!

As if aware of that discomfort, Nick drawled. ‘Come back to the house for coffee and a chat, and I can drive you home later.’

‘No!’ Beth’s heart had jolted in her chest. ‘I mean…’ She gave a slightly flustered shake of her head as she saw the unmistakable laughter in the depths of those silver-grey eyes. ‘I couldn’t possibly allow you to leave Bekka alone in the house while you drive me home.’

‘I wouldn’t be leaving Bekka on her own. I have a live-in housekeeper, Beth,’ he explained mildly.

A mildness completely at odds with the challenging gleam in his eyes.

‘Even so…’

‘It’s civilised to sit and drink coffee together after a meal, Beth.’ Nick signalled to the waiter to bring him the bill.

‘It also keeps me awake if I drink it late at night.’

‘Really?’ Nick arched a mocking brow. ‘I’ll make sure I remember that…’ he murmured throatily—and had the satisfaction of seeing the blush that instantly brightened Beth’s creamy cheeks before he had to turn his attention to paying the bill.

Nick couldn’t deny that he found Beth intriguing. She could only be in her mid-twenties, but in those few short years she had been married and widowed. Which meant she had to be physically experienced. And yet she blushed at even a hint of flirtation from him…