‘Will you ever be able to forgive me?’ Emily begged.
‘Of course, you daft creature.’
‘Really? I don’t promise to be perfect.’
‘Thank goodness for that,’ Maggie laughed. ‘I want my own sister, not some fake version I wouldn’t recognise.’
Emily’s expression turned serious. ‘This is the perfect time for a fresh start isn’t it?’
‘It certainly is,’ Maggie agreed, too choked up to say anymore. ‘Now how about we get you home so you can get pretty for Jonathan, and . . .’
‘You can get ready for your dirty night out.’
‘It’s not going to be like that,’ she protested. Emily’s raucous laughter silenced her. Maggie started the car back up and had to ignore Emily’s sniggers all the way home.
* * *
Chad checked his watch as he stopped outside Maggie’s house. She’d told him to come back at six to pick her up. The two sisters were laughing and joking when they returned from their outing which could simply mean the dress fitting went well but with any luck Emily had already apologised. One way or theother Maggie would tackle him about it as soon as they were alone. She wasn’t a woman to put things off.
He strolled up the path and the door opened before he could knock. Emily grabbed his arm and pulled him inside.
‘She’s nearly ready.’
‘Iamready. Some of us prefer to be punctual.’ Maggie’s voice next to him made Chad turn around.
He’d no idea what she’d done to herself, but the breath left his body. Chad smelled her familiar vanilla scent but everything else was an amped up version of his beautiful Maggie. Everything about her glowed, from the gleaming waves of rich brown hair grazing her bare creamy shoulders to the dusty peach gloss on her full mouth and her eyes. He could barely resist the urge to touch her.
‘Do you like Maggie’s new dress? You can’t imagine how hard it was for me to get her to shop for herself today,’ Emily prattled.
‘It’s stunning,’ he murmured. By the parts hecouldsee Chad knew she was hot all over. The simple bronze silk dress skimmed her luscious curves, with the low-scooped neckline dropping delicious hints about her generous cleavage and the hemline barely grazing her knees showed off her shapely legs.
‘I’ve made her throw away the awful green thing she’s worn to every wedding since the beginning of creation,’ Emily boasted.
Thank goodness.If Emily hadn’t done the deed he’d planned to take a pair of scissors to it at the first opportunity.
‘You just wait until you see her bridesmaid’s dress.’ Emily grinned.
‘Please tell me it’s not one of those awful puffy things in a putrid colour designed not to outshine the bride,’ he joked.
‘I promise it’ll put Pippa Middleton’s in the shade.’
He’d no idea what she was talking about. ‘I’m damn sure it will.’Because it’ll have this gorgeous woman wearing it.
Maggie loudly cleared her throat. ‘Excuse me. I am here in case you’ve forgotten.’
I couldn’t forget you in a million years and I’ll prove it to you if I can get you out of here. ‘If you’re ready we can leave.’Please put me out of my misery.
‘Oh, I’m ready,’ she focused her dark blue eyes solely on him and Chad swallowed hard. He held out his hand and she placed her soft, warm fingers in his palm.
The next half-hour was a blur as he drove them to Holland House. They spoke very little and Chad guessed she’d realised he couldn’t concentrate on both the road and her. Finally inside the house he shut Audrey’s apartment door behind them and exhaled slowly.
At last he could touch her properly. Chad clasped his arms around her waist and breathed in her heady fragrance. ‘I know you want to talk,’ he murmured against the soft skin of her neck. ‘But . . .’
‘Later,’ she pleaded, ‘we’ve got all night and right now I want you so badly it hurts.’
‘Where does it hurt?’ Chad’s voice roughened.
‘Right here.’ She took his hand and placed it over her fast-beating heart. He stroked his fingers over the slippery fabric and captured her soft moans with his mouth.
