Presents, Passion and Proposals. Кэрол Мортимер

Ben had died Beth had told herself that if she never loved again, never had any of those things, then she could never be hurt again, either. Would never again have to go through the pain of losing someone she loved.

      She realised now how foolish she had been to believe herself capable of shutting out all emotion. How stupid, how utterly, utterly stupid that belief had been, when just being here again with Nick and Bekka told her it was already too late—that without meaning to she had already allowed herself to care again. Not just for Bekka, but for Nick too.

      To more than care for him…?

      Beth shied away from admitting even to herself to feeling any more than attracted to him. If she didn’t acknowledge it, then perhaps it would just go away!

      Just as Beth intended getting away from here, the moment her taxi arrived!

      ‘I told the taxi driver to wait outside.’

      She spun round guiltily to face Nick, his eyes hooded as he stood in the kitchen doorway looking across at her. ‘Where’s Bekka?’ she prompted brightly.

      ‘Still listening to the carol singers.’

      Beth nodded abruptly as she gave Paddy an absentminded pat on the head before picking up her handbag. ‘I’ll say goodbye to her on my way out.’

      Nick frowned as he remained unmoving in the doorway. ‘We haven’t finished our conversation yet, Beth.’

      She swallowed hard. ‘There’s nothing else to say.’

      Nick crossed the room to stand in front of her. ‘Damn it, Beth, talk to me!’

      ‘My taxi is waiting—’

      ‘I instructed the driver to wait until you’re ready to leave,’ Nick told her.

      Beth gave a pained frown. ‘I’ve done what you asked me to do and taken care of Bekka while you went to the hospital. I’ve even cooked dinner for both of you. I think the least you can do for me is to let me leave without fuss.’

      His mouth firmed. ‘Run away, you mean?’

      Beth gasped as the barb struck home. ‘That was uncalled-for, Nick!’

      Yes, it had been, he acknowledged self-disgustedly. Uncalled-for and unnecessarily cruel. ‘I don’t want to hurt you, Beth, I just—I want to help you,’ he encouraged gruffly as he reached out and grasped both her hands in his.

      She drew in a ragged breath. ‘You can’t help me, Nick. No one can. Now, would you please just let me leave?’ she pleaded emotionally.

      Nick could see that she was going to cry. He had managed to make Beth cry when all he’d wanted was to—

      What? What did he want from her?

      More to the point, what did he possibly have to give a woman like Beth? A woman who had been so hurt by life, by the loss of the husband and parents that she’d loved, that she had decided never to allow emotion into her life again.

      As cynical as Nick’s own feelings were towards love, he knew he was the last person—the very last person—to give anyone advice on the subject!

      Even so, it was hard to stand back and watch Beth as she left. To know that he had helped cause those unshed tears that glistened on her long dark lashes as she walked away from him…