Burning Obsession. Carole Mortimer

the bedroom. ‘It happens to be the truth.’

      Kelly followed him. ‘How do you expect me to look?’ she snapped her resentment. ‘My father is lying dangerously ill in hospital, I’m hardly likely to look full of the joys of spring.’

      Jordan took brown trousers and a clean cream shirt out of the wardrobe, pausing to towel dry his hair. ‘I didn’t mean you look a mess, I meant the way you look is a mess.’

      She flushed. ‘What do you mean by that?’

      He threw the towel down on the bed, looking at her consideringly. ‘You’re twenty-three and dress like a woman ten years older. Where on earth did get those prudish clothes? You look as if you’re on your way to a funeral,’ he added dismissively.

      The cruelty of his words cut into her like a knife. ‘My father is ill, I would hardly wear a flaming red dress,’ she choked.

      ‘Why not?’ He untied his robe, smiling as she hastily turned away. ‘I’m no different to look at than I was five years ago,’ he taunted. ‘And you used to like looking at my body then—you used to like touching it too.’ He chuckled at the anger she couldn’t hide. ‘And why can’t you wear a flaming red dress? I’m sure it would cheer your father up more than that outfit.’ He made no effort to hide his derision for her smart suit and blouse.

      ‘My father can’t see my “outfit” at the moment,’ she informed him bitterly. ‘He’s unconscious, and has been since the accident happened.’

      Jordan nodded, pulling on the dark brown trousers and cream shirt, leaving several buttons undone on the latter, revealing the thick mat of hair on his chest, this too liberally sprinkled with grey. ‘I ascertained that much from the doctor.’

      Kelly’s eyes widened. ‘You’ve been in touch with the hospital?’

      He gave her a derisive look. ‘Obviously,’ he said dryly.

      ‘And?’

      Jordan raised his eyebrows. ‘And I don’t suppose they told me any more than they told you.’

      ‘What did they tell you?’ she asked desperately.

      He shrugged. ‘Not a lot. Although the coma is apparently lightening.’

      ‘It is?’ Kelly said eagerly, watching as he pulled on the jacket that matched his trousers, the material fitting tautly across his broad shoulders.

      He brushed the damp thickness of his hair back from his face, the style impeccable, as was the rest of his appearance. ‘So they said,’ he nodded.

      ‘Then I must get back to the hospital. I only came back to wash and change.’

      ‘So I gathered.’ Jordan gave her a searching look. ‘You’ve been sitting with him day and night since the hospital discharged you—and I must say you look as if you have.’

      ‘Will you stop insulting me!’ To her shame tears flooded her eyes, their colour even a deeper navy than usual. ‘I—I can’t take it at the moment!’ The tears started to fall, and she began to sob, unable to stop crying once she began.

      She felt Jordan take her into his arms. ‘This is long overdue,’ he muttered gruffly.

      Kelly stiffened the instant he touched her, trying to break out of his embrace, finding that she wasn’t as immune to him as she had thought herself to be the last five years. Whenever she had thought about Jordan during that time, which even though she hated to admit it, had been often, it had always been with the numb removed feeling, with the memory of what he had done to her and their unborn child.

      But now he wasn’t removed at all, and the quicksilver excitement that coursed through her body made her struggles for release all the more fierce. ‘Take your hands off me!’ she ordered in a chilling voice. ‘Before I scream the place down,’ she threatened.

      He stepped back, his hands held defensively in the air. ‘Never let it be said that I held a woman against her will.’

      ‘Is that why you let me go so easily five years ago?’ Kelly said bitterly.

      Jordan’s air of taunting left him, his face taking on an expression of hauteur. ‘You wanted to go.’

      ‘Yes, I did. And I’ve never regretted it,’ she spat the words at him. ‘Never!’

      ‘Not even once?’ he scorned, his grey eyes blazing. ‘Are you telling me that you’ve never lain in your bed at night and wished for me to be at your side? That you’ve never longed for the perfect lovemaking we always had?’

      Had she longed for those things? Not consciously! But subconsciously? Oh, yes, she had wanted him, had ached for him as an addict must long for his particular brand of addiction. But until this moment these longings had never been allowed free rein, any of the more intimate memories of their relationship put firmly to the back of her mind. And yet fifteen minutes ago, at the first sight of Jordan after five years, she had relived every moment of their time together as man and wife.

      Their lovemaking had been perfect, without inhibitions, each partner desiring to give the other the extreme in pleasure. And for all of her initial inexperience Kelly had given Jordan pleasure, had excited him until he lost all control. At the time he had told her she was the only woman to affect him that deeply, and knowing of the tight control he had over the rest of his life, she could believe him. But even that hadn’t been enough for him, she hadn’t been enough for him, he had still needed his other women.

      ‘What did you mean just now about my crying being long overdue?’ She didn’t answer his intimate questions, pulling a shield over the erotic pictures they had conjured up from the past.

      ‘As far as I know, you’ve never cried for the loss of our child.’

      Kelly paled when seconds ago she had been blushing. ‘Never cried …!’ she choked. ‘My God, I cried, I cried until there was nothing left.’

      ‘And when you’d finished crying?’ His eyes were narrowed. ‘Why didn’t you come back?’

      ‘Come back?’ she frowned. ‘To you?’ she scorned.

      Jordan stiffened, his expression darkening. ‘I’m your husband.’

      ‘Oh yes?’ she taunted. ‘And what do you call the beautiful blonde who arrived with you just now?’

      ‘Janet? She’s my personal secretary.’

      ‘How original!’ Kelly drawled, picking up her handbag. ‘Well, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to the hospital.’

      ‘What a coincidence, so am I.’ He moved to open the door for her.

      ‘You are?’ she gasped. ‘But why?’

      Jordan gave her a look of open disgust. ‘I’m going to see my father-in-law. A natural courtesy, I would have thought.’

      Kelly allowed him to take her elbow and guide her out of the hotel and into the waiting limousine. ‘I wouldn’t have thought that relationship counted,’ she said stubbornly.

      Jordan relaxed back against the cream leather upholstery, his hair even darker against the light colour. ‘Maybe it doesn’t,’ he lit a cheroot with lazy enjoyment, the familiar aroma soon filling the car. They were a special blend, made exclusively for Jordan, and Kelly found she had missed their smell.

      Jordan had always liked to smoke one of these cheroots after they had made love, when they would relax in bed together, and Jordan would tell her about his day. Then they would make love again before dozing off into a contented sleep.

      ‘Your father is still a friend of mine,’ he continued. ‘And was long before I met and married you.’

      ‘Yes,’ she acknowledged jerkily. ‘I’d forgotten. I’m sorry.’

      He gave a haughty inclination of his head. ‘I realise you’re distressed,’