‘Did you ask him? Did you ask her?’
Her harrumphed. ‘He may not have forced himself on her, but I’ve no doubt it would’ve been his idea.’ He wasn’t waiting for an answer. Instead he slung something into the apartment across the floor. ‘You left these behind last night, mate. Don’t you ever come near my daughter again.’ And he didn’t even look at Amelia when he left this time.
She shut the door, leaned against it, her heart still pounding. But her eyes fell on whatever Nathan had thrown inside and she went to pick it up. She handed the packet to Kyle and her heart sank a little. ‘Yours, I believe.’ Condoms.
‘Notice it’s unopened,’ Kyle said defensively. ‘And also take note, they’re not mine!’
‘Pull the other one.’ This time Paul’s comment incited such a rage that Kyle nearly flew at him.
‘Into your bedroom, now, Kyle!’ Amelia instructed. ‘Now!’
The thing about Kyle was that no matter what trouble he got into, no matter the arguments, he did respect her. She knew it and he knew it. And he retreated into his own space, away from trouble.
‘Wait here,’ she told Paul. ‘I’m getting dressed.’
‘You can order me into the bedroom like that too if you like,’ he teased, his eyebrows raised suggestively, but her look kept him rooted to the spot.
She was back in lightning time so Paul and Kyle would have no time to start their war again. The navy-and-white snowman pyjamas she was now wearing were ones she’d bought at the markets earlier and they were snuggly and warm. Just a shame the atmosphere wasn’t.
‘Cute PJs,’ said Paul, but she went behind the kitchen counter to avoid him reaching for her. ‘You’re angry.’
‘I wish people would give Kyle a chance, not assume the worst.’
‘Who’s the bloke?’ he asked.
‘Nathan.’
‘Who is he? And who’s Scarlett?’
Amelia filled him in on the goings on since they’d arrived and Paul concluded, ‘Wow, never thought Kyle had it in him.’
‘Had what in him?’
‘To be a fast worker, with the girls.’ He seemed impressed for some reason. ‘But he’s bringing trouble to your door again and I don’t like what it does to you. I always hated the way your sister took advantage.’
‘I know, you told me once or twice.’ Or was it a million times?
‘I know all about the trouble Kyle got into and I hate that it was impacting your life, our lives too.’
‘He’s family and I love him as if he were my son.’
Paul reached a hand out and covered hers with his. ‘It’s one of the reasons I fell in love with you, your willingness to put others first. You were always thinking of your family and how to make it better all round.’
‘I thought that was one of the things you hated about me.’
‘I never hated a single thing. I found it a lot to handle, that’s all.’
Sitting on the sofa again she said, ‘You and I weren’t together when I came on this holiday, so you can’t be angry that Kyle’s here.’
He tried to kiss her but she turned away. ‘You know, my hotel in Times Square has a great view, it’s the penthouse suite, own bar and a freestanding bathtub in the bathroom. I know how much you enjoy a bath at the end of a long day.’ He did, he knew her well, they had a history and now he was coming back to her asking for another chance. ‘Why don’t you sort Kyle out and tomorrow you and I can have some time together.’
‘I’ll be working at my friend’s market stall during the day.’
‘We’ll meet up in the evening then.’
‘We can get takeaway and eat here.’
‘Let me treat you to a proper meal at the hotel, or out in the city somewhere.’
