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Sophie hadn’t returned by the time he’d showered and dressed and it was after ten when he headed downstairs, where he could hear the sound of voices coming from the direction of the dining room. He walked along the long corridor, unprepared for the sight which greeted him.
Because it was Sophie who was the centre of attention—and not because she was behaving in a princessy kind of way. On the contrary. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor right next to another big glittering Christmas tree, and she was playing with his nephew. Against the sparkle of tinsel and the gleam of fairy lights, she lifted the baby high in the air before bringing him down towards her, rubbing her nose against his tummy and making him gurgle with delight as she made a squelchy sound. And sitting watching them, with an overwhelming look of pride on her face, was the baby’s mother, Molly.
Rafe wasn’t expecting the painful shaft of ice which speared its way through his heart as he stood watching her play with the baby—he was outside the charmed circle but had no desire to enter it. But maybe his breathing had altered fractionally or maybe he moved, because both women turned round and saw him. He saw the uncertainty which crossed Sophie’s face as she lowered the baby to rest against her shoulder, but her uncertainty was quickly forgotten as she fielded the playful swipe of a chubby fist as the baby urged her to play on.
‘Rafe!’ said Molly, getting to her feet and coming towards him with open arms and a wide smile on her face. ‘Here you are. Awake at last! How lovely to see you. And Sophie seems to have made a huge fan of Oliver as you can see for yourself.’ She tilted her head. ‘But you really are naughty—why didn’t you tell us who you were bringing?’
Rafe felt his body grow tense, but he kept his smile bland. ‘Because Sophie prefers to keep her status low-key, don’t you, Sophie?’ He sent her a mocking glance as he gave his sister-in-law a hug. ‘And besides, I can see she’s made herself perfectly at home. She has a knack of doing that. Where’s Nick?’
‘Gone to speak to the vicar and to investigate how bad the roads are. Nobody else has arrived and they’re all supposed to be here soon.’ Molly scooped the baby from Sophie’s arms. ‘Here, let me take him and put him down for a quick nap before all the fun starts. You’ve been brilliant with him, Sophie—thanks.’
‘You’re welcome,’ said Sophie. ‘He’s absolutely gorgeous.’
‘I know he is—although I’m heavily biased, of course!’ Molly gave a wide smile. ‘I must say, it makes a nice change to meet one of Rafe’s girlfriends—we only ever get to read about them in the papers.’
But Sophie became aware of the silence which fell like an axe between them the instant Molly carried the baby from the room. She met the silvery glint of Rafe’s shadowed gaze, wondering if she was imagining the unspoken undercurrents which suddenly made the atmosphere seem so hostile.
‘I like your sister-in-law,’ she said.
‘I’m sure she’d be delighted to have the royal seal of approval.’ His voice grew rough. ‘But you didn’t think it might be wise to wait for me before coming down to breakfast?’
From the way he was glowering at her, Sophie felt as if she were in the dock. Yes, she probably should have waited so they could come down to breakfast together, but she’d needed to get away from him this morning. Needed to get her head straight and her senses back to something like normality. She’d been terrified of being caught staring dreamily at him when he opened his eyes, which had been what she’d wanted to do. She’d wanted to stare at him and stroke her fingertips over his skin and never stop, because what had happened during the night had thrilled and scared her in equal measure. The sex had been...
She swallowed. It had been unbelievable. Different from the first time and from the time on the plane. She hadn’t known it could be like that. So dreamy. So close. Just as it was supposed to be...as if two people really had become one.
She remembered his arms wrapping around her and how unbearably excited she’d felt as he’d pulled her close. His kisses had been barely there at first—his mouth grazing over hers as if he had all the time in the world. As if he were exploring her in slow motion and bringing her to life—cell by delicious cell. And when at last he’d entered her, his penetration had been deep. So deep that she had gasped and murmured his name. But she’d murmured a lot of other stuff too, after he’d brought her to that seemingly endless orgasm which had left her feeling blindsided. Things she hadn’t been planning to say but which had suddenly seemed to spring from her lips. Did he understand Greek? She sincerely hoped not. Or perhaps he did. Perhaps he’d guessed she’d been murmuring sweet nothings and that was why he was glaring at her in that accusatory way.
‘I thought it might be easier if I introduced myself, rather than you having to explain it. Get the whole Princess thing out of the way.’ She shrugged. ‘I have to say that both Molly and your brother took it very much in their stride. And besides,’ she added, when his expression still showed no sign of softening, ‘I didn’t want to disturb you. You were sleeping like a baby.’
‘Really?’ Dark brows arched upwards. ‘You seem obsessed by babies.’
‘I was playing with your nephew, Rafe,’ she said, from between gritted teeth. ‘That’s what people do when they meet a baby for the first time. What am I supposed to have done which is so wrong?’
‘Did you tell them why you were here?’
‘Yes. I explained I was hiding from the press and you were helping me. Was that the right thing to say—or the wrong thing? Should I have run a list of correct responses before you? Perhaps you could have written me a few guidelines.’
But he was saved from having to answer by the return of Nick, his half-brother—who was brushing stray flakes of snow away from his face and hair.
Tall as Rafe and almost as eye-catching, Nick Carter had the same black hair and sculpted features as his brother. Sophie watched as the two men greeted each other.
‘How are the roads?’ Rafe asked.
‘What roads? It’s like a wasteland out there,’ said Nick grimly. ‘And I’ve just heard they’ve closed all the major airports.’
‘You’re kidding?’
‘I wish I was. I haven’t dared break the news to Molly.’
‘Can’t you postpone the service?’
‘At this time of year? With non-stop carol services and a vicar who’s run ragged?’ Nick pulled a face. ‘Fat chance. Which means most people aren’t going to be able to get here in time. Just Dad and whoever his current squeeze is.’
‘And Sharla, of course,’ said Rafe, after a barely perceptible beat. ‘She’s coming by helicopter.’
Something in his tone alerted Sophie’s senses again. Something which had started t
roubling her last night though she couldn’t for the life of her work out what it was. What wasn’t he telling her? What was it about Sharla which was making him so edgy? Or was she simply in danger of reading too much into a casual conversation because she wasn’t used to being inside a private home like this? Sharla was probably as lovely as her twin sister—and Molly was a complete delight.
