Page 73 of The Night Before Christmas
Whatever you do, don’t mention Guernsey.
‘I was taking it back. Returning it to him. I didn’t want it. Even if it is Tiffany and bloody expensive. Should have flogged it on eBay instead, now I think about it.’
James didn’t even crack a smile.
‘But, er, that’s not what’s important. The important thing here is, the ring means nothing to me. Adam means nothing to me.’
‘I know that,’ said James simply, looking at her directly now. ‘How could he mean anything to you? He’s a lying snake.’
‘Yes, yes he is,’ said Felicity, a little taken aback.
James was on a roll now. ‘Never mind the fact that he used it to turn up out of the blue and “sort of” propose to you after a three-year separation. And then left it on your doorstep. That’s a bit creepy, don’t you think?’
Felicity felt a weird impulse to defend Adam. The fact that she’d known him so long, that they had been childhood sweethearts and all that, wasn’t exactly reflecting well on her.
‘I’m sure he didn’t mean it to be creepy. He’s… lonely, I guess.’
James shot her a look.
‘I mean, I know it looks bad, all this. But he’s a good guy, underneath it all.’
‘You’re not defending him, surely?’
‘No, no. Course not.’
Maybe. A bit.
She moved from the armchair to the sofa next to him and gently pulled his coat from his shoulders in a vague attempt to placate him. And maybe, just maybe, to discourage him from walking out of the door immediately. It was awfully cold out, after all.
Please don’t leave.
‘Look, I’ve told him how I feel. I’ve told him I’m not interested. I can try again, if that will make you feel better.’
James gave a sort of non-committal grunt and then slipped an arm around her shoulders. ‘I know something else that will make me feel better.’
He pulled her into him and covered her mouth with a kiss. His lips felt so natural on hers, somehow, and she pressed herself against him, feeling her whole body respond to his, all thoughts of Adam immediately vanishing. Her blood thumped in her ears as his hand moved round to her back and slid up underneath her top. It felt firm but soft and so good on her skin. So right.
As his lips grazed her neck, she could bear it no longer.
‘Stay,’ whispered Felicity.
But that was clearly not the right thing to say, and she cursed herself as he broke off and looked at her.
‘I want to,’ he said, his voice husky. ‘I want to… so badly. But I’ve got your bloody ex-boyfriend in my head now, and I’m not letting him get in the way of things again. Give me a week. NextSaturday I’m coming to cook for you and then I’m going to get you naked. Trust me, it’ll be worth waiting for.’
Under his gaze, Felicity felt all her clothes disappear in a puff of fire and smoke.
ButI’m ready now.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
They must have talkedit up. The very next day the bloody ex-boyfriend himself came to visit her at work, looking sheepish.
‘Hey, you.’
Adam hovered in the doorway of the puppy room where Felicity was cleaning the floor. Immediately Freddy the dachshund started growling. Adam jumped and moved back from the doorway, which just annoyed Freddy more. He started yapping even more ferociously and Adam gave Felicity an anguished look.
‘Don’t look at me. He hates me, too.’
