Page 22 of No Going Back

“For the sake of your reputation.” He didn’t want anyone to think she was only there for an assignation with him. Even so, he couldn’t resist stealing another kiss. “Come on.”

The charity dinner was preceded by drinks in an adjoining function room. Guy took pains to circulate as much as possible, and also ensure that Maddie was included in the conversations. Before long, though, it became abundantly clear that she was born to move in circles such as this, especially when she charmed the Lord-Lieutenant of the county. She was a strong, independent woman, socially accomplished, a partner any man would be proud of, and tonight that lucky bastard was him.

“I think they’re ready for us to go in.”

Her hand rested on his forearm. With a smile, he picked it up, kissed her fingers, and tucked it into the crook of his elbow. “So they are. Shall we?”

They took their place the line of guests and filed into the banqueting room.

Maddie was more than the charming companion of his imagination. As the evening progressed, surrounded by the great and the good, she was as graceful as a swan. He watched her deal with the curiosity of people who’d known him for years and wondered what she was to him. The answer to that was simple—she was so much more than a ship passing through his night.

Unable to resist, he reached across for the hand resting on her lap and transferred it to his. For the first couple of minutes, she continued her conversation with the man to her left. At a natural break, she angled her head more towards Guy and glanced down at their hands. Her gaze lifted to his, and while there was a question in the hint of a frown, the subtle curve of her lips belied any suggestion of displeasure. And he knew he didn’t imagine the almost imperceptible tightening of her fingers on his thigh.

Maddie made the evening not just bearable—she made it far more enjoyable than Guy could ever have imagined. She was the perfect dining companion, and the perfect recipient for his raffle prize, a voucher for a day of pampering at a luxury spa. She’d protested the gift, of course, and as an experiment, he’d tried his implacable Dom look on her. Interestingly, she’d acquiesced with no further objection.

When they’d taken to the dance floor, she’d moved with him as if they were made for one another. She was sweet heaven in his arms, until she’d suddenly stumbled and fallen against him.

“I’m sorry.” She put her hands on his biceps and pushed herself upright.

“Let’s go and sit down. Are you all right?”

With their arms linked, he detected a slight halt in her gait as they returned to their table. He’d never noticed it before, and wondered what was going on. He pulled out her chair at the dinner table, and held her hand as she lowered herself to the seat.

“I’m fine, really, it’s nothing.”

“You nearly collapsed on me. It’s not nothing. Can I get you some water?”

“That would be lovely, thank you.”

Guy poured a tumbler from the carafe on the table. He handed it to Maddie, and crouched in front of her, scanning her face to reassure himself she was as fine as she claimed to be. She sipped the water and gave him a slightly shaky smile.

“I was in an accident a few years ago. I broke my leg, and it didn’t heal quite as well as it should have. Sometimes I forget, and if I move too fast, doing something other than walking in a straight line, it can play up. It’ll be fine, honestly—don’t worry.”

But he did worry. This woman was on his mind for all sorts of reasons, and she’d just unwittingly added another. Sometimes she reminded him so much…

No, he wasn’t going there. Maddie wasn’t Liz, and his interest in her had nothing to do with any occasional superficial similarities.

“Ready to call it a night?”

“Would you mind?”

“Not at all. Let’s go.”

Truth be told, Guy was relieved to have an excuse to leave the party. Wine had been flowing freely, and it was beginning to show among some of the guests. Having already left his bids for the charity auction that would end the evening, he wished their table companions a good evening. With Maddie on his arm, they made the short journey up to their rooms.

“Would you like to join me for a nightcap?”

She shook her head. “You don’t mind, do you? I’m really tired. It’s been a busy week at work, and with my leg playing up…”

“Don’t worry, I understand.” While disappointment crashed through him, he wasn’t going to attempt to persuade her change her mind. If she wasn’t ready, she wasn’t ready, and if she was in pain as well, that was another good reason to let her have her rest. He’d had the great good fortune to have her company for the evening. The last thing he wanted now was to put her in the kind of awkward position that could send her running. “Do you need any help?”

With a gentle smile, she shook her head. “That’s very kind of you, but I’ll be fine, thank you.”

He leaned forward to kiss her forehead. “Then get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll see you for breakfast.”

“I hope so.”

The last, lingering kiss of the evening helped to ease the sting of disappointment. The door of her room closed, and Guy headed to his suite, pulling his tie loose as he went. He tossed his jacket on a chair, followed it with the tie, and toed off his shoes. Thank God he’d had room service deliver a bottle of whisky earlier. A good, stiff Scotch or three should leave him pleasantly numb and unable to brood too much about spending the remainder of the night alone.

“I don’t suppose you happen to have another glass?”

He whirled around. The quiet question came from the direction of the adjoining doors. His heart nearly stopped. Holy shit.

She was… intoxicating. With her hair falling loose in a cloud of dark-chocolate silk, she was the living fulfilment of his earlier fantasies. And nothing could have been more alluring than the suggestion of curves beneath the elegant simplicity of her nightgown. Ivory satin and lace, classic and unfussy.

“Maddie.”

“I like it when you call me Madeleine. It… makes it special.”

“Then spend the night with me, Madeleine.”

“It’ll be my pleasure.”