Sorry about that.’ She tried to smile and failed miserably, sliding her eyes from his face, biting down hard on her trembling bottom lip. ‘I...I don’t know what came over me. The shock, I suppose.’
‘You look very tired.’ His dark eyes studied her face impassively. ‘It can’t be easy bringing up a baby alone. You are alone, I presume?’ he added smoothly, not releasing her as she had expected but tilting her chin with one long finger, looking down at her with that all-seeing piercing black gaze. ‘There’s no husband or boyfriend around to help?’
’N-no. Just me.’ Estelle risked a wary look. ‘I’m OK,’ she added swiftly; ‘’I manage fine. I know this place isn’t much to look at. I know this area’s rough and tatty but—’
‘Stop trying so hard, Estelle,’ Hunter murmured steadily, stroking a strand of hair back from the side of her face, allowing his hand to rest lightly on the wayward curls that tumbled in a glossy mass to Estelle’s shoulders. ‘You’re very young. How old are you? Eighteen? Nineteen? To have so much responsibility at your age,’ Hunter continued after Estelle nodded silently, ‘can’t be easy.’
‘I...I manage.’ Her voice was barely a whisper. For some reason she couldn’t think straight. She knew she shouldn’t be this close, allowing him to talk to her like this, to touch her with hands that were so manly, with their covering of dark, dark hair and strong fingers, but she didn’t seem able to take control, to pull away as she surely knew she should. ‘I...I never thought it would be easy,’ she murmured breathlessly, gazing helplessly up into the dark, angled features.
‘No, of course you didn’t.’ His voice was suddenly husky. Low and soft, glistening with sudden, open sensuality.
Maybe if Estelle had been experienced, if she had known just a little about men, about herself and the effect her wide, appealing eyes and sweet, open expression could have on the opposite sex, she might have been prepared, might have guessed the intention in Hunter’s eyes. But men, real men had never been a part of her life; she had simply never before been in contact with someone even remotely as devastating as Hunter, even remotely as dangerous. All the members of the opposite sex she had ever known had been the usual spotty, awkward youths at school and then college—to compare them to someone like Hunter was about as intelligent as comparing a kitten with a tiger.
So it wasn’t until his head lowered towards hers, it wasn’t until his arms fell from her shoulders to her waist, drawing her close towards his firmly muscled body, that she realised what was happening.
But by then of course it was too late—far too late.
His mouth covered her lips in one swift movement and in that sharp, totally illuminating second she understood the true meaning of sexual chemistry, found herself acquainted with a sharp urgent twist of pure unexpected desire as, shockingly, she allowed him to drag her closer still, allowed his lips to move slowly over her mouth as he plundered the soft interior with a command and ease that took her breath away. Three or four slow seconds of exquisite torture, her mind screaming wildly at her, while her heart hammered in her chest and her body became yielding and supple under the absolute command of his touch, the thrill of his slow, erotic kiss.
When he finally released her and the madness ended as swiftly as it had begun, she was shaking like a leaf, staring up into the angled face with an expression that portrayed every ounce of her confusion and shock.
‘I never knew I had a weakness for such sweet, childlike vulnerability,’ he murmured huskily.
‘You shouldn’t have done that.’ Estelle’s eyes were bleak as the realisation of what she had allowed to happen dawned on her. She stared up into the stunning, unrepentant face and forced herself to feel cold, chilling dislike for a man who could take such ruthless advantage.
‘Why not?’ His tone held not one shred of remorse. ‘I thought it might make you feel better. Concentrate your mind on other things.’ The dark eyes glittered amusement. ‘And I can see it’s worked—you look quite different now. Shocked, angry, almost fierce. Now don’t spoil everything, Estelle.’ His hand had snaked forward, grasped her raised arm in one smooth movement. ‘You’ve been watching too many films. Slapping my face after such a mutually enjoyable exprience isn’t really appropriate, is it?’
Estelle jerked away from the circle of his arms and mercifully found her grip released. ‘I know what’s appropriate!’ she retorted tightly. ‘I don’t need some sort of...of patronising lecture from you! And...and how dare you kiss me like that?’ she added heatedly, spinning around to pierce him again with angry eyes. ‘You took advantage of me. What sort of a man are you?’ she cried. ‘No, don’t bother telling me! I know the answer to that question,’ she added bitterly. ‘I should know,’ she repeated half to herself. ‘Hell, yes, I should know that only too well!’
‘Estelle?’ Hunter drawled. ‘Don’t you think you are over-reacting just a little? If I didn’t know better, I’d have to come to the conclusion that you’ve never been kissed before. Not true, of course, because there’s evidence in this room not more than a couple of feet away from us which makes that impossible—’
‘Leave Joseph out of this!’ Estelle breathed, following the line of his gaze. ‘Just leave us both! Now! I don’t want you here.’
‘Well, you’ve got me, whether you like it or not!’ Hunter’s voice was back to being steel-edged. He moved towards the door, every movement smoothly controlled as usual, despite his evident return back to ill temper. ‘I’ll find out what’s keeping the police,’ he informed her in clipped tones. ‘We’ve waited here long enough.’
They finally arrived, two young constables, asking the usual questions, examining the usual things, leaving Estelle with very little to comfort her at all.
‘Do you think they’ll catch them?’
Hunter shrugged indifferently. He had been prowling around the room while the police did their work, not interfering, but making Estelle and, she suspected, both the young police constables edgy, and he was still doing it. ‘Don’t hold your breath. This sort of mindless break-in happens almost every night, I should imagine.’
‘What should I do about the door?’ Estelle asked worriedly. ‘It’s late. Will anyone come to mend it at this hour?’
‘I’ve seen to it.’ He sounded bored, as if it were a matter too trivial to mention. ‘I phoned a very reliable handyman I know just after I contacted the police. He should be here in a few minutes; his wife said he would be back home at around eleven and it’s after that now.’
‘Will he need paying tonight?’ Estelle tried not to allow the worry of money to intrude in her voice. ‘I mean,’ she added carefully, ‘I have no cash on me. Tomorrow when the banks are open...’ Who are you kidding? she thought. You haven’t had a penny in your bank account for months! Why don’t you just be honest and say you’re absolutely broke?
‘Don’t worry about that now. You can settle up another time,’ Hunter replied briskly, still continuing with his infuriating pacing. ‘Besides, the insurance will cover that, as well as pay for the cost of replacing all your possessions. As I said—everything will be all right.’
Estelle bent silently and picked up a cushion; its feathers spilled out from the tear that had been caused by a knife or some equally disgusting implement and she threw it down in an angry gesture.
‘Estelle, the insurance will pay for it!’ She heard the footsteps on the bare boards halt, was aware of the suspicious note in his voice. ‘Look at me and tell me you did bother to take out insurance for all of your things,’ he demanded suddenly.
‘You’d better go.’ Estelle heaved a deep breath and forced herself to face him. ‘I can clear up by myself, see to the man when he arrives. Go.’ She glared at him with an expression that spoke volumes. ‘I don’t want you standing there, telling me how stupid I’ve been. Don’t you think I can see that now? So just go! Leave me alone! I’ll manage somehow.’
‘Manage?’