Everlasting Love. Кэрол Мортимер

reverie to look at him, finding his gaze levelled on her. ‘Your mother-in-law doesn’t like me.’

      His expression lightened as he turned back to the road. ‘She isn’t supposed to, I am.’

      ‘And do you?’ she asked huskily.

      His hand left the steering-wheel to grasp hers. ‘You know I do.’

      ‘I—You never show me that you do,’ she said hesitantly, needing his reassurance tonight. ‘You’re always so—distant with me.’

      He didn’t answer her, taking his hand from hers to stare rigidly ahead. Heavens, what had she done now!

      Marcus stopped the car a short distance from the hosptial as he usually did, turning to look at her.

      ‘Olivia—–’ he seemed to be searching for the right words. ‘If I—I’m afraid that if I once start kissing you I won’t be able to stop! Can you understand that?’ He looked at her appealingly.

      Her eyes were wide. ‘No.’

      He sighed. ‘I didn’t think you would. Come here.’ He opened his arms to her.

      She went into them unquestioningly, gasping at the fierceness with which he claimed her lips, moulding her torso to his, making her aware of the rapid beat of his heart. One hand moved to curve possessively over her breast, locating the taut nipple through the thin material of her blouse, his touch sure and demanding.

      ‘I want you,’ he groaned into her throat. ‘I want you so, Olivia.’

      She was lost in the wonder of his caresses after weeks of starvation, loving the feel of his lips against her skin, her head thrown back as he smoothed the material away from her breasts, capturing one red-tipped nipple between his pleasure-giving lips, his tongue erotic against the hardened nub, and spasms of pleasure coursed through her body. She held his head against her, her fingers fevered in the thickness of his hair, kissing his temple with trembling lips, gasping as his teeth bit gently into her sensitive nipple, causing no pain, only pleasure.

      ‘Come home with me. Olivia,’ he murmured against her mouth, nibbling gently on the lower lip, drawing it into his own in a message of eroticism. ‘Come home and share my bed,’ he encouraged raggedly.

      ‘I—–’

      ‘Olivia? Olivia, telephone!’

      Her memories of Marcus were interrupted with a suddenness that left her stunned for several seconds. It had all seemed so vivid, so real, just as if it had happened yesterday and not six years ago.

      ‘Olivia?’ A brief knock was followed by Natalie actually coming into the bedroom. ‘There’s a telephone call for you.’

      Olivia dragged herself back from the past with effort, standing up. ‘Do you know who it is?’ She pushed her hair back from her face.

      ‘Sally Hamilton,’ Natalie supplied in a puzzled voice. ‘And she sounded very urgent.’

      Olivia froze as soon as she heard the name of her caller. What on earth could Sally Hamilton want to talk to her about? The girl had seemed pleased to see her this afternoon, and it had been nice to see what a pleasant young woman she had grown up into. But Olivia didn’t want the meeting to go any further than that, and she intended making that clear to Sally.

      She picked up the receiver as it lay beside the telephone in the hallway, conscious of Natalie’s curious looks before she went back to join the family in the lounge. ‘Sally, I—–’

      ‘Oh, thank God you’re there!’ the girl choked before Olivia could say any more. ‘It’s Daddy, he—he’s been in a serious car accident. He—he has head injuries. Olivia, they aren’t sure if—if he’s going to live!’