Monique gave him a fond good-bye, pleased that it seemed she’d gotten away with her spitefulness. Julia just stood with her arms crossed on her chest and didn’t say a word.
Douglas, tone and manner civil, shook the man’s hand and then said in a cordial voice, “Just so we understand about this evening, Dr. Fairfax, you are not to return to this house or approach Julia, the children or Patricia unless one of them expresses the desire to communicate with you.”
Unnerved by Douglas’s belying manner and words, Trevor blinked and stammered, “I… I –”
Douglas released his hand.
Monique, of course, was not at a loss for words. “Douglas! How could you? Trevor and I have, these past weeks, formed a lovely friendship.” She turned to Trevor. “If I wish to see you, you are always welcome at Sommers –”
Douglas didn’t allow her to finish.
“If you invite him into my house without Julia’s consent, you will find yourself no longer living in it,” he stated inflexibly.
It was Monique’s turn to stammer, this time not in astonishment but in outrage and Douglas heard Julia’s surprised gasp.
Douglas ignored his mother and Julia and turned back to Trevor. “Did I make myself understood?”
Douglas didn’t wait for his answer and began to walk away, offering his arm to Julia who walked forward woodenly, her face partially in shadows, her breath shallow. She placed her hand in the crook his elbow and he tucked it firmly in his side.
Julia didn’t offer her father a good-bye.
“Sir,” Carter called, “I thought you’d like to know, a somewhat urgent call came about five minutes ago. I explained you’d ring him back.”
Douglas felt his irritation escalate. Now was exactly not the time for this. He needed to talk to Julia, he wished to see if she was all right. He certainly didn’t need to leave her alone with his mother, and then, of course, there were the children to consider
His eyes met Carter’s.
Fucking hell. He would have to have a word with Mrs. Kilpatrick.
His mind moving swiftly through the problems this new turn of events caused, he strode by Carter but said over his shoulder, “I’ll phone him immediately.”
Julia seemed oblivious to the entire exchange.
When they arrived inside the hall, leaving Monique to make her apologies or explanations to Trevor, Douglas closed the heavy door behind them.
When he finally caught sight of Julia’s face in the lights of the hall, he felt his breath catch. Her eyes were shining with gratitude. Gratitude he would have liked very much to have the time to translate into something else.
She licked her lips and came forward, placing her hand on his chest, she leaned close to him.
“Thank you,” she whispered for the second time that day and the strength of feeling underlying her tone was his undoing.
He pulled her roughly in his arms and pressed a hard kiss on her lips, catching her gasp against his mouth. His body immediately responded, beginning to tense, his hands on the soft material of her dress itching for more of her, the smell of her scent (she’d worn the one he preferred that day) surrounding him.
For his own sanity, he let her go just as abruptly as he grabbed hold of her.
She stood swaying gently, her eyes blinking at him and he settled his hands on either side of her jaw and moved in as close as he dared in an effort to retain control.
“I have to go, something important, I don’t know when I’ll be back,” he told her.
She blinked again. “Okay,” she muttered, drawing out the “O” dazedly.
He felt a smile come to his face at the bedazzled look in her eye, inordinately pleased that he could do that with one kiss.
As a reward and against his better judgement, he gave her another one, pulling her forward using gentle pressure on her face. Their bodies didn’t touch, just their lips and their tongues. He spent longer on her, used more care, teasing her, tasting her, feeling his blood stir, his already tense body tightening hungrily.
The moment he heard the sexy little moan he was getting used to, the one that came from the back of her throat that heralded the moment she would give in and move to deepen the kiss, he forced himself to let her go.
And without looking back, he walked away.