LITMIR.BIZ

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liked the sound of that. She hadn’t slept much the previous night for thinking of the visit ahead of her. Not that she regretted her decision to come. She didn’t. However, she knew it wasn’t going to be pleasant walking into a place where she knew she wasn’t wanted. Consequently she had slept only fitfully, and now her eyes felt gritty from lack of sleep.

      ‘You’d better wake me before we get there. I don’t want to turn up looking like something the cat dragged in,’ she drawled wryly, making herself as comfortable as the seat belt would allow.

      ‘You never look anything less than lovely to me,’ Jonathan responded gallantly, and she smiled without opening her eyes.

      ‘You always say the right thing. It’s a wonder some woman hasn’t snapped you up before now.’

      There was an infinitesimal pause before he responded. ‘All the best women are already taken,’ he said flatly, and Laura heard the soft sigh which followed. She didn’t look at him, but rather belatedly she did begin to wonder about Jonathan’s love life. Could he be in love with somebody who was married to somebody else? The thought saddened her, for if that was so he was doomed to unhappiness.

      ‘Uh-oh!’

      The muffled exclamation brought her eyes open again, in time to see the first snowflakes begin to fall. She sat up, forgetting all about sleep.

      ‘It’s snowing!’ she cried in delight.

      Jonathan snorted. ‘Just what we needed,’ he said grumpily. He had never made any attempt to hide his dislike of driving in wintry conditions.

      ‘I love snow. It makes everything look clean, bright and magical.’

      He rubbed at the windscreen. ‘You wouldn’t think it so wonderful if you got snowed in.’

      Laura laughed ruefully. ‘Probably not, but the child in me refuses to think of frozen pipes and no electricity.’

      ‘Perhaps you should move here. There’s no shortage of snow in Vermont in winter.’

      Laura sat back with a sigh. ‘Strange, I always wanted to see Vermont, but I never imagined visiting under these circumstances. It’s funny how things turn out.’

      ‘Hilarious.’

      ‘Don’t be a grouch,’ she reproved lightly. ‘Tell me who else will be there besides us.’ It would be as well to know beforehand.

      ‘Did anyone ever tell you you’re a nag?’ he complained before complying with her request. ‘Let me see. Besides Maxine there will be Stella and her husband Ian Nevin. Then Philip and his latest girlfriend,’ Jonathan enlarged for her. ‘Oh, and Quinn, of course.’

      Quinn? Her heart executed a crazy lurch, and her mouth suddenly became a parched desert. Alarm shot through her. She hadn’t expected him to be one of the party. Her mind flew back to those dizzying few seconds when he had touched her hand, and she shivered. The sensation which had ripped its way through her had been incredible. The sheer intensity of it was still shocking in retrospect, so that she hadn’t been able to forget it. She hadn’t been able to forget him, either. Much to her chagrin.

      He kept slipping into her mind at the most inconvenient times. The damned man seemed intent on proving the adage: once seen, never forgotten. It was driving her crazy. She swore he was haunting her. His name popped out of the newspaper every time she opened one, and just that morning she had seen a tall, rugged man wearing an Aran sweater walk into the studio and, for one electrifying moment, she had actually thought it was him! When it turned out to be a complete stranger, her sense of disappointment had come as an unpleasant shock. She had had to tell herself quite categorically that she did not want to see him before she could relax again.

      Now, apparently, he was to be at the house for the holiday, and the knowledge took the bottom out of her stomach. She groaned. This was ridiculous. Of all the juvenile reactions! Especially as she despised the man. She really had to get a grip.

      ‘Why “of course”?’ she asked a few minutes later and Jonathan frowned, not taking his eyes from the road where the snow was beginning to settle.

      ‘What was that?’

      ‘Why did you say Quinn will be there “of course”?’ she repeated calmly, though her pulse rate was anything but calm.

      ‘Because he always spends Christmas with the family.’

      Now he told her. ‘Another tradition?’ she enquired dryly.

      ‘He and his sister are Alex’s godchildren. Quinn loved your father, Laura. Dislike him as much as you want, but never doubt that.’

      She would have liked to, considering his opinion of her, but honesty forbade it. She accepted that Quinn Mannion had one good point. He also had the ability to set her senses whirling like dervishes, even in absentia. It didn’t seem to matter that she disliked the man. Her skin actually prickled with anticipation. Face it, Laura, she told herself sardonically, you’re attracted to him. You react to him as you have to no other man.

      It wasn’t a comforting thought.

      Yet she was going to have to live with it. It was either that or cancel the trip. She wondered what Jonathan would say if she asked him to take her back. Nothing printable, of that she could be certain, when she had made such an effort to persuade him to bring her in the first place. Anyway, it wasn’t a genuine option. She was not going to turn tail simply because some man was able to light her up like a Christmas tree. She was going to meet her family, and nobody was going to stop her. Especially not Quinn Mannion.

      The snow began to fall more heavily as the journey progressed and Laura was glad when, half an hour later, Jonathan turned the car into a gravel driveway and brought it to a halt beside several other vehicles already parked there. She glanced out of the window and her lips parted in pleasure at the sight which met her eyes. It was almost as if they had wandered into one of those glass snow globes. As if someone had just shaken it, the snow was falling over a gabled house which glittered with frost and fairy lights whilst, from inside, house lights issued a welcoming golden glow.

      ‘It’s beautiful,’ she breathed.

      ‘I thought you’d appreciate it,’ Jonathan declared with a smile.

      Somebody must have been on the lookout for their arrival, because by the time Laura had climbed out of the car the front door was open. A young woman of about her own age, and two children, stood silhouetted in the doorway. A muffled sound from beside her brought her attention to Jonathan, who had frozen on the spot and was staring tensely at the house.

      ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked and, when he didn’t answer, followed his gaze back to the small group. ‘Who are they?’

      Jonathan took a deep breath. ‘Quinn’s sister Caroline and her two children. She was widowed a couple of years ago. I had no idea they would be here. You go on ahead and I’ll bring in the cases.’

      There was a tone in his voice which warned her not to ask questions and, respecting it, Laura obediently made her way to the house. Her mind was whirring. Could this be the woman he was in love with? It didn’t seem in the least absurd as she climbed the steps and saw just how lovely the woman was. She was clearly surprised by Laura’s presence but, even so, her smile was cautiously welcoming.

      ‘Hello, I’m Caroline Stevens, and these two terrors are Tom and Ellie.’ Tom, Laura guessed, was about six, and Ellie four. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t know your name. Jon never mentioned he was bringing a guest. Come inside. Let me take your coat.’

      She urged Laura into the warmth of the house and helped her off with her coat. Laura watched as she hung it in the closet, very much aware that, for all the other woman’s friendliness, she was struggling to be polite. It occurred to her that Caroline Stevens hadn’t expected Jonathan to bring a woman with him, and was surprised to find herself upset by it. Perhaps Jonathan’s feelings weren’t unreciprocated after all.

      ‘What the hell are you

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