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thing − she couldn’t do it now. Quite apart from ruining the Alexander Christmas Eve party, she couldn’t let the memory of this moment be ruined by what would follow.

      After Christmas, she’d tell him. Before she left for Liverpool. Then he would have time to sort out his feelings – and his brother – before she got back, and his parents would be none the wiser. Perfect.

      Somewhere downstairs, there were voices. Clinking glasses. The party had started. Their precious, stolen moment was over, for now.

      Reluctantly, Dory pulled away, sitting up slowly to let her body catch up with the new plan. Most of her still seemed to be luxuriating in the memory of what they’d just done. Lucas’s hand fell away, and she stood up, smiling back down at him. She could still feel his hands, his mouth, his body, over every inch of hers. God, they had to do that again. Really soon.

      ‘Mind if I borrow your shower?’ she asked. Tyler might still be in their room, and she really didn’t fancy facing him again alone just yet. She had enough make-up in her evening bag to repair her face, she hoped.

      Lucas waved a hand towards the bathroom lazily. ‘Go ahead.’ He grinned at her. ‘But I’d lock the door, if you don’t want me joining you.’

      Fifteen minutes later, thanked to the locked door, Dory was ready to face the party. Lucas, however, was still in bed.

      ‘You go down first,’ he said, sitting up at last. The blankets fell away from his chest and Dory bit her lip just looking at the glory of him naked. ‘I’ll follow in a bit.’

      Dory nodded. ‘Good idea.’

      ‘You realise you’re still here, right?’ Lucas asked, eyebrow raised.

      ‘I’m going. Any moment.’ She allowed herself one last, long look, then shook her head and tore her gaze away. ‘I’m gone.’ Striding across the room as fast as she could in the ridiculous heels – the only ones she owned that went with the dress – Dory stepped out on to the landing, pulling the door to behind her. She sucked a deep breath in, listening to the sounds of the party below, louder now. It was time to face the music.

      ***

      ‘Where the hell have you been?’ Tyler whispered, the moment she made it downstairs. His hand went automatically to her waist, holding her close like a good fake boyfriend should. Dory plastered on a smile for the guests milling around the giant Christmas tree in the hallway, but all she could think was how very different it felt to be standing so close to Tyler, rather than his brother.

      ‘Sorry,’ she said, even though she wasn’t. ‘I got caught up calling home. They’re all drinking mulled wine and everyone wanted to wish me a happy Christmas Eve.’

      ‘Whatever,’ Tyler said. Still angry from earlier, then. ‘Come on, Mum’s been telling everyone about you, so now there’s a whole list of people waiting to meet you. It’s show time, honey.’

      ‘Then let’s go,’ Dory said. She could face anyone right now, still on a high after sex with Lucas. And maybe later, once everyone had gone, she and Lucas could find a quiet corner and some mulled wine of their own…

      Twenty minutes later, her enthusiasm was starting to fade. She’d smiled, she’d feigned interest, she’d nodded politely… and every time she’d felt the eyes of the guest she was talking to slide away, either back to Tyler or over her shoulder, looking for somebody else. Tyler hadn’t seemed to notice, probably because they were all still engaged in conversation with him. His hand had stayed at her waist the whole evening, an unwelcome reminder of their charade.

      And worst of all, there was still no sign of Lucas. How long did the man take to shower, anyway?

      ‘Oh, look, you two!’ One of Felicia’s friends – Dory had lost all track of names by now – pointed up above them. ‘Mistletoe!’

      Dory stared up. So that was where Lucas had got it. He must have been hanging it for his mother. And now she was trapped under it with his brother. Perfect.

      ‘So there is.’ Tyler sounded about as enthusiastic as she felt, but he turned towards her anyway, looping his hands around her waist. ‘Pucker up, honey.’

      Oh, the romance.

      Tyler lowered his lips to meet hers, chaste and dry, and behind her, Dory heard the front door open.

      ‘So sorry we’re late,’ a woman’s voice said, too loudly. ‘Only I’m afraid, Felicia, your driver never made it to the station. Might be the weather – it’s just started snowing out there, you know. I said we should call, but Cheryl insisted that we get a taxi, and you know what these cab drivers are like. We’ve been all around the houses to get here!’

      They both froze as the woman said ‘Cheryl’, and Tyler started to pull back. Which meant Dory could see the staircase over his shoulder again.

      Could see Lucas standing there, staring at them.

      Dory’s eyes widened as Lucas looked away, and his expression turned hard and stony. She wanted to run to him, but Tyler’s arms were still around her bloody waist and she was still supposed to be his girlfriend and – oh God! – was Cheryl there?

      ‘Tyler? What the hell?’ Well, that answered that question. Cheryl’s voice was almost as loud as her mother’s.

      Too late, Tyler’s arms fell away and he darted past her. ‘Angel, I can explain! What are you even doing here?’

      ‘I was invited.’ The pretty brunette folded her arms over her chest. ‘I thought it would be a good time to announce our engagement.’

      ‘Your… God. The woman in those photos.’ Lucas’s voice rang out across the silence of the crowd as he made his way down the stairs. ‘I knew it wasn’t Dory, but I never thought… my ex-wife, Tyler?’

      ‘Emphasis on the “ex”,’ Cheryl said, but Lucas ignored her. Ignored the crowd of people watching their every move, taking in every moment of the drama.

      Instead, he just stared at Dory. ‘And you knew.’

       Chapter 9

      Dory’s throat tightened, her eyes burning. How had this happened? She’d been so sure she’d found a way out, a way to keep everything perfect. Unable to bring herself to speak, Dory nodded miserably.

      Anger settled on to Lucas’s face like a mask, hard and unyielding. ‘I trusted you. Hell, I slept with you! I thought we were starting something. And you were lying to me the whole time.’ He kept his voice low, but Dory knew there was no way anyone had missed what he said.

      ‘Not the whole time!’ Dory forced the words out. She had to make him understand. ‘Lucas, you have to let me explain.’

      ‘I don’t… Has anything you told me been the truth? God, I don’t even know who you are.’

      ‘That’s what I’ve been asking,’ Cheryl put in, but no one seemed to be listening.

      ‘Just let me tell you my side,’ Dory pleaded, but Lucas shook his head.

      ‘I don’t want to hear it. Not now. I need to fix this. Figure it out.’ He turned to Tyler and Cheryl and seemed to notice, for the first time, the true extent of their audience. Every single one of the Alexanders’ party guests had crowded into the hallway to witness the spectacle. Glaring at his brother, he said, ‘Let’s take this into the library.’

      Tyler nodded and, holding Cheryl’s hand, led her towards the library, murmuring reassurances as he went. But when Dory made to follow, Lucas stopped her with a look. ‘Not you,’ he said, voice cold. ‘This is between me and my brother.’

      And then he was gone, the library door shut behind him, leaving Dory alone with the crowd of fascinated socialites, and Felicia and Patrick Alexander.

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