Carole Mortimer - Mistletoe Magic

Why hadn’t he just asked her how she liked her coffee? Or would that have been too easy?

Probably, Molly instantly answered herself irritably. It might also have deprived him of the pleasure of hitting her as well as choking her.

Okay, so he had stayed the night, for whatever reason. She accepted that, but that didn’t answer the question: what was he still doing here?

‘Crys and Sam have taken the baby and Merlin for a walk on the moors,’ he supplied economically, before sitting down in the chair opposite hers across the kitchen table.

As she had been rather late coming down it didn’t in the least surprise her that her stepbrother and Crys had already gone out for their usual morning walk with the dog. What she did find unsettling was the fact that she was left alone here for some time with a man who obviously despised her.

‘Don’t let me keep you from anything,’ she invited stiffly as Gideon still sat across from her, calmly drinking his own strong coffee.

He raised mocking brows. ‘What did you have in mind?’

She shrugged. ‘Having your breakfast? Packing?’ Leaving!

The sooner he made his departure, the sooner she could get on with relaxing—something she certainly couldn’t do around this man, either physically or mentally. Every remark he made to her, it seemed, had some sort of double meaning.

‘I don’t fancy breakfast,’ he answered her evenly. ‘But you go ahead.’

‘I’ll pass, thanks.’ She didn’t fancy breakfast, either.

But what about his packing? He was dressed casually today, in fitted black denims and a deep blue tee shirt, which meant he had his suit from yesterday to pack, at least…

‘It was a pity you left the party so early yesterday evening,’ Gideon drawled lightly.

Surely he hadn’t missed having her there? Or was it just that he hadn’t had anyone to sharpen his rapier tongue on once she had gone upstairs to bed? That was probably nearer the truth.

‘David had us all in hysterics with some of his more risqué stories of the acting profession,’ Gideon enlightened her dryly.

She would just bet that he had. In her experience, there was always more action going on behind the scenes than in front of the camera. Although, thankfully, she had never worked with David before, so none of those stories could have been about her.

She gave a grimace of a smile. ‘I’m sure we all have some of those we could relate.’

‘Even you?’

Why had that sounded like especially you? Or was she just ultra-sensitive where this man was concerned? In the circumstances, was that so surprising?

She moistened dry lips. The strong coffee might have woken her up, but it had done very little to quench her morning thirst. ‘Gideon, I think the two of us need to talk—’

‘Morning, you two,’ David greeted them heartily as he breezed into the kitchen, also dressed casually in denims and a tee shirt, his feet bare of socks and shoes, his dark hair still ruffled from sleep.

Molly stared up at him in stunned surprise; had David spent the night here, too? Obviously. It seemed she had missed more than risqué stories by going to bed early the evening before.

‘I don’t know whether it’s the bracing Yorkshire air or the champagne I drank yesterday,’ David said lightly as he moved to pour himself a mug of coffee, sipping at the strong brew with obvious enjoyment, ‘but I slept better last night than I have for months,’ he went on with satisfaction as he sat down at the table to join them. ‘So, where’s our godson this morning?’ he prompted interestedly.

Their godson… For the first time Molly realised that the three of them were forever linked by this connection to Peter James. That wasn’t so bad when it came to David, but Gideon Webber was another prospect altogether!

‘Out for a walk with his parents and Merlin.’ Gideon was the one to answer the other man. ‘You’ll have to excuse Molly, David; I don’t think she’s a morning person,’ he told the other man dryly, before turning to look at her mockingly.

She wasn’t at her best this morning, no, having so far received one surprise after another, but ordinarily she woke bright and ready for the new day.

Although somehow she didn’t think Gideon was necessarily referring to this morning…

Her gaze narrowed as she glared at him. ‘I’m not used to company in the morning,’ she bit out tersely.

‘Really?’ He raised sceptical brows.

He did mean something else.

This man had judged and sentenced her on the evidence of that one morning just over three years ago—just one morning, when… When what?

When she had been tousle-haired and heavy-eyed from lack of sleep. When she had obviously been suffering from the effect of too much wine. When he had seen her dressed only in another man’s shirt…

Yes, but…

Yes, but what? There was an explanation for all that Gideon had seen—or thought he had seen—but she very much doubted that this man wanted to hear it. Or whether he would believe it!

She stood up abruptly. ‘I think I’ll go for a walk outside and wait for Crys and Sam to come back,’ she said tautly.

And she would hope that Gideon might have taken his leave before she came back. Although somehow she doubted he would leave without saying goodbye to Crys and Sam.

‘If you hang on a minute while I put on some shoes I’ll join you,’ David told her as he stood up. ‘Gideon?’ he prompted brightly.

‘You two go ahead.’ He shook his head. ‘I have a couple of calls I need to make this morning.’

‘See you later, then.’ David nodded, confirming that he, at least, expected to see more of Gideon today.

Which was no consolation to Molly at all as she waited outside for David to join her. If he was now making calls, exactly how long did Gideon Webber intend remaining here?

‘What is it between you two?’ David prompted a few minutes later as the two of them strolled across the gravel driveway. ‘You and Gideon?’ he enlightened her as she looked puzzled.

‘Me and…? Nothing,’ she scoffed forcefully. ‘Absolutely nothing,’ she repeated firmly as David didn’t look convinced.

David quirked teasing brows. ‘That wasn’t the impression I got either yesterday or today. Come on, Molly, the two of us are going to be working together for months. I’m sure to find out if you’re involved with anyone.’ He grinned boyishly.

‘Well, it certainly isn’t Gideon Webber!’ she snapped, two bright spots of angry colour in her cheeks now. ‘The man does nothing but insult me every time he opens his mouth,’ she added disgustedly, knowing it was the truth, and also well aware of the reason for it.

But what could she do about it? If she protested her innocence too strongly Gideon Webber was the sort of man who would only see her vehemence as an admission of guilt on her part. But not to protest was just as unacceptable—and more damning. It seemed that with this particular man she couldn’t win.

Not that she hadn’t had her share of romantic entanglements in the past, because she had. Gideon Webber just happened to have been a witness to the one time she had made a complete idiot of herself.

David chuckled. ‘If we were all teenagers that would be a sure sign that Gideon likes you.’

‘Well, we aren’t,’ Molly said disgruntledly. From the evidence she had seen so far Gideon Webber had never been a teenager—had just gone straight from babyhood to the acerbic man he now was. ‘And I can assure you he doesn’t.’ She sighed heavily, knowing that Gideon’s feelings towards her were much more complicated than that.

‘More’s the pity, hmm?’ David teased.

‘No, thanks.’ Molly grimaced. ‘The strong, silent type has never appealed to me,’ she added derisively.