Do Opposites Attract? (Kathryn Freeman’s Irresistible Romcom Collection #5)

Chapter Seventeen

Though she was ashamed to admit it, this morning Brianna had taken extra care over getting dressed. The skirt she wore had been deliberately chosen to show off her legs, ending as it did several inches above her knees. She’d topped it with a deep green blouse, knowing it clung to her curves and accentuated the colour of her eyes. Finally she slipped on kitten-heeled sandals. They helped to dress down the outfit, but still added that touch of sexiness she was looking for. The mirror told her that her hair was smooth and casually styled, that her make-up was subtle but emphasised the shape of her eyes and the high cut of her cheekbones.

Today Mitch was back from South America. The word in the office was he’d be coming in, as he always did, to sort out the paperwork before heading home. It had been a week since she’d last seen him, but the time apart hadn’t dimmed her desire one iota. If anything it had heightened it. So today she wanted to look irresistible. He’d seen Brianna on camp. Now she wanted him to see Brianna in her own environment; glamorous clothes, sophisticated make-up, sleek blow-dried hair. She wanted to knock him dead.

It was well into the afternoon by the time she managed to catch up with him. Having been holed up with Margaret for over an hour, he was making his way towards the open plan office as she was coming out of the ladies.

‘Brianna.’

‘Mitch.’ Pretending casualness, she nodded in his direction, taking the opportunity to appraise him carefully. The last week hadn’t dulled his sex appeal, but it had added to his dishevelled and frankly shattered appearance. The deep brown eyes were bloodshot, the lines on his face deeper and harsher than before. ‘When was the last time you had a decent night’s sleep?’ she asked sympathetically, feeling a deep and alarming rush of tenderness towards him.

He half smiled. ‘I can’t remember.’

‘You’re on your way home, to bed, I hope.’ Inside she cringed. She sounded like his damn mother.

His lips tightened, but he nodded his head, ‘Yes, ma’am.’

‘Well, I hope you’re not planning on driving. Not in your condition.’ Oh heck, now she’d gone from mother to matriarch. ‘Sorry, that didn’t come out like I’d planned.’

If anything his jaw clenched further. ‘I’ll be the judge of whether I’m capable of driving or not.’

‘Well, when you’re making that judgement, just remember that if you fall asleep at the wheel, it won’t only be your life that’s put in danger.’ Oh, why was she firing off at him like a pompous twit when all she really wanted to do was fling her arms around him and tell him she’d missed him?

‘I’m quite aware it wasn’t my welfare you were concerned about,’ he replied in a clipped voice. ‘But the point is mute. My car’s at home. I’m going back by train.’

‘Oh.’ Brianna sighed. This wasn’t at all how she’d hoped their reunion would go. Far from being blown away by her looks, her stupid remarks, which she could only blame on nerves, had made him cross and irritated. ‘Can I give you a lift to the station?’

It was on the tip of Mitch’s tongue to say no, he was perfectly capable of getting to the damned station by himself, but he stopped himself. He was justified in being pissed with Brianna for treating him like her son — as if there were any similarities, any at all, between her and his mother — but to refuse a lift would be churlish. He was her work colleague now. He needed to get his act together and start behaving like one. Not stand here wishing she’d run up to him and thrown her arms around his neck. ‘A lift would be good. Thank you.’

God but she was a sight for sore eyes, he thought as he followed her out. And his exhausted eyes were definitely that. He’d forgotten how bloody stunning she was. He could see the curves of her pert bottom ahead of him and his hands itched to touch. Heck, he was so damn punch-drunk with tiredness, he might just do it. Might just forget all the reasons why he shouldn’t. Swiftly he shoved his hands into his pockets.

As they entered the small car park round the back, it didn’t take much intuition to work out which was Brianna’s car.

‘Don’t tell me, yours is the Jag.’ It was the only one expensive, stylish and new enough to have possibly been hers. And it wasn’t just any Jaguar. No, Brianna had to have the top of the range sporty XKR model, all power and understated luxury.

She pressed her key fob, and the Jag’s indicators blinked in reply. ‘Any complaints?’

He shrugged. ‘I guess it beats a cab.’

‘You silver-tongued devil.’ Shaking her head, as if she couldn’t believe his boorishness, she nodded to the passenger door. ‘Don’t expect me to open it for you.’

He grunted and let himself in. Nestling into the warm, leather interior, he was too tired to worry about his grouchy behaviour. Or to fret about comparisons between her sleek sports car and his own basic four-wheel drive.

Within moments, his eyes grew heavy and he was asleep.

* * *

Knowing Mitch wasn’t one for conversation, Brianna didn’t realise he’d fallen asleep until she arrived at the station. He looked so peaceful she hesitated to wake him up. What was the alternative? Should she take him home? She glanced in his direction once more. He was breathing slowly and deeply, the harsh lines on his face blissfully relaxed. Waking him up wasn’t an option. It was too cruel. She reached into her handbag for her mobile phone.

‘Sally? It’s Brianna. I was taking Mitch to the station, but he’s fallen asleep in the car. I thought I might as well take him home instead. Can you give me his address, please?’

She noted it down with interest. So, he lived by the sea did he? The man was full of surprises. She would have had him down for a city apartment. She put the address into her navigation system and saw it would take about an hour and half to drive him home. Well, that wasn’t such a big deal. It wasn’t as if she had any plans for the evening. At least none more important than taking Mitch home.

‘Either a lot has changed in the last three weeks, or this isn’t the way to the station.’

Brianna jumped at his voice and quickly turned the radio down. ‘You fell asleep. I thought I might as well take you home.’ She knew she sounded defensive, but she was worried he’d be cross with her.

Instead of the sharp retort she’d expected, his body relaxed. ‘Do you know where you’re going?’

‘Address from Sally, instructions from the satnav.’

‘Well, you seem to have everything under control.’ And with that he fell back to sleep.

An hour and a bit later, Brianna turned the car onto the seafront and smiled to herself. There was something about the sea and the pounding of the waves that lifted the soul. Instantly she could see why he lived out here. Doing the job he did, how better to unwind, to get away from it all, than to come to the sea? Though it was May, today the clouds were grey and the sea reflected the dull shade. Not put off, she stopped the car, let down the sunroof and sucked in a deep breath. The smell of the salt spray, the sound of the waves as they crashed onto the shingle beach. She glanced sideways. The sexy man in her passenger seat, making her feel so very alive. It was glorious.

‘I take it we’re nearly there.’ Mitch sat up in the car and fixed his sleepy brown eyes on her.

God, she ached to kiss him so much it was driving her mad. ‘I thought the sea breeze would help wake you up,’ she replied with a grin.

‘Well, gee, thanks.’

Ignoring him, she carried on down the road and pulled up outside the address she had on her satnav. ‘Oh, what a charming house.’

Delighted, she bounded out of the car, impatient to take a closer look. When Mitch made no move to get out, she turned her back on him and walked down the front path. Did he seriously expect her to just drop him off, turn round and go back? She’d driven him all the way here, the least he could do was let her see where he lived.

* * *

Slowly Mitch eased out of the car, stretching out his legs. Wasn’t charming another word for small? He looked at his house and tried to see it through Brianna’s eyes. A Victorian building, backing on to the sea. He kept it in good order, even doing a spot of gardening when he’d run out of other chores to do, but he had no doubt his charming house could fit into hers several times over.

Pulling his holdall out of the back, he tried to shrug off the chip weighing heavily on his shoulder. ‘Thanks for the lift,’ he said belatedly, catching up with her on the step. ‘I’d offer you a drink, but I’m not sure whether Edna has stocked up the supplies or not.’

‘Edna?’

‘My elderly neighbour. She insists on knowing when I’m coming home so she can turn on my heating and fill up the fridge.’

‘Well, why don’t we go in and see? And if she hasn’t I’m sure we can think of something else to do.’ She trailed off, giving him a coy, flirty grin.

Despite his tiredness and his wariness around her, Mitch couldn’t help but laugh. ‘I think we’d better hope she’s been in. I doubt I’m capable of much more than boiling the kettle.’

He opened the door and before he could say mind the step, she’d darted in. He was close behind, noting the post neatly stacked on the sideboard, a strong indication Edna had, indeed, already been in. The relaxing warmth from the radiators confirmed his suspicion.

‘Well, it looks like we’re in luck. Coffee, tea?’ he asked.

‘Tea would be great, thank you. I won’t expect herbal.’ After giving him a teasing smile she slipped off her shoes and wandered into the front room.

He filled the kettle but as he waited for it to boil he couldn’t resist craning his neck round the corner, observing her as she had a poke around. Did she notice the large patio doors opening onto the wooden sun deck? The original open fire. The state of the art flat screen television. Or did she see a worn rug and battered leather sofa. Books and magazines scattered untidily across a stained coffee table. A wetsuit thrown carelessly over the back of an old armchair.

He huffed and turned his attention back to the tea. It didn’t matter what she thought, he told himself. It was his house, his choices.

When he went to join her she was curled up on his sofa, looking for all the world like a regular visitor. He felt a dart of annoyance, but couldn’t explain why. Was it because he felt safer pigeonholing her as a stuck up rich bird, than seeing her looking so at home on his sofa?

He thrust the steaming mug of tea under her nose. ‘Sorry I couldn’t find the Royal Doulton.’

It was an ungracious comment. He knew it. So, by the look she gave him, did she. Irritated that he felt so damn awkward in his own house, he went to sit on the armchair, pushing the wetsuit onto the floor. It landed with a plonk, the sound bouncing round the otherwise silent room.

‘Do you surf?’ she asked, just as the quiet was becoming uncomfortable.

‘Occasionally.’ He was about to leave it at that, but he’d already made a big enough prat of himself. Time to show her he could be decent. When pushed he could even make polite conversation. ‘But the waves aren’t really big enough on this coast. Mostly I go windsurfing.’ He swigged at his tea, then forced a smile. ‘Look, thanks for driving me home, Brianna. If you hadn’t I’d still be on the train, probably fast asleep and having missed my change.’

‘It was my pleasure. That’s what work colleagues are for.’

None of his previous colleagues had ever sat on his sofa. Or looked so damn sexy doing it. He cleared his throat. ‘I guess this is where I should say welcome to Medic SOS. If I’m honest, I didn’t really think you’d follow through on your ideas.’

‘Oh?’ She pinned him with those green eyes. ‘Of course, you still have me down as the flighty rich girl who hasn’t done a day’s work in her life.’

He shrugged to hide his discomfort. Her words were very close to the truth. ‘You don’t exactly have to work for a living.’

‘No, I don’t, but that doesn’t mean I’m not prepared to try.’

Her chin was angled, her head held high, daring him to disagree with her. This time his smile was spontaneous. ‘I can see that, and I admire you for it.’

He was amused, and surprised, to see her blush at his small compliment. It made him wonder if she was ever complimented on anything other than her looks. ‘I take it Margaret liked your ideas?’

Her face lit up with pride. ‘Yes, she did. She’s agreed we should look at making Medic SOS a specialist trauma group. It’s there already, really. We’d just be formalising it and then capitalising on it.’

His interest piqued, he sat forward on the chair. ‘We’d need more equipment and training. Definitely more staff, as we’d need specialists rather than the on-call generalists we tend to rely on. That all requires money.’

‘I can get that.’

He raised his eyebrows and couldn’t resist a short laugh. ‘I bet you can.’

They discussed the charity for a bit longer and it was dark outside when Brianna finally stood up. ‘I guess it’s time I hit the road. You look done in.’

As she eased off the sofa and bent to pick up her shoes, Mitch’s breath caught in his throat. It was right that she was going, he reminded himself as his body made a mockery of his tiredness by becoming instantly alert at the sight of her rounded backside in that tight skirt. Those endless legs. They couldn’t continue to sleep together. Not now she worked for the charity.

‘You don’t have to go.’ Christ, where on earth had those words come from? He’d just broken every one of his promises to himself. He was weak, so flaming weak — but he wanted her. In fact at that moment it went beyond a simple want. He needed to have her.

She straightened up, her face looking as shocked as he felt. ‘I thought you said you weren’t capable of doing anything more than boiling a kettle?’

Slowly he raised himself off the armchair and stood in front of her. Mouth aligned with her inviting lips, chest aligned with the curve of those tantalising breasts. ‘A man would have to be comatose not to be able to respond to you,’ he replied hoarsely.

A grin split her face and she raised her arms to encircle his neck. ‘So you do give out compliments.’

He shook his head. ‘It wasn’t a compliment. I just tell it the way I see it.’

‘Well then, I’d be delighted to stay.’ She moved in and lightly kissed his lips. With a groan he yanked her harder towards him and deepened the kiss.

As her body moulded to his, Brianna was very aware of Mitch’s lean shape and strong muscles. Also of his very obvious desire for her. This was what she’d dreamt about for the last week, she acknowledged as she melted in his arms. But as the kiss grew hotter and his hands snaked underneath her clothing, he abruptly pulled away, resting his forehead against hers.

‘For both our sakes, I need a shower first.’

Brianna leant in and took a deep smell of musky, travel-worn man. ‘You don’t have to on my behalf.’

Groaning he grabbed hold of her hand and started up the stairs. ‘Come and have a shower with me.’

Clothes flew around the room and it wasn’t long before they were standing under the hot, steamy spray of the shower.

‘I hope you’re not expecting foreplay,’ he said roughly as he pushed her against the shower wall.

Intoxicated by him, she laughed. ‘Nope. You’ve already told me you’re not a fan of that.’

His eyes fell to her breasts and he dipped his head. ‘Maybe with you I’ll make an exception.’

As his tongue played with her nipples, her breath came out in a lusty moan. ‘Umm, I’ll look forward to that. But not this time.’ Reaching her arms around his neck, she pulled herself up so her legs were round his hips. ‘Take me now, Mitch. I’m all yours.’

As he thrust hungrily into her, Brianna had just enough time to wonder about the truth of the words she’d spoken. Then she lost the ability for any conscious thought.