The Magic of Christmas Read online

  ‘Can’t or won’t?’ Her thumb traced over his lower lip. ‘Is the past hiding some deep, dark secrets?’

  ‘The past shapes us.’

  ‘Then it’s shaped you well, because you’re a good man, Jack.’

  ‘I try to be.’ He looked into her eyes and willed her to understand he was holding himself back for her own good. ‘In your case, I’d far rather be bad, but I’m going to hold onto what’s right and not make love to you the way I want to.’

  Her lips flattened. ‘You’re the most frustrating man I’ve ever met.’

  He would lay a bet he was more frustrated right now than frustrating. ‘Don’t go falling for me, Grace. Remember this was never intended to be a real relationship and I never give any woman more than one night.’

  ‘I’ll remember.’ There was a touch of bitterness in her words. ‘I don’t believe it’s a case of me being able to do better. I think it’s more a case of you being able to do a lot better, but as I’m in a completely different class, you don’t have to worry that I’ll turn into another Imogene and turn up at all your social events.’

  Before he could deny it, Amadeo interrupted them.

  ‘Jack.’ His father’s tone was mock chastisement as he approached. ‘Didn’t I teach you as a young lad it’s important to share?’

  Jack forced a laugh but inwardly his gut was like a stormy sea with rogue waves battering him. He wished he could help Grace achieve more self-confidence. She was far more desirable and worthy than she acknowledged.

  ‘It’s unfair you’re hogging Grace’s company.’

  ‘You can hardly blame me for not wanting to share when she takes very little time for a break between each set.’

  ‘Vanessa and I love your music. You’re an exceptional talent. Where did Jack find you?’

  A dimple appeared in each of Grace’s cheeks. ‘You’d never believe me if I told you.’

  ‘Try me,’ his father insisted.

  ‘I’m Jack’s house cleaner.’

  ‘No!’

  She nodded. ‘He came home early one day and found me playing the piano after I’d finished my cleaning.’

  ‘Seriously?’

  ‘It’s the truth,’ Jack confirmed. ‘The situation reminded me of when you’d found me in your kitchen.’

  ‘Has Jack told you the story of how we met?’ Amadeo asked.

  ‘No. I only know you took him off the streets when he’d opted for that lifestyle over his foster home placements.’

  Jack knew what was coming and he could’ve stopped his father had he wanted to, but he didn’t mind Amadeo sharing their first meeting with Grace.

  ‘He was a scrawny kid of twelve and he had an even scrawnier dog that he’d picked up off the street.’

  Jack smiled. ‘Kippy was my companion. He may have been a scruffy dog but he was all I had in the world.’

  ‘And I have to admit it was Kippy who sealed my decision to let Jack stay with me,’ Amadeo confided with a wink.

  Jack frowned. ‘Now that’s something you’ve never told me before.’

  Amadeo’s grin was rueful. ‘It’s true.’

  ‘Then I’m even more grateful I had Kippy.’

  ‘I’d forgotten something at home,’ Amadeo continued, ‘and when I returned to collect it, I heard Jack’s voice coming from my kitchen. Rather than just bursting in on them, I stood outside for a few minutes and listened. Mainly I was trying to figure out how many intruders there were and what I was going up against, but I only heard Jack’s child’s voice and the intermittent whine from a dog.’

  ‘Believe it or not, Kippy and I communicated together,’ Jack said.

  ‘I believe it.’ Grace took his hand and held it in hers. She’d either forgiven him for upsetting her or she was doing a fine job of resuming the role of being lover-like.

  ‘When I confronted Jack, I could see he was a desperate kid who was trying to escape the cold and feed himself and his dog.’ Amadeo reached out and placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder. ‘He begged me not to send him back to the foster home system. He said he’d just run away again if I contacted Social Services, but the way he tried to keep his emotions under wraps as he pleaded with me for his dog really pierced my heart. He pointed out that no foster home was ever likely to accept his dog and Kippy would probably be impounded and put down. The love he had for his dog showed me Jack had a good heart and moved me more than anything else. I knew right then and there I couldn’t turn my back on him so I said he and the dog could stay with me.’

  Grace’s eyes became glassy and Jack tried to lighten the mood. ‘He proceeded to lay down so many ground rules, I wondered what I’d let myself in for.’ In truth, he’d been enormously grateful and had sensed right from the outset that this big man had a heart of gold and wouldn’t harm him.

  ‘We got on alright.’ Amadeo removed his hand from Jack’s shoulder.

  ‘More than alright from what Jack’s told me.’ Grace wiped quickly at each eye. ‘He loves you very much.’

  ‘I love him right back.’ Amadeo gave Jack an affectionate man-slap on the back.

  ‘I hope you’re all enjoying the party,’ Vanessa said as she joined them. ‘Lots of deep discussion going on over here.’

  ‘Lots of discussion when I need to be getting back and playing the piano.’

  Jack was grateful at the way Grace changed the subject.

  ‘Don’t rush off, Grace,’ Vanessa entreated. ‘It’s so lovely to have you here tonight—both with your playing and as Jack’s partner.’

  ‘She’s a very special lady,’ Jack said. It was true. Grace’s presence made him forget everything else.

  Everything else.

  With Grace at his side, maybe he could bury all the traumatic memories of Christmas.

  ‘I haven’t asked Grace yet whether or not she’s free,’ he ventured, ‘but would it be okay with the two of you if she joins us for Christmas dinner?’

  ‘Absolutely.’ The response from the older couple was simultaneous and enthusiastic.

  Jack turned to her. ‘Are you free, darling?’

  If he’d just announced he’d secured two tickets on a shuttle bound for the moon Grace couldn’t have looked more uncertain.

  ‘I’m not sure.’ She looked up at him, clearly wondering what response he expected her to make—whether he wanted her to decline or accept. ‘But it’s wonderful of you to offer.’

  Jack reached out and ran his hand over her hair. ‘I hope you’ll say yes.’

  Any other woman would’ve jumped at the suggestion, but for a split second Grace bit down on her lower lip in indecision.

  Grace looked away from him to face Amadeo and Vanessa. ‘My brother’s just started going out with a girl from his course at Oxford this year. I’ve had the impression for a little while that he might want to spend Christmas with her and her family, but that he doesn’t want to leave me by myself.’

  ‘Why don’t you sound Daniel out?’ Jack suggested. ‘Or, perhaps he’d like to be home with you and I for Christmas lunch, then go to his girlfriend’s family for dinner while you come to Vanessa’s family with me?’

  She recovered well from the line he’d thrown out that suggested they’d already made plans to spend Christmas day together. ‘I’ll speak to Dan and let you know.’

  Jack willed her answer to be yes.

  Chapter 13

  After the engagement party, Jack had sworn to himself that he’d keep his distance from Grace until the night of the office Christmas party. He didn’t want to be tempted to kiss her again or take her to his bed.

  Now, only two weeks later, all his resolve had crumbled. Under the guise of doing something very special for her, they sat on the private jet he’d chartered and were winging their way to Vienna. Not that Grace knew where they were going. Their destination was a surprise.

  ‘I know I’m a good cleaner but I hope you’re not spiriting me away to sell me off to some slave trader,’ she said with a mock serious expression. ‘I’ve told my
brother I’m going with you on some magical mystery tour and he’s told all his friends. So, if I’m not back safely at home phoning him by ten o’clock on Sunday night, Interpol will be notified.’

  Jack laughed. ‘I can see you’re quaking in your shoes with fear at the possibility.’

  ‘You’re right, I’m not in the slightest bit worried. If I’m quaking at all it’s because I’m excited.’

  It was obvious. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes lit with excitement, and she hadn’t stopped smiling since he’d met her at the stairs of the aircraft.

  He revelled in her reaction, loving that he could do this for her.

  She sighed and pushed back a little more into the comfortable leather seat. ‘How many cleaning ladies do you know are asked by their boss whether they have a passport, have a beautiful evening gown delivered, get picked up in a chauffeured limousine and whisked off in a private jet, sipping champagne while winging their way to some unknown destination?’

  He winked at her. ‘Only one.’

  ‘It might be an awful admission, but I’d be green with envy if any of my staff told me this was happening to them.’

  ‘It wouldn’t be happening to them, Grace.’ He was tempted to reach over and take her hand in his. Hell, he was tempted to do a lot more, but he continued to remind himself he needed to keep his desire under wraps. This trip was for her, not for him. ‘This is happening for two reasons. Firstly, because I happen to think you’re an exceptional woman and I want to do something special for you.’

  ‘Doesn’t giving me performance opportunities rate as reward enough?’

  ‘No. Secondly, this trip will lend credence to us being a couple, and we’re going to have a pleasurable weekend.’

  ***

  Thrills ran through her. Sexual thrills. Jack would be ordering the pilot to turn the plane around and fly back to London City Airport if he could guess what sort of pleasure she’d really like to indulge in this weekend.

  Oh man! Perhaps she should ask the flight attendant to lower the cabin temperature? It was getting awfully hot in here.

  ‘You look stunning, Grace.’

  She knew it was true. The black sequined dress fit her like a glove and she’d literally stared at her reflection in the full length Cheval mirror in her bedroom, unable to believe she could possibly look so good.

  ‘You look very handsome yourself.’ In her mind, very little could beat the look of a sexy man in a tuxedo and bow-tie—except this particularly sexy man wearing nothing but a towel. She took another sip of the champagne to try to lubricate her throat as it dried at the remembered image of him appearing beside her at his front door the morning Imogene had arrived. ‘Won’t you give me some clue as to where we’re going?’

  He grinned at her and the aircraft may as well have hit clear air turbulence because her stomach dropped. ‘I can tell you we’ll be flying for a little over two and a quarter hours.’

  ‘That doesn’t help much. In which direction are we headed?’

  ‘If we were headed west, we’d be landing somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean.’ He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and shook his head in what was obviously mock dismay. ‘You don’t have much idea of geography, do you?’

  Her stomach went from a drop straight into a full nose dive and completely hollowed out. ‘I don’t. I failed every subject at school.’

  ‘I’m sorry. That was thoughtless of me.’

  He was immediately contrite and she raged at herself for having given in to her automatic knee-jerk defensive reaction and drawing attention to her learning difficulties. ‘I’m sorry too. I’m still way too sensitive about my school years.’

  ‘You’ve moved beyond those days now.’

  ‘I know and I realise you weren’t having a go at me.’ She placed her champagne glass on the small table between them. ‘Back to our destination. You were about to tell me where we’re going.’

  ‘Nice try.’ He laughed. ‘I’ll only tell you our destination is a European city.’

  ‘Ooh!’ She clasped her hands together as excitement fizzed through her like the bubbles in her champagne. ‘We’re heading to Europe and we’re all dressed up.’ She thought hard. ‘Could it be that we’re dining with members of some European royal family?’

  ‘We may rub shoulders with royalty tonight but we’re dining alone.’

  ‘Rolling the dice at the Monte Carlo Casino?’

  ‘I hope what I have planned brings you a lot more satisfaction than a night of gambling.’

  She laughed then looked up at him from under her lashes. ‘You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?’

  ‘If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise.’ He leant forward to brush a stray tendril of hair away from her cheek.

  ‘It’s already a thrill.’ Almost as much as his touch. ‘You’ve already made this night the most exciting in my entire life.’

  Was it her imagination or did the blue of his eyes deepen?

  ‘It hasn’t even started.’ The words were uttered as a promise and Grace’s mind ran riot with the possibilities.

  The rest of the trip they conversed easily, and Grace became bolder with her flirtation, but Jack didn’t reciprocate.

  When they arrived at their destination she still had no clue as to where they were, except that she thought perhaps the people were speaking German. When their limousine chauffeur pulled up outside the Musikverein, she turned to Jack and almost bubbled over with joy as she guessed, ‘You’re taking me to a performance!’

  ‘Yes, Grace,’ he conceded. ‘But what sort of performance?’

  ‘Piano?’

  ‘Maybe.’

  ***

  Grace took Jack’s hand as he helped her out of the limousine and kept holding it as though it was the most natural thing to do. He liked keeping her close to his side and letting the world know she was with him. He didn’t even care when a photographer snapped a photo of them arriving at the concert hall.

  When they walked into the foyer of the Musikverein, the game was up as Grace saw the banners with the pianist’s image.

  ‘Nobuyuki Tsujii!’ Her features worked hard as if they didn’t know whether to break into the happiest smile of all time or whether to dissolve into sobs. ‘You remembered.’

  ‘Of course I remembered.’ He couldn’t help himself. She was so radiant, he drew her to him and brushed his lips across hers.

  Tears welled in her eyes and it was as though his kiss had robbed her of speech.

  ‘Let’s go, sweetheart.’

  Grace found her voice after they’d been ushered to their seats and just before the lights dimmed in the great hall. ‘Thank you.’

  The simple words were so heartfelt they meant more to him than effusive gushing. He sensed she was completely overwhelmed by his gesture and he wasn’t sure whether he’d ever felt such deep satisfaction. ‘You’re welcome.’

  Jack had been to countless concerts but he’d never been to one he’d enjoyed more. Being here with Grace, holding her hand, experiencing the music through her made the evening much more enjoyable than usual.

  The Japanese pianist delivered outstanding performances of Rachmaninov and Debussy worthy of standing ovations, but while Jack let the music flow through him, his gaze didn’t leave Grace’s face.

  Her beauty was amplified as her expressions reflected her emotions. He was spellbound by the wistfulness he saw as the pianist played a more sensitive section of music. Then, joy shone from her face even while tears streamed down her cheeks and she had to disengage her hand from his, reach into her clutch purse and extract a handkerchief to stem the flow.

  The entire concert auditorium reverberated with applause at the end of the performance. Everyone was in awe of the incredible talent of the blind pianist. But nobody could’ve been more enthusiastic than Grace.

  ‘To see him perform live was the opportunity of a lifetime. It was a chance I never imagined I’d get.’ Grace sighed with delight and utter satisfaction as
they left the auditorium and strolled across the street to the restaurant Jack had booked for dinner.

  If this music could move her and satisfy her to such an extent, how much more sated would she be after lovemaking?

  Instantly he reminded himself that taking Grace to bed wasn’t on the agenda for the weekend. And while his attraction to her grew ever stronger as they conversed easily over dinner, he was happy seeing her so delighted.

  ‘Ready to walk to the hotel now?’ he asked after they’d finished their dessert.

  Her eyes widened. ‘After that sumptuous apple strudel, I think it might be more a case of rolling to the hotel than walking.’

  While he sensed her comment wasn’t Grace fishing for compliments about her figure, he shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he thought about her gorgeous figure. ‘Ah, but it was worth it, wasn’t it?’

  ‘Absolutely.’

  As they left the restaurant and walked together, his arm around her shoulders and her arm around his waist, they could’ve been a couple. Grace pointed out some things along the way and exclaimed at the magical feel of Vienna at night.

  Being mid-November, the streets were alight with Christmas decorations, but Jack was pleasantly surprised he could let them wash over him. He was so focused on Grace, his surroundings didn’t daunt him. He was most aware of the way their ambling strides matched each other and of every brush of her thigh against his.

  They were both on a high but underneath the surface effervescence was the tug of something far deeper.

  Sexual awareness.

  The need for physical fulfilment.

  A desire to reproduce the passion of the piano music in a physical way—to experience the delights of discovering each other for the first time.

  Jack couldn’t let it happen.

  He especially wouldn’t become her lover tonight. He didn’t want her to think all this organisation had been a prelude for seduction—a set up for his sexual gratification—when what he’d most wanted was to give her the experience of a lifetime.