Do Opposites Attract? (15 page)

He noticed tears in her eyes
as she grasped his arm with one hand and laid the other tenderly on his cheek. ‘Wow, my hero.’

Mitch sat down with a thud, his ego considerably swollen and his body a lot more relaxed than when he’d arrived. He took a huge gulp of wine and turned to accept the thanks of the woman sitting on his other side. Perhaps, against the odds, he might enjoy the evening.

Mitch watched the dancers glide skilfully across the ballroom floor. He stood alone, having politely turned down Melanie’s request for a dance. He didn’t know how to waltz. It hadn’t been high on the list of essential learning at the inner city school he’d gone to. Over the years he’d managed to adopt a passable shuffle, but he’d decided not to risk standing on Melanie’s toes tonight. So he contented himself with watching. His eyes were fixed on Brianna, dancing with a tall, grey-haired man who was making her laugh. He felt a tug of jealousy, even though the man looked old enough to be her father. Perhaps he was her father.

The feeling of possessiveness that gripped him whenever he looked at her wasn’t something he’d ever experienced before. He didn’t like it, didn’t want it but, infuriatingly, he couldn’t seem to stop it. Was this what love felt like? He’d never really understood what it meant, but was very much afraid he was teetering on the edge of it. If he wasn’t careful, he might fall into it without even realising. The advantages it might bring were all too clear as he gazed at the bewitching sight of Brianna, but the reality was it would end in pain. On both sides. He knew damn well he wasn’t cut out for a close, caring relationship. Least of all with a woman who had more class in her little finger than he could hope to achieve in a lifetime. The question was, did he have enough strength to pull away?

At last she made her way towards him, almost gliding across the room, her smile bright, her eyes dancing. He realised she was in her element. Amongst her friends, in opulent surroundings, the centre of attention. So far removed from his own comfort zone it was laughable. She wound an arm around his waist, appearing not to notice his discomfort.

‘Are you enjoying yourself?’

He chose not to reply. Instead his eyes focused on a slender, older, striking-looking woman who was coming towards them. Brianna’s mother. He’d met her once before, when she’d visited the Medic SOS offices. Not that she’d probably remember him. ‘Does your mother know about you and me?’ he asked, nodding over in her mother’s direction. As he said the words, he felt Brianna’s arm slip from his waist. He had his answer.

‘Not exactly,’ she replied, smiling over at her mother.

‘What does that mean, exactly?’

For once, Brianna looked less than confident. ‘I mean, she knows we, well, got together in South America. But I haven’t really spoken to her about you since.’

‘I see.’ And he did see, all too clearly.

‘No, it’s not like that,’ Brianna hastily tried to reassure him. ‘I’m sure she’d be fine if she knew.’ He knew the words were a lie. And that she knew he knew. ‘Look it doesn’t matter what she thinks …’ she began again, but had to stop as her mother drew up alongside them.

Polite introductions were made. Her mother congratulated Mitch on his speech, which he stiffly accepted. Clearly desperate to put a quick end to the awkward situation, Brianna dragged him away for a dance.

‘I hope you’re not expecting to waltz,’ he began, his voice still tense. ‘I don’t do dancing.’

They reached the edge of the dance floor and Brianna turned, moving fluidly into his arms. ‘And I only want to feel your arms around me for a while,’ she whispered, moulding herself to him.

He groaned and felt the warmth zip through his body. They might be totally wrong for each other, but when he held her close, it felt so damnably right.

As they danced, Mitch allowed his hands to wander slowly, seductively, over her body. Over the curves that glided beneath the silk of her dress. He was out of order. Even he knew that. His technique belonged more to the school disco than a plush ballroom, but he didn’t care. Let her mother see. He wanted to touch, to feel. And Brianna wasn’t complaining. If anything, she was moving in closer, rubbing against him, encouraging him. He was fast becoming uncomfortably aroused.

‘What are you thinking?’ she murmured against his ear.

‘I’m thinking you can’t be wearing much under this dress,’ he replied, fighting the urge to grab her hand and take her somewhere private.

She laughed throatily. ‘I’m not.’ Tugging at his hand, she smiled at him wickedly. ‘Follow me.’

Gripping Mitch’s hand, Brianna strode through the vast ballroom and moved towards the lift. The doors opened almost instantaneously. As soon as they entered it, Mitch dragged her to him, his mouth eagerly devouring hers. ‘Fast and furious in the lift?’

‘Tempting,’ she replied huskily as his hands slid under her dress and along her thighs. ‘But I had in mind something slightly more private, in a bedroom.’ As the lift came to a halt, she held out a key card with a saucy grin.

‘I can go with that, too,’ he replied roughly, taking the card from her trembling fingers and quickly opening the door. ‘How long have we got?’

Brianna looked at her watch. ‘Half an hour.’

Within seconds of entering the room, Mitch had unzipped her dress, watching as it fell in a cloud of green silk to the floor. ‘God, Brianna,’ he croaked, staring at her naked breasts, and the wispy silk that barely covered her bottom half.

It was hot, frenzied and over in minutes. The intensity left him reeling.

‘It just gets better and better,’ Brianna sighed contentedly. ‘I’m so glad I had the foresight to book a room. I thought it might be useful if we were too tired, or too drunk, to get a cab home. But I much prefer the use we put it to.’

Mitch, who hadn’t even had time to take his shirt off, started slowly undoing his buttons.

‘What are you doing?’

‘What does it look like?’ He threw his shirt over the chair and dived back onto the bed. ‘By my reckoning, we’ve still got fifteen minutes.’

When Brianna walked up to the microphone a short while later, Mitch couldn’t help the smug smile that slipped across his face. Her hair wasn’t quite as artfully coiled on her head as it had been at the start of the evening. Her skin glowed just that little bit more.

‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ she began. ‘We’ve come to that stage of the evening when we ask you to dip once more into those deep and generous pockets of yours. It’s auction time. Please welcome our auctioneer onto the stage, who will explain how it’s all going to work.’

She stepped aside to cheers and whistles. Then the professional auctioneer explained how the auction would run and set the proceedings in motion.

Mitch watched with passing interest as several pretty young women went for £1,000, and a couple of cocky men raised £500 and £1,500.

‘And finally, we have the hostess for the evening, Brianna Worthington. Who will start the bidding? Shall we say five hundred pounds?’

He went from couldn’t care less to wound up like a coiled spring in the blink of an eye. It might only be a harmless way of raising money, but seeing Brianna on the stage, a prize ready to go to the highest bidder, set his teeth on edge. He didn’t want her dating anybody else, even if it was for a good cause. Before he had a chance to think, his hand shot up in the air and he was starting the bidding.

‘Thank you, sir,’ the auctioneer acknowledged him. ‘But surely, for our beautiful hostess, we can get more than five hundred pounds?’

‘One thousand pounds,’ came the response from a rather rotund man near the front of the stage.

Mitch gritted his teeth. ‘One thousand five hundred.’ He felt stupid, offering money to go on a date with the woman he was seeing anyway. Especially as the money went to the same charity he worked for.

‘Two thousand pounds.’ The man at the front wasn’t giving in.

Mitch figured he didn’t need to eat next month, after all. ‘Two thousand five hundred.’

He was relieved to see a shake of the head from the man who’d been bidding against him. Expelling breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding, he risked a glance at Brianna, who was smiling broadly at him.

‘Two thousand five hundred pounds with the tall, fair-haired gentleman at the back of the room. Do I hear any further bids?’ The auctioneer was ready with his gavel. ‘Going once …’

‘One hundred thousand pounds.’

The crowd gasped and turned en masse to stare at the latest bidder.

Mitch didn’t need to look. He knew it was Henry. The man’s obsession with Brianna was obvious to everyone. Except it seemed to the lady in question. He’d seen the look of jealousy flare in Henry’s eyes after he’d deliberately kissed Brianna in front of him. It didn’t take a genius to work out that Henry would take any opportunity he could to embarrass Mitch, to belittle him in Brianna’s eyes. And he’d succeeded. Other than selling his house, which even Mitch wasn’t prepared to do just to save face, he had to accept that Henry had won.

Involuntarily his hands clenched into fists. The smart, grown-up way to admit his defeat would be to acknowledge Henry’s bid with a polite smile. But Mitch had never been the polite sort. What he really wanted to do was run a fist into the smug bastard’s smooth, handsome face. Glancing at the genteel crowd, watching him expectantly, and then at Brianna’s worried face, Mitch knew he couldn’t give in to that urge. So he did the only thing he could do. With a single shake of his head, he turned around and strode out of the room, making his escape.

Brianna couldn’t get off the stage fast enough. She’d seen the humiliation on Mitch’s face, mixed with a hefty dose of anger, and was desperate to get to him before he left. She didn’t know what she’d say when she caught him, only that it was vital she did.

‘Brianna, darling.’ Her mother stood in the aisle, blocking her way. ‘Where are you rushing off to?’

‘Not now, Mum.’ Frantically she scanned the exit, briefly catching sight of Mitch’s back view before he disappeared down the corridor.

‘You’re running after Mitch, aren’t you?’

Brianna flinched at the undertone. Her mother certainly had a way of showing her disapproval. ‘I’m going to find him, if that’s what you mean.’

‘I didn’t realise you two were still an item until this evening.’

‘After the way Henry’s just humiliated him, we probably won’t be.’ None too gently, she manoeuvred her mother out of the way. ‘Sorry, Mum, but I don’t have time for this now.’

‘Just be careful. I warned you about getting involved with a man who’s from a very different background to yours …’

They were words she’d heard before and they rolled off Brianna as she fled through the ballroom as fast as her towering heels would allow her. Then it was down the corridor, across the foyer, and through the revolving door to outside. There, to her intense relief, she found Mitch leaning against the wall, waiting for a taxi. His bow tie was unknotted, shirt open at the collar and his jacket flung over his shoulder. His face was as black as thunder.

‘Mitch.’ She rushed up to him, laying a hand on his arm.

‘Leave it, Brianna,’ he growled, yanking his arm away from her touch.

‘No, I won’t leave it.’ He was angry, but so was she. At the moment it was a toss-up who she was more angry with. Henry for being so arrogant, or Mitch for letting Henry get to him. ‘Were you going to go without saying goodbye?’

Mitch glared at her, stuffing his hands back into his pockets. ‘I’m not a great person to be around right now. Go back to your friends.’

‘My rich friends, don’t you mean?’ She thrust her chin up at him, daring him to disagree.

‘Yes, damn it, your rich friends.’ His dark eyes glinted dangerously, a sign he was battling to hold onto his temper. He was a proud man and that pride had just taken a big hit.

‘Mitch, Henry has just paid a ridiculous sum of money for one evening with me. Something you can do any night you choose for free. What does that make him?’ she asked, her tone gentler this time.

‘It makes him rich and stupid,’ he acknowledged with a grunt.

‘And what does it make you?’ She risked moving closer to him, putting her arm around his waist.

‘Lucky?’ There was a twitch of humour to his lips now.

‘Exactly right, and don’t you forget it.’ She tugged his head down and planted a long, slow kiss on his lips. ‘Now, are you going to stay out here sulking, or are you going to come back into the ballroom with me, dance in front of Henry’s nose and then join me in the hotel room we’ve already christened?’

He sighed. ‘Damn it, Brianna, I hate that people like Henry make me feel inadequate. I know I shouldn’t let it get to me, but it does.’

Brianna could only stare at Mitch in astonishment. How could a man as strong, as smart as him, possibly feel inadequate? She couldn’t understand it. ‘Mitch, you’re worth a hundred Henry’s. Just because he was born into money, doesn’t make him a man.’

Mitch allowed himself to be taken back to the ballroom. Allowed Brianna’s words to soothe his rumpled pride. He even had to admit to a spurt of childish euphoria when he saw Henry watching them together on the dance floor. Hell, he knew he was a better man than that pompous twit. He also knew that someone as shallow-minded and mean-spirited as Henry, even with all his money and privilege, wasn’t right for Brianna.

But that didn’t mean a rough-edged charity medic from the wrong side of the tracks was right for her, either. Lust had got in the way of his instincts. He was becoming tangled up with a woman he had no business being entangled with. Worse, he was now in so deep that whatever he did, they would both get hurt.

Brianna threw the phone down in annoyance. Having paid £100,000 into the Medic SOS bank account, it looked like Henry was after his pound of flesh. He wanted his dinner date and he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Brianna hissed. Perhaps she should be grateful at least one man wanted to have dinner with her tonight, even if it was Henry. Mitch hadn’t exactly been inundating her with calls since last weekend, begging to see her. She was starting to get more than a little fed up with the way he blew hot and cold.

Despite Margaret’s insistence that Brianna work the proper office hours, she left work early, reasoning that tonight could be classed as work. The man had paid a small fortune for the date, the least she owed him was to look her best. And that meant allowing plenty of time to get ready.

Having showered, she slipped into a short, flirty silk dress and was trying to reach round to do up the zipper when her phone rang.

She gave the zip one last tug, but her arms weren’t long enough and the insistent ringing of the phone was driving her crazy. Muttering under her breath she left the unzipped halves dangling and went to answer it. ‘Hello?’

‘You sound out of breath. What are you up to?’

She expelled a soft curse. Mitch. ‘I’m trying to do up the zipper on my dress. Where are you when I need you?’

‘I’m better at undoing zips,’ he replied dryly. ‘Why are you putting on a dress now anyway? Have you got a hot date?’

‘As a matter of fact, I have.’

There was a moment of deafening silence. ‘Who with?’ he asked finally, his voice sounding strangled.

She laughed. ‘Come on, Mitch, I’m only teasing. I’m seeing Henry for this flipping date he paid for at the auction.’

‘I see.’

Again there was silence. Brianna shook her head, half annoyed, half pleased. Was Mitch really jealous? Of
Henry
? ‘Well, if it helps, I’d rather I was seeing you. I would have been, if you’d phoned.’

‘I’m phoning now, aren’t I?’ Then there was a deep sigh. ‘Look, I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch. I’ve been a bit busy. Where is he taking you?’

‘The Ivy.’ Even as she said the words, she cringed, imagining the look on his face at the name of the pretentious restaurant.

‘Well, enjoy your evening, Brianna,’ he replied quietly, putting down the phone before she had a chance to reply.

With a sigh she gathered up the halves of her dress and went in search of her mother.

‘Would you mind doing me up?’ she asked when she found her in her study.

‘Wow, you look lovely, dear.’ Her mother quickly zipped her up before easing her round to face her. ‘So.’ She coughed delicately. ‘Is this all in honour of Mitch?’

Brianna rolled her eyes. ‘No. It’s for Henry.’ Her mother’s lips curved into a brief, triumphant smile. ‘And before you get any ideas, this is the date he paid for.’

‘Oh, I see.’ The smile disappeared, but Brianna knew her hope remained. ‘Well, have a good evening, darling.’

Brianna mumbled her thanks, disappearing before she received another lecture on how wonderfully suitable Henry was. In contrast to the wildly unsuitable Mitch. There had been a time when she might have looked forward to being taken to dinner by Henry. But that was before she realised he liked her as more than a friend. And before she’d met the rugged doctor who’d stolen her heart.

Mitch was restless. Ever since he’d spoken to Brianna he couldn’t settle. He’d tried to watch the television, but none of the programmes took his interest. He’d thought of taking out his surfboard, but there wasn’t much light left and for once the thought of pitting himself against the wind and the waves didn’t thrill him. He’d deliberately waited until midweek to phone Brianna, wanting to put some space between them since the saga of the ball. But the moment she’d told him she was going out with Henry, the defensive shield he’d started to erect had shattered. Now he found himself pacing the room, unable to get the image of Brianna laughing with Henry over a glass of champagne out of his head. This scenario should have been perfect. What easier way to put the brakes on their doomed relationship than to push her into the arms of another man?

The thought caused a sharp pain his heart. No. Damn it, she deserved someone far better than bloody Henry. Angrily he punched his hand against the door frame. This was crazy. He couldn’t stand it. He couldn’t simply sit the evening out in his own home wondering what she was doing. Snatching at his car keys, he slammed out of the house.

Two hours later, he was sitting in his car opposite her place feeling like a stalker, which effectively he was. Thank God common sense had prevailed enough for him to abandon his first idea, which had been to storm into the Ivy and sit down at their table. Yeah, he could just imagine how well that would have gone down. Henry might have been pissed, but Brianna would have been absolutely livid. So instead he’d parked up outside her house and sat and waited, not even daring to think about what he was going to do if she didn’t turn up.

Another hour passed. Mitch looked at his watch. It was half past eleven. Where the hell were they? His hands gripped the steering wheel and with a muttered curse he sunk his head onto them. What on earth was he doing here? He was a total fool. He’d spent the best part of three days telling himself he had to cool things with Brianna and now he was sitting outside her place, waiting for her to come home like the jealous boyfriend he’d convinced himself he couldn’t be.

Just as he was about to turn the key and drive home, a sleek black Mercedes purred into view. Mitch watched as the car glided to a stop right outside her house. Screwing up his eyes he could see Henry at the wheel and Brianna sitting next to him, her hair pinned elegantly on the top of her head. She looked every inch the lady she was.

Aware he was still clenching the wheel, Mitch made himself relax and sit back in the seat. He’d just wait until she got out, until Henry drove round the corner, and then he’d drive off home. He didn’t need to ever admit to this shoddy little venture.

Inside the Mercedes Henry’s face bent towards Brianna’s.

Without thinking, Mitch yanked his door open and barged over to them, thumping on the passenger window.

A shocked Brianna opened the door. ‘Mitch! What on earth are you doing here?’

‘I came to check you were okay.’ He barely squeezed the words out, his jaw was so tight.

‘Why wouldn’t she be okay?’ Henry leaned across from the driver’s seat, his cheeks flushed with anger.

Mitch didn’t reply. He just stood and stared at them both, hands in fists at his side, muscles tense.

‘You knew I’d be okay with Henry. He’s an old friend.’ Brianna shook her head, as if she still couldn’t believe he was there.

Mitch sucked in a sharp breath, aware of an irrational stab of jealousy at her words and what they implied. The years she and Henry had already shared, even if it was only platonic. ‘I wanted to make sure he didn’t push for more than he’d paid for.’

Brianna flushed at his coarseness. ‘That was uncalled for.’

It was. He was being rude and overbearing. With a jerk of his head Mitch looked away, staring into the distance. He was fast losing his mind. Brianna was making him lose his mind. Why else had he driven all the way here, effectively to spy on her?

Simmering with anger at himself, he left them to it and walked back across the road to his car. He’d done exactly what he hadn’t wanted to do at the ball. He’d shown Brianna up in front of one of her friends. At this very moment Henry was no doubt looking down his long, aristocratic nose at him and Mitch couldn’t even blame him. He’d not only given him all the ammunition he needed, he’d practically loaded the damn gun and pulled off the safety catch. He’d shown no better manners than the louts he’d grown up with.

As he hunched over the wheel of his car, brooding into the night, Brianna slipped into the passenger seat.

‘What on earth are you playing at?’ she demanded, her green eyes blazing. ‘How dare you embarrass me like this, checking up on me as if I’m some sort of harlot? One you can’t trust out of your sight.’

There was nothing he could say in his defence.

‘And what if I’d wanted to invite him back?’ she continued, her voice softer now, but more deadly. ‘What would you have done then?’

He turned to glare at her. ‘Don’t play games with me, Brianna.’

‘Same goes, Mitch.’ She moved to slide back out of the car. ‘It’s been three days since the ball and you haven’t bothered to call. I never know where I stand with you from one day to the next. Either you want me in your life or you don’t. Which is it?’

This was his opportunity. The chance to do what any sane man would do in his position, once he’d grasped the woman he was falling for was too far out of his reach. He just had to say the word.

‘You know damn well which it is,’ he ground out, knowing he didn’t have the strength to do what he needed to do. If he couldn’t bear the thought of her on a platonic date with Henry, how was he expected to finish with her now, leaving the field open for all the other men he’d seen sniffing around, watching her with frankly lustful eyes.

‘Do I?’ she replied softly. ‘Maybe I need to hear you say it.’

‘I want you, Brianna. God knows, I want you.’ Just like he’d wanted to be part of a normal, happy loving family. He could want all he liked, but some things he just couldn’t have.

‘Then why are you still sitting in the car?’

She shut the passenger door and crossed the road, her beautiful body rippling under the silk of her dress. As he watched her, his heart was in danger of exploding in his chest. On the outside she was beauty and class personified. On the inside she was funny, warm-hearted and stronger than he’d realised. Once all he’d seen was a spoilt rich girl. Now he knew she was so much more. It was no wonder he couldn’t do without her.

With a shake of his head, he climbed out of the car and went to follow her.

As he caught up with her on the doorstep, he put his arm around her shoulders and turned her to face him. ‘I’m sorry I embarrassed you,’ he told her, running his finger over her soft pink lips. ‘I’m not good at jealousy.’

She sighed against his fingers. ‘I’m not interested in other men, Mitch. I thought I’d made it clear by now. You are all I want. All I need.’

Her eyes were luminous and Mitch allowed himself to drown in them. Lowering his head to kiss her, he kidded himself that maybe, just maybe, they were meant to be together. If not forever, then at least for a little while longer.