Doing the Right Thing Read online

  “I need to apologize,” Will said.

  “I really don’t mind about the colour.”

  “No, not that.”

  Her heart shrank. “What?”

  “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I was desperate a minute ago. Now I’ve moved beyond desperation. I’m in imminent danger of not being able to last more than—I daren’t even guess. Normally, I have more self-control, but I’ve been building up to this since that knife fell out of your pants.” He hesitated. “No, before that, from the moment I saw you in the gym and let’s not forget you’ve been driving me wild all day. But I want this to be good. I don’t want to disappoint you.”

  “You couldn’t disappoint me,” she whispered.

  He looked her in the eyes and gave a little smile. Will lowered his head to kiss her neck, nibbling along her collarbone before moving up to her mouth.

  “Tell me what you like,” he whispered, “because if you touch me again in the next few seconds, you’re not going to be impressed with my performance.”

  “I-I—” She couldn’t speak.

  “Does this feel good?” Will dropped his head and licked around her nipple, drawing it into his mouth, sucking gently.

  Addie felt the pull between her legs. Her eyes closed and her neck arched. How could licking her nipple make her ache there? She moaned deep in her throat. Ohh, it felt good. Something was happening to her. Again. Shit. No. Good.

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” Will said, his voice husky.

  He pushed his hand between her legs and she gulped as his finger slid a little way inside her.

  “Oh God, you’re so wet and tight,” Will groaned. “It’s no use fooling myself into thinking I can wait. I can’t.”

  Addie could feel her muscles clenching, tension building inside her, a tightening sensation throughout her body. There was something she’d been going to tell him, but she’d forgotten what. Will pushed her legs either side of his hips and she felt the hard length of him between her thighs. Addie wrapped her legs and arms around him and lifted her body to press her face into his shoulder. She was making weird little gasps, winding tighter and tighter. Oh bugger. Hurry.

  “Wait for me. I want to be inside you,” Will whispered.

  Wait? How? The accelerator was stuck down. There was no brake pedal.

  Will pushed a little way into her and she inhaled sharply at the invasion. He pulled back.

  “I thought you were ready. Am I hurting you?”

  “No,” Addie lied. Too late to tell him now.

  She pressed her face harder into his shoulder to hide her eyes, put her hands around his back and tightened her grasp, rocking her pelvis against his, encouraging him to thrust hard inside her. Slow and easy warped into hard and fast as Will slid fast and deep into her and she bit her lip. Pain and pleasure for both of them rode side by side.

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck, Addie. Why didn’t—you haven’t—” Then Will could no longer speak.

  Addie clung to him as one of his hands roamed up her spine, the other settled under her backside. Their bodies were locked tight as he surged into her, shuddering as he was gripped by a series of long, powerful spasms. Then they lay motionless, though Addie could feel the wild beating of their hearts lying one on top of the other and it was somehow the best part of all.

  Chapter Fourteen

  When the bell rang, Ed put the DVD on pause and wandered to the door. When he opened it, his mouth also opened in complete shock. Manicured fingernails reached forward and lifted his jaw back into place.

  “Cela n’est pas attrayant, Ed.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  Vee walked past him into the house.

  “Where do you want these?” the taxi driver asked, a large bag on his shoulder and a case in each hand.

  Ed grabbed the luggage and carried it into the hall.

  “Il a été un ange. Le payer,” Vee called from the lounge.

  Ed got the pay him part. “How much?” His mind raced.

  “Twenty quid, mate.”

  Ed pushed twenty-five pounds into his hand and slammed the door.

  “Ou est Will?” Vee came back into the hall.

  “Out.”

  “His car’s here.”

  Ed tried to think. “He’s gone for a walk to give me a bit of space.”

  “Why do you need space?”

  “I’ve got company,” Ed improvised.

  Vee flashed one of her smiles. Oh God, the French bitch was gorgeous, he thought. Vile, but gorgeous.

  “I should have known. Never takes you long. Which is his room? I want to freshen up. Is there a bathroom?”

  “There’s a toilet down here,” Ed said.

  “I need a shower.” She moved toward the stairs.

  “Vee, what are you doing here?” he asked in a loud voice, hoping Will could hear.

  “I need to talk to Will.”

  “So what’s with the luggage and how did you know where we were?” Ed did not want her living with them.

  “So many questions and none of the answers concern you.”

  She took another step toward the stairs and Ed leapt forward.

  “Let me check if the bathroom’s free. There’s a bottle of champagne in the fridge. Why don’t you open it?”

  He breathed a sigh of relief when Vee turned and walked toward the kitchen. Ed ran up the stairs. He was not in the mood for this shit.

  Will rolled away from Addie to pull off the condom, then turned back. She didn’t know what she saw in his eyes.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” He stroked her cheek.

  Before she could speak, the door flew open and Ed burst in. Addie yanked up the sheet.

  “What are you doing? Have you gone mad? Ed!” Will nodded his head toward Addie. “We’re in the—”

  “I need you both in my room. Now,” Ed said.

  “Fuck off.” Will stood up.

  “Vee’s downstairs,” Ed blurted.

  Addie’s heart pounded in her head. Who was Vee?

  “Vee is downstairs,” Ed repeated. “I told her you’d gone for a walk and I had my girlfriend here. Both of you get in my room. Once Vee’s in your en-suite, you can sneak out.”

  Ed grabbed Will’s robe and threw it toward Addie. She struggled into it before she got out of bed. She moved fast, picked up her clothes, grabbed her bag and went out of the room. The first door she tried was the bathroom. She didn’t take a breath until she was locked in. Then she gasped as if up to that point she’d had hands around her throat. She’d been stupid. Will had a girlfriend called Vee. She’d turned up and Addie was history. Her heart was ablaze, the pain so bad, she thought she might die.

  Addie took off the robe. The breath caught in her throat when she saw the smudge of blood on her inner thigh. She cleaned herself with wet toilet tissue and flushed it away. Her fingers fumbled as she dressed. One tear escaped as she fastened her jeans and she rubbed it away in anger. She looked in the mirror. Still the same person. Still gawky Addie. She ran her fingers through her hair, tried to smile and failed. Tried again and still couldn’t do it because she’d been reminded yet again that no one wanted her.

  Ed attempted to tidy Will’s room. He smoothed out the sheets and pulled the duvet back into place. Grabbing the box of condoms, he looked round to check Addie had left nothing. Will stared at him.

  “Is the bathroom free?” Vee called from downstairs.

  “Yeah,” Ed called back, “only pour a couple of glasses of that champagne before you disappear with the bottle.”

  Since Vee was not only the most unstable woman he’d ever met, she was also the most selfish, Ed was positive she wouldn’t have already thought to do that, so it gave them an extra minute or so. He put Will’s clothes in his arms and pushed him to the other bedroom.

  There was no sign of Addie.

  “Where is she?” Will mouthed.

  “She must be in the bathroom. Fuck. I’ve just told Vee it’s free.”

  As Ed ca
me out of the bedroom, he caught sight of Vee at the bottom of the stairs and closed the door on Will.

  “This is Will’s room,” Ed said as she reached the landing. “You can use his en-suite.”

  “So why’ve I had to wait?”

  “Because I don’t want you settling in. It’s Will’s room, not yours.”

  “Bring my cases up.”

  Ed bristled. “You’re not staying here, Vee.”

  “Just for a little while. Will won’t mind.”

  “Yes, he fucking will.”

  “We’ll see.” She slammed the door.

  Ed’s shoulders slumped. He didn’t understand why Will couldn’t see what a bitch she was. That wasn’t true. Will did know she was a bitch, which was why he’d divorced her, but he didn’t know how bad she was. Will had been away in New York when Vee came round to Ed’s flat with a bottle of champagne. By the time he’d opened it, Vee had draped herself over his couch. He should have pushed her out the door then, but he hadn’t, he’d given her the benefit of the doubt.

  Nothing happened. Not much anyway. Not on his side. There had been some groping and touching and Ed had called her a taxi and sent her home. Vee had never forgiven him for rejecting her. And he’d never forgiven her for telling Will that he’d come on to her. Ed didn’t tell Will exactly what Vee had done, only that she was trying to drive a wedge between them. Will said he believed him but Ed wasn’t sure he had. The day Will announced he and Vee were splitting up had been one of the happiest of Ed’s life. Only Vee was a leech, she wouldn’t let go.

  Maybe he shouldn’t have saved Will from being caught in bed with another woman. Maybe he should have let Vee walk in on them. Only Ed was certain who would have come off worst in that encounter and it would have been Addie. She was probably pissed off with both of them, but better that than having Vee come at her with a knife. Ed wished Jolene, one of Will’s post-split girlfriends, had gone to the police after Vee attacked her, but instead she’d dumped Will.

  By the time he’d hauled Vee’s luggage into Will’s room, Vee was in the shower in the en-suite. Ed went back to his own room and found Will dressed, sitting on the bed holding a bra.

  “Where is she?” Will asked.

  “In the shower.”

  “Not her, you idiot. Addie.”

  “I’m not the bloody idiot. You are. Addie’s in the bathroom. You need to get out of here. Leave Addie to me. I’ll take her home. I told Vee you’d gone for a walk to give me and my girlfriend space, so stay out long enough to get cold. When you get back, get rid of her.”

  Once Will was out of the house, Ed went to the bathroom and knocked on the door. No answer, no sound from within. He tried the handle. The room was empty. Ed’s gaze slid to the open window. As he took the three paces toward it, he had a sudden vision of a body on the ground and his pulse spiked until he looked down. There was no flat roof, no drain pipe. He would have thought twice about making the drop unless the house had been on fire, but maybe that’s what it had felt like to Addie.

  Ed ran downstairs and grabbed his keys. He drove to the bottom of the road and pulled up next to his brother.

  Will bent his head to the window. His eyes widened when he realized Addie wasn’t in the car.

  “I don’t know where she is. She must have dropped out the bathroom window,” Ed said.

  “Christ.” Will’s shoulders slumped. “I need to talk to her. I—find her, Ed, make sure she gets home safe. I didn’t—I—” He hesitated. “It was her first time. I didn’t realize.”

  Ed stared at him in shock. “You complete fucking idiot. How could you not know?”

  “She didn’t tell me. I thought she was playing. Shit, I feel terrible. It would have been okay if Vee hadn’t…” Will’s voice rose. “What the fuck is she doing here? How did she find us? Everyone knows better than to tell her anything.”

  “Go back and get rid of her. I’ll find Addie.”

  Ed hadn’t intended to spend the evening doing anything more strenuous than having a long soak in a hot bath. With a bottle of cold beer in his hand and his laptop balanced on the washbasin, he planned to lie back in comfort and watch a film. Now he was going to have to drive round the streets of Alwoodley looking for a pissed-off, possibly hysterical female.

  It took Ed ten minutes to find her. She sat alone at a bus stop. He pulled up and lowered his window. “Addie, get in. I’ll drive you home.”

  She didn’t move. No hysteria. No crying. No fury. Just a sad, pale face. Ed wanted to kill Will.

  “Are you all right?” he asked and could have kicked himself for his stupidity.

  Addie could still feel where Will had been inside her, but he didn’t care about her. Not enough anyway. He wanted her gone. Ed wanted her gone because a woman called Vee had arrived. Addie was overwhelmed by the pain of complete humiliation. So stupid to think someone that attractive wouldn’t already have a girlfriend. Stupid to think he might want her for anything other than a quick fuck. He was her boss. What had she been thinking?

  “Get in, Addie. Let me drive you home. Please.”

  Everything ached—her leg from yesterday, her head, between her legs. Her heart.

  Ed got out of his car. “Come on, Addie,” he said, his voice soft and gentle. “You’ll be ages waiting for a bus and it’s started to rain. Let me take you home.”

  Addie picked up her backpack and got into his car.

  “Where do you live?”

  She whispered her address.

  By the time Will walked back into the house, he was freezing. He felt terrible, but not because he was cold and wet. He looked at the stairs, turned away and went into the kitchen. He knew what would happen. He’d shout at Vee, she’d cry, he’d feel guilty and try to make her feel better and then it would only be a matter of time until the next explosion. The bottle of champagne stood open on the kitchen table. He turned and walked to the stairs. What was the point in putting this off?

  He pushed open his bedroom door.

  “Salut, Will.”

  His ex-wife lay curled up on his bed with only a towel wrapped around her.

  “Que fais-tu ici?” he demanded, slipping into her native tongue, asking what she was doing there.

  Vee pouted. An expression with which he was all too familiar.

  “That’s not nice,” she said.

  “I thought you were in Paris staying with your parents.” Will glared at her. He’d hoped she’d never come back to the UK.

  “We had an argument. They don’t care about me. They don’t want me.”

  Will had heard all this before.

  “You’re wet. Tu fais froid?” Vee asked. “Let me warm you up.” She uncovered herself, posing on the bed like a centrefold model.

  Will tried to keep his eyes on her face. He pulled his fingers through his damp hair.

  “You don’t belong in my bed, Vee.”

  “But you’re my husband.”

  “Ex-husband. We’re divorced, remember?”

  “Ah, pas exactement.”

  Will’s heart lurched in his chest like a dog trying to escape a leash. “Not exactly?

  What does that mean?”

  “We’re still married.”

  Panic scuttled through his veins. Will shook his head. What the hell was she talking about? “No, we submitted the draft settlement. The notaire prepared it. The bloody French lawyer cost me a fortune. We signed it. The hearing—”

  “I said we’d changed our minds.”

  For a moment, time stopped. “What?”

  “I told them I wanted to try again.”

  Will tried to rein in his fury. “How dare you, Vee? This was all sorted.”

  “I want to try to again.”

  Will chewed his lip. “What happened to Jean-Claude?”

  “The cochon was sleeping with a waitress.” Vee started to cry. “Why do people always do that to me? They always hurt me.”

  Will was tempted to remind her that she’d hurt him, but he didn’t. How did
she think it made him feel when she slept with other men? Vee cried harder. Will squirmed. He felt helpless when women cried. It made him want to do anything to stop them— give them his car, his credit cards, Ed’s Star Wars figures, anything. His desperation stemmed from the way his mother used same tactic of emotional blackmail when he and Ed were little. Crying to get them to cuddle her, crying if they didn’t work hard at school and crying so they wouldn’t leave her like their daddy. It worked then, too.

  Vee sobbed and Will looked at her in despair. Confrontations always made her cry. Her crying made him feel guilty. Feeling guilty weakened his resolve. He hated this. Her parents had fucked up her life and left her as fragile as a glass rose.

  “Don’t you love me, Will?”

  “Yes, but not in the way you want. Not anymore.”

  Vee got up and walked over to put her arms around him, leaving the towel behind.

  “You’re lying. Part of you still wants me no matter what you say.”

  She nestled against his chest and Will kept his arms motionless, trying to imagine she wore clothes.

  “What’s wrong with me?” she asked.

  “Nothing.” Nothing he wanted to list now, anyway.

  “Then why don’t you want me? Don’t you think I’m beautiful?”

  “You shouldn’t have come here, Vee.”

  “I wanted to be with you today,” she said. “Just today.”

  Will glanced at the luggage in the corner.

  “Don’t you remember this day?” she asked.

  He was at once on alert. “No.”

  “The day we lost our baby, Will. The day our little baby died. You’re the only one who understands.”

  Then he believed the tears and let himself hug the memory of what had been inside her.

  A child hadn’t been planned, but he’d been ecstatic at the news. He thought it would put things right between them, stop Vee straying. The first time she’d had an affair, he’d taken her back and given her another chance because she swore it would never happen again. Then two days after she’d told him she was pregnant, he found her lying naked in the arms of their equally naked next-door neighbour.