More Than Neighbors (15 page)

“And how do you know they haven’t done the same with me?” she said with a smile.

“Are you kidding? I heard none other than Lady Lodge-Burrell say that you seemed like a charming young woman.”

Cat remembered the matron she’d just met, who looked like she’d gone under the knife one too many times. She burst out in laughter. “You must be joking, Leo. As soon as she saw me, she scrunched up her nose as if there were a rotten fish nearby.”

“It’s a twitch she’s had since her last bout of cosmetic surgery. I’m serious, Catalina, the old dragon has given her approval, and that means you’ve won them over.”

“Honestly, I’m having a lovely time, Leo. Everyone’s so friendly.”

Just then, Leopold’s mother called her over to introduce her to yet another group of people, and Cat had no choice but to go. Pamela, who hadn’t taken her eyes off them, took the opportunity to grab Leopold’s arm and corner him for half an hour. The poor man only managed to extricate himself when it was announced that the food was being served. Leopold struggled to squeeze through the huddle of neighbors surrounding Catalina, and with the excuse of wanting her to eat something, he put his arm around her waist and managed to pull her away. “It’s incredible that we’re engaged and we haven’t been able to spend more than a few minutes alone together,” he grumbled.

“Life is unfair, darling. This looks great!” Cat served herself a generous portion of pasta salad from a silver dish.

“You must try the venison terrine.” Leopold put some on her plate before serving himself. “It’s a specialty of the Atkinsons’ cook.”

Laughing, they piled their plates high and served themselves a glass of champagne each. Then they strolled to one of the picnic blankets that were strategically positioned around the extensive grounds surrounding the stately home, and sat in the shade of an impressive weeping willow, whose branches brushed against the running water of a stream. Some of the guests followed them, and before long several more people had joined them on the blanket. Leopold’s plan to spend some time alone with Catalina was thwarted once more.

Nevertheless, it was a very jolly party, and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. At one point, Cat burst into laughter at something the Honorable Anthony Robinson said to her, and Leo looked at her, spellbound.

“It’s certainly obvious that you’re besotted with her, Leopold.” Lady Lodge-Burrell gave him a conspiratorial tap on the thigh.

Upon hearing that, for the first time in his life, Leopold blushed like a timid virgin, and he was unable to respond. The woman’s taut features seemed to express something like delight, and she chuckled with mischief.

It’s certainly obvious that you’re besotted with her
 . . .
Leopold rejoined the conversation as if nothing had happened, but the woman’s words rang in his head.
Nonsense
, he thought to himself.
Catalina’s a very dear friend. I might feel some attraction to her—all right, let’s be honest, she drives me crazy and I’d like nothing more than to take her to bed and make love to her for hours—but that’s all it is: physical desire
.

Then someone asked about his friend Harry, and Leo was forced to stop his musings before reaching a satisfactory conclusion.

It was dark by the time they had finished eating. Some of the guests organized games, others remained lying drowsily on the blankets, and a few decided to take a stroll. Robert Atkinson offered to show Catalina a place in the extensive garden from which there was a splendid view, and she was forced reluctantly to accept, finding no way to decline the invitation without seeming rude.

To her surprise, Robert was pleasant and well behaved, and he didn’t try to flirt with her as she’d become accustomed. They walked for a while along a gravel path lit by torches, which led to a beautiful marble summer house from which they admired a spectacular view of the village illuminated below them. It was a mild and fragrant evening, and the clear sky was dotted with bright stars. “It’s fabulous!” Leaning on the balustrade, Catalina admired the scenery, captivated.

“Didn’t I tell you? You should see it by day.” Robert smiled pleasantly at her, and for a moment, Cat thought she may have been wrong about him.

They ambled along a narrow path, bordered by magnificent beds of flowers, chatting amicably as they went. They had just rounded a tight bend in the path when Catalina stopped in her tracks. In front of her, lit clearly by a torch, she saw Leopold’s unmistakable silver-haired head bent over Pamela Atkinson, her arms around his neck in a passionate embrace. For a few seconds, she stood motionless, watching the scene, but Leo had his back to her and didn’t see her. “Let’s get out of here,” Cat whispered, turning and striding away. Robert practically had to run to catch up.

Emotions fizzed violently in Catalina’s chest as she retraced their steps along the path at full speed, and she was surprised at the rage she felt. Briefly, she wondered if she was jealous, if what she felt for her neighbor went further than mere physical attraction. She told herself,
It’s just that I don’t understand what this whole charade has been for, if ultimately he wants to be with Pamela
.

“I’m sorry, Cat, I really am. I didn’t know . . . ,” Robert kept apologizing all the way back to the summer house.

“Stop it, Robert! It’s not your fault!” She cut him off midsentence, stopping at the balustrade. Catalina leaned against the cold stone rail, trying to get her breath back, and silently gazing at the fabulous valley dozing under the moonlight. Suddenly, she felt Robert put an arm around her waist, pulling her toward him, and she didn’t resist. She thought he was intending to console her, and she was amazed to realize that she needed sympathy more than she ever would have imagined. But the man took her chin in his other hand and delicately lifted her face toward his, then kissed her full on the lips. Catalina put the palm of her hand on his chest and tried to gently push him away, but she only had time to think that it was curious how unaffected she felt by his attentions before a furious voice made them separate, startled.

“May I ask what in hell’s name is going on here?” Flashes of silver sparked from Leopold’s eyes as he strode toward them, irritably shrugging off Pamela’s desperate attempts to stop him.

CHAPTER 17

When Pamela had put her arms around his neck and pulled him toward her to kiss him, Leopold had been too surprised to resist, but within a few seconds, he firmly pushed her away, uncomfortable with the situation. “I’m sorry, Pamela, but I’m engaged.”

“Don’t be so old-fashioned, darling; there are plenty of engaged men, married ones, even, who don’t think twice about a bit of flirting on the side.”

“I’m not one of those men,” he interrupted her, freeing himself from her clutching hands, still pulling at him. “We’d better get back to the group.”

“All right, Leopold, don’t be angry,” she pleaded. “I’m sorry, I really am.”

They began to walk in awkward silence. Leopold wanted her out of his sight, so he marched as quickly as his long legs would allow and within minutes arrived at the summer house.

At the sight of Catalina in Robert Atkinson’s arms, a murderous fury overcame him. He strode toward the man who was embracing his supposed fiancée, and without saying another word, Leo threw a straight punch to Robert’s jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground. Then he grabbed Catalina’s arm and dragged her behind him, without looking back. “Pamela, make sure the Wilsons take my mother home. We’re leaving now. Thanks for everything,” he said as they walked away.

Catalina had to make an effort to keep up with him. “You’re hurting me,” she complained, trying to free herself from his grasp.

“Stop thrashing! I don’t want to make a scene. We’ll talk when we get home.”

They soon reached the car. Leopold deposited her in the passenger seat and slammed the door shut. He started the engine in silence and drove at full throttle back to his family’s estate. Saunders opened the door, without showing any surprise that Lady Sinclair wasn’t with them, and he led them to one of the parlors. “May I bring you anything, sir?”

“No, thank you, Saunders, we don’t need anything. You may retire,” Leopold replied, making a point of acting perfectly calm, though Catalina sensed he was about to explode. When the butler had closed the door discreetly behind him, Leo asked in a voice distorted by anger, “What were you doing kissing Atkinson?”

Defiant, Cat looked up at him and asked in reply, “Oh, so you can kiss Pamela, but I can’t have a bit of fun?”

“I didn’t kiss Pamela.”

“Oh, I see! You suddenly realized she wasn’t breathing and decided to give her CPR.”

“What I mean is, she kissed me.”

“Oh, really? Well you didn’t seem to mind,” she said sarcastically.

“I did mind. And don’t change the subject! You came as my fiancée, and I won’t allow you to make a fool out of me in front of everyone.”

Catalina had never seen her neighbor so furious, but refusing to be intimidated, she challenged him. “Of course. All you care about is your wounded pride. And what about mine? Should I let you make me look like an idiot? Anyway, for your information, Robert and I were not kissing . . . well, what I mean is . . . after the little scene we’d just witnessed, the poor man must’ve thought I was hurt and so he tried to comfort me.”

“Except you didn’t need comforting, because you couldn’t care less if Pamela kissed me. The thing is, you go around kissing everyone. You enjoy leading men on,” he thundered.

Now it was Catalina’s turn to be furious, and she went on the offensive, flinging the most hurtful words she could think of at him. “We’re not actually engaged, you know. We’re both free to kiss whomever we want. I don’t know what this jealous fiancé act is all about, Leo; melodramas have always bored me.” Her voice was filled with scorn.

Hearing that, Leopold exploded with rage. For the first time since she’d known him, Catalina witnessed what she’d wanted to see from the beginning: her neighbor, always such a master of his emotions, losing control.

The spectacle was terrifying.

Leopold approached her with a fierce expression, and Catalina turned and ran out of the room, scared. She climbed the stairs two at a time, hearing her neighbor’s footsteps behind her, coming closer and closer. Panting, she rushed into her bedroom and shut the door in his face, turning the key. She rested her back against the wood, trying to catch her breath, and closed her eyes, then suddenly heard a menacing voice inches from her ear and, startled, opened them again.

“I think you forgot one minor detail . . .” Leopold had entered through the bathroom door and was standing right in front of her. Frightened, Catalina struggled with the lock, but he rested a hand on the door and prevented her from opening it. “And now what?” he challenged in a low voice. His nostrils flared like those of a thoroughbred horse, and for some reason, that almost imperceptible movement made her hair stand on end.

“Look, Leo, you’ve got it all wrong. Calm down, and let’s talk about this like civilized people.” Though her voice trembled a little, Cat tried to seem serene.

“I’m perfectly calm, Catalina dear.” He slowly moved closer, backing her into the middle of the room until her legs hit the bed and she was unable to retreat any farther.

“This is silly, Leo. Our engagement’s not real, remember? I haven’t been unfaithful to you.” His gray eyes burned, giving off silver sparks, and Catalina could barely recognize her polite neighbor, who had always made a show of his exemplary self-control.

“You agreed to act as my fiancée while here, so the least you can do is behave with a little decorum and not go around teasing other men. I don’t think it’s too much to ask that, just for a few days, you stop kissing every man within reach.”

“Enough! You’re being very unfair!” Suddenly fuming, she shoved his impressive chest, so near to hers, but was unable to make it move an inch.

Leopold’s gaze roamed over her tousled hair and flushed face and came to rest on her brown eyes, which seemed larger than ever. “Catalina dear, I’ve been holding myself back for what feels like centuries; you know very well that I desire you. If it’s kisses you want, I can give them to you; you said I don’t kiss badly, remember?” His tone, icy and calm, in stark contrast to the passion on his face, made her shudder, but Cat wasn’t prepared to let anyone quash her.

Defiant, she replied, “I don’t want kisses, least of all from you. I thought we were friends, but now I know that you have no idea what friendship even means. Not only do you rush to the wrong conclusions, but you’re also cold and egotistical.”

“Cold?” His burning eyes seemed to contradict her. Slowly and deliberately, Leopold moved closer, and she was forced to retreat so that he wouldn’t touch her, but she lost her balance, falling back onto the mattress.

Immediately, he fell on her and quickly pinned her down. Cat wriggled under his weight, but it was like trying to move a two-ton boulder. Leopold enveloped both of her wrists in one of his large hands and held her arms above her head. Unable to free herself, Catalina lay still.

Leopold looked down at her, and his hungry eyes stopped on her firm breasts, rising and falling under the fine fabric of her dress. After what seemed like an age, his gaze met her large brown eyes again, and despite her best efforts to be calm, she felt a flicker of fear. “Don’t be scared, Catalina dear, I’m not going to hurt you,” he whispered, so close to her lips that a shiver ran down her spine.

“Scared? I’m not scared. And don’t call me dear!” she exclaimed, infuriated.

He studied her teasingly. “You’re not scared, dear?” He dipped his head further, until his mouth almost brushed against hers. Catalina’s trembling lips betrayed how she was really feeling, though she was unable to decide whether she felt fear or something completely different, but she shook her head. “Are you sure?” His deep voice, hoarse and seductive, gave her goose bumps, and Cat fixed her eyes on the burning silver irises freezing her in place, like a snake hypnotizing its prey.

“No.” Her faint sigh caressed his lips, and a wild flash of desire appeared in his eyes. Catalina guessed his intentions and pleaded with him again: “Let’s not, Leo, please . . .”

“Yes, Catalina, yes. I’ll show you I’m not cold or egotistical,” he murmured, and unable to contain himself any longer, his mouth bore down on hers.

At first, Catalina tried not to give in, and she kept her lips shut tight, but her neighbor’s kiss, to her surprise, was not violent—quite the contrary. Slowly, Leopold ran the tip of his tongue over the edges of her mouth, then began to gently bite her bottom lip with such skill that Cat was forced to shut her eyes, losing herself in his touch. “Open your mouth, Catalina,” he ordered, barely separating his lips from hers. Cat obeyed, unable to resist, and allowed the kiss to deepen, wiping everything but those maddening lips from her mind. Leopold’s mouth had her in a trance from which she did not wish to wake. Cat waited to hear a voice of reason in her head, telling her to stop with this madness, but it was no use: her yearning was too strong, and finally she surrendered, responding to his touch with long-suppressed eagerness.

Noting her passionate response, Leopold’s excitement grew to an almost unbearable level; his long fingers pushed aside one thin shoulder strap of her dress, and his lips glided over her velvety skin, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. Carefully, he removed the other strap, and Cat’s breasts were revealed, covered only by her skimpy lingerie; Leopold drew back for a moment to admire them. “You’re so beautiful,” he sighed, then dipped back down, ready to devour her.

Feeling his moist, warm mouth on her nipples, Cat arched her back toward him. Blind with desire, she undid the buttons of his shirt one by one, wanting to feel his hard, tanned chest, which she hadn’t stopped thinking about since the day they’d swam at the cove.

As if their lives had both led irrevocably to this precise moment, they were enveloped in a frenetic delirium: hands and lips avidly searched for hidden places; entwined legs tangled with sheets; creased clothes chucked wildly aside.

And finally, the two bodies melted together with heedless abandon, lifted by an unstoppable torrent of passion to previously unknown heights.

Much later, calm returned, and they stared at each other for several minutes in silence, overcome.

“Catalina . . .”

“Leo . . .”

Then they simply remained lying together, without speaking, holding each other close, until Leopold felt an uncontrollable urge to make love to her again. Cat was lying half-asleep beside him when she felt a warm hand slide between her thighs. “Leo,” she tried to protest.

“Don’t stop me, Catalina, please. I need you again; I’m dying for you.” His husky voice in her ear and his hypnotic caresses reignited a flame that spread through her until it became an unstoppable fire.

Leopold pushed into her with a thrust that made her let out a low moan. Lost in her passion, Cat sank her nails into his shoulders, while he continued to glide, forward and back, with deep lunges, and when the tide of excitement that enveloped them both reached almost unbearable levels, she screamed his name, and the two of them spilled like waterfalls into each other.

Later, they lay together on the untidy sheets, their breathing jagged, totally spent. Without letting go for an instant, Leopold pressed her against his side, and they fell asleep, their bodies entwined.

Before dawn, he woke her again with a shower of kisses on her face, and for the third time that night, the two of them immersed themselves in a whirl of emotions that no one but the other could unravel.

It must have been fairly late when a ray of light, filtering timidly through a crack in the curtains, woke Catalina. Slowly, she stretched, and her body ached gratifyingly in certain places, but almost instantly, the events of the previous night popped into her head, and her eyes shot open. She regarded the peaceful face of the man lying beside her, and for a moment, she wanted to stretch out her hand and stroke his cheek, where stubble was beginning to appear. But drawing on all her willpower, she resisted the urge. As if the daylight had suddenly brought her to her senses, she asked herself what on earth she had done.

Her neighbor continued to sleep, oblivious to her inner turmoil. Cat took the opportunity to examine his face, and she feasted her eyes on his strong, attractive features: the square chin, slightly cleaved down the center, showed determination; the lips, firm and sensual, had made her go crazy just a few hours before . . . and suddenly, she was aware that the way she felt about Leopold was different from how she’d ever felt for any other man, and she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was much more than just a passing infatuation.

Somehow, without her being aware of it happening, Leopold had become essential to her happiness. Catalina could not understand: Why him? Why someone with whom, to all appearances, she had nothing in common? She shook her head, incapable of finding the answer to her questions. All she knew was that, after so many years of superficial relationships, she had fallen in love like an idiot with her neighbor. And yet she was not at all sure whether Leo felt anything more than mere physical attraction for her.

Truly scared for the first time in her life, Cat carefully got up to avoid waking him. For a few seconds, she remained by the bed and gazed at him, fighting her stabbing desire to lie beside him and kiss him. Biting her bottom lip with anxiety, she said to herself,
I’m a fool. I have to get out of here, I need to think
 . . .
Unable to cope with the shock at realizing she was in love, Catalina did what she usually did when things got too complicated: she decided to run. Without making a sound, she gathered her things as best she could—fortunately her painting equipment was in the trunk of the car. She scribbled a note with a shaky hand:

Something urgent has come up. Sorry for taking your car.

Please bring Milo when you come back to London.

Thanks for everything. Say good-bye to your mother for me.

Cat

Suitcase in hand, Catalina looked at the sleeping man one last time, then crept out, gently closing the door behind her.