Free The Yuletide Engagement & A Yuletide Seduction by Carole Mortimer Page A

another thing…
    Given enough opportunity, she could quite get used to kissing Patrick. In fact, she couldn’t think of anything she enjoyed more, could still feel the sensuous warmth of his lips against hers…
    Stop it, she instantly ordered herself exasperatedly.There was no point in getting used to Patrick kissing her. In fact, it might never happen again, so she had better get used to that!
    The Delacorte house was ablaze with lights as Patrick parked the car outside. Over twenty cars were already parked in the long driveway—Jaguars, Mercedes, Rolls Royces and the occasional Range Rover, Ellie noted with a self-conscious grimace.
    As Gareth had quickly realized when he’d come to work for Delacorte, Delacorte and Delacorte, Ellie was quite a favourite with George Delacorte, but she had never actually been to George and Mary’s house before. She now found a butler opening the door to their ring, a maid taking their coats and wraps. The luxurious décor and furnishings of the house were all a bit overwhelming.
    Did Patrick’s parents have a house like this one too?
    Probably, she acknowledged heavily. Even if, as she vaguely remembered Toby once telling her, as a bachelor of thirty-eight Patrick lived in an apartment of his own in town.
    All this luxury made their own little house seem positively minute in comparison!
    But then there was no point in comparison; the obvious wealth of Patrick’s relatives only served to emphasise the differences between the two of them. Differences she would do well to remember.
    There was the sound of voices and laughter coming from a sitting room that led off to the right of the huge reception hall, and it was to this room that Patrick took them, his hand lightly under Ellie’s elbow. Almost as ifhe knew that what she really wanted to do was turn tail and run!
    â€œMy family doesn’t bite, Ellie,” Patrick told her mockingly now. “At least not on first acquaintance!” he added tauntingly.
    â€œHow reassuring,” Ellie drawled, taking a glass of champagne from the circulating waiter.
    â€œIf the two of you will excuse me…?” Toby muttered distractedly, before disappearing into the throng of people already crowded into the room.
    Ellie watched his departure with puzzlement. “What—?”
    â€œLet’s go and say hello to George and Mary,” Patrick suggested lightly. “You had better hold my hand.” He held it out to her. “I would hate to lose you in the crush.”
    Ellie would hate to lose him too; she hadn’t recognised a single face in the room so far, apart from George and Mary Delacorte where they stood over by the huge fireplace, chatting to another middle-aged couple.
    It was undoubtedly a large room, seeming to run the entire width of the house, with a huge bay window at one end and doors out into the garden at the other, but with fifty or so people in it there was barely room to move.
    â€œWe have a large family,” Patrick told Ellie ruefully as he managed to push his way through in the direction of the fireplace.
    Ellie and Toby had several aunts, uncles and cousins too, but they would be hard pushed to fill even their small sitting room with the dozen or so that made up their family.
    It didn’t help her nervousness when she instantly saw the likeness between Mary Delacorte and the tall dark-haired man who made up half of the other couple the Delacortes were chatting to. She knew she was right in the conclusion she had come to as the man gave a light laugh; his likeness to Patrick was unmistakeable.
    Saying good evening to George and Mary was one thing, meeting Patrick’s parents was something else entirely!
    Ellie came to an abrupt halt before they reached the foursome, giving Patrick an accusing glare when he looked down at her questioningly. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Patrick,” she bit out tautly.
    He gave her a considering look.