too now, and she knew it wasn't just from the cold she could feel coming on. Anne and James had the closest, most special relationship she had ever seen, and the nearest Merlyn had ever come to feeling that sort of love herself had been when she looked at Rand Carmichael for the first time and knew she wanted him. And that wasn't the same thing at all.
‘What happened between you and Brandon last night, Merlyn?’ James spoke in the darkness.
Her face drained of all colour, and the pounding in her head became stronger. She swallowed hard. ‘He made it clear he doesn't want anyone, least of all me, portraying his wife,’ she explained huskily.
‘That was this morning, I'm talking about last night.'
Merlyn kept her face averted, knowing those deep brown eyes could become hypnotic if she let them, and that beneath the gentleness of his love for Anne he could be as ruthless as the next man. She shrugged. ‘What makes you think anything happened?'
His mouth quirked at her evasion. ‘It may have escaped your notice, but the rest of us call him Brandon.'
‘So?’ she challenged, having noticed that discrepancy herself, but putting it down to the fact that last night he had wanted to forget who he really was as he made love to her.
‘So you tell me,’ James prompted softly.
‘He let me sleep in his spare bedroom because he had no choice,’ she dismissed hardly.
‘Is that all?'
‘What else were you expecting?’ She forced lightness to her expression as she turned to face him on their entrance to the hotel reception.
He made a rueful expression. ‘Well, I haven't seen too much of Brandon lately; his choice not mine,’ James added hardly. ‘But he always used to be able to appreciate a beautiful woman.'
‘Appreciate, James?’ she mocked with raised brows.
‘Enjoy,’ he drawled.
Her eyes flashed. ‘The most enjoyment Rand found with me was this morning when he told me to get out of his life and stay out,’ she related bitterly, knowing she spoke the truth. He hadn't found physical release with Merlyn Summers last night, he had made love to Suzie, his wife.
‘I'm sorry.’ James took her hand in his. ‘He wasn't always like this.’ His head shook regretfully. ‘The four of us used to have a lot of fun when we were together.'
‘You and Anne, and Rand and Suzie,’ Merlyn said abruptly.
‘Yes,’ he sighed, seeming lost in thought. ‘It feels like another lifetime.'
Merlyn had no wish to hear about the cosy foursome they had made. ‘You had better get back to Anne, she'll be wondering where you are,’ prompted Merlyn lightly. ‘And I want to get a good night's rest before going back to London tomorrow.'
‘You're sure we can't persuade you to stay on a few more days?’ said James regretfully.
They had been trying all evening, ever since she had told them she would be leaving in the morning. ‘No one could do that!’ she told James vehemently.
As it happened it wasn't a someone that prevented her leaving but a something; she woke up in the morning with a raging temperature, a rasping sore throat, and legs that refused to support her to the bathroom let alone all the way back to London!
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