he kissed her his skilful hands travelled caressingly over her body, filling her with a singing delight. A sensation that intensified almost unbearably as, his finger and thumb teasing one pink nipple, he took the other into his mouth and stroked it with the tip of his tongue.
While he continued to ravish her, his free hand began to explore the silky honey-gold triangle of curls and the satiny skin of her inner thighs.
She began to make soft little sounds deep in her throat, wordless pleas that he heard with a wholly masculine satisfaction.
But now was the time to make his move while he was still in control. If he left it any longer…
When, in response to her urging, he moved over her, after a lifetime of discipline and self-restraint it seemed the most natural thing in the world to welcome him and, feeling his weight, she gave a little murmur of pleasure.
A murmur that died in her throat as, all at once, muttering something she didn’t catch, he drew away.
Her eyes flew open.
He got to his feet, pulled the duvet over her and shrugged into his robe while she lay there, bereft and bewildered.
Deplorably innocent she might be, but there wasn’t the faintest doubt that he’d wanted her, so what had made him change his mind so suddenly?
Bending down, he kissed her and said quietly, ‘Gwen’s back early…’
She hadn’t heard a thing, Tina thought dazedly, but in the circumstances that wasn’t surprising.
‘There’s no guarantee that she won’t come upstairs,’ he went on, ‘and the guest room doesn’t have a key, so to save everyone’s blushes I’ll take the evidence and make myself scarce.’
Picking up the tray, he headed for the door.
Watching it close behind him, it struck her that, far from being seriously annoyed, he seemed to be taking the whole thing in his stride.
Almost as if he had planned to walk away at that point…
But why on earth should he? It didn’t make sense. She dismissed the ridiculous thought. It would simply be that what would have been new and earth-shaking for her wouldn’t mean the same to him.
Though, judging by the care he had taken to avoid upsetting his housekeeper, he didn’t bring his women here, he must be used to having his every need met. Which meant he could regard the interruption as just a slight annoyance.
Whereas she felt empty and desolate, like someone who had been torn from the gates of paradise just as they were about to open…
But, unless she wanted to risk Mrs Baxter finding her like this, she mustn’t lie here repining.
The thought galvanizing her into action, she got out of bed and pulled on her gown while she found fresh underwear and a clean blouse.
While she had been drifting along, sexually unawakened, it had been comparatively easy to deny her body’s needs. But being awakened, feeling really alive for the first time, though wonderful, was a two-edged sword.
Trying to ignore the way her body still cried out for fulfilment, the demons of frustration that clamoured for release, she put on her suit, coiled her hair and made-up lightly.
Then she repacked her case, gathered up her coat and handbag and, allowing herself no more time for regrets or thoughts of what might have been, made her way downstairs.
There was no sign of either the housekeeper or Richard and everything was quiet as she descended the stairs.
In the hall she hesitated, suddenly embarrassed at the thought of having to face him after everything that had happened.
It would be so much easier if she was free to just slip away, as self-sufficient, as uninvolved as she had been before she had first seen him standing in Cartel’s car park.
But she wasn’t.
No longer mistress of her own destiny, at this precise moment she could no more make herself walk away and leave him than she could fly to the moon. As though caught in a spell, she was held by invisible bonds, ties she didn’t begin to understand but couldn’t escape.
It was both a frightening and strangely exhilarating thought.
She couldn’t be in love. It couldn’t have happened this fast. But from being a woman very much alone, trapped in an emotional vacuum, overnight everything had changed. She had finally been awakened and was alive in a way that she had never known before.
Even when she and Kevin had been newly engaged and she had thought she loved him, she had never felt like this.
But, no matter how she felt, when they got back from Castle Anders, for the sake of her self-respect, she must move into a hotel.
Leaving her case in the hall, she headed for the study. As she reached the door she heard Richard’s voice and hesitated.
‘Yes, I’m sorry about that, but as things are…’ he was saying. Then, after a pause, ‘I have to act now…I simply can’t afford to risk waiting…’
She had started to turn away as, his voice brisk and determined, he went on, ‘I certainly hope so…Straight away, all being well…Now, I’d better get moving…Yes, I’ll do that…Bye.’
The door opened abruptly and he came striding out. His dark face more than a little tense, he said, ‘I was just coming to look for you. About ready to go?’
‘Yes.’ Whatever the trip to Castle Anders brought, it was something she felt impelled to do.
His face relaxing into a smile, he said, ‘That’s good,’ and put a hand at her waist.
Just that light touch seemed to brand her through her clothing.
‘As it’s a Saturday morning and the traffic’s often bad,’ he went on, ‘it might take us longer than usual to get there. But we can always have lunch on the way—’ Seeing her case, he stopped speaking abruptly.
Quickly, before she could weaken, she explained, ‘I’ve brought my belongings in the hope that when we get back to London you’ll be kind enough to drop me at a hotel.’
‘Of course,’ he agreed smoothly, ‘if you’re sure that’s what you want.’
Outside, the sky was a Mediterranean blue and it was warm and sunny, with a return to the Indian summer they had been enjoying. A balmy breeze carried the scent of late roses and somewhere close at hand a bird sang, turning town into country.
The sleek silver Porsche was standing by the kerb with a dark blue limousine drawn up behind it and Jervis—stocky and middle-aged—standing by.
Handing the chauffeur Tina’s case, Richard said, ‘I’ve decided to drive myself, so you can put that in the Porsche, garage the limo and take the rest of the day off.’
‘Very good, sir.’ There was gladness and relief in the man’s voice. ‘Thank you, sir.’
‘I
