had any enthusiasm for in the first place. And it wouldn’t be easy. He began to tell Theo so in no uncertain terms.
Jemma could tell the two men were arguing, and, much as she hated the idea of facing Luke, her compassion for poor Theo overcame her fear. Rising to her feet, she cut into the tirade of Greek in a cool, well-modulated voice. ‘Excuse me, Mr Devetzi, your grandfather is not very well, and shouting at him will certainly not help.’
Jemma was telling him off! Luke was struck dumb at the nerve of the woman.
‘He’s had an accident, in case you’ve forgotten, and he should really be at home resting.’
‘I was not shouting.’ Luke finally found his voice. ‘We Greeks are as passionate in conversation as we are in everything,’ he said pointedly, none too subtly reminding her of the passion they had shared. ‘And I know very well what Theo needs.’ He shot a lethal glance at Theo to see the man was smiling; he was enjoying this, damn him! Luke was determined Theo wasn’t going to make him the villain of the evening, and neither was he taking any cheek from a married woman who quite happily slept around, he thought furiously. No matter how gorgeous she was.
‘I tried to make him stay at home, but he insisted on coming to the party because he wanted to meet you again, Jemma,’ Luke said. ‘Apparently you made quite an impression on him at the board meeting, because he hasn’t stopped talking about you. He told me you were in business, but he omitted to mention you had a partner…’ He paused and deliberately looked down at her ring finger before adding, ‘But then his English is not so good.’ Luke offered a withering glance to his grandfather, as the old man had obviously still not realised the woman was married. ‘Is your husband here? I would quite like to meet him,’ he asked pointedly, his steel-grey gaze roaming insultingly over her. His question was to inform Theo of his basic mistake, but also to act as a barbed reminder to the sexy Jemma that there had been no mention of a husband while Luke had been making love to her…
Jemma could do nothing about the sudden colour that surged in her cheeks at his blatant male scrutiny and his sly dig at her married state. But, having suffered constantly as a child at the hands of her peer group because of her slight dyslexia, she wasn’t prepared to stand by and let the arrogant Luke belittle his grandfather’s use of the English language.
She cast Theo a sympathetic glance. ‘There’s nothing wrong with your English. I can understand you perfectly,’ she assured him, before lifting her head to glare up at the man towering over her. ‘And you should know better than to demean your grandfather’s abilities in front of others,’ Jemma said tautly, her glittering golden eyes clashing angrily with grey. It was as if they were the only two in the room, the tension between them a palpable force. ‘And maybe if you learned to listen to your grandfather properly you wouldn’t need to do it. As it happens I do have a partner, my best friend Liz, though I actually never told Theo I had a partner when we first met.’ Implying Luke was a liar. ‘And, as for my husband, he died some time ago now. Are you satisfied?’
For the second time in as many minutes Luke was stunned into silence as he thought of the opportunity he might have had with her if Theo had got his facts right. The beautiful Jemma was free and single again… He didn’t really care when her husband had died; it was enough to know she was available now—except for the minor complication that he was currently dating her stepsister… Damage limitation was called for—and fast!
Straightening his shoulders, he caught the flicker of sadness in her huge amber eyes that she could not quite disguise and he felt like a heel.
‘I’m so sorry, Jemma. I never meant to offend you or Theo. May I offer my deepest sympathy at the loss of your husband?’
‘Thank you,’ Jemma responded curtly, finally tearing her gaze away from his, and not believing him for a second. She was too shocked to say anything more. Luke Devetzi had angered her so much that she had blurted out in public that Alan was dead—something she had rarely had the strength to do before—and it scared her.
‘Forgive my grandson for being so crass. I know exactly how you feel,’ Theo cut in, and she was grateful for the old man’s intervention. ‘I have also lost my wife, but let me assure you it does get easier.’ After giving her a sympathetic smile he looked back at his grandson. ‘But Jemma is right, Luke, perhaps I was a bit hasty in coming out tonight.’ Suddenly rising to his feet, with more agility than Jemma would have thought him capable of, he grasped Luke’s arm—just as Jan appeared.
‘Luke, darling, is everything all right?’
Looking from Theo to Luke and back again, Jemma had the oddest feeling some silent communication had passed between them.
Jan placed a proprietorial hand on Luke’s shirtfront.
‘No, my grandfather isn’t feeling too well, so I am going to take him straight home. Sorry we have to leave early, but it is necessary,’ Luke said smoothly.
‘Oh, must you?’ Jan pouted ‘Surely you can stay, even if your grandfather has to leave? I’ll call him a cab.’
‘No, I couldn’t possibly allow him to go home alone.’ Luke removed Jan’s hand from his chest, his tone hard, and Jemma had a feeling that Jan had just made a big mistake with this man.
‘Oh, but you don’t need to,’ Jan gushed, and turned a pleading look on Jemma. ‘Do Luke and I another favour and take Mr Devetzi home, please, Jemma? You know you don’t really like parties and he’ll be fine with you. Plus, Luke hasn’t had the chance to properly speak to David yet.’
Jemma almost laughed. Jan’s barefaced cheek never failed to amaze her. She’d opened her mouth to make some non-committal answer when Theo intervened. ‘No, thank you, Miss Sutherland. I wouldn’t feel happy imposing on your sister in such a way. It’s time I left.’ And, taking Luke’s arm, he apologised for dragging his grandson away. ‘I am feeling rather weak.’
Luke wasn’t feeling so great himself. For a man who was always in control, it was galling to have to admit he had been completely blindsided by the evening’s events. He wanted to talk to Jemma. Who was he kidding? He wanted to do a lot more than talk to her. But now wasn’t the time or the place. She would keep, he decided, and the quicker he got away from this disastrous party the better.
‘Sorry, ladies, but we have to leave,’ Luke said. ‘Give my apologies to your father and I’ll call you later, Jan. No doubt I’ll see you again, Jemma.’
Not if I see you first, Jemma thought. Then, while Jan monopolised Luke’s attention once more, she leant forward and kissed the old man’s cheek. ‘You take care, Theo.’
‘I will. You’ve been very kind to me, Jemma. And, disappointed as I am about the villa, I would like to repay your kindness by taking you out to lunch tomorrow, before I return to Greece.’
‘I can’t tomorrow,’ Jemma refused, glad she had a genuine excuse. She had already lied to Theo about not having met Luke before, and she’d rather not have to lie to him again. But as it happened she was lunching with Alan’s parents in Eastbourne—something she did every month. ‘I’m lunching with my parents-in-law tomorrow; although it’s over two years since I lost my husband, we still keep in touch. So some other time, perhaps,’ she said quietly.
Much as she liked the old man, she wanted nothing whatsoever to do with his grandson, and the quicker the Devetzi males left, the better she would like it. Jemma heaved a shaky sigh of relief as she watched Theo follow Jan and Luke out into the hall.
‘Thanks a
