BLINDED BY DESIRE

by Arabella Sheen

  The afternoon became a blur as they satisfied their passions.

  And on the sandy shore and in the shallow waters, their desires were fulfilled until the sun began to set.

  When night began to fall, they returned to the house with their arms entwined to continue their ardour long into the night.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Jason woke with a blinding head ache.

  The bright white light of the early morning sun was shining through the open windows of the bedroom. It was falling across the bed onto the pillows where he was lying with Beth beside him.

  The brightness of the scorching light was torturing his senses.

  Carefully he lifted a hand to shield his tender eyes.

  “Beth . . . Beth,” he called her name softly, as if he was frightened to move or disturb the moment.

  Drowsily she turned to him and snuggled confidently and sleepily deeper against his body and into his warmth.

  After last night there could be no more barriers between them.

  “Hum,” she murmured aroused. And still with her eyes shut she began softly to plant butterfly kisses on his chest.

  “Beth stop it. Wake-up. Something’s happening,” he told her urgently.

  “I know . . . you’ve got me wanting you again,” she said dreamily.

  “No . . . I mean something’s happening to me. Something’s happening to my eyes. They’re changing. It’s all a bit of a blur and the light in here’s so bright.”

  Beth was instantly wake and she was scanning Jason’s face for any visible transformation. She saw tension and worry etched on his brow, but other than that Jason looked fine.

  “Are you sure you’re beginning to see again?” she asked him hesitantly.

  She was amazed this should be happening to him here and now.

  “Yes of course I’m sure. Yesterday on the beach I thought I saw a flash when I was with you in the water, but this morning . . .” he said shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun, “God this light is hurting.”

  “Jason, we have to get you to Athens and to the hospital. And soon,” she said decisive.

  She was taking no arguments from him and she didn’t wait for Jason as she clambered out of his bed and reached for her discarded cloths.

  “The doctor’s in England said you had to be checked over at once if anything happened. I’ll call the hospital in Athens now and see how soon they want us there.”

  She got as far as the bedroom door and turned back to look into the room.

  Was it only a week ago that she had been so ill from sunstroke and had been escaping from Jason from this very bedroom after their moment of passion?

  And here she was once again leaving the warmth of his arms.

  But this time it was different.

  This time she wanted to stay with him . . . but she couldn’t. She had to get him to the mainland and to the hospital as quickly as possible. She was the only one here to get the ball rolling and if she didn’t move fast something dreadful could happen to him.

  “Beth,” Jason called to her. He was reaching for her as he’d done once before . . . and once again she was no longer there. She had left him.

  * * * * *

  Beth had phoned the hospital and Jason had been given the all clear to travel. A helicopter had been dispatched and Beth was given a glimpse of how far Jason’s influence and enormous wealth could stretch.

  She could see and feel the full magnitude of his power.

  No expense was spared.

  Not only was it first class travelling all the way, but it was travel at speed.

  The helicopter was flown to the island and they were instantly transported to the mainland emergency heliport for Athens Eye Hospital.

  His every wish was being obeyed without question and everyone they came into contact with was running to do his bidding.

  It was almost as if there had been a total reversal of their lives.

  The slow pace and the simple basic way they had lived and travelled had changed.

  She soon discovered there was no comparison between Jason’s world and hers.

  Swamped by his affluence and his authority she was beginning to feel overwhelmed.

  I could never be part of his world, she thought. I’d never fit in.

  They were staying at The Royal one of the best hotels in Athens. The hotel was in the centre of the city and it could provide anything and everything they needed.

  Jason had told Beth to contact the manager and reserve his usual suite of rooms. What she hadn’t realised until they got there, was the luxury of the place. They had access to everything including the swimming pool. Opulent was not the word for this place. This was five star-plus.

  Beth hardly had time to glance around their suite before there was a call from reception telling her a limousine was waiting to take them to Athens Eye Hospital.

  Everything was organised and wheels were turning; all she had to do was accompany Jason.

  When the doctor’s examined Jason and gave him the news his sight was returning and his vision would soon clear in a couple of days, they also warned him there were no guarantees.

  He could easily lose his sight again, just as quickly as it was returning. But in the meantime he could go back to the island.

  Beth’s relief that everything was fine was enormous.

  She’d been so worried the intense passion they had shared during their night together had damaged his sight. She felt it was her fault his vision was changing.

  If she hadn’t been with him in the fullest sense of the word, perhaps he wouldn’t have been under such pressure to perform.

  It was a relief to know that nothing seriously wrong was happening to his sight. Although it was blurred and still hazy, he could make-out figures and shadows. Hopefully it would soon be back to normal.

  Thanking the hospital staff, they went outside to where the hotel limousine was waiting for them.

  They were nearly back at the hotel when Jason turned to her.

  He looked serious.

  There was a frown on his brow and behind his dark glasses she could see something was bothering him.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked anxiously, afraid the doctor’s had missed something.

  “Beth.” he said bluntly, “Now my sight’s returning I’ve decided you can go back to England and get on with your life. My sights not a hundred per cent, but I can see enough to get by. The eye specialist said it would only be a matter of days before my vision totally clears, so you don’t have to stay with me. I can survive on my own.”

  She felt as if Jason had hit her with a sledge hammer.

  What was he saying?

  That he didn’t need her any longer?

  That she was of no more use to him?

  It seemed Jason Andre was giving her the brush off. He was totally rejecting her.

  She felt her body grow cold with shock and her face drain of colour.

  Beth covered her eyes with trembling hands thankful Jason couldn’t see her embarrassment or see the shame she was feeling.

  He had used her as all men used women?

  “But I can’t leave you . . .” she protested weakly.

  “Yes. I think if you ought to go back to England . . . and back to Charles.” Jason wasn’t listening to anything she had to say.

  “Charles? Charles who? Who are you talking about?” she was puzzled and confused. She had no idea what Jason was getting at.

  “Why Charles of course . . . Sophie’s husband. The man you’re having an affair with.”

  “Affair?” she yelled surprised. “You think I’m having an affair with Charles?”

  At that moment their limousine came to a stop at the entrance to their hotel and in an instant she didn’t care what she said or what she did.

  How dare he insult her?

  What was he insinuating?

  That she was in the middle of an affair with Charles who happened to be a married man and that she was willing to sleep with both of t
hem.

  It seemed she was supposed to be juggling relationships between Jason in Greece and Charles in England.

  She went as white as a sheet and felt sick with disgust because he thought she would do such a thing.

  And all she wanted to do at that moment was slap Jason hard and bring him to his senses.

  Not knowing how she controlled her anger she didn’t wait for the driver to open the car door. She stepped out onto the pavement and turned back to look at Jason still sat inside the limousine.

  “I should never have come to Greece with you Jason,” she said as calmly as she could.

  The blood was boiling in her veins and colour was beginning to return to her face.

  With rage shining in her eyes, she looked like the fiery tigress he had once called her.

  She was furious and nothing could ease her anger.

  “I didn’t want to work for you in the first place, and I didn’t come here to be your toy. I’m not something you can play with when you feel like it. I’m warning you . . . nobody and I mean nobody messes with me. Not even you . . . the almighty Jason Andre. You don’t need a landscaper; you only wanted someone to warm your bed and satisfy your needs. Well let me tell you . . . it isn’t going to be me.”

  Then slamming the car door shut in his face, she left Jason to find his own way into the hotel.

  Beth went to reception to collect the key to their suite.

  Stood in the lobby waiting for the lifts to come, she thought he must have six-sense or built in radar because he’d found his way into the hotel and was standing directly behind her near the lifts.

  “Have you calmed down yet?” he asked her.

  He seemed unruffled by her recent child-like behaviour.

  “Did leaving me in the lurch outside give you any satisfaction?” he wanted to know.

  She was amazed he knew exactly where she was standing.

  Waiting for the lift she’d time to cool down and think about things.

  “I shouldn’t have left you as I did. But somehow you seem to say all the right things to annoy me. Damn you Jason. You know just how to press my buttons.”

  “I know and I’m sorry,” he said, but he said it without a hint of an apology in his voice.

  “I’m not having an affair with Charles . . . I’ve never been with Charles.”

  “Don’t say anymore Beth. It isn’t necessary.”

  “But you still don’t believe me . . . do you?”

  Jason simply shrugged his shoulders.

  She realised he didn’t trust her and for some reason that hurt more than anything he could have said or done.

  She desperately needed him to in believe her, and in that moment she came to realise her feelings for Jason had seriously changed.

  Now she knew how completely and totally she had come to love him. She needed him to trust and love her in return.

  But he wouldn’t.

  He would always doubt her and she couldn’t help but love him.

  She wasn’t blind to his faults.

  He was arrogant, demanding and bull-headed and these were only some of his imperfections.He had presumed she would work for him. He thought she had nothing better to do with her life than to pander to his every need and follow him about Greece. But he couldn’t have been more wrong.

  She had plenty to do in England and her skills as a landscape designer were always in demand.

  But his arrogance and egotism didn’t matter now.

  She’d found that she had come to love him. Just being with him made her feel all woman. He made her feel more alive than any man she knew. And at that moment she was thankful he couldn’t see how vulnerable she felt.

  Jason had no idea of the love written all over her face.

  It was shining out of her eyes and until now she hadn’t realised herself exactly what her feelings were for him.

  “Jason I’m not staying with you. You’ve had the thrill of the chase. You’ve captured me and you’ve had me in your bed. I knew it was an affair and it wouldn’t last. I know the drill. I know it’s time for me to go. Fade back into oblivion and obscurity. I could never have been part of your world and I would never fit into your way of life.”

  Although Jason had told Beth to go back to England and get on with her life, he hadn’t known if she would leave. He didn’t want her to stay with him in Greece because she felt sorry for him.

  When Beth seemed reluctant to leave him, he had put Charles into the equation, which caused an eruption of emotion, indignation and outrage to start from her.

  Now the tables had been turned.

  Now it was Beth who was now threatening to leave him and Jason had been shocked to the core.

  In an instant he realised just how much he needed and want Beth in his life.

  He couldn’t let her go.

  Not now. Not after all they had shared together.

  Slowly with trembling hands he reached out and found her face.

  Gently and soothingly he caressed her cheek as if to ease her pain.

  “I know my tigress has a temper,” he said softly, “And I know on occasions I make you angry and press your buttons, but . . . never walk out on me like that again . . . Never.”

  She was reaching for him and she was about to throw herself into his arms, telling him she was sorry . . . sorry she’d left him and she that she would never leave his side again; but before she could tell him how she felt, a high pitch scream came from across the hotel foyer directed at them.

  “Jason . . . Jason darling.”

  Someone was calling to him.

  Beth felt Jason freeze where he stood.

  He’d gone ridged.

  The voice came from a tall thin elegantly dressed woman who was frantically waving her arms.

  Whoever she was, she was trying to catch his attention.

  Then the clatter of high heels sounded on the marble floor as the woman quickly approached.

  “Jason darling, where have you been? I almost gave up hope of seeing you today.”

  Jason turned his head in the woman’s direction to listen. He seemed unsure he was hearing correctly.

  “Trudy . . . is that you?” he asked hesitantly.

  “Have we been separated for so long darling that you don’t recognise me any longer? Of course it’s me. Who else could it be?”

  Trudy flung her arms around Jason’s neck and locked him in a tight embrace.

  Beth knew it must be the same Trudy who had left him in his hospital bed after seeing the scars and injuries the plane crash had caused.

  Jason was being engulfed and warmly kissed on the lips, and to Beth it seemed it was happening without too much of a protest from Jason.

  “Trudy? What are you doing here . . . in Greece . . . and in this hotel?”

  He was obviously surprised and shocked by Trudy’s presence. Carefully he prized and worked loose the woman’s arms from around his neck. He was waiting for a reply.

  Trudy was smudging off the vivid splash of red lipstick which she’d just planted on Jason’s lips.

  “Darling, the film crew and I are camping out at the Apollo across town. Before we left England gossip was rife amongst our friends that you’re well and are on the mend. They said you’d be here in Greece, recuperating and working . . . and building the villa . . . I phoned round and got your address from the office. Mrs Jarvis said you were on some remote island out here and wasn’t to be disturbed; but she let slip you were heading into Athens today for a hospital appointment. It seems your sight’s coming back. Which is fantastic darling. I have to be here in Greece because we’re on a film shoot; so I thought I’d kill two birds with one stone. Thought we could get together again and maybe talk things over. Settle any confusion or differences we might have.”

  “What differences? There were no differences between us Trudy. The last thing I recall . . . and there is nothing wrong with my memory . . . was you walking out on me when I was laid-up in traction in a hospital bed.”