‘Are you going to return to Sydney with him?’
‘Possibly.’ Ana deposited her bag out back, and checked the order book, then she set to work.
Concentration was the key, but all too frequently it wavered as she examined one scheme after another, only to discard each of them. Where could she go that Luc wouldn’t find her?
A faint shiver raised the fine hairs on the back of her neck. If he’d had a private investigator following her every move, it was feasible the man was still on duty. It gave her a creepy feeling, and made her incredibly angry.
Luc had played the game with consummate skill in presenting her with a coup de grâce.
But the game had only just begun, and she intended to play by the rules…her own.
CHAPTER TWO
HOW long would it take Luc to consult a lawyer and have the requested paperwork completed? With his influence and connections, she doubted he’d have a problem.
The shop was busy, there were several phone orders, and people walked in off the street to select purchases. Single roses, bouquets, cut flowers for a special hospital visit…the requests were numerous and varied.
She was in the middle of assembling decorative Cellophane and gathering baby’s breath when the door buzzer sounded for the umpteenth time. She automatically glanced up from her task to greet the new customer, and saw Luc observing her actions.
There was an element of formidability existent, a sense of purpose that was daunting, and Ana was conscious of an elevated sense of nervous tension.
Her hands paused as her gaze locked with his, then she bent her head and focused on fashioning pink and white carnations into an elaborate spray.
Ribbon completed the bouquet, and she attached the completed card, the instruction slip, then transferred it to the delivery table.
‘Are you done?’ Luc queried silkily, his gaze caught by a tendril of hair that had worked its way loose from her pony-tail, and he restrained the urge to sweep it back behind her ear.
She shot him a cool glance. ‘I finish at six.’
The atmosphere in the room seemed suddenly charged, and she could almost feel the latent electricity apparent.
His eyes narrowed with a chilling bleakness. ‘You can do better than that.’
‘We’re busy.’ Hot damn, she was so polite it was almost comical. She made a thing of checking the time. ‘I’m sure you can manage to fill in a few hours.’
He could, easily. However, he didn’t feel inclined to pander to her deliberate manipulation. ‘One hour, Ana,’ he warned in a voice that was deadly soft.
‘Are you mad?’ the older woman queried the instant Luc left the shop.
‘Certifiably,’ Ana agreed imperturbably.
‘Gutsy, too. I admire that in a woman.’
She was a fool to think she could best him. Except she was damned if she’d allow him to set down terms and expect her to abide by every one of them without a fight.
‘I’m going to be sorry to lose you, honey. We were just beginning to get along.’
‘I could be back,’ Ana said with humour, and heard the other woman’s laughter.
‘I doubt he’ll let you get away again. Now, why don’t you go finish up? I can manage the rest.’ Her eyes twinkled with mischief. ‘Besides, I’m not averse to a woman stirring a man up a bit.’
Leave, and not be here when Luc returned? ‘You’re wicked.’
‘Good luck, honey. If you’re ever back up this way again, call in and say hello.’ She withdrew an envelope from her pocket. ‘Your pay.’
‘Keep it in lieu of notice.’
‘Some would. I won’t. Now go.’
It took five minutes to walk to her apartment, and once inside she headed straight for the kitchen, extracted bottled water from the refrigerator, uncapped the lid and drank until her thirst was quenched, then she made for the bedroom, stripped off her clothes and hit the shower.
She washed her hair, then dressed in jeans and a singlet top, opted to forgo make-up and piled her damp hair into a loose knot atop her head.
Packing would probably be a good move, but somehow achieving it indicated her imminent return to Sydney, and sheer stubbornness ensured she put off such a task for as long as possible. Besides, how long did it take to empty a few clothes and possessions into a travel-bag?
It was five when the intercom buzzed, and Ana’s stomach did a quick somersault at the sound. It had to be Luc. No one else knew her address.
She cleared him through security into the main lobby, and then waited for the lift to reach her designated floor.
Her doorbell rang all too soon, and she took a calming breath as she crossed the lounge.
He stood looming large in the aperture, dark and vaguely threatening. He’d removed his jacket and hooked it over one shoulder, his tie was missing, he’d loosened the top few buttons of his shirt and folded the cuffs back from each wrist. It lent him a casual air that was belied by his deliberately enigmatic expression.
Ana met his gaze with fearless disregard, and ignored the increased thud of her heartbeat. ‘I refuse to be treated like a runaway child on the verge of being dragged home by its parent.’
He didn’t move so much as a muscle. ‘Whatever happened to hello?’
She drew in a deep breath, then released it slowly. ‘You want polite?’
One eyebrow assumed a mocking slant. ‘Shall we start over?’ Luc countered coolly.
‘Not in this lifetime.’
He let his gaze rove slowly over her slim form, then pinned her blue eyes with his own. ‘For the record, my relationship with you is hardly paternal.’
His drawling tone caused her resentment to resurface. ‘You’re setting down rules, taking away my freedom of choice,’ she retaliated, watching as he remained in the doorway.
‘I’ve given you an option,’ Luc corrected silkily.
‘Sure, you have.’ She speared him with an icy blue glare. ‘With only one possible answer!’
He stepped into the lounge and shut the door. ‘Did you imagine I’d have it any other way?’
Ana closed her eyes, then quickly opened them again. ‘You’ve made it quite clear the child I carry is the main issue.’
She watched as he withdrew an envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket and extended it towards her. ‘The legalities you requested.’
Stark legalese held an awful clarity she was loath to accept. Yet what other course did she have?
She lifted her head and met his steady gaze. There was a glimpse of something faintly dangerous in those dark depths she didn’t care to define, and she returned her attention to the printed pages.
There were further clauses outlining conditions that covered every eventuality…and then some.
‘You expect me to sign this?’
‘A legal agreement was your idea.’ Luc’s tone was silk-smooth.
He was right. But that didn’t make it any easier to attach her signature beneath his.
Luc took the document from her outstretched hand and tucked it into his jacket pocket. ‘Do you want to eat out, or order in?’
Food? ‘I thought you’d want to head back—’ She paused, unable for the life of her to say home. ‘To Sydney.’
‘We,’ Luc corrected, adding quietly, ‘And you need to eat.’
‘Such solicitousness is touching.’
‘Don’t be facetious.’
She spared him a long, thoughtful look, assessing the latent power, his innate sensual chemistry and its degree of sexual energy.
For the past nine days he’d filled her mind, invading it in a manner that was tortuous as she reflected on his long strong body, the feel of sinew and muscle, skin on skin, as his lovemaking transcended the physicality of mere sexual coupling.
It was there in his arms where she lost herself to any rational thought, and became a witching wanton eager to gift and receive each sensual delight.
For then she could qualify a one-sided love, content that it was enough not to hav
e love returned in kind. She could even accept his heart remained locked in the memory of Emma, his first wife, hopeful that with time affection might become something deeper, more meaningful.
At no stage had she envisaged the existence or presence of a mistress.
And now there was to be a child…
She desperately wanted the marriage to survive. But there had to be trust, and honesty.
Was Luc’s word, verbally and noted in legalese, sufficient?
After all, words were only an expression of intention, and easily disregarded or broken without honour.
‘Are you done?’
The silkily voiced query held a slight edge which snapped her back to the present, and her chin tilted in silent defiance. ‘No.’
As long as she lived, she’d never be done with him. The trick was never to allow him that edge of knowledge.
His eyes narrowed slightly. ‘How long will it take you to pack?’
She’d brought few clothes with her, bought less, and the little personal touches she’d added to the apartment would have no place in Luc’s elegant Vaucluse mansion.
‘I can be ready in fifteen minutes.’ She could do cool. At least for now.
Without a further word she crossed into the bedroom, placed the empty bag onto a chair, and began the task of transferring her belongings.
Luc moved to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator and extracted bottled water, filled a glass and swallowed the chilled liquid.
Then he retrieved his cellphone, keyed in a series of digits and instructed his pilot to be on standby for the return flight.
There was, he decided grimly, no point in delaying the inevitable.
Don’t look back, Ana bade silently as she walked at Luc’s side to the car. He stowed her bag in the boot as she slid into the passenger seat, then within minutes he fired the engine and eased the car out from its parking bay.
Luc chose a restaurant at one of the upmarket hotels, and confirmation of their reservation indicated he’d phoned in ahead.
Her appetite seemed to have fled, and she picked at the starter, nibbled a few morsels from the artistically presented main, and chose fresh fruit in lieu of dessert.
‘Not hungry?’
Ana spared him a level glance. ‘No.’ If he suggested she should eat more, she’d be hard pressed not to tip the contents of her plate into his lap.
Luc deferred to her preference for tea and ordered coffee for himself from the hovering waitress.
She watched as he spooned sugar into the dark brew, noting the shape of his hand, the skin texture and the tensile strength evident.
He had the touch, the skill, to drive her mindless with a tactile slide of his fingers, and she hated herself for the sudden increase in the beat of her heart.
Sexual chemistry. It had a power of its own. Damning, lethal.
It took considerable resolve to sip her tea with a semblance of calm, and she felt a sense of relief when he signalled the waitress for their bill.
Three quarters of an hour later they crossed the Tarmac and stepped aboard the luxurious Gulf-stream jet, whose gently whining engines increased in pitch the instant the outer door closed.
Smooth, very smooth, Ana conceded minutes later as the jet wheeled its way out onto the runway, then cleared for take-off, gathered speed and rose like a silver bird into the sky.
The light was fading as dusk approached, and there was an opalescent glow as the sun slipped beneath the horizon in a brilliant flare of orange tinged with pink.
Darkness descended quickly, and all too soon there was nothing to see except an inky blackness and the occasional pinprick of lights as the jet followed the coastline south.
Ana made no attempt at conversation and simply leaned back against the headrest and closed her eyes, successfully shutting out the sight of the man seated at her side.
It didn’t, however, shut out her chaotic thoughts.
A return to Sydney meant the re-emergence of the lifestyle she’d sought to briefly escape. There was her father, Rebekah, the florist shop.
Worst of all, there was Celine Moore. Her nemesis and her enemy.
Absenting herself for more than a week hadn’t solved a thing. The problems remained. A hollow laugh rose and died in her throat. All that had been achieved was a metaphorical stay of execution.
Who would win? The wife or the mistress?
CHAPTER THREE
‘GOOD evening, Ms Dimitriades.’
Ana returned the greeting and offered Petros a faint smile as she slid into the rear passenger seat, aware that Luc crossed behind the vehicle and slipped in beside her.
Within minutes Petros eased the car forward, cleared the private sector and joined the flow of traffic vacating the airport.
At this time of night they’d make good time to Vaucluse, and she sank back against the soft leather upholstery, intent on viewing the passing surroundings.
Bright lights, coloured flashing neon…the muted noise of a big, cosmopolitan city.
To her it was home, where she’d been born and raised, with an endearing sense of the familiar.
A blustery shower sprang up, splattering the windscreen with fine rain-spray and diminishing visibility.
It seemed to close in, heightening the close confines of the car and her proximity to the man seated at her side.
Silence stretched between them like a yawning chasm, and she thought of a safe topic of conversation, only to discard it. Why pretend? 34
Vaucluse was a prestigious suburb with magnificent views over the inner harbour, and Ana’s nerves tensed as the car turned in between the electronically controlled gates leading to Luc’s architecturally designed home.
Stretching over two blocks of land, the elegant double-storeyed mansion possessed imposing lines, archways, and high-domed windows. It was set in well-kept grounds, the sculptured gardens maintained by Petros, who resided in rooms above the garages, and whose duties covered numerous chores supplemented by twice-weekly household help.
The car drew to a halt beneath the wide portico, and Ana emerged before Petros could move round to open the door, thereby incurring his faintly pained expression.
She stood as Luc disabled the security system and unlocked the panelled double doors. He swung them wide and she entered at his side.
Marble floor tiles in varying shades of cream bordered by dark forest-green covered the spacious foyer, and there were expensive works of art gracing the walls. Formal lounge and dining-room were positioned to the right, informal rooms and a spacious study lay to the left. The focal point was a wide, sweeping marble staircase leading to the upper floor which held no fewer than four bedrooms, each with ensuite, the master suite, and a private sitting-room.
‘I’ll serve refreshments,’ Petros indicated as he moved into the foyer after securing the doors.
‘Not for me.’ Ana softened her refusal with a slight smile, and made for the stairs. She felt disinclined to extend the fac¸ade any longer than necessary.
Luc followed in her footsteps, and she turned to face him as they reached the landing.
‘I’d prefer to have a room of my own.’
His expression didn’t change. ‘No.’
Resentment flared. ‘What do you mean…no?’
‘I would have thought my answer held sufficient clarity.’
‘I don’t want to sleep with you.’
‘Perhaps not…tonight,’ he amended silkily, and caught the flicker of pain in those deep blue eyes before it was successfully hidden.
‘Not any night!’
‘Brave words, Ana.’
He moved ahead of her with indolent ease, her bag in hand, and she watched in silence as he entered the master suite only to emerge seconds later empty-handed.
She wanted to rail against him, hating the power he possessed and her inability to retaliate in kind. She was caught in a web, tied to him by the child she’d conceived, and held there by family loyalty.
‘Go to hell, Luc,’ she evin
ced bitterly as he drew level.
He paused, and caught hold of her chin, tilting it so she had little option but to meet his steady gaze. ‘Careful, pedhaki mou. I might be tempted to take you there.’
Her eyes widened at the silkily voiced threat, and her lips shook slightly as his hand slid to cup her cheek. ‘I don’t scare easily.’
The edge of his mouth quirked. ‘One of your admirable qualities.’ He released her and moved towards the head of the stairs.
He would, she knew, check with Petros for any messages, make the required calls, scan his electronic mail, and deal with the urgent stuff…all of which could take half an hour, or more.
It gave her time…to do what? Settle in? The thought was laughable.
Ana entered the master bedroom and came to a halt a few steps into the large room. Nothing had changed…had she really expected it to?
The king-size bed with its dark, richly patterned duvet and numerous pillows was a focal point. Furniture comprised matching sets of multi-layered chest of drawers in varying heights, and there were dual ensuites, dual walk-in wardrobes. A deep-cushioned sofa and a chaise longue completed a room that was designed for comfort and pleasure.
Sensual pleasure.
A feathery sensation scudded the length of her spine, and she cursed beneath her breath as memories of what she’d shared with Luc in this room rose damnably to the surface.
Vivid, sexually electrifying, and shameless.
Dear heaven. How could she slip beneath those covers and pretend everything was the same?
It didn’t bear thinking about. Yet she had to face the situation.
But not tonight, she determined as she crossed to the upholstered stool at the foot of the bed, caught up her bag and retreated to another room, where she unpacked an oversized T-shirt, toiletries, then crossed to the adjoining en suite.
She should phone her father, then her sister to let them know she was home. Although if either opted to call, it would be to her cellphone, and there was time enough tomorrow to apprise them both of her return.
Now all she wanted to do was undress and slip into bed. Although there were too many thoughts chasing through her brain to promote an easy slide into sleep.
The Helen Bianchin Collection Page 140
