Fatal Deception

by Sally Wentworth

  'You eat out a lot?' she asked.

  'Most of the time. Occasionally I cook for myself but it's quicker and easier to go to a restaurant. And when I have clients to entertain I always take them out to lunch or dinner.'

  'Our lives appear to be complete opposites. Ben's big treat is to share a Chinese takeaway.'

  Bruno laughed. 'I can imagine.' He beckoned the waiter over and ordered another bottle of wine. 'But I'm sure we're not all that different. We certainly weren't once,' he reminded her softly.

  Norrie judged it wisest to ignore that remark and concentrated on finishing her pudding. 'That was delicious.'

  'I'm glad you enjoyed it. Would you like coffee?'

  'Please. But if you'll excuse me for a few minutes I think I'll just 'phone to make sure that Ben is all right.'

  'Is he unwell?' Bruno asked sharply.

  'I'd hardly have left him if he was,' Norrie retorted, rather resenting the anxious note in his voice. 'I just want to check, that's all.'

  But the baby-sitter reported that Ben was still fast asleep, and after applying fresh lipstick in the cloakroom, Norrie returned to their table.

  A small group had been playing softly in the background, but now that most people had finished their meal they began to play more up-beat numbers and several couples got up to dance. Bruno stood up as she rejoined him and put a hand on her arm before she sat down. 'Would you like to dance?'

  'You must be joking!' Norrie retorted in surprise.

  'Of course I'm not. Don't be such a coward.' And he put a firm arm round her waist and propelled her on to the floor.

  Short of making an embarrassing scene, there wasn't much Norrie could do except go along with him, but her face was angry as she turned and he drew her to him and began to move around the floor. 'You know darn well that I don't want to dance with you.' But Bruno ignored her. 'Must you hold me so close?' she demanded crossly.

  He bent his head and said softly into her ear, 'Relax. What are you afraid of?'

  But she held herself stiffly in his arms, automatically moving to the music, but terribly aware of his hand low on her back, of the musky tang of his after-shave, of the length of his body close against hers, of his mouth only a few inches away. How could she possibly relax when his nearness aroused her so. And he knew it, too, damn him. Bruno felt her hand tremble in his and he gave a slow smile, then let his lips lightly brush her temple.

  'You're very lovely,' he said softly. 'You always were.'

  'Shut up. I don't want to hear.'

  He laughed softly. 'Little liar. There isn't a woman in the world who doesn't like having compliments paid her.'

  'That depends entirely on who's paying them,' Norrie pointed out tartly. 'Coming from you they're— they're odious.'

  His grip tightened suddenly and he pulled her hard against him, an angry glitter in his eyes. And he held her pressed close to him, so that she could feel every movement of his hips, until the music ended.

  Her face flaming, Norrie strode off the dance floor as soon as he let her go, picked up her bag from the table and would have walked out if Bruno hadn't caught her elbow and forced her to sit down. 'Drink your coffee,' he ordered.

  'I don't want it.'

  'Don't be so damn childish.'

  'How dare you—handle me like that?'

  'You were rude once too often. And we agreed to call a truce, if you remember.'

  Norrie glared at him, hating him because he still had the power to arouse her. 'I knew it was a mistake to come out with you.'

  'Why? Because you found out that you're not so immune to me as you like to think you are?'

  'Rubbish. You don't even turn me on any more.'

  'No?' He reached out again and captured her hand. 'Then why is your hand trembling?'

  'It isn't trembling, it's—it's shaking with anger,' Norrie retorted, snatching it away.

  Bruno laughed. 'You'll have to put up a more convincing performance than that before I'll even start to believe you.'

  'Well, it's true. Okay, I fell for you once, but that doesn't mean that you can just walk back into my life and take it over, or expect me to feel the same way about you. We're different people now, and sexually you leave me cold.'

  His eyes narrowed. Trove it.'

  'What?' Norrie stared at him, her imagination running wild.

  He laughed softly at her expression. 'I don't mean any—er—shall we say total commitment? I just meant prove it by—dancing with me again.'

  'Oh, really, that's ridiculous. You know I don't.. .'

  'Scared?' he demanded, his dark eyes challenging.

  'No, I'm not scared. I just don't see any point in it, that's all. Why can't you just accept my word for it that I find you repulsive? I don't mind repeating it until it finally sinks in,' she added nastily.

  'Stop trying to sidetrack me. If you're not scared then come and dance again.'

  Norrie looked across at him exasperatedly. 'Oh, okay, if that's what it will take to convince you.' And she stood up and walked ahead of him on to the floor.

  The group were playing another slow, smoochy number. The lights were turned down low and there were already several couples on the floor, holding each other close, made amorous by the food and wine.

  Bruno took her in his arms and Norrie tried to relax and keep control of her emotions, his other hand holding hers against his chest. He moved slowly, only a few inches at a time, so that the closeness of his body hardly left her. Norrie was careful not to look at him, keeping her eyes firmly fixed over his shoulder, but after they'd been dancing for a few minutes and she'd started to congratulate herself on her self-control, an old memory suddenly stirred in her heart and it seemed as if the years in between had never been. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to shut it out and her steps faltered. Bruno glanced quickly down at her and drew her against him, her head on his shoulder. A tear gathered and ran down her cheek and he bent to gently kiss it away. .

  'Sweetheart,' he said softly. 'I know. I know.'

  Her hand moved convulsively in his and he held it tightly. She made a small muffled sound, almost of pain, as the sweet memories and feelings flooded back, and he put his face against hers, his lips soft on her skin. Norrie quivered, her emotions raw, and let him hold her, all resistance lost in the depth of emotion her memories evoked, but after a few minutes he led her off the floor, his arm supporting her as he collected her bag and they left the restaurant.

  His car was parked nearby and he helped her into it, not speaking until he had driven a few miles and turned off the main road into a quiet lay-by that overlooked the lights of the town. Switching off the engine, Bruno turned to look at her as she rested her head against the window, her eyes still wet with tears.

  'Darling.' He undid her safety belt and reached to draw her to him, softly kissing her eyelids, the line of her cheek, and hovering at the corner of her mouth, touching her lips but not quite kissing them. 'Don't try and hide it, not any more,' he murmured against her mouth. 'Cry if you want to.'

  He put a hand in her hair, releasing it from its clip and then his lips were on her throat, his breath hot and sensuous against her skin, so that she gasped and gripped his shoulders, tilting her head back as his lips travelled along the column of her neck. 'Bruno ...'

  'Hush,' he whispered. 'Don't talk.' Raising his head a little, he gently bit her ear lobe, sending a violent quiver of desire shooting through her body.

  A small, animal moan escaped her and Norrie slowly turned her head to meet his mouth. He took her lips hungrily, triumphantly, hurting her with the intensity of his kiss. But she welcomed the pain, returning his embrace with a long-forgotten fervour, losing herself in his arms with a greedy passion that had too long been starved of fulfilment. His hands were on either side of her face, holding her captive beneath his kiss, but presently, as their breathing became ragged, he moved his right hand down and pushed her jacket off her shoulders and then the straps of her dress.

  For a moment she stiffened an
d made a sound of protest, but then his hand was on her breast and she gave a cry of sensuous delight. It had been so long, so long. Her body ached as he caressed her, his experienced fingers lightly toying with her until her hardened nipple betrayed her body's pleasure.

  'You're beautiful,' he whispered. 'Beautiful.' And lowered his head to replace his fingers with his lips.

  Norrie gave a long, groaning sigh of sensual delight and twined her fingers in his hair, holding his head against her, his caress driving her mad with frustrated yearning. His lips pulled at her, bit gently until she couldn't stand it any longer and had to tear herself away. She covered herself with her hands and stared at him, her breath rasping and ragged. She couldn't speak, could only gaze at him with wide, astonished eyes, her mouth parted sensuously.

  Bruno pushed his hair back from his forehead, his dark eyes running over her. 'Come here,' he said softly.

  'No.' But his eyes held hers and she slowly moved towards him.

  'Show me,' he commanded, his eyes lowered, and after a few moments' hesitation she reluctantly moved her hands to bare her breasts to his greedy eyes. He cupped them in his hands and bent to kiss them again. 'They're mine. And you're mine,' he told her and took her mouth in fierce male arrogance, with a domination that couldn't be denied.

  At last he let her go and lifted the straps of her dress, covering her himself instead of letting Norrie do it, a gesture which was so dismissive that she felt like a doll that someone had finished playing with and put aside. He started the car and began to drive back to Welford while Norrie tried to tidy her hair with hands that trembled uncontrollably. Bruno glanced at her, a small smile curving his lips as he saw that she was still shaken by emotion.

  When they drew up outside the cottage he said, 'Stay here. I'll pay off the baby-sitter.' And Norrie was infinitely grateful for that; she couldn't have borne to be seen in this state, with her hair loose and smudged make-up. They would tell their own story even without the added evidence of her shaking hands and the awakened sensuality in her face.

  Bruno saw the baby-sitter away and then came for her, his firm hand supporting her as she half-walked, half-stumbled inside. He closed the door and leant against it, watching her as she turned to face him. 'I want you,' he told her clearly. 'I want to take you to bed and make love to you again.'

  For a long moment Norrie could only gaze at him, but then she closed her eyes, fighting for some degree of sanity. And being in the cottage helped: she thought of Ben lying asleep in his room upstairs, of her own room that Bruno wanted to invade—that and her body. But the room was hers alone, as was this house, and her body, too. Nothing would ever be the same if she let him stay, if she let him destroy her life again.

  She would feel cheap and dirty for the rest of her life. Opening her eyes, Norrie shook her head. 'No. Not here, not now.'

  Swiftly he strode across and put his hands on her arms. 'Why not? You want it as much as I do. You know you do.'

  'No. I—I can't. Please Bruno.' She tried to move away but he wouldn't let her.

  'Stop trying to fight me,' he said impatiently. 'What more proof do you need that you're still mine, that you still love me?' He kissed her suddenly, his hands low on her hips, holding her against the growing hardness of his body, letting her know how much he wanted her.

  But it was his arrogant possessiveness that somehow replaced desire with cold hatred again. As she realised how weak she'd been, how she'd fallen into his arms, Norrie was filled with almost physical revulsion. And even as he kissed her, she was trying to think of some way she could get her own back, some way she could prove to him once and for all that she was still in control of her own feelings. And as he let her go and smiled down at her, sure that he'd won, an idea came to her for a way that she could get her own back for everything he'd ever done to her. But hadn't it always been there, at the back of her mind, ever since he'd thought that Ben was his and asked her to marry him? But before it had only been a fleeting thought that she had hardly dared to dwell on, now, suddenly, she knew, with certainty, that she was going to carry it through.

  Acting for all she was worth, she smiled up at him and put her arms around his neck. 'Yes, of course I want you. I want you very much. But it just isn't— well, convenient at the moment. And besides,' she moved her hips provocatively against his, 'I only have a single bed. And the walls of this house are very thin.'

  'When and where, then?' he said huskily, his hands gripping her.

  'Where, that's up to you. And when? Well, we'll have all the time in the world, won't we?'

  Bruno caught his breath. 'You mean you'll marry me?'

  She laughed and didn't have to pretend the shake in her voice. 'There doesn't really seem any reason not to, does there? Not if we're going to make love anyway.'

  'Norrie,' he breathed. 'My darling girl. I swear you won't regret it. There's so much I want to say to you, to tell you. I've waited so long to ...'

  But Norrie put a hand over his mouth, not wanting to hear, afraid that her resolve might be weakened. 'Not now,' she whispered. 'Tell me on—on our wedding day.'

  'When? When will you marry me?'

  Reaching up she kissed him softly on the mouth. 'You said three weeks, didn't you? There's nothing to wait for, is there?'

  There was a blaze of surprised happiness in his eyes as Bruno said, 'No, nothing. Not if you're sure.'

  'Oh, I'm quite sure. But—let's talk about it some other time, shall we? Tonight there's been too much excitement, and too much wine probably, and I'm very tired.'

  'All right. I'll 'phone you tomorrow.' He kissed her again and now the possessiveness was so obvious that Norrie had to make a conscious effort not to let her feelings show on her face. But Bruno was so sure of his triumph that he didn't notice anything, thank goodness. 'I can't wait to take you to bed,' he murmured against her mouth. 'I want you so much.'

  Norrie pretended to laugh and pushed him towards the door. 'Go home, It's getting late, and we'll both have lots to do tomorrow.'

  He grinned down at her, supremely confident, and sure now that she was his to take whenever he wanted. 'All right, I'll go. Sleep well, darling. Dream about me.'

  'I'll try.' She smiled at him mistily. 'But somehow I don't think I'm going to sleep much tonight.'

  Bruno laughed and kissed her again before reluctantly turning to go at last. Norrie stood dutifully in the doorway to watch him go but, as soon as he'd turned the corner, slammed the door and ran upstairs to the bathroom, pulling off her clothes and scrubbing herself clean where he'd touched her until her skin was red and sore. Tears ran down her cheeks, tears of self-hatred and humiliation. How could she have lost her senses so easily? She must be mad, mad! But God, she'd pay him. back! She'd make him wish he'd never set eyes on her. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Norrie swore that she'd never let him get to her again, and that Bruno would live to more than regret that he'd ever met her.

  CHAPTER SIX

  They were married just over three weeks later in a simple and short ceremony in a Registrar's office in the town nearby. They could have been married in Welford, but Norrie had stipulated the town because she didn't want anyone from the Observer to know that she was marrying a man she'd told them she hated. For the same reason, she hadn't invited anyone she knew to the wedding, and as neither of them had any close relations they had to use two of the Registrar's clerks as witnesses.

  At first Bruno had wanted to have a reception afterwards, but Norrie had persuaded him to wait until they were settled and then give a party to celebrate. He had agreed willingly enough, especially when she mentioned that Ben got sick with excitement for days before a party and they certainly wouldn't get any sleep the night after it. Ben, she found, could be used as a good excuse for getting her way in most things; she even used him to keep Bruno at arm's length during the three weeks leading up to the wedding by insisting that they couldn't make love at the cottage because the walls were so thin that Ben would hear and might be frightened. And whe
n Bruno booked a hotel room the following weekend the baby-sitter had 'unfortunately' let her down at the last minute so that Norrie couldn't go to him. And after that it hadn't been too difficult to coax him into waiting until after the wedding. 'Think how much nicer it will be when we're relaxed and have plenty of time,' she'd whispered to him.

  Bruno had groaned, but waiting had added an extra layer of spice to anticipation, and by promising him future total surrender she had managed to withhold it for the time being. But she hadn't been able to escape his love-making completely; as a promise of better things to come, she had several times had to let him pull her down on to his lap and return his kisses while he undid her blouse and bra and caressed her as much as he wanted. And it had been all too appallingly easy to lie in his arms and let his hands and lips work their erotic magic on her senses, only some small core of her mind retaining its hold on sanity and holding her back from pleading with him to take her now—now.

  But somehow she had survived until the wedding, and they had been very busy of course; Bruno had brought in one of his employees to take over from him at the Welford Observer and oversee the introduction of the new editions, so that he would be free for the holiday-cum-honeymoon that he insisted they take. And Norrie had found plenty to do sorting out her own and Ben's belongings, deciding what she wanted to take with her and what to leave behind, only it was difficult when she wasn't sure how long they would be away. Bruno had told her to put her cottage up for sale and she had lied and said she had put it in the hands of an estate agent, but in reality had only told the nursery school and everyone else concerned that she was going to stay with relatives for a few weeks. She would need the cottage again when she finally told Bruno the truth and he threw them out.

  In those three weeks Bruno never came to the house empty-handed, there was usually a present for Norrie and always something for Ben, who began to think it was Christmas every day and ran eagerly to greet Bruno whenever the Jaguar pulled up outside. He doted on the boy and wanted him to call him Daddy of course, but Norrie got round that by saying it would be embarrassing for her while they were still in Welford and to wait until they'd moved to London. She was afraid that Ben would be spoilt by all the toys, and not able to understand it when later the presents suddenly stopped, so she told Bruno not to bring the child something every time. He looked rueful, 'Sorry. I suppose I'm making up for all the years I've missed,' he admitted from where he was sitting on the floor showing Ben how to put together a spaceship he'd brought him. He got to his feet and handed her a package. 'Maybe you'll let me spoil you instead.'