Secret Passion

by Carole Mortimer

  God, she was so nervous, she had forgotten the promised wine! Was there an off-licence nearby that she could—of course she couldn’t go off searching for an off-licence; she was already forty minutes late! She would just have to suffer James’s teasing.

  ‘I forgot—’ Her apology lodged in her throat as she took in James’s appearance, his masculinity hitting her like a force, knocking her breathless. His shirt and trousers were just as well tailored as all his other clothes, but the trousers emphasised the power of his thighs, and the shirt was unbuttoned at the throat to reveal the dark hair that grew in abundance on his chest. Aura instantly ached to touch him there.

  ‘You forgot …?’ he prompted gruffly.

  ‘The wine,’ she finished in a rush. ‘I was already late, and—’

  ‘Calm down, Aura.’ He gently ushered her inside, his arms going about her as he kissed the lip gloss from her mouth. ‘The wine was your idea,’ he murmured. ‘I just wanted you.’

  She couldn’t breathe, found it difficult to stand when he was this close to her. ‘A promise is a promise,’ she insisted weakly.

  ‘You didn’t promise, you offered,’ he reminded her huskily. ‘I thought you were going to let me down, you know.’

  She drew in a ragged breath. ‘Does that mean there isn’t any dinner?’ She fought for normality.

  He smiled. ‘If necessary I was going to come over and drag you here!’

  Her brows rose. ‘Isn’t that a little caveman?’ she drawled, her breathing finally returning to normal.

  James shrugged. ‘You bring out those feelings in me. Besides, I don’t like it when people don’t turn up when I’ve gone to the trouble of cooking a meal. It’s very bad-mannered, you know.’

  With his usual sensitivity, he was giving her time to regain her equilibrium after that breathtaking hello they had just shared.

  He frowned suddenly. ‘Dinner is going to be delayed slightly, I’m afraid. You see—’

  ‘James, if this isn’t convenient, I can always come back another time …’ By the time the sentence came to an end the speaker had appeared in the hallway.

  Adrian …

  Aura felt the colour drain from her face, frozen to the spot as Adrian stared back at her in complete disbelief.

  He must have come straight here from seeing her. Why? Had he been so worried about her meeting James last week that he had wanted to see exactly what his partner knew about the two of them?

  His expression was changing from stunned amazement to icy anger, looking from her to James, and then back again. And obviously drawing his own conclusions from the situation.

  Aura could feel his contempt, flinched from the knowing looks he was giving her, his thoughts all too obvious. He believed she had used her body to persuade James to renew her lease!

  ‘Don’t look so surprised, Adrian,’ James drawled at his partner’s silence, completely misinterpreting it in his ignorance of their past friendship. ‘It is nearly nine o’clock on a Saturday evening; business finished hours ago.’

  Adrian eyed Aura mockingly. ‘Did it?’ he said quietly. ‘Of course it did,’ he dismissed firmly, grinning at his partner. ‘Forgive me, I was a little taken aback by the—beauty, of your date.’

  Aura swallowed hard, her hands shaking as she wondered exactly what Adrian was going to tell James about his acquaintance with his date.

  ‘I believe the two of you know each other,’ James put in softly.

  Aura gave a nervous start, and Adrian raised blond brows.

  ‘We do?’ he prompted slowly.

  ‘Aura—Miss Jones, is one of our tenants,’ James explained.

  Aura’s sigh of relief was covered by Adrian’s agreement that the name did sound familiar to him.

  ‘It should,’ James drawled. ‘You almost evicted her in your rush to get away last week.’

  Adrian arched surprised brows. ‘I did?’

  ‘We can talk about it on Monday,’ James dismissed. ‘Right now Aura and I have a meal to eat,’ he added pointedly. ‘And Selina is probably waiting at home for you to take her out somewhere.’

  ‘Ah yes, Selina.’ Adrian eyed Aura speculatively as the puzzle of the source of her information about his family was answered. ‘She’s gone down to Kent to see Robert for the weekend. But I’m sure she would like to meet Miss Jones—if the two of you are free one evening next week?’

  James shot Aura a frowning look. ‘I’m not sure—’

  ‘Perhaps we could let you know, Mr Mayhew,’ she cut in tautly. ‘I’m very busy at the moment.’

  ‘Not in the evenings, surely?’ he mocked.

  Why was he doing this? He couldn’t really want her to meet his wife, just as she knew he was furious about her being here with James.

  ‘Stocktaking,’ she supplied curtly.

  ‘What sort of business is it that you have, Miss Jones?’ he asked interestedly.

  ‘Adrian,’ James cut in patiently. ‘I’m glad to know you had a good holiday and that I’ll be seeing you in the office on Monday, but right now we have other plans,’ he said again pointedly.

  ‘Miss Jones is a business woman herself,’ he drawled. ‘I’m sure that she understands that after being away for ten days I’m—anxious to catch up on all the news.’

  The evening had turned from a catastrophe into a disaster! It was obvious that Adrian wasn’t going to tell James just how well he had known her in the past, but he was challenging her in such a way that it was impossible for her to retaliate. Adrian had back the advantage, and he knew it! If he should ever guess how deeply she had come to care for James he would make her life hell. If he wasn’t going to already!

  ‘That has to be a first,’ James derided. ‘Why don’t you call me tomorrow, Adrian?’ he suggested drily.

  ‘I wouldn’t want to—interrupt—again.’ Adrian looked at Aura as he spoke.

  James’s mouth tightened. ‘You won’t,’ he rasped. ‘Now—damn,’ he muttered as a bell rang in the kitchen. ‘I won’t be a minute,’ he promised Aura, giving his partner a frowning look before he had to leave them.

  ‘Well, well, well,’ Adrian predictably drawled once they were alone. ‘I had no idea you were so—resourceful, my dear.’

  Her head snapped back at the insult. ‘Don’t judge everyone by your own pitifully low standards!’

  His eyes were cold. ‘I suppose you’re going to tell me you actually like James?’

  Her cheeks were flushed with anger. ‘Of course I like him!’ she snapped.

  ‘Enough to make sure he renewed your lease anyway,’ he taunted.

  ‘You—’

  ‘I wouldn’t.’ His voice was dangerously soft as he grasped her wrist, her hand never making contact with his smug face. ‘I think I should warn you, James has a low threashold for deceit,’ he bit out coldly.

  ‘I haven’t—’

  ‘Haven’t you, Miss Jones?’ he derided softly.

  Her face burnt. ‘You were the one who acted as if you could never remember meeting me before,’ she reminded him accusingly.

  ‘And weren’t you relieved?’ he taunted.

  ‘It would have been just as embarrassing for you as for me,’ she said heatedly.

  ‘I don’t think so.’ His thumb slowly caressed the inside of her wrist where he still held her. ‘A man is allowed a few—indiscretions. It enhances—rather than detracts from his reputation.’

  Aura paled, knowing all too well how easily a woman’s reputation could be crushed. ‘I got the impression your indiscretions had been far from a few.’ She attacked rather than defending, freeing herself.

  Adrian watched her with narrowed eyes. ‘That can only make your involvement with me look worse in James’s eyes.’

  She knew that, oh God, she knew that! She had hoped to tell James tonight she wouldn’t be seeing him again, was sure that he wasn’t the type of man who talked about the women in his life, certain that Adrian would never learn from him of their brief friendship. And now this! How was she goin
g to get out of this mess?

  Adrian’s confidence increased at her miserable silence. ‘James is very hot on fidelity, you know,’ he mocked. ‘Other people’s as well as his own.’

  She didn’t need to be told that James would be completely faithful to the woman lucky enough to be the recipient of his love. Why couldn’t she have met him three years ago, even two years ago and it still wouldn’t have been too late!

  ‘I know all about that,’ she said flatly.

  ‘You do?’ Adrian couldn’t hide his surprise. ‘You mean James—told you?’

  If Adrian’s father had been James’s partner before him then she wasn’t breaking any confidences by revealing what little she knew about James’s broken engagement. ‘He told me his engagement didn’t work out, yes,’ she confirmed abruptly.

  ‘Didn’t work out?’ Adrian scorned. ‘His fiancée was pregnant by another man!’

  ‘Hot on fidelity’ and a ‘low threshold for deceit’ hardly began to tell how deeply hurt James must have been by his fiancée’s duplicity! ‘Cheating’, James had described it, but that hardly began to tell of the humiliation he must have suffered. He was such a proud man, so honest, that he must have suffered all the more because of that.

  ‘It shows just how contemptible you are that you can find anything in the least amusing about the situation,’ she snapped. ‘Poor James.’

  ‘Which brings us back to you,’ Adrian taunted.

  Her eyes flashed deeply brown. ‘You know I knew nothing of your marriage or your son—’

  ‘Let’s talk about this some other time,’ he murmured as James could be heard leaving the kitchen.

  ‘No, I—’

  ‘I’ll call you,’ Adrian added softly.

  She hoped she didn’t look as desperate as she felt, the smile she turned on James over-bright and lacking sincerity. She gave an inward groan of dismay as his eyes narrowed questioningly.

  ‘Well, I’d better be on my way,’ she heard Adrian say with some relief. ‘And leave the two of you to enjoy your meal.’

  ‘Go through and sit down,’ James told her softly. ‘I’ll just see Adrian to the door.’

  ‘I think I can find my own way,’ Adrian drawled.

  ‘Nevertheless,’ James’s voice was steely, ‘I’ll come with you.’

  ‘’Bye, Miss Jones,’ Adrian called lightly. ‘It’s been a pleasure to meet you.’

  Aura didn’t so much sit down on the softly cushioned sofa as fall down, the soft murmur of the two men’s voices barely audible to her, what they were actually saying not clear at all.

  Had Adrian’s car been parked outside? She hadn’t seen it—if she had she would never had knocked on James’s door so innocently! But then, she hadn’t noticed much at all on the drive over here. Her life had taken such a downward turn the last couple of weeks; she had no idea where it was all going to end. She wasn’t even sure that finishing with James would be enough to solve the problem now.

  ‘Did he make a pass at you?’

  She looked up sharply at the question, her cheeks flushed as she met James’s troubled gaze. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘You seemed—upset, when I came back from the kitchen?’ he probed, striding over to stand in front of her. ‘Adrian has a habit of flirting with every woman he meets, I wondered if he had said something to upset you.’

  Adrian didn’t need to say anything to upset her! ‘No.’ She straightened, meeting his gaze unflinchingly. ‘Should I be insulted, do you think?’ she added lightly.

  ‘I hoped Adrian would have more sense than to step on my toes,’ James said grimly.

  ‘I’m sure he does,’ she evaded. ‘Are we going to eat now? I’m starving.’ She wasn’t even sure she would be able to get the food down her throat!

  ‘It’s all ready,’ he nodded, still looking troubled. ‘Aura, you would tell me if Adrian had insulted you in any way?’

  She couldn’t quite meet his gaze. ‘Of course. This is a lovely room.’ She looked around admiringly, noticing the comfortable elegance for the first time, the suite soft and informal, the colours of gold and brown very restful, the furniture once again big and solid; the person who had designed his office had obviously decorated his apartment too.

  ‘I’m glad you like it.’ He drily mocked her effort to change the subject. ‘If Adrian should try to contact you—’

  ‘You think he might?’ She swallowed hard.

  ‘I think it’s quite within the realms of possibility,’ he drawled. ‘Tell me if he calls you.’

  She frowned. ‘Why have the two of you stayed partners when you obviously don’t—get on?’

  He shrugged, turning away. ‘Why not? We just agree to differ, that’s all. Now, madam, dinner is served,’ he added lightly.

  Maybe it was loyalty to Adrian’s dead father that kept James partners with his son; whatever the reason, James wasn’t prepared to talk about it. It seemed he had his share of secrets too.

  What had it been like for him when he discovered his fiancée was expecting another man’s child? She could imagine that only extreme circumstances could push him into using violence, and surely that had been one of them!

  ‘You weren’t really running late, were you?’ he prompted as she pushed the prawns around in their sauce.

  ‘Actually, I was—delayed,’ she told him truthfully. ‘How did you know I like prawns?’

  ‘I asked your mother,’ he said. ‘You did intend coming tonight after all?’

  ‘I did—intend coming,’ she confirmed—even if she had changed her mind by the time she telephoned him. ‘You asked my mother?’ her brows were raised.

  ‘Mm, which is why we have chicken for our main course; she told me it’s your favourite,’ he smiled. ‘I was sure you would try to change your mind about tonight,’ he admitted gruffly. ‘I even went out today so that I couldn’t take your call if you made one. When you telephoned earlier I—’

  ‘Don’t, James.’ She put her hand on his, hating the look of vulnerability on his face. ‘Please don’t care for me.’

  He smiled. ‘Don’t you know it’s already too late for that?’

  ‘James—’

  ‘I care for you, Aura,’ he told her huskily. ‘I won’t go into how much because I don’t want to scare you off.’

  She put her fork down in the bowl, drawing in a steadying breath, ‘James, I—’

  ‘I know,’ he sighed. ‘You aren’t ready for that, yet. But I know something you are ready for.’

  She looked at him sharply, swallowing hard. This man knew her so well, more than she would have wished, did he also know that every time she looked at him she ached with wanting him?

  ‘What?’ she asked in a hushed voice.

  He stood up, and Aura’s gaze followed him warily. If he should try to make love to her now she would melt …!

  He bent over her, his lips lightly brushing her cheek, seemingly by accident, but Aura was sure it was by design, her breath once more lodged in her throat.

  ‘You’re ready for—the next course.’ He straightened, kissing her hard on the mouth before turning away, once again taking control for both of them as he saw her complete vulnerability.

  CHAPTER SIX

  LISTENING to John Denver music always made Aura want to cry. His songs were beautiful and sad in turns, and anyone who couldn’t see that beauty didn’t appreciate good music, in her opinion. It came as no surprise to her that James possessed every cassette the talented songwriter and singer had ever made.

  Tonight the sad songs seemed so personal, the beautiful ones so poignant, that Aura had trouble containing the tears.

  She and James sat together on the sofa, her head resting on his chest as his arm lay across her shoulders.

  After his verbal seduction of her at the dinner-table she had eaten the rest of her meal without really tasting it but knowing it was delicious anyway, the wine James provided adding to the light-headed feeling that had crept over her as he kept up the light-hearted bantering as t
hey continued to eat.

  She was filled with a fierce desperation as the meal ended, the hours slipping away too fast, as they always did when you wished time would simply stop in the place you were happiest.

  They had talked about their childhoods, James’s privileged one with parents who had obviously adored him and had been taken from him in a tragic accident when he was only twenty-one, her own childhood spent living in the country with parents who perhaps gave too much of their love to each other and not enough to the child that love had created, their love for each other an overwhelming emotion that consumed them.

  Aura hadn’t meant to tell James quite so much of the loneliness she had often felt as a child, but she knew that he was astute enough to have guessed at the things she hadn’t told him, that the way her mother was now testified to the deep love she had felt for Aura’s father.

  She shouldn’t have chosen John Denver when James asked her preference in music, should have chosen something more cheerful. She was going to be blubbering all over him like a baby in a moment!

  Her eyes were swimming in tears as she looked up at him, and she saw his fierce frown of concern before his head bent to her hungry mouth.

  Only tonight. It was all she had. Just tonight.

  The words went round and round in her head, blinding her to caution, deafening her to sensibility. She wanted only to be with this man.

  But was one night going to be enough? Would she be able to say goodbye after that?

  ‘Aura?’ James groaned at the uncertainty flickering across her revealing face.

  It wouldn’t be enough! With sudden clarity she knew that only a lifetime would be enough with this man, that he would demand it all.

  ‘James, I—’

  ‘No!’ He towered over her like an avenging angel as he laid her back against the sofa. ‘Don’t say it. Don’t say anything. Just let me kiss you. Love you, as I’ve been longing to do.’

  His mouth was fierce against her, his caresses sure and determined, and after only the briefest of hesitations, Aura returned that hunger.

  His skin was like rasping satin as she smoothed the unbuttoned shirt from his shoulders, finally able to give in to her impulse to entangle her fingers into the dark hair curling on his chest, the hair soft and silky rather than wiry as she had imagined it would be, and she lowered her mouth to caress him.