Secret Passion

by Carole Mortimer

  She gave a start of surprise. ‘Your attendance has nothing to do with me.’

  His mouth twisted. ‘It has everything to do with you.’

  ‘James, they’re your friends,’ she protested. ‘It’s completely your own decision whether or not you attend their party.’

  ‘Even though you know I won’t go without you?’ He raised dark brows.

  ‘James, did you ask Selina to come and see me?’ she frowned.

  ‘Good God, no,’ he instantly dismissed. ‘I was happy to have an excuse to refuse the invitation.’

  ‘She seems very upset that you aren’t going to be there.’ Aura picked apathetically at her food.

  He shrugged. ‘I’ve attended the last nine,’ he drawled. ‘And it isn’t even compulsory! I’m sorry if Selina’s visit upset you but—’

  ‘It didn’t upset me,’ she said instantly. ‘I was a little surprised.’ What an understatement! ‘But she genuinely seems to want you at their party.’

  ‘That’s up to you,’ he obstinately reaffirmed.

  ‘Won’t it look a little odd if you don’t go?’ she frowned.

  He sighed, suddenly looking very tired. ‘To tell you the truth, Aura, I really don’t give a damn.’ His gaze was pained as it met hers. ‘Do you have any idea of the hell I’ve gone through since we parted on Sunday?’ he rasped.

  Her breath caught in her throat. ‘James …?’

  ‘Could we get out of here?’ he bit out. ‘I’m really not hungry, and you don’t seem to be either!’

  ‘I’m not,’ she admitted breathlessly.

  He settled the bill quickly, the two of them hurrying out to the car, the doors barely closed behind them before they were in each other’s arms, mouths fused, hands searching.

  ‘Oh God, I’ve missed you!’ James’s forehead rested against hers, their breathing ragged.

  ‘I’ve missed you too,’ she sobbed.

  His hands cradled either side of her face as he kissed her slowly, deeply, taking everything she had to give, but giving back with equal measure.

  ‘We’re steaming the windows up,’ he murmured ruefully some time later.

  She gave a choked giggle, her head resting against his chest. ‘Like a couple of teenagers!’

  His arms tightened about her. ‘I don’t feel like a teenager. And neither do you,’ he drawled self-derisively.

  They sat in silence, occasionally kissing, but mainly just holding each other.

  ‘We can’t sit here all night,’ Aura finally murmured.

  ‘Ordinarily I wouldn’t think of it.’ His lips moved against her hair. ‘But I’m not about to chance another evening at my apartment when things are still so uncertain between us, and your mother gives us too much privacy at your home too.’

  Aura’s fingers entangled with the hair on his chest, her hand inside the opening she had unbuttoned at his shirt-front. ‘Most men wouldn’t complain about that,’ she teased.

  He was suddenly serious. ‘There’s no doubting the physical attraction between us; it’s the trust that we need to build upon.’

  She sighed, regretfully moving out of his arms. ‘The real world always has to intrude, doesn’t it?’

  ‘I’m afraid so,’ he nodded, starting the engine. ‘Can I come over tomorrow; I promised your mother a re-match at Scrabble,’ he added.

  Aura smiled. ‘Well if you promised my mother … I’m sure I can find a friend to visit, or—’

  ‘No good at Scrabble, hm?’ he mocked.

  Mischief glowed in her eyes, gloriously happy that they seemed to be friends again. ‘Wait until tomorrow and see,’ she warned.

  He clasped her hand as he drove to her home, seeming lost in thought.

  But Aura didn’t mind, knew that this was nothing like the frosty silence she had known on their drive to the restaurant earlier this evening.

  He walked her to her door. ‘I won’t come in,’ he said. ‘Give the party on Saturday some thought, will you?’ He gently touched her cheek.

  She frowned. ‘But I thought you didn’t want to go?’

  ‘I don’t,’ he grimaced. ‘Unfortunately I don’t have a lot of choice. I’d like you to go with me.’

  She drew in as ragged breath. ‘I don’t think I—’

  ‘Aura, tonight I talked about us building up our trust of each other,’ he said. ‘On the drive here I realised I’ve been as remiss in that direction as you have.’ He sighed at her puzzled expression. ‘I don’t like going to these damned anniversary parties, they seem the height of hypocrisy to me, but if I don’t attend, just once, I know the speculation will start.’

  ‘You mean because Adrian is your partner—’

  ‘I wish that were all it was,’ he said disgustedly.

  ‘Then what …?

  ‘Most of the guests there—and they’re the same year after year—’ he rasped, ‘know that it should have been mine and Selina’s anniversary party!’

  Aura felt herself pale. ‘You mean …?’

  He drew in a ragged breath. ‘Selina was the woman I should have married ten years ago.’

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  SELINA Mayhew? Then that means Adrian was the man she had betrayed James with, the man she had had an affair with and become pregnant by. Robert!

  She knew Adrian was capable of taking exactly what he wanted without thought for others, and maybe Jeanne had been right about Selina Mayhew after all. What sort of woman could prefer a shallow bastard like Adrian to someone as wonderful as James?

  ‘She was four years younger than me,’ James continued flatly. ‘She and Adrian had so much in common. I didn’t even see it coming until it was too late. She fainted one evening, and when I called the doctor he said it was just a symptom of her pregnancy, I knew it wasn’t my baby, I—I’d never made love to her!’

  ‘Oh, James.’ Aura put her arms about him, her cheek resting against his chest. ‘How could you bear it?’

  ‘I had no choice,’ he rasped. ‘Peter, that was Adrian’s father,’ he explained, ‘almost killed Adrian when he found out. Adrian stood in front of the vicar with a black eye,’ he recalled grimly.

  ‘How could you bear to have been his partner all these years?’ Aura shook her head.

  He shrugged. ‘It was either that or have everyone speculate that I must still be in love with Selina—which I’m not,’ he added firmly. ‘I told you before, I’m not really sure what I felt for her. My parents died when I was twenty-one, and I know I wanted someone of my own to love, a family of my own. Selina was there, beautiful, fun to be with, and when I proposed she accepted. Everything seemed to be working out, until I found out about the baby.’

  Adrian and Selina had done this to James. And year after year he had to attend their anniversary party and pretend he was happy for them!

  She had disliked Adrian before, but now she totally despised him. And what of Selina Mayhew? Knowing what she did now, she very much doubted the other woman’s visit to her today had been as innocent as she pretended it was. Maybe she had just wanted to see exactly what the woman was like who was now seeing James.

  ‘I’ll go to the party with you on Saturday,’ she decided firmly.

  James’s expression softened. ‘Because you want to or to give me moral support?’ he asked. ‘If it’s the latter I really don’t need it,’ he smiled. ‘I settled this with Adrian years ago, and it isn’t even as if the marriage has made either of them happy.’

  Aura was more convinced than ever that Selina Mayhew’s friendliness today had all been an act, and if there was one thing she couldn’t stand it was being made a fool of. Adrian had done it to her once, she wasn’t about to let his wife do it too.

  ‘I’m going because I want to,’ she told him determinedly. ‘I don’t enjoy people assuming I’m stupid!’

  James chuckled softly. ‘I know you aren’t,’ he murmured. ‘Although you might be a little foolish to leave yourself open to Selina’s kind of pressure. I’ve learnt in the last ten years what a lucky escape
I had,’ he drawled at Aura’s surprised look. ‘Selina is manipulative, and very determined to have things her own way!’

  And no doubt she wanted Aura at her party so that she could attempt to belittle both her and James, believing James wouldn’t have told her about their past relationship. Selina Mayhew was in for a surpise if she still believed Aura to be fooled by her friendly act!

  As for Adrian, she doubted he would dare object to her presence at his anniversary party, it wasn’t very likely that he would announce to his friends that he had tried to get her into his bed!

  No, she would go to this party, would stand proudly at James’s side and dare anyone to question her right to be there!

  * * *

  ‘Are you insane?’

  She eyed Adrian calmly across the shop, Jeanne at her lunch-break, her only customer having left as Adrian entered.

  She had been expecting this visit from him, had known he wouldn’t be too pleased about her intention to attend his party with James.

  ‘I don’t believe so,’ she drawled.

  He slammed the door behind him, his face twisted with anger. ‘You can’t mean to come to the party on Saturday,’ he said.

  She shrugged. ‘How could I refuse when your wife issued such a personal invitation yesterday?’

  He became suddenly still. ‘Selina came here?’

  Aura nodded. ‘And stood right where you’re standing.’

  He gave a guilty start. ‘What the hell is she up to now?’ he muttered.

  ‘You tell me, she’s your wife,’ said Aura.

  Adrian scowled. ‘I thought you didn’t want James to know I took you out?’

  Aura looked at him coldly. ‘Are you going to tell him?’

  ‘No.’ He sighed defeatedly. ‘Oh, God.’ He ran his hand through the thickness of his hair. ‘Why the hell did you have to become involved with James?’

  ‘Why did you have to have an affair with his fiancée?’ she returned icily.

  He looked at her defiantly, a flush darkening his cheeks. ‘He told you about that?’

  ‘Yes.’ She looked at him with contempt. ‘It’s called trust, something you and Selina obviously know very little about!’

  Adrian sighed again. ‘You’re making a mistake coming on Saturday.’

  Mixing with people she didn’t know wasn’t something she usually did, always afraid of recognition, but surely there couldn’t be any harm in attending a party given for a few friends? She already knew Adrian didn’t know the Sutcliffes so there was no chance of her running into any of them there.

  ‘I’m sure it will be a very good party,’ she said evenly.

  His mouth twisted. ‘My wife is renowned for them. She also never stops reminding me that I in no way measure up to James,’ he added.

  Aura’s eyes widened. ‘But she married you!’

  ‘What choice did she have?’ he bit out. ‘It was me or no one; James certainly didn’t want her when she was expecting my child.’

  Adrian was in love with his wife! Amazing as it might seem, incredible when he constantly had other women in his life—or maybe he had those other women in his life because his marriage was such a disaster?—he actually loved Selina. And in his wife’s eyes he had never matched up to the man she would have married if she hadn’t been stupid enough to have an affair with Adrian! What sort of woman was Selina Mayhew?

  ‘Lucky James,’ she said shakily.

  Adrian gave a bitter smile. ‘That wasn’t what you said the last time we talked about his fiancée’s pregnancy!’

  ‘No,’ she acknowledged ruefully. ‘At least I hope your son doesn’t suffer because of the mess you and Selina have made of your lives,’ she added harshly.

  His expression softened. ‘Robert is the one thing we both love.’

  She sighed. ‘Well, that’s something.’

  ‘You won’t change your mind about Saturday?’ His eyes were narrowed. ‘I didn’t mean it when I invited you to meet my wife!’

  Aura shook her head. ‘I’ve told James I’ll go with him.’

  Adrian shrugged. ‘Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.’

  He made Saturday night sound very ominous. But at least he was no longer a problem in her life, no longer the threat he had been; she was sure now he wouldn’t want to attempt to take the woman James wanted for the second time in his life.

  She almost pitied him for the mess he and Selina had made of their lives. Almost. But the pain he had caused James wiped out the emotion.

  * * *

  ‘I did try to warn you.’ James smiled at her bemused expression.

  Cars, dozens of them, lined the driveway to the Mayhew house, and even if there were only one person per car—which she very much doubted!—there had to be at least fifty people here. That hardly constituted a ‘few friends’ in her estimation!

  Aura turned to James as he parked his car behind a gold Porsche, hoping her trepidation didn’t show. ‘Is it always like this?’ Her hands were clasped tightly together as she envisaged having to face all these people.

  He shrugged. ‘Selina looks as if she might have outdone herself this year, but yes, it’s usually almost this crowded.’

  And for years he had been facing these people alone, she reminded herself firmly. Tonight he wouldn’t have to do that—even if she did have to force herself to go in there with him!

  She self-consciously checked her appearance as James locked the car, the sun still shining on this mid-June night, picking out the highlights of burnished gold in the deep burgundy of her dress, its knee-length style barely touching on her breasts and hips. Her hair swung loose about her shoulders, a silver-blonde cap that gleamed in the sunshine. Her appearance couldn’t be faulted, she realised, only her inner emotions were in turmoil.

  James clasped her elbow lightly. ‘Just tell me when you’ve had enough and we’ll leave,’ he told her drily.

  She had had enough! She just hoped the Mayhews didn’t know any of the people that mixed socially with the Sutcliffes, and that they weren’t invited here tonight. Or, if they were, that Aura Jones remained forgotten by them!

  ‘James!’ Selina greeted him warmly, the high-heeled sandals she wore making her almost the same height as he was as she moved to kiss him on the mouth, her hair loose about her shoulders tonight, a slight wave in the ebony sheen, the pure white dress she wore complementing her tan perfectly

  Aura looked at the other woman critically tonight, looking for signs of the woman who had humiliated James so badly ten years ago. She still looked the beautifully pleasant woman she had in her shop five days ago!

  She turned her attention to Aura. ‘I’m so glad you could come after all.’ She squeezed Aura’s hand.

  Aura met James’s wry smile, her smile tight as she looked at the other woman. ‘Mrs Mayhew,’ she returned coolly.

  Selina gave one of her throaty laughs. ‘I’m sure I asked you to call me Selina,’ she said.

  ‘Selina,’ she repeated distantly.

  The other woman put her arm through the crook of James’s. ‘We’re all friends here, aren’t we, darling?’ She gazed into James’s eyes.

  ‘Yes,’ he confirmed drily.

  Violet-blue eyes levelled on Aura. ‘Aura seems—a little nervous, darling?’

  ‘Aura isn’t in the least nervous.’ He extricated himself from the clinging woman, his hand once again firm at Aura’s elbow. ‘She’s probably wondering where the champagne is!’

  ‘Of course.’ Selina smiled graciously, calling one of the waiters circulating with the bubbly wine to join them. ‘A drink can be so soothing, can’t it?’ she added to no one in particular.

  Had that been a barb, a subtle implication that perhaps Aura took a lot of drinks to ‘steady her nerves’? The other woman’s expression was completely innocent of malice, and yet … Aura glanced sideways at James as she sensed the slight movement of his body beside her, knowing by the tight control of his mouth that he was having trouble controlling his mirth!

&nb
sp; She turned back to the other woman. ‘Can it?’ she returned pointedly.

  Selina Mayhew suffered her first loss of composure in Aura’s presence, a flush darkening her cheeks. ‘I was speaking metaphorically, of course,’ she bit out, giving Aura and James a quelling glare.

  ‘Of course.’ Aura turned away to take an offered glass of champagne.

  James followed her actions. ‘Selina?’ he drawled.

  ‘Not just now,’ she snapped. ‘I still have guests to greet.’

  He glanced at the groups of people chatting around the room. ‘You mean they aren’t all here yet?’ His brows rose.

  Selina smiled, completely in control once again. ‘There are still a few left to arrive, and there are twenty or so people in the garden; it’s such a beautiful evening it seems a pity to waste it.’ She waved her hand towards the open french doors.

  As she did so the flash of diamonds on her wrist caught Aura’s gaze, and with a sharply indrawn breath she once again recognised the diamond bracelet Adrian had attempted to give her!

  ‘Lovely, isn’t it.’ Selina’s gaze had followed hers, smiling coyly as she touched the beautiful piece of jewellery. ‘It was an anniversary present from Adrian,’ she confided lightly. ‘I noticed you admiring it when I came to your shop the other day.’

  Admiring it; she had wished never to see it again! And Adrian had presented it to his wife as an anniversary present. But what else did a man do with a bracelet that had been refused by the woman he was trying to persuade to be his mistress!

  ‘Talking of Adrian,’ James drawled, ‘where is the lucky man?’

  ‘Probably with one of his golfing cronies discussing the intricacies of the game,’ said Selina in a bored voice. ‘Take a word of advice from me, Aura,’ she grimaced. ‘Don’t let James take up golf; men become obsessive about it!’

  As if she had any say in what James did with his life!

  But this time she couldn’t mistake the other woman’s mocking tone and moved closer to James. ‘I don’t think James has the time, do you—darling?’ Her mouth twitched as she met the laughter in his eyes.