All too soon, Nick’s arms tightened so that her body was upright. He ended their kiss and stood holding her closely against him with his head resting on the top of hers and her face buried against the base of his neck.
When he spoke, his voice was rough. ‘I have a plan for tonight and it doesn’t include seducing you before dinner.’
Sarah shifted so she could shoot him a smile that she hoped was both cheeky and hopeful. ‘But it does include seducing me?’
Nick’s response was half-laugh, half-growl. ‘When you look at me like that I think we’ll be lucky to get to main course.’
‘But for an entirely different reason than the first night when we didn’t get to first course.’
‘Don’t remind me about that night,’ he said rolling his eyes heavenward.
Happiness made Sarah more light-headed than she’d felt the first time she’d ever sipped champagne. ‘The bet was for dinner, a night of stargazing and watching the sun rise over the ocean.’
‘And never let it be said I don’t deliver on my bets.’
The hunger in his eyes suggested he had every intention of weaving seduction into the agenda. If it wasn’t part of his plan, she’d seduce him!
‘Sit down, Sarah.’
Nick took his place opposite her. ‘Champagne?’
‘Yes, please.’
He reached into the ice bucket that was on a stand next to the table and filled both flutes. Then, he raised his glass in a toast. ‘To the perfect evening.’
‘Yes.’ The golden liquid bubbled all the way down her throat. ‘Oh, listen!’ She turned around from where they’d come. ‘I wonder where that music is coming from.’ It was very faint but beautiful.
Nick smiled. ‘It might be from the string quartet I hired. They’re sitting in the resort gardens close enough for us to hear them but not so close that they drown out the sounds of the ocean.’
She sent up a little prayer of thanks. ‘You’ve thought of everything.’
‘I hope so.’ He reached out across the table with his free hand and threaded his fingers through hers. ‘You did say a few days ago that you didn’t have any food allergies or particular likes or dislikes so I took the liberty of ordering for both of us.’
‘I’m sure whatever you ordered will be divine.’ Casting her gaze out to the Pacific Ocean she believed she could be satisfied sitting here all night, dining only on the atmosphere. ‘It looks so peaceful, you’d never guess at all the threats being posed to the sea and its life forms.’
‘Let’s hope this documentary makes a difference.’
‘I read on the World Wide Fund for Nature website how the number and problems facing the reef have outgrown the capacity of the institutions that were put in place a generation ago to protect it. The website said how the reef needs a stronger champion to defend it. Won’t it be fabulous if NOCO can be that champion?’
‘We’re doing everything we can.’
‘The meetings you’ve had have gone well?’
‘The main sticking point has been the government’s plans to expand and develop ports. Not only are they going to need to dredge more of the seabed floor to do this but the increased shipping traffic is going to cause major negative impacts.’ He sat back in his chair. ‘I’ve been focused on that. Max has been negotiating with the Fisheries Department about quotas and looking at the whole ocean food web that impacts on turtle and whale species and says he’s making headway. And, on a very positive note, Luca has had some agreements signed off on that will tighten up policies and policing of new regulations to lessen the nitrogen run-off from farms into the ocean.’
‘The trip’s been a success then?’
He nodded. ‘We’ve made progress. There’s still a lot to be done and your documentary will go a long way to raising the awareness of the general public.’
‘It’s been a fantastic experience for me and I’m really excited to think I might be doing something to help.’ She took another sip of her champagne. ‘The crew are great and I’ve learnt a lot.’
‘Ah. Here comes first course.’ Max let go of her hand. ‘We spent most of our first dinner date talking ocean conservation. As important as it is, I’m banning all further discussion on the topic. I want tonight to be about pleasure not business.’
‘Sounds good to me.’
A couple of hours later, Sarah took her linen napkin off her lap to dab at her mouth. ‘That was the best cheesecake I’ve ever had.’
‘Made from the famous Australian Tim Tam biscuits.’
‘Olivia introduced me to those.’
‘She introduced them to me too. She and Marjorie actually have them shipped over from Australia to Rome.’
‘Marjorie’s lovely.’ Olivia’s mother had only arrived in Palm Cove yesterday but they’d had a great talk last night at dinner. ‘She said she had a good time visiting her friends in Australia but she hasn’t regretted moving to Rome.’
‘She lives for her grandchildren.’
‘They’re lucky to have her.’ Sarah still missed her own grandmother. She’d been such a wonderful and loving lady and had done everything she could to try to fill the gaping hole left in Sarah’s life when her parents had died.
‘Are you thinking of your grandmother?’
She nodded. ‘I was so young when Mum and Dad died and although I missed them terribly, I kind of remember missing them now more than I remember them.’
‘What do you remember about them?’
‘Most of the week they were away working and Gran used to come and look after us. Friday nights we always played board games then we’d watch a movie together before bed.’
‘Did you continue to live in your family home after they died or did you move in with your grandmother?’
‘We moved in with Gran. The family home was sold.’
Nick looked thoughtful. ‘Hertherington Estate was the home I shared with Mandy.’
Oh geez. The penny suddenly dropped. ‘That’s why you wouldn’t sell it? It holds too many special memories.’
A crease appeared between his well-shaped brows. ‘You asked me how I could possibly think of it as a home when I only visited it twice a year.’
‘I’m so sorry. I had no idea what it meant to you. I shouldn’t have assumed to know.’
He waved away her apology. ‘I love Hertherington and I hate it.’
She raised her eyebrows but made no comment.
‘When we first married, Mandy and I lived a fairly meagre existence from my trust fund. We didn’t plan to have a child so quickly, but Katie was conceived and we were both over the moon about becoming parents.’ He reached out, topped up her champagne and poured himself another glass. ‘I was working really long hours, labouring by day and attending night school.
‘Mandy saw how hard I was working and how exhausted I was when I finally made an appearance at home. She felt guilty. Even though I told her I’d rather work my butt off and achieve my own success than work in the family financial institution, she understood what a change in lifestyle it was for me. I’d gone from living in the lap of luxury in a home where I had servants waiting on me hand and foot, to living in a small flat in London and budgeting like crazy.’
‘She must’ve been proud of your success though?’
‘She was, but she felt guilty for the temporary estrangement I had with my parents—which was only resolved once Katie was born. Mandy didn’t feel she was good enough.’ He shook his head. ‘Her lack of confidence and self-belief was something I didn’t understand.’
‘That’s sad.’ She wasn’t sure what else to say.
‘Mum and Dad liked Mandy. It wasn’t that they disapproved of her, it was only that when I first told them I wanted to marry Mandy, they said we were too young and they wanted me to follow a different career path—’
‘Banking,’ she put in because he had mentioned it before.
‘Yes. Anyway, to cut a long story short, Mandy put piles of pressure on herself to be what she thought was th
e perfect wife. She became a total neat freak, running herself ragged trying to keep everything spotless, trying to keep Katie immaculately turned out and taking great care in her own appearance.’
Sarah’s heart cramped as she saw the pain in Nick’s eyes as he re-lived his memories. She reached across the table and took his hand in hers. ‘You don’t have to tell me any of this if it’s too painful for you.’
His blue-eyed gaze met hers directly. ‘Sarah, I want to make love to you tonight.’
Yes. Yes!
‘I haven’t discussed my relationship with Mandy with other women I’ve dated, but as you pointed out, there’s a real connection between you and me. I want you to know about my past.’ She watched his throat move up and down as he swallowed. ‘We’ve both admitted we’re not into one-night stands and I think it’s right that you should know about my marriage if what we’re embarking on here might lead to a future together.’
A future with Nick …
It was her heart’s most fervent desire.
She tried to damp down her joy because it probably wasn’t appropriate in light of the serious issue of discussing his wife. ‘You tick all my boxes, Nick. I’ve been thinking I’m going to miss you terribly when the documentary filming comes to an end so I’m more than happy to see where this leads us.’
But, if they were going to have a future together she should tell him that she’d lost her contracts with Eduardo and Manuel. And she should tell him why.
She took a deep breath and tried to figure out how to frame her confession. But, before she could even form the words, Nick turned to her and smiled. ‘Want to go and do some stargazing while we talk?’ Her admission could wait until later.
‘Sure.’
They stood and Nick led her to a day bed that’d been set up a little further along the beach from the marquee.
Sarah plumped the cushions. As she lay down, she teased him. ‘Something tells me you’re enjoying living in the lap of luxury again now.’
‘I thought you deserved to be comfortable.’
She would’ve been happy lying down on the sand watching the stars as long as Nick had been lying next to her. ‘It’s good to have pillows but I’d rather rest my head against your chest.’
‘Come here.’ He lifted one arm and she moved across the day bed until she was snuggled against him. Her heart raced as she revelled in the intimacy of listening to his steady heartbeat.
For a few minutes they enjoyed lying together, Nick stroking his hand over her hair.
‘Can you see the stars from that angle?’ he asked.
She laughed and shifted her head a little realising she’d been too absorbed in him to think about the stars. ‘I can now.’
After a few moments of silence he said, ‘I told you a part of me will always love Mandy. What I didn’t tell you was that our marriage wasn’t all roses.’
‘I’m not sure any marriage is.’
‘In her quest for perfection, Mandy started to become obsessive.’ His hand stilled on Sarah’s hair before he continued. ‘I no sooner put a coffee mug down than it was whisked away. If I left papers out that I intended to work through but decided to check on Katie before I settled down to work, I’d come back and find them stacked neatly away in my study.’ He sighed. ‘It got to the point where I didn’t feel comfortable in my own home.
‘By the time Max, Luca and I were cracking the big markets, I could’ve eased off my work but, to be honest, I was feeling awkward going home. It didn’t matter how late I worked, Mandy was always waiting up for me. No matter the hour she was immaculately groomed and ready to wait on me the second I walked through the door.’ She felt him shake his head. ‘It was stifling. She was trying too hard and there was no need because I was happy in the beginning.’
Sarah shifted, took the weight of her head on her hand and looked at Nick. ‘It must’ve been a hard time for you both.’
‘Harder for Mandy. She was no longer the girl I’d married. She’d morphed into a Stepford wife. Admittedly she’d become a mother very young—before she’d established her own career path—but even though I encouraged her to do some study or start up her own business, she wouldn’t. She subordinated her whole life purpose around what she thought I needed and she wouldn’t accept that I loved the country girl I’d married but I was happy for both of us to grow in our careers. I was following my dream and I wanted that for her too. I wanted her to find something that she could be passionate about outside our marriage.’
Whoa. That was heavy and incredibly unexpected.
Sarah was almost afraid of where this was leading but if she wanted to understand his pain she needed to know everything. ‘How did Mandy die, Nick?’
He was very still.
He didn’t look at her.
The raw emotions playing on his face caused a tightness through her chest.
‘Her perceptions of perfection were very skewed.’ His gaze fixed on some distant point in the night sky. ‘She decided that with all the charity and business dinners we’d started attending, she should try slimming pills so she wouldn’t put on weight.’ His lips pressed together tightly before he continued. ‘She told one of our neighbours about her intentions and the woman told Mandy she hadn’t noticed any increase in weight. But Mandy had got it into her head that she needed to trim down so she went ahead and ordered some slimming tablets online.’
He closed his eyes for a moment and it was obvious he struggled to get his emotions in check before he continued. ‘There was a coronial inquiry. The coroner found that the pills she’d taken contained a chemical called Dinitrophenol or DNP. It’s a highly toxic substance that burns fat and carbohydrates but causes a person’s temperature and metabolic rate to increase to a dangerous level. Mandy’s temperature skyrocketed and she started vomiting. She was really sick when I arrived home but she said it was a bug and I accepted her insistence that all she needed to do was go to bed and rest. She wouldn’t admit to me what she’d done because I guess part of her still wanted to play the role of the perfect wife and she wouldn’t ask for help.’
‘Oh, Nick, I’m so sorry for you and Katie—and for Mandy too, of course.’
It must’ve been a horrible way for Mandy to have lived—for them all to have lived.
He swallowed hard again. ‘It was such a waste of life and so damned criminally irresponsible of the supplier.’
‘Was the supplier charged and prosecuted?’
‘Yes. The prosecutor told the jury taking the chemical DNP was like playing Russian roulette. The supplier was making huge amounts of profit buying in the chemical in drums from Asia. He’d thwarted attempts from both the police and the Food Standards Agency who tried to close him down. It took Mandy’s death to shut down his operation.’
Sarah wasn’t sure what to say. There were no words to make up for the loss Nick and Katie had suffered.
‘If I’d known I could’ve stopped her.’ His voice carried a weight of guilt.
‘You’re blaming yourself?’
‘Yes,’ he said with a terse nod, ‘because I was to blame. I was an absent husband a lot of the time and for the last twelve months of our marriage I was absent far more than I honestly needed to be.’
Sarah hated his brutal condemnation of his own behaviour. She didn’t blame him for trying to avoid a situation that sounded as though it had been intolerable.
‘The more she tried to fit into this mould of perfection she had built up in her mind, the more I retreated from the stranger she was becoming. Then she tried even harder. It was a vicious cycle.’
‘How old were you, Nick?’
‘I was twenty-five. Katie had celebrated her sixth birthday the week before.’
Gosh. Sarah had been six as well when she’d lost her parents. ‘Twenty-five is still very young—too young probably to realise that what Mandy needed was professional counselling.’
‘I tried.’ The words were agonised. ‘I suggested she go to a counsellor but that only made matters worse�
�it made her try even harder to pretend she didn’t have any problems.’
Sarah shook her head sadly. ‘You mustn’t blame yourself, Nick.’ She searched for something comforting to say. ‘It must’ve been an intolerable situation you were trying to deal with at home on top of trying to be a good dad to Katie and running a multi-million dollar corporation.’
‘That’s just it. I was running a multi-billion dollar corporation by then. I was so capable of brokering deals and reading the market and winning over the most hardened business executives in boardroom meetings yet I couldn’t save my own wife.’
‘Did you talk to anyone about it?’
‘I confided in Jocelyn.’
‘And?’
‘She told my mother. They both got on really well with Mandy and her mother. All three women sat down together and nutted out a plan before they tried to talk to Mandy, but Mandy totally freaked out and completely misread the situation. When I got home the night after they’d been she was crying and apologising for causing me stress. She told me she was fine and that the last thing she ever wanted to do was make me feel ashamed of her.’ He shook his head. ‘Mum actually spoke to me about taking Mandy to a psychiatrist. I’d booked the appointment. I was going to take her.’ A shudder racked the strength of his frame. ‘She died the day before the appointment.’
Sarah had no more words. Instead she put her head down on Nick’s chest and squeezed him tight. ‘I wish I could take away your pain.’
‘You do, Sarah,’ he said as one hand stroked up and down her back. ‘You do.’
For a while she lay like that, imagining that all her love for him was flowing out through her embrace to heal his hurt.
When she lifted her head again she said, ‘Thank you for telling me about Mandy.’
He nodded. ‘Sorry I killed the mood.’
‘You didn’t really. I’ve felt close to you all night and you telling me what you’ve been through has brought me even closer to you.’ She leant forward and brushed her lips fleetingly against his. ‘You gave me your trust.’ You exposed your vulnerability the same way I did when I confessed to my PTSD. ‘You opened up your wounds and I only hope I can bring you some healing because you’re such a great guy and you deserve to be happy.’
Seduced by the Billionaire Page 18