‘Talking of the office,’ Gideon remarked as they ate, ‘Diane will be back on Monday morning.’
Laura almost choked over her soup. ‘She—she will?’
‘Mm,’ he nodded. ‘She called me yesterday, but I forgot to tell you.’
He had forgotten to tell her that she would no longer be working with him! The rest of the meal passed in a haze for her, and the food could have been absolutely awful for all she tasted it, although she doubted it was; Gideon’s kitchen would be run as efficiently as the rest of his life was. But she couldn’t even have said what she had eaten. On Monday she was to go back to working for James Courtney! If she saw as much of Gideon in the office as she had that first week then she wouldn’t see much of him at all.
‘You’re very quiet,’ he said suddenly.
‘It’s all the fresh air I’ve had today,’ she excused.
‘Natalie was exhausted too.’
Her expression instantly softened. ‘She’s a lovely child.’
Gideon frowned. ‘You really mean that, don’t you?’
Laura looked taken aback. ‘But of course!’
He looked up at the manservant who had been quietly serving them. ‘Miss Jamieson and I will take our coffee in the lounge.’ He stood up, pulling Laura’s chair back for her. ‘And we’re not to be disturbed,’ he added firmly.
‘No, sir.’ The man stared woodenly in front of him.
Laura flushed deeply red. ‘I wish you hadn’t done that,’ she mumbled once she and Gideon were alone in the lounge. ‘He’ll think—Your servants will think—’
‘Yes?’ he sounded amused.
Her eyes sparkled angrily. ‘They’ll think you intend making love to me,’ she snapped.
His hands grasped her shoulders. ‘And what makes you think I don’t?’
‘I—Well—Do you?’
‘Not completely,’ he laughed mockingly at the confusion in her face. ‘Not yet.’
‘N-not yet?’
‘I never believe in rushing these things.’
‘Is that why you haven’t kissed me all week?’
His expression mocked. ‘Did you want me to?’
‘No,’ she snapped her resentment. ‘No, I didn’t! And I don’t want you to kiss me now either. You—’
She didn’t get any further, for Gideon’s mouth on hers effectively stopped her heated flow of words.
She couldn’t deny her love for this man, couldn’t prevent her instantaneous response to the savagery of his kiss, her senses spinning. He continued to plunder her mouth as she clung to him, his arms like steel bands about her slender body.
Gideon’s kiss was fierce in its intent, demanding that she respond fully to him, wanting her full surrender, making Laura almost feel as if she were being submerged into his body.
His lips on her throat were causing wild sensations to course through her, her breathing ragged as his fingers deftly undid the top two buttons of her blouse, his hand splayed out across the creamy swell of her breasts. No man had ever touched her this intimately, his fingers now probing beneath the silky cups of her bra, capturing the already aroused nipple between finger and thumb.
Laura pulled away, her eyes mirroring her shock. ‘Please—don’t!’ she gasped shakily, and twisted out of his grasp, effectively removing the hand that had caused her panic.
‘Why?’ he demanded harshly.
‘I—You hurt me!’ she accused desperately.
‘Liar!’ he rasped, kissing her again, this time allowing her no chance to protest, and the two of them were soon lying side by side on the wide sofa, Gideon dispensing with all the buttons on her blouse, the unfastening of her bra posing no trouble to him either.
He also showed Laura what she should do to please him, unbuttoning his own shirt to push her hands inside against his warm flesh. It was a time of wonder for Laura, the discovery of the beauty and eroticism of a man’s body, Gideon’s skin firm and muscled beneath her tentative touch.
He raised his head. ‘Am I still hurting you?’ he mocked her total surrender, his mouth against her breast, her gasps this time having been ones of pleasure.
‘No…’ she groaned, lost in a sea of sensual abandon.
‘And am I forcing you?’ he added tautly.
She knew he was referring to the insult she had thrown at him earlier, and she blushed guiltily. ‘You know you aren’t,’ she said miserably.
‘I didn’t think I was,’ he said grimly. ‘And seeing you aroused appeals to my “machismo” much more than forcing any woman.’ He swung his legs to the floor, sitting up to button his shirt. ‘Natalie’s nanny will be home shortly, I think we should make ourselves presentable.’ He stood up to tuck the black shirt into the waistband of his denims.
Laura hastily adjusted her clothing. ‘Gideon—’
‘You missed a button.’ He did it up with impersonal fingers, his calm features showing none of the heated passion they had shared a few minutes ago.
‘Gideon?’
‘Yes?’ He looked at her with guarded eyes.
His coldness made her flinch. ‘Nothing. It isn’t important.’ She turned away, shamed colour flooding her cheeks.
He swung her round to face him, the warmth once more back in his face. ‘I’m not the romantic lover you expected, hmm?’ he teased lightly.
She blinked back her tears. ‘No. I mean—You—’
‘Do you love me, Laura?’ he queried softly.
Her eyes flew open in dismay. She had given herself away! At some time during their lovemaking she had divulged her love for him!
‘Do you?’ he persisted.
‘No,’ she denied heatedly, ‘of course I don’t. I hardly know you. I—’
Gideon once more kissed her, slowly this time, drug-gingly, his lips firm and moist as they moved over hers, his tongue moving erotically along her lower lip, his hands slowly caressing the slenderness of her waist and thighs.
‘Do you love me, Laura?’ he murmured close to her earlobe, biting gently into the soft skin.
‘Yes,’ she groaned helplessly. ‘God, yes!’
‘Yes, what?’
‘I love you,’ she gasped as he traced the outline of her ear with his tongue. ‘I love you, Gideon.’
‘I—’ Suddenly he stiffened. ‘I think I just heard Lisa arrive home.’ He moved away from her. ‘She’ll probably come in here in a moment,’ he explained.
Laura disliked Lisa Harlow before she even entered the room, sure that if the other woman hadn’t returned at that moment that Gideon would have told her of his own love for her.
But when the other woman walked into the room she felt her antagonism deepen. Lisa Harlow was about thirty, very beautiful, her hair a lovely flame red—and she didn’t look like anyone’s nanny! What had Gideon said about having a discerning eye where sexy redheads were concerned? And this woman lived here in his home with him!
CHAPTER FIVE
‘COME in, Lisa,’ Gideon invited smoothly as she seemed to hesitate in the doorway.
The woman moved with the grace of a model, the rust-coloured dress she wore showing the perfection of her figure, her height adding to the illusion of flowing grace.
‘I didn’t realise I was interrupting anything…’ her voice was husky and attractive, her expensive perfume invading every corner of the room.
Laura felt very young and gauche in the face of the other woman’s sophistication, feeling like an interloper instead of a guest as Lisa Harlow looked at her with cold blue eyes. It was almost as if Lisa were the hostess and Laura an uninvited guest she had unwillingly to be polite to.
‘You aren’t interrupting anything,’ Gideon told her warmly. ‘Laura and I were only talking.’
Only talking? She had just told him she loved him and he dismissed it as ‘only talking’! She felt as if he had physically hit her.
She was only half aware of the introductions being made, the other woman’s smile was only as lukewarm as her own. They didn’t like each other, that much was
obvious from the first.
‘Could I have a drink, Gideon?’ Lisa sat down, crossing one silky leg over the other, having no intention of leaving the room now that she was here.
‘Of course. Laura?’ he turned to her.
‘No, thank you,’ she refused tightly.
Gideon poured out two glasses of whisky, adding water and ice to Lisa’s without even bothering to ask, making Laura wonder how often he and the other woman drank together like this in the evenings. Gideon certainly knew her taste in drinks—did he also know her tastes in love-making? He certainly hadn’t reached that peak of experience by remaining celibate. Of course, he had been married, but nevertheless…
‘Mm, just as I like it,’ said Lisa after her first sip of the drink, almost as if she knew the resentment of Laura’s thoughts. ‘Tell me, Laura,’ she drawled, ‘is Gideon as—thoughtful to work for at the office as he is here?’
Laura drew a steadying breath, looking at Gideon as he leant nonchalantly against the unlit fireplace. Didn’t he realise that this woman was baiting her? Obviously not. ‘He’s very—thoughtful, there too,’ she replied with saccharine sweetness. ‘Did you have a pleasant day off?’ she added to let the other woman know that she was the one who had been with Gideon all day, and not her.
‘Very nice, thank you. Although I don’t really need a day off,’ she said warmly. ‘Natalie is such a delight to take care of.’
‘Isn’t she?’ Laura agreed sweetly.
‘Laura and I took her to the Zoo today,’ Gideon explained lightly, still seeming unaware of the hostility between the two women—or else choosing to ignore it.
Arched eyebrows rose. ‘You only had to say, Gideon. You know I appreciate these days off, but they aren’t really necessary. I’m sorry your day was ruined, Miss Jamieson.’
‘On the contrary, Miss Harlow—’
‘Mrs Harlow,’ the other woman corrected smoothly.
Laura looked startled. ‘I didn’t realise you were married.’
‘Oh, I’m not, not now,’ she said unconcernedly. ‘I’m just another statistic on the divorce records. I wasn’t as lucky as Felicity in my choice of a husband,’ she gave Gideon a warm, intimate smile.
Laura swallowed hard. ‘You knew—I mean—’
Amused blue eyes returned to her from smiling at Gideon. ‘Felicity and I were very good friends,’ Lisa informed her triumphantly.
‘I see,’ Laura bit her lip.
‘Do you?’ the other woman drawled, sipping her drink.
Laura glanced at Gideon and then back to Lisa. Couldn’t Gideon see this woman intended being the next Mrs Gideon Maitland, was telling Laura that any ideas she might have in that direction should be forgotten? She could have told Lisa Harlow that she had nothing to fear from her, her love for Gideon might be admitted, but she had no illusion of where that love would take her.
She stood up. ‘I think I should be going now, Gideon.’
‘Of course.’ He put his glass down on the table, empty now. ‘You’ll excuse us, Lisa?’
The other woman smiled. ‘I have something I want to discuss with you, Gideon, so I’ll wait up for you.’
‘Fine,’ he nodded. ‘I’ll get your coat, Laura.’
‘I only have this cardigan with me,’ she told him woodenly.
Gideon looked at her with narrowed grey eyes, seemingly puzzled by her behaviour. ‘Then I’ll just get my jacket.’
He was displeased with her, she could tell that. Well, what did he expect! Lisa Harlow had as much as stated their intimacy. And that remark about waiting up for him…! Not even a simpleton could misunderstand the implication behind that. Although Gideon still seemed to want to take her home.
She looked down awkwardly at her hands once she was left alone with the other woman, aware that Lisa Harlow was watching her with narrowed blue eyes.
‘I don’t intend losing him a second time,’ she remarked suddenly.
Laura blinked dazedly at this open attack. ‘I—I beg your pardon?’ she frowned.
‘Fifteen years ago I was stupid enough to throw Gideon over in favour of the ex-Mr Harlow,’ Lisa drawled. ‘Gideon married Felicity, and I married Charles.’
‘You’re saying that you and Gideon—that you and he were—’
‘Were friends,’ Lisa finished pointedly. ‘And I intend that we’ll be even closer than that now. You don’t think I look after Natalie because I need to work, do you? Charles paid me a handsome sum at our divorce. And you have to admit that as far as Gideon is concerned, I have the advantage…’
‘Because you live here,’ Laura reasoned dully.
‘Exactly,’ the other woman smiled. ‘Save yourself a lot of heartache, Laura, and forget about Gideon.’
‘You have no right—’
Lisa Harlow’s expression was suddenly vicious. ‘Don’t make me break you up, Laura. I can do it, just like that,’ she clicked her fingers. ‘And I will, believe me.’
Oh, she believed her, she just couldn’t believe this was actually happening. ‘Gideon—’
‘Wants to go to bed with you,’ Lisa drawled. ‘Is that what you want, a brief affair?’
‘It’s none of your—’
‘He’s a wonderful lover,’ the other woman continued, completely composed once again. ‘Very accomplished. And I should know.’
‘Excuse me,’ Laura choked, very pale, ‘I—I have to go.’
‘Laura—’
‘Goodbye, Mrs Harlow.’ She wrenched the door open—and bumped straight into Gideon!
‘Sorry, I—Hey,’ he grasped her upper arms, looking down at her sharply. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Nothing.’ She stared fixedly at the third button down on his shirt. ‘I’m ready to leave now.’
‘I just want to have a word with Lisa—’
‘I think I’ll wait outside,’ Laura said jerkily. ‘I could do with some air.’ The things Lisa Harlow had told her made her feel sick.
‘Wait here,’ Gideon ordered.
‘No—’
‘Yes,’ he insisted firmly.
She was really too numb to move, following him outside when he rejoined her a few minutes later, his arm going about her shoulders as she began to shiver.
‘Please, don’t!’ She pushed him away from her, feeling close to tears.
He frowned. ‘Laura—’
‘Would you please take me home!’ Her voice was shrill.
‘Of course.’ Gideon wrenched open the car door, closing it with a slam once she had got inside, joining her within seconds. ‘What’s the matter?’ he sighed after several minutes of silent driving.
‘Nothing.’ She stared straight in front of her, holding back the tears with effort.
‘I don’t believe that,’ he answered patiently. ‘Did Lisa say something to upset you? I know she isn’t everyone’s favourite person.’
Laura turned accusing green eyes on him. ‘Is she yours?’
He frowned. ‘What the hell is that supposed to mean?’
She drew a deep breath. ‘What do you think it means?’
‘You tell me,’ Gideon invited grimly.
‘Are you and she lovers?’ She caught her breath with the enormity of that question.
‘No.’
‘No?’
‘No,’ he repeated firmly.
‘Oh, I—’ she frowned her consternation. ‘Were you ever?’ she added sharply.
‘Years ago,’ he nodded. ‘Before I married Felicity.’
Laura swallowed hard. ‘But not now?’
‘No.’
Why had she taken the other woman’s word for it? Lisa Harlow was in love with Gideon, that much was obvious, but he had given no indication that he returned that love. If he had wanted to marry the other woman surely he would have done so by now.
But still the doubts persisted. ‘She lives in your house—’
‘And it naturally follows that I sleep with her?’ Gideon rasped.
‘Well, no… But if you were lovers in the pas
t—’
‘Almost fifteen years ago!’
‘But—’
‘I don’t sleep with her, Laura,’ he told her coldly. ‘You please yourself whether or not you believe that.’
‘Oh, I do—’
‘Then what the hell are we arguing about? If Lisa gave you a different impression then I’m sorry. But I don’t intend explaining my actions to you again.’
‘I’m sorry,’ she said stiffly, seeing with dismay that they had arrived back at her home. ‘I am sorry, Gideon,’ she turned to look at him pleadingly.
‘Yes,’ he acknowledged tersely.
‘Will I see you tomorrow?’
‘Yes,’ he sighed, leaning forward to kiss her lightly on the lips. ‘You’d better go inside.’
‘I—Yes.’
He gave a casual wave before driving off, telling her better than words that he was still annoyed with her. And no wonder! She had believed every word Lisa Harlow told her, had judged Gideon without question, and he had a right to be angry about that.
* * *
It was the ringing of the telephone that woke her the next morning. She groped her way blindly out to the telephone in the lounge, knowing that her mother wouldn’t emerge from her bedroom until at least twelve o’clock, not on a Sunday.
‘Laura?’ came the husky response to her reciting of the telephone number.
Gideon! Heavens, it was only seven-thirty in the morning. ‘It’s very early,’ she told him waspishly.
‘I know,’ he sighed at her stating of the obvious. ‘But I have to leave town urgently for a couple of days. I thought you might want to know,’ he added tautly.
‘You’re going away?’ she voiced her dismay, coming awake in a hurry.
‘Until Wednesday or Thursday,’ Gideon confirmed.
That wasn’t a couple of days, that was almost a week! ‘I see,’ she said tightly. ‘Well, have a good trip.’
‘Is that all you have to say?’ he snapped.
What else could she say? She wasn’t going to see Gideon for days on end—and it was going to seem like years. ‘What else is there?’ she asked dully.
‘Nothing, obviously. I’m sorry I troubled you.’ The telephone was slammed down the other end, so loud it almost split Laura’s eardrums.
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