"That's very magnanimous of you," Shona glanced curiously at her friend.
"Yeah, well, life's too short to hold grudges and Mark McNamara isn't worth getting an ulcer over," Penelope shrugged. "Would you like a coffee?" she asked, deliberately changing the subject.
"Absolutely, coffee would be great.”
Penelope wandered into their makeshift kitchen to organise their coffees and Shona gazed unseeingly at her computer screen. She had a million and one things left to do on her ever-increasing "to do" list and she really wasn't in the mood for any of them. A lot had changed at M&R Photography during the past few months and Shona was still struggling to take to get her head around everything that had happened. Rebecca had appointed Shona as the office manager and Penelope was in charge of booking models. They'd expanded the business to include photographing models' portfolios and their workload had increased exponentially as a result. Mark was inundated with work, especially since they'd taken on the lucrative hotel contract and he'd even hired an assistant photographer to help him with his workload.
Shona had to work in quite close proximity with Mark at times which bothered her, because in spite of her best intentions, she still had unresolved feelings for him. Sometimes the way he looked at her or a simple, unintentional brush of his hand on hers could send shivers up and down her spine. Deep down, in her heart she was a little bit in love with him. She didn't dare admit her feelings to Penelope or Rebecca as she knew they would be absolutely and rightly appalled. No matter how much she tried she couldn't stop her heart skipping a beat at the very sight of him. She knew it was ludicrous but it was difficult for her to get over him completely, not that she ever had any intention of acting on her feelings, but it was difficult sometimes.
Penelope seemed to be completely over him and had no problem treating him like a second class citizen but a small part of Shona couldn't help feeling sorry for him. He was trying his best and he really seemed like a reformed character. She'd never seen him work as hard. He was on the phone to the office first thing in the morning and he often sent emails after midnight. His work was impeccable and he seemed to be desperate to earn Rebecca's forgiveness.
Rebecca was a mess, there was no doubt about that. Ever since baby Ethan was born she'd slowly fallen to pieces and Shona knew that Mark was often left with the responsibility of their baby boy. Mark never complained but Shona noticed the strain the last months had taken on him. He'd lost weight and rarely smiled. He seemed like he had a lot on his mind and sometimes Shona wondered if he was preoccupied with more than the stress of the business and family problems. Mark had never seemed like the type of man to carry any guilt. She'd been close enough to him to know that once he'd made a decision he stuck to it and never worried much about the consequences.
However, he seemed like a shadow of the man that he'd once been. He kept himself to himself and spoke to Shona and Penelope strictly on work- related matters. There wasn't a hint of flirtation from him and on the rare occasion that he was in the office he stayed at his desk and didn't bother anyone. All the fight seemed to have left him and this made Shona wonder what was really going on with him.
"Penny for them," Penelope carefully placed a steaming cup of black Colombian coffee in front of Shona.
Shona shook herself to get rid of the thoughts that were whirling around in her head and smiled tightly at her friend. "Thanks." She inhaled the heady aroma and took an appreciative sip.
"Better than sex, eh?" Penelope winked at her.
"I don't know about you, but it's certainly better than any sex I've been enjoying recently," Shona grinned cheekily over the rim of her coffee cup.
"Tell me about it," Penelope sighed. "I think Mark McNamara has turned me off men for life."
"Join the club," Shona raised her cup and clinked it in solidarity against her friend's before turning back to her computer and continuing proofing the photographs for the latest wannabe model on their books.
Chapter 4
"Darlings, it's so good to see you," Mark gathered his wife and son to him in a warm embrace and kissed them both on the cheek.
"Hi," Rebecca smiled weakly at her husband and quickly disentangled herself from his arms. He'd been a great support to her since Ethan was born and although he would always be the father of her children, she doubted she would ever be able to completely forgive him for how he had betrayed her. She loved escaping to their apartment in France. It was the only place where she felt she could be herself and that nobody else knew or cared about the sordid details of her husband's pathetic affairs. When she'd revealed his indiscretions the media had jumped on the story and their faces had been splashed all over the newspapers for days. It had been extremely embarrassing and humiliating but contrary to what she had imagined, their business had increased exponentially. Apparently, it was true; even bad publicity was good publicity!
Baby Ethan was born in January and was a happy, healthy, bonny boy. She loved him dearly but she’d been crippled with post-natal depression since shortly after his birth. Brianna Moynihan, her psychologist, had advised her that her depression was probably a mixture of her pregnancy hormones returning to normal and a culmination of the horrendous stress and upset of her husband's affairs. Sometimes she wished she never had to see him again but she wanted to maintain a fairly amicable relationship for the sake of their children. He was a good father and she knew it was important for her sons to have him in their lives.
There were occasions when it was difficult for her to maintain her distance emotionally from him, in spite of her best efforts. It wasn't easy to wipe out the strong feelings and heartfelt emotions that she'd had for him for more than twenty years of their marriage. He’d shown her amazing kindness, patience and compassion since Ethan's birth even though she’d completely turned his world upside down; deservedly, yes, but she didn't know how she would have survived the last few months without him by her side. It was difficult to reconcile the man who stood in front of her now with the cheating, lying man who had betrayed her so terribly.
"Hello, little man," Mark smiled at the bundle who was sleeping peacefully in his mother's arms. His shock of thick black hair was standing up in tufts on his perfectly formed head and his face was scrunched up in concentration as he slept. His long, dark eyelashes fluttered gently on his chubby, rosy cheeks and his tiny hands clutched the ends of his blanket. Mark softly kissed his son's head and dropped his coat and bag on the sofa.
"How was your flight?" Rebecca asked politely.
"Madness, as usual," Mark sighed, loosening the tie which was tightly knotted at his strong neck. "Flying is a major pain these days, even short-haul flights. Bring back the days when only the privileged few could afford it."
"Don't be such a snob!" Rebecca scolded him, but she couldn't help smiling at the same time.
"Oh, come on!" Mark protested. "You’d agree with me if you'd been stuck behind the three French guys who'd clearly been on a bender all weekend. They absolutely stunk of alcohol and I swear they hadn't had a shower in days."
"Gross," Rebecca shuddered at the image. "Would you like a drink?"
"Yeah, I'd love a whiskey on ice, darling," Mark replied.
Rebecca winced. "Mark, please, I've asked you not to call me that."
"Sorry," he apologised quickly and Rebecca immediately wished she could retract her harsh words when she saw the crestfallen expression on his face.
"Actually, I'll fix my own drink, thanks anyway." He brushed past her and went to the drinks’ cabinet where he poured some whiskey on ice and quickly downed it in one long gulp. "I needed that," he sighed, fixing himself another before walking out onto the balcony to survey the view below. Miles and miles of beautiful, golden, sandy beaches stretched out in front of him. Huge, expensive yachts bobbed up and down on the twinkling water and the promenade was a hive of activity. Tourists and tradespeople haggled over their wares and the atmosphere crackled with holiday excitement. Mark glanced over his shoulder and could see that Rebecca wa
s busy with the baby, before furtively checking his mobile phone for any messages from Savannah. "I'm here. I'll meet you at your hotel in two hours." He quickly texted her and settled himself on a sun-lounger on the balcony to await her response. "Room 238." The response arrived within minutes and Mark began to tingle with excitement.
Chapter 5
"I'm going for a walk," Mark whispered, pulling the blanket gently over his wife who’d been napping on the couch. "Do you need anything from the shops?"
"I'm fine," Rebecca mumbled, struggling to sit up as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "I should get up. Ethan will be awake soon and he'll be hungry."
"I'll be back in a few hours. Call me if you need me."
"Okay," Rebecca smiled. She watched him as he walked out the door and waited for him to turn around to say goodbye, as he usually did, but this time he kept going. It seemed as if he couldn't get out of there fast enough. "He's changed his tune," Rebecca muttered. He'd been ignoring her since her rebuttal earlier and now all of a sudden he was sweetness and light again. She didn't really know or particularly care what to think of him. He'd been very supportive since Ethan was born and while she was still recovering it was good to have him around but things would have to change as soon as she was back on her feet. She didn't trust him and it would be difficult to move on with her life until she'd put some distance between them, but for now she simply didn't have the strength. If it hadn't been for Mr. Middleton-Sinclair of the Renaissance Hotel Group insisting that he wanted more of Mark's work she would have cut her ties with him months ago, but the deal was much too lucrative to decline so she'd hired him on a freelance basis.
Of course, Mark, being his typical sneaky, conniving self, had managed to weasel himself slowly but surely back into her life but not into her affections. She tolerated him only because she needed him. Mark had made it obvious that he would like them to get back together but Rebecca wasn't interested. She simply didn't have the will to fight him at the moment and she knew that it would be a bitter fight where Mark was concerned. The very thought of filing for divorce and the legalities which that would entail exhausted her and she dreaded a custody battle for baby Ethan. Mark wouldn't hesitate at fighting dirty to gain custody of his son and Rebecca knew he'd play on her depression. She glanced at her baby who was finally beginning to stir from his deep slumber and her heart filled with love for him. There was no way that she was going to lose her son to Mark. She had to focus on getting her energy and strength back so that she was ready to fight him all the way.
Mark walked briskly through the crowds of people who were strolling slowly along the promenade. It was a glorious, blue-sky day and he felt his spirits soar. He was glad to have left the incessant rain and cold of Ireland behind him for a while and was looking forward to spending a few days on the yacht.
"Bonjour, Monsieur McNamara," the street vendors waved cheerily to him as he passed them by. They knew him well as he was a frequent visitor to their shores. "Bonjour," Mark smiled pleasantly at them in return.
He couldn't wait to meet the mysterious Savannah and had to restrain himself from running all the way to her hotel. Hotel St. Jacques was a tall, looming building which was located at the end of the promenade. The vibrant restaurant at the front was already packed with tourists enjoying an early evening drink. There wasn't an available spot outside at the tables and chairs which lined the boardwalk.
He swung into the hotel and strolled quickly past reception. The place was a hive of activity so it was unlikely that anyone would remember him. He climbed the stairs to the second floor, deciding to skip the elevator and its surveillance cameras. The corridor of the second floor was deserted as he made his way towards Room 238. He tapped lightly on the door and waited impatiently.
"Who is it?" a tentative voice asked from the other side of the closed door.
"Mark."
Slowly, the door opened and he followed Savannah into the room. She was a most unlikely looking assassin. He'd fantasised about her, expecting her to be tall and controlling, maybe a dominatrix type but his fantasy was the complete opposite of the delicate, petite woman who stood in front of him now. Her long, blonde hair tumbled luxuriously down her narrow back. Thick dark lashes and perfectly arched brows gently framed her luminous grey eyes. Her mouth quivered with emotion; every thought played out across her fragile face. Mark could see she was nervous and he longed to kiss her full lips in reassurance.
"We meet at last," he smiled, taking a seat on the couch in the corner. A large king-sized bed was the focal feature of the small room and stood invitingly between them.
"Indeed," Savannah returned his smile shyly. "Would you like a drink?"
"Yes, a whiskey with ice," Mark replied promptly. No need to break the habit of the day, he thought wryly.
He watched her closely as she moved around the room and fixed their drinks. She moved her hips provocatively as she walked which tantalised him even more. He tried to memorise every detail of her, knowing that this would be their one and only night together. It was a huge risk meeting like this and not one that he was prepared to take again, but tonight he would allow himself the indulgence. She was absolutely gorgeous, there was no doubt about it. The plain simplicity of her white linen dress accentuated the lush golden tan of her skin. Her full breasts strained slightly at the bodice and the shadow of the setting sun emphasised her legs, her slender waist and round buttocks. He could feel wanton lust overwhelming him and he wanted her badly. It had been months since he'd been with a woman and every nerve in his virile body was heightened just by looking at her.
"Cheers," she said, handing him a glass.
"Cheers." He clinked his glass against her champagne flute and savoured the coldness of the whiskey as it hit the back of his throat.
"My team is in place in Ireland," she said, slowly sipping her drink which moistened her full lips. "I think it's best that you don't know the details."
"I suppose I’ll have to trust you," Mark smiled, his eyes darkening with desire.
"You can trust me implicitly." She finished her drink and stood up. The air crackled with the sexual electricity between them. He wanted her and he wanted her now!
Slowly, she undressed for him, pulling her dress provocatively over her head and dropping it to the floor by her feet. She was naked beneath. He went to her then and lightly kissed her mouth; probing her with his tongue. She returned his kisses and he was surprised by the urgency of her response. It seemed she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He closed his eyes and lost himself in her embrace. He kissed her desperately, savouring the sweet taste of her. His lips traced the delicious journey from her inviting mouth to her elegant neck and hard, erect nipples. She moaned under his expert touch. He stroked her skin and kissed every part of her beautiful body while his hands caressed her full breasts and firm buttocks.
Tentatively, his tongue explored the recesses of her hot, wet centre. He sucked and licked and tasted her very essence, making her moan in sheer ecstasy.
"Please," she whimpered. Her body writhed at his touch but he was enjoying teasing her and wanted to prolong her agony. He pulled her down on top of him and held her close, savouring the tantalising sensation of her body and skin on his. "Please," she begged. "I can't take it anymore."
He pulled her hands over her head and locked his fingers in hers, pinning her to the bed. Then he pushed himself between her inviting legs and slowly entered her soft warm centre. She moaned in pleasure at each sensual stroke. He kissed her forcefully as his rhythmic strokes became harder and more punishing. He drove himself harder and deeper inside her and she cried out in blissful agony. His kisses silenced her cries as she bucked beneath him. He loved the way she tried to fight back, her sharp nails scratched his back and dug into his buttocks, driving him deeper and deeper into her. "I can't take it anymore!" she gasped, but he continued moving on top of her, wanting her to explode her hot juices all over him. He increased his rhythm, knowing that this would drive her to the brink.
"Yes!" she cried out.
He bit her neck and sucked her pink, erect nipples, riding her harder and faster, losing himself in his own building ecstasy. Finally, she exploded her hot wet juices all over him and he allowed himself to release his own pleasure.
They lay naked together on the bed, tangled in each other's arms. "Wow," Savannah breathed deeply, her heart pounding in her chest. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes shone. He wanted her again already but knew that he couldn't indulge himself.
"I needed that," Mark disentangled himself from her and yawned loudly. He glanced at her and kissed her quickly before heading into the shower.
"Let me know when the job is done," Mark said just before he left. This was the worst part of having a one night stand; the awkwardness afterwards. He never knew what to say when he left. It would have been wonderful to have seen her again but he couldn't take the risk. He was sure that Savannah would understand.
"I'll let you know," Savannah replied, closing the door behind him. He strode quickly away without noticing the dangerous glint in her eyes.
Chapter 6
"That's odd," Penelope stopped in her tracks to stare at the security alarm on the wall of M&R Photography. "Did you forget to switch on the alarm before we left last night?"
"No definitely not. I specifically remember because I didn't get the code right the first time and had to check my diary to make sure it was correct." Shona glanced in concern at her friend. "Why? What's wrong?"
Unfaithful (The Complete Trilogy) Page 25