She cupped her breast, offering it to him, breathing her satisfaction as he claimed it roughly. The erotic pleasure-pain of Daniel’s teeth and tongue tugging rhythmically on the sensitive bud made her forget the stinging pain between her thighs, as he began to move slowly against her with measured strokes. By the time he released her throbbing breast to claim her mouth, the pain between her thighs had turned to a warm ache that quickly threatened to consume her.
‘Daniel… Oh, Daniel!’ She gripped his shoulders as she arched against him in frenzied need, their bodies hot and damp, hard and soft, aching for completion. And then the need was appeased, and she felt Daniel tense inside her as the flames and sparks of fulfilment captured her and took her to a mindless cocoon of pleasure, leaving her weak and gasping even as she realised he had reached his own warm pulsating pleasure.
Heather felt weak and exhausted, but so very much alive, sensitised in every nerve-ending. ‘When can we do it again?’ she asked breathlessly.
He frowned. ‘Didn’t you—?’
‘Oh yes, I did.’ Colour heightened her cheeks. ‘That’s why I want to do it again!’
Daniel’s chest moved slightly above her as he laughed softly. ‘When would you like to do it again?’
‘Now,’ she told him without inhibition, sure she had discovered paradise. ‘Do you think—oh…!’
‘Yes, I think,’ he groaned as he began to surge inside her. His expression was suddenly serious. ‘Are you sure you’re up to this?’ He searched the flushed beauty of her face. ‘No!’ he cursed harshly as uncertainty clouded her eyes, her smile fading. ‘I’m never going to ridicule you in bed again,’ he promised gruffly. ‘I meant, aren’t you—too sore?’
Mischief lightened her eyes as she moved provocatively against him. ‘No, I don’t believe I am.’
His mouth quirked. ‘Neither do I. God, Heather, do that again,’ he encouraged as she slowly thrust against him. ‘Again! And again! And, oh God, again!’ His body convulsed time after time with the pleasure she was giving him.
Their second time together was even wilder than the first, their joy in each other as ecstatic and, as Heather drifted off to sleep in Daniel’s arms, she was convinced she had found heaven.
But with love only on her side of the relationship, how long could heaven last?
CHAPTER EIGHT
TWO days.
Two days of peaceful harmony, three nights of undreamt of sensual pleasure. And now this! Heather had believed Daniel was at last coming to care for her, but today had proved how wrong she was. He couldn’t have devised a worse torture than this.
‘Settling in OK?’
She blinked back the tears of disillusionment as she looked up to meet her uncle’s warm gaze. ‘Fine, thanks,’ she smiled blankly.
He grinned, coming further into the room. ‘You’ll soon get used to the routine here.’
She would never ‘get used’ to being here! She wasn’t cut out to work at Air International, she had no idea what people were talking about most of the time, despite having grown up with the business very much a part of her life.
Daniel had insisted she leave the house with him this morning, and imagining he had some surprise in mind, she had excitedly agreed. Nothing had prepared her for his announcement on the drive over here that he had arranged an office and a secretary for her at Air International, bursting the bubble of euphoria she had been existing in with one blow. What did she know about running an airline, running an office for that matter? And Daniel had known just how far out of her depth she would be.
She knew why he had done it, of course. She had been getting too close, becoming too much like the wife he had never really wanted. And he had chosen exactly the right way to show her how inadequate she was to share any of his life.
They had spent the last two evenings at home, had got along surprisingly well together, and the nights had been pure enchantment, all awkwardness gone between them as they sought only to give each other pleasure. Daniel’s only acknowledgement of her innocence had been his brief concern after their first lovemaking; he had never mentioned the subject again. But he had continued to treat her with tenderness and consideration in bed.
And now this!
If she hadn’t been feeling so angry at this effort to humiliate her she would have cried in earnest. But she was too furious to do that. If Daniel thought he could make a fool of her, he was going to find she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction!
She stood up, picking up her clutch-bag. ‘I have no intention of doing that, Uncle Lionel,’ she informed him lightly. ‘So whoever Daniel threw out of this office to accommodate me can move back in again any time they want to!’
‘Heather?’
She turned briefly in the doorway, her expression softening as she saw her uncle’s bewilderment. ‘If Daniel should ask where I’ve gone, you could tell him I have to see about the delivery of some furniture today.’
‘But—’
Her mouth twisted. ‘I’m sure he’ll understand.’
Lionel shook his head. ‘I’m not sure I do.’ He looked totally dazed.
‘I was getting too close, Uncle Lionel,’ Heather sighed. ‘This is Daniel’s way of putting me firmly back in my place.’
He crossed the room to join her. ‘I thought the marriage was working out…?’
‘It was,’ she nodded. ‘That’s why I’m being put in my place.’ She sighed again. ‘Daniel has nothing to worry about, I won’t forget again.’ How could she forget, after this, that no matter how much physical pleasure she gave him Daniel would never allow her to be his life’s partner?
‘Darling, let me take you to lunch so that we can talk about—’
‘It’s only ten-thirty,’ she reminded him drily. ‘Besides, I’m fine,’ she assured him. ‘I learnt to suffer Daniel’s indifference, or total cruelty, a long time ago,’ she added bitterly, knowing he had never hurt her quite as badly as this before.
‘I’m sure you must have misunderstood Daniel’s motives.’ Her uncle still frowned. ‘He assured me when he moved Phillip out of here that—’
‘Now I know this is all Daniel’s idea of a sick joke!’ she scorned. ‘Where did he put Phillip?’
‘He’s in with Bob Hayes,’ her uncle revealed with some reluctance. ‘But he assured us all that it’s only temporary—’
‘Of course he did—he knew Phillip’s office would soon be vacant again!’ She grimaced. ‘I think he may have pushed me too far.’
Lionel looked worried. ‘What do you mean?’
She shrugged. ‘Just because Daddy didn’t approve of women having a career, and I’ve never used my qualifications for that purpose, it doesn’t mean that I don’t have any. Maybe I will find myself a job, as that seems to be what Daniel wants. Or maybe I’ll set up my own company. I certainly have the money now.’
‘Darling, talk to Daniel first—’
‘I don’t need his permission!’ Her eyes flashed. ‘He thinks I’m a useless butterfly, but he’s about to learn differently.’
‘Of course you don’t need his permission,’ her uncle soothed. ‘I wasn’t suggesting that you did. But I’m sure you must have misunderstood Daniel’s reasons for bringing you in here—’
‘How can I have done that when they’re so glaringly obvious? I tried to tell myself I was wrong about this as soon as he told me, but he just dumped me in this office half an hour ago and disappeared.’ Heather scowled. ‘He knew I had no idea of the intricacies of running an airline, but he hoped I’d have a stumbling go at it, if only to show me I have no business being here.’
‘I’m sure you’re wrong—’
‘He told me the other night exactly how he felt about my owning half his airline,’ she remembered bitterly. ‘I should never have let myself forget that.’ Her head went back proudly. ‘I won’t again.’ No matter how much she still desired him physically.
‘He can be a hard man,’ her uncle shook his head, ‘but not that hard, I’m sure.’
Heather’s
mouth twisted. ‘I appreciate your loyalty to him—but I doubt if he does. He uses people up, Uncle Lionel, and when they’re of no further use to him he discards them!’
He gave a slight smile. ‘I think you’re being melodramatic, darling, because at the moment you’re angry with him.’
‘I’m past anger now.’ And, strangely enough, she was. Now she was just numb. Something delicate and fragile had grown between them the last few days and nights, an emotion that needed to be nurtured and treated gently if it were to survive, and Daniel had deliberately trampled on it. All she could think of now was that it was a terrible waste. ‘Don’t let him hurt you, too, Uncle Lionel.’ She put her hand on his arm.
He looked taken aback by the warning. ‘What on earth do you mean?’
‘He means for Air International to be completely his.’ Heather gave a sad shake of her head. ‘And he doesn’t like it when people get in his way.’
‘I’m not in his way, love.’ Her uncle patted her arm. ‘And I’ll be retiring soon.’
‘You’re young yet—’
He shook his head. ‘I’ve only stayed on this long to give Daniel a chance to find his bearings after Max’s death. I’m fifty-five now, and I have enough money of my own not to have to worry about it any more. Besides, I have a wife I’d like to spend more time with,’ he added wryly.
Heather had a feeling that the time for him being with Stella had long gone, the other woman had gone her own way now, having taken lovers for years as far as she could see. But maybe if her uncle were at home more that would stop. She hoped so, for his sake!
But she couldn’t help feeling that it was Daniel’s need for complete domination over Air International that was forcing her uncle out of the company; he had never talked about retirement when her father was still alive. Daniel had a need to own, to possess completely, and it didn’t allow for anyone else’s feelings.
Seeing Stella dropping Phillip off outside the office building did little to increase her confidence that her uncle giving up work would help his marriage. Surely the two of them weren’t—? But why not? Stella had shown a preference for Phillip on several occasions that she knew of, and what did it matter that he was several years her junior?
‘Leaving so soon?’ Phillip mocked as they met outside on the pavement.
‘Just arriving?’ Heather returned as sarcastically.
‘As it happens, yes,’ he drawled without remorse. ‘I had an early appointment this morning.’
Her cheeks flushed as she wished she could rebuke him for his tardiness, if not for seeing Stella when her husband had already left for work. And yet she had just revoked her right to give any of Air International’s employees a rebuke of any kind. ‘Your office is ready for you to move back into any time you’re ready,’ she bit out.
‘My God!’ He gave a choked laugh of disbelief. ‘You didn’t last long, did you?’
‘I didn’t “last” at all,’ she returned stiffly. ‘I decided my husband’s generous offer of a working partnership wasn’t to my liking.’
Some of the resentful anger drained out of him. ‘Are you really happy with him, Heather?’
‘I’m happy enough,’ she dismissed. ‘Do you think it’s wise to see Stella?’ she prompted gently.
Phillip instantly stiffened. ‘My private life is none of your business now—is it?’ he challenged.
‘No,’ she sighed. ‘But I wouldn’t like to see my uncle hurt.’
His eyes widened. ‘Are you threatening me?’
A blush darkened her cheeks as she recalled what had happened the last time a threat of hers had been taken seriously; Daniel had proved very effectively his reaction to threats! ‘Of course not,’ she dismissed sharply. ‘Just stating a fact. My uncle loves his wife very much, you know.’
He shrugged. ‘I can’t be held responsible for Stella’s infidelity—’
‘You didn’t have to accept her offer!’ Heather glared.
He sighed. ‘She’s never made any secret of the fact that she finds me attractive, and with you out of my life—’
‘Don’t blame me for your weakness, Phillip,’ she snapped. ‘At least take responsibility for what you’ve done.’
‘The only thing I’ve done is accept a beautiful woman into my bed—’
‘A beautiful married woman!’
‘A person is only married as long as they want to be. Maybe you should bear that in mind, Heather,’ he added softly.
She paled. Daniel’s efforts to humiliate her today had been so transparent! ‘My marriage is none of your concern,’ she hissed.
His mouth twisted mockingly. ‘I’m not even sure it’s any of yours!’
With one last cold glare into his handsome face she stepped to the edge of the pavement and hailed a taxi, grateful when one stopped almost instantly, her legs shaking badly as she sat down, and leaned forward to give the driver the address of the new house.
Organising the furniture in the bedrooms kept her busy until lunchtime when the men told her they would be back in an hour to bring in the furniture for the master bedroom. Heather had a feeling they were going off to the pub a couple of miles down the road that had quite a good reputation for lunches.
It really was going to be a beautiful house, she thought, as she wandered from room to room, not in the least interested in eating lunch herself.
A noise on the stairs made her turn towards the door. ‘Did you forget—?’ Her light greeting ended abruptly, her smile fading and her expression hardening, as she saw it was Daniel standing in the doorway.
‘Expecting someone?’ he taunted, his eyes glittering coldly.
Her brows arched. ‘Just the men to finish bringing in the furniture,’ she returned as coldly. ‘As you can see, they haven’t done this room yet.’ The midnight-blue carpet of the master bedroom made Daniel’s eyes look almost as dark.
‘You didn’t think I might be Wingate?’ he ground out.
‘I doubt that he even knows about this house, let alone intends meeting me here,’ she snapped.
‘You were talking to him outside earlier,’ Daniel accused. ‘I saw the two of you together.’
She couldn’t prevent the guilty colour that flooded her cheeks, even though Stella and Phillip were the guilty ones. ‘I spoke to him, yes.’ Her head was back defiantly. ‘I wasn’t aware that was a crime?’
‘It isn’t.’ Daniel strode into the room with deceptive casualness. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Surely that’s obvious.’ She faced him challengingly.
His mouth twisted. ‘I doubt if your presence here today was of paramount importance to the furniture people!’
That he was right caused a flush in her cheeks. ‘I sent home the maid who had come over to supervise them,’ she admitted.
‘Why?’
Heather shrugged, aware that mentally they were circling around each other, warily waiting for the other to strike. Although she doubted if Daniel faced anyone warily, he appeared to be always in complete control, of himself and the situation. ‘I chose the furniture, I wanted to see it arranged in the places I’d chosen for it.’ The majority of furniture from her father’s home was being sold off; to have brought it here would just have been to transport the bad memories with her.
‘Didn’t you have a prior commitment this morning?’
She didn’t even blink in the face of the deceptively mild question. ‘Nothing of any urgency,’ she dismissed steadily.
Daniel drew in a ragged breath. ‘No?’ he grated.
She shook her head. ‘Nothing that comes to mind.’
The tension between them was a tangible thing. But Heather was determined not to be the one to back down. Daniel was only angry because his plan to humiliate her into realising how useless she was hadn’t been allowed time to work.
Suddenly something snapped inside him, his hands painfully gripping her arms. ‘What the hell do you mean by walking out on me in that way?’ His eyes glittered angrily.
She me
t his gaze unflinchingly. ‘Disappointed I didn’t run out?’ she returned tautly.
‘I gave you the opportunity of a full partnership at AI and you—’
‘You gave me a chance to make an idiot of myself!’ She pulled away from him, even though the movement hurt her arms. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t hang around to give you that satisfaction!’ she added sarcastically.
His eyes narrowed. ‘You didn’t give yourself, or us, time to adjust—’
‘And I don’t intend to!’ She looked at him challengingly. ‘Not for your amusement or anyone else’s!’
‘I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.’ He shook his head impatiently.
‘Don’t you?’ she derided harshly. ‘Maybe I have been a little dazzled by your physical expertise the last few days, but I’m not completely stupid!’
‘You aren’t stupid at all. That’s why I—’
‘Why you decided to humiliate me into realising I can never have anything but a financial interest in Air International? Well, you needn’t worry any more, Daniel,’ she snapped. ‘I have no other interest than that in the airline, and as long as you make sure my share of the profits goes into my bank account I don’t want to know about your airline.’
‘Our physical relationship is enough for you, is it?’ he scorned.
Heather had believed it was something to build upon, the start of a deeper relationship, but she couldn’t make love with a man who held her in such contempt. ‘I don’t even want that any more—’
‘Well, I do,’ he rasped coldly.
‘What’s the matter, Daniel?’ she taunted. ‘Aren’t you bored yet?’
‘Not by a long way,’ he assured her grimly. ‘And to prove it… !’
Why couldn’t love die at will? she thought abstractedly as Daniel lowered her on to the carpeted floor and made love to her with a familiarity that had her weak with longing within seconds rather than minutes.
At first she moved her head from side to side in an effort to stop his mouth claiming hers, but Daniel just grasped her chin as he slowly plundered her lips.
Her clothing was impatiently removed from her, and she cried out as Daniel’s hot mouth drew one aching nipple inside the warm cavern. They had discovered together that her breasts were the most sensitised part of her body, and Daniel didn’t relinquish them until she was weak and clinging to him, gasping her pleasure as he thrust inside her, meeting the fierce movements of his naked body with a demand of her own.
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