by Susan Lewis
‘Oh, they’re fine,’ Louisa answered. ‘They’re sitting right here, roasting in the sun. In fact Danny would like a …’ She stopped as Consuela covered the mouthpiece and spoke to someone the other end.
‘I am sorry,’ she said coming back on the line. ‘What were we saying?’
‘Uh, actually,’ Louisa said, lifting her eyes back to Danny. ‘We were wanting to ask you if you knew how we could contact Jake?’
Consuela chuckled. ‘My dear, you are in luck for he has just walked in the door. I’ll pass you over.’
Louisa’s heart somersaulted and without thinking she handed the phone to Danny. ‘He’s there,’ she whispered.
Danny blanched slightly, but took the receiver and nestled it on her shoulder.
‘Hi,’ Jake’s voice came over the line.
‘Hi,’ Danny drawled. ‘How are you?’
‘I’m good. And you?’
‘The same,’ Danny smiled, winking at Louisa. ‘We were just wondering if you’d like to come over and see the photographs Sarah’s taken of the Valhalla. They’re pretty good.’
There was silence for a moment before he said, ‘Sure, why not? When are you thinking?’
‘Whenever’s convenient for you.’
‘How about tomorrow?’
Danny’s eyes narrowed and as the intimacy in her voice deepened to a sensuous purr, she began stroking her fingers lightly over her breasts. ‘That’ll be fine,’ she said. ‘Around eight.’
‘When’s he coming?’ Sarah wanted to know as Danny clicked off the phone.
‘Tomorrow night,’ Danny answered.
‘But we’re going to the Colombe d’Or tomorrow night!’
‘Oh gosh,’ Danny said, clasping a hand to her mouth. ‘I forgot. But it doesn’t matter, you can still go, I’ll stay behind and show him the photos.’
Sarah glanced at Louisa. Was she also wondering if Danny had really forgotten? It was impossible to tell for Louisa’s expression was giving nothing away. ‘I’d rather show him myself,’ Sarah said.
‘I’m sure Danny’ll do a wonderful job for you,’ Louisa said, struggling to keep the fury from her voice. ‘And I quite want to go to that party, so let’s keep the arrangement as it stands, shall we?’
11
‘I’M GOING TO put a stop to this with Danielle Spencer,’ Consuela hissed, her green eyes flashing with rage.
Jake’s upper lip curled viciously as he looked across the bed, the patch over his left eye lending a baleful menace to his fury. The scruffy bandanna knotted carelessly inside his open collar and ripped, oily jeans made him incongruous and even more threatening in the thick bands of sunlight streaming through the open windows onto the peach and cream satins of Consuela’s bedroom.
‘And just how are you gonna do that, Consuela?’ he sneered.
Consuela’s anger sat like a mask on her normally gentle face, contorting it horribly. ‘Get out of here,’ she spat. ‘Get out and leave me alone.’
‘Are you sure that’s what you want?’ he challenged, his eyebrows raised mockingly.
Consuela’s hands flew to her head. ‘Stop tormenting me this way,’ she cried. ‘Just stop! I can’t stand any more.’
‘Consuela, this is me you’re talking to,’ he seethed. ‘So quit the acting, you know what I want, now just tell me what I have to do to get it.’
‘There’s nothing you can do. There’s nothing I want from you, not any more.’
‘Is that so? Well I want plenty from you, Consuela, and I’m not out of your life until I get it. So where is she, Consuela? Where are you hiding her?’
‘She’s dead, Jake! Do you hear me? She’s dead!’
‘No,’ he said shaking his head. ‘She’s alive.’
Consuela’s mouth was trembling. ‘For God’s sake!’ she implored. ‘You’ve seen the grave! How much more proof do you need?’
‘That grave is as empty as your soul, Consuela,’ he said savagely.
‘Oh God, please don’t do this to me,’ she sobbed, pushing a fist to her mouth. ‘She’s in the grave, Jake.’
‘Then how do you account for the fact she’s been seen?’
‘It’s not possible,’ she choked, squeezing her eyes tightly shut.
Jake glared at her so maliciously that it seemed to stain the air between them. ‘I’m gonna find her,’ he said. ‘I’m gonna find her and when I do may God help you, Consuela.’
Consuela started as the door slammed behind him, then stumbled against the bed as Marianne came out of the bathroom.
Marianne crossed the room quickly and took Consuela in her arms.
‘You heard?’ Consuela said hoarsely.
Marianne nodded.
‘It is always the same,’ Consuela said, dabbing her eyes. ‘He just won’t believe me.’
‘But why, if he has seen the grave?’
‘Because someone has told him that she is still alive and he is afraid it is true … But it isn’t true. She is dead. My baby is dead …’ She broke off sobbing, turning her face into Marianne’s shoulder.
Marianne held her, rocking her gently, until finally the tears subsided and Consuela lifted her head.
‘Just thank God he didn’t find you here,’ she smiled into Marianne’s eyes, smoothing the silky blonde hair from her face.
For a while Marianne gazed back, then very slowly, very gently she leaned forward, her eyes fluttering closed as she kissed Consuela’s mouth.
A few minutes later Consuela got up from the bed and went to the window in time to see Jake’s car disappearing at the end of the drive. It was a shame, she was thinking to herself, that she hadn’t managed to get Danny together with Mario Morandi today for Danny was the one person, she felt sure, who could have found out for her whether or not Morandi was working for Jake. But there’d be other times and other ways, she told herself as she turned back to Marianne. And if she could pull off what was forming in her mind then Danny Spencer, great actress that she was, was going to be Jake Mallory’s downfall.
‘Oh, Jesus Christ,’ Erik Svensson groaned, closing his eyes and pressing himself up on his arms to penetrate deeper. His narrow hips were moving vigorously back and forth, his breathing was rapid, the blood was pulsing through him – he was going to come soon, much sooner than he intended.
Beneath him Danny pounded herself violently into him, clutching the headboard and feeling her breasts bounce deliciously over her ribs. She raised her mouth as his lips came down to meet hers. Their tongues entwined, she lowered her hands, scratched her nails over his back and buttocks, and lifted her legs even higher.
The light was dim, but not so dim that she couldn’t see the tightening of his exquisite face as his semen started to spurt. He looked down into her smouldering blue eyes and groaned loudly as the seed continued to leap from his body, pulsing into hers as savagely as he was pounding her.
He didn’t know how this had happened, couldn’t even recall the moment they’d left Jean-Claude’s terrace and come over here. All he knew was that one minute they were sitting there talking and the next she was lying here on this bed and he was plunging into her with an urgency he couldn’t control.
From the moment he’d laid eyes on her he’d known he had to have her. Known too that no matter how long it took, how hard he might have to work at it, it would be worth it. She was the most beautiful, most sensuous creature he’d ever seen and in his profession he thought he’d seen them all. But just those few minutes this afternoon had been enough for him to fall under the crazy, bewitching spell of those unbelievable eyes and this body that could fuck like no other woman he’d ever known.
He’d talked about nothing else since he and Jean-Claude had left the garden, had been more nervous waiting for her to arrive than he’d ever been as a teenager. Jean-Claude had teased him, reminding him that this was how he’d felt with all three of his wives when he’d first met them, and though Jean-Claude might be right, Erik was certain that this time it was different.
At last he
fell over her, panting, still throbbing at every pulse and pulled her tight against him. He had only just regained his breath when she pulled herself up, lifting one magnificent breast to his lips. He drew the fat, tender nipple deep into his mouth, taking the other between his fingers, rolling it gently. She began to moan and he raised his eyes, watching her head move from side to side, saw the muscles of her face tense and realized she was nearing orgasm. He sucked harder, lowered his hand to the join of her legs and inserted his fingers as far as they would go.
‘Yes, oh, yes,’ she murmured, twisting his thick blond hair in her fingers.
He pressed his thumb against her, heard her gasp and began to rotate it. She started to shudder, clutched him to her, scratching him, lifting one leg over him and pushing his hand hard into her. He pumped his fingers fast, bit down on her nipples and she screamed.
‘Yes, yes,’ she cried as her orgasm broke. ‘Oh my God! Yes,’ and rolling him onto his back she knelt over him. He was hard again now, powerfully hard. He drew her onto him, penetrating the hot, saturated, pulsating depths of her and began to thrust.
Within minutes he was shooting into her again, hardly able to believe the incredible force of his climax, or the insatiable hunger of her passion.
It was after midnight when Erik finally emerged from the bedroom, padding barefoot to the kitchen, desperate for a drink. Fortunately he’d put on his undershorts, for Louisa and Sarah were on the terrace enjoying a nightcap.
‘Hi,’ he said, grinning at them sheepishly. His white blond hair was hopelessly dishevelled, his deep blue eyes were shining and his mouth looked as red and sore as it was.
‘Hi,’ Louisa said, unable to stop herself admiring the perfection of his physique.
‘I was just getting a drink,’ he explained.
‘Help yourself,’ Louisa said, her eyes twinkling merrily up at him.
‘Danny still in one piece is she?’ Sarah enquired, wincing as Louisa kicked her under the table.
Erik’s eyes moved from one to the other of them. He looked so uncertain that a little devil in Sarah decided to compound matters by saying, ‘Did you ever learn to shake hands first?’
‘Ignore her,’ Louisa told him, wanting desperately to laugh. ‘I take it Danny’s asleep.’
‘Yes,’ he said. ‘Uh, can I get a drink for either of you?’
‘Make yourself at home, why don’t you?’ Sarah muttered.
‘Yes, I’d love a top-up,’ Louisa said quickly, handing him her brandy glass. ‘You’ll find it just inside the kitchen. What on earth’s got into you?’ she hissed to Sarah when he’d gone.
‘I don’t know,’ Sarah grumbled. ‘Well no, actually, I do. We were supposed to be meeting him to talk about my photography and he never once took his eyes off Danny. What’s more, I’m seriously pissed off at her for offering to show him my darkroom when it was just a ruse to get him over here to screw her ass off.’
‘I see. Jealous,’ Louisa stated, resting her chin on her hand.
‘No. Pissed off.’
‘Oh, so it’s got nothing to do with the fact that you fancy him?’
‘I don’t fancy him. I was much more interested in my fledgling career, much good it did me. Anyway, what the hell’s the matter with the woman? Has she got to screw every man she meets or is it just the ones we …’
‘Sssh, he’s coming,’ Louisa warned. ‘And if you’re pissed off with Danny take it out on her, not Erik. Thanks,’ she said as he handed her a brandy she didn’t actually want.
‘Do you mind if I sit with you?’ he asked politely.
‘No, please do,’ Louisa said waving him towards a chair.
‘I can’t imagine what you must think of me,’ he grinned, but still managing to look as though he actually did care what they thought.
Louisa very nearly burst out laughing for that surely should have been Danny’s line. ‘Danny is a very beautiful woman,’ she said helpfully.
He nodded and his deep blue eyes sparkled with such captivating humour that Louisa found herself smiling along with him. ‘She is very special,’ he said. ‘I knew that the moment I met her. I think, I hope, she feels the same way.’
Such frankness and surprising insecurity in a man whose reputation for his conquests almost surpassed that of his profession was, Louisa thought, quite touchingly disarming.
‘Oh, I’m sure she does,’ Louisa said confidently, happier with Danny tonight than she had been in a while.
‘You are?’ Sarah said, looking at her loftily.
Louisa gave her a daggered look and turned back to Erik. ‘So how long are you staying with Jean-Claude?’ she asked.
‘Until the weekend. Then I shall go on to my apartment in Monaco.’
‘Oh, I see.’
There was an awkward pause then that Erik suddenly filled with, ‘Please don’t think badly of Danny for the way we behaved tonight. You see, we just couldn’t help ourselves. When something like that happens between two people there is no point in resisting it, I’m sure you’ll agree?’
‘Oh totally,’ Louisa assured him, covering her smile with her glass while Sarah gaped at him in disbelief. This poor, misguided fool was actually defending Danny’s honour! Hadn’t it occurred to him yet that she was the hottest thing to trot this side of the intergalactic highways?
‘I should like,’ he said to Sarah, ‘if you would permit, to see the shots you have taken of Danny. She tells me there are quite a number. And we can, if you like, perhaps photograph her together.’
‘Oh, I’d love that,’ Sarah replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ‘It sounds so cosy, doesn’t it?’ she added to Louisa.
Louisa was chewing her bottom lip to stop herself laughing so said nothing.
The sarcasm seemed to have completely bypassed Erik for he said, ‘There are, as I’m sure you already know, Sarah, certain techniques in photographing nudes and I …’
‘Nudes!’ Sarah interrupted. ‘Who said anything about nudes?’
‘But I thought … Aren’t the shots you already have …?’
‘I don’t have a single nude shot of Danny,’ Sarah cut in. ‘Neither do I particularly want one.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ he said, obviously shocked by her response though trying not to show it. ‘I must have misunderstood. She has such a beautiful body. I just assumed … I’m sorry if I’ve offended you. Please, forgive me.’
The corner of Sarah’s mouth tightened and Louisa could see that she was beginning to thaw. Sensing that there was a way in at last Erik took it, encouraging Sarah to talk about her preferences in subjects and as Sarah became at first grudgingly then increasingly responsive, Louisa allowed her mind to drift. Danny’s sudden passion for Erik when only a couple of hours before she’d been warning Sarah that she’d probably fall for him was curious to say the least. But then so was almost everything that had happened today and she could only wish that Jake was there so she could ask him what it all meant. She wondered where he was now, what he might be doing. Would he be disappointed not to find her here when he came to see the photographs tomorrow night?
She looked up as Danny strolled onto the terrace, sleep-flushed and tousled. Going to Erik she curled herself into his lap, winding her arms around his neck and nuzzling her head onto his shoulder.
For a while Erik’s good manners prevailed and he continued talking to Sarah, but it was clear to anyone listening that he was rapidly losing his thread.
In the end Danny pulled his face round to hers and smiled almost coyly into his eyes.
‘Remember me?’ she whispered.
Louisa didn’t hear Erik’s murmured response, but Sarah’s everyone heard. It was no more than an elongated sigh, but there was no mistaking the smouldering resentment it contained.
Danny and Erik, however, appeared oblivious as they continued to gaze into each other’s eyes.
‘Oh yuk!’ Sarah muttered as Erik walked his fingers up Danny’s arm then snared her nose.
‘Where’s your spirit o
f romance?’ Danny laughed, still gazing into Erik’s eyes.
Sarah turned to Louisa, who was almost beside herself trying not to laugh. ‘Is she talking to me?’ Sarah demanded.
‘I think so,’ Louisa choked, wiping the tears from her eyes.
‘Oh dear,’ Danny said to Erik, ‘I do believe Sarah is cross with me for stealing your attention.’
‘No, no, I just love it when someone sticks their tongue down someone else’s throat when I’m in the middle of talking to them,’ Sarah protested.
Beside her Louisa spluttered, twisted in her chair and hid her face.
‘Maybe you’d better leave, darling,’ Danny said, stroking her fingers through Erik’s hair. ‘We don’t want to make Sarah angry, do we?’
Erik looked across at Sarah, clearly hoping she’d persuade him otherwise, but Sarah simply glared mutinously back.
‘I have things I must do during the day tomorrow,’ Erik said to Danny, ‘but can I see you in the evening?’
Louisa’s eyes opened a little wider as she looked at Danny. Tomorrow was when Jake was coming round, but surely Danny wasn’t going to turn Erik down, not when they seemed so besotted with each other.
But Danny did and the words she used sent an icy shiver through Louisa’s heart.
‘Oh darling,’ she said, ‘we both know we have something special here, so don’t let’s rush it, mm?’
Louisa missed Sarah’s acid response, for Jake’s voice, speaking virtually those same words, was ringing in her ears. But what she didn’t miss was how upset Erik looked, and neither, it seemed, did Sarah.
‘Louisa and I are going to a party tomorrow night, Erik,’ Sarah said. ‘Why don’t you come with us?’
‘Yes, why don’t you go with them?’ Danny said, ‘and I’ll stay here thinking about you and making myself beautiful for Saturday night.’