'Although my good opinion does depend on how often I find him wrestling on the floor with my wife,' came the surprising response.
Glancing up at his face, Hannah couldn't decide whether he was joking or not. 'The children were there,' she reminded him with a scornful laugh.
"That doesn't alter the fact he was enjoying himself far too much.'
She judged this an excellent time to divert the conversation. 'I hear you've been the victim of sexual harassment in the workplace.'
'A sad statistic,' he agreed with sigh. 'Why are you peeling these, anyway?' he asked, biting into a chunk of crisp carrot. 'What's happened to Mrs Turner?'
She sharply tapped the back of his hand as he attempted to filch another. "This is therapy. Did you know what Miranda was going to say?'
Ethan shrugged. 'Not word for word.'
'I suppose you think I should admire your self-restraint?' she said, running the peeled vegetables under the cold water.
'Not really. I've never been an advocate of mixing business and pleasure. I've seen too many romances between colleagues go sour.'
'I didn't think there were enough women to go around,' she responded waspishly. The implication that he might have accepted Miranda's overtures if they'd met under different circumstances really made her hackles rise.
'Did I say all those relationships needed one of each sex?' His grey eyes sparkled with amusement at her shocked expression.
'I thought our relationship was a business one,' she challenged, responding to his patronising amusement with belligerence. She always felt at a disadvantage when something reminded her of how unsophisticated she must appear in his eyes. 'We've got the contract to prove it.'
'Marriage lines—most people have those.'
'I was thinking more of the prenuptial agreement I signed in triplicate.'
'Does it bother you that much? You didn't have any objections at the time.'
'I appreciate you have to protect yourself against gold-diggers.'
His brows drew together at the bitterness in her voice and his grey eyes raked her face with a shrewd expression. 'You're far too naive to be a gold-digger.'
'Is that a criticism?' she snapped.
'An observation. I know you a little better now than then.'
'Carnally, you mean, I suppose?' She literally bit her tongue—she sometimes forgot that Ethan was an expert at making people say things they didn't intend to. His clever mind made thumbscrews obsolete.
"That too,' he agreed. A tiny shiver ran down her spine as she intercepted the sensual appreciation of his narrowed glance. 'Did you know you just put the peel in the pan and the potatoes down the waste disposal?' he enquired with interest.
'It's a new recipe.'
His lips twitched but his expression remained solemn. 'The results should be...interesting.'
'Actually, I'm quite a good cook. I've never been able to afford expensive ingredients but I learnt all the basic techniques.'
'You're very quick at getting the hang of..."basic techniques". It's something I noticed straight away.'
The innocent expression in his eyes didn't fool her for an instant. 'If you don't believe me, I'll prove it to you. I'll cook you dinner.'
'I do believe you, but I accept the offer,' he responded promptly. 'We'll make a date.'
'Well, that should give me a good couple of months to prepare,' she observed drily.
'Are you suggesting I neglect you?'
'I don't need entertaining.' She bit her lip—the last thing she'd wanted to imply was that she felt like a neglected wife. Their relationship might have changed, but not that much. 'I just think you work too hard.'
'Maybe you're right,' he mused thoughtfully. 'Can you be free for a couple of hours tomorrow morning? I needn't be in chambers until after lunch.
'Why?'
'Wait and see.' He helped himself to another piece of raw carrot and she could see she'd have to be satisfied with these enigmatic words.
CHAPTER SEVEN
'WHO lives here?' Hannah asked. Ethan had explained that the Palladian mansion they had entered had been divided into four palatial apartments.
'A friend.'
The door opened onto a vast, modern, furnished open-plan living space. 'An unmarried friend,' she observed, looking at the monochromatic decor, leather and chrome. Someone who didn't feel the need to remain faithful to the period feel of the house, obviously.
'How did you know?' Ethan asked curiously.
'It might as well have a notice saying "Boy's Room",' she whispered, touching the sharp corner of a head-high metallic sculpture. 'Whatever gave you the idea I'd want to visit your friend, Ethan—especially one with such a questionable taste in art?' Was this his idea of a treat?
'Don't worry, he's not at home.'
"Then why are we here?'
'Come this way and all will be revealed,' he promised enigmatically as he caught hold of her hand.
Trotting to keep up with him, Hannah allowed herself to be led over acres of deep white carpet and down several shallow flights of stairs to wide double doors, which Ethan opened with a flourish.
'Wow!' she said, blinking.
'What do you think?'
'I think it's decadent and splendid,' she breathed. 'I sort of expect to see Roman ladies...' she said softly, looking around the mosaic-tiled pool room with wide-eyed appreciation. With the gentle trickle of the waterfall and the ceiling-height frescoes, it was all incredibly over the top.
'Slipping off their togas—you see that too?'
She laughed at the lascivious grin on his face. 'Why did you bring me here, Ethan?'
'Why does a person usually come to a pool? I'm going to teach you to swim.'
'No!' she said, shaking her head from side to side. 'I can't...'
'Nonsense!' he said bracingly.
Easy for him to say, she thought resentfully. 'It sounds like you're of the "throw 'em in the deep end" school of thought. We had a teacher like that at school—I was his Waterloo.'
'Don't be such a defeatist, Hannah. Everybody should learn a basic skill like swimming. You want to set a good example to the children, don't you?'
'That's moral blackmail!' she accused.
'If it works, who cares?'
'Not you, obviously. I can't swim; I don't want to swim.'
'Why?'
'I'm scared,' she burst out. There, satisfied? Go ahead and laugh at my athletic incompetence. I'm a physical coward—always have been.'
'Cowards don't throw themselves out of moving vehicles.'
"That was desperation, not bravery.'
'I know you're scared,' he said calmly, placing both his hands flat on her shoulders. He wasn't laughing at all. 'I'm with you; you don't need to be frightened. I won't let anything hurt you.'
It was foolish to read anything deep into his calm words, but she couldn't prevent the warm glow of pleasure that instantly filled her.
'I'll make a fool of myself.'
'You'll have fun.'
Hannah glanced at the glittering depths lit by a very elaborate display of underwater lights. 'I suppose you think I'm a wimp?'
'Don't tell me what I think,' he said firmly, patting the side of her nose.
'I don't suppose Catherine was scared of anything.' She could have screamed with vexation as the words slipped out. It hadn't been her intention to flaunt her insecurities. She could almost hear him wondering how to be tactful without telling huge whoppers. She couldn't imagine he'd be pleased at the implicit invitation to massage her ego.
'We're all scared of something.'
'I know—in this instance, water. Nothing you can do is going to make me brave and fearless.' Or give me long blonde hair and legs that end at my ears, she added silently.
'Do you think I'm trying to turn you into a Catherine clone?' A frown wrinkled the wide sweep of his brow. 'Is that what you imagine this is all about?'
'I think you're too much of a realist for that,' she replied
bluntly. Her eyes slid away from the suspicion in his, because his words had exposed some of her very real fears. What did they have in common other than the children? The answer to this question was all too obvious—-nothing. Right now he found her a novelty, but today's joke would become tomorrow's embarrassment and he'd start trying to change her.
'Don't say I didn't warn you,' she muttered, when his regard and her own gloomy thoughts became too uncomfortable. 'I suppose there are swimsuits here somewhere?'
'Afraid not. You have to remember this pool was Adam's ultimate seduction device. Swimsuits would have ruined the ambience, from his point of view,' he added virtuously. 'Myself, I find the idea of peeling away those scraps of clingy Lycra quite...stimulating.'
'You're degenerate,' she said firmly. 'And as for the man who lives here, he must be pathetic.'
'Not pathetic—a professional bachelor, who, alas, is no more.'
'He's dead?' Hannah said, shocked by his callous attitude.
'Married,' Ethan corrected mournfully. He ducked as she aimed a blow at his head. 'For some reason his wife refused to live here,' he observed with wicked laughter in Ms eyes. 'Strange girl. He's altered beyond recognition these days—she's even weaned him off the Mickey Mouse ties. The flat's in the hands of an agent and we have permission to use it.'
'I suppose you said you wanted somewhere private for your...your...'
'I told him I wanted to teach my wife to swim. Adam's bed does everything short of play the national anthem, and personally I find gadgetry a little distracting. Besides, I've got a perfectly good bed at home.'
'I can't swim without clothes,' she said firmly.
"That's where you've been going wrong—you'll find it much easier without them,' he promised.
'What are you doing?'
'Taking my clothes off.'
'I can see that.'
'I think it must be a gender thing. You wouldn't find a man asking totally irrelevant questions.'
He was completely unselfconscious about his body. Lips slightly parted to draw air into her tight chest, she watched the muscles of his strong back ripple as he bent to kick off his shoes. His clothes were folded into a neat pile and his moleskin trousers slid to his feet. He stepped out of them.
Turning around, he made it clear for the first time that he was well aware of her interested gaze. She gave a small sharp inhalation as he removed his boxers.
'When the shutters are down you have very articulate eyes,' he said by way of explanation, before he turned and dived into the water, his body hardly creating a ripple. He took a couple of lazy strokes before he slid beneath the surface. After a moment's panic she could see him moving.
The condition of his body had made it starkly obvious what he thought her eyes had been saying. The idea that he had been privy to her erotic fantasies as she'd admired him brought hot colour to her cheeks.
As much to divert her thoughts as anything else, she pfeeled off her clothes swiftly, leaving them in a crumpled heap. Unlike Ethan, she walked around the perimeter to the opposite, shallow end of the pool. She kept on her bra and pants which, she reasoned, covered more than most swimsuits.
She was standing with her toes barely covered by water on the top step when Ethan's dark head emerged from the water several feet away. He waded towards her.
'Coward!'
'I told you I don't like water. I'm cold,' she complained.
'Cold? I have it on the best authority that this place is kept at a constantly humidified heat of eighty-four degrees. Actually, I was referring to your outfit.' He shrugged as he examined the white cotton broderie an-glaise set. 'Maybe it'll make it easier to concentrate on the task in hand,' he conceded.
Hannah shivered again. She wasn't proof against the erotic movement of his hips as he surveyed her through half-closed eyes. 'Nothing will make this easy,' she muttered as she eased her way to the next step.
Take your time.'
'I've every intention of—' She let out a shrill cry as she lost her footing. 'Ouch!' she gasped as she landed on her bottom. The sudden realisation that water was lapping past her middle made her stroke out in panic.
'Calm down, no damage done.' Panic receded but Hannah remained tense and suspicious. 'It wasn't your behind that cushioned the fall,' she grumbled feelingly. Ethan's grin was very white and shockingly heartless.
'Come on, take my hands. What's wrong? Don't you trust me?' He looked boyishly injured at the idea.
'Now you come to mention it...' she said slowly, not impressed by his act. Tentatively she reached across to bridge the gap between them. She was genuinely terrified of water. Logic told her she was perfectly safe, but logic didn't prevent the adrenaline being pumped in massive quantities around her body. Her heart was beating so hard she felt physically sick.
'Go on—the first step's the worst.'
He was right, but the second and third weren't much better.
The first time, half an hour later, she put her head under the water she emerged breathless but triumphant.
'I did it!' She flung her arms around Ethan's neck and kissed him firmly on the lips.
'If only all my students showed their gratitude so nicely.'
'How many other women have you taught to swim?' She let her hands rest loosely on his shoulders and very daringly let her feet float gently off the floor. Ethan's wet skin had a gorgeous rich texture.
'I haven't taught you yet.'
'You didn't answer my question.'
'You noticed that, did you?'
'Why do you have to talk like...like a lawyer?' she sniffed.
'I am lawyer.'
'Feeble excuse.'
'Have you had enough for one day?'
'Probably,' she confessed.
'But you enjoyed it. Admit it, Hannah.'
'Sort of, once I relaxed a bit.1
I’ll have a quick swim whilst you get a shower.'
She was rather disappointed; she'd half expected the intimacy of the occasion and the setting would have led inevitably to a less businesslike encounter. But it would seem the only thing he'd had in mind was teaching her to swim. She watched for a moment as Ethan lapped the pool with slow, effortless elegance and then did as he suggested.
Whilst she was still combing her damp hair she heard him turn on the shower. She squeezed the excess moisture out of her wet underwear and took one last glance at her reflection before making her way back to the pool edge, to wait for him there.
'You're looking a bit warm,' Ethan observed, leaning on the back of her lounger.
Hannah opened her eyes and found herself looking up into his face. 'This place must cost a fortune to heat,' she said, dabbing the slight film of moisture over her upper lip with the tip of her tongue.
Ethan caught her elbow as she got to her feet. 'I've been thinking about getting one at home. What do you think?'
'Isn't that a bit extravagant?' 'I think the budget might stretch.' His teasing wasn't of the unkind variety, but Hannah immediately felt gauche and awkward.
'I forget sometimes,' she murmured as they retraced their steps through the flat. 'What did you forget?'
"That you're rich. I expect that sounds stupid to you, but watching the pennies is sort of an ingrained habit with me.'
'How old were you when your parents died?' 'I never knew my father, so I suppose he might still be out there somewhere. Mum died when I was four and I went to live with my gran. I went into care when she had a bad stroke.'
'It must have been tough.'
'I'm tough.' Her frown didn't invite sympathy; it wasn't intended to.
'I'm beginning to realise that.' The quiet reticence had been all he'd seen for a long time, but now he wondered how he had missed the delightful complexity of this young woman. He'd hardly noticed at first that when they disagreed over something to do with the children, although she listened to what he said, somehow he usually ended up agreeing with her without quite knowing how it had happened.
&n
bsp; Her recent, more overt rebellions had been impossible to miss, and very taxing on the nerves, but he had to admit they hadn't been boring. Hannah was one book with a very deceptive cover, and, like any good book, once opened almost impossible to put down.
'My survival instincts are pretty well developed.' She was glad of the autumnal chill in the air outside; it cooled her overheated body.
A gardener was working in the communal grounds, collecting the fallen leaves. Ethan called out a greeting to him as he opened the car doors.
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