“I’m fine. It’s Natasha’s husband.” Jeremy could already sense the likely cause of his mother’s distress. Whenever she referred to his brother-in-law as Natasha’s husband, he knew it was bad news. His mother had never been happy with Natasha’s choice of mate, but had done her best to support the two of them through their tempestuous marriage.
“What’s Doug done now?”
“He and Natasha had a fight and he went off to the pub. Then he drove home.”
“He got arrested for drunk driving? How much is the bail?” Jeremy tempered his annoyance. His brother-in-law’s antics had interrupted a steamy dream featuring the delectable Lalita Evans. He’d wring Doug’s neck personally next time he saw him.
“It’s worse than that. He killed some poor woman and he’s seriously hurt.”
“Oh God.” Jeremy groaned.
“He’s probably going to be charged with vehicular manslaughter, providing he survives. Meanwhile Natasha is left with raising two kids, a huge mortgage on that monstrosity of a house, and no job. Insurance won’t pay out because he was drunk. And she blames herself because they fought. She’s distraught, won’t leave the hospital. Oh, Jeremy, what are we going to do?”
“Don’t panic, we’ll work it out. When I get back I’ll help Natasha, Brian, and Susan get jobs. We’ll pull together again, like we did when Dad died. It’ll all work out. Now, don’t worry. Look after Natasha’s little ones while she sits at that useless man’s bedside. I’ll be home in a few days. And, Mum … ”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, Jeremy.”
“I’ll let you know when my flight home is confirmed. Good night, Mum.”
Jeremy replaced the phone and got out of bed. There was no hope now that he’d be able to return to his blissful dream state. He strode over to the window and thrust aside the curtains, gazing down on the Indonesian city — exotic, like Lalita.
Kissing her this afternoon had reminded him of everything he had to gain. His mother’s phone call of everything he had to lose. If it was just his future, he’d march down the hall right this moment, bang on Lalita’s hotel room door, then make passionate love with her until neither of them could remember their own names. But could he live with himself if he jeopardized his mother’s retirement and his nieces’ and nephews’ future? John Evans may come over as a kind-hearted man but he didn’t get where he was today by being a softy. Jeremy had no doubt he’d live up to his warning.
• • •
Jeremy sat at the far end of the bar, cradling a gin and tonic. This was their penultimate office visit, one more day in Manila, then off to Mumbai. Within the week, he would be back in London. For the first time ever, he wasn’t eagerly anticipating the end of a long road trip. He was no closer to getting Lalita out of his system than when they’d left London. In fact, she had wormed her way even further under his skin. Lalita had captivated him more than he thought possible.
“Is this seat taken?”
Jeremy glanced over to find a blonde woman in a black dress half perched on the bar stool next to him. Flipping a lock of her hair over her shoulder, she raked him with her blue-eyed gaze. She leaned in just close enough to draw Jeremy’s eye to her cleavage and for the flowery scent of her perfume to envelope him.
“My name is Cindy. I’m here on business. You?”
“Jeremy, I’m here on business as well. In fact, I’m waiting for a colleague to join me.”
“I’ll wait with you,” Cindy declared and motioned for the bartender.
Jeremy had come across her type of businesswoman in almost every city he visited. Bored and lonely, they met other business travelers in the hotel bar. Depending on his mood, Jeremy would share dinner, sometimes breakfast, with them before they moved on in their respective directions.
Cindy flipped her hair again, but whatever she was about to say died on her lips. The general buzz in conversations throughout the bar hushed. Jeremy looked toward the door to see what had captured everyone’s attention.
Lalita strode through the entrance, her crimson dress in striking contrast to the general attire of black and dark grey. Without hesitating or pausing to search for Jeremy, she glided over to the center of the bar and took up residence on one of the chrome and black leather stools.
Before Jeremy could move, two men sat either side of her. Lalita’s eyes locked on his across the length of the bar and she raised one eyebrow, her lips curved in amusement. She tilted her head toward Jeremy’s companion before speaking to the bartender.
“Wow, who’s she?” Cindy breathed.
“My colleague. It was nice to meet you, Cindy. If you’ll excuse me … ” Jeremy slipped off the barstool and walked over to Lalita.
He pushed a shoulder between Lalita and the Lothario on the right who was making a feeble attempt to chat her up.
The bartender placed a drink in front of her and Lalita picked it up, excusing herself from the two men. Jeremy led her across the room to a sofa set against the picture window with views out over the city lights.
“Nice dress,” Jeremy said after he cleared his throat.
“My mother sent it to me, care of the Manila office, with instructions to wear it. I don’t quite know what to read into that.” Lalita laughed.
The red dress clung in all the right places. The neckline plunged, revealing a cleavage that would turn most women green with envy and most men red with apoplexy. Stopping mid-thigh, it revealed Lalita’s long, gorgeous legs to full advantage. Jeremy took another sip of his drink.
“I like the way your mother thinks. And the shoes?”
Lalita flexed her foot and examined her shoes. Four-inch stilettos in a leopard print pattern, they were the antithesis of the low-heeled, sensible footwear that she normally wore with her austere business suits.
“I saw them when I went for my early morning jog. I sent the concierge around to pick them up when the shop opened. Talk about an impulse purchase. You’re probably the one man with whom I can wear them. Otherwise I’ll be looking down at the top of everyone’s head.”
Jeremy let his eyes run the length of her, from her outrageous shoes, along the length of her golden legs, past her curvaceous hips. His eyes lingered for a long moment on her luscious breasts, concealed just enough to whet the appetite, up to her delicate collarbone that begged for his kisses, to her lips. She caught the corner of her bottom lip between her teeth. Jeremy swallowed. He needed a glass of ice water.
“I’ll just have to stick around. Then you can wear all your ridiculously high heels.” The huskiness in his voice surprised him. His cool had gone up in a puff of steam.
“This is only my third pair. I eat out so often on business trips that I don’t dine out a lot at home.”
“What about when you go on dates?”
“Don’t do that too much, either. Plus as I’m already five foot nine in bare feet, add three inch heels and I’ve hit six foot. How tall are you, anyway?”
“Six foot four, so feel free to teeter around on your highest shoes.”
“I think four inch heels are my max. Any higher and I’d need a parachute in case I fell. Where do you want to eat tonight?”
Room service, Jeremy’s mind and body screamed.
“The restaurant next door seems decent. Have you tried it?”
“No. But we don’t have a reservation. Do you think we can get in?”
“I’m sure they’ll find a table, somewhere.” No maître d’ in his right mind would turn away Lalita looking as she did. Every unattached man in the restaurant would be ordering hundred dollar glasses of scotch so they could stay and stare at her.
As Jeremy had predicted, they were seated at a small table in the center of the room. Lalita’s legs brushed against his, the scent of her exotic perfume surrounded him. All the
other tables and diners faded away. There was only Lalita, sitting close enough that he could hear her breathe.
“No business tonight. Books, movies, art, favorite places, family pets, anything but business,” Jeremy instructed.
Lalita gazed into his eyes and nodded.
They discussed their favorite authors, films — mostly seen on airplanes — and places they had visited. They argued for half an hour on the best film adaptation of Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice. Jeremy preferred the Keira Knightley version, while Lalita claimed the one with Colin Firth to be vastly superior.
“It’s too long. Who has five hours to sit through it?” Jeremy declared.
Lalita plucked a strawberry off his dessert plate. Her eyes held his as she put the berry to her lips, circling the juicy fruit with her tongue before taking a bite.
“I would have thought a man such as yourself would appreciate the slow buildup, the advance and retreat, the subtle nuances of courtship. I hadn’t taken you for a wham, bam, thank you ma’am type.” Her voice was silky, seductive.
“I’m not. I enjoy the mating rituals as much, or more, than any man. However, there comes a time when you have to move the action from the dance floor to the bedroom.”
Lalita grabbed for her wine, almost knocking over her glass.
“Are you finished?” Jeremy nodded at her plate.
“Yes, I can’t eat anymore.” Lalita drained her wine glass.
“Shall we retire to the bar or go for a walk around the gardens?”
Jeremy signed for the bill and stood. He put his arm around Lalita’s waist when she teetered on her heels.
“A walk, I think. It looks like I’ve had too much wine already,” Lalita answered.
Jeremy led her out the door, holding her close. Subtle lighting shone on the footpath. A changing pattern of gold and green illuminated the waterfall. The gurgle of the water as it hurtled off the rocks drowned out the sound of traffic from the front of the hotel.
They strolled through the tranquil oasis, arm in arm. When they reached a dark alcove Jeremy stopped and pulled Lalita against him. The heady scent of romance wafted over them from a myriad of tropical blooms. Warm, moist air wrapped them in a soft blanket.
Jeremy moved his hand from Lalita’s waist to her chin, pulling her closer with his other arm. She rested both hands on his chest when he tilted her face up to receive his kiss. As he lowered his head, his phone began to vibrate in his pocket.
“Either your heart has begun to fibrillate or you have a call,” Lalita whispered against his lips.
“I’m off duty. I’ll answer it later. I have better things to do.”
“It could be your mother with news of your brother-in-law,” Lalita reminded him. She took a step back, out of his arms.
Jeremy pulled his phone from his pocket and checked the caller display. If it wasn’t his mother, he’d cancel the call and carry on with Lalita.
“It’s your father,” Jeremy said in shock. He glanced around. Were they being followed in Manila, too?
Lalita searched their surroundings in the dim light as well.
“I’ll say goodnight, then,” she whispered.
As she walked away Jeremy answered the call. The sound of John Evans’ booming voice broke through the trance induced by the sight of Lalita’s swaying hips.
“Don’t forget what I said,” John reminded him.
Chapter 6
“Mumbai, our last city,” Lalita whispered, staring out the window of the airplane. Emotions warred within her. In two days, Jeremy would return to London, out of her life, except for the occasional conference call or board meeting. Of course there would be Jessica’s wedding, but under the spotlight of her family they would hardly have a moment alone.
She had grown accustomed to his continual presence over the last few weeks and she worried that a tsunami of loneliness would sweep her away when he left. He had a way of making her laugh, even at herself, that she’d miss the most. The drum of sexual tension still pounded in her veins whenever he glanced at her or she thought they were about to touch.
She’d worn the red dress her mother sent two nights ago in the hope of pushing Jeremy over the edge. A love coward, she thought she could live with herself better if she succumbed to seduction rather than admit her own desire. Then she’d chickened out when her father had called. Might as well drop the “woman” bit from “businesswoman” when it came to describing her.
But Mumbai would also bring the answer to an often asked question — who was she? The private investigator she’d hired had been able to track down a woman he was sure was her birth mother. She was to meet him tonight, hand over payment, and receive the details. So near now to an answer she both longed for and dreaded was wreaking havoc with her concentration.
“You sound almost nostalgic. Don’t tell me you’re going to miss me?” Jeremy’s eyes searched hers. Lalita turned away in case he saw too much.
“It’s been fun,” Lalita prevaricated. “I usually spend business trips eating room service, watching bad movies, or learning a new language. I’ve enjoyed showing you some of the sights, introducing you to new foods … ”
“I think you’ve taken particular delight in making me eat the most, let’s say interesting, things on the menu. I know the first thing I’m going have when I get back to the UK — good old, plain, roast potatoes.”
• • •
Jeremy hoisted his carry-on bag over his shoulder and followed Lalita through the formalities of customs and immigration — another stamp in his passport, one city closer to home — and away from Lalita. He thrust the thought aside.
“And what adventures do you think Mumbai holds for us?” Jeremy asked.
“Mumbai was the first office my father opened after London. In fact, he lived here for almost a year while he was setting it up and hiring staff. It’s always been one of my favorites. I think you’ll find the office here is quite different from the other Asian operations.”
The door to the airport opened and wall of heat and humidity, a myriad of aromas and a cacophony of noises assaulted Jeremy’s senses. He stopped for a minute.
“Amazing, isn’t it? Each country has its own smell and sound. I think that if I was ever kidnapped and taken to another land I would be able to tell where I was just by the smell.”
Jeremy wrinkled his nose. “Even I think I’d know if I was taken to Mumbai.”
“Come on, it’s not that bad. Let’s grab a cab.” Lalita took his hand and led him toward the taxi rank. Her hand in his made the strangeness of the moment disappear. He was about to comment on the touch, the first that Lalita had initiated, but didn’t want her to pull her hand away.
When they arrived at their hotel Jeremy assumed Lalita would head straight for the reception desk as she had at all the previous accommodations. She had often been greeted by name by the doorman, a regular visitor at the places. This time, however, she entered the lobby and stopped, her eyes darting around, wary. Jeremy watched as she played with the latch on her laptop case.
“Are you going to check in?”
“What? Oh, um, yes, in a minute. You go ahead. I want to see if there is someone I know here.” Lalita’s voice was high-pitched and the words tumbled out one after the other.
“I’ll wait with you. I’m in no hurry,” Jeremy offered.
“No! I mean, don’t worry. You go ahead. It’s already late. And if he’s here, he doesn’t speak English so we’ll be speaking in Marathi anyway.” Lalita curved her lips upward but her eyes didn’t meet his.
Jeremy sauntered over to the reception desk, trying his best to be circumspect and not show that he was watching Lalita. The young man at the desk glanced up once or twice as Jeremy twisted his body to keep the majority of the lobby in view.
Once handed his key, he retreated to an alcov
e rather than take the lift to his room. Fifteen minutes later, a disheveled man entered the building. A security guard questioned the scruffy gentleman and Jeremy was shocked to see the guy gesture in Lalita’s direction.
The dodgy bloke approached Lalita, who nodded as he came near. She indicated a far corner of the lobby and moved in that direction, out of Jeremy’s sight. Jeremy waited a minute, unsure whether he should leave his alcove and find another observation point, stay where he was, or go up to his room. Lalita clearly didn’t want him watching over her shoulder. However, he couldn’t help feeling that whatever she was involved in was not something she was comfortable with herself.
His brain told him to go up to his room; it was none of his business — his body refused to move. He strolled over to the newspaper rack where periodicals from around the world were displayed for the patrons’ use. By tucking himself in the corner, where the Indonesian dailies were located, he could see Lalita but not her mysterious companion.
Lalita appeared engrossed in what the man was saying. She took a crumpled envelope from him and reviewed the contents, quizzing him on what seemed to be a couple of photographs. The discussion went on for some minutes before Lalita pulled a pristine white envelope from her laptop bag. Jeremy could see the man’s hand reach for the packet. Instead of giving it to him, Lalita took out some of the contents and passed these over.
The man came right up to Lalita and into Jeremy’s view. Rather than back away, Lalita crossed her arms over her chest and stood her ground. Jeremy had to force himself to stay where he was and not rush over to shove the other man away. The man’s face turned livid with rage and he waved the bills Lalita had passed to him in her face. His voice rose, several guests turned in their direction and a security guard made a move towards them. Lalita held up her hand, forestalling his intervention. Looking like he was going to choke, he pocketed the cash that Lalita had given him. He pushed past her and rushed from the hotel.
Lalita glanced around as if to see how much attention the exchange had garnered. Most people had returned to their own conversations and she nodded regally at the few that continued to stare. Striding over to the reception, she greeted the man behind the desk by name. As she signed the registration document, however, her hand shook to the point where she couldn’t complete her signature. She made some excuse to the desk clerk and tried again, successful the second time.
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