Gemini stood up, walking gracefully across the room until she stood only feet away from Nick. ‘I hope we can part as friends, Nick?’ She looked across at him searchingly. Not even to have his friendship would just be too much for her to bear!
He reached out to clasp the tops of her arms, pulling her close to him, resting her head against his shoulder as his arms moved about her and held her protectively close. ‘I’ll always be here for you, Gemini,’ he assured her huskily. ‘No matter what happens.’
For a while, maybe he would, but the time had come for him to choose between the two sisters—and Gemini was taking herself out of the picture. But as long as she knew Nick didn’t hate her, maybe she would be able to cope with never seeing him again.
Maybe…
For the moment she just revelled in being held in his arms, the beat of his heart sounding as loudly as her own. God, how she wished—
She pulled firmly away from him, forcing another strained smile to her lips before reaching up to kiss him on one side of his rigidly clenched jaw. ‘We’re being extremely civilised, Nick,’ she teased lightly.
‘Civilised!’ he repeated disgustedly, his hands painful on her arms as he grasped her painfully this time. ‘I would like to break someone’s neck!’
She arched dark brows. ‘Mine?’ she offered helpfully.
‘No,’ he snapped impatiently, although he shook her slightly. ‘I never intended to let you go, Gemini,’ he muttered grimly. ‘When you mentioned divorce to me the other night, I—I determined I would never let it happen. But I realise now there’s nothing I can do to stop it, is there?’ he asked heavily.
‘No,’ she acknowledged softly.
‘No,’ he acknowledged harshly. ‘But I can kiss you once more. Don’t stop me, Gemini,’ he warned as she stiffened guardedly. ‘At this moment you’re still my wife, and I—I—’ He didn’t finish his sentence; instead his mouth came crashing down on hers.
Gemini became fluid in his arms, her own arms up about his neck as she returned the kiss. His savagery quickly turned to searing passion, his hands moving restlessly up and down her spine as he curved her into him.
For Gemini it was heaven. Nothing else mattered in that moment except to be in Nick’s arms, being kissed by him as if he never wanted to stop.
But several moments later that was exactly what he did, wrenching his mouth from hers to look down at her with dark eyes. ‘Remember, Gemini,’ he bit out gratingly. ‘I’m always here.’
‘Always is a long time, Nick,’ she returned gruffly.
He nodded abruptly. ‘A lifetime.’
She gave a rueful smile, shaking her head as she moved away from him, suddenly bereft at the loss of his warmth, but knowing she didn’t dare stay close to him any longer. If she did, she would break down completely, promise him anything if she could be the one he loved. But it wasn’t just her dignity she wanted to keep; she had to keep her pride too. Most of all, she knew Nick wouldn’t thank her for putting him in such a position.
‘Apologise to Mrs James for me, will you? I don’t think I could manage to eat any more dinner,’ she told Nick self-derisively. ‘I’ll just go upstairs and pack a few things to take with me—’
‘You’re going now?’ Nick rasped disbelievingly. ‘Right this minute?’
She nodded abruptly. ‘I think it best, don’t you?’ she dismissed. ‘Then if you don’t mind, I’ll come back and collect the rest of my things one day this week while you’re at work?’
He stepped back, thrusting his hands into his trouser pockets. ‘If that’s what you want to do,’ he accepted harshly.
She nodded again. ‘You’ll warn Mrs James about my visit later in the week?’
Nick looked as if he were about to make a blistering reply to this comment, and then thought better of it. ‘As I have no intention of telling Mrs James you’ve left me, I suggest you tell her,’ he bit out tautly. ‘Or just use your key,’ he added impatiently.
Gemini swallowed hard at his unmistakable bitterness. Separations, even when there was no love involved—at least, not on one side!—were always hard, it seemed. ‘I’ll be leaving my house key behind when I go this evening. Be sensible, Nick,’ she continued determinedly as he would have protested. ‘It’s hardly the thing to do to let your ex-wife keep a key to the house; I could just walk in at any time unannounced!’
The green of his eyes was as hard and cold as the stone they resembled. ‘I doubt you’ll ever walk in here on anything you shouldn’t,’ he returned disparagingly.
That depended on how one looked at it, Gemini decided. To come here and find Nick and Jemima, along with Jessica, playing at happy families, would be totally unacceptable to her, even if it couldn’t be classed that way by Nick!
‘And you aren’t my ex-wife,’ Nick added hardily.
‘Yet,’ she accepted ruefully.
He shrugged. ‘You pick you own time, your own reasons. I want no part of it.’
There was plenty of time to talk of divorce. The fact that she wasn’t married to Jessica’s father didn’t seem to have bothered Jemima so far, so it probably wouldn’t now, either. Better to wait until all emotions were settled before talking of it again. If they ever were settled!
‘I—I’ll go and pack some of my things, then, and be on my way.’ Gemini hesitated at the dining-room door, knowing that once she stepped out of this room, ended this conversation, everything was over between Nick and herself.
‘Do what you like,’ Nick rasped. ‘I’m sure you’re going to anyway!’ he added as he turned away to stare out of the window once again.
Gemini took in everything about him in that last lingering glance; the dark thickness of his hair as it rested on his shirt collar, the muscled width of his shoulders, hunched slightly now as he kept his hands buried in his pockets, leanly tapered waist, powerful thighs and long, muscular legs.
She loved everything about him. Didn’t doubt for a moment that she was going to love him for as long as she lived!
’”Who’s been sleeping in my bed?” said Baby Bear,’ Hugh muttered irritably from behind her.
Gemini glanced up from the design she had been working on, her face paling slightly as she saw the photograph of Nick and herself on their wedding day that Hugh held in one of his large hands—a photograph that had stood on the small table beside her bed in the adjoining apartment until a few minutes ago!
‘I went next door to collect some material from the store,’ he explained dismissively. ‘Now, are you going to tell me what’s going on?’ he prompted impatiently as she made no response.
She swallowed hard, affecting a shrug. ‘Surely it’s obvious?’ she returned lightly.
‘It’s obvious you slept in the apartment last night,’ Hugh accepted. ‘What’s not obvious—at least, not to me!—is why?’
Gemini shrugged. ‘I’ve left Nick,’ she stated bluntly.
‘Left Nick…’ Hugh repeated softly. ‘Left him as in—’
‘As in left him, Hugh,’ she cut in sharply. After a night spent silently weeping as she lay in the bed in the adjoining apartment, her mood was not at its best! ‘We’re going to be divorced,’ she added, so that there should be no lingering doubt in Hugh’s mind as to exactly what she meant.
Hugh sank slowly down onto the chair opposite her own at the table they worked on. ‘I don’t believe it,’ he muttered incredulously.
Gemini shrugged. ‘You said it yourself earlier this week. I’m not happy. And neither is Nick,’ she added firmly as he would have protested. ‘In the circumstances, the best thing for us to do is part. And, in the fullness of time, we’ll be divorced.’ If she kept saying it, maybe one day she would be able to accept that that was the fate of her marriage to Nick!
Hugh shook his head. ‘And what does Nick think of all this?’
She gave a shaky laugh at the question. ‘He’s in agreement with it, of course,’ she dismissed.
‘I don’t see any “of course” about it.’ Hugh shook his head gr
imly.
‘He’s agreed to it, okay?’ Gemini told him impatiently. Talking about this did not make it any easier to bear!
‘But it isn’t his idea, is it?’ Hugh guessed triumphantly. ‘Gemini, what—?’
‘Hugh, I appreciate your concern, and I love you very much, but I really think this is between Nick and myself,’ she told him firmly, blue eyes looking across at him in challenge.
‘Okay, I accept that,’ Hugh nodded grimly. ‘But I care about you both, and—’ He broke off as the salon door opened with a crash, having swung forcefully back on its hinges and hit the wall behind. ‘Nick…?’ he greeted him questioningly.
The reason for Hugh’s uncertainty about the identity of their visitor soon became obvious to Gemini as she turned towards the door; most of the person who had entered so noisily was obscured by the biggest bouquet of flowers she had ever seen!
Her heart sank at the fact that it probably was Nick behind those fragrant blooms. She hadn’t expected to see him again so soon—if at all! And certainly not carrying flowers…
She stood up slowly, the colour leaving her cheeks as she found herself looking at a furious Nick as he swung the bouquet away from his face, green eyes glittering coldly.
‘Er—I think I’ll take an early lunch.’ Hugh excused himself, having taken one look at their faces before making the decision to make himself scarce. ‘Catch up with you later, Nick,’ he told the other man as he grabbed his jacket and left.
Gemini stared at Nick as he made no effort to move away from the doorway, the flowers still tightly gripped in his hands.
She shook her head. ‘It’s too late for flowers, Nick—’
‘These aren’t from me, damn it!’ he assured her contemptuously, throwing the bouquet down disgustedly on a table beside him. ‘But I would appreciate your telling Danny I do not want him sending my wife flowers to our home ever again!’ he added caustically, his gaze scathing as it raked over her. ‘Obviously you haven’t managed to contact him yet to tell him that you’ve left me!’ He strode forward to move restlessly around the room.
Gemini moved too, a puzzled frown marring her brow as she pulled the envelope off the top of the bouquet, opening it up to take the card out from inside and read the message written there.
‘Do you have any idea how I felt when those were delivered to the house this morning?’ Nick turned to attack her, his hands clenched tightly at his sides. ‘It’s one thing knowing about the two of you. Quite another to have your relationship thrust down my throat by having Danny send you flowers—’
‘They’re from Jemima, Nick,’ she cut in quietly, holding out the card to him so that he could read it. ‘To thank me for looking after Jessica.’ And in the circumstances, the flowers—even though they were beautiful lilies—were most unwelcome!
He frowned down at the card, closing his eyes briefly before turning away. ‘How the hell was I supposed to know that?’ he muttered angrily. ‘After what happened yesterday, it was only natural to assume the flowers had to be from Danny.’
He felt foolish now, Gemini realised, and understandably so, but… ‘I’ve already told you that my decision to leave has nothing to do with Danny—’
‘And I’m really supposed to believe that?’ Nick scorned. ‘After his telephone call over the weekend?’
‘I’ve explained all that,’ she sighed. ‘I’ve also tried to explain that there is absolutely no reason why Danny should send me flowers—ever!’ she added vehemently.
Nick looked at her with narrowed eyes. ‘Where did you stay last night, Gemini?’ he prompted hardily.
She shrugged; it certainly wasn’t any secret, not if Hugh knew about it! ‘Here.’ She watched as Nick looked about them disbelievingly. ‘The apartment next door,’ she explained dryly.
Nick became very still, glaring across at her. ‘And I spent most of last night trying very hard to make sense of why you left, Gemini,’ he bit out abruptly, shaking his head. ‘I realise the fact that we have been to bed together changes things slightly. But you weren’t even willing to sit and talk about it.’
‘I told you, there’s nothing left to say,’ she said woodenly, still not willing to discuss the night they had spent together; it was just too painful.
‘And if I disagree?’ he challenged.
She shrugged. ‘I’m not answerable for what you think or feel, Nick—’
‘Yes, you are, damn you!’ His face twisted angrily. ‘Monday night I actually began to think—to hope. Hell, you made sure you left me with none of that hope when you left last night!’
Because his responsibilities lay elsewhere! Why didn’t he stop this? Why make things more difficult than they needed to be?
She shook her head. ‘Because if I had thought there was room for any of that hope then I wouldn’t have left in the first place,’ she told him. ‘Can’t you see how difficult you’re making this, Nick? For both of us?’
‘I would like to make it so difficult for you that you can’t go through with it!’ he snapped harshly.
Gemini sighed. ‘Then you obviously have no idea of what I went through to make the decision in the first place!’ she returned vehemently. ‘Now, I have been more than fair with you, Nick—’
‘Fair!’ he repeated disgustedly. ‘I’m not interested in fair. I’m interested in having my wife back home where she belongs!’ He glared at her.
‘Bullying me won’t achieve that, Nick,’ she assured him flatly.
‘Neither has reasoning. Or seduction,’ he added reluctantly.
Her chin rose defensively. ‘And what does that tell you?’ she bit out sharply.
‘It tells me you’re too damned stubborn for your own good!’ His eyes glittered dangerously.
Gemini shook her head, her smile completely lacking in humour. ‘It didn’t even take twenty-four hours, did it? For anger to take over from the friendship we offered each other before we parted last night,’ she explained heavily at his questioning look.
His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. ‘I want to be your friend, Gemini,’ he told her huskily. ‘I just—I think it might take a while,’ he admitted ruefully.
She sighed. ‘Take as long as you like, Nick; I don’t intend going anywhere. Now, if you wouldn’t mind, I have some work to do. And I’m sure you have some things of your own to do,’ she added pointedly. If he had been at the house this morning, when the flowers arrived, then he obviously hadn’t been to see Jemima yet.
He gave a grimace of a smile. ‘Unlike you, I haven’t felt in the mood for work today.’ His casual black denims and pale cream shirt were evidence of that. ‘Although you’re probably right; I should check in with Karen and see if there’s anything urgent at the office that needs my attention,’ he added thoughtfully.
That wasn’t quite what she had meant by ‘things’ he had to do, but if it meant he was leaving now, that would do for a start!
‘Hugh should be back soon,’ she managed conversationally as he made no effort to leave.
Nick gave a grimace of a smile. ‘Don’t worry, Gemini; my bullying tactics are over for today!’
She felt the heat in her cheeks. ‘I didn’t mean—’
‘Yes, you did,’ he derided mockingly. ‘And you’re probably right.’ He shook his head. ‘I’m just not used to losing, Gemini,’ he added self-disgustedly.
Was that why he had renewed his relationship with Jemima? Because he hadn’t been able to accept, fifteen months ago, that she preferred his younger brother?
Whatever his reasons for doing that, it was the reason he was going to lose now, with her!
Her mouth twisted derisively. ‘Then don’t think of it as losing, Nick; just think of it as regaining what you really want!’
‘And how do you know what I want?’ he grated, eyes narrowed once again.
Gemini shrugged. ‘Do any of us really know that, even about ourselves?’
His mouth tightened. ‘Obviously not,’ he bit out tautly, walking towards the door. ‘I�
��m sorry about the flowers.’ He looked down at them, the delicate blooms having taken a bit of a battering from his rough handling of them earlier. ‘I hope you manage to salvage them.’
Gemini didn’t even intend trying to do that; the flowers were beautiful, but they were also from her sister—and she didn’t want any reminders of Jemima around her at the moment, either!
‘Don’t worry about it,’ she dismissed. ‘I’m certainly not going to,’ she added hardily.
Nick nodded, hesitating by the door. ‘You—take care, Gemini.’ He’d obviously thought better of what he had originally been about to say.
She gave a slight inclination of her head. ‘You too.’
She managed to hold onto her self-control until the door closed behind him, and then she sank down like a deflated balloon. This was awful. Terrible. And it was nowhere near over yet.
The truth of that became apparent an hour later—when Jemima herself walked in to the studio!
Was this nightmare never going to end? Gemini asked herself as she looked across at her sister. Probably not, she inwardly conceded; after all, she was very much awake!
‘Jessica!’ Hugh, who had returned from his lunch half an hour ago, got excitedly to his feet to rush over and take the baby from Jemima’s arms.
Gemini raised her eyes heavenwards. ‘I think everyone has gone mad!’ she muttered as her fifteen-stone male assistant murmured baby talk to the entranced Jessica.
Jemima laughed huskily as she too watched Hugh’s antics.
‘Babies have that effect on people!’
Jemima looked more relaxed herself today, Gemini noted. Her sister’s obvious tiredness of yesterday must have been solved by a good night’s sleep. Although Gemini couldn’t help wondering how Jemima had achieved that, with Jessica to look after during the night.
Or maybe her sister’s happily relaxed demeanour could be attributed to another reason. After all, Nick had left an hour ago…
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Bestseller Collection 2010 Page 31