‘Nevertheless, I’ll drive myself over,’ she insisted huskily.
‘If that’s what you want,’ he accepted her independence, although his reluctance to do so indicated he didn’t like it. ‘You’ll come over as soon as you can?’
‘As soon as I can,’ she echoed, a plan forming in her mind as she repeated the words.
He rang off with his usual reluctance, leaving Danielle to her thoughts. ‘As soon as she could’, meant exactly that as far as she was concerned. Nick wasn’t the victor yet, although he may think he was. She had one more ploy to play. And he was going to be furious about it. Maybe that anger was what she needed to help her through Sunday night—his gentleness utterly defeated her.
She left her apartment early on Sunday morning, not willing to take any chances of Nick getting back earlier than he had said and coming over to surprise her. The countryside was beautiful this time of year, and after parking the car she took a small packed lunch out of the back to walk for miles across Windsor Park, choosing a private spot for her picnic, needing to be completely alone while she contemplated the folly of her actions. Nick wasn’t just going to be angry about this, he was going to be furious. And she knew from experience that when he was that angry he hurt her. It would be far from the first time!
Driving back to town later that afternoon she saw a film advertised that she had been wanting to see for some time, parking her car behind the cinema to join the queue going inside. It was a good film, and at any other time she would have enjoyed it. But not when her stomach was churning at the consequences of what she was doing. She may just have gone too far this time, although it was too late to back down now, it was already almost ten o’clock now, and by the time she got home it was going to be after eleven.
Maybe she wasn’t concentrating on her driving as well as she should have been, or maybe the other driver really had been at fault as the man later apologetically claimed that he had. By that time she had arrived at the hospital in the ambulance, the cuts on the arm she had received when she instinctively protected her face from the shattered windscreen serious enough to receive stitches and an overnight observation in a hospital bed. The latter she had protested as unnecessary, but the young doctor on duty had insisted that she do so.
The throbbing pain from the numerous cuts in her arm when she woke up the next morning told her that he had probably been right to insist, she even needed help to eat the breakfast they brought her. But she made sure they discharged her immediately after she had eaten, knowing she was going to have some explaining to do when she got home; Nick wasn’t going to take her sudden disappearance calmly.
As she had known there would be there were half a dozen messages from him on her answering service, the first two concerned, the second two mildly angry, the last two explosive, demanding to know where the hell she was.
Her plans for last night had gone sadly awry, and with a resigned shrug she got a taxi over to the Andracas house. In normal circumstances she would have apologised to him for worrying him. Although the latter calls hadn’t sounded worried, just angry.
She was shown into the lounge while she waited for Nick, formulating in her mind what she was going to say to him. When he burst into the room a few seconds later she didn’t have time to say anything, Nick was saying it all!
‘If last night was your idea of another game then you’re the only one playing,’ he began angrily. ‘Just where were you all night?’ he demanded to know.
‘Nick—’
‘I waited up for you until two o’clock in the morning. Where were you?‘ he moved forward to grasp her arms, his eyes narrowing as she gasped and noticeably paled. ‘What is it?’ he asked sharply. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘My arm,’ she managed to choke through the pain he was inflicting. ‘Please, let go of it!’
He removed his hands as if he burnt her, seeming to notice for the first time that she held her right arm awkwardly, gently pushing back the sleeve of her jacket to reveal the start of the bandage she wore. ‘What happened?’ he looked at her closely, his anger starting to fade. ‘Danielle, what have you done?’
‘I had a slight disagreement with the windscreen of my car,’ she told him lightly.
An emotion akin to pain flickered across his arrogant face. ‘Where did you spend last night?’ he was no longer demanding, just enquiring.
‘In hospital. Another car crashed into me.’
‘God,’ he groaned, closing his eyes for a moment. ‘Were you badly hurt?’
She shook her head, aware that he still supported her arm with gentle hands. ‘Just my arm. It seems it’s instinctive to try and protect your face when something like that happens. My arm is quite badly cut in places.’
‘Thank God it wasn’t your face, then!’ he ground out.
Her-mouth twisted. ‘Yes. I don’t suppose you would find me in the least attractive if it had been.’
He folded her gently against him, careful not to touch her arm in any way. ‘I’d desire you even if I couldn’t see you,’ he told her huskily. ‘Just the feel and scent of you drives me to distraction.’ He moved back slightly so that he could look down at her. ‘You’re sure you weren’t injured anywhere else?’
‘I’m sure.’
He frowned. ‘Shouldn’t you have your arm in a sling or something to support it?’
Danielle grimaced. ‘Have you ever tried to dress trussed up in one of those things? It’s impossible!’
‘But you should be wearing one?’ he persisted with his usual determination.
‘I left it at home. I couldn’t get my jacket on with it in the way.’
Barnham can pick that up with the rest of your things,’ Nick decided arrogantly.
Her eyes were wide with alarm. ‘What rest of my things? And who is Barnham?’
‘Barnham is my butler. And you obviously can’t stay at your apartment on your own with your arm out of action; you’re going to come and stay here until your arm is better.’
‘Nick—’
‘Shame on you, Danielle,’ he mocked her warning tone. ‘I’ve never yet had to resort to making love to an injured woman. I just want you where I can make sure you’re being well looked after,’ he added seriously.
‘My parents can take care of me—’
‘No,’ he told her autocratically. ‘I want you here.‘
Her brows rose. ‘And are you in the habit of getting what you want?’
‘Always,’ he replied without hesitation.
She had to smile at his unhidden arrogance. ‘I’m not sure it’s what I want.’
‘I didn’t ask, Danielle, I told.’ His eyes darkened to stormy grey. ‘Do you have any idea what I went through last night?’ he groaned. ‘I don’t think I slept at all, wondering what had happened to you. I came back from New York with such plans for us, and when you didn’t turn up …!’
‘You were disappointed,’ she mocked.
‘I was furious,’ he ground out. ‘Before I went away you were so different, more affectionate than I’ve ever known you to be. But I sensed you were drawing away from me while I was away, and you didn’t seem to be as eager for last night as I was. When you didn’t arrive in time for the dinner I’d asked to be especially prepared I thought you had changed your mind and decided you didn’t want to see me after all. But the answerphone at your apartment seemed to imply you were out somewhere, so I hoped you were on your way here. So I kept waiting, and hoping, and the longer I waited the madder I got. It never even occurred to me that you could have been involved in an accident.’
‘I was on my way here—’
‘Then it was my fault—’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Nick,’ she frowned at how pale he suddenly seemed. ‘The man drove into me, not the other way around.’
‘But even so—’
‘I don’t want to argue about whose fault the accident was,’ she told him, suddenly weary. ‘Would you mind if I just sat down for a few minutes?’
‘Of course n
ot,’ he was instantly contrite. ‘Hell, I’m sorry, Danielle. I’ve been so on edge the last two weeks, that I—Is it going to hurt you if I kiss you?’ he groaned hungrily.
She gave a wan smile as she sank down on to the sofa. ‘Not as long as you don’t get too rough.’
‘I’ll be as gentle as a lamb,’ he promised, taking her in his arms to softly caress her mouth with his lips and tongue.
The last two weeks hadn’t dulled her desire for him at all, her lips parting beneath his, her body arching against him as he caressed the slenderness of her back.
His eyes were black with desire when he finally pulled away from her. ‘I think I’d better go and ask Margaret to prepare a room for you,’ he told her ruefully. ‘Before I try and do something that’s virtually an impossibility at the moment.’
Danielle expression revealed her own disappointment. ‘Is it so impossible? I could—’
‘We’ll wait until you’re completely well,’ he stood up, away from the temptation of her inviting body. ‘The first time between us is going to be perfect, in every way.’
The ‘first time’ between them had been perfect, in a lot of ways. Nick had made love to her with an expertise that couldn’t fail to bring about a response in her, it had only been afterwards, when he insulted her with every word he spoke that she had grown to hate him.
‘If that’s what you want,’ she nodded woodenly. ‘Although I think now that I’ll have to lie down for a while,’ she was very pale. ‘I feel a little tired.’
‘Of course you do,’ he realised self-disgustedly. ‘I’ve been thoughtless. I’ll go and see about your room now.’ He touched her lips with his fingertips before he left the room, as if he felt a compulsive urge to keep touching her.
Margaret turned out to be the housekeeper, in fact the household seemed to be run by a whole army of servants, all of them devoted to granting Nick’s slightest whim. Whatever he had told the housekeeper about her the other woman treated her as if she were an honoured guest, the bedroom she was shown into lavish enough for royalty to sleep in, the gold and lemon decor adding to its richness.
‘Mr Andracas wants you to get straight into bed,’ the middle-aged woman told her cheerfully, pulling the curtains. ‘You’re to have a nice rest and then I’ll bring you up a nice lunch.’
‘Oh but—’
‘Mr Andracas hoped you wouldn’t mind wearing this until your own things arrive,’ she laid out a turquoise silk nightgown on the bed. ‘It belongs to Mrs Daniels,’ she added by way of an explanation for its presence here in an essentially male household.
‘There’s really no need for all this trouble on my account,’ Danielle told the other woman. ‘I can just sit in the chair and rest until my things arrive.’
‘Mr Andracas’ instructions were that you were to get in the bed.’
And by the look of the other woman she intended seeing that he was obeyed! ‘Very well,’ Danielle accepted gracefully. ‘But could you tell Nick—Mr Andracas, that I would like to speak to him before he sends anyone for my clothes?’
She was snugly tucked up in bed, her arm in a makeshift sling, by the time Nick came into the room a few minutes later, although she felt very self-conscious in the sheer nightgown.
Nick’s eyes were a warm velvety grey as he came to sit on the side of the bed. ‘I couldn’t send anyone for your things until I had the key, anyway,’ he teased her.
A soft blush coloured her cheeks. ‘I never thought of that.’
‘I’ve called your parents, by the way, and told them where you’re staying.’
‘Oh,’ it was said sharply, her eyes narrowed questioningly.
‘Mm,’ he nodded. ‘Your father said he would call over later today to see if you needed anything. I think he just wants to check that I’m not keeping you here against your will,’ Nick derided. ‘Now, what was it you wanted me to bring back from your apartment for you?’
‘You?’ she echoed brittly. ‘But I thought you said you were sending Barnham.’
He smiled. ‘I decided I didn’t like the idea of another man touching your intimate clothing.’
‘But shouldn’t you be at work?’ She didn’t relish the thought of him going through her ‘intimate clothing’ either!
‘I’ll go in later,’ he mocked. ‘I do have a pretty good idea of what a woman needs for a few days’ stay, you know,’ he added teasingly.
‘I’m well aware of that,’ she said waspishly, and then cursed herself for showing that much emotion about his intimate knowledge of women. Her eyes were hard as she looked at him. ‘What I wanted to ask was that you bring the green onyx jewellery box from my dressing-table too.’
His mouth quirked, a look of triumph in his eyes for what he believed to have been her show of jealousy. ‘What’s in there, the family secrets?’
Dark anger flashed in her eyes, making them shine like emeralds. ‘What I have in there is none of your business!’ She flung back the bedclothes and stood up. ‘I don’t think this is a good idea after all,’ she told him woodenly. ‘I’d rather stay with my parents.’
Nick stood up slowly, puzzlement in his expression. ‘I was only teasing you just now—’
‘I don’t care what you were doing,’ her nerves were completely strung out now. ‘I want to go home.’
‘I can’t let you do that,’ he told her softly. ‘Now go back to bed like a good girl.’
‘Girl?’ she flinched away from him. ‘I’m not a girl!’ She was breathing hard in her agitation, the dusky aureole of her breast clearly visible through the thin material of the nightgown.
There was a dark flush to Nick’s cheeks as he looked at her, his eyes languorous with longing. ‘I know exactly what you are, Danielle,’ he said raggedly. ‘And if you think this added denial is any easier on me than it is on you then you’re mistaken.’
He had mistaken her taut nerves to be sexual tension—and she intended to let him go on thinking that! ‘I’m sorry, Nick,’ her expression lightened. ‘But would you mind bringing me the jewellery box?’
‘Of course not,’ he bent to kiss her lightly, moving away with firm determination as his body began to stir with desire.
He did indeed seem to know what a woman needed for a few days’ stay, even remembering to bring her make-up bag when he returned an hour later. As soon as she was alone Danielle checked the contents of the jewellery box, wondering if Nick’s curiosity had got the better of him. Not that he would have learnt much from the money and the miniature, her baby daughter looking nothing like him. But nothing had been disturbed.
Her parents were very concerned about the accident when they arrived later that afternoon, although accepting her relationship with Nick for what it was supposed to be they didn’t question the fact that she was a guest in his house.
Nick proved to be very attentive the next few days, his company never demanding as he set out to amuse her, ensuring that her slightest wish was granted.
Her arm almost completely healed, she was ready to go home. And after staying with Nick like this, coming to know the gentler side of him, she knew she couldn’t see him again once she left here; she was becoming too involved with him. And he with her!
‘Mm, I could quite get used to this,’ Nick relaxed back in his chair one night after dinner about a week after insisting she stay with him.
Danielle looked at him sharply, understanding his meaning immediately. ‘I thought domesticity wasn’t your scene,’ she taunted.
He shrugged. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever really encountered it until just recently. Beverley was more interested in going out and having a good time than staying at home just the two of us. Enforced celibacy has its compensations. Without all that heated passion to cloud the issue you can actually get to know the person you’re interested in.’
Her hands tightened on the brandy glass she held. ‘Is that a good thing?’
His eyes narrowed. ‘Of course.’
She carefully placed her glass down on the coffee tab
le. ‘The police came to see me today while you were at work.’
Nick frowned. ‘About the accident?’
‘Yes,’ she nodded. ‘They just wanted to assure me that all the tests they did on the other driver were negative.’
‘What tests?’ he was suddenly very tense.
Danielle moistened her lips, having deliberately introduced a subject that would ultimately antagonise Nick. It was time to end this, and she wanted Nick angry when she did. ‘To see if he was drunk, of course,’ she dismissed coolly.
‘Why would they suppose he had been drinking that time of night?’ he sounded puzzled.
She mentally prepared herself for the explosion to come. ‘Well it was almost eleven o’clock—’
‘What?’
She looked at him calmly. ‘The accident happened shortly before eleven.’
Nick sprang to his feet, glancing at her often as he tried to take in this information. ‘But I thought—I thought you said you were on your way to see me?’ he demanded.
‘I was,’ she nodded.
‘At eleven o’clock?’
She shrugged. ‘You said as soon as I could make it, and that was the earliest I could get away.’
‘Eleven o’clock?’ His eyes glittered with his rising anger. ‘You were supposed to spend the evening with me!’
‘As I remember it you only mentioned the night,’ she reminded him coolly.
‘Yes, but I meant—You knew damned well what I meant! Before I went away we discussed your spending the weekend with me,’ he said accusingly.
‘That was before you went away,’ she dismissed.
‘Are you telling me,’ he spoke softly, slowly, that you intended turning up here at eleven o’clock at night for the sole purpose of spending the night with me?’
‘It was all we both wanted, wasn’t it?’ she pointed out calmly.
‘It wasn’t all I wanted!’
‘Then I must have misunderstood you,’ she looked at him with cold green eyes.
‘You didn’t misunderstand me, Danielle,’ he grated. ‘You knew exactly what you were doing. Is that really all you want from me, to go to bed with me?’
A Past Revenge Page 13