He leaned forward, his lips hovering within inches of hers. ‘You’re forgiven.’ And he kissed her softly. The warmth of his breath brushed her cheek as he straightened up. She inhaled his clean, masculine scent and knew she would remember it to her dying day. Whatever happened between them.
‘Come on, Lisa,’ Alex commanded as he climbed out of the car. ‘I want your opinion on Stoneborough Manor.’
Lisa slid out of the low seat and followed Alex to the stone steps, squinting her eyes slightly to look up at the house. At the same time she smoothed her pants down over her hips, then tugged at her cotton top. ‘It’s a bit big.’
‘The house, maybe. But that top is a bit small.’ Alex grunted, eyeing the band of bare flesh between her top and pants, and the tantalising indent of her belly button.
‘It’s perfect for summer. You must be getting old,’ she quipped with a grin. ‘And you have to admit, it is a glorious summer day.’ Weather-wise, at least, she thought privately. In every other respect she wished she was anywhere else than looking over prospective houses with Alex. Jed had tried to convince her to give her marriage a chance, but she was not so sure…
She had not changed her mind an hour later, after wandering around the magnificent Georgian mansion. It was the ideal family home. The interior had been tastefully restored and decorated quite recently. A large elegant hall, with a polished hardwood floor and a magnificent staircase as its centre point, made an immediate impression. The study and five reception rooms were equally as impressive, from the formal dining room to the drawing room, library, and the cosier sitting room at the rear, that opened out into a marvellous conservatory.
Six bedrooms, all with ensuite bathrooms took up the first floor. The attic had been converted into an apartment for staff. The master suite was a triumph in interior design. The huge bedroom was dominated by an elegant but massive four-poster bed. A door on one side of the room led to a small sitting room. On the other side, there were his and her bathrooms, and a dressing room. Whoever owned the house had spared no expense; that much was obvious to Lisa’s admiring gaze as she walked across the deep-pile carpet and stood at the tall window, staring out at the view. It was breathtaking, like a secret valley, she thought fancifully.
Suddenly Alex’s arms slipped around her waist, and the shock of his touch made her jump. She was keenly aware of his casual embrace, of his hands locked across her bare midriff, of his long legs pressing against her thighs, the way their bodies fitted together so naturally. His dark head bent forward, his cheek brushed against her hair, and she could not prevent the trembling in her limbs.
‘What do you think?’ he prompted softly.
‘I think it must cost a fortune. And even more to furnish,’ Lisa said jerkily, intensely aware of his powerful body enfolding her and reminding her they were alone in the house. Alex evoked a mixture of hate and love inside her in equal measures, but in the intimacy of a bedroom designed for lovers it was the latter that was threatening her self-control.
Alex’s hands tightened on the side of her waist and he spun her round. ‘Never mind the price; and as it happens the furniture is included—a lot of it was made for the house.’ Cool dark eyes scanned her wary face. ‘Do you like it?’
The thought crossed Lisa’s mind that he seemed to know a lot about the place. Personally she loved the house. It was perfect, from the magnificent swimming pool and hot tub at the rear of the building, to the more practical kitchen and utilities, and the five acres of beautifully sculptured garden that surrounded the house, with a paddock beyond. But she was not about to admit as much to Alex. Two days ago she would have flung her arms around his neck and begged him to buy it. Not now…
Her blue eyes guarded, she held his gaze. The betrayal of trust in a relationship, she realised sadly, was probably the worst crime, and she formed her answer accordingly. ‘Yes, it is a nice house, but it is the first one we have viewed. I don’t think we should rush into anything. It is rather a long way from my work, plus it’s rather isolated.’
‘Hardly isolated,’ Alex drawled sarcastically, his hands dropping from her waist, much to her relief. ‘Oxford is a mere fifteen minutes away, and it is barely an hour to Stratford-upon-Avon. I would have said it was in a great position, being almost mid-way between London and Lawson’s. But—’ he gave a slight shrug of his broad shoulders ‘—if it does not appeal to you, so be it.’
‘I just feel we should wait,’ she insisted, glancing cautiously from beneath lowered lashes, wondering how he would take her less than enthusiastic response.
‘In that case, shall we go?’ he slanted mockingly.
‘Yes,’ Lisa agreed, and preceded him down the stairs and out of the house. She glanced over the building as he locked the huge doors. It would make some lucky family a wonderful home.
During the drive back to London Alex revealed that he had to go to New York on Monday, for a few days, and asked her if she wished to accompany him. Lisa swallowed back a sigh of relief as she refused, with the genuine excuse that she had to go to the office on Monday to begin interviewing prospective candidates for Mary’s job.
On their return to the apartment, Mrs Blaydon met them with the information that the new bed had been delivered, and she had left a meal prepared in the kitchen.
Alex glanced at Lisa, a devilish gleam in his eyes. ‘Thank you, Mrs B. You can leave now. Lisa and I want to check out the new bed.’
Lisa blushed to the roots of her hair. ‘What did you have to say that for?’ she demanded as the housekeeper left in a rush. ‘You embarrassed the poor woman.’
‘Mrs B was not the one who was embarrassed,’ Alex came back in amusement as he studied her scarlet cheeks.
‘Oh you’re impossible!’ she burst out. She had spent all day in his company and she felt as if she had been walking on eggshells. ‘And I am not sharing the new bed. I want my own room,’ she demanded furiously.
Brilliant dark eyes rested on her defiant face. ‘No way, Lisa. This foolishness has gone on long enough. Now, get into the kitchen and see what Mrs B has left for dinner. I am starving.’
Flinching from his blunt statement, and furious at his ordering her into the kitchen, she wanted to slap him. Instead she marched off and set about warming the chicken, mushroom and herb casserole the housekeeper had left.
The meal was a silent affair; Lisa had not the heart to talk, and, picking up on her mood, Alex ate in brooding silence too. When she occasionally caught his eye, she quickly looked away.
Lisa felt the swirling currents of tension building, and finally she could stand it no longer. Pushing back her chair, she stood up. ‘I have some work to do on my computer. If you will excuse me.’ She spoke to somewhere over his left shoulder.
‘So polite, Lisa,’ Alex observed indolently, leaning back in his chair and studying her with half-closed eyes. ‘Why now, I wonder? When we know each other so intimately.’
As if compelled, she glanced at his reclining form, and the tempo of her heartbeat increased. She met his narrowed gaze with reluctance, her eyes lingering on his high cheekbones and dropping to settle briefly on his mouth, which was a mistake. It wasn’t fair; she only had to look at him and the tug of sexual awareness was instant.
‘Yes, well, I tend to be that way,’ she finally answered. More than anything she wanted to lash out at him, and demand to know why he was plotting against her with Nigel. But she didn’t dare. Not yet. If what she suspected was true, she needed to form a plan to defeat him. The fact that she ached for him with every pore she was just going to have to learn to live with.
‘I