As Luigi drove to his office he felt faintly uneasy. He wasn’t completely sure that Megan would still be there when he got back. On the other hand, the fact that she’d sounded jealous of Serena had to be a good thing. If she was jealous then it could mean that she still had feelings for him. It could be to his advantage, except that he would have to tread a fine line. He couldn’t afford to let Serena upset Megan.
Serena was excellent at her job, he didn’t know what he’d do without her, and he sometimes rewarded her by taking her to dinner or the theatre. That Serena fancied herself in love with him he was fully aware, but the feelings weren’t mutual. Even though he had lost all hope of Megan returning he’d never wanted anyone to take her place. He kept his lady friends at a distance and usually they got the message—except for Serena. He wondered exactly what she had said to Megan. Perhaps he should ask her?
But the opportunity didn’t present itself. He ran his whole empire from a top floor suite of prestigious offices in London’s regenerated dockland area, where the views on a clear day were far reaching. Today he didn’t have time to look out of the windows. A problem had occurred at one of his IT companies where a disgruntled employee had fed a virus into a software programme that had been released for Christmas. It had already begun to reveal itself and he needed to recall all copies before any real damage was done.
It was after eight by the time he arrived home. He had phoned Megan from his car on the way, half-expecting her to be gone, relieved when she wasn’t, and not surprised that she sounded angry.
He found her curled up in a chair in the sitting room, so deeply engrossed in a book that she didn’t hear him enter. Except that the book was upside down! He smiled faintly and spoke her name and she looked up with a very creditable start.
‘So you’ve finally torn yourself away from Serena,’ she accused, her magnificent eyes flashing daggers at him. Their usual grey had become a soft amethyst, reflecting the colour of the purple sweater she wore. He had noticed this before—whichever colour she wore, her eyes seemed to change with it. It fascinated him.
‘I did explain on the phone,’ he told her patiently. At least he hoped he sounded patient. She didn’t make it easy for him. What he would like to do was give her a good shake—except that it would get him nowhere. But patience never had been one of his virtues.
‘And was it only this morning that you promised to work less hours?’ she continued. ‘Such a short memory you have. Why am I surprised?’
‘There were extenuating circumstances,’ he reminded her sharply. ‘Weren’t you listening when I—?’
‘Oh, yes, I heard everything you said,’ Megan cut in with exaggerated calm.
‘But you don’t believe me? Well, you’d better because it will be spread all over the newspapers tomorrow. We’ve already had several reporters sniffing around. This could ruin the company.’
‘And do you know who did it?’
‘Actually, yes. Before leaving he bragged to one of his colleagues that he would bring the company to its knees. It’s a pity he wasn’t taken seriously. It’s going to be one big headache for the next few days, weeks, months maybe.’
‘Meaning you’ll be working all the hours God gave again?’
‘I’ll try not to.’ But he could see by her expression that she didn’t believe him, and he couldn’t answer in all honesty that he wouldn’t. He was a hands-on type of guy who never believed in passing the buck. ‘Let’s go and collect your stuff. I’ll instruct Amy to keep her eye on Charlotte.’
‘At this hour?’ she demurred, slowly uncurling her legs and sitting up straight. Amy was the maid, a giggly brunette girl who was always willing to please.
Luigi wondered if Megan had any idea how gorgeous she looked. Her face was bare of make-up and she could have passed for eighteen. His male hormones stirred and he wanted to take her to bed, but he forced sanity to prevail. ‘Why not?’
‘Of course, you’ll be working late again tomorrow,’ she scorned. ‘It’s now or never, isn’t it? Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to—’
‘You’re not changing your mind,’ he cut in swiftly and fiercely. No matter what it took, he was determined not to lose Megan again. ‘Get your coat; we’re leaving now.’
To his relief she did as he asked, running down the stairs a couple of minutes later in a camel-coloured winter coat with a red scarf tossed casually around her neck. It would be warm in his car but it was jolly cold outside, and he guessed her house would be cold too.
‘I presume you’re going to put your house on the market,’ he said, after they’d been driving for a few minutes in silence.
‘It’s rented,’ she corrected him.
‘So what’s the procedure? Will the landlord accept a lump sum in lieu of notice?’
‘I share,’ she told him flatly.
Luigi felt his guts tighten. He’d almost forgotten the boyfriend. Oddly, Megan hadn’t seemed too concerned about leaving him. It wasn’t a nice feeling to realise that he didn’t know the way his own wife’s mind worked. In fact, had he ever really got to know her? Hadn’t he been too immersed in his own business dealings? Physically, they’d both been fulfilled, but mentally and spiritually? A brief sadness filled him. ‘What do you think he’ll have to say about you moving in with me?’
‘He? Oh, Jake. There’s not much he can say, is there? I’m still legally married to you.’
She sounded remarkably calm and for some reason it angered him. ‘If you think you’re still going to see him, then you can forget it,’ he barked.
‘Have I said I will?’
Could it be that he was blowing the whole thing up out of all proportion? Perhaps this Jake fellow meant nothing to her. Maybe it was a cost-effective arrangement. But he couldn’t be sure and the thought of Megan sharing a bed with another man, the thought of her thrashing about with the same uninhibited responses, made his blood run cold.
‘No, you haven’t and you’d damn well better not,’ he warned tersely. ‘In fact, if he’s there tonight I’ll tell him myself. In fact I’ll—’
‘You don’t have to worry,’ she cut in. ‘He’s in Paris—with his fiancée.’
Luigi pulled the car into the side of the road and tugged on the handbrake. ‘What did you say?’
‘Jake’s with Jenny in Paris for Christmas. Jenny’s my housemate.’
‘So why the hell didn’t you tell me that in the beginning?’ he roared, hating the idea that she’d made a fool of him.
‘I found it amusing that you jumped to the wrong conclusion.’
‘Well I don’t find it amusing,’ he retorted. ‘I’ve suffered all sorts of horrors imaging you in bed with him.’
‘There’s nothing you could have done about it,’ she pointed out. ‘But do you really think I’d have agreed to move in with you if I was involved with someone else?’
He had thought he’d given her no choice; now he began to realise that Megan had had the upper hand all the time. ‘I like to think that you would, for Charlotte’s sake,’ he told her grimly. He restarted the engine and drove fast and furious and silent until they reached their destination.
The house was freezing and he hadn’t been as sensible as Megan and pulled on an overcoat. ‘I hope your pipes haven’t frozen,’ he said testily, rubbing his hands together. ‘You really shouldn’t leave it unheated like this, you could have a burst.’
‘And who’d pay the fuel bills?’