‘And if I don’t want to come? Charlotte’s never been parted from me. I wouldn’t leave her if I thought she’d be upset.’
He brushed her doubts away. ‘We’ll give her time to get used to Kate. She comes with the highest recommendation; I don’t think we have a problem.’
‘And no doubt you’re paying her the highest wage,’ she retorted. ‘I truly never expected that you’d turn out like this. Money, money, money, all the time. I must have been insane to marry you.’
‘Is it a crime to want to better oneself?’ he asked icily.
‘Of course not, but there’s a limit. You’re taking things a step too far.’
‘In your eyes, not mine.’
‘So you’re happy here in this mausoleum of a home? You enjoy having other people run around after you, pandering to your every whim? Is that the pleasure money brings? It doesn’t seem like pleasure to me.’
‘So tell me, Megan.’ He cocked his head on one side and looked at her consideringly. ‘What does pleasure you?’
Her cheeks flushed beneath that knowing stare, and her heart faltered as she realised that she had left herself wide open.
He moved purposefully towards her. ‘Don’t tell me,’ he said on a low growl. ‘Let me show you.’
Before she could even draw breath she was in his arms, her mouth opening of its own volition beneath the persuasive power of his. Megan knew that she ought to protest—loudly, volubly; she ought to push him away, show him that actions like this got him nowhere. But, fool that she was, she let her senses take over.
She enjoyed the thrill of his hard, sexy body against hers. She revelled in the feelings he aroused deep within her. She wanted more. She wanted all of him! The thought set off alarm bells in her head but she chose to ignore them. Luigi had talked about catching up on the years they’d spent apart, but it was their times in bed that she’d missed. Missed without really knowing it. Was it any wonder that she’d kept herself a man-free zone? No other man was good enough. No other man could possibly arouse her to this extent. They were soulmates as far as good sex was concerned.
Megan oughtn’t to have taunted him. Kissing her at this moment in time was the worst thing he could possibly do—except that she was so damned gorgeous how could he resist? Which begged the question, why hadn’t he made more of an effort to find her? Luigi knew that he could never come up with an answer. He’d been a fool. It was as simple as that. A blind fool, who thought that immersing himself in his work was the answer to everything.
And now he had a lot of making up to do. He was fully aware that it was going to be a long, hard slog and that he mustn’t go too quickly—even if at times like this she actually seemed to welcome his advances. It was pure sex, she’d said, and although he didn’t want to believe her he sometimes felt that she was right. And this was one of those occasions.
With reluctance he drew away. He stepped back a pace and felt virtuous that she looked surprised and a teeny bit disappointed. No, hugely disappointed. She was totally aroused, he could tell by her flushed cheeks and shining eyes, and if he had pushed his luck he could have taken her to bed. Which he wanted to! Very much so! His testosterone levels had risen to danger point. But it was good that he had stopped. It would show her that sex wasn’t the only thing he wanted from their relationship.
‘I think we ought to finish our dinner,’ he said gruffly.
‘I’m not hungry.’
Nor was he—except for this woman, his wife. He clamped his lips and nodded, only the slightest movement of his head. Megan didn’t even notice. But that was what she was, his wife. She belonged to him. She could run but he would never divorce her. One day they would be a happy and contented couple again. With perhaps another child to keep Charlotte company. It was only a matter of time.
Megan went to bed with a heavy heart. Luigi was doing his best and she appreciated that, but in her eyes it wasn’t good enough. And letting him make love to her was no answer either; it distorted her judgement, it reminded her of all that had been good in their marriage. It made her forget the long hours of neglect. So, although she had felt bereft when he backed away, she was now glad of it, and determined not to let herself be swayed into such a position again. Easy to say but difficult to do! Even the thought of kissing Luigi had her aching inside and she wasn’t sure that she could be strong enough to deny him.
But she would give it a good try. Luigi needed to reform; he needed to put his wife and daughter before his business interests. And when he did that—then perhaps their marriage would stand a chance.
His idea of taking her away for a few days was a sound one in principle. In fact it would be heaven—if it weren’t for Charlotte, and the fact that Megan knew unequivocally that once they were back he would revert to his old ways. Who was it who said that a leopard never changed its spots? Luigi would never change. Working was his way of life; his wife and now his child came second. They always would.
She was almost asleep when her door slowly opened. At first she thought she was dreaming when she saw Luigi’s shadowy shape in the doorway, but as he began to make his way softly over to her bed she sat bolt upright. Her heart stampeded as her need for him rose like a phoenix from the ashes.
But fear overrode her desire. ‘What the hell are you doing here?’ Her voice was low but shrill and there was panic inside her. He was a danger to her system—and he probably knew it. He knew that relaxed in bed she would be at her lowest ebb, and it would be easy to take advantage.
‘There’s something I need to ask you.’ He came to a halt at her side and looked fiercely down. And Megan didn’t see desire, she didn’t see a deep-seated need of her body, instead she saw something that sent a chill through her entire system.
‘I’VE just discovered that you haven’t been entirely truthful with me,’ Luigi spat.
Megan frowned. ‘What do you mean?’ She had no idea what he was talking about. And she’d never seen him look at her so coldly or accusingly. It set her teeth on edge and made goose-bumps rise all over her body.
‘The fact that you indulged in an affair with another man and lied to me about it,’ he shot at her harshly.
‘What?’ she shrieked, jumping up from the bed. ‘You’re not making sense. Who, for pity’s sake, am I supposed to have slept with?’ She dragged her dressing gown on over her nightie and hugged it closely around her. ‘Where did you conjure up that piece of fiction?’
‘Straight from the horse’s mouth, if you must know,’ he thundered.
Megan shook her head. ‘This is nonsense.’
‘I knew you’d say that,’ he scorned. ‘I was expecting it.’
‘So why don’t you tell me who’s made these accusations?’ she asked him coldly, an icy shiver beginning to take over. It was all she could do to keep herself still.
‘Your dear friend, Jake.’
‘Jake?’ Megan echoed dazedly. ‘You have to be joking. In any case, when did you speak to him? Jenny hasn’t rung to say they’re back.’
‘They are, I assure you. I phoned them myself.’
‘Why?’ she questioned loudly.
‘I needed to make sure she wasn’t out of pocket with you moving out so suddenly.’