Nights of Passion. Anne Mather

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СКАЧАТЬ on Monday and we’ll be there.’

      Joe blew out a breath. ‘My chauffeur will pick her up about nine o’clock Monday morning,’ he responded. ‘If you change your mind again, let me know.’

      Shelley was waiting at Eaton Court Mews when he got back.

      She’d evidently been there for some time, because a tray of coffee was cold on the table and her face mirrored her impatience with his behaviour earlier.

      ‘Where the hell have you been?’ she demanded as soon as he strolled into the sitting room. ‘What do you mean by walking out like that? I go to sleep with you beside me and I wake up to find you’ve gone.’

      ‘Sorry.’ But Joe wasn’t in the mood to make more apologies and when Charles followed him into the room he turned with some relief. ‘Black coffee, please,’ he said. ‘And perhaps Ms Adair might like to join me. Oh, and do you have any of those English muffins? I could do with something hot and sweet.’

      ‘I hope you’re not looking at me,’ said Shelley, her tone softening as if she realised this was not the time to start a slanging match. But Joe only shook his head and lounged into a comfortable leather armchair.

      ‘Just food,’ he said, and Charles withdrew before another argument ensued.

      However, realising he was allowing his frustration towards Rachel to influence his mood, Joe looked up at Shelley standing by the window. ‘Have you been here long?’

      She shrugged. Although he’d only thrown his clothes on before leaving her apartment, she had evidently taken some trouble with her appearance. A pale blue gauze dress dipped provocatively at her breast before flaring gently to her knees. Four-inch heels added height to her five-feet-ten-inch frame, and her blonde bob had been spiked to perfection. Evidently she’d dressed to please, and he felt guilty that right at this moment her pale good looks left him cold.

      ‘Long enough,’ she said now, moving over to his chair and perching on the arm. ‘You need a shave, darling. I’m not one of those women who like getting the equivalent of razor burns every time I kiss you.’

      Unwanted, the image of Rachel as he’d last seen her flashed into his mind. How was it possible that he’d found her so appealing? So appealing, in fact, that if her daughter hadn’t interrupted them.

      ‘Joe, you’re not listening to me!’ Shelley’s voice rose again, and now there were hectic splashes of colour in her cheeks. ‘Where have you been? Charles is so tight-lipped. He wouldn’t breathe a word.’

      ‘That’s what I pay him for,’ said Joe laconically, making no response when she slipped her arm around his neck. ‘There was something I had to do. An arrangement I had to make for Monday. One of the guys back home asked me to fly his daughter over and I needed to check it out.’

      Shelley’s shoulders stiffened. ‘His daughter?’

      ‘Yeah, his daughter.’ Joe glanced up at her. ‘You got an objection?’

      ‘Several.’ Shelley’s eyes flashed. ‘To start with, how old is she?’

      ‘Gee, let me see.’ Joe pretended to think about it, hoping the distraction would lighten his mood as well as hers. ‘In her teens, I guess.’

      ‘Her teens?’ Shelley’s voice rose even higher.

      ‘Yeah. Thirteen, I think. I can’t remember.’

      ‘Oh!’ Her relief was evident, but when she bent to rub her lips against his Joe didn’t take the bait.

      ‘It’s gonna be a busy weekend,’ he said, forcing her to draw back just as Charles came back into the room. ‘Ah, food! You ought to try one of these muffins, Shell. Charles makes them himself, and they’re magic.’

      ‘I’m glad you find something magical,’ retorted Shelley huffily, getting to her feet again and surveying him with angry blue eyes. ‘I hope this doesn’t mean I won’t see you again before you leave.’

      ‘Shell—’

      ‘I’ve brought two cups in case Ms Adair decides to join you,’ Charles interposed swiftly as he set down the tray. He walked back to the door. ‘Let me know if you need anything else.’

      ‘Thanks.’ As Charles disappeared again, Joe shifted forward and broke a piece off one of the warm muffins. In actual fact, he wasn’t particularly hungry, but it was a way to avoid Shelley’s accusing gaze. ‘Come on,’ he invited. ‘Try a piece.’

      ‘You know I don’t eat fatty things,’ replied Shelley stiffly. ‘And you shouldn’t either. They’re bad for your cholesterol.’

      Joe pulled a wry face. ‘Oh, I think it can stand one English muffin,’ he murmured drily. ‘I promise to use the gym as soon as I get home.’

      Shelley’s lips pursed. ‘You love making fun of me, don’t you?’

      ‘No.’ Joe reached for the pot of coffee. ‘But you sound as if you’ve had a sense of humour bypass.’

      Shelley sucked in a breath. ‘I don’t understand you, Joe. When you first got here, you couldn’t wait to see me. Then, last night, you lost consciousness as soon as your head hit the pillow.’

      ‘I was tired.’ There was a distinct edge to Joe’s voice now, but Shelley didn’t seem to notice.

      ‘You can’t have been that tired,’ she retorted. ‘You were up early enough this morning. You left the apartment without even waking me. I don’t think you even took a shower. You certainly didn’t leave a message. What was I supposed to think?’

      Joe’s jaw clamped. She was right, but he didn’t like hearing about it. He didn’t like the idea that anything that had happened since his arrival in England a week ago should have had any effect on his behaviour. He couldn’t tell her he’d left her bed because he’d been having a hot, sweaty dream about another woman. And this morning he’d suffered a serious lapse of judgment, that was all. It certainly wasn’t terminal.

      ‘I’ve said I’m sorry,’ he muttered tersely, reaching for his coffee and swallowing it black. He needed a jolt of caffeine to kick-start his brain. He also needed to get his head around the fact that a feisty female with tear-filled green eyes hadn’t permanently rocked his reason.

      ‘So …’ Shelley’s tongue circled her glossy lips. ‘Will I see you tonight?’

      Joe blew out a breath. ‘Not tonight, no.’

      ‘Why not?’

      ‘Because I’ve promised this guy whose daughter I was telling you about that I’d go and check on his family.’

      ‘His family?’

      ‘His ma and pa.’

      Shelley snorted. ‘I don’t believe you.’

      ‘Your call. But it’s true.’ He paused. ‘You can come with me, if you like.’ That way if, by some unlucky chance Rachel should be there.

      But he hadn’t finished the thought before Shelley broke СКАЧАТЬ