The Failed Marriage (Presents Plus) Read online

  She had hardly been about to believe it when Mrs Barnaby told her that Joshua wasn’t staying at the house, that she hadn’t seen him since he had collected the Rolls yesterday. It didn’t need two guesses where he had been all night, and the thought of him going from her to Angela nearly killed her.

  ‘Now don’t jump to conclusions—’

  ‘Conclusions?’ she echoed Dan tautly. ‘He left here late last night, and I—I assumed he’d gone home. Where else could he have gone except to Angela?’

  ‘Any number of places,’ Dan shrugged.

  ‘Name one!’

  ‘Well, a club—’

  ‘He doesn’t have one!’

  ‘A friend’s—I said a friend, Jo,’ he reproved. ‘Not a mistress.’

  ‘He went to her,’ she choked. ‘I know he did!’

  ‘I can see there’s no talking you out of it,’ Dan sighed at her vehemence. ‘But if you didn’t get to talk to him that means he’s still going to arrive here tonight expecting to take you out.’

  ‘Yes…’ she realised, blinking back the tears.

  ‘I’d better make sure I order enough pizza for four,’ he said cheerfully. ‘What a happy little group we’re going to be,’ he added derisively.

  There was no question of wearing the red dress that evening, designer jeans and a red silk blouse were the nearest she came to looking elegant. Carmella was similarly attired when she arrived shortly after seven.

  Joanna hadn’t had much opportunity to talk to the other woman at her party the other evening, and far from being one of Dan’s usual women with no brains and a fantastic body Carmella turned out to be vivacious and amusing too.

  ‘I hope you don’t mind Dan inviting me here?’ she asked once the initial greetings were over.

  ‘Not at all,’ Joanna smiled. ‘My husband should be here soon too.’ She just hoped he would stay when he arrived.

  ‘Your husband…? Oh yes,’ Carmella nodded. ‘The handsome devil that arrived in the middle of the party the other night. Down, boy!’ she teased Dan as he gave a jealous growl at her from his position at the dining-room table. ‘I was only window-shopping, not buying.’

  Joanna laughed at Dan’s dumbfounded expression, enjoying seeing him being the one who was tormented for a change.

  ‘Joshua isn’t for sale,’ Dan drawled. ‘He’s very much a married man.’

  If only that were true! Joanna could feel her tension rising as the minutes ticked by to eight o’clock, horrified at the thought of Joshua being with Angela last night, and yet terrified at the thought of not seeing him again.

  When the doorbell rang at five to eight she knew it had to be him, and she felt rooted to the spot. What if he became angry at the other couple being here and walked off? What if he—

  ‘Aren’t you going to answer that?’ Dan looked up from his work with a frown.

  ‘I—Of course.’ She wiped her suddenly damp hands down her denim-clad thighs. ‘Yes, of course,’ she said more firmly, and went out into the hallway as the doorbell rang again.

  Joshua’s eyes widened as he took in her casual appearance, his brows raised questioningly as her bottom lip began to tremble. He looked so achingly attractive in a navy blue suit, although the dark hair still hadn’t been cut to his usual shorter style.

  ‘I had booked a table at Frederico’s,’ he murmured slowly. ‘But if you’d rather eat somewhere less formal…?’

  Her present clothing was completely unsuitable to go to the famous London restaurant, and her mouth quivered even more. ‘I can’t go, Joshua!’ she burst out emotionally. ‘Tomorrow is the deadline for my book and Dan and I have to work all night to get it finished!’ She looked up at him miserably.

  His eyes narrowed as he thrust his hands into his trouser pockets, pulling the material tautly across his powerful thighs. ‘You and Dan,’ he repeated softly. ‘And you’ll be—working, all night?’

  She missed that deliberate pause in his speech in her own agitation, sure that he was just going to turn around and leave. ‘Yes. I tried to call you, but Mrs Barnaby says you haven’t been back to the house.’ The statement was made in the form of a question.

  ‘That’s right.’ His answer wasn’t forthcoming. ‘I’d better leave you and Dan to get on with your work, then,’ he said coldly.

  ‘Oh, but—We’re all going to have pizza and coffee for dinner,’ she rushed into speech, saying anything to stop him walking away. ‘Why don’t you join us?’ She almost groaned her embarrassment as she heard herself inviting Joshua to share a pizza and coffee for his dinner; it was like inviting royalty to eat fish and chips out of a newspaper!

  ‘All?’ he frowned.

  ‘Yes, Dan’s girl-friend Carmella is here too,’ she explained eagerly. At least he hadn’t turned her invitation down cold! ‘I’m sure she would appreciate your company while Dan and I work—if you wouldn’t mind, that is,’ she added awkwardly, making a complete mess of her invitation, making it sound as if she just wanted him to come in so that he could amuse Carmella. She didn’t want that at all, would much rather have spent the evening alone with him, and if Carmella appreciated his company too much everyone was going to find that out.

  He seemed to hesitate for long timeless seconds, then he nodded. ‘Pizza and coffee sound fine,’ he accepted lightly.

  ‘Oh, good!’ Relief flooded through her as she opened the door wider. ‘Come in—Dan is just about to order the pizza.’

  ‘With mushrooms, I hope,’ Joshua drawled to Dan as he strolled into the lounge, removing his sheepskin jacket to reveal the jacket to his suit, removing that too and giving them both to Joanna as she put her hand out for them.

  ‘Oodles of them,’ Carmella smiled over at him warmly. ‘I love them too.’

  Joanna threw Joshua’s coat and jacket across the bed with little regard for their welfare, hurrying back to the lounge before Carmella could flirt with him any more. The two of them were bent over her record collection, Carmella’s denims tighter even then her own, her black top figure-hugging, leaving her shoulders and arms bare. Joshua had removed his tie and undone the top two buttons of his shirt, looking very relaxed and at ease. He had never looked that way with her.

  ‘Let’s get to work, Jo.’

  She turned to find Dan looking at her pointedly, flushing at the mocking way he raised his eyebrows. With one last look at the dark head bent over the fiery red one she turned to join Dan.

  Carmella’s throaty laugh rang out several times during the next half hour as they waited for the food to be delivered, and each time it did Joanna looked over at the other couple. They were sitting one each end of the sofa, talking softly, both looking as if they were enjoying themselves as they chatted together and sipped the drinks they had poured.

  ‘They’re only talking, Jo,’ Dan told her softly as she looked up for what must have been the sixth time in a matter of minutes.

  She blushed as she realised he must have been watching her. ‘I can’t help it,’ she muttered. ‘He never sat and talked with me like that.’

  ‘Maybe he didn’t think you wanted him to,’ Dan shrugged.

  ‘That’s ridiculous!’

  ‘Is it?’ Dan chided. ‘I seem to remember you were rather a cool young woman when we met a year ago. Quite formidable!’

  ‘I was what he made me!’ Her eyes flashed.

  ‘And he’s what you made him! You know your problem, Jo, you’re each afraid to communicate to the other—’

  ‘Joshua isn’t frightened of anything!’

  He glanced over to where the other couple still chatted amiably together, seemingly unaware of the heated conversation taking place across the room from them. ‘Everyone is afraid of something, Jo,’ Dan turned back to her. ‘Even Joshua. And you’re terrified he’s going to end your marriage.’

  ‘Wouldn’t you be?’

  ‘Maybe,’ he sighed. ‘But believe me, Carmella is no threat to you as far as Joshua is concerned.’

  Her mouth twisted. ‘You have h
er so enthralled with you that she can’t see anyone else, hmm?’ she attempted to tease, realising she was behaving stupidly. Of course Joshua was being friendly with Carmella—the two of them could hardly have sat in silence all evening. But did Joshua have to look as if he were enjoying himself as much? a mental tormenter asked, his husky laugh as frequent as Carmella’s.

  ‘Of course,’ Dan played along. ‘It’s my beautiful body that does it.’

  ‘Does what, darling?’ Unnoticed by either of them, Carmella had strolled over to join them, catching the tail-end of the conversation, her hand caressing on Dan’s shoulder, an intimacy he obviously enjoyed, as he smiled up at her with a shared warmth.

  Joanna glanced at Joshua, wishing she had the nerve to perform such an intimacy on him, blushing as she found him looking back at her with hooded eyes.

  ‘Keeps women attracted to me,’ Dan explained with a grin, drawing Joanna’s attention back to him. ‘I have this wonderful power over them with my body.’

  ‘That’s what you think!’ Carmella laughed at him. ‘It’s the women who control the men, isn’t it, Joanna?’ she looked at Joanna for support.

  ‘I—er—I—’

  ‘Don’t be modest, darling.’ Joshua was at her side as she blushed painfully, his arm going about her shoulders. ‘You know it’s true.’ He smiled down at her, a warm and loving smile to anyone looking on, although Joanna knew he was only helping her through an embarrassing moment. They both knew she had never been able to hold him in any way, least of all physically, and that even the previous evening he had been able to walk away from her when he must have known she would much rather he had stayed and made love to her.

  Luckily the pizza arrived at that moment to save her any more embarrassment, and the subject was forgotten as they ate and drank their dinner. The conversation was light and teasing, and Joanna glimpsed a side of Joshua she had never seen before, a part of him that could be teased, the teasing being accepted in the light spirit that it was given.

  She didn’t resent the murmured conversation between Joshua and Carmella after they had eaten, knowing by Dan and Carmella’s manner towards each other that they really were very attracted to each other, and that, for the moment at least, Carmella wasn’t interested in any other man except Dan.

  With that worry off her mind she was able to concentrate on her work, just content to have Joshua in the same room as her. Dan raised his brows at her sudden burst of inspiration, but made no comment as to the reason for it.

  ‘Finished!’ Dan finally sat back with a sigh just after twelve, running a tired hand around the back of his nape. ‘You too?’ He looked at Joanna.

  ‘Yes.’ Her sigh was just as weary. ‘I just hope James appreciates our efforts.’

  ‘I doubt it,’ he grimaced, and stood up, flexing his aching shoulder muscles.

  ‘Finished, darling?’ Carmella looked over at them. She and Joshua had lapsed into a comfortably silence long ago, listening to the softly playing stereo.

  ‘I hope so,’ he smiled. ‘I’m too tired to do any more.’ He pulled on the jacket he had discarded when they began work. ‘Feel like going to a party, Carmella?’

  ‘Love to. But—’

  ‘A private party,’ he grinned. ‘Just the two of us.’

  ‘Lovely!’ She stood up eagerly.

  ‘You see,’ Dan told the other two mockingly, ‘it’s the thought of the body that does it.’

  ‘The thought of sleep is nearer the truth,’ Carmella said dryly. ‘I have been up since six this morning, you know.’

  ‘So have I; you made me get your breakfast, remember?’

  The other couple were still gently arguing as they left a few minutes later, the closeness of their relationship obvious. Joanna looked awkwardly at Joshua once they were alone, surprised that he had stayed this long; after all, it must be a strange way for him to spend his evening.

  ‘I’m sorry—’

  ‘I’ve enjoyed this evening, Joanna,’ he firmly interrupted her apology. ‘But I had no idea you had to work so hard.’ He stood up as she walked over to join him, taking her hand to pull her gently down on the couch beside him, holding her close to his side. ‘I don’t remember you having to do so much on the first book. Or was it just that I was always out at work?’ he added ruefully.

  She was breathless from being this close to him, from the way his thumb seemed to be absently caressing the back of her hand. ‘No—of course not,’ she answered. ‘I did a lot of it after—after you had gone. James was just being kind at the first interview I had with him, there was quite a lot of rewriting to to be done.’

  ‘You and Dan seem to work well together.’ He released her hand to put his arm about her shoulders, his hand beneath the hair at her nape.

  ‘Yes. But—’

  ‘I wasn’t implying anything else,’ he smiled gently. ‘Dan went out of his way yesterday to tell me you’re friends and work colleagues, nothing else, and that you never have been. So if not Dan, did you see other men this last year?’ he probed softly.

  ‘I—saw some, yes,’ she looked down at her hands, talking slowly, ‘but nothing serious.’

  ‘No lovers?’

  Hot colour flooded her cheeks. ‘None!’ she flashed.

  ‘Look at me, Joanna.’

  She could do nothing else at the sound of his throatily pleading voice, looking up to find herself drowning in the liquid warmth of his eyes. ‘Joshua…’ she had time to groan before his mouth came down on hers.

  It was as if they had both been waiting for this moment all evening. Joanna fell back against the cushions of the sofa, Joshua following her tonight, his mouth still moving against hers, moist and soft, devouring.

  She laced her fingers in the springy cleanliness of his thick dark hair, determined he wasn’t going to leave her this time, holding him to her, kissing him with a hunger that he couldn’t misinterpret.

  He didn’t seem to want to; his lips probing the warmth of her mouth, engaging in a battle with her that could have only one ending, one they both knew Joanna wasn’t really fighting.

  ‘You’re beautiful, Joanna,’ he murmured against her throat. ‘More beautiful than I even remembered. Darling…!’ He slipped her blouse off one shoulder, the buttons falling undone as his hand slipped down to her waist, finding no obstacle to his questing fingers as he cupped her naked breasts. ‘That’s new,’ he murmured, his lips against her creamy flesh. ‘Not that you ever needed a bra. You’re perfect, Joanna. Perfect…’ his mouth closed over one taut nipple, the wild sensation this evoked making her feel weak with longing.

  She wanted to touch him, needed to touch him in return, and her hands slipped beneath the silky shirt, the last of the buttons easily undone as she sought that closer contact with him. Their skins seemed to sear together as Joshua began to kiss her once again, deep hungry kisses that had them both trembling within minutes, the hair on Joshua’s chest abrasive against her sensitive breasts.

  He stopped her hands as she would have explored his thighs the way he was caressing hers through the denim of her jeans. ‘No…’ he groaned.

  ‘Yes!’ she pleaded, evading his grasp, loving the way his body leapt with desire as she touched him, revelling in the mastery it gave her. ‘It is the women who control, isn’t it?’ she said wonderingly as he shuddered beneath her hand.

  ‘Have you only just discovered that?’ Joshua moaned huskily.

  No, she had always known it, even as a young siren of seventeen she had known how to arouse Joshua so deeply he just had to make love to her. As she wanted him to make love to her now!

  But he was already pushing her away from him, rebuttoning his shirt as he stood up to tuck it back into the waistband of his trousers, his thighs still taut with desire.

  ‘You—you aren’t leaving?’ Her eyes were the deep blue of a stormy sky.

  ‘It’s almost one o’clock,’ he told her, shrugging into his jacket and coat.

  Joanna swallowed convulsively, more confused and hur
t than she had been the evening before. How was she failing him? What was she doing wrong?

  ‘You should get to bed, Joanna,’ he told her abruptly now. ‘Didn’t Dan mention something about an appointment with your publisher tomorrow?’

  ‘That isn’t until the afternoon,’ she dismissed. ‘After tonight I’ll probably spend the morning in bed. Joshua—’

  ‘I have to go,’ he said briskly.

  ‘I—You—Are you staying at a hotel?’ She moistened her lips nervously as she realised she was just asking for a set-down. Joshua didn’t have to tell her where he was staying. ‘I thought you said you were tired of them—’

  ‘I am,’ he said patiently. ‘And I’m not staying at one.’ He seemed to hesitate. ‘I’m staying with a friend,’ he revealed with reluctance.

  ‘Oh,’ she breathed raggedly. ‘Well, I mustn’t keep you, then.’

  ‘We missed our dinner tonight,’ he said abruptly. ‘Could you make it tomorrow instead?’

  ‘Tomorrow? But—er—Won’t your—friend mind?’ she frowned.

  ‘No,’ he smiled. ‘And although I enjoyed the pizza it wasn’t really what I had in mind for us.’

  Us. How good that sounded! And if Joshua chose to take her out rather than spend the time with his mistress that was his business. ‘Dinner tomorrow would be lovely,’ she accepted with undisguised pleasure.

  ‘Then do up your blouse and walk me to the door,’ he laughed softly at her embarrassed flush as she quickly rebuttoned her blouse. ‘You would never make a femme fatale, my darling,’ he teased indulgently.

  If he hadn’t tagged that endearment on the end of that statement Joanna could have been quite hurt. As it was she just glowed up at him, finishing buttoning her blouse with deft fingers as she walked with him to the door.

  ‘Is eight o’clock okay again for tomorrow?’ he prompted softly.

  ‘Fine,’ she nodded. ‘And this time I promise Dan and Carmella won’t be waiting too.’

  He smiled. ‘I quite enjoyed this evening. But I would rather be alone with you.’

  She moved into his arms with natural grace, returning his kiss with a fervour that made him groan his own response against her lips, kissing her deeply, his body leaping in response.