Taggart's Woman Read online

  Her hand shook slightly, spilling some of her coffee into the saucer. She didn’t pretend to misunderstand what he meant. ‘Well, fortunately, although my father took care of the idea of divorce—’ the shares were to be sold and the money distributed to the various charities, exactly as it would have been if she didn’t marry Daniel! ‘—he didn’t say anything about us having to have a normal marriage—’

  ‘In other words, you would prefer to leave things as they are?’ he said drily.

  ‘No, I wouldn’t!’ She swallowed hard at the speculative raise of his eyebrows. ‘I don’t like—like a Cassandra in your life.’ She looked away after having made the admission.

  ‘A mistress, you mean?’ he drawled.

  ‘Is that really what she is?’ Heather frowned. ‘Not a lover, or—or girl-friend?’

  ‘I go to her for only one reason,’ he shrugged. ‘So, what do you think?’

  The other woman was his mistress! ‘Everyone must know that, and—and—’

  ‘And you couldn’t stand the humiliation of people thinking you can’t satisfy me in bed,’ he said mockingly. ‘Can you satisfy me in bed?’

  How did she know; she had never tried to satisfy a man anywhere! But Daniel seemed to think Phillip had been the most recent in a long line of lovers for her, and she wasn’t about to tell him that after the mess her mother had made of her life, pregnant by one man but marrying another, she wasn’t about to take any risk of getting pregnant without a husband herself. Since meeting Daniel she had been glad she hadn’t fallen into the bed-hopping trap many of her friends had just because it was expected of them, for she knew that he was the only man she had ever wanted in that way.

  She looked at him challengingly. ‘Can you satisfy me in bed?’

  His mouth twisted in the semblance of a smile. ‘Would you like to find out?’

  Her mouth suddenly went dry at the instant way he had accepted her challenge. ‘I—’

  ‘Maybe we should find out,’ he suggested slowly, putting down his empty cup to advance on her as she pressed back against the sofa. ‘After all—’ he took the cup from her unresisting fingers ‘—we should know what we’ll be getting from this marriage,’ he added harshly.

  The pressure of his body on hers forced her back on to the sofa, and her mouth was open in protest as his lips descended on hers.

  She was lost from the first touch, groaning softly as his mouth moved over and against hers in insistent demand, her arms moving up about his neck as her fingers became entangled in the thickness of his hair, increasing the pressure of his mouth on hers.

  She had dreamt about his kisses, longed for them, even as she told herself they would never be hers. But they could all be hers, if only she could please him now!

  She arched into his hand as he cupped her breast through the thin material of her dress, his body feeling warm and inviting as her arms moved beneath his jacket for closer contact, their kisses becoming wild as she felt the urgency of his response, glorying in his hardness, knowing she could satisfy him.

  Her hair became a silken curtain over her face as she turned her head, Daniel’s mouth moving down her throat, his deft fingers sliding the zip down her back to pull her dress off one shoulder, baring a breast for his hungry mouth. As he suckled and pulled and nibbled it felt like a thousand tiny needles of pleasure melting her body to pliancy, his hand moving up her thigh beneath her dress now, moving higher and higher…!

  She gasped at the warm rush between her thighs, pushing against him, groaning her frustration as his hand was suddenly removed, her breast a swollen ache as his mouth left her, too. She blinked up at him dazedly as he stood up, straightening his shirt and jacket.

  She swallowed hard, feeling bereft, her body still aching for him. ‘Why did you stop?’ Her voice was husky with longing.

  ‘I didn’t think a sofa, in the middle of a house crowded with servants, was the right place to finish this,’ he drawled dismissively.

  ‘But I—we—’

  ‘You,’ he corrected hardily. ‘I believe we just answered your question.’

  The colour drained from her cheeks. ‘But I thought you—too—’

  Daniel looked down at her with mocking grey eyes. ‘We’ve just proved that I can satisfy you,’ he told her drily. ‘The fact that I became aroused by your response is not the same thing.’

  It wasn’t? But—Heather pulled her dress back into place as she realised her breast was still bared to him, the nipple pouting hungrily for the touch of his lips. ‘You didn’t exactly seem to hate it,’ she snapped in her humiliation, sitting up, surprised to see that the minute hand on her watch showed that only ten minutes had elapsed since she had gone into his arms; in that ten minutes her whole life had changed.

  ‘I think we know enough now to give this marriage a try,’ he continued abruptly. ‘What do you think?’

  It was as if their lovemaking had just been an experiment, coldly thought out, coldly executed. And maybe to Daniel it had been, but she could never think of her fiery response to him in the same unemotional way. ‘No more Cassandras?’ she prompted softly.

  His expression was mocking. ‘Not initially, anyway,’ he agreed. ‘We’ll give it a couple of months to see how we get on together before making promises neither of us can keep. After all, just now didn’t really prove that much.’

  Only that she forgot everything but him as soon as he touched her! She would make it the same way for him.

  ‘All right,’ she nodded. ‘We’ll—we’ll be lovers for two months after we’re married and see what happens.’

  ‘Oh, I think we both know what will happen, Heather,’ he taunted crudely. ‘It’s just a question of one of us becoming bored with it happening!’

  She moistened her lips with the pink tip of her tongue. ‘Does that happen—to you, often?’

  ‘All the time,’ he answered uninterestedly, glancing at his watch. ‘Why else do you think I’ve never married?’

  She shrugged. ‘Because you’ve never fallen in love.’

  Daniel gave a disbelieving snort. ‘Surely you realise that love is the last thing to come along in a relationship, that desire and wanting come first, and that more often than not once they have been satisfied love never rears its ugly head!’

  ‘Ugly?’ She swallowed at his description of the emotion that had caused her more pain than any other, but which she acknowledged had also enriched her life.

  His eyes narrowed. ‘It devours and dominates, makes you half a person. It’s an emotion few can afford!’

  She knew he was telling her that this was the reason for his success, that he had pushed love from his life to achieve the wealth and prestige he had wanted, and that he intended keeping it from his life. She felt a sinking feeling in her heart.

  ‘And certainly not me,’ he harshly confirmed her thoughts. ‘We’re being forced into this marriage by your father’s will,’ he told her with brutal honesty. ‘Don’t get any romantic ideas about me; they would be a complete waste of time!’

  ‘Have many women dared to have “romantic ideas” about you?’ she scorned to hide the pain his words caused, knowing that few women could feel romantic about this hardened man. She just happened to be one of the ones who did!

  ‘I’m more accustomed to mercenary ones,’ he conceded gratingly. ‘I can live with them.’

  Her eyes flashed. ‘Your motives are no more innocent than mine!’ she snapped.

  ‘Then we start out as equals,’ he drawled mockingly, again glancing at his watch. ‘I think you were also concerned earlier about where we’re going to live after the wedding?’ He raised dark brows.

  She should have known this sharp-eyed man wouldn’t have missed her questioning glance in his direction when they were asked that. ‘Where are we going to live?’

  Daniel drew in a ragged breath. ‘I have no intention of moving in here,’ he told her challengingly.

  Heather gave a nod of calm acceptance. ‘Then we’ll sell this house and find so
mewhere we both like—’

  ‘You aren’t going to argue about it?’ He eyed her warily.

  Her mouth quirked at his suspicious expression. ‘Why should I?’

  ‘Because you’ve lived in this house all your life.’ He still watched her frowningly.

  ‘Then it’s time for a change,’ she shrugged. ‘I would like to take some of the staff with me, if that’s all right with you?’ She looked up at him enquiringly. ‘The ones that have been with us the longest,’ she explained. ‘We wouldn’t need all of them, because I think a smaller house would suit our needs better than this one. If you agree, of course?’

  Daniel still watched her warily, as if she had suddenly become someone he didn’t recognise. ‘If I agree?’ he echoed drily.

  ‘Well, it’s going to be our house, and—’

  ‘You’ll be spending the most time in it,’ he cut in harshly. ‘Buy as big a house as you want—or don’t want. As long as I don’t have to live here I don’t care!’ His eyes glittered coldly.

  Heather blinked at his vehemence. ‘Couldn’t we choose somewhere together?’

  ‘I told you, I won’t be there that much—and not for the reason you’re thinking,’ he grated at her frown. ‘I don’t say things I don’t mean, Heather, and if I’ve said I’ll be faithful to you for at least the first two months of our marriage then I damn well will! I won’t be at home much to start with because after the last damaging six months of uncertainty I’m going to have to work damned hard to rebuild the airline’s reputation as a stable one!’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she gave a guilty blush. ‘I only—Couldn’t I perhaps find two or three places I think might be suitable and then just show you them quickly one day? I promise not to take up too much of your time,’ she added persuasively.

  He looked irritated. ‘Don’t try and make me feel guilty because I have to try and correct the damage your father did to—’

  ‘I wasn’t,’ she assured him quickly, feeling as if she had to walk on eggshells around this man. ‘Daniel, are you sure you’re going to be able to cope with the tie of a wife?’

  ‘No, I’m not sure at all.’ His eyes glittered. ‘But neither of us has a choice!’

  She could already see how he was chafing at having to explain even the most impersonal of things to her, and wondered what it would be like once they were married.

  But he was wrong about the choice; she did have one. It was just one she knew she could never take, not when it meant hurting Daniel so much.

  ‘Daniel, I’m as upset about my father’s will as you are,’ she began.

  ‘Oh, I realise that,’ he derided. ‘I’m sure you expected to walk away with a fortune, not a husband as well! I know why Max hated me; I just wonder what you ever did to him!’

  She turned away to hide the pain in her clouded eyes. ‘He wanted a son; he got me.’ She flatly told him the half-truth, the wound of Max Danvers’ rejection, although an old one, still raw.

  ‘And he wanted money but instead he got me,’ Daniel rasped harshly. ‘And now, it seems, we have each other!’

  Even now, loving him as she did, she wished there were something she could do to release him from the tie to her that he didn’t want. But there was nothing she could do.

  She sighed. ‘I’ll try not to be intrusive on your life in any way.’

  ‘I never wanted a wife!’ he exclaimed with impatient anger.

  ‘I promise you—’

  ‘Don’t make me any promises, Heather,’ he scorned. ‘Women are notorious for breaking them!’

  She would like to think, much as it would also pain her, that he had once cared enough for a woman to have been hurt by her; at least then she could have some hope that he was capable of love! But she was sure that wasn’t how he had come to his biased conclusion concerning women, he didn’t seem to care for anyone.

  ‘Then only time will show you that I mean what I say,’ she sighed. ‘I’ll intrude on your life and time as little as possible.’

  ‘Except to look at houses, to no doubt help shop for furniture for that house, to dictate that there will be no other women in my life—’

  ‘You dictated that there shouldn’t be any other men in mine,’ she retorted fierily, her tempestuous nature not completely cowed by her efforts to reassure him. ‘I retain the right to make the same conditions over you.’

  ‘For two months,’ he reminded her grimly.

  An angry blush darkened her cheeks. ‘I’m sure it will pass quickly—for both of us.’

  ‘I hope so!’

  Heather sighed. ‘You aren’t giving this relationship a chance if you’re going to be counting the days until you can go back to your mistress—Why do you keep looking at your watch?’ she demanded impatiently as he glanced at it for the third time in the last ten minutes.

  His mouth twisted with cruel mockery. ‘We aren’t married yet!’

  ‘I only asked—’ She broke off, looking at him closely as his meaning suddenly became crystal clear. ‘Do you have—somewhere else to go tonight?’ she queried haltingly, wishing it not to be true.

  ‘Yes,’ he rasped with satisfaction.

  She swallowed hard, knowing exactly where that ‘somewhere else’ was—to his mistress, Cassandra! But as he had so viciously pointed out, they weren’t married yet, and even if they were, she doubted he would particularly care if he humiliated her; he hated her because he had been trapped into marrying her.

  ‘Do you have to go to her tonight?’ she frowned.

  He shrugged broad shoulders. ‘Why not?’

  ‘I—You could always stay here instead.’ Her eyes were wide with apprehension—and anticipation!

  ‘Thanks for the offer,’ he derided. ‘But in a month’s time I’m not going to have a choice about who I share my bed—and my body with; right now, I do!’

  Heather flinched as if he had hit her. She hadn’t made the suggestion lightly, she just hated the thought of him going to the other woman! But she could see by the satisfied gleam in Daniel’s eyes that he was enjoying hurting her, that he had far from forgiven her for her involvement in this enforced marriage. As if she would have wanted him as her husband in this way, given a choice!

  ‘In that case, I have the same choice,’ she retaliated lightly. ‘And it isn’t too late to give—a friend a call.

  Daniel’s eyes narrowed to icy grey slits. ‘Wingate?’ he scorned.

  ‘Perhaps,’ she said non-committally, standing up. ‘I really shouldn’t keep you any longer…’ she added pointedly.

  ‘My, you are in a hurry to finish what we started earlier, aren’t you?’ he taunted, following her out into the hallway.

  She stood her ground without blushing—much as her cheeks burned! ‘No more so than you appear to be,’ she mocked.

  He halted at the front door. ‘If I hadn’t told Cassandra that I would see her tonight…’ He trailed off softly.

  ‘I wouldn’t want you to disappoint her,’ Heather snapped angrily, holding the door open, all the household staff still busy in the main lounge.

  ‘No,’ he sighed, one of his hands moving to lightly caress her cheek with his thumb-pad. ‘Perhaps anticipation will be good for the soul,’ he taunted. ‘It seems that the wedding night I thought would be such an ordeal won’t be so bad after all!’

  Before Heather could come back with a suit-ably cutting retort he had walked off into the darkness, his chuckle at her speechlessness carrying to her on the night air.

  She closed the door with a slam. Damn him, he had almost made her beg for what he now admitted he had anticipated with dread! He—

  She turned sharply as the doorbell rang. If he thought he could come back and change his mind now he was sadly mistaken!

  ‘Phillip!’ she gasped, after furiously wrenching the door open. She had told Daniel she intended calling the other man, but really Phillip was the last person she had expected to see again tonight!

  CHAPTER THREE

  ‘CAN I come in?’ Phillip prompted
softly, as Heather continued to stare at him in astonishment.

  ‘I—Of course,’ she invited abruptly. After the way he had walked out earlier she hadn’t expected to see him again at all, let alone now!

  She led the way to the small sitting-room, facing him awkwardly. ‘It’s late,’ she said unnecessarily; they were both aware of the fact that it was one o’clock in the morning. ‘Daniel just left,’ she added uncomfortably, as she saw his gaze linger on the two empty coffee cups.

  ‘I know.’ His hair was golden in the glow of the overhead chandelier. ‘I saw him leave. In fact, I deliberately waited until he’d gone before ringing the bell.’

  She frowned at this disclosure. ‘You did?’

  ‘Hm,’ Phillip nodded, his expression rueful. ‘I wanted to apologise for my behaviour earlier, and I didn’t particularly want to have to do it in front of Taggart.’ His deep blue eyes had hardened a little as he spoke of the other man, his good looks in no doubt, his features almost too perfect for a man, his body lithe and attractive in the dark evening suit.

  ‘I understood earlier why you felt you had to leave,’ she sighed. ‘All this has been very awkward for you.’

  ‘Worse than that,’ he groaned. ‘Heather, I love you, and it’s killing me to see you preparing to marry another man!’

  They had been close the last year, good friends, occasionally a little more than that, but only a little more; she liked to be kissed and held as much as the next person. But she had never expected a declaration of love from him, it just hadn’t been that sort of a relationship. At least, not as far as she was concerned.

  ‘I’m sorry, Phillip,’ she sounded breathless, ‘your friendship has meant a lot to me—’

  ‘Friendship!’ he repeated scornfully. ‘You had to realise I was falling in love with you!’

  Had she? They had seen each other a couple of times a week, enjoyed each other’s company, occasionally shared a few pleasant kisses, but did that mean a man was falling in love with her. She hadn’t thought so, had imagined being swept away in a maelstrom of wild emotions—much like she had known in Daniel’s arms such a short time ago!—when she loved, not feel the warmth of friendship.