An Affair to Forget (13 page)

“
Tremendously.” She beamed up at him. “I don’t know when I last had such a lovely evening.”

“
Good. Unfortunately it has to end. Time I returned you to your Sam.”

“
Just one more dance,” she begged as the music began again, this time to a slower beat.

“
One more,” he agreed, holding his arms out to her. She slid into his embrace as though they had danced together often. They had, of course… but only in her dreams, during the evenings spent in the Yorkshire bedsit a few miles from his grey stone house. Morrin had never guessed then that those dreams would come true in a tiny Spanish tavern, with Gareth in a bronze-coloured shirt and herself in her checked shirt and slacks, her face bare of make-up and her hair a mess.

And
yet – she looked up at him as they danced, his dark hair damp with sweat and tousled over his forehead, his green eyes alight with laughter – it seemed to be just right, this moment together, in this place and at this time.

Then
the music came to an end and Gareth tilted her face up to his and bent to kiss her, to the resounding applause of their new friends.

“
Come on, Cinderella,” he said. “Time to go home.” Outside in the cool, dark air, Morrin stumbled and almost fell against Gareth.

“
Steady.” He put an arm about her. “Try a few deep breaths.”

“
What did I trip over?”

She
was close enough to him to feel the rumble of his laugh vibrate through her side. “A glass too many of that wine, I would say.”

“
Nonsense, I never drink too much. Anyway,” she said haughtily, pulling herself free of him, “that wine was perfectly innc… innoc… bland.”

“
Not as bland as you might think. Oops,” he said as she took a few sideways steps away from him, like a crab. He reached out and caught her, drawing her back to his side. “And we did have two bottles.”

“
Two? Are you sure?”

“
I’m sure. Come on, we’ll walk around a bit before we get into the car. Remember those deep breaths.”

Five
minutes later she was feeling more steady on her feet, but by the time they got to the car she was beginning to shiver in the cool night air. When Gareth insisted on wrapping his anorak about her she didn’t argue, but snuggled gratefully into it as they drove back to the villa. It was too big for her but it was warm and it smelled comfortingly of Gareth. She yawned and eased herself down in her seat, letting the movement of the car lull her.

She
didn’t realise until her head was on his shoulder that she had angled herself in Gareth’s direction. She knew that she should sit up, but the warmth of his body through the soft sweater he had put on was beguiling, and it was almost as though they belonged together, on that lovely, magic night. So she stayed where she was, half dozing, rousing only when he stopped the car.

“
Are we back already?”

“
Almost.”

She
sat upright, easing his anorak away from her shoulders. Gareth had halted the car by the beach, where huge waves rolled in, booming and hissing against the black sand.

“
I love that sound.”

“
So do I. That’s why I stopped.” Gareth leaned across her to roll her window down. Cool salty air enfolded her almost at once. “The sea always makes me realise how important our lives really are in the scale of things,” he said quietly.

They
sat together in silence for about ten minutes, listening to the waves as they crashed on to the beach then receded, only to come crashing back. Finally Gareth said, “Sam will be wondering if I’ve spirited you away entirely. I’d better get you back to the villa.”

“
Wait.” She turned, not wanting the moment to end, and went into his arms as though it was the most natural thing in the world. With a wordless murmur he bent to rain butterfly-soft kisses over her forehead and nose and cheekbones before taking her lips in a proper kiss. His mouth, tasting of salt air, shaped and moulded hers just as her wanton body was shaping and moulding itself to merge with his.

Morrin
’s hands moved of their own accord to the back of his neck, her arms sliding about him to draw him close. She responded when his kiss became more passionate, for he was in control of her destiny now and she could do nothing more to stop him. She no longer wanted to stop him; it was sweet relief to submit, to shut the door on her conscience and let Gareth have his way with her. When his hands eased her sweater back at the neckline so that his mouth could trace a line of molten fire down the soft skin between her ear and her shoulder the touch triggered off a surge of passion that Morrin had never experienced before. She gasped with pleasure and her fingers burrowed beneath his thick sweater to gorge themselves on the smooth, firm skin of his back. Being with him, pleasing him and fulfilling the desperate need he had created in her became the only goals in her world. The past and the future had vanished, and only the present mattered.

Thirteen

When they finally drew slightly away from each other they were both breathless.

“
You want me.” Gareth’s voice was husky with wonder. “You really want me, don’t you?”

Morrin
couldn’t deny it. She reached up to cup his square jawline with one hand, tracing the high cheekbone with the ball of her thumb. Her body felt soft and relaxed, yet more alive than ever before.

He
kissed her again, then whispered, “Come out to the guest house tonight.”

“
What if Sam or Vicki found out?”

“
Who cares?” His lips teased their way down her neck to her throat, his hair was soft and springy against her chin and his breath warm on her skin.

“
And what if Vicki decides to visit you?”

His
chuckle was muffled against her shoulder. “I doubt if she will, after what happened the other night.”

A
thin thread of jealousy soured the sweetness of her desire. “I know what happened the other night. No need to elab…” – she was still having problems with long words – “…to tell me.”

He
lifted his head and starlight picked out the clear green glint of the eyes inches from hers. “You’re always jumping to conclusions, aren’t you? I told you that Vicki came knocking…” As she started to protest he silenced her with a finger on her lips. “I didn’t say I welcomed her into my bed, did I?”

“
But you must have.” She bit down hard on his finger.

“
Ouch! You still have a very low opinion of me, don’t you? Vicki Queen is simply not my type. I was very tactful about it… too tactful, perhaps.” He kissed her again. “Now she thinks I’m staying on because I’ve repented of my hasty behaviour. She’s aching to play the part, but she wants me to beg for her favours before she yields. I promise you that I’ll lock the door against her… once you’re on my side of it.”

She
drew a deep breath, closed her eyes, concentrated on the boom of the waves on the nearby beach. “I’ve had too much to drink, haven’t I?”

“
A little too much.”

“
And now you’re trying to take advantage of me.”

“
Of course.” There was amusement in his voice. He was smiling, she knew, but she didn’t dare open her eyes. This was a decision she had to make for herself and she could not afford to let the sight of him sway her.

The
small practical voice that always came to her at such times warned that Gareth was only interested because she had foolishly told him that nobody had ever made love to her before. Her foreknowledge of his casual attitude towards women fought with her desire. She wanted Gareth Sinclair, wanted the first time to be with him, and only him. Tomorrow, with its guilt and recriminations and, perhaps, its tears, was light years away, and she no longer cared about it.

She
opened her eyes, smiled up at him. “Let’s go back,” she said, and he dropped one final kiss on her nose before switching on the engine.

Neither
of them spoke again until Gareth turned the car into the small courtyard before Vicki’s villa and killed the engine.

“
Oh, hell,” he said under his breath, while Morrin looked in dismay at the large car parked alongside Vicki’s. The house was well lit and music and the sound of several voices poured from the open windows.

“
Did you know that she was holding a party tonight?”

“
Nobody mentioned it this morning.”

Gareth
thumped an angry fist on the dashboard. “Of all the nights to choose! Tell you what, we could just walk quietly round to the guest house. They’d never know we were back.”

Common
sense began to lay its cold hands on Morrin. “I expect the party’s for your benefit… and Sam’s. He’ll be expecting me back.” She opened the door and began to get out. “We’ll both have to go in and you’ll have to mingle.”

He
caught up with her at the front door, slipping an arm around her. “I don’t feel like mingling with anyone but you tonight,” he murmured. “You won’t forget our own party later?”

As
she turned to look up at him he kissed her, his lips swift and hungry. Her blood raced; as if she could ever forget!

“
I won’t.”

“
Just in case the address slips your mind,” Gareth said, and kissed her again.

She
was still in his embrace when the porch light went on and the door opened.

“
Hello, Sam,” Gareth said lightly as Morrin pulled away from him. “Having a party?”

“
I’ve been worried about you.” Sam reached out a hand to Morrin, drawing her close, away from Gareth. “Where on earth have you been?”

“
We went to pay our respects to Teide.”

“
You were supposed to be working.”

“
Yes – for me. And I gave us both the day off to do some preliminary thinking,” Gareth said smoothly from behind her.

“
You mean you’ve been on the mountain all this time?”

“
We stopped off on the way back for something to eat.” Morrin felt that her voice was loud and unreal.

“
Have you been drinking, Morrin?”

“
She’s a big girl now, Sam,” Gareth said. “And a free agent too.”

“
Have you…?” Sam stopped as Vicki appeared at his side. Tonight she wore a deep blue dress, the bodice consisting of little more than two broad straps, and her black hair had been caught at the back of her head then allowed to hang down her straight, slim back. Her eyes were very bright; as though, Morrin thought with a flicker of unease, she was gloating over a secret.

“
Where on earth have you been? Sam was worried about you, Morrin. Clucking like a mother hen. I told him, why hire such young women if it makes you fret when they’re out of your sight?”

“
I was just explaining to Sam that Morrin’s old enough to look out for herself,” Gareth said easily as they all followed their hostess into the hall.

“
You think so?” Sam made it sound like a challenge.

“
Gareth, there has been the most amazing coincidence,” Vicki gushed on. “When we were in Puerto de la Cruz today Sam and I met my friends the Hardimans… lovely people, they have a villa not far from here. And since they have guests staying with them too, and Cynthia Hardiman adores your books, we invited them all over to meet you.”

“
A nice thought, but I’m not really dressed for a party.” Gareth indicated his casual clothing. “So I’ll just slip out to the guest house…”

“
Nonsense, you look wonderful.” Vicki linked her arm firmly through his. “In any case, we have a special surprise for you. You must come and see it at once.”

He
shrugged, then smiled down on her indulgently. “How pleasant, I love surprises. And meeting my readers,” he added with a sidelong glance at Morrin.

“
I’ll just go to my room,” she began, but Sam would have none of it.

“
I want you to meet these people too,” he insisted.

To
Morrin’s surprise Vicki chimed in with, “Absolutely, we should all enjoy this party.”

The
hall was dimly lit and small enough for them to be grouped closely together. Neither Sam nor Vicki noticed the way Gareth’s free hand brushed against Morrin’s, his fingers tightening briefly on hers before being withdrawn. She realised, as she caught sight of herself in a mirror, that he was probably warning her not to look so guilty.

The
four of them moved, Vicki and Gareth leading, Sam and Morrin following, to the steps leading down to the lounge, where several people sat chatting. At the sight of them, Morrin, slightly behind Gareth, saw his head go up suddenly and caught his muttered, “Christ!”

Then
one of the women in the room had jumped to her feet and come forward, her hands outstretched towards him, her face glowing.

“
Gareth! I can’t believe it. Fancy meeting up like this, so far from home!”

“
Neither can I. Hello, Cass,” said Gareth.

*

It seemed to Morrin that the world, on its usual headlong gallop through the universe, had come to a sudden stop against a large and unexpected brick wall. Later, looking back on that moment, she was sure that she must have gasped or called out but if she did, nobody seemed to notice.

She
stopped on the steps, only dimly aware of Sam’s hand on her elbow as Gareth, urged on by Vicki, moved down into the room and towards the girl he had greeted as Cass.

“
I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Vicki
released his arm and turned so that now she stood by the girl’s side. As Morrin followed Sam down the steps she saw that the actress’s eyes, fixed on Gareth, were hard and bright and curious, as though the woman scented a story and was keen to see the facts confirmed.

“
Isn’t it wonderful, the two of us being here, of all places, at the same time?” Cass took Gareth’s hands in hers, reaching up to kiss him with easy familiarity, as though, Morrin thought numbly, she had every right. “As if it was meant. I couldn’t believe it when Vicki mentioned that you were staying with her, and writing a play for her, too. Why didn’t I know anything about this?”

“
Because it all happened very suddenly. Anyway, what are you doing on Tenerife?” he wanted to know. “Shouldn’t you be terrorising little children in that Welsh classroom of yours?”

“
A typical man,” Cass told the room in general, putting her arm through his so that he turned with her, close-linked, to face the others. “You never listen to anything I tell you, Gareth. I’m starting a new job next week, so my friend Anna and I decided to tour Spain and take in a quick visit to her aunt and uncle. Unfortunately it’s only a very quick visit. If I’d known that you were here… Anna, come and meet the man I’m always talking about.”

During
the flurry of introductions that followed, Morrin, staying in the background, had time to study Cass, the childhood friend Gareth had grown up with. She was slightly taller than Morrin, tall enough to look good in her simply cut orange midi dress; quite ordinary compared to the strikingly beautiful women Morrin had seen Gareth with during her time as his secretary, but animated and attractive, with a ready smile, bobbed auburn hair and brown eyes. Eyes that scarcely left Gareth’s face, Morrin realised, and felt her heart shrink within her. This, Kate had said, was the girl who had loved him for years, and was determined to marry him.

Gareth,
his arm now looped casually about Cass’s shoulders, brought Morrin into the introductions, but referred to her only as Sam’s assistant. At first, aware that the pleasure and magic of the day they had shared was sliding rapidly from her grasp, Morrin assumed that his casual introduction was his way of putting her in her place now that Cass had swept back into his life; but when Sam, with a reproving look at the other man, supplied Morrin’s name she realised why Gareth had been so reluctant to do it himself.

Cass,
who had shaken hands briefly and was about to turn away from Morrin, hesitated and frowned, turning back. “Have we met before?”

“
No, never.”

“
But your name… it’s so familiar,” the girl said.

“
It can’t be a proper party if I don’t have a drink,” Gareth announced. “Give me your glass, Cass, and I’ll freshen it up.”

“
Didn’t you once have a secretary called Morrin?”

Cass
asked in a clear voice, its faint Welsh accent underlying the words. Then, looking from one to the other, “Surely… this can’t be your Morrin, can it?”

“
I wouldn’t say she was ever mine, Cass,” he drawled, and Morrin noticed with amazement that the corners of his mouth were quivering. Even now, when everything had gone wrong, he found something to smile about. It was clear that although he had tried to keep her name from Cass, Gareth wasn’t going to be an ally now that her secret was out.

“
But it’s the same Morrin? It can’t be!”

Gareth
shrugged faintly and raised his eyebrows at Morrin, indicating that the next move had to be hers. She took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders.

“
As a matter of fact, I did work for Gareth once,” she said. “Briefly, a long time ago.”

Vicki
’s sigh was one of pure delight, and her dark eyes sparkled with malicious interest as they flashed between Gareth and Morrin. Her lips parted, but Sam’s voice broke in before she could say anything.

“
As Morrin says, it was a long time ago. Now that we’ve all met each other, who wants a fresh drink?”

His
grey eyes were fixed on Morrin and despite the light tone of voice there was shock in his gaze, a bewildered hurt that stabbed through her like a spear. She turned away, unable to face him, as he went on with scarcely a pause, “Gareth, what can I get you?”