Page 37 of Promise Me Love
‘His father died a couple of years ago and his mother now lives on the coast. You’ll meet her on Sunday at the christening. I take it that you haven’t met her yet?’
Beth avoided Maggie’s eyes as she stood up and carried her vanity case over to the dressing-table and started to unpack her toiletries. ‘Not yet.’
‘Beth, maybe I shouldn’t ask this, but everything is all right between you and David, isn’t it?’
‘Of course. Why do you ask?’ She tried to inject amusement into her tone, but Maggie seemed less than convinced.
‘There’s just something… I don’t know how to describe it, but you two don’t act like a married couple.’
‘Maybe we haven’t had enough practice at it as yet.’ David spoke from the doorway, making them both jump. He carried the rest of the cases into the room, glancing quickly from one to the other, and Beth felt a ridiculous rush of heat flow along her veins. Colour ran up her cheeks and she turned away, but not fast enough to hide it from Maggie’s discerning eyes.
‘That’s probably it, especially when you can still make Beth blush like that.’
‘That is one of her most endearing habits.’ His voice was soft and filled with something that made Beth’s heart leap. She looked round, feeling the heat of desire flowing along her limbs. Time seemed to stand still, locking them into a single precious moment, then Maggie spoke and the spell was broken.
‘I’ll leave you to get settled in. Dinner is at eight.’
She left the room, but it was several minutes before Beth could get herself back under control to speak. ‘I’d better unpack.’ She glanced at the two cases standing beside the bed and frowned. ‘You’ve brought your case in here by mistake, David. Hadn’t you better take it to your room and start unpacking?’
‘This is my room. Naturally Maggie assumed that we would be sharing a bedroom. Most married couples do.’
‘Share? Oh, but…’ She tailed off, her heart thundering as she realised what he’d said was right. Obviously Maggie would expect them to share a bedroom. Why hadn’t she thought about it before?
‘We’re both adults, Beth. I’m sure we can manage for a couple of nights. After all, you were the one who wanted to come.’
That was so unfair that she rounded on him. ‘You agreed! You said that it was time to end this stupid quarrel with your brother. Don’t try making it out to be my fault.’
‘I wasn’t. I was merely pointing out that if the idea of sharing a bed with me is so abhorrent then you should have thought about it sooner.’ His eyes were like ice as he skimmed a contemptuous look over her. ‘Don’t worry, Beth. You will be quite safe. I shall manage to curb any lustful thoughts I may have!’
He strode out of the room, leaving Beth shaking with a strange mixture of emotions. Anger, fear and a strange sense of hurt at that parting shot. Did he have to make it seem that the last thing he would ever feel for her was desire? He’d seemed ready enough to admit that he could want her back in the factory, but had that been, as she’d accused him, some sort of a test?
She walked back to the bed and opened her case, forcing herself to concentrate as she stowed the contents neatly away, but it was impossible to cut David out of her thoughts, just as it was impossible to work out exactly what it was he wanted from her.
CHAPTER EIGHT
BETH’S eyelids felt heavy, weighted down by sleep. She rolled over on to her side, burrowing her face deeper into the pillow to blot out the light that was waking her up, but it didn’t work. She blinked sleepily, rubbing her eyes to clear her vision, then felt every sense flare to life when she saw the figure standing in a patch of sunlight streaming through the window.
Naked apart from a towel wound around his narrow hips, the man’s body gleamed hard and golden in the pale morning light, droplets of water sparkling against the smooth perfection of muscle and sinew. He looked like some beautifully carved statue as he stood there, but then he suddenly turned and Beth felt her breath catch when she recognised David.
‘So you’re awake at last. I was wondering if you were going to sleep the clock round.’ He came across to the bed and looked down at her, his grey eyes warm, his mouth curved into a tender little smile, and Beth felt a slow ripple of heat curl along her veins. She looked away, running the tip of her tongue over her dry lips, totally disorientated. She remembered unpacking her clothes, remembered taking off the navy dress and hanging it away before lying down on the bed to rest for a few minutes, but after that she remembered nothing apart from some hazy, disturbing dreams. Had she really been asleep since then?