Between The Sheets (11 page)

'Are you okay?'

Dana's eyes flew open and she sighed as a tall man emerged from the shadows. God, couldn't you go anywhere in this place without someone trying to chat you up? 'Yeah,' she replied, turning her back on him and gazing out across the rooftops, hoping he'd get the message.

'You must be married and, or, successful,' he observed, undeterred.

'Why do you say that?'

'If you weren't, you'd be in there looking for some-one who was going to either marry you or make you famous.'

Dana chuckled. It was a pretty accurate description of most of the women in there. 'That's a bit harsh. What about the men? Most of them are married and just looking for a night's entertainment.'

'Touche.' He came forward into the light and Dana found herself looking up into twinkling dark eyes. She looked away again. The last thing she needed right now was another twinkly-eyed charmer.

'I'm not, by the way,' he said. 'Married or looking for a night's entertainment.'

'So why are you here?'

He sighed as he stubbed out his cigarette. 'Baby-sitting. I have some clients visiting from Japan. I'm showing them the sights.'

'And you brought them here? We have wonderful architecture, museums, Trinity College and the Book of Kells,' she reminded him. 'Would they not be more appropriate "sights"?'

He laughed. 'Oh, believe me, they've done all that too. But they like their drink and they love their women, so here we are.'

'And you don't?' she asked.

He grinned. 'Yes to both, but I prefer quieter venues and less obvious women.'

'Then I'd say you're in the wrong place.'

'You too,' he said softly.

'I must go.' She smiled at him and went back inside. After a quick visit to the loo she returned to her seat and was relieved to see that the theatre bore had found some other ear to bend. Sylvie was nowhere in sight. Dana hunted in her bag for her phone and was about to call Sylvie's number when she saw there was a message waiting. It was from Sylvie.

Sorry, Dana, couldn't find you and was feeling
tired so gone home. See you tomorrow. Tnx for
a great day.

Home indeed, thought Dana crossly. Sylvie had prob-ably gone on to another club or, worse, a hotel room with that awful man. Despite her annoyance, Dana was worried. They didn't know anything about the guy; Sylvie really shouldn't take such chances. Dana felt more like her mother than her employer. She also felt more than a little responsible, given that she had brought her PA here in the first place.

Dana gathered up her bag and wrap. There was no reason to stay now. As she got ready to leave, the man from the balcony appeared and sank on to the sofa beside her.

'I thought we should get to know each other better.'

'I'm leaving,' she said curtly.

'Sounds great, where shall we go?'

She couldn't help smiling. He was attractive, in a reserved kind of way. But though his suit and tie were sober, there was an air of quiet confidence about him that she liked. 'You're very presumptuous.'

He shrugged. 'Maybe, but it's not often I meet someone like you.'

She sighed. 'You really need to work on your chat-up lines.'

'Let's go somewhere quiet,' he suggested, 'and you can give me some tips.'

Over the next couple of hours, they talked and flirted and Dana had the most fun she'd had in months. This man was exactly what her bruised ego needed. He was sexy, intelligent and had made it very clear that he fancied her. His name was Ryan Vaughan and he was a director of some Japanese electronics firm based in the north of the city. When questioned, it turned out he too had just emerged from a long-term relationship.

'Why?' Dana asked, as they sat in a small, cosy bar drinking brandies.

'She wanted us to settle down and start a family.'

'And you don't want kids?'

'Oh, I do. I just realized I didn't want to have them with her.'

'Ah.'

He sighed. 'Yes. She wasn't impressed, to put it mildly.'

'So you left.'

'No, she did. I would have been happy to go on as we were but her body clock was ticking, as they say, and she didn't want to waste any more time on me.'

'Hard luck.'

He shrugged. 'So how about you?'

'My husband left me because he says I didn't talk to him.'

He raised an eyebrow. 'Not a complaint you'd hear from most men.'

She laughed. 'True.'

'So why didn't you talk to him?'

'I did.' She looked away. 'I don't understand what he meant and he didn't hang around long enough to explain.'

He nodded wisely. 'I see.'

Her eyes narrowed. 'What do you see?'

'Well, there's obviously a breakdown in communication.'

'Oh, please! I'm too pissed for anything heavy.'

'So he's right, you don't talk.' He grinned innocently.

She drained her glass and stood up, slightly unsteadily. 'I've had enough psychoanalysis, thank you. I'm going home to bed.'

He stood up and folded her wrap around her shoulders. 'What a good idea.'

She raised an eyebrow. 'I suppose you want me to invite you back for coffee?'

He shook his head solemnly. 'No, but I wouldn't say no to a night of unbridled passion.'

Dana gazed up at him. 'Let's go, then.'

The next morning when she woke, she felt as if there was a freight train going through her brain. Cocktails and champagne were a lethal combination. Then, of course, there was the brandy— Oh shit! She opened one eye. Sure enough, there he was, lying beside her. Lying where Gus should be. 'Oh, God,' she groaned. Moving as gingerly as she could, Dana slipped out of the bed and made a rim for the bathroom. Inside, she pulled on a bathrobe and stared at herself in the mirror. She looked very slightly green; her eye make-up was halfway down her face and her mouth — swollen from fairly intensive kissing — hung open in shock. She swallowed hard as a wave of nausea engulfed her. She wasn't sure if that was down to the drink or the realization of what she had done. She had, for the first time ever, been unfaithful to Gus. Not that it really counted. Gus was gone. She didn't owe him any kind of loyalty. Strangely, that didn't make her feel any better. She sank down on to the edge of the bath and wondered how the hell she was going to get that man — Ryan? — out of her bed and out of the house before Iris or Sylvie arrived. 'Fuck,' she muttered, hearing the unmistakable sound of the front door opening and closing. Going to the sink she quickly washed her face, combed her hair and tightened the belt of her robe, then took a deep breath and went back into the bedroom.

Ryan sat up and stretched, exposing a tanned, smooth chest. He smiled lazily. 'Good morning.'

'You've got to get out of here now,' she said urgently, gathering up his clothes and tossing them at him.

'I thought you were separated,' he replied, throwing back the duvet.

Dana averted her eyes. 'I am, but my housekeeper is downstairs and I don't want her to see you.'

He grinned as there was a gentle tap on the door. 'I think it's a bit late for that.'

'Just a minute, Iris,' Dana called. 'Get into the bathroom and stay there until I call you,' she hissed frantically.

'Oh, come on!'

'Bathroom — please?'

Shaking his head he sauntered across the room, his clothes over his arm.

Dana waited until he'd closed the bathroom door before opening the bedroom door a couple of inches. 'Sorry, Iris, I was in the bathroom.'

'I'm sorry to interrupt you.' Iris's eyes twinkled excitedly. 'It's just that I thought you'd want to know, Mr Johnson is outside.'

'Gus!' Dana gasped.

Iris nodded, smiling. 'He's sitting in his car talking on his phone, so I'm sure he'll be in any minute.'

'Oh, God, you can't let him in.'

Iris frowned. 'But—'

'No, of course, you
must
let him in.' Dana thought quickly. 'Just tell him I'm in a meeting and he'll have to wait.'

Iris nodded. 'I'll show him into the front sitting room.'

'No!' Dana smiled weakly. 'Why don't you take him into the kitchen and make him some breakfast? He'd love that.'

Iris beamed. 'Very well. And don't you worry; I'll keep him talking while you—'

'What?' Dana snapped.

Iris frowned in confusion. 'Get dressed?'

'Ah, yes, great, thank you. I'll do that.'

Dana hurriedly closed the door and crossed to the bathroom. 'You can come out now,' she whispered.

Ryan emerged grinning and thankfully fully dressed. 'I feel like a teenager again.'

'I'm so sorry but—'

He held up a hand. 'No need for explanations, I need to head off anyway. I have a meeting and I need to go home first and change.'

'But you can't.' She blocked his way.

'I'm sorry?'

She sighed. 'My husband's here, and I really don't want him to see you.'

He frowned. 'I thought you were separated.'

'We are,' she assured him. 'I haven't set eyes on him since the day he walked out. I have no idea why he's here now. But if he saw you here it would really complicate things.'

'You've got the moral high ground and you want to keep it that way?'

'Something like that,' she admitted.

He glanced impatiently at his watch. 'I appreciate your position but I really have to go.'

She thought for a moment. 'Okay, just let me get dressed.'

With a sigh of resignation, Ryan nodded and walked to the window.

Dana grabbed trousers and a shirt and fled to the bathroom. She'd sneak him down to her office, she decided, and then very loudly escort him to the door as if they had been in there all along. Of course, the fact that he was wearing a casual jacket over chinos and didn't have a briefcase was a problem. Still, she could give him a couple of files to carry, and that would have to do. Anyway, what business was it of

Gus's who he was or why he was here? After over a month of silence he didn't deserve any explanations.

She dressed quickly, closing all the buttons of her white shirt. She left it loose over the trousers and quickly dabbed some concealer under her eyes and applied gloss to her lips.

'Very proper,' Ryan teased as she hurried out and slipped her feet into a pair of white pumps.

'Okay, here's the plan. I'll take you down to my office and then I'll walk you to the door—'

'At which stage you'd like me to talk loudly and call you Ms De Lacey.'

'Exactly!' Her smile faltered. 'You know who I am.'

'It clicked when you brought me back to this place,' he admitted.

She frowned; still, what difference did it make now? 'Wait here,' she said and crept out on to the landing. All was quiet so she hurried back to Ryan. 'Okay, let's go but, please, be as quiet as you can.'

Dana led the way down the stairs, checked the kitchen door was still closed then quickly led Ryan the opposite way towards her office. At the door she turned and smiled at him. 'Let me just get you a file to carry. Sorry,' she added, seeing the flash of irritation cross his face. 'I'm really sorry about this, and very embarrassed.'

He sighed. 'Forget it, just get me the damn file and let's get this over with.'

As Dana turned away from him there was the sound of a flush from across the hall and the door of the loo opened. 'Gus!'

Her husband stood there, his eyes going from her to the man at her side. 'Hello, Dana. Sorry, I seem to have got you at a bad time.'

'No! No, it's okay. We just finished our meeting, isn't that right?' She flashed a desperate smile at Ryan.

He nodded lazily, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. 'That's right.'

'Why don't you go and have a cup of tea, Gus, while I show Ry— Mr Ryan out?'

Dana held her breath as Gus looked from Ryan back to her. 'No, I'll go.'

'But why did you come?' she blurted out, as he turned to leave.

He looked back at her, and shook his head slightly. 'I really don't know.'

'Fuck, fuck, fuck,' Dana muttered, tears coursing down her cheeks as she stood alone in the doorway. Gus had left abruptly with a screech of brakes and Ryan had made his escape shortly after, mumbling something about picking up a taxi on the main road. Dana hardly even heard him. She felt sick to her stomach and it had nothing to do with alcohol. Gus had come back and she had blown it.

Closing the door she went in search of Iris.

Dana found the housekeeper setting the table with the best cutlery and crockery.

'Breakfast is almost ready and the kettle is on/ she said with a smile.

'I'm sorry you've gone to so much trouble, Iris, but I'm afraid he's gone.'

'Gone?' Iris looked at her, confused.

Dana nodded. 'Did he say anything, Iris? How did he seem to you?'

'Well, I couldn't really say—'

'Please, think — it's important,' Dana begged.

'Well, I told him you were in a meeting, like you asked me to. I asked him would he like some breakfast while he waited. He said yes, that he hadn't had a decent cooked breakfast since he'd left.' She paused, allowing herself a small, proud smile.

'Go on,' Dana urged.

Iris thought. 'Well, he asked me how I'd been, how my rheumatism was and how Jules was ...'

'Jules?'

'My cat,' Iris explained. 'He got caught in some barbed wire the week before Mr Johnson left.'

'Did he?' Dana said faintly. She hadn't even known Iris had a cat. How come Gus knew?

'And then he said he'd have a look around the garden while I was cooking.'

Dana froze. 'He went outside?'

'Well, yes. That's okay, isn't it?' Iris said, a tad defensively.

Dana thought of Ryan standing in the window of her bedroom while she went to get dressed. 'And then?' she whispered.

Iris shrugged. 'He came back in quite quickly, excused himself to go to the bathroom, and that was the last I saw of him.'

'Shit.'

Iris's mouth tightened with disapproval but she said nothing. Dana turned to leave. 'What about this breakfast, Dana? Won't you, at least, have some?'

'No, I'm sorry, Iris,' Dana said dully. 'I don't feel very well.'

Gus was livid, and more than a little shocked as he drove away. How could she? How the fuck could she? And in their bed too.