Between The Sheets (20 page)

Dana was woken at ten by the sound of Iris cleaning up after the night before. Pulling on her dressing gown, she went downstairs. 'Morning, Iris.'

The housekeeper switched off the hoover and smiled. 'I'm sorry if I woke you.'

'No, I was awake,' Dana lied. She'd only got to bed at four and felt exhausted. As she poured coffee into a large mug, she debated whether she should shower or just crawl back under the covers. 'It's very good of you to come in on a Saturday.'

'It's no trouble. Did everything go all right last night?' Iris asked.

'It seemed to, though I've no idea why. I have a feeling my agent was telling more than a few fibs on my behalf.'

Iris frowned. 'Was that wise?'

Dana sighed. 'Good question. He believes so.'

'Shall I make you some breakfast?'

'No, coffee is fine for the moment. I think I'll go and have a shower before I start work.'

Iris smiled. "You're going to write?'

'I have to try. I'll be letting a lot of people down if I don't.'

Iris opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by the sound of the intercom buzzer. 'Who could that be?'

'I'll get it on my way up.' With her mug in one hand, Dana went out and picked up the handset. 'Yes?'

'I've brought you breakfast.'

'Who is this?'

'Charming. I know it was a brief encounter, but I had hoped it was at least memorable.'

She smiled. 'Ryan?'

'Glad I'm not completely forgettable.'

'What are you doing here?'

'I thought I'd give you an opportunity to explain how I ended up in the newspaper.'

'I'm so sorry, Ryan, but I had no way of contacting you—'

'Are we going to conduct this whole conversation via intercom? Only, I brought breakfast...'

She laughed. 'Sorry. Come on in. But you'll have to give me five minutes. I need to dress.'

'Not on my account.'

'Wait in the sitting room, Ryan. I'll be as quick as I can.' Dana went into the kitchen to ask Iris to let him in. Ignoring the look of disapproval on the woman's face, she hurried upstairs. This was the last thing she needed, after the night's work she'd put in. But she couldn't help feeling pleased that he had dropped by. She'd felt bad that he'd ended up in a tabloid newspaper because of her, but that couldn't be helped. She didn't have his phone number and so had no way of warning him.

Dressing quickly in jeans and a T-shirt, Dana tucked her hair back behind her ears, put on some lip gloss and went down to join him.

He stood up and smiled when she walked in. 'You look wonderful.'

She made a face. 'I'm wearing no make-up. I have a slight hangover. And got about five hours' sleep — I don't think so!'

He came over and kissed her cheek. 'I think you look beautiful.'

She stepped back, embarrassed and very conscious of how small she felt next him. 'Let's go into the conservatory and eat there. I hate missing out on any of this sunshine.'

He followed her through to the other room. 'It is incredible weather.' He carefully lifted two large cups of latte out of a bag and then took croissants and pains au chocolat out of another.

'You're into healthy eatir.g, then,' she teased as he spread the food out on the coffee table in front of them.

He lifted a finger and then pulled out two small plastic containers of mixed fruit and two brown scones. 'I'm ready for anything.'

Dana laughed at the double entendre. 'I'm not. I'm completely exhausted, so don't get any funny ideas.'

'Out clubbing again, eh?' he said casually.

Lord, he was jealous, Dana thought delightedly. 'No, my publisher and agent were here for dinner. Drinking was the only way to get through it. Then, when they were gone, I started writing and lost track of time.' She took a sip of coffee. 'Thanks for this.'

'I wasn't sure what way you liked your coffee. I hope this is okay.'

'Perfect. I'm sorry about the papers.'

He shrugged. 'It gave my colleagues great pleasure. They photocopied it and pinned it up all over the office.'

'Oh, that's awful,' she groaned.

He smiled. 'It wasn't so bad. Some of the other guys were quite impressed.'

She shook her head. 'Anyway, a journalist showed up looking for a comment. Of course, I didn't give him one,' she said hurriedly. 'He told me he also had photos of us outside the house. Well, then I panicked. I knew that once Gus saw them, he'd know for sure that you had stayed the night. I phoned the guy who handles my publicity and he came up with the story.'

'Quite plausible, but if I were Gus I wouldn't have swallowed it. He pretty much caught us red-handed.'

'What do you mean?'

He shrugged apologetically. 'He saw me standing at your bedroom window.'

'You knew he'd seen you? Why didn't you say so at the time?' she said incredulously.

'What was the point? It wouldn't have helped anything.'

'I suppose not. And you're right, he didn't swallow it. I've tried to talk to him, but he won't take or return my calls.'

'The man's an idiot.' Ryan helped himself to a croissant.

'He is not,' she said crossly. 'He's just hurt.'

Ryan nodded thoughtfully. 'Remind me — it was he who left you, wasn't it?'

She nodded reluctantly.

'And he didn't get in touch for weeks until he arrived that morning unannounced. Oh, and I'm forgetting that he'd already been snapped by the press with another woman.'

'How did you know that?' Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. 'You said you didn't even know who I was until you brought me home.'

'Ah, yes, but I have a sister who follows the tabloids with pathetic devotion and she was able to fill me in on all the gory details.'

Dana shuddered. 'You told your sister about me?'

'I tell my sister everything,' he admitted.

Her eyes widened. 'Everything?'

He grinned. 'Well, no, I don't go into any sort of intimate detail and neither does she. God, I couldn't handle that. I do not want to know about what men might get up to with my kid sister.' It was his turn to shudder.

'It must be nice to be that close to your family. Are there just the two of you?' Dana curled up on the sofa with her coffee. She'd forgotten what good company Ryan was. He also looked pretty good in daylight. His eyes were darker than she remembered and she loved how they crinkled round the edges when he smiled. Her eyes were drawn to his mouth. He had been a great kisser too—

'Dana?'

She felt her cheeks flush. 'Sorry?'

He smiled knowingly. 'I was asking if you had any brothers or sisters?'

'One brother.'

'Are you close?'

Dana hesitated. 'We were when we were young, although he is three years older than me. I don't think he ever confided in me, though. I was just his kid sister.'

'And now?'

'We don't see that much of each other.'

'That's a pity.'

She shrugged. 'It's life.'

'Don't you miss him?'

'I've lived longer without him than I did with him. Anyway my life is here, in Dublin. I have lots of friends here.'

He studied her over the rim of his cup.

'What?' she asked.

'Nothing.'

'Go on. Say what you were thinking.'

He shook his head. 'You won't like it.'

'Try me,' she challenged, enjoying the banter.

'I was just going to make an observation. You'd probably think it was presumptuous.'

'Really, say it. I'm fascinated that in the short time we've known each other and from the snippets you've learned from your sister, you figure that you know me.'

'I didn't say that.'

She waved away his correction. 'Oh, stop prevaricating and just spit it out.'

'Okay,' he said slowly. 'I don't think you were as happy with your husband as you pretend. I think you miss your brother, and I doubt that you have lots of friends.'

'Well! Thanks for the honesty.' She stared at him in silence for a moment, then stood up. 'I think you'd better go now.'

He looked up at her and smiled. 'See, I knew you didn't really want to hear the truth.'

'It's not the truth,' she protested. 'It's total bullshit. You don't have a clue what you're talking about. You know nothing about me.'

Ryan took her hand and pulled her down beside him. 'No, but I'd like to,' he said gently.

She looked into his eyes and saw humour there but kindness too. 'It's really not a good time to start a relationship—'

'Is there ever a good time?'

'I'm not ready,' Dana whispered.

'Then we'll just be friends.'

'Oh, right, sure.' She rolled her eyes. They were sitting so close she could feel the warmth of him and smell his spicy cologne.

'No, I mean it,' he told her, smiling straight into her eyes. 'At least until you get to the point where you can't resist my charm any longer. We can do lunch, visit the zoo, go and watch a football match—'

'I hate football.'

'You'll learn to love it,' he promised. 'I'll even teach you the offside rule.'

She shook her head, smiling. 'Why?'

'It's essential if you want to understand the game,' he said, straight-faced.

'You know what I mean.' She slapped his thigh, laughing.

He caught her hand in his and stroked her palm with his finger. 'I feel we really clicked that night. I haven't stopped thinking about you since. That hasn't happened to me in a long time.'

She stared at him, thinking that if she leaned forward just a fraction, she could kiss him. The temptation to do just that and then drag him up to bed was enormous. But there was Iris to think of. And, anyway, it would be wrong. She couldn't commit to Ryan. Her head was all over the place at the moment; it wouldn't be fair to him. But, God, he was sexy and the fact that he fancied her too was a huge turn-on.

'Okay, you've weighed up the options,' he said quietly. 'What's the verdict?'

She put her head on one side and pretended to consider the question. 'No to the zoo. I hate the smell. Yes to lunches. As for football: I'm sorry but the intricacies of the offside rule hold no appeal. How about rugby instead?'

He grinned. 'I was the hooker on my school team.'

'Now, why doesn't that surprise me?'

She stood up and pulled him with her. 'Thank you for breakfast, and for being so understanding about the piece in the newspaper.'

He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. 'No problem.'

'Friends don't do that,' she told him.

He shook his head. 'No, friends don't do this either.' And bending his head, he kissed her.

Dana felt herself go weak at the light, but firm pressure of his lips on hers. Just as she was about to wrap her arms around his neck, he pulled away and smiled. 'But it would be nice if they did.'

'I can take it or leave it,' she said casually, turning him towards the door.

'I don't believe you.' He whistled as he strolled back into the hall. 'Should I go and say goodbye to your housekeeper?'

'Not if you want to get out of the house in one piece,' she murmured, nudging him on towards the door.

'She'll grow to love me,' he assured her. 'I have that effect. Don't I?'

She laughed. 'Don't ask me. I'm just your friend.'

Gus was signing some letters before leaving the office for the day to meet Terry, when his phone rang. 'What is it, Carla?'

'There's a call for you from a Mr O'Carroll. He said you were expecting his call. I asked him what it was in connection with but he wouldn't say.'

Gus stared at the phone.

'Gus? Will I put him through?'

'Yes, Carla, thank you.' Gus held his breath as he waited to hear Dana's brother's voice for the first time.

'Hello? Ed?'

'Yes.'

'This is Gus Johnson.'

'Nice to finally talk to you,' Ed replied. 'It's only taken us, what, six years?'

'Almost seven.'

'I must say, I was surprised when I got your message.'

'Why's that?'

'I thought if we ever did get to meet or talk, it would be with Dana present. But given that you asked me to call you at work, I assume that she doesn't know anything about this.'

'No, she doesn't.'

'Oh, well. I suppose that was too much to hope for.'

'Why?' Gus asked.

'Why did you want to talk to me, Gus?' Ed asked, ignoring the question.

'Dana has never talked about her family. She's always said it was too painful and she didn't want to think about that time of her life, never mind talk about it.' Ed said nothing so Gus ploughed on. 'Recently I found out some things about Dana, and, well, I felt shocked and hurt that she never confided in me.'

Again Ed was silent for a moment. 'Did you ask her about these "things"?'

'No, I left.'

'You've left her?' Ed sounded incredulous.

'Yes.' Gus began to feel defensive.

'I see.' Ed's tone was cool.

'No. No, you don't. You don't know anything about it. You don't know me; and I'm beginning to wonder, do you even know Dana?'

'I knew Dana the little girl. But no, I don't know Dana the woman.'

Gus sighed. 'I'm sorry. It's just so bloody frustrating.'

'I know.' Ed finally sounded sympathetic. 'If you like, we could meet up. But I don't have all the answers. I can't even promise I'll tell you everything you want to know.'

'I'd appreciate any help you can give me at this point. It's probably a waste of time but...'

'You're hoping that I'm going to tell you something that will allow you to forgive her?'

Gus sighed. 'Yes, maybe I am.'

Sylvie knocked on Dana's bedroom door and stuck her head in. 'Is there anything else you want me to do before I head off?'

Dana groaned. 'A new brain?'

Sylvie came in and sat down. 'Still not going well, then?'

'You could say that. God, I could kill Wally for telling Gretta I could do this.'

'But you can,' Sylvie assured her. 'You just need to get your
mojo
back.'

'My
mojo
is a distant memory,' Dana told her with a weak smile. 'I don't suppose you fancy going out tonight?'

'Yeah, great. What did you have in mind?'