ELEVEN
‘WE SHOULD not have done that!’
Bella had collapsed weakly against the dampness of Gabriel’s chest as the last of the pleasure rippled through her body, but she raised her head now to look down at him incredulously. ‘What did you just say?’
Gabriel’s expression was grim as he returned her gaze. ‘I should not have done this, Bella—’
She gasped in shock, moving abruptly back and then away from him, clasping her ruined blouse about her nakedness as she disengaged their bodies before standing up. ‘Get out, Gabriel,’ she choked.
‘Bella—’
‘Just get out!’ she repeated shakily, turning away to find her panties, her legs trembling slightly as she tried to balance before pulling them on over her nakedness.
How could Gabriel do this to her? How could he?
What she had thought of as being something beautiful, utterly unique, had now become nothing more than something she wished to forget.
To wish had never happened!
‘Would you just put some clothes on and leave, Gabriel?’
He rose slowly to his feet, magnificent in his nakedness, his hair tousled about his shoulders, his chest broad and muscled, thighs powerful still, his legs long and elegant.
Bella turned away from looking at all that raw, male beauty. ‘I don’t want you to say anything, Gabriel. I don’t want you to do anything. I just want you to get dressed and leave. Now,’ she insisted.
‘Bella—’
‘Now!’
‘You misunderstood my reasoning just now, Bella—’
‘Don’t touch me!’ She moved sharply away from the hands he placed on her shoulders, shying away from even that physical contact.
Gabriel frowned fiercely as he saw her expression. ‘You did not seem to find my touch so distasteful a few minutes ago,’ he rasped.
‘Any more than you did mine,’ she retaliated. ‘I guess we both just got so carried away with the moment we forgot to look at the broader picture!’
Gabriel’s eyes narrowed. ‘And what might that be?’ he asked softly.
‘Will you just get some clothes on?’ she repeated impatiently. ‘I find it a little disconcerting talking to a man when he’s completely naked.’
‘I’m not just any man, Isabella, I am your husband,’ he pointed out harshly as he swiftly pulled his jeans back on and fastened them.
‘I know exactly who and what you are, Gabriel,’ she said. ‘What I meant, Gabriel, is that the only reason you married me was because of Toby—’
‘Isabella—’
‘Would you have even thought of offering me marriage if not for Toby?’ she challenged.
‘Neither of us will ever know now what would have happened after we met again in San Francisco—’
‘I know,’ Bella said scornfully. ‘I very much doubt we would ever have seen each other again after San Francisco if you hadn’t learnt of Toby’s existence!’
Gabriel drew in a deep, controlling breath. ‘This is perhaps not the time to talk about this. You are distraught—’
‘I’m angry, Gabriel, not distraught. With myself,’ she added. ‘For falling—yet again!—for your seduction routine!’
‘My seduction routine?’ he echoed incredulously.
Bella nodded. ‘No doubt honed over years spent on the Formula One racing circuit! And don’t bother trying to deny it,’ she warned. ‘I still remember the practised way you seduced me five years ago!’
He scowled. ‘That was five years ago, Isabella—’
‘Then you must be pleased to know that you haven’t lost any of your seductive skills!’ she snapped.
Gabriel studied her closely, wanting to take her in his arms, to explain his fears for her—
‘Insulting me is only making this situation worse, Bella,’ he told her softly instead.
‘Worse? Could it be any worse?’ she cried. ‘We’ve just ripped each other’s clothes off in a sexual frenzy—in my case, literally.’ She looked down at her gaping blouse, the buttons scattered on the carpet at their feet. ‘I don’t want to talk about this any more, Gabriel,’ she told him flatly, her expression bleak. ‘All I want is for you to leave.’
Gabriel’s mouth firmed. ‘I will return tomorrow—’
‘Don’t hurry back on my account!’ she exclaimed.
‘We need to talk.’
‘I very much doubt that there’s anything you have to say that I will want to hear,’ she told him wearily.
A nerve pulsed in Gabriel’s clenched jaw. Bella looked so beautiful with the darkness of her hair tangled about her shoulders, and her lips still swollen from the heat of their kisses, so utterly desirable, that all Gabriel wanted was to take her in his arms and make love with her again. And again.
‘Nevertheless, I will return later tomorrow,’ he bit out with grim determination.
She raised mocking brows as he made no effort to leave. ‘I hope you aren’t waiting for me to tell you I’ll be looking forward to it!’
‘No, I am not expecting you to say that.’ Gabriel gave a humourless smile. ‘Your honesty is one of the things I like most about you, Bella.’
‘One of the few things, I’m sure,’ she said knowingly. ‘If you’ll excuse me, now?’ She turned away. ‘I would like to take a shower and then go to bed.’
Alone, Bella could have added, but didn’t. What was the point in stating the obvious?
She raised her chin defensively. ‘Goodbye, Gabriel.’
‘It will never be goodbye between the two of us, Isabella,’ he stated calmly.
No, it never would be, Bella accepted heavily once Gabriel had finally gone. They would continue with this sham of a marriage for as long as it took. For as long as Toby needed them to do so.
For Toby…
Her small, happily contented son had absolutely no idea that his very existence had condemned his parents to a marriage that was completely devoid of love.
Except Bella’s love for Gabriel.
A love she would never—could never, reveal to him…
‘Where have you been?’
‘Where does it look as if I’ve been?’ Bella answered Gabriel sarcastically as she carried on taking the bags of shopping from the boot of her car. ‘I wasn’t expecting you back just yet,’ she added as Gabriel took some of those bags out of her hands.
She had seen the powerful black sports car parked outside the cottage as soon as she turned her own car down the lane, a heaviness settling in her chest as she easily recognised Gabriel sitting behind the wheel.
Despite her exhaustion Bella had lain awake in bed for hours the previous night, unable to stop thinking about Gabriel. About the wild ecstasy of their lovemaking. And then of his declaration that they shouldn’t have made love at all…!
Consequently it had been almost dawn before she had finally fallen asleep. Almost midday before she’d woke up again, feeling as if she hadn’t slept at all. Several hours, and half a dozen cups of black coffee later, before she’d summoned up the energy to dress and go out to shop for food.
Which was where she had