he wanted it. Dear God, if she only knew.
But what he wanted bore no resemblance to what she wanted.
‘I’m no good for you, Sarah,’ he bit out, surprising himself that he could find the will-power to resist what she was foolishly offering him.
‘Why not?’ she demanded to know.
‘You know why not. I hid nothing from you when you were a youngster. I told you more than once: I can’t fall in love.’
‘I’m not asking you to.’
He glowered at her. ‘Don’t you dare lower yourself in that fashion. Don’t you dare! I know you, Sarah. You want love and marriage and children. You do not want some decadent affair with a man of little conscience and even less moral fibre.’
‘So you’re knocking me back again. Is that the bottom line?’
‘I already have a girlfriend,’ he said coldly. ‘I don’t need you.’
The hurt in her eyes showed Nick that he’d done the right thing. Sarah’s crush would have deepened into love if he slept with her. It had happened to him before, which was why he always stuck to partners like Chloe these days.
But that didn’t mean he felt good about rejecting Sarah. His body was already regretting it.
‘You’ll find Mr Right one day,’ he said stiffly.
‘Oh, don’t be so bloody pompous,’ she snapped at him. ‘If I wanted Mr Right, do you think I’d have just propositioned you? But that’s all right, there are plenty of other good-looking studs around. Once I inherit all Daddy’s lovely money, I don’t think I’ll be wanting for lovers, do you? Now I’m going to go eat my Christmas lunch. You can please yourself with what you do!’
CHAPTER NINE
‘DOES that face mean good news or bad news?’ Derek asked after Sarah had dragged the chair out next to him, and plonked herself down.
‘Don’t talk to me just yet. I’m so mad I could spit.’
‘Oooh. I wish I’d been a fly on the wall. Here, have some wine. It’s a very good Chardonnay from the Hunter Valley.’
‘I don’t give a damn what it is as long as it’s alcohol.’
Sarah lifted the glass to her lips and swallowed deep and hard.
‘I hope you like seafood,’ Derek said, indicating the plateful he’d collected for her.
‘At this point in time, I like anything which is edible. And drinkable!’
Sarah could still hardly believe what had just happened. Her fantasy man had confessed that he fancied her. Had claimed he’d fancied her way back when she’d been fifteen!
She’d been within a hair’s breadth of having her most longed-for dream come true and what had he done? Rejected her, in favour of the brown-haired witch sitting two chairs down from her.
‘Sarah!’ the witch suddenly snapped. ‘Where on earth is Nick? I got his meal for him and now he’s not here to eat it.’
Sarah gained some pleasure from seeing that Chloe was not pleased with her lover’s absence. Not pleased at all!
‘I have absolutely no idea where he is,’ came her seemingly nonchalant reply, which was followed up by another large gulp of wine.
‘But weren’t you just talking to him?’
‘Yes,’ she replied airily.
The witch’s eyes narrowed. ‘So what were you two talking about? Or weren’t you talking at all?’
Sarah blinked, her wine glass stilling in mid-air. ‘What?’
‘You don’t fool me,’ Chloe spat. ‘I know what’s going on here with you and Nick. I knew it the moment I clapped eyes on you.’
‘Knew what, Chloe?’
Both Sarah and Chloe jumped at Nick’s reappearance, Sarah quite stunned by the ice in his voice. And his eyes.
Chloe’s own eyes stayed hard. ‘Don’t take me for a fool, Nick. I know jealousy when I see it. And I know you. No way could you have lived all these years with a girl of Sarah’s—shall we say?—attractions—without sampling them for yourself.’
Sarah’s mouth gaped open whilst Nick’s hands tightened over the back of his chair, his knuckles going white. ‘Are you accusing me of sleeping with my ward?’
‘For want of a better word—yes.’
Sarah suddenly became aware that a silence had fallen over the long, trestle-style table. In the distance she could hear the sound of a speedboat on the harbour. Up close, all she could hear was her own heart beating loudly in her chest.
‘If that’s what you think,’ Nick said, ‘then I suggest you leave.’
Chloe looked rattled for a moment, but only for a moment. Her face became a sour mask as she scraped her chair back and stood up. ‘I couldn’t agree more. I’m not a girl who tolerates being cheated on.’
‘I never cheated on you,’ Nick stated curtly.
‘If that’s so, then it’s only because Sarah decided she temporarily preferred Derek to you. I am well aware she hasn’t been home lately. But be warned, Derek,’ she flung in Derek’s direction, ‘she belonged to Nick first. Isn’t that right, Sarah?’
Sarah could have lied. But she wanted this creature gone from Nick’s life.
‘Yes, that’s right,’ she said, and there was a immediate buzz around the table. Chloe’s face showed a savage satisfaction, whilst Nick’s expression carried alarm.
‘But not the way you’re implying,’ Sarah went on, determined not to let this witch-woman ruin Nick’s reputation in the eyes of his business colleagues. ‘Nick has always had my love, and he always will. He has not, however, ever acted in any way with me but as my protector, and my friend. So yes, I agree with Nick. If you believe he’s behaved in such a dishonourable fashion, then you should leave. There is no place in my home for anyone who doesn’t hold Nick in the same high regard in which my father did, and in which I do. So please,’ she said, and stood up also, ‘let me show you to the door.’
‘No,’ Nick said, and pressed a gentle but firm hand on her shoulder. ‘Let me.’
Sarah threw him a grateful glance before sinking back down into her chair, only then realising her knees were very wobbly indeed.
‘Good luck,’ Chloe grated out with one last vicious look at Sarah. ‘You’re going to need it.’
As Nick shepherded Chloe from the terrace, Derek began a slow clap, joined by several of the guests.
‘Very impressive, sweetie,’ Derek said softly. ‘But also rather telling.’
Sarah’s head jerked around towards him. ‘In what way?’
‘Blind Freddie can see you’re in love with the man.’
Sarah sighed. ‘Was I that obvious?’
‘Afraid so.’
‘Oh, dear.’
‘No matter. Now, tell me what happened a little while back that made you so mad. Was Nick as jealous as Chloe said he was?’
‘Yes.’
‘I knew it! He fancies you, doesn’t he?’
Sarah shook her head. ‘I couldn’t believe it when he told me he did. And not just lately. Since I was sixteen.’
‘Wow. Did you tell him you fancied him right back?’
‘Yes.’
Derek