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back-up from the trusty nanny. 'Really, Reid,' his mother chided. 'As if I'm not experienced! I might remind you that you were more than a handful at a certain age.' 'Well, I can see the women's club is swinging into affirmative action,' he drawled with every appearance of good humour as he carried Bobby down to the family room. 'On your heads be it!' he added cheerfully. Women's conspiracy, Gina interpreted, not missing the glitter in Reid's eyes before he hooded it. He was holding his fire, scouting the situation, bottling his anger for later. Pride wouldn't let him explode in front of his mother or his staff. Most especially his mother. The good-marriage-show went on, at least in front of others. No rocks anywhere in sight. 'It's so exciting,' Tracy bubbled. 'Mrs. Tyson flying off to Europe with you on Sunday. Paris in the spring...' 'Mummy said she'll bring us back lots of pictures,' Patrick declared, seeing the advantages for himself in show-and-tell at school. He was more like her than Reid, Gina thought, not only in looks, with his wavy brown hair, olive skin and amber eyes, but also in nature. He wanted approval too much. Approval and reassurance. His younger brother never looked for either. Bobby moved to his own beat. 'Dad-Dad, me-me!' Jessica demanded, scrambling off Lorna's lap, jealous of Bobby getting first nurse with their father. 'Wait with Grandma, Jess,' Reid directed her. 'Down you go, Bobby. Looks like Mummy's made some drinks here, and I'm a man with a thirst.' 'I'm a jet plane,' Bobby cried, and was off and running the moment his feet hit the floor. Jessica hung around Lorna's knees, pouting to be picked up. 'They're G and Ts,' Patrick informed his father as Reid strolled towards the servery bench where Gina was still stationed. 'That means gin and tonic, Daddy. Mummy made one for Grandma 'cause she likes a G and T.' 'So do I, Patrick. It's lucky Mummy has made two of them.' Reid's gaze swung to Gina, a full blast of dangerous derision as he added, 'Though perhaps she's in dire need of one of these herself. Are you, darling?' Her throat seized up. She shook her head and pushed the two glasses across the bench to him, silently pressing him to take the second drink to his mother and keep the happy family charade going. He picked them up but he didn't move away. Gina's head swam from the tension of all that was being left unsaid. It seemed to hang between them, brooding, gathering force. 'You've been very busy this afternoon,' he remarked in a casual tone, belying the dark turbulence she sensed in him. Gina swallowed hard. She was not going to be intimidated. To her mind there was justification for what she'd done. A surge of defiance brought a flush to her cheeks and a challenging fire to her eyes, turning the amber to molten gold. 'I would have preferred to be busy with you,' she said, then dropped her tone low enough to keep the words private. 'But that plan fell through since you chose to spend your personal time with your personal assistant.' A blaze of blue flashed savage intent. 'I'm sure we can make up for that later tonight.' 'Not worn out then?' she shot back at him, still smarting over his choice to be with Paige Calder. 'I've suddenly found huge stores of energy. Must be the prospect of this second honeymoon you talked about to Liz Copeland.' Gina's heart skipped a beat. He'd known what she'd done before he came home. It was probably what had brought him home early, only to be faced with more of a fait accompli. He was pumped up, but not with desire to make love with her. It was barely repressed fury fuelling the energy burn inside him. 'Dad-Dad!' Jessica shrilled, impatient for his attention. She pushed away from Lorna and set off tottering towards him. Seeing his daughter's single-minded charge, Reid called to Patrick. 'Take Grandma's drink to her, will you, son? I've got to pass on a few messages to your mother.' Gina waited tensely for the messages, aware that Reid was setting up some uninterrupted space for them to converse without appearing rude to his mother or anyone else. Patrick raced to do his bidding. Reid deftly handed him one glass, set the other on the bench and bent to scoop Jessica up with perfect timing. He [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |