The Seduction of Suzanne (30 page)

“Giving it away could be fun,” she murmured.

“Whatever. I don’t care! But is it the money? Because the only other thing I can think of,” his voice cracked, “is that you can’t bear the thought of me loving you. And if it’s that, then I swear I’ll keep my feelings to myself, and I’ll give you plenty of space, and I won’t make demands on you. And given time, who knows what will happen. You might come to love me too.” Even as he spoke, he was reaching out to bridge the gap between them, to pull her ever so carefully into his arms, as if he couldn’t quite believe she’d let him.

She buried her head in his shoulder and began to shake. Immediately he backed away. “No, sweetheart, please don’t cry. I’ll leave you alone completely. Or I’ll try. Just don’t cry!”

“Oh, I’m not, I’m not,” she gasped, “Or at least, I’m mostly laughing.” She looked up through wet lashes at his dear, bewildered face. “I’m an idiot. You’re an idiot. Never lie to me again, ever. I mean that. Never ever.” She put her hand behind his head and pulled him into a passionate kiss full of incredulous relief and joy. He came agreeably, returning the sentiments. After a long and blissful moment he said something, his words lost in her mouth. She paused, backed off a little, unable to stop herself from running her hands lightly, hungrily over him.

“What?” she asked breathlessly.

“I said,” he repeated himself with painstaking precision, “So what are you saying, exactly?”

“I love you too,” she beamed at him.

“You do?”

“Yup. Pretty much from the start.”

“And you never breathed a word to me?”

“Well you never said anything to me either,” she pointed out.

“True, true. But I was sure you’d guessed.”

“Nope.” She returned her attention to his mouth. “I was in a constant . . . mmm . . . state of . . . ahh . . . tension.”

“Good,” he said wryly. “Hate to think I was the only one.” Then he pulled her completely into his lap for a proper, really serious kiss.

It was long minutes before the sound of the opening door prompted Justin to raise his head, his eyes heavy-lidded and his breathing short. Over his shoulder,
Suzanne saw Michael come out of the house, a large tramping pack on his back.

“I could see from the window that you two had resolved your differences,” he said with a grin, “So I thought you probably wouldn’t be needing me
anymore.”

“But we don’t want you to leave,” said
Suzanne anxiously. “Do we, Justin?”

“Oh no. Please, stay as long as you like,” said her husband, giving the other man a toothy smile which wouldn’t have looked out of place on a crocodile.

“Oh, I was planning to go tramping anyway. I have my tent. I’ll be fine.”

“Okay. If you’re sure,” said
Suzanne dubiously, “But you must come to lunch or dinner before you go back to Auckland, so you can meet Justin properly.”

“I will,” Michael assured her.

“Ring ahead,” said Justin.

“I will,” he repeated with a chuckle. Then with easy strides he descended the stairs, crossed the lawn and disappeared down the driveway.

The couple watched him go.

“You were very rude,” she murmured, biting his ear lobe lightly.

“Do you think? I was under the impression I was completely polite,” he said with an air of injury.

“Tell
ing him to ring ahead like that. That was rude.”

“Plain common sense if you ask me. Never know what he might encounter if he surprised us.” As he spoke he was manipulating her expertly to remove her clothes. “There. That’s better,” he said with satisfaction when she was naked, her green dress and underwear casually tossed aside.

“No fair,” she grumbled pettishly, plucking at his shirt.

“You’re right. Now if memory serves, there are a couple of nice bedrooms in here, where we might rectify any of the iniquitous inequities under which you are presently labouring.”

“Iniquitous inequities?”

“Like me having more money than you.”

“How will we rectify that?

“Well in the long term I want to share it with you. But in the short term I was thinking maybe sexual favours.”

“Hmmm.”

“I’m thinking we need to work out a way of me owing you
bigtime. To even out the situation.” He tried the toothy grin out on her, eyes half-lidded.

“Bigtime?”

“Extremely bigtime.”

“I love it when you talk dirty to me,” she murmured dreamily.

“Suzanne?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

“That makes up for a lot of iniquitous inequities.”

“I thought it might.”

“I love you too.”

“Good.”