"Bite the bullet, Lucas," Layla advised in amusement. "This is a very romantic setting."Lucas stiffened, but looking away from Layla at that moment wasn’t an option; she looked so irresistibly appealing. She had taken her hair down during the flight, and the brilliantly colourful strands tumbled luxuriantly round her slim shoulders, glinting like her metallic dress in the sunlight coming through the windows.He moved forward, stepped behind her and ran down her zip, peeling the fabric back slowly from her shoulders while planting a kiss on the pale flesh he exposed.Layla held her breath, watching their reflections merge in a tall mirror with the faint blurry quality of antique glass. As he bent over her, the brush of his lips made her shiver. His hair was so black against hers, his hand so dark against her white shoulder. The dress slid down her arms and then dropped into a pool at her feet."My turn to say wow," Lucas growled, flipping her round to take in the full effect of her cu

Temper hurtled through Layla like a rejuvenating blast of oxygen. You mean you wouldn’t have done it?Of course I wouldn’t have done it. I’m not an unjust man. Your uncle gave you a home when you needed one, and I respect him for that because I doubt very much that he received much support from your aunt.’ Lucas studied her. But from certain things you have let slip quite without meaning to, I think your aunt should be burnt at the stake as a witch...and possibly your cousin with her.’That cool rundown of her upbringing snuffed out Layla’s annoyance as though it had never been and provoked an involuntary laugh from her lips. ‘Oh...dear.’But in one sense, you have done me a favour. Your position in your uncle’s family closely resembled William’s when my half-brother and I were children, and that has enabled me to see that William was often excluded, set apart from my parents and I by his birth and parentage and made to feel like an outsider, "he imparted grimly. It was wrong when tha

Lucas lost colour, the exotic slant of his cheekbones pronounced. There was a lurch in the region of his gut, as though he had been punched. He didn’t want to be free. Naturally, he had gotten used to being married, and he was content to stay married and eventually try for another baby.Layla suited him. He didn’t know how she did it or why she was so important to him, but she matched him in all the ways that mattered. Indeed, he had become so accustomed to Layla being around that he could not imagine his life without her.Obviously, he was more of a creature of habit and routine than he had ever appreciated, because within a short time, Layla had become astonishingly necessary to his comfort."And what if I don’t want to be free?" He grated, soft and low.Layla told him with astonishing conviction, "If that’s what you think you feel right now, you’re lying to yourself." And why are you lying to yourself? because you feel sorry for me and you think it’s your job to look after me.You

Five days later, Layla sat out on the terrace below the twining vines that were slowly changing to autumnal shades and dropping their leaves. She had thrown up before she made it down to breakfast, and her breasts were painfully sensitive.It was as if every possible side effect of pregnancy was suddenly kicking in all at once. She had gone for her blood tests with Dr. Silvano and he had reassured her that the results were normal.Her nerves, though, were all over the place because Lucas was due back that very evening and she was stressed out at the thought of seeing him again because he had been so polite and distant when he phoned. In addition, he had mentioned dining withBeverly, who was also in London, and Layla had had to battle an innate streak of jealousy and tell herself that she was relaxed about his friendship with his former fiancée. But even so, Layla feared comparisons being made and knew it would always hurt that Lucas should believe that Beverly would have made him the

Layla told him breathlessly, unknotting his tie, yanking it free of his collar before embarking on his shirt buttons. You’ve just told me you love me, and, since I love you too, we should be celebrating.’"You love me? Even after all the mistakes I’ve made?’ Lucas pressed, stunning dark golden eyes locked on her flushed face and her huge, beaming smile."Yes." Unlike you, Layla murmured in unashamed one-upmanship, ‘I never expected the man I married to be perfect.’But I do think you’re perfect, "Lucas argued heatedly. It's absolutely perfect for me. You’re beautiful and clever and warm and loving and you will make an absolutely brilliant mother. ""Tell me more. My ego loves this, Layla urged, laughing. I really should’ve guessed you loved me when you tracked down my father for me and got him out here. Instead, I was too busy worrying about you dining out with Beverly.’Lucas tensed. "Why on earth would you worry about that?"‘Because you thought she was perfect and you were with her