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‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ She saw him stiffen, his jawline taut. ‘I could have done something about it.’ Prising her hand from its deathlike grip on the armrest, he held it firmly in one of his.
‘You never asked.’ His skin was warm and his grip comforting and Penny laid her head back and closed her eyes, feeling marginally better.
‘No, but it’s not that unusual,’ Solo said soothingly, slowly stroking the back of her hand. ‘Lots of people are afraid of flying, but there are excellent medications available to overcome the problem.’
Penny’s lips twisted in a wry grimace. Airsickness was the least of her problems. Her biggest problem was the man gently stroking her hand. It was hardly surprising she was ill after yesterday and a sleepless night. She was an emotional wreck before she ever got on the damn plane!
Until three days ago, she had been a reasonably contented woman. Her childhood had been happy until the death of her mother, but she had battled though her loss, and accepted her father marrying again and loved her half-brother. The only blip on the smooth running of her life had been the summer when she had first met Solo and fallen headlong in love with him, or so she had thought…
But with grim determination she had got over what she saw as his betrayal, and gone to university, passing all her exams. The trauma of losing her father and Veronica was fading and she was on the first step of the ladder to being a successful author of children’s books. She was quiet by nature, but with an inner core of strength that made her fight against adversity.
That was until yesterday afternoon. Before she had been an inexperienced girl who had not discovered the depths of her own sexuality. But Solo had changed all that in a couple of hours, when he had shown her what it was to be a sexually aware woman. She had been struggling with the emotional fallout ever since.
Last night she had watched him charm Brownie. Then he had stood at her side and listened while she’d rung Jane’s mum on her mobile and told her she was going on holiday to Italy for a week, and while she’d spoken with James. Then Solo had called her a coward for not revealing their marriage plans.
Penny had been furious, but later, when he had walked her upstairs to her bedroom, to her shame she had been torn between hoping he would leave her alone, and then, when he’d kissed her goodnight at her door, wishing he wouldn’t. No wonder she’d had a sleepless night.
‘Penny.’
‘Hmm,’ she murmured, her eyelids fluttering open.
Solo looked down at her through thick black lashes, an intimate glance that made her heart miss a beat. ‘Feeling better?’
As if he actually cared…Penny thought mutinously, but bit down on the childish response and hesitated for a moment, listening to her body. ‘Yes, I think I am.’ She sighed in relief. The nausea had gone.
Solo sank back in his seat, and breathed in deeply. Thank God she had got a bit of colour back in her face. Not willing to admit seeing her sick and as pale as a ghost had made him feel as guilty as sin. He had bulldozed Penny into coming to Italy with him. But seeing her ill had terrified him. There were times when he wanted to wring her lovely neck for the way she had rejected him in the past, but other times, like now, when he wanted to cradle her in his arms and comfort her.
He must be getting soft in his old age—then he dismissed the thought; age was not something he wished to dwell on. He cast her a sidelong glance. She was resting her head back, the elegant arch of her throat exposed by the open neck of the blue blouse she was wearing, as was the shadowy cleavage of her luscious breasts. He
felt a tightening in his groin. What the hell was he thinking of? The girl was ill!
‘So, Penny, tell me,’ he said, calmly determined to divert his wayward thoughts. ‘How is it in the twenty-first century a woman of your age is still terrified of flying? Surely you must have tried to get over your fear before now. I know you and your family fly down to the South of France at least a couple of times a year.’
‘There are such things as boats and trains,’ Penny remarked, slanting him a wry glance. With her nausea gone, she had time to look around. The cream leather armchairs and the bar all portrayed the wealth of the man at her side. The fact she was still in the safety seat, and had no intention of moving until the plane landed, did not stop her appreciating the luxury the plane afforded.
‘But as it happens I’ve never been to the South of France—it was Dad and Veronica’s holiday. They stayed in England for Christmas, but when I came home for the Easter and summer vacations, they took off the next day. It was a chance for them to have a break on their own while I was there to look after James. I’ve never flown before. In fact, technically you could say I’ve never been outside of the UK.’
‘You have never flown!’ Solo declared incredulously. ‘I don’t believe it. You’ve never even been abroad?’
‘Unless you call the Channel Islands abroad. No…James and I had a week in Guernsey two summers running. It is a nice journey by boat, and there is a lovely beach at St Peter’s Port. The weather is generally better than in mainland Britain.’
‘I need a drink.’ Solo got to his feet. He also needed to think. ‘Want anything?’ he asked curtly.
‘No, I’m fine.’ Penny looked up. His eyes burned into hers. He was angry.
Solo shook his dark head in exasperation, and moved to the bar. For years he had naturally assumed Penny had benefited from her father’s upturn in fortune at his expense. But now he was not so sure; either she was a great actress, or too soft for her own good. Unfortunately for him he was beginning to think it might be the latter.
The red dress apart, Penny’s clothes appeared to be classic but conservative. Today she was wearing a blouse and neat-fitting navy trousers, suitable for travelling. Her blonde hair was tied back and she looked the same as she had at eighteen. And she had never flown before!
To a man who spent half his working life travelling in his own jet the notion was unthinkable. Plus he had known Veronica, and he could easily believe she would dump her child on Penny and take off to the high life. He was a bit surprised that Julian Haversham had agreed, but then he’d been an old man with a young wife—what else could he have done? That thought brought Solo up cold.
Solo was silent for the rest of the trip, and Penny turned her head towards the window and stared out at the vast expanse of clear blue sky. He was probably angry and disgusted with her for being ill. Served him right if he was fed up with her already. The whole sorry mess was his fault, and on that thought she fell asleep. When the plane slowed and the noise increased, she started awake with a nervous jolt. But she did not have time to feel ill before the aircraft touched down.
Solo unfastened her seat belt. ‘I think I better carry you,’ he said, his mouth tight.
‘No. No.’ Penny struggled to stand up, knocking his hand away. ‘I can manage, just lead me to a house on terra firma, and a bathroom,’ she said with feeling.
Her mouth felt dry, her blouse was sticking to her, and it did nothing for her self-esteem to see Solo looking as cool and elegant as ever.
