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He was obviously trying to help her to relax, but Genista felt as stiff as a poker as they walked along the lavender-bordered path to the small, grey country church. In other circumstances the simple service in the plain whitewashed church would have been her ideal. The flowers arranged by Amy made a soft pool of colour against the white background. Light streamed in through the stained glass windows—a gift to the church by a seventeenth-century inhabitant of the village, and obviously cherished.
Amy’s husband, John Robson, was as homely and pleasant as his wife. His voice was the one which guided Genista through her responses—responses which were tying her irrevocably to the man at her side, giving him licence to do with her as he wished. At one point she thought her voice was going to desert her completely, and only the hard grip of Luke’s fingers round her wrist jerked her back to awareness. And then at last it was over. The church bells pealed, and a small crowd had gathered outside to wish them well, and stare at the bride. Jeff Stanley did kiss her, but only lightly on the cheek before turning her back to Luke with a wide grin.
‘She’s all yours now, you lucky man. Barbara has prepared a buffet up at the house, but you aren’t expected to stay long. We’re still able to remember what it feels like to be newly married. I expect you can’t wait to be on your own. Aren’t you going to kiss the bride?’ he added.
Genista shrank back as Luke’s arm circled her waist. But it was too late. He was already drawing her towards him, his cool breath fanning the tendrils of hair at her temples, as his dark head bent towards her, blotting out the sun. It was that night in the alleyway all over again, and she tensed in fear, panic spreading through her body like fire. She was trembling so badly that she knew Luke must have felt it. His lips felt cool as they touched her own, his eyes night-dark as she looked up into them, pools of emptiness in which she could drown if she let herself. His body was shielding her from the onlookers, and to them they probably looked much like any other newly married couple, exchanging a brief embrace. Luke’s lips didn’t linger. The butterfly embrace was over almost before it had begun, leaving her feelings vaguely cheated, although she was at a loss to understand the reason for this strange emotion.
Jeff Stanley’s wife was plump and pretty. They had been married two years and had a very active nine-month-old son.
‘Luke’s a real dreamboat, isn’t he?’ she commented to Genista when she had taken her upstairs to show her the baby. ‘I used to have the most dreadful crush on him. How did you meet?’
‘At a party,’ Genista said truthfully. Even now she could not believe that they were actually married.
‘Come on down, you two,’ Jeff called. ‘Luke’s champing at the bit! I’d hurry if I were you, Genista,’ he teased. ‘He’s not a patient man and I suspect he’s longing to get you to himself.’
Genista hadn’t changed out of her suit; there seemed little point. She had no idea where Luke was taking her. He had cancelled the business meeting which had been the original purpose of their journey, she knew that.
Seated in the car, waiting for Luke to join her, she felt her stomach tensing nervously. She was on her honeymoon, the thought brought anxiety crawling along her nerves. She was just on the point of thrusting open the car door and screaming that she couldn’t go through with it, when Luke slid in beside her, turning the key in the ignition.
‘Come back soon!’ Amy called as the Maserati slid out of the square. ‘Have a good time!’
‘Where are you taking me?’
She sounded like an abducted heroine, Genista thought crossly. The worst possible thing she could do was to show fear. She ought to be showing Luke that she felt completely in control of the situation. Tonight he fully expected that he would be sharing her bed, but she knew that she could not allow him to do so, and if she panicked she would have next to no chance of preventing him.
‘It’s a surprise,’ was all he would say, but he said it in such a grim tone that Genista felt her nervousness increase. She should never have allowed herself to be manoeuvred into this position. She should have told him right from the start that he was completely wrong about her. A confession trembled on her lips, but she quickly realised that telling him the truth would serve no useful purpose. He would still desire her, perhaps even more when he knew that he would be her first lover. Her pulse rate quickened as she remembered what he had said at her apartment.
‘Where are you taking me?’ she demanded huskily.
‘Frightened?’ The mocking question sawed at her raw nerve ends. ‘There’s no need to be. After all, I won’t be the first man to share your bed, but I intend to be the one you remember the longest, Genista.’
‘Sure of yourself, aren’t you?’
She could feel him watching her, the knowledge sending prickly warnings along her skin.
‘No more than any other man with experience of your sex. The act of love is one which should be mutually enjoyable, and I believe that our body chemistry is such that it will be. You can’t deny that you responded to me when I kissed you.’
‘I hated it,’ Genista interrupted, her voice trembling with the fear the memory aroused. ‘And I hate you!’
The scenery had become vaguely familiar, and with a growing sense of disbelief she realised that they were approaching the hotel where she had stayed with Bob and Elaine.
‘Recognise it?’ Luke asked sardonically. ‘I asked Jilly to book us a double room. I got the impression she disapproved. No doubt she’ll be extremely relieved to see that on your hand when we return;’ he added, lifting Genista’s left hand, where her new rings glittered on her finger.
She had been surprised when Luke produced both an engagement and wedding ring. They had obviously been designed to be worn together, the single beautiful diamond of the engagement ring, set into a fine platinum band cut to match the gold and platinum wedding ring.
‘Am I allowed to return to the office?’ Genista retaliated sarcastically, as much to hide her growing fear as anything else. ‘Would you trust me so close to Bob?’
‘No, but I trust him,’ came Luke’s laconic response. ‘And you won’t be returning to work—just making a visit to let everyone know how the land lies. I don’t want Bob accusing me of doing away with you. Once he knows we’re married…’
‘He won’t be tempted to resume our affair, is that what you’re thinking? What makes you think I can’t make him overcome his scruples? After all, desire for me led you to overcome yours. I can’t really be the sort of woman you wanted for a wife; a businessman such as yourself—surely you wanted a wife you could be proud of, someone who would play her part as your hostess, impress your business colleagues.’
‘I’m sure you’ll be able to do that,’ Luke said dryly. ‘And as for the rest, I learned long ago that a man has to accept women for what they are, not what he would like them to be.’
‘Because of Verity?’
‘Who told you about her?’ The sharpness of the question betrayed his anger that she knew about the other woman.
‘Amy let it slip. When you said that your sister had been deserted by her husband, I didn’t realise that he’d gone off with your girl-friend.’
