Carly blinked at him.
They did?
‘But we must see you some other time,’ he continued. ‘Just give us a little more warning next time.’ He reached down and picked up his cell phone. ‘And in the meantime, I’ll have my driver take you back to wherever it is you’re going.’
Carly could see the flicker of annoyance on Bella’s face, the sulky pout which had made her pretty face crumple. The look which always used to get their mother eating out of her hand, but which seemed to be having absolutely no effect on Luis.
She could feel cold dread building inside her as she wrapped her sarong around her to see Bella out, waiting for the outburst she knew was inevitable—and she wasn’t disappointed.
‘You do realise you’re in danger of making a complete and utter fool of yourself?’ hissed Bella as they reached the front door.
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘Oh, please! It’s written all over you, and I’m your sister—I know you better than anyone. It’s obvious to me that you’re sleeping with him and that you can’t tear your eyes away from him. I don’t blame you for that—he’s pretty amazing—the only surprise is that he’s chosen someone like you. I don’t want to be cruel, Carly, but you need to hear the facts. And you’re heading for a crash if you don’t pull yourself together, because it’s clear what he’s doing.’
Carly felt as if she’d been carved from wood. ‘And what’s that?’
‘He’s just playing Pygmalion,’ Bella continued, really getting into it now. ‘Transforming his mousey little housekeeper into someone who’s happy to lie by the swimming pool, bursting out of her bikini. But it’s nothing but a game for him. Don’t you see? He’s been bored—and incapacitated—and it’s just something to keep himself occupied. He’ll drop you just as quickly as he picked you up, and then where will you be?’
There were a million things she could have said in response, but Carly just said the words she knew were expected of her, like someone who was reading from an autocue. And wasn’t Bella only speaking the truth? ‘Thanks for the advice—I’ll certainly bear it in mind,’ she said. ‘Maybe we can meet up when I get back to England?’
Bella stared at her as if waiting for more and when it didn’t come, she spoke again. ‘And hopefully you’ll have seen sense by then.’
‘Hopefully.’
Bella shook her head and her blonde hair swayed. ‘You’re a fool, Carly Conner.’
Carly watched as her sister strutted across the forecourt of the villa and climbed into the car which was waiting. She stood there for a long time after the electronic gates had closed, until there was nothing but a tiny black dot in the distance, spitting up
clouds of dust as it drove down the hillside.
She walked slowly back into the house. Now what?
Back to the poolside to finish her glass of champagne and for a conversation she didn’t really want to have? Yet deep down she knew she didn’t have an alternative. She couldn’t avoid the truth for ever.
Luis had obviously been swimming while she’d been saying goodbye to her sister. His dark hair was dripping and his olive skin was sleek with little droplets of water. He walked along the edge of the pool and stretched and suddenly it was as if her vision had cleared. As if she was able to step out of the fog of lust and love which had clouded her judgement up until now. She saw him as Bella must have seen him. Famous, gorgeous, rich. One of the great playboys who’d had dalliances with some of the most beautiful women in the world. Had she really thought she could stand in their shadow for long? Even if he had managed to make her feel better about herself, did she really think she was able to hang onto him? To make him love her?
He looked up and met her eyes.
‘She’s gone,’ she said flatly.
‘Yes.’ There was a pause. ‘She’s nothing like you, is she?’
‘Not really.’ Carly forced a smile. ‘Were you attracted to her?’
‘Was I attracted to her?’ he repeated slowly. ‘Why do you ask a question like that?’
Carly reminded herself that he had taught her not to have hang-ups about sex, so didn’t that mean that she should start thinking about it the way that the rest of the world did? Like some kind of casual exercise to be enjoyed. ‘Most men are.’
‘Are they?’ he said, his tone now ominous. ‘What, did you think I wanted to bed your sister, Carly? Or perhaps to live out the fantasy of taking the two of you at the same time?’
Her skin had turned to ice. ‘D-did you?’
He gripped his hands into two tight fists, which hung down by the powerful shafts of his thighs, his face darkening like thunder. ‘No, I did not,’ he gritted out. ‘Just what kind of man do you take me for?’
Carly had never seen him so angry. His black eyes were cold and his shadowed jaw looked as hard as granite. ‘I know what kind of man you are,’ she said. ‘Remember?’
‘I may have had a chequered past, but I have treated you with nothing but respect since we became lovers,’ he ground out. ‘I’ve been up front with you every step of the way and as considerate as I know how. But it seems you couldn’t wait to throw it all back in my face by making veiled suggestions that I might enjoy some sordid little tryst with your sister.’