ss as she spoke and missed Pat’s green eyes narrowing shrewdly

hing the waiter was at their side for their lunch order, and once he had gone Marianne changed the subject, insisting on he

n cocktail—one of Rochelle’s specialities—and had leant forward across the table, saying quietly, ‘Annie, have you t

de to turn in her chair Marianne said urgently, ‘No, don’t turn

s, Marianne forced her eyes away from the little party who had just come into the restaurant and on to the perplexed face of her friend. But on the perimeter of her vision she saw

a knife as Zeke’s deep drawl sounded just behind

as perfectly calm and composed. ‘Pat only phoned me th

grey eyes met bright green Zeke smiled coldly, before

n one for flowery effusion, but eve

he warmth of cold granite as he nodded in abrupt dismissal of the other woman before turning to

rald Morton’s pâté! ‘Yes, Zeke,’ she

uise the leashed strength of the hard, masculine frame. Deep grooves splayed out from either side of his straight nose to his mouth, a mouth which very rarely smiled except

ivity and tenderness to his lovemaking that made her—even with all that

here was a message in the cool, even tone that was for Marianne alone, but

o his table without another word a

two men Pat glanced over, but the green eyes stopped on the fourth figure at the table, who was engaging Zeke in animated conversa

‘She’s Liliana de Giraud,’ she said flatly. ‘You might have

ting place in the lunch hour when he was entertaining clients and such, but he had said he was going to fly to Stoke and

at’s down-to-earth evaluat

as just acquired her services for a massive development deal that will provide luxury homes f

, y

t, added to which she still wants him…badly.’ Marianne’s voice was expressionless, with a flatness

t row last night?’ Pat ask

m the man who didn’t like her dancing with another male—even one of his friends—and who objected if he thou

you’re not?’ Pa

to great pains to let me know how much she hates me. Never in front of Zeke, of course, she’s all sweetness and light when he’s around, but she wants him back and she doesn’t care what

prised,’ Pat

her the hand of friendship before Liliana’s covert hostility had made her aware she was likely to get it bitten off. So much for magnanimity, Marianne thought wretchedly, allowing he

oyment, and although she didn’t glance over at the other table again he

Zeke’s table on their way out—and so it was that Zeke left first. She acknowledged his raised hand of farewell with a nod a

na’s c

he was engulfed in a cloud of expensive, sultry perfume as Liliana bent to brush her cheek with cool lips,

of the excellent meal—not to mention the wine and liqueur coffee—as she looke

her head, but the green eyes narrowed with such naked feline coldness that it actu

rant hair—flushed from the effect of Pat’s scrutiny. ‘Zeke and I have heaps to discuss. We’re going

poised, self-possessed ones as she smiled with a serenity she was far from feeling and sai

k into play, and Liliana slanted her almost colourless, opaque blue eyes at the two women as she said, ‘I mustn’t keep him waiting; pati

atched the slim, elegant figure weave her way out of

reluctant smile to Marianne’s lips. ‘But she’s i

n stared at each other in perfect understanding for a long moment before Ma