Public Marriage, Private Secrets - By Helen Bianchin Page 0,7
appeal. Consequently she settled for an entree as a main, with a side salad, and declined dessert.
It was as he lifted his goblet of wine that she noticed a gleam of gold on his left hand, and her eyes widened in recognition of the unique handcrafted band she’d placed there on the day of their wedding.
He still wore it?
Why so surprised, when her own still graced her hand?
Admittedly transferred to her right hand. A wide bevelled gold band encrusted with diamonds. She had been morally unable to discard it while the marriage remained valid.
Gianna searched for something to say…and came up with nothing that made any sense.
You’re looking well didn’t cut it.
How is business these days? seemed ludicrous, given his consortium had inevitably diversified into areas she had little or no comprehension of, racking up millions in the process.
Failure and Raúl Velez-Saldaña did not equate.
He was a hard-hearted ruthless entrepreneur, well-respect ed for his uncanny ability to successfully manipulate and strategise, forging ahead with unfailing resolve when colleagues and adversaries chose to opt out.
Yet each acquisition was carefully and painstakingly researched, every possible angle examined to the nth degree.
She could recall the times she’d awakened alone in their bed in the late-night hours, only to find him closeted in his home office studying graphs and projections on-screen.
Then she would go to him, ease the tension in tight shoulder and neck muscles, and suggest he needed sleep…only to have him smile, press save and pull her onto his lap. Sleep, as such, had rarely happened for a while.
Dear heaven…why were such memories surfacing now?
It was madness. A brief moment of insanity she immediately banished to the nether regions of hell.
‘I suggest you tell me precisely what Teresa will expect of me.’ Her voice sounded calm, even to her own ears…amazing, given she was an emotional mess.
‘The pleasure of your company. One-on-one time.’ His eyes speared her own—dark, enigmatic. ‘She occasionally lunches with a few close friends, and I imagine she will delight in having you join her.’
Not a difficult ask. She held his gaze, silently wishing it wasn’t so hard to do so. ‘I’ll be happy to fit in with whatever Teresa wants me to do.’
A woman Gianna held in high esteem, whose compassion, genuine affection and loyalty had helped fill the void left by losing her own mother at a young age.
The only stumbling block was Raúl himself, for spending any time in his company would be difficult, to say the least.
Yet a few weeks wasn’t a lifetime, she rationalised. Primarily, her purpose was to fulfil Teresa’s wish to be able to say goodbye in person.
Time to focus on the prosaic…and she did it by forking delicate morsels of food without tasting a thing.
Soon the meal would conclude and she could leave, retrieve her car from the shopping complex and retreat to the sanctuary of her apartment.
If only it were that simple.
Yet nothing about the man seated opposite could be categorised as simple. For how was it possible for her to feel as if she’d been caught up in a sensual whirlpool when she’d vowed to hate him?
It didn’t make sense.
So? a tiny voice taunted. Why waste time and energy attempting to solve the impossible?
Raúl ate with evident enjoyment, and she found it annoying that he could appear so totally at ease when she felt as if she was caught up in an emotional maelstrom.
‘Perhaps you’d care to enlighten me about your life in the intervening three years?’
‘Specifically?’
‘Insignificant personal details.’
‘Such as?’
Oh, spit it out, why don’t you? ‘Your current lover.’
His eyes darkened measurably, and she glimpsed a muscle bunch at the edge of his jaw. ‘Do you particularly want to cover old ground?’
‘Not really.’ Amazing how much it still hurt. ‘I think it’s reasonable to ask if I’m likely to be confronted by a woman in your life.’
‘That isn’t a consideration.’
Which didn’t answer the question.
‘Sierra?’
‘A brief testament to her superb acting and my poor judgement well before I met you,’ Raúl insisted silkily. ‘And never afterwards.’
It surprised her how much she wanted to believe him. Yet the evidence was stacked heavily against him.
It was a relief when the meal concluded. She declined coffee, then retrieved a few notes to cover her share and placed them on the table.
‘You choose to insult me?’
His voice was silky soft and dangerous. Something Gianna elected to ignore.
‘Not at all.’ She stood to her feet, and felt a moment’s reservation when Raúl followed suit. ‘I imagine we’ll be in touch?’ she offered, with the utmost