The Ultimate Betrayal

‘Nice dole queue if you don’t get back to work!’ shouted out a voice which drowned out all the rest.

‘Remind me to have a safety seat fitted into my car, will you?’ Daniel muttered as he climbed behind the wheel of the Escort and readjusted the seat to fit his longer frame.

‘What—and ruin your macho ruthless tycoon image?’ Rachel mocked.

‘What macho ruthless tycoon image?’ he derided. ‘Did you bother to look up at the windows in my building?’

‘No—why?’ She turned to look now, though, saw the long row of curious faces and blushed hotly. ‘Will they tease you about us?’ she whispered anxiously.

‘Not to my face, if they have a healthy sense of selfpreservation,’ he grunted, then sighed. ‘Though God knows what they’ll say behind my back.’

‘Never mind.’ Rachel put a comforting hand on his thigh. ‘We all love you. Macho ruthless tycoon or not.’

‘Keep your hand where it is,’ he muttered tensely, ‘and I’ll be labelled a damned sex maniac!’

‘What’s a sex maniac?’ a young voice enquired from the back.

Rachel choked back a giggle and snatched her hand away. Daniel looked heavenwards and sighed. ‘When you’re older, son,’ he answered drily. ‘I’ll explain when you’re older.’

‘Will you explain it to me when I’m older too?’ Rachel asked guilelessly.

His eyes flashed her a burning look. ‘I’ll do better than that. I’ll show you just as soon as I can get you alone!’ he promised.

‘With the light on, so I can—’

‘Don’t, Rachel!’ he groaned, closing his eyes on a spasm of pain. ‘You don’t know how much I want to do that.’

‘Yes, I do,’ she said, and her eyes told him why.

Daniel’s darkened. ‘Just hold that thought,’ he commanded, and put the car into gear.