The Housekeeper's Awakening

What had he said to her before it had all happened? The one phrase which had stuck out in her mind.

I like your clear-headed way of thinking.

She knew why he’d said that. Because she’d told him she wasn’t hung up on love, or marriage. Because she’d convinced him that she was able to regard this sexual experience with complete objectivity.

So why did she suddenly want to hug her arms around herself and dance around the room, while music played loudly inside her head?

The sun was higher now, turning the sea a deep shade of rose, and when she walked out onto the terrace the air felt still and clear. The house was quiet but her head and body were buzzing and for once the thought of losing herself in a few pages of quantum physics didn’t appeal. She would catch up on her emails, then see what the day would bring. And if Luis had decided that one night was enough—well, she would have to accept it like a grown-up.

She logged onto her email account and found three messages from her sister. The first was titled Where are u? The second consisted of nothing but a long row of question marks, and the third announced, rathe

r more dramatically, WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?

Carly clicked onto this one first, but unusually the email wasn’t peppered with smiley faces or descriptions of her sister’s latest modelling jobs. For once, the message was all about Carly.

Saw a photo of your boss at Nice airport and it looked like YOU in the background. I said to Mum that nobody else would wear a T-shirt like that in the Côte d’Azur!!! Are you really in the south of France with Luis Martinez—and if so what the hell is going on?????

Carly smiled. She wondered how Bella would react if she told her the unbelievable truth. Yes, I am here with Luis. In fact, I told him about my past and he’s decided to teach me everything he knows about sex, which is fairly comprehensive as I’m sure you can guess. Imagine drafting that into an email!

She clicked to reply.

Yes, it’s true. I’ve been helping Luis with his rehab after his accident, and he decided it would be preferable if he got better in the sunshine. It’s absolutely gorgeous here. Aren’t I lucky? Love, Carly xxx

She hit the send button just as someone tapped on the door, but before she had a chance to answer—it opened quietly and Luis walked into the room. He was freshly shaved and his black eyes were alive with vitality and a spark of something else which already she recognised as desire.

‘Hello,’ he said softly as he closed the door behind him.

Carly’s hand crept up to her throat as she realised that the white bathrobe was deeply unflattering and probably added at least ten extra pounds to her frame. ‘I thought you’d decided that it was better not to risk being seen here.’

‘Maybe I’ve changed my mind.’

‘I haven’t even brushed my teeth.’

‘Then go and brush them now,’ he instructed silkily. ‘Because I like the taste of your toothpaste.’

She escaped into the bathroom and when she returned, it was to discover that Luis had dropped his clothes on the floor and was in her bed—completely naked amid the still-rumpled sheets.

‘What are you doing?’

‘Isn’t it obvious?’

‘But...what about the staff?’

‘What about them? The only member of my staff I’m interested in is standing right in front of me, wearing far too many clothes.’ He patted the empty space beside him. ‘So come over here, querida, before I grow too impatient.’

Carly swallowed down the sudden apprehension which had risen in her throat. It would probably be better to resist him, when even now the gardeners would be arriving and the chef sending his assistant down to the markets in Nice to buy fresh fish and vegetables for the day. To tell him that this was an extremely unwise move and surely they could arrange a rather more discreet meeting later.

It would be much better.

So why was she walking towards the bed and pulling back the sheets?

And why was Luis shaking his head like that?

‘No. Not yet. Lose the robe,’ he instructed silkily. ‘And don’t tell me you’re shy, not now, when I happen to know more about your body than any man on the planet.’

It was difficult to act nonchalantly when the harsh light of day was showing no mercy to her too-generous curves, but Carly did her best. ‘I’m glad to see that nothing ever manages to deflate your ego,’ she said, unknotting the robe and letting it fall to the floor, before quickly sliding between the sheets and colliding with his warm, hard body.

‘Not just my ego,’ he said as he guided her hand to his groin and bent his head to kiss her. ‘Mmm. Toothpaste.’