How could someone be so gentle and at the same time be so horribly uncaring? That was part of what had tipped her over the edge and set the waterworks off.
‘You should take the trousers off. I’m sure it can’t help with the material rubbing against it.’
‘They’re fine.’ No way was she taking any of her clothes off within a ten-mile radius of him ever again.
The plane began to taxi down the runway. Cara turned to look out of the window, a lump forming in her throat.
This was utter madness.
‘Pepe, please, let me return to Dublin, just for a couple of days to get things in order.’ It was an argument they’d had three times in the past hour.
‘Impossible. I have a full day of business tomorrow and a business dinner in the evening.’
‘Yes, but I don’t. I’m supposed to be at work!’
‘You will attend my meeting with me.’
She took a deep breath. Her blood pressure really didn’t need any more aggravation.
‘As I have made you more than aware, the week ahead is filled with appointments.’
‘I have to wait until the weekend to go back home?’ she said, horror-struck.
‘I’m afraid a trip back to Dublin is not on the schedule for the foreseeable future.’
‘You’re kidding me?’
‘You can make any necessary arrangements via other means.’
‘So I have to hand in my notice by text or email?’
He shrugged. ‘It’s entirely up to you how you want to handle it.’
‘I’d like to handle it by not giving up my job,’ she stated angrily. ‘But seeing as I do have to quit, I’d prefer to tell my boss in person.’
He almost looked sympathetic. ‘I appreciate this is an inconvenience but if, as you say, the baby is mine, you will be well recompensed for any aggravation.’
‘And my housemates? Will they be recompensed too?’
His brow furrowed.
‘I’m leaving them in the lurch. If you won’t let me go to Dublin, I can’t clear my room out and they can’t find another housemate to take my place.’
‘That is not a problem. I can send someone over to clear your room for you.’
‘You will not!’ There was no way she wanted some stranger rifling through her knicker drawer. Closing her eyes, she slowly expelled a lungful of air. They had been so busy arguing she’d barely noticed the jet increase in speed. Suddenly her stomach lurched and she was leaning back.
The jet became airborne.
She took another deep breath. ‘If I contact my housemates and ask them to get all my stuff together, can you send someone to collect it?’
‘Of course.’
‘Can they get it to me for tomorrow morning?’
‘Why so soon?’
‘Because I have nothing on me apart from my handbag and a stick of mascara. I need my stuff.’
‘I’ve already made arrangements for new clothing to be delivered to the house first thing for you.’
Of course he had. For such a languid person Pepe was proving surprisingly efficient.
‘I want my stuff.’
‘And you will have it. Soon.’
‘How soon?’
‘Soon. And I will ensure your housemates get adequate compensation from your missed rent.’
‘Good.’ She would not say thank you.
Her stomach rolled again and she breathed in deeply through her nose.
‘Are you okay?’
She did not want to hear any concern from him. ‘I’m pregnant. My child’s father is refusing to acknowledge paternity without a blood test yet still thinks it’s acceptable to make me give up my job—a job I love—and leave my housemates in the doodle to follow him around the world like some sort of concubine. Plus I have no clothing or toiletries on me. So, yes. Everything is dandy.’
His gorgeous blue eyes darkened further and crinkled with amusement. ‘My concubine, eh? Do you know what a concubine is?’
She felt her cheeks go scarlet. ‘It was a statement of my unhappiness not a statement of fact.’
‘A concubine is, in essence, a man’s mistress.’
‘I’m well aware of that.’
‘A man pays for all his concubine’s bills, buys property for her—’
‘Basically a concubine is there for a man’s pleasure when he’s bored of his wife’s company,’ she interrupted. ‘But seeing as you have no wife, I can’t be your concubine.’
A gleam came into his eyes. ‘Ah, so as I have no wife, does that mean you are going to be the main source of my pleasure?’
‘I’d rather eat worms.’
‘I’m sure I can think of something better for you to e—’