Why the hell hadn’t someone told him that she was coming?
Warned him?
‘Does Bryony know you’re here?’
She’d been one of his sister’s closest friends and he knew that they’d kept in touch over the years.
One delicate eyebrow lifted a fraction and he saw the challenge in her green gaze. ‘Of course.’
He gritted his teeth. ‘She failed to mention it.’
‘She probably didn’t think you’d be interested.’
It was a less than subtle reminder that he’d been the one to cut her out of his life and Tom ran a hand over the back of his neck, seriously discomfited for the first time in his thirty-four years.
If he’d known she was coming back, he would have had time to prepare—would have somehow arranged for them to have their first meeting in private. Clearly there were things that needed to be said.
As if reminding them both that they weren’t alone, Emma gave a little cough.
‘You know each other?’ Her tone pulsed with a curiosity that she couldn’t hide and she glanced between them with interest.
Sally smiled, nothing in her expression suggesting that she was anything other than totally relaxed. ‘It was a long time ago.’
Her tone suggested a casual acquaintance of long standing, a relationship with no real attachment on either side.
Remembering the explosive passion they’d shared, Tom wondered how she’d managed to forget the incredible intimacies that had bound them together.
And then he looked into those cool green eyes and realized that she hadn’t forgotten.
Neither had she forgiven.
In those green eyes he saw disdain where there had once been adoration, contempt where that had once been unconditional love.
He drew breath slowly, shocked by how severely that contempt unsettled him.
And yet what had he expected?
Had he known she was coming, how would he have anticipated their reunion?
Sally Jenner had every reason to hate him.
‘I heard you were working in the Himalayas.’ Suddenly he wanted to know everything about her. Where she’d been, what she’d been doing. When she’d stopped crying over him.
‘Among other places.’ Her reply was intentionally vague and he saw the flash in those green depths and understood.
Mind your own business, her eyes said. What do you care, anyway?
‘And where are you living now?’
He needed to know. There were things he had to say to her and they certainly couldn’t be said in public.
She ignored his question, her gaze turning to Emma who was still watching them in awed silence. ‘Sorry. This must be very boring for you and I’m sure we need to get on with some work.’
Emma shrugged. ‘Well, if you two want to catch up, I can—’
‘Not at all,’ Sally interrupted her smoothly, moving away from the window and making her way towards the door. ‘We’ve said hello. It was nice to see you, Tom.’
With a few casually spoken words she’d dismissed him as unimportant and Tom wrestled with an inexplicable impulse to power her against the wall and remind her just what they’d shared.