She shuddered anew. ‘I’ll never ask you to do that!’
‘You will,’ he promised grimly. ‘Oh yes, you will. I just hope I can keep my promise until then.’ He stopped the car outside her block of flats, turning to look at her in the darkness. ‘Looking the way you do, you don’t make it easy for me,’ he said huskily.
‘I—I don’t?’ She looked at him with huge eyes.
‘You’re too beautiful for my peace of mind. I’ll be thinking of you all the time I’m in the States. Would you like me to telephone you?’
‘Do you want to?’ Her voice was almost a whisper.
‘Oh yes,’ his was equally soft. ‘I want to. I want to take you with me, but I suppose that’s out of the question?’
‘I—I have a job to do.’
‘If that’s the only reason for your refusal then throw the job in.’
Her laugh caught in her throat. ‘You really are arrogant!’
‘I’d like you with me, Helen. I can’t believe you really need to work.’
‘I need to work because it gives me something to do. But you’re right when you say I don’t need to work, I’m quite a rich woman. As Michael’s widow I inherited some money left to him by his grandmother. But I’ve never touched a penny of it. I didn’t want him, so I certainly didn’t want his money. I wanted to give it back, but his mother has always refused to speak to me, even through lawyers. The money is just sitting in the bank gaining interest.’
‘Muriel West won’t miss it. Besides, I think her son owed you something for the pain and humiliation he caused you.’
‘You and Jenny share a lot of the same opinions,’ she commented.
He grinned. ‘So I gathered. Use the money, Helen, live a little. But not too much,’ he warned. ‘I don’t want you getting involved with anyone else while I’m away.’
‘Now is that likely?’ she asked dryly.
‘I hope not. Shall I come upstairs with you or will you be all right alone?’
‘I’ll be fine.’ She already had the car door open ready to make her escape. ‘Goodnight, Leon.’
His hand was on her arm. ‘No goodnight kiss?’
‘No!’
His hand fell away. ‘I thought not.’ He straightened in his seat. ‘I’ll call you from the States.’
‘You really don’t have—’
‘I have to, Helen,’ he cut in abruptly, staring straight ahead of him. ‘I want to.’
‘All right,’ she accepted quietly. ‘I’ll look forward to your call.’
Leon turned to look at her with tortured eyes. ‘Helen…’ he groaned longingly.
She got out of the car as quickly as she could, a completely undignified exit, but one made out of desperation. ‘Good—goodnight, Leon.’
His foot pressed down heavily on the accelerator, the force of his speed slamming the passenger door shut.
Helen walked up the stairs with heavy feet. Had she done the right thing tonight by revealing so much, by making herself vulnerable to this man?
Jenny stood up on her entrance and switched off the television, turning to give her a questioning look. ‘Have a nice evening?’ she ventured when Helen remained silent.
‘Very nice, thank you.’ Helen went through to the bedroom and began preparing for bed.
Jenny came to lean on the doorjamb. ‘Are you seeing him again?’