The Heat Of Passion

'When would you like this Press release made?'

The twin enquiries from staff stole his attention. He moved on and something simply exploded inside Jessica. 'The next time you want to see me, you make an appointment!' she snapped and spun on her heel, stalking back into the drawing-room.

'Bed.. .by midnight, I promise,' Carlo murmured with soft amusement.

She spun. He had followed her. But they were not truly alone. Just beyond the doorway, his staff awaited them.

'Is it always going to be like this?' she whispered in sudden desperation.

'No, but it will take time to restore calm. Lukas kept a very tight rein on his holdings. He believed in the personal touch. Right to the end he was working an eighteen-hour day,’ Carlo drawled wryly. 'He thought he had more time. This is not the smooth transition he envisaged. Everybody's hitting the panic button.'

He should have been exhausted but he wasn't. If anything his aura of vibrant energy was more noticeable. It was beginning to dawn on Jessica that Carlo Saracini no longer existed. This was Lukas Philippides' son, driven, committed and absolutely in his element, she sensed, and the pace was speed up or fall out. Was there a place for her in this new life of his?

Right now, her position felt exceedingly precarious, and that hurt her pride. Jessica bitterly resented the idea that she was slavishly hanging around just waiting for Carlo to take the time and the trouble to reassure her that he did want her to stay. And even then, how long did he want her for? Carlo was not in love with her. He had taken his revenge. He had used her to make his father happy. When his hunger for her body faded as it surely would, how could they possibly have any sort of a future together?

She had to dine alone with Sunny. Marika had not emerged from her suite. Faced with Sunny, Jessica wished she had stayed in hers.

'You look terrible,' Sunny sighed, scanning Jessica's shadowed eyes and pallor. 'You should have gone to bed too.'

With a helplessly curled lip, Jessica wondered how the redhead could weep without reddening her eyes. 'I'm not tired,' she said.

‘You want me out, don't you?' Sunny guessed. 'But I'm not going anywhere.'

Jessica ignored her.

'You're stuck with me,' Sunny told her with an amused smile. 'I've got nowhere to go. Lukas didn't leave me a bean. I signed a watertight pre-nuptial contract. I'm Carlo's responsibility now.'

Jessica's amethyst eyes flamed. 'And you intend to play it for all you're worth, don't you?'

'Ask Carlo if he wants me to leave,' Sunny suggested

softly. 'You see, he doesn't. Carlo likes having me

around. He always makes time for me. Haven't you

noticed that? It won't be very long before he admits to

himself how he really feels about me '

'I don't want to hear any more of this, Sunny,' Jessica broke in tautly but with dignity.

'But it's the truth. You don't want to see it but Carlo

is using you. You're the one who's going to be hurt and

humiliated,1 Sunny asserted confidently. 'Not me. I know

the score. I know Carlo '

'So you keep telling me.'

'He married you to keep Lukas happy, and now Lukas is gone he doesn't need you any more. It's that simple.'

'Carlo is not in love with you,' Jessica told her shortly.

'But he wants me.' Sunny gave her a brilliant smile. 'That's enough, don't you think?'

Jessica rose from the table and walked out of the room. She would not argue with Sunny, thereby lending credibility to her wild claims. For they were wild claims, weren't they? Carlo had yet to betray any sign of wanting Sunny. Restively she paced the bedroom floor. She was upset, no point denying that! Sunny was so confident of Carlo.., although she hadn't been that night she was drunk, Jessica reminded herself. Then Sunny had said, 'You don't want me...why should you care?' But possibly that had just been a deliberate taunt, a scene engineered to pierce Carlo's tough hide.