Love's Only Deception
‘It’s nothing unusual,’ he dismissed her show of concern. ‘She often has these impromptu holidays, to get away from my uncle. But there’s no reason why we shouldn’t spend Christmas together.’
‘Your place or mine?’ Callie said cryptically. So far she hadn’t seen Logan’s apartment, as Logan had kept to his decision that they meet on mutual ground. But they could hardly spend Christmas in a restaurant, not even one as elegant as the one they were eating in tonight!
His mouth quirked with amusement. ‘That’s a point,’ he said dryly. ‘Maybe my mother will get back after all.’
‘Logan—’
‘Logan, darling!’ purred a seductively female voice. ‘How lovely to see you again! You’ve been quite unsociable lately, darling,’ she added reprovingly, bending towards him over the table.
Callie looked up at the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, the thickly waving red hair was strangely familiar to her. Of course, the night she and Logan had met! This was the beautiful Danielle, the woman Logan had stopped seing in preference to her.
The woman stood almost six feet in height, her model-girl figure barely covered by the low-cut backless dress, although the dress was worn with such grace and style that it couldn’t possibly be offensive. As Callie looked into her face she was amazed at the hardness of the blue eyes, although the hardness disappeared as her gaze returned to Logan.
He had stood up as soon as Danielle spoke, the two of them of similar height. ‘Danielle,’ he greeted tightly.
‘Aren’t you going to introduce us, darling?’ She looked pointedly at Callie, the expensive perfume she wore slightly overpowering, certainly not the lighter Passion that she modelled for Logan’s company.
He made the introductions stiltedly, obviously not welcoming this interruption by his ex-girl-friend. Callie had an idea that when an affair ended for Logan then it ended for good. She shivered at the thought of their own relationship ending the same way.
‘Are you
here alone?’ He spoke politely enough to the other woman, although there was a steel edge to his voice.
‘Hardly,’ she scorned such a question. ‘David is just collecting my wrap. The mink you bought me, actually, darling,’ she drawled.
‘Really?’ His tone cooled even more.
Callie was beginning to pity Danielle now, beautiful as the other woman was. She was pushing Logan to the limit of his politeness, and considering the role the other woman had once had in his life she would have thought she would have known that. But perhaps Danielle was past caring? It certainly seemed that way!
‘Yes,’ Danielle continued, ‘you always did have wonderful taste.’
‘Most of the time,’ he muttered grimly.
Blue eyes flashed. ‘And what does Callie do?’ She made the question sound like an insult. ‘Is she your latest—model?’
A pulse worked angrily at Logan’s jaw, although he remained otherwise calm. ‘Callie is a secretary,’ he revealed tightly.
‘Really?’ Arched eyebrows rose. ‘That makes a change. Although I do remember Jenny was leaving you. Strange, I never thought you the type of man to chase his secretary around the office all day.’
‘Callie isn’t my secretary, Danielle,’ he said tautly.
‘What a shame—for you. Have you bought her a fur yet?’ she added spitefully.
‘Danielle—’
‘And the diamonds. Don’t forget the diamonds. You have the most wonderful taste in jewellery too, Logan.’
‘Danielle—’
‘Am I talking too much, darling?’ Her voice was brittle. ‘I thought it was the man who wasn’t supposed to kiss and tell?’
Logan was rigid with anger. ‘And I believed it was a two-way thing,’ he rasped.
‘I just thought your little friend, your young friend—God, you are young, aren’t you?’ Danielle frowned down at Callie. ‘Oh well,’ she shrugged, ‘I suppose you know what you’re doing.’ Her gaze returned to Logan. ‘I just thought Callie should know the routine with you, the way you like the pursuit, to rush a girl off her feet—and into your bed, then drop her when the next beauty takes your fancy. That is your way, isn’t it, Logan?’ she scorned.
‘I think you’ve said enough—’
‘Quite enough,’ she agreed brightly. ‘I do hope you enjoy your meal.’ She walked away with an exaggerated sway of her slender hips.