The Secret Between Them Read online

  ‘I really do appreciate your assistance.’ She could not even look his way, unsure whether or not he was still stretching. The sight of his body earlier had been enough to inflame a need she had not even realised she had. The best way to resist temptation was to remove the temptation.

  Even now, she knew once she was alone in her home she would have difficulty controlling her thoughts, unable to avoid reflecting on the wonderful evening she had enjoyed, both with him and his children. Why did he have to be so...fantastic? They had laughed, played and worked hard. She connected with him on so many levels and that was definitely a problem because it made him hard to ignore.

  Sunainah stood, making sure her bag was securely closed so nothing fell out. She could still not bring herself to look Elliot’s way, so when his voice came from right beside her, she jumped.

  ‘Are you all right?’ His words were quiet with an intimate feel to them.

  She tried to edge back a little. ‘Yes. I am fine.’ She glanced once in his direction before picking up her bag and forcing herself to walk away. Distance was imperative. ‘I have really appreciated the amount of paperwork we have managed to—’

  ‘You’ve already said that,’ he interrupted. ‘You don’t need to rush off, Sunainah. Would you like a glass of wine?’ He spread his hands wide. ‘Or perhaps a cup of tea? I think I have chai.’

  ‘I am not big on tea drinking.’ At his raised eyebrows she nodded, unable to stop a small smile from touching the corners of her lips. ‘I know. You would think that having an Indian mother and an English father I would be a connoisseur of tea drinking but...no. I much prefer coffee.’

  ‘Good to know.’ He nodded as though he was filing the information away for future reference. ‘At any rate, there’s no reason to rush off.’ He couldn’t stop his need to prolong her visit. Ever since she’d arrived, they had been busy doing something, eating or playing with the children or working, and now all he wanted was to sit and chat with her, to get to know her better. And if one thing led to another and he ended up kissing her, then that was completely fine with him.

  ‘I think there is. No doubt your children will be up with the birds so you also need to sleep.’

  ‘Sunainah, you seem rather anxious to leave. Is anything wrong?’ Elliot took a step closer. ‘Have I done or said something to offend you?’

  ‘Er...no.’ She took a step back, almost bumping into a packing box. She quickly sidestepped the box, needing to keep as much distance between herself and Elliot as possible. ‘I am fine but I do thank you for your concern.’

  ‘Oh, I am concerned about you, Sunainah. Very concerned.’

  ‘You are?’ Surprised, she stopped by the front door, one hand on the handle, the other holding the bag. He came closer and closer and she simply stood there, waiting, watching, wanting. Her heart hammered against her ribs and her knees started to wobble as his glorious scent flooded her senses. She could not move, feeling like a deer trapped in the headlights of an oncoming car.

  He made no move to touch her but when he spoke his words were like silk, winding around them, binding them together.

  ‘Can’t you feel it?’ His tone had dropped, his words powerful and intimate.

  ‘I am not sure I under—’

  Elliot pressed his finger softly to her lips. At the contact, Sunainah gasped. Her mind went blank. Her vocal cords refused to function. Her legs were not receiving the signals from her brain that told them to flee.

  He stepped even closer, breaching her personal space, and yet she immediately wanted him even closer. She stood there, hands itching to touch him, to grab his shirt and haul him up against her. Good heavens. How was it possible he could affect her in such a way?

  ‘Can you feel it...now?’ he whispered, lowering his hand. He made no other effort to touch her. Instead, he just looked, drinking his fill of her perfect skin, her rosy cheeks, her wide eyes and her perfectly formed mouth. ‘Do you know, I often find myself daydreaming about what you would look like with your hair flowing loose about your shoulders? Even in this plait it looks so glossy and soft.’ He edged even closer to her, and she swallowed nervously.

  ‘I would like nothing better now than to release it from its bonds and run my hands through it, to feel the silky texture as it slips through my fingers.’ He exhaled slowly, his gaze flicking between her parted lips and surprised eyes.

  ‘Does that bother you? That I want to touch your hair? That I want to hold you close? That I can’t stop dreaming about you?’

  ‘D-dreaming?’

  ‘Yes. During the day, when I’m supposed to be concentrating on work. Dreaming about you at night, when I’m supposed to be concentrating on... Well, I’m not supposed to be concentrating at all but the point is, you appear to be on my mind more often than not, Sunainah.’

  ‘I am...sorry.’ She closed her eyes, unable to believe he was saying such wonderful words to her. Her breathing had increased and she parted her lips to allow the pent-up air to escape. They both knew she could leave at any time. He was not holding her captive. All she needed to do was to turn the door handle and she would be able to walk out of his home and escape into the darkness of the night.

  She didn’t. The truth was, she wanted to stand right where she was, close to him, listening to him saying such wonderful words to her. Never had any man made her feel the way Elliot was making her feel right now. Yet...she was not worthy of a man like Elliot and it would be wrong to lead him on.

  ‘Sunainah? Have I...shocked you?’ There was a hint of doubt in his words and it was enough to make her look at him again.

  ‘No man has ever said such beautiful words to me before.’

  Elliot raked an unsteady hand through his hair. ‘I find that hard to believe.’

  ‘And yet I speak the truth.’ She smiled at him. ‘Elliot, I thank you for giving me this honour.’

  ‘But...?’ he prompted.

  ‘I do not think we should pursue anything other than a friendship.’

  A frown immediately creased his brow. ‘Why?’

  ‘Why? Why does there need to be a reason?’

  ‘Is there someone else?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Was there ever anyone else? I mean, do you often date? Have you been engaged?’ He pushed a hand through his hair. ‘There is still so much I don’t know about you and I want to, Sunainah. I really want to.’

  She shook her head slowly from side to side. ‘Elliot. I cannot—’

  ‘Have you ever been engaged? Just answer, yes or no.’

  She sighed and tried not to think of just how close his mouth was to her, of how it would take next to nothing for her to ease up and press a kiss to his lips. He was truly driving her to distraction but perhaps if she told him a bit about her past, he would understand why she was trying to spare both of them much pain and heartache by ending things before they had the opportunity to begin.

  ‘I was engaged. Five years ago.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘He changed his mind.’ She shrugged a shoulder. ‘One minute I was preparing for a wedding and the next he was leaving town, breaking up with me via a text message.’

  Elliot shook his head in disgust. ‘What a fool.’

  ‘I do not know about that but it turned out to be best for both of us. Besides, I have work to focus on. I do not have time for romantic entanglements.’ She touched the button necklace as she spoke, needing to keep her fingers busy so she did not reach out and touch Elliot, as she so desperately wanted to do.

  ‘Oh. Well, that’s good.’ He chuckled, and the sound washed through her, making what she had to say to him all the more difficult. ‘I don’t do “entanglements” either. Far too messy and cumbersome. I’m interested in straightforward dating.’

  ‘Elliot. This is no time for jokes.’

  ‘I
’m not making one, Sunainah.’ He brushed the backs of his fingers down her cheek and smiled, finally giving in to the urge to touch her. How could he not? She was exquisite. ‘I don’t want to scare you, which is why I wanted to ascertain whether or not you felt the same powerful chemistry I do whenever we’re alone like this.’

  She slowly shook her head. ‘It is...unexpected.’

  ‘Wait.’ Elliot looked at her in confusion. ‘So you do feel it, too?’

  ‘Yes, Elliot. I am aware of it existing between us but the point is that it cannot.’

  ‘So all that ogling of my body earlier was for real?’ he fished, and she found it difficult to hide a smile when he was like this. Teasing, gorgeous and incredibly sexy.

  ‘Elliot, please, do not make this any more difficult than it already is.’

  ‘What’s so difficult? I want you. You want me.’ He cupped her chin and raised it a little before brushing his thumb tantalisingly over her lower lip. Sunainah gasped at the contact, desperately wanting to touch his thumb with her tongue, to kiss his hand, to—

  ‘Chemistry like this doesn’t come along every day. You do realise that,’ he felt compelled to point out as he continued to caress her mouth with his thumb, his words slow and seductive. ‘Spend time with me. Talk to me. Let’s get to know each other, Sunainah.’

  Her knees were beginning to wobble even more than before, and she tightened her grip on the door handle. When she didn’t answer, he cupped her cheek and looked down into her eyes, almost desperate to try and figure out exactly what the road block was that was stopping her from moving forward.

  ‘Does it bother you that I have children? Is that why you don’t want to date me?’

  ‘Why would it bother me?’ She looked down at her necklace then glanced at him. ‘They are wonderful children and you are a wonderful father. It is beside the point.’

  ‘Which is?’

  She sighed with exasperation. He really was not going to let this subject go. ‘Because you may find out things about me that you do not like, and then I will be upset and you will be upset and the children will be upset, and it will make it uncomfortable at work, and all of that can be avoided if we just remain colleagues and neighbours.’

  ‘What might I find out about you?’

  Sunainah could not believe she had said as much as she had, and as mortification started to flood through her, her heart pierced with pain. Finding the strength from somewhere, she opened the front door and rushed outside, allowing the darkness of the night to envelop her.

  ‘Sunainah?’ Elliot followed her.

  ‘What are you doing? Go back inside to your children.’

  ‘They’re fine.’ She was only a few steps in front of him but thanks to his long legs he caught up to her in next to no time. He placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to stop her from walking away. ‘Sunainah, wait.’

  All she wanted to do was to get away, to reach the sanctuary of her home, where she could try and make some sort of sense of what was happening between them, but if she persisted in running, he might follow her all the way to her house. It was clear he was determined to get the answers he sought.

  She stopped and turned to face him, pleased there was minimal light surrounding them now. It would make it easier to say what she had to say when she could not clearly see his handsome features. ‘Elliot, I am not a good match for you.’

  ‘I beg to differ. This attraction we feel...it’s unique. We’d be fools to let this opportunity pass us by.’

  ‘Then we will be fools.’ There was firmness to her words.

  ‘I’m sorry but I don’t see that. It’s just...’ He broke off, deciding that he’d rather show her exactly how she made him feel, and without another word he closed the remaining distance between them, tenderly cupping one hand behind her neck, the other still holding her upper arm, although his grip was far from tight. He lowered his head and pressed his mouth to hers without further hesitation.

  Sunainah gasped at the initial touch, stunned, shocked and surprised yet at the same time completely elated. Elliot was kissing her! Her!

  His lips were not hard and firm, as she had expected, but rather soft and gently coaxing. She belatedly realised he was allowing her to control the kiss and for a split second she was not at all sure what to do. Then she realised that this might be her one and only chance to really experience what it might be like to be in Elliot’s arms, to kiss him and to have him kiss her back. Had she not dreamed of a moment like this?

  Slowly, she parted her lips, breathing in his intoxicating scent as she touched the tip of her tongue to his lower lip. A small delighted shudder rippled through him and she was flooded with a sense of feminine power. She had the ability to drive him to distraction and the knowledge magnified her desire for him.

  With careful, deliberate movements, she slipped her hands around his waist, ever so pleased when he immediately reciprocated by wrapping his arms about her, holding her close, just as she had wanted. Safe, secure and yet incredibly sexy. Did the man have no clue how he made her feel?

  Hearts pounding out a wild tattoo, she opened her mouth a little wider, wanting to tease him, wanting to show him just how intense the sensations between them were. There was no holding back, her hands rubbing in small circles at the base of his spine, her chest pressed against his firm torso and her mouth fulfilling every fantasy she’d had since they’d met.

  She could feel his restraint about to snap at any moment and when she once more traced the outline of his mouth with her tongue, taking her time, memorising every contour, Elliot groaned with need.

  ‘Sunainah.’ Her name was a caress on his lips, and she adored the way he had said it. He truly did care about her, as was very evident from the way he was now kissing her back, enjoying getting to know her more intimately, just as she was doing with him.

  It was a fantasy. She knew that just as she knew fantasies never lasted, but as he plundered her mouth, still taking his time as though anxious to know every nuance of her mouth off by heart, Sunainah also knew she should put an end to this sooner rather than later.

  ‘Elliot?’ she tried, but he silenced her in the most perfect way possible, which only made rational thought that much more difficult. She did not want this to end but the truth of her situation was beginning to set off little warning bells all around her Elliot-filled senses.

  She eased back, her breathing as harsh and erratic as his own.

  ‘You taste like perfection,’ he murmured.

  ‘No. Please, do not say things like that.’ Now that he was no longer kissing her, anguish, despair and shame flooded through her. What had she done? She broke free from his hold, hitched up the bag filled with paperwork and turned on her heel, heading towards her town house.

  ‘Wait.’ Elliot was hard on her heels, reaching for her hand and grasping her fingers. ‘Wait. Sunainah. You can’t just kiss me like that, turning my world upside down, and then walk away without a single word of explanation.’

  ‘I can and I did. We are not suited.’

  ‘I don’t believe you and especially not after that intoxicating kiss we just shared.’

  ‘It is not my problem what you do or do not believe.’ She shifted away from his touch and continued walking towards her place, blinking rapidly when the front sensor light came on, bright and strong.

  ‘Will you stop walking away from me?’ He came after her. ‘Honestly, you’re the most exasperating and cryptic and frustrating woman I’ve ever met.’ He shook his head and shoved both hands into the pockets of his khakis. ‘If you want to deny how that kiss made you feel then go for it. Lie to yourself but don’t think I’m going to do the same because I won’t. That kiss was probably the most wonderful I’ve ever had in my life.’

  ‘It was?’ She stared at him for a moment before shaking her head, clearing the fog Elliot somehow alw
ays managed to stir within her.

  ‘Yes. Please, Sunainah...just tell me why you’re so certain we can’t be together. Give me one good reason.’

  Sunainah turned slowly to face him, ensuring she held his gaze while she said the words that would end their relationship before it had even begun.

  ‘Just one,’ he prompted, as she stood there, opening and closing her mouth like a goldfish.

  Anguish ripped through her as she knew the only way to get through this was to just rip the sticking plaster off, to just blurt out what it was she knew she needed to say, even though she knew that once the words were said, they would wreck everything, they always did.

  ‘We cannot do this, Elliot because...’ She took in a deep breath, held it for a few seconds before letting it out. ‘Because I am already married.’

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  ELLIOT WATCHED AS Sunainah entered her town house and closed the door without even turning to look back at him. He was stunned. Shocked. It took a full minute before he could even begin to process what she’d just said.

  She was married?

  How? Who?

  ‘What?’ Elliot wanted to bang on her door. He wanted to demand answers. She didn’t wear a wedding ring. She didn’t live with anyone. None of her friends had even alluded to a husband when they’d shared dinner or unpacked boxes or at any point since they’d met. How could Sunainah be married?

  He took two steps towards her door then stopped. It was clear that her marriage was a touchy subject simply from the fact that it hadn’t been raised until after he’d kissed her. What right did he have to ask her more questions?

  He shook his head and exhaled with annoyance. Kissing Sunainah had been strange and marvellous and the most exhilarating thing he’d done in the past two years. At the back of his mind was a thread of guilt, guilt that he was cheating on Marie, that he had moved on with his life, but wasn’t that what Marie had wanted? Still, he’d never thought he would actually find another woman who made him feel so alive again. It was rare and he knew these sorts of feelings didn’t come along every day. How could he be expected just to let all those emotions go, to let them vanish into thin air?