The Secret Love-Child. Miranda Lee

and if he took her to bed, he didn’t want her drunk. Or on the rebound. He wanted her wanting him for himself, and no other reason.

      ‘I guess you won’t be needing my services now,’ he said.

      ‘As a photographer, you mean?’

      Rafe sucked in sharply. What a provocative reply! Perhaps she didn’t disapprove of him as much as he’d thought she had.

      Or perhaps it was just the drink talking.

      ‘Actually, I’d still like to photograph you,’ he said, truthfully enough.

      ‘Really? Why?’

      ‘Why? Well, firstly, you are one seriously beautiful woman, and I have a penchant for photographing beautiful women. Secondly, I just want to see you again. I want to take you out to dinner somewhere.’

      ‘You mean…like…on a date?’

      ‘Yes. Exactly like that.’

      ‘You don’t waste much time, do you? I’ve only been dumped for two hours. And you’ve only known about it for two minutes! What if I said I was too broken up over Luke to date anyone for a while?’

      ‘Then I’d respect that. But I’d ask you out again next week. And the week after that.’

      ‘I should have guessed you’d be the determined type,’ she muttered.

      ‘Being determined is not a vice, Isabel.’

      ‘That depends. So why is it you don’t already have a girlfriend? Or do you? Don’t lie to me, now. I hate men who lie to me,’ she added, slurring her words.

      ‘I’m between girlfriends at the moment.’

      ‘Oh? What happened to the last one?’

      ‘She went overseas to work. I wasn’t inclined to follow her.’

      ‘Why?’

      ‘My career is here, in Australia.’

      ‘Ahh. Priority number one.’

      ‘What does that mean?’

      ‘It means no, thank you very much, Rafe. I’ve been down that road far too many times to travel it again.’

      ‘Now I’m confused. What road are you referring to?’

      ‘Dating men who want only one thing from me. You do only want one thing from me, don’t you, Rafe?’

      Rafe considered that a loaded question.

      ‘I wouldn’t say that, exactly.’ He liked talking to her, too. ‘But I have to confess that marriage and kiddies are not on my list of must-do things in my life.’

      ‘Well, they’re on mine, Rafe. And sooner, rather than later. But I appreciate your telling me the truth. That’s a big improvement on some of the other men I’ve become involved with in the past.’

      His eyebrows shot up. It sounded as if there had been scads. Any idea that she might almost be a virgin went out of the window. It just showed you first impressions weren’t always right.

      ‘Did your fiancé lie to you?’

      ‘Luke? Oh, no…no, Luke was no liar.’

      ‘But he was obviously two-timing you,’ he pointed out.

      ‘No. He wasn’t. Look, it’s rather difficult to explain.’

      ‘Try.’

      So she did, explaining the circumstances which had led up to Luke’s meeting Celia.

      ‘So he hasn’t been two-timing me,’ she finished up. ‘He only met Celia yesterday.’

      ‘Perhaps, but he didn’t tell you the truth about why he was going up to his dad’s fishing cabin on Lake Macquarie in the first place, did he?’

      ‘No, but I can understand why. He’d been thrown for a loop when the solicitor told him his Dad wanted to leave his weekender to some strange woman.’

      ‘You make a lot of excuses for him, don’t you? He was still unfaithful to you. And he hurt you, Isabel.’

      ‘He didn’t mean to. Look, I’m sorry I told you about it now. It’s really none of your business. Thank you for ringing and for making me feel a little better, but I think we should leave it right there, don’t you? As I said, we want different things in life. I wonder…could you possibly post my phone back to me?’

      ‘I’d rather drop it off to you.’

      ‘And I’d rather you didn’t.’

      ‘You’re afraid of me,’ he said, startled by this realisation.

      ‘Don’t be ridiculous!’

      Oh-oh. She was definitely sobering up. And returning to her former stroppy self.

      ‘Just tell me one thing.’

      ‘What?’

      ‘Did you love him?’

      ‘I was marrying him,’ she snapped. ‘What do you think?’