The Helen Bianchin And The Regency Scoundrels And Scandals Collections. Louise Allen

café.

      The day had gone well, with new stock snapped up by various clients. Renee called to say there would be a change of plan and they’d eat at a restaurant.

      ‘I’ll go home and change first, then meet you there. Six-thirty?’

      Should she alert Rodney Spears? Just as she thought about dialling his mobile, he rang through to confirm her evening plans, and carefully noted the changes.

      Hannah checked her rear-vision mirror as she pulled out from the car park, and glimpsed a dark blue sedan follow at a discreet distance.

      Then she lost him in the flow of traffic, and she didn’t catch sight of the sedan until an hour later when she left the house en route to the restaurant.

      It was, she reflected silently, totally unnecessary for him to shadow her every move. When did the man eat, for heaven’s sake? Hamburgers and fries at a drive-through? And he had to sleep some time, surely?

      Miguel was probably paying him a small fortune, but that didn’t stop her from offering Rodney a one-hundred-dollar bill to eat in the restaurant.

      ‘Look on it as a bonus,’ she advised when he offered a protest. ‘I’ll go ahead and ensure you get a table.’

      She did, and she’d only been seated a few minutes when Renee and Carlo entered the foyer.

      ‘Darling, have you been waiting long?’ Renee greeted anxiously. ‘We got held up in traffic.’

      It was a pleasant evening. The food was superb, each course presented with flair and artistry. Hannah sipped a half-glass of wine throughout the meal, and together they caught up on each other’s news.

      ‘How is Cindy?’ Renee broached as she forked a few morsels of salad, then speared a sliver of chicken.

      ‘She was discharged this morning.’

      Renee looked at her daughter carefully. ‘One imagines Luc’s appearance at the Leukaemia Charity Ball was deliberate, rather than a chance circumstance?’

      ‘I have no idea,’ Hannah indicated with a slight shrug. ‘Nor do I care.’

      ‘It doesn’t bother you that he’s in town?’

      ‘Why should it? He’s a bad memory I’d prefer to forget.’

      ‘He hasn’t attempted to contact you?’

      ‘What is this?’ she queried lightly. ‘The third degree?’

      ‘You would tell us if he proves to be a nuisance?’ her father countered insistently.

      ‘He won’t get the opportunity.’ Her omnipotent husband was taking care of it. She spared a glance towards the bodyguard’s table, and saw that he was just finishing up.

      She could confide in her parents, but what was the point in worrying them unnecessarily? She opted not to suggest she follow them home and stay overnight. She hadn’t done so before on any of the other occasions Miguel had been away. If she suggested it now, their suspicions would be aroused. And what was the point? In her opinion, Miguel’s precautions were way over the top. Besides, the house and grounds were secure with a state-of-the-art security system.

      When the waiter cleared their plates Hannah declined dessert, the cheeseboard, and settled for coffee. It had been a leisurely meal, and nice to catch up with her parents away from the social scene.

      ‘We should discuss Christmas, darling,’ Renee ventured. ‘I thought I’d do lunch this year, and invite Esteban.’

      Christmas? Why, that was—

      ‘Nine weeks away, darling,’ her mother reminded. ‘The first of the pre-Christmas social festivities begins next week.’

      Heavens, it was that close? ‘I’ll check with Miguel, but I’m sure lunch will be fine.’

      ‘Well, this is a nice surprise.’

      Hannah heard her father’s words an instant before she felt a hand touch her shoulder.

      ‘What will you check with me, querida?’

      She turned her head at the sound of that deep, faintly accented drawl, and felt the floor drop away.

      Miguel?

      ‘I didn’t expect you back until tomorrow night,’ she managed an instant before his mouth closed over hers in a brief, tantalising kiss. The quick sweep of his tongue wreaked havoc with her senses, and it took a few seconds to regain her scattered thoughts.

      Why was he here at this restaurant?

      ‘I caught a taxi from the airport.’

      ‘Have you eaten?’ Renee queried warmly as he took the chair next to Hannah.

      ‘On the plane,’ Miguel confirmed. ‘However, I’ll join you for coffee.’ He caught hold of her hand and lifted it to his lips, then he linked his fingers through her own and rested them on his thigh.

      His smile left her breathless, the faint teasing quality stirring her emotions to fever pitch within seconds.

      ‘What will you check with me?’ he repeated, giving Hannah his total attention.

      It wasn’t fair that one man should possess such devastating sensuality, or that she could be rendered so intensely vulnerable by his look, his touch.

      From somewhere she restored order to her scattered thoughts. ‘Christmas. Renee mentioned lunch, if it suits your father to join us for dinner.’

      How did Miguel know she’d be dining at this restaurant?

      Rodney Spears, Hannah concluded. The bodyguard had obviously reported the change in venue to Miguel. But what had occurred to influence Miguel to drop everything and fly home at a moment’s notice?

      Whatever it was, it had to wait until they were alone, and she toyed with her coffee, stirring it unnecessarily, then she sipped the contents without registering the excellent espresso blend.

      The next hour seemed to be one of the longest in her life, and she breathed an inward sigh of relief when Miguel indicated they would leave.

      Hannah burst into speech the instant they were inside the car, and Miguel effectively silenced her by placing a hand over her mouth.

      ‘It’ll keep until we get home.’ He put the car in gear and reversed out before heading towards the exit.

      ‘The hell it will,’ she said fiercely as he joined the flow of traffic and headed towards Toorak.

      Miguel slanted her a long glance as he drew to a temporary halt at a set of lights. ‘The thought that I might have cut my trip short just to be here with you does not please you?’

      ‘I’m still mad at you over the bodyguard bit.’ She met his gaze and held it, then the lights changed and he gave the road his attention. ‘I take it I have Rodney to thank for reporting to you my every move?’

      ‘That’s what I pay him to do.’

      ‘A case of total overkill.’

      ‘You may change your mind when you see what I have to show you.’

      Something in his tone stilled the retort she was about to utter. A cold hand closed round her heart, and she searched his features, noting the hard set of his jaw, the serious expression which didn’t bode well.

      ‘It’s Camille, isn’t it?’ Hannah queried quietly. ‘What has she done?’

      Miguel turned the car into their driveway, paused while the electronically controlled gates swung open, then he headed towards the house. Within minutes he entered the garage and cut the engine.

      He popped the boot and removed a bag and his briefcase. ‘Let’s go indoors, shall we?’

      He led her into the study, dropped his bag to the floor, then he placed the briefcase on the desk,