The Secret Affair
Torn between her love for Matthew and Jack, guilty Laura resorts to clandestine measures…
Are you sure you don’t mind?” “Mind? No way. I’m your sister. My job is to cover for you.” Fiona put down her half eaten muffin. “I’m your willing accomplice. I wasn’t sure you were going to go through with it, seeing as you’re one big guilty conscience.”
Laura wasn’t about to disagree. These days she wore guilt like a cloak. “What if Matthew –” “He will never know. When it comes to covert operations, I’m your woman. It’s exciting! Call me Bond. Jemima Bond. You’re 008. Licensed to thrill and be thrilled.” Fiona gave an exaggerated wink. “I promise not to mention to Matthew that you’re skipping out at lunchtime to have steamy sex with another man in a hotel out of town.” Laura felt her face heat. “It isn’t just about that. It’s about being together. Spending time.”
“I know. Stop worrying. You need this, Laura. You deserve it. Your life has been full-on for the past six months. You deserve a break and you don’t have to apologise or feel guilty.” Fiona took another bite of muffin. “And your secret is safe with me. You’ll only be gone a couple of hours. Chances are Matthew won’t even notice. He won’t know you’re a scarlet woman.”
She wasn’t. That was the problem. She’d never been the sort to flit between relationships. She’d always been a one-man kind of woman. For her, it had always been Jack. Until Matthew came into her life. “You’re right that I need this. Why can’t I do something for me without feeling guilty?”
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“Torn between two men. You’re not the first person to feel that way.”
“It’s not as if I’m not happy with Matthew…”
“I know, but let’s face it, he’s not fulfilling all your emotional needs. Remember what that advice columnist told you. Seize the moment. Now go, or you’ll be late.”
She still couldn’t believe she’d written to an advice columnist. Even less, that she’d admitted it to Fiona.
“She didn’t tell me how to stop thinking about Matthew while I’m with Jack,” she said lamely.
“If I know Jack, he’ll take care of that. Did you buy that black dress? Show me.” Laura slowly unbuttoned her coat. A smile spread across Fiona’s face. “Wow. You’re going to blow his mind.” “I hope so. It certainly blew my bank balance.” What had she been thinking? “You asked for champagne?” “Yes.” That had been another chunk out of her budget, but she knew the only way she stood a chance of relaxing was if she had half a bottle of bubbly inside her. She felt an ache in her chest.
“They say there’s no such thing as love at first sight, but the moment I saw him –” “Matthew has that effect on women.” “At the beginning I used to stay awake, just so that I could look at him. There were nights when neither of us got any sleep because we –”
“Whoa!” Fiona waved a hand. “You love him. I get it. But you love Jack, too. That’s OK.”
“You make it sound simple.” Laura looked at her helplessly. Fiona shrugged.
“The way I see it, you’re lucky. Most people can’t find one person they love, let alone two. Make the most of it.”
She’d picked a hotel a safe distance away. The thought of bumping into someone she knew made her break out in a sweat. They’d wonder what she was doing, sneaking into a hotel at lunchtime.
It was a good thing they couldn’t see the sexy black dress she was wearing under her coat… or the sexy underwear under the sexy black dress.
Her heels tapped on the marble floor
Her STOMACH curled. He was upstairs waiting. There was no GOING BACK
and she glanced around selfconsciously. The hotel was luxurious, an oasis of calm and understated elegance a thousand times removed from the mundane, low-key life she led with Matthew. Was that why she felt guilty? Because even though she adored him, she wanted time with Jack?
A few people turned to glance at her and she felt her colour rise. Did she look like a woman who sneaked off at lunchtime to meet a man?
She approached the reception desk and her courage almost failed her.
“Jane Smith.” She wished she’d picked something more exotic, like